Elite Beat Agents (DS)
- Publisher:
- Nintendo
- Developer:
- Nintendo
- Release Date:
- 08.11.2006
- Number of players:
- n/a
- Type:
- Action
- Reality Factor:
- Fantasy
- Perspective:
- Third-Person
- Extra:
- Comic Style
- Combat Status:
- Non-Combat
- Age:
- Modern Times
We play Elite Beat Agents...
Rhythm and music games have become more prolific during the past decade, thanks to games like PaRappa the Rapper for the PlayStation and the Bemani games in arcades and on various consoles. While consoles tend to make more sense in order to play these games thanks in no small part to the vast amount of storage on disc-based media - it's truly a challenge to make them for handhelds like the Nintendo DS. The potential is certainly there with the DS and its touch screen, but how would the music sound?
Elite Beat Agents smashes any worries about bringing these games to the DS. There's interesting and challenging gameplay. There's humor. There's also a handful of respectable covers of licensed (though compressed) music tracks to be sampled from. The game proves that games of this ilk really can work on the DS with a little bit of effort, and anyone who is a fan of this genre simply needs to own this game.
There is a storyline to be had in Elite Beat Agents, although it generally borders on the ridiculous. The Elite Beat Agents, headed by Commander Kahn, are always on the lookout for signs of trouble around the globe. Whether it's a babysitter with a crush, an oil tycoon gone bankrupt, or a meterologist who needs help with a completely incorrect forecast, shouts for help are answered musically by our heroes. The storylines are all drawn out in colorful and comedic Japanese-style comic art. Some sequences are somewhat animated, while others have some minor sound bites.
As each mission starts, the storyboards give way to gameplay as the music starts. The gameplay consists of using the stylus to tap dots on the touch screen in time with the music that's playing. It's not quite that simple, however... as a circular outline closes in on each of the dots and players must touch the dots just as that outline overlaps with the outer edge of the dot. It's tough to explain in words, but getting the hang of it in practice only takes a short while. The dots (or beats) are numbered, as well, so care must be taken to tap the dots in order.
There's another element to the gameplay, too. At times, there will also be tubes with a ball in them. When this happens, players must drag the ball from one end of the tube to the other... and, sometimes, this must be done more than once (as directed by arrows at either end of the tube). These tubular beats simulate drum rolls.
As each beat or roll is performed, the game assigns a score based on timing. If the beat tap is exactly on time, it scores higher than being slightly early or late. There are also multiplier bonuses for stringing together successive beats without missing. Higher scores unlock new ranks and hidden songs, so that adds to the game's replay value, which is already considerable with unlockable difficulty settings and characters.
While it's tough to summarize the gameplay in Elite Beat Agents, it's not tough to talk about how impressive the game is, especially in the sound department. Very few DS games have utilized sound compression, and Elite Beat Agents raises the bar. The game has well over a dozen songs to play through, covering a variety of different genres. While the songs aren't originals, they are very capable covers and sound quite good, whether you're donning headphones or listening through the DS' speakers. Each song is approximately 2-3 minutes in length, so we're looking at almost an hour of music on a single DS card.
As great as Elite Beat Agents is, there are some issues that can be nitpicked. Some of the song choices seem really odd; while there are definite winners (like "September" by Earth Wind & Fire), other tracks are questionable. There can also be issues with the timing of beat taps in order to get the highest scores and grades. Lastly, especially in the higher difficulty levels, there can be a lot of beats on-screen at once, and imprecise stylus detection can lead to ruin awfully quickly.
Despite these minor issues, Elite Beat Agents is easily the best rhythm game available on a handheld and is the best original take on the genre in some time. A sequel is a must, and a Wii version should be considered, too.
Top Game Moment: A touching "miracle of Christmas" storyline that WILL melt your heart, set to the music of Chicago.
 |
 |
|
| Here they come to save the day! |
Elite Beat Agents also has some funny storylines to go with the addictive gameplay |
Elite Beat Agents smashes any worries about bringing these games to the DS. There's interesting and challenging gameplay. There's humor. There's also a handful of respectable covers of licensed (though compressed) music tracks to be sampled from. The game proves that games of this ilk really can work on the DS with a little bit of effort, and anyone who is a fan of this genre simply needs to own this game.
There is a storyline to be had in Elite Beat Agents, although it generally borders on the ridiculous. The Elite Beat Agents, headed by Commander Kahn, are always on the lookout for signs of trouble around the globe. Whether it's a babysitter with a crush, an oil tycoon gone bankrupt, or a meterologist who needs help with a completely incorrect forecast, shouts for help are answered musically by our heroes. The storylines are all drawn out in colorful and comedic Japanese-style comic art. Some sequences are somewhat animated, while others have some minor sound bites.
 |
 |
|
| Check out that hair! | Yes, the game gets harder from here |
As each mission starts, the storyboards give way to gameplay as the music starts. The gameplay consists of using the stylus to tap dots on the touch screen in time with the music that's playing. It's not quite that simple, however... as a circular outline closes in on each of the dots and players must touch the dots just as that outline overlaps with the outer edge of the dot. It's tough to explain in words, but getting the hang of it in practice only takes a short while. The dots (or beats) are numbered, as well, so care must be taken to tap the dots in order.
There's another element to the gameplay, too. At times, there will also be tubes with a ball in them. When this happens, players must drag the ball from one end of the tube to the other... and, sometimes, this must be done more than once (as directed by arrows at either end of the tube). These tubular beats simulate drum rolls.
As each beat or roll is performed, the game assigns a score based on timing. If the beat tap is exactly on time, it scores higher than being slightly early or late. There are also multiplier bonuses for stringing together successive beats without missing. Higher scores unlock new ranks and hidden songs, so that adds to the game's replay value, which is already considerable with unlockable difficulty settings and characters.
While it's tough to summarize the gameplay in Elite Beat Agents, it's not tough to talk about how impressive the game is, especially in the sound department. Very few DS games have utilized sound compression, and Elite Beat Agents raises the bar. The game has well over a dozen songs to play through, covering a variety of different genres. While the songs aren't originals, they are very capable covers and sound quite good, whether you're donning headphones or listening through the DS' speakers. Each song is approximately 2-3 minutes in length, so we're looking at almost an hour of music on a single DS card.
As great as Elite Beat Agents is, there are some issues that can be nitpicked. Some of the song choices seem really odd; while there are definite winners (like "September" by Earth Wind & Fire), other tracks are questionable. There can also be issues with the timing of beat taps in order to get the highest scores and grades. Lastly, especially in the higher difficulty levels, there can be a lot of beats on-screen at once, and imprecise stylus detection can lead to ruin awfully quickly.
 |
 |
|
| Et tu, Steven Spielberg | Even hot-shot directors can have bad days in Elite Beat Agents |
Despite these minor issues, Elite Beat Agents is easily the best rhythm game available on a handheld and is the best original take on the genre in some time. A sequel is a must, and a Wii version should be considered, too.
Top Game Moment: A touching "miracle of Christmas" storyline that WILL melt your heart, set to the music of Chicago.
