Agents of Groove

Agents of Groove is a story-driven rhythm action game for the Playdate console with a dynamic original soundtrack and a fun cast of characters.

Watch a story teaser trailer for Agents of Groove right here!

Premise

In a world where music and dancing have real power, a group of undercover dancers stumbles upon a sinister plot -- but will they be able to stop it?

Meet field agent Daley Bellbottoms, information expert Melody Handler, and other friends and enemies, as the new recruit of secret agency G.R.O.O.V.E.. Learn the ways of the Rhythm, handle H.Y.P.E. equipment and help your fellow agents find their... well, groove, on a daring mission to stop rival organization E.R.I.S..

The tools at their disposal? Dancing, of course! But also excellent taste, incredible style, and... okay, mostly dancing.

Gameplay

In Agents of Groove you'll match the rhythm of a music track in each level using the Playdate buttons and crank, often at the same time, with some surprises along the way.

Do well and the music track will expand, allowing Daley to attune to the Rhythm and generate hype until he can meet any challenge. Make mistakes and you may not reach enough attunement in time, or, worse, you may get caught by your adversaries -- and the world will be doomed! But, no pressure, really.

Agents of Groove progresses through fifteen levels across four variations of gameplay, all riffing on the theme of moving along with the rhythm: Daley may be called upon to sway others with his dancing skills, sneak into a mysterious facility, or slide out of the way of obstacles. When all else fails, the only way to solve a dispute may be a good, old-fashioned dance-off.

The Agents of Groove will have to draw upon their full network of connections and use all their resources to reveal what nefarious plan E.R.I.S. has concocted this time. They will meet many characters as the story unfolds via both gameplay and conversation, and they will need all the help they can get.

Main characters

Curious about who you'll meet throughout the course of the game? Here are some of the characters:

Daley Bellbottoms
Legendary undercover dancer and Rhythm wrangler of G.R.O.O.V.E., known as much for his skill as for his tendency to improvise, Daley often finds himself in improbably tight spots but usually manages to make it out of trouble (even if with some help). A veteran of many years, he's truly seen it all -- or so he thinks!

Melody Handler
The information expert for the team, Melody operates behind the scenes, researching, processing data, accessing systems remotely, and maintaining constant radio contact with Daley and the others. She's often Daley's last line of defense against danger, and just as often has to save him from himself.

Paul Hanover
A younger agent of G.R.O.O.V.E., he often teases Daley for preferring more time-tested methods and technology. Admittedly perhaps not the sharpest tool in the shed, Paul is nevertheless an invaluable ally and a skilled tinkerer with H.Y.P.E. equipment in the field.

Robot Detective
What is this robot after, and how is it connected to the G.R.O.O.V.E. case? A case more unsettling at every step, like a tall tale told by an excitable sailor in exchange for the promise of more attention. Still, its deduction logic could be of help... if it turned out to be an ally at all.

Angus Weathervane
Little is known about Captain Weathervane, and what common folk dare to whisper under cover of darkness remains steeped in mystery and rumors. Surely those tales of pirates so completely in control of the seas that even the birds follow their commands, cannot be true?

Accessibility and difficulty

We believe in making our games as accessible as possible, and Agents of Groove is no exception. Plenty of accessibility and customization settings allow you to tailor the gameplay experience to your desires:

• Can't (or would rather not) use the crank? No problem: turn on Crank Assist Mode, and only use the buttons.
• Have trouble switching among the six Playdate buttons under pressure? Enable Single Button Mode without missing a beat, and use only your favorite button throughout.
• Want to make the rhythm matching portions easier, and focus more on enjoying the story? You got it, with three difficulty presets and individually configurable difficulty settings.
• Screen shake and flashing giving you a rough time? Turn them off without a second thought.
• More accessibility features to be announced!

Videos

Here’s a collection of videos for Agents of Groove that we’ve released over the course of development, from most to least recent. Teasers may not reflect the current state of the game as content is subject to change until launch.

When can I play it?

Agents of Groove is currently under development for the Playdate console. We don't yet have a release date but we're close, and we'll have more to announce soon! You can follow us here, on Bluesky, Mastodon and on our homepage to stay up to date on news and announcements!

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