Bust-a-Groove series (PSX)

[Austin]

Hey there!

I've read reviews and seen videos of these games, but have never actually played them. They seemed to be accepted well critically, but at the time the only real point of comparison as far as rhythm games went was Parappa.

I guess my question is, how do these games hold up today, as far as the rhythm genre goes? Are they still must-haves? Or have they been surpassed by stuff like Amplitude and Gitaroo Man?

Any opinions are greatly appreciated. :)

[sirhansirhan]

Rhythm games are probably my current favorite genre, and I track them down whenever possible. That said, I think Bust-A-Groove 2 is the best rhythm game for the PSX, with the original Bust-A-Groove coming in a close second. While Gitaroo-Man and Guitar Hero are much better games, the two Bust-A-Grooves do still hold up well, and I play them time to time. I especially like the Pander level in BAG2, which is hidden and only accessible if you do really well.

[PapaStu]

Well when it comes down to it they are both really good, but the second one has the big issues of the first one fixed in it.

The game plays in a 4 count beat and your objective is to push the arrows and or buttons by the fourth beat (with the last button/arrow pressed on the fourth beat). Doing this makes your character dance more or less (as in it will do the dance step that goes with the combo it gave you). The one downfall about Bust A Groove 1 is that you cant see which of the arrows/buttons you've pushed while your playing (not to mention that if your decent you can follow a simple combo string with your character of choice and really have little difficulty with the game). In 2 they fixed it so you know which buttons you've pushed thus far in a beat and made the combinations that you need to push for every beat show up totally random.

My one suggestion is that if you can get the Japanese versions of the games do so because the music is much better. The english translations of the songs really arnt that great and after I had been playing Bust a Groove 2 (japanese version) for a long while and went to the american one when it came out, I didnt like it nearly as much purely because of the music.

The American release of the games arnt easy to get but are well worth owning, especially if you cant do the Japanese games.

[roushimsx]

I like the japanese and us releases of the first game pretty much equally. The changed songs are still good, for the most part.

The second game's play mechanics are way beyond the first game and fix the overly linear gameplay of the first game by adding more complex branching (dance offs between two good players in the first game are among the most boring stalemates you'll ever have), but the soundtrack in the second game is as enjoyable as sticking your naked ear on a running aircraft engine. Terrible music selection (say what you want about jpop, but the avex trax license made the first game) and some craptacular character redesigns mean that you'll have to suffer if you want to experience the better core gameplay.

Britney's Dance Beat was pretty good, too if you want to see how it eventually evolved. Enjoyment of that game depends on how much you like Britney Spears' music, but it's hard to believe that anyone would enjoy it less than Bust a Move 2's bottom of the barrel soundtrack. For what it's worth, I enjoyed it.

So yea, really uneven series that ranges from awesome soundtracks but overly simplified gameplay (BaM/BaG) to refined gameplay with crap music (BaM2/BaG2) to good gameplay with Britney Spears music (guess). Any version you find of any of the games will be just fine, but if you don't get the japanese version of BaM then you'll miss out on the awesomely out of place and stereotypical, "YOU GOTTA BE KIDDIN' NIGGAH!" in Hamm's music, which always incites schoolgirlish giggles when we play it. If missing that doesn't bother you then hey, scrounge the US copy up and have a (limited) blast.

[Kid Ice]

A song from the first game, "I'm A Natural Playboy" or something like that, has been in my head for years. I foolishly traded the game away years ago but it hasn't left me.

[petewhitley]

My one suggestion is that if you can get the Japanese versions of the games do so because the music is much better. The english translations of the songs really arnt that great and after I had been playing Bust a Groove 2 (japanese version) for a long while and went to the american one when it came out, I didnt like it nearly as much purely because of the music.

Some of the animations are changed as well, in an attempt to "censor" them. :(

[Haoie]

Hmm. The name is just too similar to the other series, Bust A Move [which I believe was a redux of Bubble Bobble and its kin, from Taito]. Weird coincidence.

[roushimsx]

Hmm. The name is just too similar to the other series, Bust A Move [which I believe was a redux of Bubble Bobble and its kin, from Taito]. Weird coincidence.

I have no clue why Puzzle Bobble was renamed to Bust a Move in the US. Coupled with the Super Bust a Move coverart, you have a franchise that US publishers are obviously just trying to kill off. :(

Caused all sorts of confusion when Bust a Move came out in Japan and I was trying to tell people about it.

[PapaStu]

My one suggestion is that if you can get the Japanese versions of the games do so because the music is much better. The english translations of the songs really arnt that great and after I had been playing Bust a Groove 2 (japanese version) for a long while and went to the american one when it came out, I didnt like it nearly as much purely because of the music.

Some of the animations are changed as well, in an attempt to "censor" them. :(

Primarily some character smoking and and an instance of drinking or holding a bottle or something to that nature. It really doesnt take away all that much to not see the 'playboy' character taking a drag off a cigarette.

[LiquidPolicenaut]

I agree somehwat with the fact that BaG 2 added some refined play mechanics, but somehow it seemed simplified and a good deal easier than the first one. I still love the original, but was sorely let down with the second one (though i still own it). Crappy new characters, what-did-they-do-to-the-returning- characters shock/surprise/depression and a pretty nasty soundtrack. I still had hope when they announced a new one for the PS2 launch, but it was never released here but I heard it continued with the craptastic sequel syndrome anyway.

[petewhitley]

Some of the animations are changed as well, in an attempt to "censor" them. :(

Primarily some character smoking and and an instance of drinking or holding a bottle or something to that nature. It really doesnt take away all that much to not see the 'playboy' character taking a drag off a cigarette.

Actually, having both versions as well, I found the differences in animation more off-putting than the soundtrack changes. In particular, Strike looks ridiculous in the U.S. version with changed animation.

[DTJAAAAMJSLM]

I remember having a lot of fun with the OPM demo. I played it numerous times, but still haven't tracked down a copy for my personal collection. One of these days...

[Austin]

Thanks for the reviews! I'm going to have to try tracking one of them down.