Review Britney's Dance Beat

[Solution 9]

The old "don't judge a book by its cover" rule comes into play heavily when deciding whether or not to play Dance Beat. It's a Britney Spears game, yes. Does that mean it's a bad game? Not at all. Actually, it's very enjoyable. Of course, it's not for everyone. Only a small percentage of gamers out there will enjoy it, and even a smaller percentage of gamers will even try it. But I have boldly gone where few gamers have gone before, and played Dance Beat, and I have returned with this review!

Gameplay:Surprisingly, Dance Beat is really fun. If you're into dance or music games (such as DDR, but without the mat), you'll love this game. Simply think of it as a portable DDR game. All you have to do is press buttons that the game tells you too, in order to make Britney dance on screen for you. Seems easy, right? Well, kind of. The first few levels are a cake walk. You'll probably breeze through the practise mode in about a half hour without really trying. Next comes the concert mode. You'll be in for a surprise, because this is where the game gets extremely challenging! The concert mode incorporated the use of the directional buttons, rather than just A&B. You'll find yourself frantically hitting buttons and making mistakes more often. I couldn't get past the 3rd concert, but I kept trying until I did. And that, my friends, is the beauty of this game. You actually WANT to continue! You actually WANT to beat this game. I found myself saying "what? I can't beat Dance Beat!!??" And the fact is, I couldn't. You'll need practise too. Maybe not as much as I did, but trust me, you'll need practise.

Visuals:the graphics are not great. The dancing Britney looks all right, and her different outfits look cool as well. Their are only two backgrounds, but they look swell as well. And the most surprising thing about Dance Beat? The unlockable FMV videos! You've read correctly. Britney's Dance Beat has a long (1:30min) FMV video of her performing at one of her concerts. I must say, I was very impressed with this. If you're going to play this game, make SURE you unlock this video. It's very impressive (who said the GBA was weak??) I had to ADD a mark for this amazing feat.

Sound: The only music you'll hear in this game is Britney Spears tunes. This could be a good thing, or a bad thing, depending on how much you like Britney Spears. Hardcore fans may be disappointed to find out that the songs you dance to are not full length. All you hear is the music, and then at the end of each loop, Britney will sing a little bit. So, I had to deduct a mark off. I'm glad to say that the songs actually sound like they're supposed too. They kind of sound like MIDI renditions of the actual songs, but they sound good nonetheless.

Fun Factor:This is where it gets complicated. People who are willing to give this game a chance will most likely love it. That is, if they're into puzzle and beat games. You'll be on Cloud 9 with this portable DDR (well, kind of). But then, there are always people who won't play this game because "Britney Spears is lame." Well, sorry buddy. You're going to miss out on a good game, simply because you won't give it a try. I urge you to give this game an honest try. Odds are you'll like it.

Replay: Wow.. there are so many unlockable objects in this game! Pictures, puzzles, and a video. Ok, they aren't so great (and the pictures look like total crap on the GBA). But it had me playing for a while, trying to unlock everything, and that is what counts.

Recommendations:If you're into dance games, buy this game. If you can get over the fact that this is a Britney Spears game, you'll have a great time. Take my word on that. As for the other people out there, I suggest you at least try it. You may just enjoy it.

This game earns a full 9/10!