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Elite Beat Agents

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Elite Beat Agents is the westernized installment of the Japan-only rhythm game Osu! Tatakae! Ouendan, which would be followed later by a third Japan-only game, Moero! Nekketsu Rhythm Damashii Osu! Tatakae! Ouendan 2.

Licensing issues prevented the game from being released in Japan (and vice-versa), yet this didn't stop all three games from being very popular imports.

Sub-Pages#

Debug Features#

Using Action Replay codes with the EU version, several debug features can be re-enabled:

  • Debug On: Perfect Track - 220C25A8 00000001

Activating this code causes all songs to essentially play themselves. All Hit Markers and Phase Markers are hit automatically with perfect timing, and all Spin Markers spin by themselves fast enough to pass the challenges on all difficulties.
Even with the code on, you can still tap the Hit and Phase Markers early to get a lower score or even miss them entirely. You can not affect the Spin Markers in any way with the code on.

  • Display Debug Info - 02094208 00000001

Unused Graphics#

Demo Screen#

The screen that appears after completing the Download Station demo. Note the early design for the Carrington Sisters to the right of "Beat", as well as J's badge reading SA2 (based off the working title Super Sonic Agents) instead of BA2.

Ouendan Leftovers#

EBA

OTO (correct palette)

The arrows used in Osu! Tatakae! Ouendan to transition from midstage cutscenes back into gameplay. No palette exists in the final game that matches up to these arrows.

Introduction#

Found within the graphics files for Walkie Talkie Man are what appear to be adaptations of the Ouendan's introduction in their game for the Agents. ouengents.jpg The Agents would appear in shadow on the bottom screen of the Nintendo DS... AgentJIntro.jpg ...Then the Agents would pop out and encourage people. at_your_service.jpg At Your Service!! would appear in the Agent introductions on the bottom screen, as seen in prerelease screenshots. beat_agents.jpg Beat Agents would likely appear on the top screen while At Your Service!! appeared on the bottom. Oddly, unlike At Your Service!!, the Beat Agents popup doesn't appear in any prerelease footage.

Training#

Meant to appear after discussing how the mission would fail if the Elite-o-meter depleted. A version in black text is used instead.


Meant to appear before Spin Marker practice. The final version uses "Don't forget it!" in their place.

Meant to appear after Spin Marker practice. "OK, men..." is used in its place; a version of this speech bubble with an exclamation mark is also used elsewhere during Training.

A frame of Kahn during practice in the "Beat" (at least one 100, no 50s or misses) pose speaking. Kahn only speaks in the "Elite Beat" (all 300s) pose in the final.

An alternate "Good job!" popup. The final version uses a simpler one in black text. Given the previous sprite, it's possible this was supposed to be used for Elite Beats and the used black-text "Good job" was for Beats, but was later simplified.

La La#

To do:
Ripping these makes them look a little...rough. Any way to rip these so the transparency's a bit cleaner?

The midsection cutscenes for La La were supposed to feature the Coach—nearly all cutscenes, both pass and fail, have a section with him that was cut.

/KNA_05_GD (Section A Pass)#

bg0_s

bg1_s

/KNA_05_BD (Section A Fail)#

bg0_s

bg1_s

obj_s

/KNB_05_GD (Section B Pass)#

bg0_s

/KNB_05_BD (Section B Fail)#

bg0_s

bg1_s

obj_s

/KND_05_GD (Section D Pass)#

bg0_s

/KND_05_BD (Section D Fail)#

bg0_s

bg1_s

bg2_s

Other#

To do:
There are also multiple placeholder button icons (most in Japanese) located with the placeholder title screen that will need to be ripped, uploaded, and translated

A placeholder title screen for Osu! Tatakae! Ouendan. This file also exists in Ouendan, as well as in its sequel.

A No Entry sign. Some sort of test display image, judging by the file name.

Unused Audio#

In the cutscene for “No More Music!? The Last Hope!!”, the Rhombulans deliver a speech after taking over Earth. In game, the speech is simply text, but within the game's files are scrapped voiceovers meant to play over the cutscene. These files are not present in the EU version, although unused audio files are still available in the Spanish localization.

"We are the Rhombulans. Your pathetic planet is now ours."

"You are no longer free, you will obey us. From now on, all music is forbidden! Those who defy us will be..."

"Turned to stone!"

"Thus shall you learn to fear hard rock!"

Other#

A voice saying "Wow!". Found in the audio samples for La La. Presumably related to the cut Coach sections.

Regional Differences#

To do:
Do any other changes to the Korean version need to be documented?

Home Icon#

The Korean release of the game had its home icon completely changed, from a logo with the EBA initials to a closeup of Agent J's face that appears to be taken from the title screen.

US/EU

KOR

Title Screen#

The Korean release of the game had the logo on the title screen changed to reflect that version's title, which translates to 'Dowajwo! Rhythm Hero' or 'Help! Rhythm Hero'. The copyright information was also changed since this version was released in 2007.

US/EU

KOR

Episode Title Differences#

Episode (Song)

US Title

EU Title

Episode 3 (Sk8er Boi)

Hey, Taxi! To the Hospital, and Hurry!

Hey Taxi! To the Hospital and Hurry!!

Episode 4 (I Was Born to Love You)

Art and Beauty! Love and Happiness!?

Art and Beauty! Da Vinci and Mona Lisa!?

Episode 5 (Rock This Town)

Magic Meets Madness! The Show Must Go On!

Magic meets Madness! The Show Must Go On!!

Episode 14 (The Anthem)

Batter Up! Home Run Hero Makes a Comeback!!

Batter up! Homerun Hero Makes a Comeback!!

Bonus 1 (Believe)

Aspire! Dancing to the Limelight!!

Aspire! Dancing to the Light!!

Bonus 2 (ABC)

Here, Kitty, Kitty! Baby Hijinks!!

Here Kitty, Kitty! Baby Hi-Jinks!!

Minor changes to the song titles were made between versions: changing capitalization, removing commas, and adding extra exclamation marks and hyphens. Episode 4's title was changed to make the historical reference a bit more obvious.

Map Screen#

US

EU

The Carrington Sisters' bio in the EU version incorrectly refers to them as a singular person, introducing a grammatical error.

US

EU

After completing "Without a Fight", the game immediately moves to "Jumpin' Jack Flash". The EU version lists the two songs together, while the US version just lists "Without a Fight" by itself. (Do note that both versions also have a selection for "Jumpin' Jack Flash" by itself.)

The two versions also differ in how they display rank for unfinished stages: the US version displays the rank as N/A, while the EU version puts a dash in the rank's place.

Oddities#

To do:
/data/2d/mv/s13/KNB_05_GD contains a BatchCompressor.exe and a tmp.bat file. Anything interesting in there?

Internal Level Order#

Within the game's files, each level's data (graphics, sound effects, etc.) are sorted into folders — s01-s15 for the songs encountered in normal play ("Without A Fight" and "Jumpin' Jack Flash" are both considered Stage 15), and sb01-sb03 for the bonus songs. For some unknown reason however, most of the songs don't match up to their actual in-game order.

Folder Name

Internal Song Order

In-Game Song Order

s01

Walkie Talkie Man

Walkie Talkie Man

s02

Makes No Difference

Makes No Difference

s03

September

Sk8er Boi

s04

I Was Born to Love You

I Was Born to Love You

s05

Rock This Town

Rock This Town

s06

Sk8er Boi

Highway Star

s07

The Anthem

YMCA

s08

Canned Heat

September

s09

Highway Star

Canned Heat

s10

YMCA

Material Girl

s11

Material Girl

La La

s12

You're The Inspiration

You're The Inspiration

s13

La La

Let's Dance

s14

Survivor

The Anthem

s15

Without A Fight/Jumpin' Jack Flash

Without A Fight/Jumpin' Jack Flash

sb01

ABC

Believe

sb02

Believe

ABC

sb03

Let's Dance

Survivor