EyeToy: Groove

Written by Matt Swider  on July 01, 2004

Full Review: You got Station'd, Sucka!

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EyeToy premiered on PS2 with EyeToy: Play, a disc of 12 mini-games that utilized Sony's console camera, and it was successful. So, like every successful product, there's a follow-up, this one in the form of EyeToy: Groove. However, Groove gets down to music rather than mini-games. Players select solo or group groove, step into a character icon (seemingly modeled after Kelly Clarkson and Justin Guarini from American Idol), and move to the music as well as match the flying icons. Like many rhythm games, it's a simple process and at the same time addictive. And, unlike all rhythm games, Groove works your hands instead of feet, finally giving gamers a complete workout from head-to-toe.

There are 28 songs on the set list:

• Liberty X -- УJumpin'Ф
  
• Jamiroquai -- УDeeper UndergroundФ
  
• Jamiroquai -- УCanned HeatФ
  
• Kool & The Gang -- УJungle BoogieФ
  
• Fatboy Slim --УPraise YouФ
  
• Elvis Presley vs JXL Ц- УA Little Less ConversationФ
  
• Elvis Presley (Oakenfold Remix) Ц- УRubberneckin'Ф
  
• Sister Sledge -- УWe Are FamilyФ
  
• Gloria Gaynor -- УI Will SurviveФ
  
• Junior Senior -- УMove Your FeetФ
  
• Toploader -- УDancing in the MoonlightФ
  
• Jessica Simpson -- УForbidden FruitФ
  
• Madonna or *cough* Esther -- УMusicФ
  
• The Cheeky Girls -Ц УHooray Hooray (It's a Cheeky Holiday)Ф
  
• Apollo 440 -- УHustler Groove (instrumental)Ф
  
• Sugababes -- УOverloadФ
  
• Earth, Wind & Fire -- УLet's GrooveФ
  
• Village People -- УY.M.C.A.Ф
  
• Supermen Lovers -- УStarlightФ
  
• Sly & The Family Stone Ц- УDance To The MusicФ
  
• Groove Armada -Ц УSuperstylin'Ф
  
• Livin' Joy Ц- УDon't Stop Movin'Ф
  
• Mis-Teeq Ц- УAll I WantФ
  
• Daniel Bedingfield Ц- УGotta Get Through ThisФ
  
• 5ive Ц УKeep On MovingФ
  
• Las Ketchup -- УAserejeФ
  
• Puretone Ц- УAddicted to BassФ
  
• Good Charlotte -Ц УThe AnthemФ

There's definitely a great mix of music to suit a variety of tastes, most songs from noteworthy artists. But it's somewhat slow to load a song before each game begins. It's a real downer during single-player games when you're looking to burn calories with the help of the game's counter. For patient players in group groove though, it's just more time to taunt each other. This isn't the only advantage the group groove mode has over the severely lacking solo game. There are also four solid sub-modes: battle groove, battle sync, team sync, and tournament.

Battle groove gives up to four players a chance to test their skill on a single song. Meanwhile, two players can participate in battle sync. Where they share the screen and compete at the same time or team sync. Where the object is to coordinate the moves. Tournament is by far the most challenging and most enjoyable segment of the game with four unique mini-games: copycat mimics Simon Says, tag randomly switches between players during the song, frenzy adds evil icons and calls you out after three mistakes, and perfect adds accuracy to the mix, making it the toughest mini-game of all. All of these modes add to Groove's lasting appeal, and make it a shame that the solo play gets the shaft.

Dance maker mode may do the trick for some solo players looking for more depth from the game. It gives gamers a chance to create their own patterns for each song, something that has become commonplace for dance games. But because Groove is all about the upper body, you basically become a conductor using your hands while working the beat as you hear it. Thus, using your hands instead of your feet is one of the main differences between Groove and other rhythm games. The other difference is that the camera lends some extra features like a photo album for saved clips of yourself and a chill out room. In this chill out room, players can watch music videos from select artists including the hilarious Fatboy Slim video for УPraise You.Ф This is something MTV hasn't shown in a long time since it's from the 90's and therefore automatically deemed Уuncool.Ф