Dance Dance Revolution Extreme (North America)

Infobox VG
title = Dance Dance Revolution EXTREME


developer = Konami
publisher = Konami
designer = Konami
released = September 21 2004
genre = Music
modes = Single player, local multiplayer
ratings = ESRB: Everyone (E)- Mild Lyrics, Suggestive Themes
platforms = PlayStation 2
media = DVD
input = Dance Pad Controller
picture format = 480i (SDTV)

"Dance Dance Revolution EXTREME" is the seventh home version of Dance Dance Revolution to be released in the United States. It was released by Konami on September 21, 2004 for the Sony PlayStation 2 video game console. EXTREME contains a total of 70 songs, 26 of which are hidden and unlockable. EXTREME was also the winner of the Video Music Awards in 2005 on MTV for * Best Video Game Soundtrack.

Gameplay

The core gameplay of EXTREME is the same as the previous Dance Dance Revolution games. The 2-tiered scoring system which debuted on DDRMAX Dance Dance Revolution 6thMIX is still utilized on EXTREME, as well as Foot Ratings. The Groove Radar however, is absent.

As with previous versions, the arrows scroll on top of full motion video, optionally with dancing characters. 2 are available from the start, with additional characters being unlockable. Some songs contain official music videos, and will not allow characters at all.

The following songs contain music videos:
*Go West
*HIGHS OFF U (Scorccio XY Mix)
*Kids In America
*Move Your Feet
*ONLY YOU

Foot Rating

The Groove Radar has been eliminated in the US version of EXTREME. The foot-rating system of measuring song difficulty is used exclusively, but The legend of MAX Heavy is listed simply as 10-foot difficulty. It does not show flashing-10 on the main screen for song selection. However, in Nonstop or Challenge Mode course selection, The legend of MAX, when on Heavy difficulty, does flash slowly on that screen.

Extra Stage

If, on the final stage, a player gets the grade of AA or better on any song with a foot rating of 8 or higher, the game gives the message "Extra Stage Unlocked" Unlike the arcade version of EXTREME, the song selector is locked on TRIP MACHINE Survivor (or The legend of MAX if the previous song is unlocked). Players are forced to play the Heavy steps in a Reverse Scroll modifier and a x1.5 Speed modifier. The Extra Stage is also played in "Pressure" mode, where health bar starts full and does not regenerate if it depletes with missed steps.

Nonstop Mode & Challenging Mode

Nonstop Mode and Challenging Mode are accessed directly from the song wheel instead of a separate option. As with the arcade versions, "MARVELOUS" timing is used.

In Nonstop Mode, players must choose a course of four songs and play through it to the end (or until the player fails).

In Challenging Mode, players have to complete a set course of anywhere from five to nine songs, with difficulties set and, in some cases, different modifiers. Players cannot mod any songs in Oni Mode, and must play them all at native scroll and whatever modifiers the machine deems as part of the course. Unlike Nonstop Mode, players have to be perfect with the steps they make. The health bar is replaced with a battery. If a player gets a GOOD, BOO, ALMOST or NG up to four times in any one song, it fails the player out and the game ends. Unlike the previous implementations of the mode however, the battery bar is fully refilled after every stage (unlike the traditional behavior of earning 1-2 per stage).

Workout Mode

Workout Mode is a special American-oriented mode where the game can be played while the game tracks statistics such as calories burned. Unlike previous versions however, Workout Mode is a setting and can be used with any gameplay mode.

Party Mode

Several special mini-games are compiled in Party Mode. The games require the Eye Toy camera peripheral, unless otherwise noted:

*Hyper Dash does not require Eye Toy. It is reminiscent of NES Power Pad games, and requires the player to rapidly step on the left and right arrows on their pad to move their character in the game. They can also use power-ups to assist them or block the other player.

*Feeding Time is a kid-oriented mini-game not requiring the Eye Toy. It requires the player to use the dance pad to feed the different animals their proper food.

*Watch Me Dance replaces the background movies with a feed from the Eye Toy camera.

*Clean the Screen requires the player to "wipe" off a mess which blocks the view of the arrows.

*Hands and Feet adds 2 extra hand targets to the left and right of the player. Each song has only one "hand chart", though any of the original step charts for that song (Beginner, Light, Standard, Heavy, Challenge) can be played, as well as a special one made specifically for Hands and Feet, which has a foot-rating of 1 for every song.

*Magical Ball does not require the dance pad, and is played much the same way as Arkanoid.

*Coconut Panic does not require the dance pad, and is played by shaking palm trees and catching the coconuts.

Levels Of Dancing In "Game Mode"

BEGINNER:(Sky Blue) Focuses on stepping, continuous steps, and basic jumps (up down, left right). Ranges from 1-3 feet.

LIGHT:(Lemon) Focuses on more advanced beginner focuses. This level focus more on freeze arrows, which you hold longer than a single arrow. Ranges 1-6 feet. It has music videos instead of the beginner screen with the dancers in front of you. It also introduces the advanced jumps.

STANDARD:(Pink) Focuses more on triplets. These do not have as many freeze arrows because they focus on triplets and advanced jumps (up right, up left, down right, down left). Ranges from 4-9 feet.

HEAVY:(Neon Green) Combines all 3 modes together and quite impossible to do. Ranges 5-10 feet.

CHALLENGE:(Midnight Blue) A very advanced Heavy level. Only available on certain songs. Ranges from 7-9 feet.

Challenge Songs on Dance Dance Revolution Extreme are
*A, B4U (B4 ZA BEAT MIX), DROP OUT (FROM NONSTOP MEGAMIX), ECSTACY (MIDNIGHT BLUE MIX), HIGHER (NEXT MORNING MIX), TSUGARU (APPLE MIX), V (FOR EXTREME), AND WILD RUSH (FROM NONSTOP MEGAMIX).

Other versions

The interface to the North American version of EXTREME was used in DDR FESTIVAL Dance Dance Revolution in Japan and Dancing Stage Fusion in Europe. Each had different song lineups. FESTIVAL also included all the new and song pack songs from Dance Dance Revolution ULTRAMIX.

Criticism

One controversy of this game is that the options menu did not include an option to turn off "Dance Play" mode. When the mode is on, face buttons of the PlayStation controller (X, Square, Circle, Triangle) can be used instead of directional buttons. Unfortunately, dance pads have these buttons on the corners of the pad, and can be accidentally triggered, possibly resulting in poor judgement. Avid DDR players also did not like the new interface which was used for this version.

ongs

Songs that need to be unlocked are highlighted in green. For songs in red, see below

Hidden songs

From the day "Dance Dance Revolution EXTREME" was released, hacking the game disc led to the discovery of an extra song on the game that was not available through the conventional method of playing through the game in order to unlock songs—and was thus thought to be completely unavailable in the game unless players used a special game decoding device. The song in question was "Memories," a Trance/Eurobeat song by the team of Naoki Maeda and Paula Terry (the same group responsible for popular Dance Dance Revolution songs such as "Broken My Heart," "Love Again Tonight (for Melissa mix)," and "Destiny".)

However, as of December 3, 2006, a promotion was held by Burger King fast food Restaurants and Konami Corporations of America where "Dance Dance Revolution"-themed toys were available, and by passing a type of mini-game on the Burger King Web site's "Dance Dance Revolution" section, a special unlock code for officially unlocking "Memories" on "Dance Dance Revolution EXTREME" was revealed.

References

External links

* [http://www.konami.com/ Konami (US Home Page)] , makers of "Dance Dance Revolution".