GamePro Grooves with DDR Freak

Tons of songs, more mini-games, and characters takes DDR to the extreme!!!

Konami's Dance Dance Revolution series may have had a humble start here in the US, but the game has come a long way in the past three-and-a-half years. Song lists that once consisted of nothing but original tracks written specifically for the game have had major licenses introduced, real music videos have been added and complex game modes have replaced the basic "step-to-the-beat" options in the first game. In short, what was once an appealing novelty has evolved nicely into a well-rounded, and quite enjoyable, series.

The game itself isn't the only thing that has evolved over the years though as a large fan community has grown alongside the game. Centered around California, where the series got an early introduction thanks to imported Japanese arcade machines, the fan community quickly spread across the county and into popular culture. DDR machines have appeared in everything from a Skechers ad to an episode of King of the Hill.

One of the oldest and most comprehensive DDR sites on the net is DDR Freak. Featuring complete song lists, FAQs on the games, playing tips for beginners and an active set of forums, DDR Freak is an excellent resource for anyone wanting to learn about the game -- and that includes us. So when we sat down with an early copy of DDR Extreme for the PS2 this month we called in Cynan de Leon of DDR Freak to lend a hand.

The Music

Syriel: With seventy songs to choose from, DDR Extreme offers a good variety of music. It's not the biggest US release (that honor falls to the original US version of DDR Max which clocked in at 71 songs), however it does seem to be the most balanced of the bunch with an excellent mix across all genres. The licensed tracks shine, and the quality of the original songs has drastically improved. My personal favorites are easily the two tracks from the Silent Hill series. Not only are the songs haunting, but the videos featuring the characters from the game are a nice touch. And hey, Konami gave US players a brand new Max song in this mix -- Maximizer!

My complaints for the music selection mostly hover on the "things I saw in past games and really want to see again" side of things. Boom Boom Dollar K.O.G. G3 Mix and the original Captain Jack would be shoo-ins for my personal DDR mix, as would any song by the group E-Rotic. Long time DDR players will likely groan, but I'd also love to see smile.dk's Butterfly (Upswing Mix) appear on a US platform. It was the first DDR song I ever played way back when Konami was first demoing the game and it's one of those things I will always associate with the series.

Cynan: The good thing is that the new music is, for the most part, all right. It's actually a mixed bag. When I say the music is a mixed bag...of course, that's an opinion. I'd like to be more specific. Move Your Feet and Planet Rock, most notably, are my favorite licensed tracks. Out of the Konami Originals making a return from older versions or debuting for home versions, Don't Clock Me, A, and V are some that come to mind. The new Max-type song, Maximizer, is OK, but might get annoying after a bit...or maybe frustrating. Also, I will agree with you, Syriel: The songs from the Silent Hill series are quite cool.

On the bad side: Well, most of them are only noticeable for people that have played DDR for a while. The main complaint I have is that...well, it should not have been called "Extreme", because most of the songs people will associate with DDR Extreme simply aren't in the game. Cartoon Heroes? Bag? Paranoia Survivor? No show. Other things are, as I said, little things for the picky brat like me who has been playing DDR for a while, like the scoring system. I got seven greats on Highs Off U, and a good, and I didn't get a AA. Harsh. Oh, and don't get me started on the Karaoke Revolution songs. Those covers are...not great.

The Videos and the Oni Courses

S: I mentioned it briefly, but I have to re-iterate -- the videos are simply cool. Seeing the real music videos for the licensed songs is a nice touch, but the real winners are the original videos for the Konami songs. Sure the old-school animations are fun, but when you have a fully choreographed and synced video things just looks so much better and so much more professionally polished.

CDL: The video for Highs Off U is the winner. You must also mention the videos for Go West and Move Your Feet. Those are about the only videos worth mentioning.

S: After sampling the ultra-difficult Oni courses in DDR Max and then playing the Nonstop courses in DDR Max 2 I was pleased to see that both were included with DDR Extreme. The selection in both has also improved, with a greater number of courses available. It is good to know Konami is trying to cater to both the hardcore fans as well as beginning players with this mix.

CDL: Yes, there are quite a few beginner-friendly Nonstop and Oni courses so even newbies can jump right in without feeling overwhelmed. And, of course, being able to make your own courses in both Oni and Nonstop mode is also super-cool.

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