I can recall one of the very first few games that influenced me into getting my PlayStation One. It was called Bust A Groove and the concept was absurd, yet unique at the time. To have two players battling each other out through dancing was utterly ridiculous but it worked! It’s this very aspect that got me convinced into getting the PlayStation One. Then the sequel was released which continued the tradition of providing entertainment through the powers of dance. After that, there weren’t really any games that had the same type of gameplay. True, there were a lot of rhythm type games like Dance Dance Revolution and Parappa The Rappa that came onto various consoles. But none of them truly captured the very essence behind Bust A Groove, that is until now.
Targem Games has brought the magic back in dancing with its Playstation 3 game called Dance Magic. This particular title will have you moving with the Playstation Move controls and will have you dancing to the beat with its groovy tunes. For a little background story, the world is about to be conquered by a rising evil. To save it, you will need to generate a certain type of energy that can only be released through dancing. While the idea is both bizarre and preposterous, it brings back the charm that Bust A Groove gave to gamers. You have a rhythm type game where you’re performing a series of moves in order to attack your opponent. But the difference with Dance Magic is that you are using the Playstation Move controller, thus getting you to be more active.
You can choose from various characters with up to seven different styles of dancing. Each character has his or her own special abilities which are executed during attacks. Controls play out the same way as you would expect from a dancing type of game such as Just Dance or Dance Central. In fact, if you are familiar with these titles, then you should have no problems getting started. The moves can be a little to figure out if you’re looking straight at the on-screen icons. However, you can always look at your dancer on screen and mimic his or her movement. The tutorial does a great job in acquainting players with the game’s mechanics. Therefore, getting into the fun would be no problem. Where I would like to see more of is the variety of dances. In time, the moves can get a little stale and tiring to look at, especially if you’re not familiar with all the available moves. However, the fun is still plenty here as you’re trying to attack your opponent while defending from their own attacks. Just think Street Fighter but with a dancing twist.
What gives dancing games like this their value is the number and types of tracks available. In Dance Magic, you have at least twenty tracks to play with that are diverse in terms of genre and style. This is definitely quite a bit to keep you occupied. But in case you’re find this insufficient or you’re not particular happy with all the songs available, you can expand your library….but with a price. To some players, this could be a turn off, considering whether or not they are satisfied with the songs that came with Dance Magic.
Graphically speaking, the game looks decent and colorful enough. However, it would be nice to see some more dynamic effects taking place in the background or even with the attacks. It seems that there was something when you look back in what Bust A Groove gave. Nevertheless, the animation remains smooth and the characters themselves look mighty charming to keep your eyes glued to the screen.
Dance Magic is available in the Playstation Network for $9.99.  Those of you who would like to get yourselves and your Playstation Move controller moving should look into this particular game.  It’s definitely the type of game that you don’t see everyday.  So if you’re looking to groove with some magic, then look no further as Dance Magic is here for your Playstation 3.
