If you've been to a videogame arcade within the past year, chances are that you've seen people hopping up and down, stomping their feet, or even dancing on a "Dance Dance Revolution" machine. It's not hard to see why DDR grabs the attention of those nearby: Speakers pump loud techno or pop music, lights flash all over the place, people try their best to look cool while trying to ignore the announcer heckling the players with comments such as, "Are you a monkey? Are your legs OK? Did you have breakfast today?" In this week's episode of "Extended Play" we take a look at the next DDR to hit the PlayStation.


Of course, Konami realized that while many people might want to try the game, not everyone will dare play this game in a crowd of strangers. So last year, Konami released two versions of DDR for US PlayStation owners: "Dance Dance Revolution" and "DDR Disney Mix." Both versions became popular in spite of their limited release. However, DDR players wished for a US version that would be comparable to or even better than the myriad versions of DDR released in Japan. With "Dance Dance Revolution Konamix," due to be released April 23, American DDR players' wish may come true.

Sound: huge music selection

In any rhythm-based game, whether it's "Parappa the Rappa," "Bust-A-Move," or "Dance Dance Revolution," the most important element of gameplay is the music selection. The songs played during the game have to stick in your mind. They have to make you want to play that stage one more time. In "DDR Konamix," the song list is very impressive. It boasts 52 songs across different genres, including hip-hop, hard techno, Euro-beat, and just plain weird.

Even hard-core DDR players will be happy to see the list of songs in "Konamix," especially since, according to Konami, thit includes two new songs that have never been in a previous version of DDR. I won't spoil the surprise by revealing the songs, but I will say I am very happy that American DDR players are finally getting something before Japanese DDR players.

Now, I know some people will complain that their favorite songs were not included. To them I say that it is impossible to satisfy everyone's wish list for songs in a home version of DDR. I think Konami did an admirable job of including so many songs -- without using such commercial titles as "Stomp To My Beat," which was in DDR USA for the arcade.

Gameplay: basic DDR fun

Playing "Dance Dance Revolution" takes a little getting used to if you have never played DDR. Arrows float from the bottom to the top of the screen in time with the song playing in the background. When the arrows get to the top of the screen, you have to press the corresponding direction on your controller.

Of course, DDR is not nearly as fun without the dance mat controllers, which are not included with the game. "Pressing" the correct arrows means stepping on the correct arrows, and this is what makes DDR so much fun. Stepping on a bunch of arrows by themselves sounds kind of wacky, but doing it in rhythm to a techno or Euro-beat song such as "Dive" or "Absolute" changes it into something much more interactive.

Playability: unlockable songs and different modes

Replay value is greatly increased over previous domestic versions of DDR because you don't get all of the songs when you first play "Konamix." Of the 52 songs that are eventually available, only 30 are initially selectable. After a few games of DDR, a new song is unlocked. And almost every time you unlock a new song, you'll want to play just one more game just to see what the new song is like... and maybe what the next song will be. This alone should guarantee hours of gameplay.

"Konamix" now offers many more modes of play than previous domestic releases of DDR did. For those looking for an extra challenge, Solo mode, which has you trying to keep track of and step on six arrows instead of just four, should fit the bill. For even more of a challenge, Edit mode allows you to create your own steps to a song for your friends to try out, and Nonstop Order allows you to create your own set of songs to test your own endurance.

Many people play DDR because it's much more fun and entertaining than other aerobic activities such as cycling, jogging, or swimming. Workout mode allows you to keep track of how many calories you're burning as you play more and more songs. I don't know how accurate the game is in counting how many calories you burn -- especially if you don't have the dance mat controller -- but Workout mode is definitely a plus, if only for keeping yourself motivated to play so you can lose weight.

In short, "DDR Konamix" should get much more play time than either of the previous US versions of DDR.

Graphics: need improvement

Now, I know many people will complain that graphics aren't important for a game such as DDR, and I agree. However, I have seen versions of DDR for the PlayStation (specifically, "DDR 5th Mix") in which the in-game graphics look much smoother and more polished. The graphics and interface for the menu screen and the song selection screen, however, are very good, and they are simple to follow.

Summary

All in all, I think "DDR Konamix" is the best US version of DDR by far, mostly because of the song list, which is larger than most of the song lists of even the import versions of DDR, and because of the variety in modes of gameplay. I might even go so far as to say that "Konamix" is easily as good as most of the import versions released for the Japanese PlayStation and Dreamcast.

Only a couple of things hold me back from saying that this is the best version of DDR ever for the home player. The first is that there is no Challenge mode, which was available in other home versions and 4th Mix and Extra Mix for the Japanese PlayStation. Challenge mode kept my friends and me playing DDR for many countless hours until we had met all the challenges.

The second drawback is that there is no Internet ranking mode. Had this competitive factor been included in "Konamix," many more people would buy it. I am guessing, however, that this would have delayed the release of "Konamix" by quite a few months, and so I won't press this point.