Elite Beat Agents out next month

By Tom Bramwell Published 6 June, 2007

Only eight months after the US.

Superb handheld rhythm-action game Elite Beat Agents is finally set for release in Europe, with Nintendo confirming a 13th July date this morning.

Using the stylus, players have to tap on circles and drag balls across the screen in time to music from the likes of David Bowie, Freddie Mercury and, er, Ashlee Simpson. So it's a testament to the quality of the game that it gets away with it.

Each "level" is built around one song, and sees the eponymous agents helping to sort out somebody's problems in "wacky" style. But good-wacky. Not MTV-wacky.

Probably the best way to get your head round it would be to read our Elite Beat Agents US import review, since it's the same thing.

Meanwhile, those who've already elitely beaten their way in that direction can read this week's review of the latest Japanese release in the series, Osu! Tatakae! Ouendan 2.

Picture of Tom.

About Tom Bramwell

Tom is Operations director of Eurogamer Network and Editor-at-Large of Eurogamer.net. He joined the company in February 2000.

Read more articles from Tom by visiting the Tom Bramwell archive page.

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Comments (26) Latest comment 5 years ago

Comments threads automatically close after 30 days, but please feel free to continue chatting on the forum!

  • ralphwolfenstein #1 5 years ago

    "Only eight months after the US"

    :¬P

    Honor - honour

    Localized - localised

    It all takes time y'know...

  • macksed #2 5 years ago

    yay (!) - too late, i got fed up of waiting and got the US version...pfft. - oh well, that worked out cheaper too :D

  • Hog-lumps #3 5 years ago

    About bloody time!

    It'll be interesting to see how this game fairs over here in europe.
    Edited by 1 at 06/06/07 @ 09:49

  • Saladin #4 5 years ago

    Where's Super Paper Mario?

    Bastards!

  • Golgo #5 5 years ago

    I think I may buy this along with Metroid Prime Pinball and Wario Ware Twisted on the GBA - I think they're due for a release over here too. Oh hang on, imported 'em years ago!

  • GamesConnoisseur #6 5 years ago

    Nintendo as always show how they really values us European by giving the localisation for the game an extra care and attention, and also to raise our anticipation ever higher!

    8 months is nothing compared to some games which taken years or still waiting..

  • richardiox #7 5 years ago

    Nintendont do themselves any favours.

  • NewYork #8 5 years ago

    NO HORSE :(

  • thes #9 5 years ago

    KHAN!!!

    Actually, given all this, do folks recommend Ouendan instead?

  • #10 5 years ago

    Has anyone not bought this yet?

    Sod waiting!

  • Eighthours #11 5 years ago

    Only eight months after the US.

    Lolz!

    Nintendo's DS release scheduling in the UK is absolutely awful. Quelle surprise.
    Edited by 1 at 06/06/07 @ 10:16

  • jonsaan #12 5 years ago

    'Nintendont do themselves any favours. '

    I agree, yet we still all lap it up. Like a gourmet restaurant that always servers one particular customer last. and yes, I realise that we get the odd low profile game before the States, but it doesn't change the suckiness of it all.

  • Twinfalls #13 5 years ago

    Whenever I see the word 'Elite' on this site, there's only ONE GAME I THINK OF.

    I just can't understand why there has yet to be any sight of a modern re-make....

  • Razz #14 5 years ago

    Everytime I go to a Game shop inthe UK I look through the DS shelf and die a little on the inside. I'm seeing games I've completed months ago on the selves as just released and at extorinate prices. The UK games market is fucked up man. completely fucked up. Imagine what the Japs think when they come over here? :(

  • agparrot #15 5 years ago

    @Twinfalls

    Whenever I see the word 'Elite' on this site, there's only ONE GAME I THINK OF.

    I just can't understand why there has yet to be any sight of a modern re-make....

    There's always talk of it, isn't there, from Braben and the like? I'm sure I remember there being some issue about who owns the name... but I think a spiritual successor would be fine, even if it didn't carry the Elite brand.

    There is, of course, always EVE Online.... but you do have to pay to play (boo!)

  • Kniteshade #16 5 years ago

    I keep reading Elite Beat Agents as Elite Beat Angels. ¬¬

  • Caimbeul #17 5 years ago

    Nintendo - you can stick your stupid westernised tripe and 8 month delay - i will order ouenden 2 via import for less than EBA is at UK retail.

    On a seperate note: Whare are the fcuking Wii games? mine is gathering dust. sort it out!

    Rant over - bad morning.
    Edited by 1 at 06/06/07 @ 12:15

  • X201 #18 5 years ago

    "Whenever I see the word 'Elite' on this site, there's only ONE GAME I THINK OF.

    I just can't understand why there has yet to be any sight of a modern re-make...."

    /COUGH!
    Eve Online

  • JimJam #19 5 years ago

    Most people who wanted it have probably already bought the US version. Now the UK version will sell badly, justifying to NOE that they shouldn't release any more over here.

    /got the US version in December last year.
    Edited by 1 at 06/06/07 @ 13:24

  • GrandpaUlrira #20 5 years ago

    Did Wario Ware Twisted ever come out over here?

    It's as bad as the SNES days. Secret of Mana came out something like a year later than the US, and bombed (relatively), but I always suspected that was because all those keen on the game had already imported it.

    I wonder if the same will happen with EBA.

  • escalinci #21 5 years ago

    It goes Ouendan>Ouendan 2>EBA. The game's great but the songs are rubbish and the presentations taken a massive hit (for instance, after the cry of 'help' there's a lengthy bit in which a rubbish voice artist says 'agents are go' it's trite and he doesn't even have any va va voom.

  • Mageme #22 5 years ago

    UK DS releases are a complete shambles. Late and overpriced, together with the added bonus of THE worst boxes and box art.

    And not forgetting, in this case, that the superior Ouendan 2 is already out...

  • Emth #23 5 years ago

    Not to mention almost twice the size of US + Jap boxes (why the hell is that anyway?).

    But hey we can import so who cares. If only the Wii were region free...

  • Twinfalls #24 5 years ago

    @X201 and agparrot:

    *Online*?

    No thanks.

    Witchspace, Thargoids, yes. "No0bKiLlor6969 says 'I Kil u nub', no.

  • AOFanboi #25 5 years ago

    <em>Eve Online</em>

    He said Elite, not Excel. :p

    There's been a few pretenders to the throne, like the X series and Freespace, but really: Only David Braben can make the real thing.

  • Rev.StuartCampbell #26 5 years ago

    "It goes Ouendan>Ouendan 2>EBA."

    Actually it goes Ouendan>Ouendan 2>Hitler>EBA.

  • MoGamer2006 #27 5 years ago

    Sorry, Japophiles - it's got to be Ouendan > EBA > Ouendan 2... the latter was a real disappointment, IMHO.