Bust a Groove 2 | |
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Developer(s) | Metro Graphics |
Publisher(s) | Enix |
Platform(s) | PlayStation |
Release date(s) |
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Genre(s) | Music/Fighting game |
Mode(s) | Single player, Multiplayer |
Rating(s) | ESRB: Everyone (6+) |
Bust a Groove 2 is a hybrid music/fighting game released in 2000 for the Sony PlayStation and is the sequel to Bust a Groove. The game was originally released in Japan as Bust a Move 2: Dance Tengoku Mix (バスト ア ムーブ2 ダンス天国MIX Basuto a Mūbu 2: Dansu Tengoku Mix ), and was never released in Europe. A third game in the series, Dance Summit 2001 was only released in Japan on the PlayStation 2.
The game takes place one year after the previous installment and shares the same overall gameplay. It combines dance moves and special abilities designed to damage the opponent. It also features new songs, new characters and updated costumes for the returning characters retained from the previous game.
Contents |
Bust a Groove 2''s gameplay is still the same from the previous title. However, backgrounds have become crazier; if a player attains high scores, background stages will sport crazy effects and changes (see Fever Time).
"The single-player game has changed - it now features branching paths in the single-player game that move you up to more difficult opponents depending on how well you're dancing. The popularity meter has been axed; now your character has a small border around his or her name that changes in color depending on how well you're dancing. Also, a new meter sits in the middle of the screen that tracks every "Cool, Chillin', and Freeze" event and moves up accordingly. When all three bars are filled to capacity, your points are doubled for every dance move made during that time. In Bust a Groove 2 there is a standard two-player versus mode, a practice mode to help you get accustomed to timing the fourth beat, and a dance-view mode that allows you to cycle through each dancer's individual moves and string them together to make your own dances."
The game also included 2 new commands aside the somersault and "Jammer" (attack) moves. This time, the player could now do a 'reflect move' and guard attacks.[1]
If players were able to have a smooth complete dance without a lot of mistakes and misses and a high score over a certain amount depending on the level, they would then complete a special solo dance show known as Fever Time at the end of the match. Usually a fever time would be completed after the level that's been danced in has been completely instensified. In some cases it is able to have both characters complete a Fever Time together if they were to finish the level with extremely close scores. Usually if the points were 100-1000 points above or below an opponent.
"Intensifying" a level, involved players dancing to the best of their ability, with perfect timing and almost making practically no mistakes or misses. As the dancers score would gain points, the level the characters were dancing in would begin to change gradually; this being known as "Intensifying".
The initial characters Heat, Hiro, Kelly, Kitty-N, Shorty,Strike and Capoeira were retained from the original Bust a Groove and removed several of the original game's characters which includes Pinky, Hamm, Frida, Gas-O and the secret character Burger Dog (but makes a cameo in Comet's stage). These were replaced by several new characters: Comet, Bi-O, and Tsutomu.
Some new hidden characters were also introduced into the game, and could be unlocked after completing certain tasks. Pander (also a new addition to the cast) and Robo-Z Gold are the only hidden characters that have a unique dance style, other hidden characters merely mimicked other characters' dance moves.[1]
Name | Age | Dance Style | Jammer | Info |
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Bi-O[1] | 47 | Zombie | Removes his head by the axe situated upon it and throws it at the opponent. As it closes up on the screen it appears to be biting | A zombiefied-human with an axe stuck in his head. He is the father to Gas-O of Bust a Groove. In search for a cure to his condition, he journeys by sailing on a ghost ship. |
Capoeira | Unknown | Capoeira | A mysterious tiny satellite appears above the opponent producing rays of light that shrink the opponent causing them to have small bodies with oversized bobble heads | The partner aliens Kiki and Lala who came from the planet Capoeira continue their journey in search of every billboard they come across on Earth. |
Comet[1] | 16 | Rollerblade Dance | Using a wand, Comet magically turns the opponent into food or small pets. | A waitress working in Sushi Planet who dances on Rollerblades. Aside from being a waitress, she has magic powers to change anyone to any kind of food she wishes. She is Frida's sister from the original Bust A Groove who discovered her powers after being kidnapped and nearly killed after their captors did not receive their demands.
It is possible that she is based in Cosmic Baton Girl Cometto-san which is a old tokusatsu series made by Toho Animation during the 1960s. The Comet character from Cosmic Baton Girl Cometto-san from 2001 has a striking resemblance with Comet. |
Heat | 20 | Break Dancing with floor moves[2] | A giant flame comes down on the opponent | A pro-race car driver but gained an ability to throw out flames after a crash on the racetracks. Traumatized, he turned to the dance floor instead. |
Hiro | 21 | Traditional Disco with robotic and acrobatic influences[2] | An autographed picture of himself crashes onto the opponent | A computer geek who loves computers and himself. He transforms himself into a playboy at the disco at night but is actually shy with women. |
Kelly | 24 | Soul bump and grind[2] | Kelly reveals a megaphone and screams through it towards her opponent knocking them out | An investment banker/secretary who used to have a fetish for infantile objects. Her cross-dressing boss(who she had a crush on) barraged her with his hypocritical distaste for her fetish, driving her away, embarrassed and silent. Tired of being everyone's doormat, she changed her bunny outfit, and wore a police officer's uniform that gives her the self confidence and rush of liberation and power to become the queen of underground dance. |
Kitty-N | 18 | Techno Jazz, Funk[2] | A giant crane appears above the opponent and picks them up, later dropping them back down onto the ground | Former member of the group Miracle 5. She was in love with her dance instructor Michael Doi, but he is gay. Now Kitty-N is on mission for love. |
Shorty | 14 | Funkadelic with a twist of jazz[2] | A giant cake falls and flattens the opponent | The daughter of a DJ father and a supermodel mother, she was lonely until her parents gave her Columbo, a mouse that will eat anything in its sight. Now she and Columbo dance all day for fun. |
Strike | 22 | Hip Hop[2] | Strike takes out his machine gun and starts shooting; the screen "shatters" if the attack connects. | After the events of the first Bust-A-Groove, Strike soon turned over a new leaf while in the state penitentiary for a crime he didn't commit. Upon his release due to good behavior, he and his friends from prison formed the super popular rap group Notorious, sweeping the nation and critics alike with authenticity and hard hitting lyrics. Satisfied with the respect, wealth, and fame that comes from his talents, Strike soon makes his way to the world of dancing to show what he's made of. [2] |
Tsutomu[1] | 11 | House dance | A door appears in front of the opponent, opens and a heavy object drops from above onto the opponent | A boy who is unliked at school because his parents are rich. The only person who is nice to him is his teacher, Miss Maroe. He has a crush on her and wants to marry her when he turns 18. |
Name | Age | Dance Style | Jammer | Info |
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ChiChi & Sally | Unknown | Capoeira's style | Same as Capoeira's | Two cute alien siblings who like to stick out their tongues. They can be seen appearing and disappearing in the background of Capoeira's stage. |
Columbo | Unknown | Shorty's style | Similar to Shorty's attack but a pudding falls instead of a cake | Columbo returns with Shorty. He can also be seen sitting on Shorty's head. Shorty received Columbo as a gift from her parents to keep her company while they are away. |
Hustle Kong | Unknown | Hiro's style | Same as Hiro's but instead of Hiro being in the picture, it's Hustle Kong | Either a large gorilla with boxing gloves or a man in a gorilla costume. In Hiro's stage Hustle Kong can be seen when the level intensifies. |
McLoad | Unknown | Kelly's style | Same as Kelly's but he breathes fire instead of shouting in a megaphone | Either a human sized kaiju dragon, or a man in a kaiju dragon costume. He can also be found in Shorty's stage. |
Michael Doi | Unknown | Kitty-N's style | Same as Kitty-N's | A stereotypical homosexual male and Kitty-N's dance instructor. |
Sushi Boy | Unknown | Comet's style | Same as Comet's | A miniature tin-man wearing in-line skates. He is the mascot for Sushi Planet and is seen on the 'Sushi Planet' sign to the restaurant in Comet's stage. |
Name | Age | Dance Style | Jammer | Info |
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Robo-Z Gold | Unknown | Vogue and African dance | Robo-Z Gold locks onto the opponent and fires a missile | A revived Robo-Z, this time with a shining suit of golden metal armor and wings. |
Pander | 31 (15 1/2) | Butoh | Hands appear and flips the screen. | A man who is attracted only by a cartoon character of 15 years old, based on the first butoh performance of the book "Forbidden Colors" by Yukio Mishima, as the "actor" playing Pander struggles to come to terms with his taboo sexuality.
The true boss of the game, Pander is very unusual looking and has the most unique and bizarre level. He appears as a miniature panda at first then transforms into a human-like figure with black tights on his arms and legs and white skin which looks like make-up, one brown loafer, and a pair of white men's briefs with a panda tail painted on. |
Some of the songs which were featured in the game were originally in Japanese language and was translated to English for the U.S. release such as: Magic Tower, Moon Light Party, Hello! Kitty-N and Hizashi no oku no Happy Heart. Unlike the game's predecessor, there is no English OST released.
The following are several in-game changes made with the English version of the game. Most noticeable is the change of Hiro's symbol due to the age rating concerns.
Reception | |
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Aggregate scores | |
Aggregator | Score |
GameRankings | 70% (9 reviews)[3] |
Metacritic | 66% (8 reviews)[4] |
Review scores | |
Publication | Score |
Allgame | [5] |
GamePro | [6] |
GameSpot | 7.3 out of 10[1] |
IGN | 6.8 out of 10[7] |
Bust a Groove 2, along with its predecessor, is one of the more valuable PlayStation games on the secondary market. For example, complete, used copies sell for more than $80[8] which is more than the original MSRP of $35.99.[9]