DDR for the PS2/Arcade/Party Game
Aaahh yes�.the game every person at the mall/movies/arcade is embarrassed to play. Dance Dance Revolution a.k.a. �DDR�. So what is it about this game that people don�t like to play it? Ha, maybe the fact that you actually have to move around, following little arrows, as you jump around and not just hit buttons like the lazy society we�ve become. So to the review!
Audio(9/10)
You don�t even have to be in the arcade to hear this game. It�s just loud. Loud but in a good way. You step onto the platform and the sound just hits you. Every one of the sounds in this game from the music, to selection buttons is original. Music selection such as Paranoia Evolution, Max 300, and Healing Vision are not only kool to play along with, they are also just kool to listen to if your into any sort of techno music. The only reason I don�t give DDR a perfect 10 on Audio is because of the clomping noise of the feet when your jumping around. It�s kind of funny because when the better players come along to play, at first you hear their selection and then when they start playing all your hear is the music drown out and all this stomping like a stampede was heading your way.
Graphics(7/10)
Ha, this has to be one of the koolest startup screens I have ever seen. It doesn�t only show you what the game is like. It actually shows you how to play the game. Literally it shows a guy dancing around. That�s good in my book. So why did the video get a 7..�well basically because of two things. The backgrounds, and the characters. First off, the backgrounds. Awesome backgrounds, most are truly innovative, but whenever your playing a lot of different levels you find yourself saying one of two things,� OMG I�m getting dizzy this backgrounds crazy� OR �Hey haven�t I seen this background in a previous level?� So yea. The backgrounds are very flamboyant, and are sometimes repetitive. Good things about the background is that they set the mood. If the song is at a tempo of 200 the background is probably going to be a bright color, and if the tempo is pretty slow and the song is mellow, the background will be dark with geometric shapes. Also the little arrows that you have to follow can be changed in color, speed, and direction, so those are some kool options. So on to the characters�.hhmmmm�there are no characters! In earlier versions of DDR there used to be a character selection screen. But they just cut that out all together. Now you have no sense of feeling to a character. Not that I mind this, because I like being me when I dance, but it would still be kool to pick someone out that you want to be. Ha.
Story(6/10)
DDR doesn�t really have a story line. Does the game really need to explain how to dance? Or does it have to show the history of dancing? There could have been some type of level/stage, where you have to �dance� better than the comp or something, but was there even that? I think not!!! All there is really as far as goals, is the fact that there are 3 different settings (Light, Standard, and heavy Modes), and the ONI mode, where you get to play songs continuously without stopping, and there is also a Workout Course offered which makes this game little more meaning full in life (LOL). There�s also a song list, and I guess this is what you focus on, completing the song list and getting A�s on all the songs. That�s it. And for the lack of story, that why it got this score.
Control(8/10)
Ah, now here�s the kicker. This is the number one reason why people don�t play this bad ass game. The controls are different. That�s all. DIFFERENT. They aren�t hard, its not rocket science, it�s just DDR. Thing is you don�t play this game with your hands like a normal game. Hence the name Dance Dance Revolution. Now people aren�t just getting on the game and playing. They have to actually learn how to move their bodies to certain rhythms. And yes�they may actually get sweaty. OH NO! Psh live with it you pansies. So yea the whole learning to play and move your feet is a little downside, but once you get it you get yourself in shape and you are continually having to learn new step patterns and jumps. All there is, is four arrows�.one pointing up, one to the left, one to the right, and one to the back., you hit these arrows according to what arrows come onto the screen. Once you mastered the basic steps you can go into a free styling mode with your bad self and just have your own style of �dancing�, (I.E. getting on your hands and knees and hitting the arrows) so there�s no real correct way to hit the arrows. This is the first game I�ve seen like this. Which makes these game controls pretty tight.
Enjoyment(10/10)
OMG. It�s a 10/10. This game has to be the most fun game I have ever played in my life. For a few reasons. First off, it was kool just learning how to move my feet the right way so I could actually play. And once you learn the right way to play, you can start free styling like I said earlier, and that makes it all the more fun. Secondly, even if I got stuck on some songs it was still bad ass trying to complete the game. Thirdly, playing this game gets you in shape. Ha, this may sound a bit far fetched, but if you think about it, playing this game over and over again will get you pretty tired and your feet will be moving a lot. Also, whenever your playing this game, most of the time your with a friend or family member, and it�s just funny and fun watching the other person try to complete a song, ESPECIALLY if it�s their first time playing the game EVER. But there�s also a flip side to this claim. If you go to the mall and watch people who play this game like their life depends on it, then you see some guys who are in shape with some really fast feet, and there is a lot of competition out there. So it�s kool to meet people at the mal or wherever your playing at and talk with them and see what songs they can do and cant do. It�s a user-friendly game, a way to meet people, a way to get in shape, a way to just have fun! What else is needed?!
Overall(8/10)
Well, what a bad ass game I say. I know I said go buy it, but this game cost a bit of money. (40.00 for the game DDR MAX, 20.00 a dance pad) Yes those are US dollars, not pesos. But if you have no shame and a lot of money you can just play at the arcades for about 75 cents for three whole songs! So this game is on what I call the BC List. The Birthday/Christmas List. Put it on there! Hope you get it!
Review by Mario Hernandez.
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