Dance Dance Revolution Konamix
Score: 92% ESRB: Everyone Publisher: Konami Developer: Konami Media: CD/1 Players: 1 - 2 Genre: Miscellaneous
Graphics & Sound: By now, most gamers worth their salt have at least heard of Dance Dance Revolution. Some have called it the greatest game series of all time; others shake their heads in disgust when they spot it in the arcades. No matter which category you may fall into, you've still gotta admit -- it's a hell of a workout! And now, after releasing two lukewarm stateside versions last year, Konami unleashes Dance Dance Revolution Konamix with loads of fresh music and enough new features to get any DDR veteran sweatin' once again. Okay, so nothing's really changed visually. Anxious players haven't been treated to the flashy 60 frames-per-second style seen in the DDR 5th Mix import, and those original Solo Mode arrows are pretty ugly to say the least. Don't get me started on the announcer's silly comments, either ('I can see tomorrow in your dance!' isn't my idea of flattery), but since when has DDR ever been about glitzy graphics and amazing sound effects? It's all about the music. Konamix finally offers the American audience one of the best DDR song collections ever assembled, hands down. Fans of 3rd and 4th Mixes get gems like 'Hysteria', 'Drop Out', and 'End of the Century', while 5th and 6th Mix nuts can play 'Matsuri Japan', 'Look to the Sky' and 'Groove' to their hearts' content. And remember 'The Earth Light' and 'Perfect Free' from Beatmania? They're all here, available to us at last without the aid of a mod chip.
Gameplay: I've had indescribable fun dancing on DDR machines since 1999, and the home versions are always a hoot when you've got a few modified dance pads and crazy friends to play with. Admittedly, though, the concept of stepping on four panels to repetitive, poppy Japanese music tends to wear thin over the years. Here's where Konamix comes in to save the day. U.S. gamers have really been spoiled with such a comprehensive package this time. Lesson Mode teaches newbies the ropes, Workout tells you how many calories you're burning during a session, Training lets you test out the tunes and learn the steps with no repercussions, and Edit Mode gives players the ability to forge their own creative steps for any song. But that's just the old stuff -- Konamix now blows replay value into a new dimension with the exclusive Solo Mode (6-panel) steps for nearly every song, and Nonstop Order (my favorite) opens the door for personalized five-song exercises set to your own specifications. For example, this is my custom cardio training Nonstop: 1) Drop Out (Hidden - Maniac) - 8 Feet 2) Afronova Primeval (Right - Maniac) - 9 Feet 3) Era (Nostalmix) (Shuffle - Maniac) - 8 Feet 4) Matsuri Japan (Maniac) - 9 Feet 5) DXY! (Left - Maniac) - 8 Feet I play that set once a day and I've instantly gotten one of the best workouts of my life. Seriously, I've never been in better shape thanks to years of DDR, and I personally know a few people who've lost up to 80 pounds by playing it daily! Konamix easily extends DDR's lasting value with these new modes, and should turn a few non-gamers' heads with its fitness aspect.
Difficulty: Players can adjust the level of difficulty under Options, and each song has Basic, Trick and Maniac versions available in the game. A song's 'foot level' denotes how hard it is; a 3-footer should be a no-brainer for most, while 9-foot 'catastrophics' take some serious skill to clear. Still not hard enough for ya? Try a 5-song, 9-foot, 6-panel custom Nonstop and get back to me on that.
Game Mechanics: The controls couldn't be simpler, whether you're using a third-party dance pad or your trusty PlayStation controller (boooring!). Stepping up, down, left or right doesn't exactly become complicated -- until the harder levels where you're tripping over your own feet in an attempt to nail all those eighth notes, of course. Konamix also seems to use an adapted 4th Mix scoring system, placing far more emphasis on full combos than accuracy. I really hate it when I can land around 95 percent Perfect steps compared to my roommate's 80-something, yet he gets three times more points than I do because he combos the entire song. That all comes down to personal preference, though, and score has never been my main concern in DDR to begin with. Go figure. Compared to 2001's Dance Dance Revolution and DDR Disney Mix, this one really gives American gamers a nice taste of what those wacky Japanese have enjoyed for years. Sure, the song selection could be a tad stronger and those graphics do need an overhaul, but then what would that leave open for future stateside releases? Konami did a fantastic job of listening to the fans while adding their own preferences into this package, and with a suggested price tag of around 30 bucks, how can you lose? Call me biased, but this may very well be the greatest game to hit the PlayStation during its final days. Grab yourself a dance pad, pick up Konamix, and shake that thang. You'll love it.
-Ben Monkey, GameVortex Communications AKA Ben Lewis
Ducati World Racing Challenge Mat Hoffman's Pro BMX