FLOOR KIDS Review for PC

Award winning animator, Jonathan “JonJon” Ng, and DJ/producer Eric San (also known as Kid Koala) have teamed up to create the startlingly unique game: Floor Kids. A product of almost 10 years of work, Floor Kids is more of a celebration of breakdancing culture than anything else: reflecting both Ng and San’s passion for the art form in a way that, no matter how new you are to breakdancing, will make you want to get up and try some of these moves for yourself.

Originally released on Nintendo Switch and marketed as a “breakdance battle game,” Floor Kids puts a refreshing spin on the well-established rhythm genre and is now available on PC, XboxOne, and PS4.

While most rhythm games cue a series of buttons to press on specific beats, Floor Kids gives the player the power to create his or her own moves; letting you fashion combinations out of thin air (much like a combat game) in a way that comes closer to mirroring a real dance battle than any game in this genre.  It doesn’t necessarily matter what moves you’re doing, if you are dancing you are doing well: making this game less about your score and more about the actual dancing.

 Gameplay

At the outset of the game, you will be prompted to choose one of four characters: Scribbles, Raquette, Noogie, or Hiyo Ono.  The characters have their own unique look, individualistic dance style, and their own strengths when it comes to the four breakdance disciplines (Down Rock, Top Rock, Freeze, and Power moves).  For example, Scribbles is particularly good at her Down Rock moves while her Power moves are below average and won’t score her as many points.

Once you’ve picked your character and are ready to go out and test your dance moves, you’ll have to pick a venue.  Anywhere that has an audience is a potential dance floor.  Dance your way through the city in order to find your style, build your crew and inspire the people around you.

What I love about this game is that it’s more than just a rhythm game, it’s an artful message about the power dance has to inspire people and spread positivity. Before each performance, there is a cut-scene that offers clues to, not only help you get the most out of your dance, but give you a sense of what the breakdancing is all about.

Overview

Let’s face it, the intrigue of a rhythm game is directly attached to, if not reliant on, its soundtrack and, thanks to Kid Koala, Floor Kids embodies the way music can seamlessly add to animation in order to create an overarching style that both reflects and propagates the essence of  b-boying.  Breakdancing is rough. It’s dirty. Nothing about it is polished or premeditated, and Ng and San’s artwork reflect this perfectly.  The sketch-like quality of the animation and the lo-fi beats create the same sense of spontaneity and unconstraint that you would find in a breakdance performance.

Ng and San want to help the world see the kind of positivity that an art form can engender in the community that supports it.  Breakdancers don’t simply dance, they are beacons of positivity and change, which is why the characters in this game are not dancers, but “dance warriors.”

While Floor Kids’ long term playability may be limited to indie game aficionados, the unique charm and well executed blend of animation, music and culture creates a truly one of a kind experience that you just need to play for yourself to truly understand.

Score: 8.9/10

Check Out the Floor Kids Release Trailer:

Platforms: Nintendo Switch, PC via Steam, Xbox One, PS4