Elite Beat Agents

"Agents are... Osu!"

The Elite Beat Agents (EBA) are the western equivalent of the Japanese Ouendan (Cheer Squad). Although they look like those all-too-familiar Men in Black, they can definitely dance it up as good as Mr. Will Smith. Just like in the Japanese game that it is based on, EBA is pure rhythm-action fun for your DS. It is a game for everyone, offering difficulty levels and songs intended to cater for you, the core gamer, to your 70 year old granny and your 7 year old sibling. It is inevitable that some will (negatively) compare it to the original Ouendan! and although it is not as fresh, the main game mechanics still work out well, presentation is more refined and it is just as addictive as ever.

Graphics - 8
Sound - 8
Gameplay - 9
Lasting Value - 9 (19 songs total, 4 difficulties - you do the math)
Replay Value - 10

Ouendan Factor? - 7
VERDICT - 8.5/10

Looks like Ouendan...
The rhythm-action occurs on the touch screen, while the top screen is used to display the comic-driven capers. The agents are presented as 3D models which look reasonable enough, but where they lack in smoothness and detail, they make up for it with a wide range of excellent dancing animation routines. Nothing major here, but most of these type of games (eg. DDR) don't need anything more really.

On the top screen, some nicely drawn comic static & dynamic images convey the 'story' for each episode. The same style that was used in Ouendan! is used here which looks great! I do have a few reservations with regards to the long length of some introductions (but these can be skipped), as well as the fact that the use of more western scenarios does make it seem awkward at times. But during the game, when you are captivated by the music, the comics translate rather well, and are funny too.

The world map screen where you select your episodes has changed from flat 2D to a fully modelled 3D globe. You may like it, but I actually think it looks quite ugly.

But it sure doesn't sound like Ouendan!
The switch from J-pop to western pop and rock is sure to hit a few "off" strings here and there. I really did enjoy the way the original's J-pop melded so perfectly with the in-game crises. EBA tries its best to emulate this, but song selection can make or break a rhythm game; of the 19 songs featured, 50% do a good job, while the other half seem to have been lost in translation so to speak. Most surprisingly, the oldies generally work better than the modern songs.

But once you get over it as you play more and more, you won't be bothered as much. If you have not yet tried Ouendan! then you will adjust much faster than others who have. There are still some great tracks such as "The Anthem", "YMCA", and "You're the Inspiration" and I'm sure there's something there for everyone. The audio quality is pretty darn good too, and although we don't have the original artists performing, the sound-a-likes sound alike.

Tap, Slide, Spin
DDR had you hopping about a dance mat, SingStar had you belting out to a microphone, Guitar Freaks had you slamming on a replica peripheral, and EBA has you tapping, sliding and spinning with your stylus on a small touchscreen... It doesn't sound too good when I put it like this does it?

But it is fun! Full stop. Anyone can easily get into the groove of things with the easier difficulties guiding players and the more dexterous players challenged to the max on the hard and hardest difficulties. The actions you perform may be simplistic, but that's what makes it all the more fun. Once your skills are high enough, you will encounter some awesomely difficult and crazy routines. As I've said already, the more you play, the more you will WANT to play.

For Better or for Worse?
Building on the framework that Ouendan! set, EBA has added in a whole lot of new options to make for more variety and streamlined gaming. In fact, there is no doubt in anyone's mind that this looks just like an English version of the Japanese game! In EBA you are now able to save your replays for each level. These can then be traded locally with friends so that you can compare how well you each did relative to one another. It's a nice idea, but not a real hook by any means. The multiplayer modes are what will keep you at it. You can duke it out with fellow DS owners, both single- and multi-card play, to see who is the better saviour of the common people/animals. Not as fun as having a dancing/singing/guitar duel, but still a worthwhile addition.

As for general improvements to Ouendan!, you can now cut straight to the chase with the songs. No longer will you have to wait out a lengthy introduction, which got frustrating especially when having to replay levels. Even better is the review option which lets you view the last moments before you your life bar emptied. This way you can see where you went wrong and try to view the patterns which caused the disaster. It really helps on the harder difficulties and it means there is less repetitiveness (of screwing up the same part over and over again). All artwork unlocked can also be viewed at any time in the gallery.

The songs are a mixed bag yes, but they mostly still do a decent job of getting you into the rhythm. 3 of them are unlockable after accruing a certain number of points. This adds incentive for gamers to keep at it, but to unlock the last one, "Survivor", you need A LOT of points. This means having to go through most of all the difficulties successfully. Some buyers may never see the light of such songs as a result. But if you are reasonably adept with the stylus (just play more stylus-centric DS games like Wario Ware, Kirby, Trauma Center etc.), and you have some sort of musical ability, you should with time and patience be able to break the limit. As for the easier difficulties, hand it over to your siblings or parents to do the "hard" job for you!

Agents vs. Cheersquad
In the end, I loved going through EBA the many times I did, especially at the Sweatin' (hard) difficulty level (since normal was a breeze for an Ouendan afficionado here!) Some songs have already been marked by me for abstinence, but for every dud there is one that I'll always want to run through again. The gameplay is more of the same, nothing new here, which is still great in 2006 (and probably for many more years to come).

There was only one thing which really bothered me though. And that is the change from "Oooueendaaannnnn!" to "Heeaaalpp!" There are some other nit-picks concerning localisation, but this one really grates on my nerves. Luckily you can skip this last part of every story all the time.

And the winner is...
Overall EBA is a very fun, exciting, adrenaline-inducing, addictive title. It is fun for everyone and truly deserving of the "Touch Generations" tag it has received. Technically it has improved on Ouendan! all over, but as I stated earlier, song selection is what makes a rhythm game great, or just good. EBA leans towards the good, but the core mechanics are still great. This leads to somewhat mixed feelings seeing as rhythm-action-wise, everything EBA does well, Ouendan! did better, and it did it last year.

Still, give it go. You will like it. But depending on your past gaming history, the question is how much you will like it. Just keep in mind that once you pop you can't stop; the more you put in the more you will get out of it.


8.5/10 - Gameplay rocks and totally overshadows the rather meagre song selection

Reviewer's Score: 8/10, Originally Posted: 11/07/06, Updated 11/05/07

Game Release: Elite Beat Agents (US, 11/06/06)