Bust A Groove FAQ (Version 1.7) By Matthew King (mking3472@aol.com or venerabledragoon@aol.com) Written on April 22, 2000 (1.7) ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- This FAQ: © 1999, 2000 Matthew King (Bust A Groove is © 1998 989 Studios, Enix, Avex Trax, Metro, and Frame Graphics; all other copyrighted material is a copyright of the respective owners) This FAQ can be found at: GameFAQs (http://www.gamefaqs.com/) Console Gamer (http://www.console-gamer.com/) About.Com Guide to Video Game Strategies (http://vgstrategies.about.com/) THIS FAQ IS PROTECTED BY INTERNATIONAL COPYRIGHT LAW. ANY BREACH OF THIS COPYRIGHT, ESPECIALLY PLAGIARISM, WILL NOT BE TOLERATED. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- -------------------- TABLE OF CONTENTS -------------------- 1. UPDATES 2. GAME MODES a. One-Player b. Two-Player c. Practice d. Dance View 3. HOW TO GROOVE a. Button Functions b. Following the Beat 4. CHARACTER BIOS a. Heat b. Frida c. Strike d. Hamm e. Kelly f. Shorty g. Hiro (a.k.a. Hiro-kun) h. Pinky Diamond i. Gas-O j. Kitty Nakajima k. Capoeira l. Robo-Z m. Columbo n. Burger Dog 5. GAME MECHANICS a. The Enthusiasm Gauge b. Solo Sections c. Jammers 6. SECRETS a. Secret Characters b. High-Scoring Moves c. Miscellaneous Secrets 7. CREDITS ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1. UPDATES Version 1.7 (April 22, 2000): Added my alternate e-mail address. Version 1.6 (January 8, 2000): Reformatted the text and added miscellaneous information here and there. Version 1.5 (July 18, 1999): Added minute information in "The Enthusiasm Gauge," "Secret Characters," and in Burger Dog's Character Bio and changed information in the Credits [don't worry, I didn't remove any names, I just changed the information so it's less misleading.] :) Version 1.4 (June 25, 1999): Edited Kelly's Character Bio and added new information in "How To Groove." Version 1.3 (June 14, 1999): Changed Heat's Character Bio information and clarified which "style" I am referring to in the Character Bios. Version 1.2 (June 11, 1999): Same updates as in Version 1.1. Version 1.1 (June 8, 1999): Changed information in some of the Character Bios, added information in "How to Groove." Version 1.0 (May 30, 1999): First draft. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- 2. GAME MODES a. One-Player In this mode, you are to beat 12 computer-controlled characters in an all-out dance-off. Regardless of what character you use, the sixth competitor will be Capoeira and the twelfth and final competitor is Robo-Z. b. Two-Player This is the "versus mode", a feature popularized by fighting games. You and your opponent choose your character, then the playing field, and then you're off to dance. c. Practice You choose a character to practice with, and then you are taken to the stage of that character to practice the dance movements. Every character has the same movements, so you need not worry about which character you choose. d. Dance View In this mode, you control the dance movements of any character you have beaten the game with. The fun part is that you can watch the character dance in all sorts of ways, so I predict this mode won't be boring anytime soon. You must beat the game with a certain character (for example, Heat) to unlock his or her dance view. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- 3. HOW TO GROOVE a. Button Functions Directional Pad: used to perform dance movements highlights different selections in menus Square Button: used to dodge an attack Triangle Button: used to attack cancels selections in menus X Button: used to perform dance movements confirms selections in menus Circle Button: used to perform dance movements Start Button: pauses the game confirms selections in menus (All the other buttons have no function.) b. Following the Beat This is very basic: you press any directions BEFORE the fourth beat, and you press the given button (X or Circle) ON the fourth beat. If you need help keeping the beat, you can: 1. watch the faces in the corners of the screen (their tongues will be fully extended on Beat 2 and their tongues will not show on Beat 4.) 2. tap your foot on each beat of a measure 3. watch the command you are given (the arrows will flash on Beats 1, 2, and 3 and the button, X or Circle, will flash on Beat 4.) When you perform a move successfully, you will be given another (set of) move(s). In a set, the top move is easier, but worth less; the bottom move is harder, but worth more. If you keep performing the moves successfully, you will attain a better dancing status, ranging from "3 Combo!" all the way up to the best level, "Freeze!!" You can tell who is groovin' better because the camera will be focused on him or her. Whomever has the camera focused on him or her at the end wins! ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- 4. CHARACTER BIOS a. HEAT Age: 19 Dance Style: East Coast Hip-Hop Jammer: a giant flame that comes down on the opponent Info: He is the "poster boy" of this game. He used to be a racer, but hasn't returned to the track because he was nearly incinerated when he was involved in a terrible accident. Luckily, he made a total recovery and now wants to use the Groovetron to manipulate fire. b. FRIDA Age: 17 Dance Style: California Hip-Hop Jammer: a wolf's head that she paints, then bites the opponent Info: She is an artist who lives in a shack. Her ambition is to use the Groovetron to give life to her paintings. In my opinion, she should sell her paintings so she can buy a residence that doesn't blow away every time a storm comes. c. STRIKE Age: 21 Dance Style: Gangsta Jammer: shooting the opponent with his two guns Info: He is from a notorious street gang, and managed to do something bad to get in the state penitentiary. He is gathering his fellow prisoners to form a dance team, called "The Ball and Chain Revue." Strike's favorite word is "freedom." (I guess he's trying to use his dance team to get free of the penitentiary.) d. HAMM Age: 30 Dance Style: Detroit Modern Jammer: a giant hamburger that squishes the opponent Info: He used to be a great dancer, but his love for junk food has left him somewhat chubby. He became a hamburger joint employee to satisfy his craving for junk food. He wants to use the Groovetron to help him diet. e. KELLY Age: 23 Dance Style: Modern Jazz Jammer: a burst of energy gathered in her rattle Info: She is a secretary who has a fetish with everything infantile (related to babies), and needs (and wants) to find a man. She bought her rubber suit to dress in when she is a guest at secret parties. She seems worried about her new rubber suit; this may be due to its cost. f. SHORTY Age: 12 Dance Style: Candy Hip-Hop Jammer: giant pieces of candy that fall on her opponent Info: She is the daughter of a DJ father and a supermodel mother. Obviously, Shorty lives in a rich family with nothing better to do than dance with Columbo, her pet mouse. Her love for outdated music drives her to madness at a flea market, where she frantically searches for 8- track tapes. g. HIRO (a.k.a. Hiro-Kun) Age: 20 Dance Style: Classic 70's Disco Jammer: an autographed picture of himself Info: Hiro is the narcissistic disco-loving character. He lives in a tiny apartment where he works with his computer (probably typing up a FAQ for disco), until Saturday night, where his playboy antics really take off. Don't even begin to try to match his Saturday night standards--he is truly one of a kind. (If you play as or go against him, you will see that he has MANY fans that yell "Hiro-Kun!" at him. Maybe that's what the pictures are for!) h. PINKY DIAMOND Age: unknown Dance Style: Classic 70's Motown Jammer: giant tarot cards that curse the opponent Info: She is a stripper, fortune-teller, and professional contract killer. It's no wonder she's so weird. She has the power to see into your lover's heart (very handy to see if your lover is cheating on you) and claims to know you better than you know yourself. Your secrets are nowhere being close to safe near her! i. GAS-O Age: 15 Dance Style: Techno Jammer: trapping the opponent in a gas chamber Info: Gas-O first became interested in becoming a scientist when he was eight. Now at 15, he has accomplished several outstanding tasks, including consulting for NASA, logging time on a particle accelerator, and studies the gaseous elements in his laboratory. Gas-O hopes to use the Groovetron to develop the ultimate gas. j. KITTY NAKAJIMA Age: 16 Dance Style: Vogue Club Jammer: a burst of energy she throws at her opponent Info: This lovable TV star is on break from the hit TV show "Litterbox Warriors 5." She wants to use the Groovetron's power to make her the ultimate TV star. She has bought out the top floor of some building and converted it into her private dancing studio, just for the purposes of attracting more people. k. CAPOEIRA Age: Unknown Dance Style: Updated African Tribal Jammer: a wall of energy that dazes the opponent Info: Capoeira, individually known as Kiki and Lala, have come to Earth to collect Japanese billboards to construct a giant fan. (Why would anyone, or anything, need a giant fan?) They are also here to display the power of the Groovetron, their special "dancing energy" invention. l. ROBO-Z Age: Unknown Dance Style: Techno Beat Jammer: a blast of shock-inducing waves Info: Robo-Z was constructed by a tyrannical organization only known as "Secret X." It was built for the sole purpose of harnessing total power of the Groovetron. It is 50 feet tall on the final level, but on other stages, it is very short. I believe this robot has a gender-confusion problem because it dances like a female, yet it has an extremely deep, masculine voice! m. COLUMBO Age: Unknown Dance Style: Candy Hip-Hop Jammer: giant pieces of candy that fall on his opponent Info: Columbo is Shorty's pet mouse. It's quite obvious that Columbo takes after Shorty because of the way he dances. I think it is cool to have a dancing mouse in this game--something you don't see every day (unless you're a Bust A Groove addict like me!) n. BURGER DOG Age: Unknown Dance Style: Detroit Modern Jammer: a giant hamburger that squishes the opponent Info: Burger Dog is the dog that runs the restaurant in Hamm's stage. Like Columbo, he takes after his respective owner (in this case, Hamm) because of the way Burger Dog dances. I tend to think of Burger Dog as an exciting treat for the experienced, like Columbo. It's fun to watch him dance and win, like Columbo. (Hmm...notice any similarity?) ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- 5. GAME MECHANICS a. The Enthusiasm Gauge This is a very important mechanic because it determines what moves you can perform. It will start out being little and dark green. As you dance successfully, it will fill and turn lighter shades of green. When it is completely full, it will turn yellow and red. When the Enthusiasm Gauge is dark green, you can only do basic moves (such as Up, Down, X, and Up, Right, Circle). As it turns lighter shades of green, you will be given sets of moves (7 different sets of moves to be precise, with a set being 8 moves) that are harder to execute. Only when the Enthusiasm Gauge is yellow and red is when you can execute the hardest moves and get the most points. (For an explanation on moves, see Section B under "How to Groove.") b. Solo Sections These sections are your chance to shine without interruption from the opponent. You will always be given a set of moves at the first part of your solo. You will be given only one move for each part of your solo based on which part of the set you executed. You and your opponent cannot attack each other during this time. During these sections, you can use secret moves called High-Scoring Moves. (See Section B under "Secrets" for an explanation of High-Scoring Moves.) c. Jammers These special Groovetron-generated powers are designed to totally screw up your opponent's groove and enhance yours. I have listed each dancer's attack with their Character Bio. To attack, you press the Triangle Button on the fourth beat. However, if you are about to be attacked, you can dodge the attack by pressing the Square Button on the fourth beat. If you dodge an attack successfully, you will be awarded with a higher Enthusiasm Gauge status. A good time to attack is two measures before an opponent's solo. (Why two measures? You need to start there because it takes one measure, or four beats, to launch an attack.) If the attack is successful, your opponent will not be able to perform the first two measures of his or her solo, which means he or she will not get full credit for the solo. Then you can use your High-Scoring Move to totally blow them out of the water! ^_^ Unfortunately, the Attack 2 in the Dance View cannot be used in competition play. They are only for show. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- 6. SECRETS a. Secret Characters In this section, I will explain how to get the four secret characters: Capoeira, Robo-Z, Columbo, and Burger Dog. CAPOEIRA: Beat the game on Normal with any character. ROBO-Z: Unlock Capoeira, then beat the game on Normal with any character. COLUMBO: Unlock Robo-Z, then beat the game on Normal with Shorty. BURGER DOG: Unlock Robo-Z, then beat the game on Normal with Hamm. b. High-Scoring Moves In this section, I will give you the starter move to the chain of High- Scoring Moves. (The reason for me giving you only the starter move is that it makes typing this FAQ easier.) These starters will unlock the rest of the chain. Remember that you can only perform these moves during your solo section. Moreover, a little reminder: if you and your opponent are tied when going into a solo, whoever performs more of their High- Scoring Move chain successfully will win the tie. HEAT: Up, Down, Up, Circle FRIDA: Up, Down, Up, Circle STRIKE: Up, Up, Left, Circle HAMM: Down, Right, Up, Circle KELLY: Right, Left, Right, Circle SHORTY: Down, Down, Down, Circle HIRO: Right, Up, Down, Circle PINKY DIAMOND: Up, Left, Up, Circle GAS-O: Left, Down, Right, Up, Circle KITTY NAKAJIMA: Down, Down, Right, Circle CAPOEIRA: Right, Up, Right, X ROBO-Z: Up, Down, Left, Right, Circle COLUMBO: Down, Down, Down, Circle BURGER DOG: Down, Right, Up, Circle c. Miscellaneous Secrets These are the rest of the secrets that don't fit in the first two sections. ACTIVATE DANCE VIEW: Beat the game on Easy with the character you want the Dance View for. ALTERNATE COSTUME: When selecting a character, hold the Select Button and press X. WINNING POSE CLOSE-UP: When you win a stage, hold the Circle Button. LEVEL SKIP: Anytime during a song, hold the L2 Button and press Select. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- 7. CREDITS I would like to credit the following people for information found in my Bust A Groove FAQ: Henry LaPierre: for the High-Scoring Move chain starters Kao Megura: The Legendary King of FAQs; my FAQ format is based on his. Jennifer Reitz: for the Character Bio and the Dance Style information for each character enigmaopoeia: for miscellaneous information; go read the Bust A Groove "Did You Notice?" Guide she has prepared GameWinners Web Site: for information in the Secrets Section except for the High-Scoring Moves (see the Credits for Henry LaPierre) 989 Studios Bust A Groove Web Site: for additional information on the characters IF I HAVE NEGLECTED TO CREDIT ANYONE, PLEASE E-MAIL ME AT mking3472@aol.com OR venerabledragoon@aol.com AND I WILL MAKE SURE YOU GET THE CREDIT YOU DESERVE. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- Hey, party people, that's the end of my FAQ! Now it's time to get your groove on and BUST A GROOVE!!!