Introduction

I’ve never been so tired in my life. DDR truly keeps you moving while you try to keep your cool matching step upon step in an endless dance number which looks more like a constipated chicken stepping about an oversized D-Pad. For those of you who have no idea what I’m talking about go buy the game and test your skill, you need fast feet, a fair amount of energy and you can’t become frustrated when you miss a step since I guarantee you will miss tons.

Gameplay

Dance Dance Revolution knows how to do it when they want interaction, making dancing a thing of the future just like the title suggests. There are 2 ways you can play DDR, the first is the normal controller….not suggested, you don’t get to experience the game to the fullest, and if anything you should use the Dance Pad that comes with the game when you buy it. Now to get started you control everything from the Dance Pad, you have no need to pick up a controller once you have begun.

There is an array of game modes available when you boot up for the first time ranging from just normal game modes where you play until you have beaten every area of the game, battle mode allowing you to play against 3 friends…suicide and Workout mode, I took the time to test this right from the start. Workout mode keeps track of everything calories lost, distance ran, distance swam and even amount of times jumped rope. There are even 3 difficult settings, wow, you will have such a hard time if you jump or should I say dance right into the Heavy difficulty setting which makes you get a headache right away.

I was a little skeptical as to how hard it could be when I started playing and I wish I hadn’t, it can get down right difficult tossing out 2 foot combos by the truck load. I didn’t want to look like a fool jumping around so I went with the one foot approach, it may work for the Light setting, but once you are actually trying to beat the game, you will be needing both since you won’t be able to keep up. There is a hefty replay value, allowing you to unlock new songs as you progress, but since you’re constantly doing the same thing it gets rather repetitive so you may or may not tire of it quickly.

Graphics

When you’re the one being put through the workout the only real graphics you notice are the arrows and my oh my are those ever sweet arrows. On a more serious note the background dancers aren’t that good and are blocky at best and move like a robot with a broken component, Even I can pull off better moves and I’m on this dance pad. The menus aren’t that interesting either, but you’re too tired to care either way.

Sound

There is a solid selection of songs to dance to or should I say lose your mind to as you progress through the game. The better you do the more you have at your disposal. The background voices can become annoying as time goes on since when you do well they cheer you on and if you do badly, well you know how it goes. The sound and music are the basis for the game so they are obviously well done.

Overall

If you like party games and like it when your friends look like idiots I suggest you get this game and hide it until you have a group of people over then watch them mess up, get frustrated and possibly yell at you while you laugh your head off at their lack of ability. I really enjoyed this game considering most people say it sucks or laugh at the mention of its name. DDR Ultramix is a workout and half, if you like to overheat and sweat while playing a game you may have just found your calling.