All right I got DDR Extreme when I got my PS2. My dance mat from my
DDRMax2 had worn out and I decided getting another package deal was a good idea. DDRExtreme is probably the best one out there; it has several good songs, and plenty of different modes.
Graphics.
Graphically DDR Extreme matches up with Max and Max2, you have some real music videos on a few songs. But most of the songs are done with simple screen savior like animations. Arrow will go up the screen telling you which dance steps to hit.
Sound.
Ok the music is a biggie and there are a lot of enjoyable dances on this one. There are several Japanese pop songs. Along with a few other songs I liked there was Kids in America (song by a British band), La Senorita, YMCA, and a dance beat to the theme song from never ending story and several other songs. There are a lot of great dances to this pack.
Gameplay.
Ok if you have never played Dance Dance Revolution game before you need to have a dance pad to fully enjoy the game (and they sell them in bundles for about 60 dollars.), while you can use the controller I only recommend playing it that why if you find it fun to be board out of your mind. If you have a dance pad though it’s a great way to get some exercise and have some fun to.
Ok you have the main game mode where you dance to 3 per game. And for those who have played pervious DDR games the game has a new menu screen. And it’s a good one first you get to choose what character you want right from the get go, while you will have to unlock all but 2 of the them the fact that you can choose who are from the get go is a great improvement from having to go to the option screens every time you want to play the game. Also when you go to pick your song you can pick a different difficulty for each song you play without the unreliability of holding down the X button on the dance pad. This makes the game so much easier and more enjoyable to play.
Now the main game mode goes like this for those who haven’t played DDR. Dance arrows go up the screens and you have to hit the correct arrow when they line up with the arrow out lines at the top of the screen. There is a dance meter at the top of the screen that fills up whenever you hit one right, and goes down whenever you miss on. Miss enough of them and you’ll get a gameover screen, finish the songs with a longer dance meter and you’ll get a better grade. Has you complete more songs you’ll unlock more character and more songs.
There is also a non stop mode in this mode in which you dance to 4 songs in a row without stopping; if you win in this mode you unlock more non stop song courses. There is also a challenge mode in which you dance to several songs but you can only make 4 mistakes per song. If you miss 4 arrows per song then its game over, don’t know what you unlock if you win at these because I have never finish the course it’s pretty hard.
Workout mode.
The workout mode is a bit different in this one, rather then being a different mode in general; it’s something you turn on. You fill out your weight and if you want the workout dance steps on, and then you click if you want the mode on or not. If you click on then you go to the main mode and play it like you usually do. The game will keep track of your score like normal, along with the calories burn. It’s not a bad idea it lets you play the main game mode with all of it’s challenge and still keep track of calories, unfortunately all the great work out programs are all gone.
Mission Mode.
Now here’s a mode that is certainly addictive. You dance to songs or part of songs each with a different rule or irregularity. Some times its small things like the dance arrows go down instead of up, other time its rules that defy convention like getting a No Good (or N.G.) rating on all freeze arrows. When you beat a song you can unlock other songs in challenges, you get to pick by pressing on a flashing number beside the song you beat. This mode is hard but it’s fun and addictive.
Party Mode.
If you don’t have an eye toy camera this mode is a lame mode it has a running game that’s great for tearing up your legs, in a boring has heck feeding food to animals game. I went out and got an eye toy camera just to experience this mode. It’s great fun if you have it though. First there is watch me play DDR extreme. This is basically just makes your TV a mirror image has you dance to a song. Like my title to DDRExtreme 2 said gamers getting there groove on isn’t a pretty thing, but at least you’ll know what your friends are snickering at. There is also a coconut catching game, has well has playing breakout with your hands. Then finally 2 of the hardest mini games that party mode has there is Dance Dance with your hands, this is like the regular game except there will be moments where hand sings will pop up and you’ll have to hit them with your hands. The next is clean the screen, a picture will appear on the screen blinding you to the dance steps, you have to wave your hands to wipe the screen, sounds easy, it’s not. The picture comes back quickly after whipping it so you have to concentrate on both whipping it and then hitting the steps has quickly has possible. Clean the screen is defiantly the most physically demanding game of the series.
There are also several tutorial and practice modes to play. Has well has the unlockable never ending mode in which you dance to random screens till you get a game over.
The Dance Pad.
Since this is the bundle where talking about I’ll tell you about the pad. It’s a plastic pad similar to the one that Nintendo had for it’s NES. There are the 4 directional arrows, and X and O button, along with start and select. The dance mat has a pretty good response and I haven’t missed any because I wasn’t stepping on the arrows at the right time. But you might want to find something hard like a hard plastic floor protector or something to put underneath it because it does have a problem of slipping if it’s on carpet.
Final Recommendation.
DDR Extreme has a lot of cool songs, a lot to unlock, and a lot of modes to unlock this one will keep you dancing in till the next DDR comes out on the PS2, or in till DDR with Mario comes out for the Cube which ever comes first.
