It wouldn’t be a DDR review without first mentioning the game’s soundtrack. Much of Dance Dance Revolution Universe's soundtrack has a heavy techno-flavor, though it does manage to hit a number of other music tastes as well. Some of the highlights include a remix of Steppenwolf's "Magic Carpet Ride" and Sugarhill Gang's "Rapper's Delight", as well as Chris Brown's "Run It" and the requisite Kylie Minogue and Chemical Brothers songs. There are even a few tracks to appease everyone's inner-geek, including a remix of the Castlevania theme.
All total, there are over 70 songs included on the game, many of which need to be unlocked. A few songs are available for download on the Live Marketplace for about 100 points a pop, which is about a dollar each. On one hand, having new tracks available is great, though it does feel like a cheap shot since many of the downloadable tracks are already on the disc.
Each song is accompanied by visuals. Many are stylized CGI/ Anime weirdness, while others are just a bunch of flashing lights and other visuals. Most of the time the visualization doesn’t interfere with gameplay, though a few times the flashing lights can become too distracting. Some songs are accompanied by a video. These aren't as distracting as the CGI visualizations, though the video that accompanies Cascada’s "Everytime We Touch" is just unfair. Maybe its just me, but it is hard to concentrate on hitting the right patterns while a short-skirted blonde shimmies and slinks around in the background.
