Seeing as I've been playing this to death for a while, I think it's worthwhile giving it a proper review. While this game practically requires no introduction, I'll run you through the basics - this is a rythm action game (think DDR) for the DS, using the touch screen to work the beats.
This game is, from the get go, really quirky and enjoyable - you're given a brief tutorial, and then you're thrown into the game, with the option of easy and normal mode available, both featuring one song. Now, for a rythm action game, EBA features a unique degree of plot - the Elite Beat Agents is a government agency that, essentially, go to random people in need in the public and dance them to happiness/success/safety etc. It's an odd idea, which is amplified by the fact that the levels can take place in odd places, such as 15th century Italy, or in the bloodstream of an athelete, but it sorta works.
Each level follows the story of someone in need - whether it's a babysitter trying to catch the interest of a boy or a director trying to create a masterpiece. Your perfomance determines whether or not they are successful, in a series of short scenes that intersperse the song - these are nice first time round, and help provide breaks from the action, but later in the game when the difficulty level hikes up and concentration is of the utmost importance, it can be kinda offputting and can throw you off the beat.
Speaking of difficulty, it really is a mixed bag here - you start off really easy, but after that the difficulty jumps in leaps and bounds. It can be particularly frustrating - especially considering that you have to entirely complete Normal (or Cruisin') mode in order to unlock Hard (Sweatin') mode, even though the last song in Cruisin' seemed to me more difficult than the first of Sweatin'.
For all these points, though, the gameplay is really impressive. Anyone can do it, but as you reach the higher difficulties you begin to feel like a king when you manage to complete songs. The beats generally follow the rythm of the song, so as soon as you're used to it you can blast onwards, although there are parts that can really catch you out and provide a bit of variety. The game is at its best when you have barely any time to follow a collection of moves that complement the song excellently.
One of the main letdowns in gameplay is the health bar. For some reason, it drops even when you're doing nothing - even if there is nothing for you to do - and, as the difficulty rises, drops so fast that you need perfect runs in order to have a chance of surviving. It can get incredibly frustrating losing a level due to there not being any moves with which to boost your health meter with, and the inability to skip ahead in the song - avoiding all that you can already do and the cutscenes - means that you will be playing the song a lot for one section. Even worse is the lack of a training mode - the ability to skip to sections of the song and play through them without punishment for failure until you can clear it would be a glorious opportunity to this game.
The track list boasts 19 liscensed songs, all covered by talented but amateur artists, each with a number of difficulties available, but this feel likes a bit of a small number to me - yes, it's being played from a comparitively low storage space DS cartridge, but surely it wouldn't be too hard to have more songs available? It would also be more pleasing to have more songs and all the difficulties available at the start, as having to play through them all in order to continue can get a bit tedious - although does mean you get a taste of everything the game has to offer, instead of chickening out of some sections for fear of failure, or merely lack of perserverence.
All in all, this review seems pretty negative, but this is a must-have game for the DS. The story - although intrusive occasionally - is quirky and touching, the gameplay addictive and rewarding, and the sound and visuals as good as it needs to be, if not better. All of my gripes are based on my history in dance mat games - I suppose I was more expecting a DDR DS - and while I feel that a more arcade style would work well with the game, it sets out for what it plans to do perfectly, and this is a game that should be played by anyone and everyone. A highly recommended addition for your DS.
I also find it ironic that I'm the first person to make a thread about this despite the game not officially being released over here for at least another month.
An excellent review, Wes, me good chum. Your review has certainly made me want to purchase EBA, and I'll shall now buy it right this moment.
As for your desire of an arcade style menu, I would have to disagree. From the sounds of it, this game seems far better in actually rewarding you with unlockables, which is always a great incentive and gives a feeling of accomplishment then having it all on the table for you.
I thought you already bought it =/
I have! It just hasn't arrived. =/
You guys should come to the May MoFo Meet-Up and we can all play multiplayer. You'd all beat the crap out of me ;.;
haha Craig you're always putting yourself down when it comes to games. I've not even beat Sweatin' yet 
As a side note, I think next year I'll be able to make the meetup if time allows and I feel like it 😯 this year i still can't travel by myself and pulling my parents along is impractical since they would be disinterested and so wouldn't take me
I summon Canadian Interloper in attack position and destroy your British Party to shreds! You lose 80 bajillion lifepoints!
How does that make you feel, huh?
Oh and I intend to get this game in the near future >.>
I might got to the MoFo meet up. If only to show you all Haruhi and get us dancing. 😀
Oh and THS, when I said your review was great, I meant it was so great I would buy another copy!
OMG I JUST GOT AN S RANK ON EBA N_n... Of course, it's only on Crusin'... and It's only Walkie Talkie Man... BUT STILL IT'S AN S RANK 
...is a gas gas gas.
It most certainly is a gas, perhaps my favourite song in the game besides ABC, but OH BOY does the Hard Rock version make me scream bloody murder. Honey Comb Structured 1-16 then spinny disc like 4 times! It's crazy.
And the game hates me, gave me an A Rank for 1.5m on HR Mode and a B for 3.5ishm on sweatin'
Where's the justice?
I manage to finally play thi game at my locak EB and I can see why people love it so dang much. Once I get a DS, this game I'm definitly getting.
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Even worse is the lack of a training mode - the ability to skip to sections of the song and play through them without punishment for failure until you can clear it would be a glorious opportunity to this game.
The Review option seems good enough in that regard. I mean, otherwise, wouldn't that basically be like playing Sonic 1 while completely invincible, only to find that it doesn't count when you've finished the level?
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And the game hates me, gave me an A Rank for 1.5m on HR Mode and a B for 3.5ishm on sweatin'
Rank isn't determined by points. It's a matter of ratios in terms of the kinds of hits you got (300s, 100s, 50s...).
All those times I quit because I broke my combo via either jolting the ball or not spinning fast enough and I would have A/S'd through consistant 300's?
Daaamn.
Let it be known that getting an S Rank on Cruisin' "LaLa" is pure EVIL. I spent 2+ hours trying to do it just know - finally got a perfect run, with a perfect combo and only 20 100s in the whole song, and I STILL get an A. That said I know where I can improve so I may try again tomorrow.
In other news, I have 3 S Ranks in total now, two of which are on Cruisin', meaning I should be able to pick some up on Breezin', presuming it isn't too slow for me now.
And Craig, I presume combo breaking or failing to spin enough can have a detrimental effect on the ratio, but don't hold me to that.
Well... now I know that, within 15 minutes, I have A ranks on My Inspiration and Walkie Talkie Man on Hard Rock mode.
Alas, DDR Fever has eaten the WTM rank, as my SCORE with the B was better. By... like 700'000...
I too am addicted to this game. I'm a bit stuck right now, can't make it much beyond the second cutscene in JJF on sweatin' mode, and I still can't get the good version of that scene on sweatin' mode either. I also haven't gotten an S rank in anything, though I have A ranks in WTM, Makes No Difference, September and YMCA in sweatin', mostly Bs in everything else on sweatin', very few Cs. On the bright side, I have unlocked all three bonus missions, and my current rank is Legendary Agent, the ninth rank up.
All that aside, you should all know I can't play DDR to save my life, bad foot-eye coordination. But this game, dificulty aside, makes me ask, why can't all rhythm games be like this? The little stories do the job all videogame stories are supposed to do, but don't always succeed at, giving you, the player, a reason to do what you're doing. I'd like to see other rhythm games incorporate this style, as I've said in chat. I'd love to play Guitar Agents, the hybrid of EBA and Guitar Hero, and probably other rhythm games too.
In closing, I love this game more than I've loved any game in a good while.
Booya, baby. I got my first S rank last night on You're The Inspiration, Hard Rock mode.
I'm feeling confident enough to take on Jumpin' Jack Flash later on tonight, then Anthem... then we'll see what happens.
The problem is finding the time to practice...
Taking on the hard ones first means you'll find the earlier ones hard to get used to again, seeing as the speed will drop dramatically 😯
even i'm no longer used to Breezin' and i haven't beat Sweatin' yet c.c
True, but Sweatin' and HR have the same pattern (though mirrored), so if I strive to do them on HR, then I'll have the pattern down for Sweatin' and after a quick speed adjustion, it'll be fine.
