History VideoGame / TheUrbz

* {{Animesque}}: Neon East is clearly inspired by Japan's Anime culture, and is famous for the sushi bar and the bright neon colours of the residents' hair and clothes.

There are two different versions of the game, released on console (UsefulNotes/NintendoGameCube, UsefulNotes/PlayStation2, and UsefulNotes/{{Xbox}}) and handheld (UsefulNotes/GameBoyAdvance and UsefulNotes/NintendoDS).

* DeathIsASlapOnTheWrist: It is impossible to truly die in the Urbz. If an Urb somehow manages to kick the bucket through means such as starvation, fire, or other means, they will be immediately revived by Captain Catastrophe. The game does keep track of how many times a player has been revived, however.

* MultiEthnicName: Mazuiko Jackson, which is fitting for a resident from the Anime-inspired district, Neon East.

%% * GettingCrapPastThe Radar: Due to overwhelming and persistent misuse, GCPTR is on-page examples only until 01 June 2021. If you are reading this in the future, please check the trope page to make sure your example fits the current definition.

* ObviousBeta:
** The DS version has a major glitch that locks you out of the Artsies mission's completion if you sold '''any''' of the basic Garbage Piles for recycling before starting the mission. The game doesn't record any prior recycling until the mission actually starts. This is a pain due to this port placing a finite amount of Garbage Piles unlike the GBA version which had them respawn periodically. Other variants of Garbage still spawn normally, though.
** In the DS version, the key to the Richies' clubhouse somehow stops working after some time. However, you can sell it and regain another one later when this happens.
** After you obtain the Paradise Island map, another will appear in its place. Pick up a second one and you can't get rid of it.
** Mr. King has no programmed location and therefore can only be talked to if you invite him over.
** Choosing the "ask for errand" option when talking to a tenant will evict them as if you had selected the "GET OUT!" option.
** Trying to talk to an [=NPC=]s who are teleporting (namely Lloyd and Gordie) will freeze the game. The game also freezes if you have a pet following you when trying to use the TimeMachine. Pressing R to attempt to ride the hoverboard while [[AndNowForSomeoneCompletelyDifferent controlling your pet]] in the last part of the Splicer Island chapter has the same result.
** The dragon and carnivorous dinosaur pets only use their correct voices during the Petshow game. Otherwise they use the herbivorous dino's voice.

* BareYourMidriff: Extremely prevalent in the available outfits and among NPC's, including the main character's default attire.

* OddballInTheSeries: Contrasts with the main series with its stylistic art design, quicktime events, lack of romance, and characteristics - such as reputation and CelebrityEndorsement - that wouldn't reappear until ''VideoGame/TheSims3''.

* {{Nerd}}: All the members of the Nerdies are stereotypically nerdy characters who apparently love tabletop gaming and taking classes at college.

* ContinuityNod: The game is a direct followup to the story of the handheld version of ''VideoGame/TheSimsBustinOut'', though presented in such a way that you probably wouldn't even tell if you didn't know enough about its predecessor. The game starts with the protagonist atop King Tower, where one can see a statue run through with the wreck of a rocket, a direct consequence of the previous game's GainaxEnding wherein [[spoiler:the protagonist was given an implied HumanAlienReveal before boarding the rocket in question only to immediately come crashing back down.]] [[AbortedArc None of this is explicitly referenced in this game at all]]. Some characters also return from the earlier game, though most of them seem to have forgotten the protagonist completely (with a couple notable exceptions). Finally, late in the game the player gains access to a TimeMachine which can be used to travel back to Uncle Hayseed's farm, the starting stage from the previous game.
* ContrastingSequelAntagonist: Handheld ''Urbz'' is a sequel to the handheld ''Bustin' Out'', which had no central antagonist besides arguably Giuseppi Mezzoalto, a small-time ObviouslyEvil BlatantBurglar who generally didn't pay the protagonist any more attention than he had to. The sequel has its main antagonist in [[CorruptCorporateExecutive Daddy Bigbucks]], an [[Fiction500 absurdly rich]] magnate who owns most of the city before he even acknowledges the protagonist's existence and yet seeks to gain enough power to be able to charge everyone for so much as stepping on his streets or breathing his air. He knows that the protagonist is the biggest thorn in his side from the beginning and tries to eliminate him or her as an obstacle at every turn, mostly behind the scenes via obstructive LoonyLaws, at least until [[spoiler:he tries to straight up ''[[MurderIsTheBestSolution murder the protagonist]]'' in broad daylight and just a few steps away from a large crowd at the end of Mission 3.]]

* HollywoodNerd: All the members of the Nerdies are stereotypically nerdy characters who apparently love tabletop gaming and taking classes at college.

* TheRichHaveWhiteStuff: White is one of the dominant colours in Diamond Heights and most of the outfits there will have white as their main colour.

* IdenticalTwinTag: When it comes to the Couture twins; Babbette wears her hair up while Sophie wears hers down. Similarly Babbette sports a pale yellow dress while Sophie's is sparkling and silver. (Of course if you get them on your crew you can change their appearance to better differentiate them.)

* NoCelebritiesWereHarmed: Sophie and Babbette Coutre, a pair of blonde twin celebrities from Diamond Heights, are quite obviously based on Mary-Kate & Ashley Olsen.

* AllThereInTheManual: A lot of the characters' information are only mentioned on the game's (now defunct) official site. According to the page, the main character's "Official" name is Jayde.

* YouGottaHaveBlueHair:
** The main character's default appearance is a girl with purple hair. It can be customized to any colour, though.
** Everyone in Neon East, except for Venus, have outrageously coloured hair. Mazuiko, Chewy and Loop has blue hair, while Sara has pink hair.
** One of the district villains, Kiki Blunt, has green hair.
** Everyone in Central Station has outrageously coloured hair too, to fit with their punk aesthetic.

** Trying to talk to an [=NPC=]s who are teleporting (namely Lloyd and Gordie) will freeze the game. The game also freezes if you have a pet following you when trying to use the TimeMachine.

Set after the events of ''VideoGame/TheSimsBustinOut'', the player controls an "Urb" (this game's version of a Sim) who have just moved out from their parent's home to Urbzville. Starting out as a nobody, our main character must explore the 9 different districts spread in the city, befriend the locals, and earn reputation points to climb up the social ladder. In addition to the usual gameplay of fulfilling the Urb's basic needs, the player must complete certain assignments, such as learning mini-game skills, mastering a job, defeating villains, using a Power Social, or otherwise fulfill various tasks from the town citizens to accomplish their goal.

* NoHuggingNoKissing: Zigzagged. You can kiss characters however [[NoGoingSteady you can't date anyone]] or have Woo-Hoo.

* GettingCrapPastTheRadar: The Simlish version of "Let's Get It Started" sounds more it's supposed to be the original version, "Let's Get Retarded".
** Babbette Couture mentions that whenever she enters a room she "makes heads spin and [[SomethingElseAlsoRises pants stretch."]]

* ButtMonkey: Urangoo MacBain in the Central Station comic. Not only is he portrayed as an unhygenic cheapskate who won't pay, he ends up dangling from a magnetic crane by his nipple rings. [[spoiler: And the cage fighter he's hoping to [[ShaggyDogStory impress turns out to be a lesbian.]]]]