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Creating Osu! Tatakae! Ouendan and its recreation as Elite Beat Agents
Keiichi Yano, VP of development for iNiS Corporation created Gitaroo-man and Osu! Tatakae! Ouendan. Americans know him most recently for the conversion of the latter title to Elite Beat Agents. But since the original Japanese rhythm game centered on the rousing Ouendan, at his GDC seminar, Yano explained the process of rebuilding the title for a more American approach with "The Agents." With two Ouendan helpers occasionally chiming in, but mostly standing at attention during the presentation, Yano described the history of his company's titles. He was the game designer and also lead programmer for the company's first game, Gitaroo-man -- "[my ambitious role] was the stupidest thing ever." He hadn't created a game before, saying, "[I] studied pretty hard, read all the books, [and] came to GDC. At the end of the development cycle, we thought we had a really good game. ... We gained a fair amount of confidence." But Gitaroo-man was a retail disappointment. "It sold, like, nothing," Yano continued. "Any confidence that we had built was completely crushed like a fly. At this point, we had kind of lost all confidence in the music genre. ... We really did a lot of soul-searching back then." iNiS went on to prototype a new game and show it off to Nintendo. Yano said, "To make a long story short, they thought our idea sucked. ... We went on and we kept pitching this game [elsewhere]." %Gallery-1974%
GDC 07: The making of Ouendan & Elite Beat Agents
var digg_url = 'http://digg.com/gaming_news/The_making_of_Ouendan_and_Elite_Beat_agents_Keiichi_Yano_speaks_at_GDC'; The gaming community has embraced iNiS' incredible DS music games, Osu! Tatakae! Ouendan! and Elite Beat Agents, much to the surprise of game designer Keiichi Yano. His panel at the Game Developer's Conference in San Francisco featured an incredible large audience that filled the presentation room. All kinds of people, from gamers, to developers, to prominent members of the gaming press, all attended the session to show their support of this small development team. Yano-san went into incredible detail about the inspirations behind the game, the process of working with Nintendo, and gave us some delicious images from the upcoming sequel.
Ouendan 2 scan: blurry but still awesome
Duckroll over at NeoGAF teased us with this less than ideal scan of a Moero! Nekketsu Rhythm Damashii Osu! Tatakae! Ouendan 2 preview from a Japanese magazine. Normally we wouldn't report on a scan of this quality, but it's Ouendan, and normal rules and logic do not apply. We can learn some interesting things from the scan: spinners are back, so don't remove your screen covers; also, this is definitely new material and not a re-localization of Elite Beat Agents for a Japanese audience. You're welcome to click on the image and investigate a larger version of the scan; we hope HEEEAAALP arrives soon with a clearer scan. [Via NeoGAF]
Friday Video: The Elite Beat Agents and Mel Gibson
So how 'bout that Mel Gibson? Drinking and driving, ranting about, well, everyone... the actor/director doesn't seem to be in the best place these days. It sounds like he might need some help! So what can we do? Why, send in the Elite Beat Agents, of course! They'll fix everything! Well, if the player has the skills to get the job done, that is. In this week's video spotlight, a parody from Game Almighty sends the agents in to help the star on a certain notorious evening. How does it end? Watch the video! All we're gonna say is that it's hilarious.
Elite Beat Agents sequel is on (oh yes)
Dengeki Online has today posted Nintendo of Japan's latest release schedule, which includes mention of the long-awaited sequel to -- drum-roll for nervous anticipation -- Osu! Tatakae! Ouendan (which was rejigged for the West as Elite Beat Agents). There's no release date mentioned other than a non-specific "during 2007." Four-player action is confirmed, though, as is the new sensation's snappy title: Moero! Nekketsu Rhythm Tamashii Osu! Tatakae! Ouendan. Got all that? Quick translation: Burn! Hot-Blooded Rhythm Spirit, Yo! Fight! Cheerleading. Need we say more?
Are you an Elite Beat Agent? Prove it.
Buzznet.com is hosting an Elite Beat Agents video contest sure to produce some laughs over the next few weeks, as it calls on Agent wannabes to serve it up in front of the camera. Various colored DS systems and copies of Elite Beat Agents are at stake (and some promo swag too). Here's a tip: Lose the "secert agent" camp for Ouendan's military-cheerleader routine. Osu! Tatakae! ...
Elite Beat Agents sequel possible
MTV.com's Stephen Totilo recently sat down with Nintendo's one-and-only, ass-kicking, name-taking man in charge Reggie Fils-Aime, where the man in charge admitted that he has a great amount of respect for the touch-screen tapping game. He also says that, given the sales figures for the game, a sequel is likely. Personally, we'd love to see a sequel, however we wish it to be more a sequel to Osu! Tatakae! Ouendan! than Elite Beat Agents. Nothing personal against the agents with the most elite of beats, we just feel that the song selection and gameplay of the Japanese edition were superior. What about you guys? [Via 4cr]
Delta debuts airport download stations
In one of the best ideas we've seen in a while, Delta Airlines is partnering with Nintendo to bring DS download stations to the airport. What better time to test out a new title than a four hour flight? The new program is currently in place at the Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, though we expect it will expand if successful. If your holiday flights include a stopover in Atlanta, try to patronize one of the stations at a Delta terminal -- this is one test program we want to support! Currently, demos of Elite Beat Agents, Brain Age, and Clubhouse Games are available at the terminals in Atlanta.
Your Week in Nintendo - 11/6/06 - 11/12/06
Welcome to a new feature at DS Fanboy -- where we recap the stories you don't want to miss. Top stories are chosen based on relevance and reader support. For the week beginning Monday, November 6th and ending Sunday, November 12th, Your Week in Nintendo brings you: 5) Elite Beat Agents arrivesAt last, the Elite Beat Agents are here to set things right. It's been one of the year's most anticipated titles, and now we can barely take time away from playing it ... unless, of course, we're talking about it. 4) Two great tastes Just in time for the Wii launch, Nintendo drops a gift from Twilight Princess into Animal Crossing: Wild World, though it won't be revealed until the 17th. 3) The debate rages onThis time, it's not the fanboys arguing about the merits of the DS and the PSP -- it's Sony's Dave Karraker comparing the media hub that is the PSP to Nintendo's handheld gaming system. Who knew being about the games could be so wrong?2) Things are looking good on the DSNew footage from Dragon Quest Monsters: Joker had fans stumped -- it looks so good, some mistook it for a Wii title! It's good to be reminded that it's not all about stylus-based fun with the DS. Nintendo's innovate handheld is powerful, too. 1) Apple v. Nintendo -- fight! Our favorite handheld dukes it out with the MacBook Pro for the title of Time magazine's Gadget of the Year.
Metareview - Elite Beat Agents
Purists may scoff at these 'men in black' who lack the flair of Ouendan's male cheerleaders. They may also wince at tracks like Avril Lavigne's "Sk8er Boi" and Ashlee Simpson's "La La," included for Western-aligned palettes. Alas, cultural transitions are often difficult, but at least the series' unique rhythmic core has not been tampered with. IGN (95/100) - "Westerners who've played the original Osu! Tatakae! Ouendan! might end up a little disappointed that the Nintendo of America version might lack the kitschy Japanese flavor ... [but] with new characters, popular Western tunes [IGN 'heart' Ashlee Simpson], and plots that actually make sense, Elite Beat Agents retains the awesome, addictive gameplay core." GameSpot (89/100) - "One of the strangest things about Elite Beat Agents is its soundtrack. The grouping of songs that Nintendo has assembled here is equivalent to someone taking the individual music libraries of a teeny-bopper kid and his or her parents, tossing it all into a jar, shaking vigorously, and then scooping out a random handful of songs." GameDaily (70/100) - "Elite Beat Agents is still a good game that deserves a shot with any music-loving Nintendo DS owner out there. It's a surprise Nintendo took the chance at releasing this game in the States, but it's as much of a surprise that it's actually quite good, and compares well enough to the import classic to make it a recommended buy." [We recommend: Osu! Tatakae! Ouendan]
DS releases for the week of November 6th
It's here at last -- Elite Beat Agents! We're told some other games might be coming out as well (who knew?), but we're too busy tap-tapping at the keyboard and practicing rhythm to think about much else. Which is probably too bad, because it's a good week for game releases. If this deluge of awesome sauce continues, we're not going to have any money left to throw a New Years' Eve party this year ... but we'll have a sweet collection of DS games, right? It's all about priorities .... Of course, supplies are subject to manufacturer delivery. DS releases: Barbie: 12 Dancing Princesses Bomberman Land Touch! Chicken Little: Ace in Action Digimon World DS Elite Beat Agents Micro Machines V4 My Frogger: Toy Trials Tom and Jerry Tales Uno/Skip-Bo/Uno Freefall Winx Club: The Quest for the Codex GBA releases: Final Fantasy V Advance Polarium Advance The Sims 2: Pets Tom and Jerry Tales Winx Club: The Quest for the Codex
Elite Beat Agents ad rocks YouTube
We knew those Elite Beat Agents were popular, but the commercial hitting #1 in games on YouTube is quite a feat! We can't say we're too surprised, not after seeing all sorts of people clustered around the game at the Fusion Tour, but it's definitely an exciting moment for DS fans nonetheless. Check out the ad itself after the jump. Think it captures the game?
Today's Hottest Game Video: Elite Beat Agents
Elite Beat Agents stars in today's most-watched YouTube game video; the winner is a commercial for this DS game. The ad shows the level and song featured in the retail kiosk Elite Beat demo. We haven't seen it yet on broadcast TV, but we usually skip through commercials. The ad does all it can to explain what this game is about, and we're not sure it succeeds; Elite Beat may need to be played to be fully grasped. The commercial also makes no mention of the crazy song list used in the game -- something non-gamers may understand better than the gameplay. Elite Beat Agents is a tough game to explain. At least the ad captures the "what the hell is this?" feeling we have while playing. View the video after the break.
Elite Beat Agents site at your service
The official English Elite Beat Agents site is up and ready to rock your socks. There's a montage of game footage tucked away behind the "action!" button that's certain to get toes a-tappin' and heads a-bobbin, so unless you're around people who understand your fascination with guys in dark suits who gyrate to pop music ... well, you can see where we're going with that one. Then again, it's totally worth the explanations, so just go check out the site already. [Via 4cr]
Elite Beat Agents track list
Would we be correct in saying that everyone and their dog is as excited for Elite Beat Agents as we are? Something about those slick male cheerleaders makes us giggle. So, you can imagine how excited we were to see the track list for the game. Sure we had to muffle laughter over artists like Cher and Ashlee Simpson. The game did get a few more cool points for featuring David Bowie and Queen. Without further ado, we present to you the Elite Beat Agents track list: Walkie Talkie Man - Steriogram ABC - Jackson Five Sk8er Boi - Avril Lavigne I Was Born to Love You - Queen Rock This Town - Stray Cats Highway Star - Deep Purple Y.M.C.A. - Village People September - Earth, Wind and Fire Canned Heat - Jamiroquai Material Girl - Madonna La La - Ashlee Simpson You're the Inspiration - Chicago Survivor - Destiny's Child Without a Fight - Hoobastank Believe - Cher Let's Dance - David Bowie Jumpin Jack Flash - Rolling Stones Makes No Difference - Sum 41 The Anthem - Good Charlotte [Thanks Ben!]
David Bowie and Cher become Elite Beat Agents
Glancing at the newly revealed track listing for Elite Beat Agents instills some sort of inescapable fear of impending doom and cataclysm. There's every reason to suggest that lumping songs from Madonna, David Bowie, Chicago, Cher and Earth, Wind and Fire (ask your parents) onto a single storage medium could run the risk of melting the entire universe into an amorphous puddle of writhing pain. Oh, Ashlee Simpson's on there too. She usually has that effect all on her own. Chris Kohler at Game|Life has scooped the entire song list for the upcoming DS game -- which, by the way, is the English spin-offy version of Osu! Tatakae! Ouendan!, a music-and-rhythm masterpiece made most memorable by its screen-tapping J-pop tunes, inspired humor and screaming male cheerleaders. Instead of trying to twist the game into a shape more suitable for the Western market, Elite Beat Agents aims to present the same gameplay (insidious spinners included), but with new scenarios, secret agents instead of cheerleaders, and different music. Different here having the definition of fruity and from a strange time. Discovering how these "college frat party" songs (says the game's designer, Keiichi Yano) match up with the visuals and gameplay will no doubt amuse us to no end, especially when it comes to hits like Y.M.C.A., ABC and (gngghh) Sk8er Boi. [Thanks, JKTrix. You're the inspiration.]
Groovy new Elite Beat Agents screens
This year's PAX was indeed the land of the DS, and we're not just talking about all the people relaxing with Pictochat. A wealth of new screens have surfaced from the Expo, particularly for the DS, and these new shots from the forthcoming Elite Beat Agents are definitely droolworthy. The rhythm-based game of personal cheerleaders as government agents is due in November and it cannot get here fast enough. The new screens simply are not enough to fill the void! [Thanks, Andrew!]
Real Ouendan cheerleaders believe in you!
We have to update Joystiq, but we're feeling so dejected and uninspired. If only we had some motivation or some measurable system of support. We can't let the readers down! We need some assistance. We need oh ... oh ... OUENDAAAAAAAAANNN!! This article would simply not have been possible had it not been for three musically inclined, amazingly synchronized strangers bursting forth from the closet and radiating encouragement. It would seem that one of the best games on the DS, Osu! Tatakae! Ouendan! (that's the title, not a sign of enthusiasm) is rooted in reality, at least the kind of distorted reality you'd expect to discover on the planet of Japan. The embedded video depicts a very real and personal cheerleader squad facing one of their greatest challenges yet -- a lonely man in search of female companionship. Judging by the state of his home, it's probably best if said female turns out to be a maid. It's amazing to note that the cheerleader squad has been around for sixty years, encouraging (and perhaps frightening) people into action with obnoxious shouting, frantic arm movements and the general appearance of having a full-blown seizure. The world definitely needs more of these guys. Next year: The establishment of the world's first Elite Beat Agency! [Thanks theKiko! You did it!]
DS release dates (and Final Fantasy V, too!)
Nintendo of America has issued release dates for most of the major DS releases in the fourth quarter. This wonderful list is as follows:Oct. 9: Clubhouse GamesOct. 16: Nintendogs (Dalmatian)Oct. 23: Magical StarsignOct. 30: Pokemon RangerOct. 30: Children of ManaNov. 6: Elite Beat AgentsNov. 13: Yoshi's Island 2Dec. 4: Custom Robo ArenaDec. 4: Kirby Squeak SquadAnd also, for the GBA:Nov. 6: Final Fantasy V AdvanceQuite a few must-haves on that list, if we do say so ourselves. As high-profile as Yoshi's Island 2 may be, we find ourselves irresistably drawn of the allures of rhythm and finely honed stylus control in Elite Beat Agents. What are you most looking forward to, reader?Oh, and this press release also engaged in torturing our souls.
Elite Beat Agents gameplay video
Elite Beat Agents, the wacky English version of music-and-rhythm seizure game, Osu! Tatakae! Ouendan!, sees the cheerleaders getting replaced by gyrating secret agents who swoop in whenever people are in need of their rhythmic assistance. In the case of this video (higher resolution version here), they're called upon by a frantic film director struggling to complete his latest masterpiece, "Romancing Meowzilla." Looks like the English variant will be every bit as zany and unpredictable as the Japanese original. [Thanks, Sense!]
