Fans
of the popular dancing game were awaiting impatiently the release of DDR
Konamix for the Playstation. The newest title in the series does not
disappoint: seasoned players in particular will appreciate it.
The playlist is composed of over 50 different songs, including some unlockable tracks. However, the genre is typically in the DDR style, which mostly consists in techno and dance. Although this isn’t a bad thing in itself, it would have been interesting to dance on rockier music. This is where the Xbox and its hard drive would have come in handy: imagine being able to add your own tracks to the game! The voice-over so familiar to those who have played the different arcade editions of DDR is present in Konamix, haranguing you with the usual "are your legs tired?" and "have you eaten breakfast this morning?".
Graphically, it closely follows the design we have all seen in the arcade. The characters are typically blocky, but the need to concentrate on the arrow movement makes this a minor flaw of the game. It can truthfully be said that the graphics are faithful to the original arcade game.
The
different play modes are varied enough to keep up the player’s interest
towards the game for quite some time. They include the diet mode, which
indicates the number of calories burned (how accurate can that be?) and
the time spent dancing. The diet mode is the best way for a beginner to
become acquainted with DDR: I found the difficulty level of the songs to
be easier on the lowest diet level than its regular mode equivalent. It is
also possible to play in one consecutive non-stop game or to stop and
choose each track as the game progresses. However, I would have liked the
game to include a preset warmup, workout and cool down playlist, just like
in any aerobic workout. Instead, the player must create that himself by
choosing slower songs at the beginning and at the end of the session.
Advanced players also have access to some interesting options. Aside from the one-on-one challenge mode, it is also possible to use 2 mats for one player only and to use the X and O pads as diagonal arrows, upping the difficulty level of the game. And once you have mastered all the moves of the game, you can create your own choreography.
The weakest point of Konamix, as in any home version of DDR, lies in the mat. Since it is too light, the mat will move by itself during gameplay if it isn’t somewhat anchored to the ground. Stomping on the back arrow is difficult when that part of the mat has moved under the couch! Also, because of the light weight of the mat, successful foward-backward simultaneous combos are a feat to accomplish. My other gripe about the mat is that playing bare feet as recommended quickly gets uncomfortable. However, Red Octane (www.redoctane.com) manufactures and sells a deluxe pad called the Ignition Pad. Although it is costly at $130, it is well worth the money for any serious DDR fan: the pad includes embossed and reinforced arrow sections, making it easier to find them with the feet; the buttons also match the size of their arcade counterparts. Finally, a one-inch foam insert helps making the pad more comfortable for the feet.
All in all, the quality-price ratio of DDR Konamix makes it a worthwhile title to add to your PSX/PS2 collection. But make sure to have some duct tape handy if you want to get the most of the game, or be ready to invest in a sturdy pad.
