Dance Dance Revolution Ultramix 2

"Dance Dance Revelations"

I used to laugh at those Dance Dance Revolution enthusiasts who pranced around on their little (big) arcade machines, looking like total nerds. Now, when I see those "nerds" at work, I am suddenly jealous that they are so much better than me. Dance Dance Revolution is an intimidating game, but once you play it, you end up loving it, and once you love it... well... life is never the same again.

Graphics:
The abundance of scrolling arrows makes anything else seem pointless, but the DDR developers put a lot of work into the background imagery anyway. Every song has its own music video, and one of four cel-shaded dancers will accompany you on screen. The four share the same dance moves, however, so the male dancers end up doing things that look absolutely silly for a man to do. They're animated well and look good but can be turned off if they bother you.

Sound:
Often, I will hear a random song and think, "That sounds like a DDR song." DDR has acquired a very distinct flavor of music: techno dance with an obvious Japanese ring to it. Most of the music is very energetic and quirky, but there are also a few mellow songs and recognizable rock rhythms. The majority of the 50+ are very fun to dance and listen to. While Ultramix 1 has some of my favorite DDR songs, the selection in Ultramix 2 is just better overall.

Gameplay:
The Ultramix extension of DDR on the Xbox doesn't change the formula at all. What it does is gives you just one more reason not to buy a Playstation 2. If you've never heard of DDR, walk into any random arcade. There's bound to be someone pounding away on a dance machine. The objective, of course, is to hit one of four directions with your feet on a dance pad as corresponding arrows scroll by on the screen. Ultramix does have a few side extras to make the package a little more interesting, including some Xbox Live content and an editor. The three usual difficulty settings remain untouched--Light, Standard, and Heavy--but a new setting has slipped in: Beginner. Beginner is even less challenging than Light and is perfect for those who have never, ever played a rhythm game before. Most songs are very fun on Standard and contain just enough "beats per minute" to keep you moving without dying of overload. Heavy, on the other hand, is absolutely brutal and is more a physical challenge than a fun romp. It's definitely something to work towards.

Frustration:
One thing that really frustrates me about DDR is how there aren't any obvious cues to let you know if you're even hitting a direction. The stationary arrows glow briefly when the pad is depressed, but it's a subtle effect and doesn't help much when in a more frantic song. If the arrows did something more distinct, like turned an inverted color, it would make it easier to correct your footing. Barring that, the game also struggles a lot with remembering your high scores. Quite often, it neglects to record that A you got on "Love Shine," or when it does put it in, the score reverts back to a C when you reboot the game. It's irritating and comes across as a sloppy mistake by the programmers.

Lasting Appeal:
I strongly suggest buying Ultramix as a way to stay fit. These games are a great workout. After a few songs, I'm already dripping sweat all over the dance pad. After a few weeks, you may even notice your weight dropping and stamina increasing. No kidding! Now if you have the willpower to actually use a fitness center or high school track, then you really don't need DDR. For someone like me, however, a video game is the only decent exercise I'll ever get, and the investment is worth it for that alone. It's also fun to buy another dance pad and challenge a friend to some one-on-one. It isn't so much a competition, though, as it is just a chance for the two of you to have fun. I have noticed, however, that it is very difficult to cajole someone into trying a dancing game. Good luck with that.

Overall:
Whether you like dancing or not, DDR is crazy fun. The challenge of matching footsteps to dance beats is very rewarding and actually has health benefits on top of being a great way to spend some free time. If you've never played DDR before, I absolutely recommend it. Get out of your comfort zone and just try it! If you're a regular, however, and you already own DDR somewhere else, it's probably not worth picking up this Xbox set. DDR is DDR, and there's no need to get obsessive about it-- which is really easy to do.

Points:
+ Great workout
+ Fun song list
+ Balanced difficulty
-- Depress cues aren't helpful
-- High scores don't always save

Score: 9/10

Reviewer's Score: 9/10, Originally Posted: 12/10/05, Updated 05/03/06