Remember break-dancing? Yeah, me neither. Nah, I know that it was really big back in the 80's, and in some circles across the globe it still has a bit of fascination behind it. I figure there has to be some reason that MGM Home Video had to give us the Breakin' DVD set, right? Electric Boogaloo for life! Anyhow, it was only a matter of time before break-dancing made some kind of return to video gaming, following an interesting foray on the Commodore 64 that just recently resurfaced on the GameTap service. And here it is, Flow: Urban Dance Uprising from Ubisoft.

The game arrived like a surprise. There was no hype behind it, no commercials, not even something in the form of an announcement. Boom, there it was, like the guy that arrives in a disco club dressed like a decked-out pimp and wearing some of the funkiest shoes this side of Harlem. But that doesn't necessarily make him a welcome guest. Sure, he's funny, and has his moments of entertainment. But he can only keep your attention so long. That pretty much describes the game.

This is a DDR clone, plain and simple. The interface may be changed to include dancers in the background, but the scrolling arrows are the same, the "step" arrows where you have to keep your foot down for so long are the same, and the tempo to keep up with the included tunes is about the same. Most of the modes are also quite familiar. Does Diet Mode ring a bell? It's present here, although some may get a kick out of that.

What's different is the approach. The game clearly leans towards the urban dance crowd, which means break-dancing is the norm for the format. Don't be surprised if you find yourself going through challenge mode and get asked to do some kind of ridiculous handplant or something to break up your otherwise frenetic footwork. The game supports the dance mats available for the system, as well as the EyeToy, so you can actually watch yourself at times getting all dorky with your bad self.

The game does feature ten different characters to choose from, as well as different environments to dance in, but the customization attempts seem futile at best, not to mention pointless. Sure, you can deck out your threads, but there's nothing to really motivate you to do so. You can't really build your own character in the process, and that's a shame. I had a grand idea to make a Big Daddy DCD character that could bust-a-bust like no one else. Furthermore, the graphics, while featuring some solid animation, seemed a bit too dark for their own good.

The song selection for a game like this is crucial, and there are some good beats thrown into the mix from the likes of Sugarhill Gang and Eric B. and Rakim among others. But it seems to follow a linear pattern of just being songs of that nature, and not throwing in some variety, like the DDR games are usually known for. Some dance tunes or maybe even a little Herbie Hancock wouldn't have hurt, you know. And why can't I find a song to do the Robot to? Anyone?

The game does feature lots to do. Party Mode is a good addition that could very well get up to eight people involved trying to pull off break-dancing moves. It'll have its fans. The single-player mode also includes plenty of challenges to take on, and there's others to dig around in. However, the game still manages to underwhelm, probably due to its lack of originality. This is still DDR wanna-be all the way, no matter which direction you try and take the momentum.

Flow: Urban Dance Uprising is by no means a bad game, but it feels a bit unnecessary and not as energetic as it boasts. Maybe that's because a lot of work went into the thought process but little came out in the product. It'll suit the crowd it's designed for, and there's something to be said to gettin' down to a good song by Kurtis Blow, but it could've been so much more than another example of style over substance. Unless you're a break-dancer at heart, just go watch Electric Boogaloo again and behold the wonder of ceiling break-dancing. Hoho!