Publisher: THQ;
Developer: Metro Corporation (Metro Graphics);
Platform: PlayStation 2, PC, Game Boy Advance;
Category: Action;
Release Date: May 9, 2002;
Multiplayer: Up to 2 players on a single screen.
ESRB Rating: Everyone.
"Britney's Dance Beat" Special Features:
- Creative gameplay;
- Real Britney songs;
- Cool graphics;
- Hidden bonuses;
- Single-player action.
Can't score a ticket to Britney Spears' concert? Don't fret. For about $49.95, you can bring Britney Spears into your living room, courtesy of your PlayStation 2.
Britney Spears was the star of the PlayStation 2 videogame "Britney's Dance Beat", which was available nationwide in 2002. The THQ-brand game capitalized on the multimedia capabilities of the PlayStation 2 computer-entertainment system, placing Spears music videos in the background during game play, and featuring bonus DVD content that is unlocked as players progress through the game.
The game was the first release for a new generation game system under THQ's worldwide exclusive agreement with "Britney Brands Inc.", a deal that grants THQ exclusive rights to publish Britney Spears games for PlayStation 2 through 2005. A PC version of "Britney's Dance Beat" was shiping in June, 2002.
Using PlayStation 2 as a medium to deliver Britney to her fans started out as an experimental way to reach new markets. But they were confident that Britney fans and video-game fans alike would be blown away by this product. "Britney's Dance Beat," with its amazingly accurate Britney renders, compelling game-play and DVD extras, is a new form of entertainment that blends gaming with music, videos and behind-the-scenes access for fans. These factors, combined with Britney Spears' tremendous consumer appeal, gave "Britney's Dance Beat" the potential to expand the entire video game market.
"So many of my fans are also videogame fans. I think it's cool that they can now interact with my music and experience it in a new and unique way. It is so cool that I have my very own videogame. THQ totally captured my dance moves perfectly. I was blown away by how realistic everything looks!" said Spears.
"We wanted "Britney's Dance Beat" to be more than a great dance game. Our goal with Britney was to create a new form of entertainment that blends gaming with music, videos and behind-the-scenes access for fans. We believe PlayStation 2 can deliver the media convergence that has been predicted for our industry, and it's exciting to have a star like Britney Spears help deliver on that promise," said Peter Dille, vice president, marketing, THQ.
THQ Inc. develops and publishes interactive entertainment software worldwide for a variety of hardware platforms including PC CD-ROM, wireless devices, and those manufactured by Sony Computer Entertainment America Inc., Nintendo and Microsoft.
Players of "Britney's Dance Beat" for PlayStation 2 audition to be a backup dancer on Britney Spears's virtual concert tour by maneuvering one of six dancers (3 male and 3 female) through a series of 12 levels of auditions to perfect their dance moves and ultimately earn a spot onstage with Spears. Players gain points along the way for each correct move, and those that do well earn backstage passes that reveal never-before-seen clips, videos, concert footage, and more.
True fans will recognize the authentic choreography and costumes from Britney music videos and live performances. The game features Britney's biggest hit songs, including "Overprotected" and "I'm a Slave 4 U", as well as classics "...Baby One More Time", "Oops!...I Did it Again" and "Stronger". The game features both single and multiplayer options.
Additional DVD content includes 360-degree immersive video in which the player controls the camera at a Britney Spears concert with the controller, deciding whether to watch Britney and her dancers on stage, or cheering fans in the crowd.
A two-player mode allows competition among friends to see who's best at getting their groove on. "Britney's Dance Beat" is compatible with most dance or beat pads for a more active method of learning Britney's dance moves. Britney Spears underwent a cyber-scan to create the most realistic 3-D model possible.
The first thing you'll probably notice while playing "Britney's Dance Beat" is the fluidity with which the dancers move. The "House of Moves", a studio that specializes in video game motion-capture, handled all of the dancers' movements in the game, and the results look incredibly natural. Not only do the dancers move well, but they also look good, and the digital version of Britney Spears that appears in the game looks uncannily like the real thing. The stages you'll perform your dance routines on capably reflect the feel of each individual song, and they wouldn't look out of place in Britney's stage show or one of her videos. During each stage, the song's music video will play in the background.
Marketing highlights for "Britney's Dance Beat" Included:
- National television campaign included a commercial aired during "Malcolm in the Middle", "The Simpsons", "Charmed" and other programs on MTV, VH1, Nickelodeon and the Cartoon Network.
- Print buys targeted readers of major gaming and lifestyle publicationsand run through July, 2002.
- The pre-show video for Britney Spears' summer tour featured a segment on "Britney's Dance Beat," and an ad was placed in the tour book.
- A mini-disc with a "Britney's Dance Beat" trailer was packed into the WFX retail product, exclusively available at "Best Buy" and related stores. The product also included a Smartflash card, laminate and window cling.
- America Online (AOL) featured a trailer for the game and screen shots as an exclusive story on the May update to the site and offer a game-related sweepstakes.
- Britney Spears' official Web site covered the game, providing updates and screen shots.
Game Screenshots
"Britney's Dance Beat" Cheats (Platform: PlayStation 2):
1. Unlock Britney Spears:
To unlock Britney as a dancing partner, beat Audition Mode. Go to Practice Mode to get Britney as your partner.
2. Unlock last video:
To unlock the final video (Video Vault), solve the Britney quiz.
3. Unlock "...Baby One More Time" music video:
To unlock the "Baby One More Time" video, get 9999 points in Audition Mode.
