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How Metascores Are Calculated
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1 vs. 100
Stars indicate the most critically-acclaimed games. |
In a jam? Well, all these guys DO is jam! Prepare to rock as these beat masters use their groovy moves to save the day. As the music plays, players tap the screen, trace rhythmic patterns and keep the beat as the story unfolds on the top screen. Every scene is accompanied by rump-shaking tunes, but players have to keep the Elite Beat Agents grooving. The worse players do, the worse the story might end up. Whether they’re helping a lost dog find its way home or helping a babysitter charm a hunky football player, no crisis is too weird. The public knows of government agencies like the FBI and CIA, but little is known of this super-secret agency. Code-named Elite Beat Agents, these men in black are heroes' heroes and the coolest group of guys this world has ever known. Of course, according to official records, they do not exist. Their leader, an ex-CIA agent named Commander Kahn, scans the world for cries of help. When he finds one, he dispatches the agents, who assist their targets by performing a song and dance. The hypnotic nature of their rocking revives the targets with "Groovy" energy that boosts their willpower and helps them overcome their obstacles. Every stage is presented in a storyline fashion. All stages share similar basic elements and game flow: The player gets introduced to the target’s problem in a comical intro. Commander Kahn dispatches the agents to the scene. The agents arrive in a special "Beat Transport" that is tailor-made for the situation. The song starts as the agents and player meet the target. By tapping and tracing patterns that appear on-screen, players play along with the song’s rhythm. The animated story changes depending on how well the player performs. After each section, the player gets judged. Depending on the Elite-o-meter's judgment, the story will go well or poorly. If the player makes it though the whole song, he or she will be judged on the whole thing and get one of three endings. [Nintendo]
All critic scores are converted to a 100-point scale. If a critic does not indicate a score, we assign a score based on the general impression given by the text of the review. Learn more... 100
Modojo
This is simply a winning formula, through and through. Buy it. Love it.
 100
GameShark
If you enjoy this type of genre of games – music rhythm – there’s no doubt you’ll love Elite Beat Agents.
100
Zentendo
Easily one of the best handheld games to hit us in a long while--it is fresh and addictive, easy to play, and hard to master.
95
ZTGameDomain
I love the sound of music blasting into my duo earlobes in the morning, and the soundtrack to this game is super.
95
AtomicGamer
It has an addictive quality to it that I’ve yet to really find on the DS and it manages to show off just what the system was built for.
95
Game Almighty
All in all, Elite Beat Agents is easily one of the best games on the DS and just about everyone should like it, whether they enjoy rhythm games or not.
95
Da Gameboyz
With stylish graphics, a great soundtrack and addicting gameplay, including the multiplayer mode, this game scores top marks and it is a worthy game for any DS owner's library of growing games.
95
IGN
But even with new characters, popular Western tunes, and plots that actually make sense, Elite Beat Agents retains the awesome, addictive gameplay core.
95
eToychest
Ridiculous. Infectious. Simplistic. Just plain fun. Saddling Elite Beat Agents for the Nintendo DS with any one description is difficult, as the game marries absurd comedy, entertaining music, and classic rhythm mechanics in a way that is both new and altogether different from anything else available for the platform.
95
Nintendo Power
So, go forth, help the Elite Beat Agents save the world one step at a time, groove to the music, and hit the beats. Just don't forget to breathe. [Dec. 2006, p.106]
94
GameZone
There were a lot of times I was laughing out loud while playing this game. The cut scenes truly are great, and the gameplay itself keeps getting better and better as you progress.
93
IC-Games
Elite Beat Agents is wonderfully original in its own right and features some of the best presented and lavish comic strip animations seen in some time.
92
N-Insanity
If you enjoy the genre like me, or if you like handheld games with 'a lot of tapping', you simply can't go wrong with the quirky troupe that is the Elite Beat Agents.
91
Digital Entertainment News
Elite Beat Agents is a ridiculously silly music-rhythm game with a wacky song list, a laughably bizarre story, and fantastic gameplay. In other words, it’s just about everything a music-rhythm game should be, really.
91
The Onion (A.V. Club)
No game makes more creative use of the Nintendo DS touch-screen. Where many milk the technology for gimmicky distractions or Palm Pilot-style input, Elite Beat Agents bets the farm on precision touch-screen play, and wins big.
90
Gaming Target
While the multiplayer modes were fun, I found that the main game was much more compelling and ultimately what kept me booting up my DS.
90
Pocket Gamer UK
Not even dodgy tunes stop Elite Beat Agents being one of the most entertaining and accessible games on DS.
90
Console Gameworld
You'll be hard pressed to find a game that's as fun and as addicting as Elite Beat Agents can be. It's unique; it has a great sense of humor; and if you take the time to get good enough at it, you can rest assured that it will be in your DS for a long time.
90
AceGamez
A quirky, imaginative title that is exactly the reason why the Nintendo DS is dominating the market currently.
90
Armchair Empire
If you only buy a handful of games each year Elite Beat Agents should be among them. It’s fun, plain and simple.
90
Gamestyle
EBA performs admirably, making improvements where needed and retaining the same charm, humour and enthusiasm as its imported cousin. It's a more accessible entry into the franchise, but there's nothing to stop anyone from picking up both.
90
NintendoWorldReport
The designers did a great job converting the Japanese Ouendan into an equivalent Americanized Elite Beat Agents.
90
Thunderbolt
A blend of entertainment and fun. Forget about epic RPGs that force you to endlessly level up your characters. Take a break from that puzzle game you’ve been drooling over for the past four hours. Never mind the platformers, the action games, and anything else that you happen to have in your DS right now. Despite its crazy concept, this game is a force to be reckoned with.
90
Deeko
If you're into J-Pop, import "Ouendan!," because it's a great game, but Elite Beat Agents is slightly better and that's not solely based on the fact that it's longer - it's just more fun.
90
Games Radar
Elite Beat Agents captures that rare quality, that pure joy, that makes Nintendo's own games special. It just makes you feel good with its sing-along songs, memorable characters and laugh-out-loud story.
90
GameSpy
If "wacky," "quirky," or "freaking bizarre" turn you off, you may not pick up what this game is laying down, but unless you have something against having fun, you really ought to try.
90
1UP
Very few games can truly claim to be for all players of all ages, and this is one of them. With a delirious mix of slapstick humor, comic storytelling, infectious music, and tons of replayability, Elite Beat Agents is one of the best music-oriented games to date and stands among the cream of the DS's impressive library. Don't miss it.
90
Sydney Morning Herald
Those looking for something unique to enliven a dull commute should definitely call on the Elite Beat Agents.
90
VideoGamer
For a DS title Elite Beat Agents looks and sounds great. The agents are animated brilliantly (although you might not notice their dance moves due to your level of concentration) and the cutscenes are often hilarious.
90
EuroGamer
Overall, sure, Elite Beat Agents has trouble making the same impact as the unexpected brilliance of Ouendan, but it does a miraculous job of avoiding the constraints of the culture it arrives in, and infuses the player with the same borderline prescience of tap-judgement that rendered the original's level design so inspired.
90
Nintendojo
The title just has some sort of magic to it, in spite of its humor and deliberate cheesiness, that encourages good vibes, especially by the time the over-the-top finale is completed.
89
Jolt Online Gaming UK
Sod all the talk of the Japanese original – Elite Beat Agents is a truly superb title that’s a joy to play from start to finish.
89
GameSpot
You won't find a stranger and more addictive rhythm game on a handheld system than Elite Beat Agents.
88
Electronic Gaming Monthly
Minor complaints, though--this is the most creative and entertaining music game this side of "Guitar Hero". [Dec. 2006, p.151]
88
GameTrailers
It can be digested in small chunks making it perfect gaming for the on-the-go types, and there’s honestly no other handheld game like it.
87
Official Nintendo Magazine UK
Addictive. [July 2007, p.92]
85
GamePro
While it's true some of the quirkiness of the humor is better conveyed in the Japanese counterpart, Elite Beat Agents is no slouch, and is an overall very fun game.
84
Pelit (Finland)
A hilarious and reasonably original bemani game. Too bad the sound quality is so low. [Sept 2007]
83
Games Master UK
Loses its oddball way slightly in the translation, but this is still great. [Aug 2007, p.71]
83
The New York Times
Agents is a great mix of purposely nonsensical story and engaging gameplay.
80
Yahoo! Games
On the easiest level, you can knock out all the game's songs in an evening. But then you'll see how gratifying it is to do the same song on a harder level. At that point, Elite Beat Agents pretty much has you.
80
games(TM)
A sequel that ticks all the right boxes. All the original’s most important facets remain intact. [Jan 2007, p.115]
80
Total Video Games
A near-perfect example of the rhythm/action genre on the DS. Elite Beat Agents is stylish, fun and engaging from start-to-finish, and a highlight in the DS unique catalogue.
80
G4 TV
Dodgy track list aside, this is a consistently fun and often funny title that keeps the charm and oddity of the Japanese original intact. It's also one of those games that could only work this well on the Nintendo DS, and it's difficult to resist these Agents' combination of charm and dance prowess.
77
NGamer UK
The crappy songs don't help, but this remains a decent rhythm action game for the DS. And it makes no more sense for being in English. It's no "Rhythm Tengoku," of course. [January 2007, p.73]
75
Game Revolution
Elite Beat Agents is a wonderful DS game, entertaining but wound up a little too tightly.
71
netjak
The idea behind Elite Beat Agents is one of the best I've seen. The story is told with near-perfect timing, and the engine itself is solid. However, the song choice is incredibly spotty, and the multiplayer modes are a disappointment.
70
Edge Magazine
It's the music that's important here, and Elite Beat Agents delivers. [Jan 2007, p.86]
70
Extreme Gamer
A one of a kind game that is original and fun.
70
GameDaily
The Americanized version has lost something in translation, but for those who don't know any better; Elite Beat Agents delivers a fresh portable gaming experience with far-reaching appeal.
68
Game Informer
Something always felt a little off when using the touch screen. I just don’t think this kind of touch interface is well suited to the rhythm game genre. After awhile I actually did start to enjoy myself a little, but Nintendo was never able to convince me that the game works well.
Bob F. gave it a10: Donkey Kong gave it a7: Mr. Anonymous gave it a9: Kyle S. gave it a10: Mitch gave it a10: Finn W. gave it a1: Andrew G. gave it a10: |
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