Dance Dance Revolution DDR Max 2 
Category: Entertainment > Games
Good
32
Let's get something clear here. I am a total novice where it comes to DDR. I wanted to find a version of DDR that would let me grow from total newbie to super grand boogie master.<p>If you are like me, and you're a little intimidated by DDR but you really want to play, listen to me. I've looked around, and I can help you.<p>The version you want to start on is DDRMax2.<p>Most, if not all, other versions of DDR have three levels of Difficulty. (Light, Medium, Hard) And Light mode isn't really much for beginners.<p>DDRMax2 has those three settings, but it also has a Beginner mode. The steps Beginner mode are sufficiently simplistic enough that you can just jump into most of the songs right off. You might feel a bit foolish at times, playing in beginner mode, because of the shear amount of time between steps in some of the songs. But it's a good confidence builder and gets you used to watching the arrows fly up and to using your dance pad.<p>Beginner mode also shows you a kid standing on a dance pad, doing the steps with you. So you if you're unsure about what to do with your feet, there's an example right there.<p>The best part of this is that, two players can each select their own difficulty. (And many, but not all, of the songs have step sets for different difficulty settings.) So somebody who's very advanced, and somebody who's very inexperienced, can play together without to much hassle.<p>Going back to the issue of learning how to use your feet, DDRMax2 is also unique, as far as I can tell, in having a "Learning" mode. Now all versions of DDR have a "Training" mode, but that's really more like practice. (That is, you can play the different songs over and over again without being graded. But there's no actual instruction.)<p>Learning mode actually gives you advice and instruction about what to do with our feet. And as it does this, teaches you a few of the songs in "Light" difficulty.<p>Most of the hard core DDR fans I know prefer the Japanese version of Max2, or just about any other version of DDR. It's not that they don't like Max2, it's just that they seem to think that the song lists are better in other versions. This is a minor gripe at best and has yet to cause any of my DDR playing friends to not want to play at all. Usually, them mention this fact, and then they get on the pad. :)<p>I hope you find this helpful. See you on the dance floor.
276
Go to your local arcade and the game with the crowd around it will be Dance Dance Revolution. The arcade game, which was wildly popular in Japan first and is now becoming so in the U.S., is up to its 8th version in the arcades, and even more than that on Japanese consoles. Meanwhile, this is only the fourth DDR game released in the U.S.<p>Fortunately, it's the best so far. There are quite a few songs NOT taken from the DDR arcade games that most people will recognize, such as Days Go By from the Mitsubishi commercials, Heaven, Get Down Tonight, etc. Some may be disappointed that the difficulty of these new songs is not great, even on the hardest levels. But they're fun and sound great, and one of them (A Little Bit of Ecstacy) has a tricky tempo change.<p>There are a lot of old favorites here that arcade players will recognize: Burning Heat (remake of a song from an old Nintendo version of Gradius), Maxx Unlimited (one of the hardest songs ever), Kakumei (based on the classical Chopin piece "Revolutionary Etude"), Let's Groove, Twilight Zone (the jock-jam anthem), So Deep (so hard), and a couple of Captain Jack songs.<p>New to this mix is the Nonstop Mode, which lets you play predetermined or random sets of songs with no pauses in between. Also new is actual videos behind the arrows in several songs, and the dancing characters and Endless Mode (dance 'til you lose) are back from previous mixes.<p>Some have complained about songs repeated from other U.S. versions. Yes, it's annoying. I'm dealing with it. Hopefully next time, we'll get all new songs.<p>If you want to take this game seriously, I recommend you research and buy a metal dance pad from eBay or Red Octane. Soft pads (available at stores) will work for the less, er, intense players. <p>One more note, I have been using this game as my workout regime for the last year. Benefits I've noticed so far have included increased stamina and lung capacity and stronger calf muscles. I've played almost every day since August 2002 and I'm not even close to tired or bored of it. In fact I own only three games for my PlayStation 2: this, another DDR game, and a third game I've played only once. <p>Unlimited replay value, fitness benefits and great fun: you can't lose. Buy it now.
129
I'm 34, overweight, and easily bored with exercise programs. I just hooked up DDR Max 2 and the dance mat that came with it, and so far, I love it! It's *quite* a workout, even on the beginner level (beginner means less intricate steps, *not* less intense workout).<p>There's a workout mode, too, which you can set so that you're playing the game (hitting the right symbols at the right time) but the game doesn't end if you screw up too much. That's cool too.<p>If I had young kids, I think I'd love this game as a tool for using up some of their energy. :-) <p>If you buy this game, get the dance mat. (Toys R Us sells the mat and the game packaged together.) Using the hand-held controller for this game would be utterly lame.
34
Seen it in the arcade, but too shy to get up in front of everyone and try it yourself? Now you have no more excuses. Bring this game into your home, and you'll find yourself dancing all night long. It is so fun and addictive that you won't even notice you've been exercising the whole time.<p>Even my wife, who usually doesn't get any closer to video games than Windows Solitaire, has latched onto it.<p>If you don't want the pressure of "beating the game", it has adjustable difficulty levels and different gameplay modes (including an aerobic workout mode), so you can play the way you want to. If obsessively trying to get a perfect score is more your thing, then there's always room to improve your performance.<p>I haven't played any of the other DDR games, but based on a lot of other DDR fanatics' reviews, this one sounds like it has a better song mix than DDRMAX or DDR Konamix, but not as good as the Japanese DDR editions.<p>If you've ever tapped your feet to a catchy tune, then you're going to have fun with this game.
17
This game is a great gift for kids, it is excersise, fun, and more fun. There are a few different modes like the work-out mode which lets you do unlimited songs and tells you how many calories you lose and stuff, game mode: unlock songs,people, and levels. There is an edit mode to create your own dance steps! There are many other modes but I can't talk about them because I'll ramble on about how fun they are. I consider DDR one of the best games on the face of this Earth. If your a parent I would get this for your son or daughter. If you are a child I would beg your parents for it until they want to strangle you then I would suggest running away before it actually happens! If your a newbie I would stay away from MaxUNLIMTED because like you gotta be a saint to do it perfectly on Expert or even Light (Easy). Another hard song is End of the century, it is no where near as hard as maxUNLIMITED though. You'll probably be able to End of the century within a week or so of getting it. I want you to be a DDR FREAK too. (I'm so big on it I lose over 1,000 calories per day on it!) Anyway I am rambling on like I tried not to do so I'm gonna shut up and let you buy this awesomely awesome game (Remind me not to say awesomely awesome again) so buy it now. You're still reading this aren't you...... GO BUY IT NOW (LoL Just kidding) But I would buy it. Hey wait why are you still reading this? GAAAAHHHHHH
