"Dance till you drop!"

Who ever said kids don't get exercise from playing video games? The Dance Dance Revolution series totally contradicts that belief. Ever been to the arcades recently and seen people stepping on a metal platform? If you aren't already familiar with it, this is the hottest thing in the arcades now. With courage, put in a few tokens and try it out, and if you get good, maybe you can freestyle in front of a crowd!

FEATURES(9/10)
From Dance Dance Revolution 3rd Mix, there have been minor changes in game modes and new additions to the game. The difficulty modes have been altered to Basic, Trick, and Maniac. The new challenge mode is also interesting(PSX), where you can beat certain modified songs, to earn new modes and bonus songs. At the arcades, you can play Single, which basically uses one pad, and 3 stages. With a friend, you can play Versus, where you each try to complete the same song at a time in varied difficulties. And for skilled singles people, you can even play Double, where you skip across 2 pads! The features in 4th mix are much like 3rd, and still haven't gotten boring because of the new songs. Most of the new songs in 4th Mix are awesome, and there are good challenges for all you ''Maniacs.''

CONTROL(6/10)
Joystick? There is NO JOYSTICK! What you use is a metal platform, which has a handle bar for balance. At first, it is hard to learn to ''get with the music.'' Your feet won't be used to doing such ''stepping.'' But, after a while of practicing at the arcades, you'll get used to the rhythms. Sometimes your feet will not touch the arrows, which gets annoying for new players. It takes a while to get used to the metal platform, which contains 4 arrows.

FUN FACTOR(10/10)
Whether or not you are a great dancer, it doesn't matter. Knock yourself out. Have fun, don't be afraid to try challenges or embarrass yourself. This game is meant to be fun, as you step to the beat. As DDR players get extraordinary, they'll love to play Maniac, and amaze crowds with moves and consistency. So, invite your friends to play with you, or if they invite you, don't miss out! You'll love being ''on stage.''

GRAPHICS(4/10)
Since this game follows more of a simple ''follow the arrow'' objective, there is no need for 3D graphics. The graphics are simply 2D and ''cartoonish.'' There are backdrops for each stage, which sometimes get distracting and annoying as you perform. Also, there is a character that dances around in the screen, which is another pointless object to put into the screen. The arrows are just 2D and simple, thus making it easy to follow. For this game, graphics hardly matter as much as the challenge.

SOUND/MUSIC(10/10)
This is the whole point of the game! DDR 4th Mix is music to the ears! There are many sounds you can choose from to complete stages, and as you play, there is even commentary on how you are doing! Sometimes, a guy will shout out ''Did you have practice today?'' if you do bad, or even ''This brings tears to my eyes'' if you are doing good. Yes, the music does wanna make you dance.

COST(2/10)
The cost for this game(and most non-joystick games) is expensive and costly if you occasionally fail stages. Unfortunately, DDR machines usually take $1.00+ for 3 stages on Single. It's worth the cost when you are trying to accomplish challenging tasks. But what can anyone do about it? Shouldn't all arcade games cost less than a buck?
Too bad 10 bucks goes like vapor when you play this game.

CHALLENGE(10/10)
Dance Dance Revolution 4th Mix possesses a great challenge for those who are trying to master new DDR songs. It takes a while before you can actually master the hardest of the Maniac songs. Possibly days, weeks, or even months before Maniac players can complete the hardest of songs. It takes patience, energy, sweat, and determination to win! There are levels from beginners up to experts, which keeps the game varied.

OVERALL(8/10)
Pros
+Songs
+Challenge
+Fun factor
+Different difficulty levels

Cons
-Takes a while to get used to metal pad
-Graphics
-Distracting backgrounds
-Cost to play a round

So, for all you gamers who occasionally visit the arcade, try Dance Dance Revolution 4th Mix! This is a must play game! Your parents will no longer complain that you aren't getting exercise from sitting in front of the TV!

Reviewer's Score: 8/10, Originally Posted: 05/05/02, Updated 05/05/02