Game Rating: T (Teen)
Game Publisher: Southpeak
Platform: Sony PSP
Release Date: September 16, 2009
Buy this at: Amazon for $19.99
I’m not that big into the entire “hip hop” breakdancing culture. I think it’s because I can’t dance. Luckily, video games make nearly anything possible, for those who play them. Even if you can’t dance due to being in a wheelchair (like me) or you simply don’t have the right moves, you can show what your made of in video game land. The latest game to let you show off your smooth moves is a game developed by FreeStyle Games and published by Southpeak Interactive. That game is B-Boy, which is available for the Sony PSP and the Playstation 2.
I wasn’t exactly sure what to expect with B-Boy. It was either going to be really good or a big snooze. You don’t have to be into the hip hop culture to enjoy this game, though it does help. I like hip hop music and when I could walk, I did like to dance, so I was ready for an interesting experience when I put this into my PSP. I should mention I’m more fond of games on the consoles, so I might be biased when I say that the PSP is limited. I feel that way about the Nintendo DS and other portables. Still, for as small as the screen is, B-Boy still manages to look amazing.
Unfortunately, looking at the capabilities of something like the Wii, I feel that had this game been published on a system like the Wii, the potential for B-Boy would be nearly limitless. That being said, there is one major benefit to B-Boy on the PSP (or any non-Wii console). Anyone can play this game, regardless of ability or lack thereof. That is why a game like Shaun White Snowboarding, for the Wii, while pretty darn cool and innovative, is going to be limited in its appeal. Those of us who can’t hop up on a snowboard are going to be looking for the game on the other systems where we can play it via controller. B-Boy on PSP has this distinct advantage, because, while it’d be pretty sweet on the Wii, a wider audience can play it on PSP.
The hip hop culture is big in the part of Michigan that I’m from (mid-Michigan, not far from Detroit), so I’m pretty much a fan of the music. I’ve seen some great breakdancing moves in my day, but never had the chance to try out the moves myself. Breakdancing really is an art form, so getting to compete as a breakdancer was quite the artistic experience. Still, for as fun as this game might seem, it suffers from one of the worst things a game like this could; slow load times. In fact, if I had to pick the biggest thing wrong with this game, it would be the load time.
Sure, we’ve seen this with other PSP games, so I was slightly prepared for this. Still, nobody wants to wait to play any game, so the load time severely prohibits the game from being something worthwhile for a wide variety of game enthusiasts. While B-Boy has other flaws that I’ll get into a little later in this review, it is the load time that bothered me the most. It is something that Sony is going to have to work on to improve upon the PSP, in order to compete with other portable game systems that don’t suffer quite as much from loading problems, though they are less graphically intensive. In either case, you have to take the good with the bad when it comes to handheld game systems. This game on the PSP is no different.
Story:
You probably have already figured out that B-Boy is about breakdancing. In this game you are both a participating dancer and a spectator of your opponent. You get to compete against some of the top breakdancers and show off your skills/awesomeness on the dance floor. Of course, the music is part of what makes this game so successful. There are some great tracks included in this game, with music from the Jackson Five, Cypress Hill, Kool and The Gang, James Brown, the Black Eyed Peas and DJ Shadow. If I had to give this title a high rating anywhere, it’d be in its intense soundtrack.
In theory, this game is great. It has cool graphics, a nice system for dancing (motion capture meets rhythmic gameplay), and a funkified, downright sweet soundtrack. B-Boy should be fly, but it is limited because it’s on the PSP. I’m not sure how the game plays out in its PS2 version, but this game truly deserves a release on something like the PS3 or Xbox 360 (though I’d much rather see it on PS3, which I believe has superior graphics/audio to the Xbox). Essentially, B-Boy is hampered by its own flaws and the failing of this game has little to do with the actual premise or execution. It has to do with the game platform.
In this out and out breakdancing competition game you’ll be learning moves like the pros. You’ll be doing steps you never thought possible! This game was developed by DJ Hooch and world famous B-Boy, “Crazy Legs”. The latter acts as the game MC/host and will be the boss you have to compete against at the end of levels. You’ll be taking on all of the best B-Boys from around the world. Not only that, but you will have the chance to build up your own breakdance crew and then battle with them against famous, real life (in game) B-Boys.
With just shy of 1000 moves (800 in some in all I believe), all of which use innovative motion-capture technology, you get to dance in a variety of settings. You can dance on the street both individually and with your crew with the goal of making your way to the B-Boy world championships where you take on the most prolific breakdancing experts in the game. You also have the ability to gain a sponsorship, as a B-Boy (in game, of course) from Adidas. Talk about an interesting form of product placement!
There really isn’t much more to the story behind B-Boy. Essentially, it’s all about breakdancing, competition and being the best. You’ll battle at 21 different real world breakdancing venues and locations. Your moves can be honed to where you can make a selection of funky, downright awesome dance combos, proving you’re the best B-Boy in PSPland. Finally, you get the chance to make your own personalized B-Boy character. As you win, you get the chance to change your outfit with the new gear you get, all courtesy of, who else? ADIDAS!
Enjoyment/Fun Factor: 
Features:
B-Boy is the only breakdancing game for PSP and Playstation 2 (to my knowledge). This makes the game relatively unique. This game has features no other game out there has. First, here’s some specs on the game.
Venues/Locations you can Visit: 21
Total Number of B-Boy Rivals You’ll Challenge: 40
Wireless Functionality: Yes
Number of Motion Captured Moves: 800+
Ability for rival B-Boy Face Offs: Yes
Each dancer gets: 45 minutes per round to show off their moves
Number of Original, Licensed Hip Hop Tracks: 40+
Your gameplay begins with you watching your opponent show off his moves. Then it is your turn. Each battle features two rounds where each of you dance, so you’ll do two dances per battle and one per round. Sadly, after a while, waiting for your opponent to show their skills gets quite repetitious and boring.
While the motion capture is amazing, it significantly slows the game down and is part of what freezes up your PSP. It’s clear a lot of hard work went into developing this game. There is quite a lot here. A bit too much, actually, because the PSP just can’t handle all of the things this game was meant to do.
Replayability:
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—————-Written by Dominick - Visit Website
Dominick is a twentysomething guy, who has been gaming since the days of Atari. Enthralled by his first NES before he even turned 10, he’s long been a gamer and a Nintendo enthusiast. Dominick is in a wheelchair, so he writes from the unique perspective of gaming with limited mobility. He loves playing his PS3, his Xbox 360 and even his Nintendo Wii and DS. His favorite games are action/adventure FP & MP shooter, and racing games. Amongst his favorite game series are Brother in Arms, Fallout, Armored Core, anything Mario and Legend of Zelda. When not gaming, Dominick is a human rights activist, sports enthusiast, political guru, aspiring filmmaker and homeschooling father. You can find him on twitter nearly every day so feel free to add: dominickevans.
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