Play Elite Beat Agents Online

Summary

Elite Beat Agents turns a secret‑agent fantasy into a rhythm‑gaming party. The game frames its missions as comic‑book panels where Commander Kahn, an ex‑CIA operative, scans the globe for cries of help and dispatches his stylish "Beat Transport" to rescue strangers with a burst of "Groovy" energy. Players tap, drag and spin the DS stylus to the beat, filling the Elite‑O‑Meter and keeping the agents’ morale high while the on‑screen agents dance, cheer and literally save the day.

The four difficulty tiers—Breezin', Cruisin', Sweatin' and Hard ROCK!—determine which of the quirky agents appear, from Agent Spin to the Elite Beat Divas, and each mission is broken into bite‑size rhythm sections separated by animated story beats. A built‑in 8‑point rating, combo‑driven Agent Rank and unlockable bonus stages keep the challenge fresh, while multiplayer lets up to four DS owners compete or cooperate using wireless links.

Critics praised the game’s eclectic soundtrack, witty Western pop‑culture references and its inventive use of the DS touch screen, earning it several 2006 awards and a cult following despite modest sales. Its legacy lives on in later Nintendo titles, where the Agents show up as trophies and spirit summons.

Storyline

The Elite Beat Agents are a team of highly trained spies who answer a person’s desperate cry for help. Rather than solving the problem directly, they dance to motivate the individual, and the outcome hinges on how accurately the agents hit the rhythm, leading to multiple possible endings for each scenario. The tone is largely humorous, and each mission stands alone with its own protagonist, though a few characters reappear in later stages. Early levels are everyday situations—like a babysitter trying to win over a crush—while later ones become wildly fantastical, such as a washed‑up baseball star battling a fire‑breathing golem in a theme park. A particularly emotional “sad” level, set to "A Christmas Gift," helps a girl reconnect with her deceased father, using subdued chimes and a stripped‑down version of "You're the Inspiration." The campaign culminates in a planetary crisis: the alien Rhombulans, who despise music, unleash a petrification ray. In a two‑part finale the agents spark a prison riot and sacrifice themselves, then humanity rallies to reverse the petrification and unleash a spirit‑energy blast that destroys the Rhombulan mothership. Several stages echo themes from Ouendan, including time‑travel, a journey inside the human body, and cameo appearances from its characters.