Elite Beat Agents

"A great music title for the DS, with a much better track list than I thought it would have."

Elite Beat Agents is a unique music game for the Nintendo DS, one of the first for the system. Combining a distinct graphical style with the new mainstream music-game void, it did very well for itself and I'm sure we're bound to see a sequel. I only picked it up recently due to its low price, since I was sure it wasn't a very long game, and while I was right in regard to it's length, it left me wishing that I had picked it up much sooner.

Story: 9/10

The game is comprised of more than a dozen different unrelated stories. Each story is associated with a different song. The subject of each story is often a stereotype of society. For example, in one you have an oil tycoon who loses his considerably younger wife when his oil fields dry up. Another features two celebrities who need help living comfortably on a deserted island. Not every story is a parody though, as one of my favorites features a pug (yes, a dog) who gets lost and tries to find his way home. These stories play in the background and are dependent on how you do in the game, as you either help the characters or hurt them. So, in order to help the good people with their problems the EBA was formed. Using the power of song and dance, the agents are able to help out anyone who needs them. Overall, these stories are well written and just plain fun to watch and play, A+ all the way.

Gameplay: 7/10

Usually the gameplay segment of any review should have the most information, as it is the most pertinent, but EBA keeps it short and sweet. All you need to do in the game is keep beat with the song. To do so, tap on the on-screen icon when the circle closes in around the icon. Do this in order for all the icons. There is also a slide bar that you need to hit that releases a ball. You need to follow the ball as it rolls around the slide and back in order to keep the beat. The last thing that you'll see is a spinner that appears every now and again, usually in the later levels, that you need to simply spin. That's it.

Graphics: 9/10

Right away I could tell that these parodies of society are combined with a heavily-influenced anime style to really bring the characters to life. Everyone's reactions to bad news are all over-the-top, in classic anime style. You can't help but love it, though, as everything looks so sharp and crisp. The animations are great as well, no lag whatsoever, and many, many entertaining animations.

Music/Sound Effects: 9/10

The real highlight of the game, I really enjoyed the selection of music presented here, even "Material Girl" by Madonna (I can't believe I said that). Other featured artists included are Sum41, Chicago, Rolling Stones, Avril Lavine, Hoobastank, as well as many others. I really didn't expect so many high-profile songs to be on here, actually. Of course, the stories usually fit the songs like a glove. For example, the celebrities on the deserted island are paired with "Material Girl".

The sound effects take a back seat to the music, of course, but each track's drums are accented according to the icons on screen, so you can distinctly make out the beat of each song. You'll also enjoy the brief moments when the characters speak, though this usually only happens when they are yelling for help.

Re-playability: 6/10

As I suspected, and previously stated, this game is SHORT. I beat it in an afternoon. To try to help offset this fact, there are numerous difficulty levels as well as a ranking system. Also you can rack up points to earn new titles. There is also multiplayer available in either a competitive or co-op mode, but requires two game cartridges (although you can do a limited version with one cartridge). The game is fun, but won't supply you hours upon hours of entertainment.

Overall: 8/10

Overall, I think that despite the game's short length, it was extremely fun to play and worth a play-through. It is hard to justify paying a large amount for such a short game, but I did pick it up for about 10 dollars, used. If you can, borrow it from a friend for an afternoon and have fun saving the world. Agents are GO!

Reviewer's Score: 8/10, Originally Posted: 08/25/08

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