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Next Gen DDR
Product: Dance Dance Revolution
Company: Konami
Date: 07/16/2007
Avaliable On:

Konami showed off two new DDR titles at this year's E3, one of them a continuation of their hit Universe line, and the other a brand new experience for the Wii.

Dance Dance Revolution: Hottest Party is only the second title to go to a Nintendo console, but this version use the Wii's capabilities to make DDR into something very different. First off, you still have the standard mats, but you will also use your Wii-mote and Nunchuck throughout the dances. You will know when you have to shake one of the two controllers because there will be times when, instead of an arrow appearing in the left and right directions, a Wii-mote or Nunchuck will show up. So you might have moves where you have to tap the Up Arrow at the same time you shake your right hand. In the demo performed by none other than DDR expert Jason Enos, I never saw an instance where you had to shake the left hand at the same time as tapping the Left Arrow, so I'm not sure if that is not going to be implemented, but then again, the demo wasn't on the hardest difficulty.

Not only will the controllers be integral in actually completing levels, but you will have to avoid obstacles (as in don't tap the button when other objects fly across the arrows), and while taking on an opponent, you can perform a little move with the Wii-mote and Nunchuck to send more obstacles to the other screen. This is bound to make the game's four-player mode really exciting.

An interesting thing to note is the game's dance pads. They are nothing special. In fact, if you have the dance pad from the GameCube's DDR: Mario Mix game, you can just plug that in. The mats that will come with Hottest Party just plug right into your Wii's GameCube controller ports. Look for this game, with all new songs, to hit stores by the end of the year.

Dance Dance Revolution Universe 2 for the Xbox 360 is a four player experience that will also let you take your dance moves online. Not only will you get to play against opponents from around the world, but you will also be able to download new songs. These songs mixed with on-disc tunes from the 70's to today will help to make Universe 2 one of the most accessible DDR games to date.

Universe 2 brings the series' Free Style Mode to the 360 for the first time and lets players dance to the tunes in the game without worrying about arrows or rhythm. The other mode that this game will introduce is Quest Mode. Here you will be able to customize your character in an RPG like fashion by playing through various levels. Expect to see DDR: Universe 2 on shelves this Fall.

J.R. Nip aka Chris Meyer

GameVortex PSIllustrated