Bust A Move

Bust A Move is a dancing simulation that features 10 different dancers all motion-captured after professionals. Each character has their own unique wardrobe and dancing style; Hiro is patterned after John Travolta from Saturday Night Fever and Frida is a funky 17-year-old artist that likes to get her groove on.

Gameplay options include One-Player, Two-Player, Dance View, and Practice modes. In the One-Player game, the idea is to out-dance your opponents by executing moves in time to the beat. Using a dance command system reminiscent of PaRappa the Rappa, players will press button combinations in conjunction to the icons displayed on the screen. The better you do, the more the camera focuses on your character; the idea is to have the camera completely on you by the end of the song.

Additionally, there is an Enthusiasm Gauge that measures how much the crowd is into your dancing. By executing tricky maneuvers, it will skyrocket, but if the moves aren’t in synch with the rhythm, you’ll get booed and the gauge will drop. Players are given the opportunity to execute either easy moves (located at the top of the screen) or harder moves (at the bottom), which also affects the Enthusiasm Gauge.

The Practice mode teaches new players all the basics of how to execute simple maneuvers and the harder combinations and dance solos. When you feel confident enough, challenge your friend to a no-frills dance-off with the Two-Player option. Each player selects a character and enters a heated battle for the king or queen of the dance floor.

Once you’ve cleared some of the One-Player scenarios, the Dance View option becomes available. This option gives those armchair dance choreographers a chance to program a character’s dance moves. Players can pan the camera, zoom in at specific times, change routes, increase the speed, and perform other tweaks. So what are you waiting for?