Customer Reviews

Dance Dance Revolution Konamix

5 star:		(40)
4 star:		(17)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

This is one of the best all around games you can find on any console. Dance Dance Revolution is an arcade dancing simulation game that is lots of fun for the entire family, has great replay value (you can play for hours on end), and is a great workout to boot!

DDR Konamix is the 3rd game that Konami has put out for DDR in the US and it is by far the best. It has over 50 songs, some of which are brand new for the US only. Most of the songs are japanese pop music, but they're very catchy and there's a lot of variety between fast and slow dance music.

The most important thing you must remember is to get the dance pad accessory with this game. You can play with the regular controller, but playing with the dance pad is the only way to really enjoy this game. Be sure to stick with dance pads from Konami or RedOctane as those are the only decent brands available.

Please note that this review is intended for people already intimately familiar with the Dance Dance Revolution series.

After the extremely disappointing releases of DDR USA & DDR: Disney Mix, I began to think there was no hope for a reasonable American release of DDR for Playstation. Thankfully, Konami listened to the feedback it received from its dedicated fans and put out a game that should please American gamers: Konamix.

Featuring the same interface as 4th mix, Konamix contains in the neighborhood of 50 songs - an impressive total, especially compared to DDR USA. Included are songs from the first 6 mixes of DDR (although nothing from DDR Max 2: 7th Mix is included).

What makes this game stand out, however, is the inclusion of two great things: edit mode and solo mode.

Edit mode, as you should know, lets you create your own steps to existing songs, effectively allowing you to infinitely customize your game. You can save these edit tracks to a memory card and play them in the arcade (don't believe me? examine the machine again: there's a memory card slot specifically for that purpose). Take your DDR gaming experience to a new level by having dance-creating competitions with your friends. Like to freestyle, but don't like some of the steps included in one of your favorite songs? No problem...just edit them out.

Solo mode is another great gift to American gamers: finally, the ability to play 6 button DDR at home! Effectively doubles the amount of gaming you can get out of Konamix. Solo mode is infinitely more interesting than the regular. And now you don't have to go crawl through your local A-Town looking for a DDR Max machine, only to look like a moron in front of the hardcore gamer crowd - you can play at home, with all the privacy you want!

Of course, you'll get your hardcore gamer freaks complaining about how the interface is dated, the songs are all old, etc. etc. etc. telling you to import 6th mix from Japan and mod your playstation. Well, for those of you like me who enjoy being able to play newer Sony-based releases (i.e. Legend of Dragoon, which will not play on a modified playstation, no matter how hard you try) or simply enjoy OBEYING THE LAW, Konamix is a worthy purchase.

For a while, American fans of the dancing video game Dance Dance Revolution have been cheated. While the game went popular at the arcades in Japan, Konami of America didn't bother bringing it to the US, apparently feeling people would rather have more shooting, fighting, and racing games that are blending into each other. Eventually, after a while, Konami released Dance Dance Revolution USA into American arcades - and were summarily booed for it. Not for releasing the game, but for doing such a poor job of it, with a paltry number of songs compared to Japanese versions, and and out of date game engine.

Soon after, they released a home version for the Playstation, simply titled "Dance Dance Revolution" - and were booed again, for the same reasons as the arcade one. A poor selection of songs, and an old game engine.

Finally, though, with Dance Dance Revolution Konamix, Konami of America showed a decent effort at bringing Americans this incredible dancing game - just in time for them closing up their offices.

The game uses the 4th mix engine. To those of you unfamiliar with it, that may not mean anything, but let's just say that there were newer, cleaner updates to the game engine in Japan that had previously been released, leaving us to wonder why the older version. It isn't too bad, though, since everything you'll want to play is present. Standard single mode is there, of course, along with versus mode, for two players at once, and double mode, for challenging the advanced players by requiring them to use both mats. The number of songs per game is also selectable, up to 5 at a time.

Nonstop courses are there, allowing you to play up to five songs straight through, using the same life bar, no breaks between songs, and allowing you to string together huge step combos - if you can get the steps down. You can edit the nonstop courses, picking from among the 52 songs.

52 songs? Yes, unlike the 20 songs in the first US Playstation DDR release, Konami has given players a wonderful amount of songs, taken from anywhere from the first release, up through DDRMAX (without the freeze arrows). Classic songs like Dynamite Rave, Paranoia, and, sadly, Let Them Move, sit alongside newer songs such as On The Jazz and Dive, along with a happily vocal-free version of After the Game. Some people may complain about the selection, as other popular songs such as Butterfly, Kick the Can, Dam Dariram, or Dub-I-Dub have been left out, and there are a sizable number of more techno/trance songs such as Salamander Beat Crush, Genom Screams, and Wild Rush. However, all of the songs are dancable, and there is a great variety of step difficultues, from a pair of 1 footers for beginners, to a selection of great 9 foot catastrophic songs, such as Drop Out, Dead End, and the popular Matsuri Japan. Only 30 of the songs are available when you first start playing, but as you play, more and more songs become unlocked - assuming you have a memory card, of course.

For the creative players, there is also an edit mode, allowing you to modify the existing steps for songs, or even create your own from scratch. You can record the steps by tapping the game pad or dance pad as the music plays, select sections of the song to play and tune the steps, and you don't have to worry about synchronizing the beat to the steps as in PC clones. However, there are a few bugs with edit mode, suggesting that it didn't recieve proper testing, though they aren't often a bother.

If you've been a longtime fan of DDR, and have a number of imports from Japan already, you'll probably not find Konamix to be much of an addition to your collection. If you don't have any home versions, this is probably the best one to start with, and it is perfect for new players to get into the game, with enough songs to challenge you at any skill level.

I just started playing DDR a lot about 2 months ago. After about three sessions, I got really used to the wonderful metal pads you use in the arcades.

When I bought this game, I couldn't bear to think of playing on a flimsy plastic pad, so I researched on eBay and on ddrfreak.com and found a good, *relatively* inexpensive imported metal pad. It was worth it. The arcade experience was duplicated perfectly.

As for the game, I can't say enough good things about it. I like almost all of the music, even though none of it is the genre I listen to in "real" life. The difficulty is very hard, but not the type that is frustrating. If you practice, you *will* get better.

I have been using this game as a workout in the mornings. I am a mid-level player ("trick") and after about 10 minutes I'm sweating like a hog. I can tell that my calves have toned up considerably because of it.

This is a game that will never get old. If you can beat the incredibly hard top levels, then there are all sorts of speed changes and other variations to change the steps. Also, you can play with 6 panels instead of 4 if your pad supports it, or, if you have 2 pads, you can play with 8 panels. You can even make up your own dance steps and save them, or make up your own "set" of music and play non-stop.

I bought a Playstation just for this game. The game, pad, and system cost [money] total, and it's probably the best video game investment I've ever made. Try it, you'll like it.... you'll forget how stupid you look after a while.

Alright, first off I'm probably not your typical DDR fan. I'm a thirty-something who never sets foot in an arcade and sticks to the PC for videogames. That said, the first time I saw DDR I thought it'd be a fun way to get some exercise (sure beats jogging!) Once I found out you could get it for home, I picked up a Playstation simply for the purpose of playing these games (much cheaper than buying a machine!)

A lot of people griped about the U.S. version of the original Dance Dance Revolution as it did pale in comparison to the numerous import compilations out in Japan. This latest version of the game is a much more worthy competitor. There are probably twice as many songs and the graphics are much cleaner. Most importantly, though, this game (plus a dance pad) can really work up a sweat and it's a lot of fun too.

My gripes:
1) You're stuck with a certain character you may or may not like depending on which selection of songs you choose.

2) While some may appreciate the increased difficulty, I don't like the fact the hardest workout mode is (still) too easy, yet the easiest game mode is still very hard. For workout purposes, something in between would've been nice.

3) Yes, there are a lot of songs missing from the most popular artists on the import versions. Amazing to think it'll take a team of 1000 lawyers to get "Butterfly" on a U.S. disk, isn't it?

Those complaints don't stop me from recommending Konamix, however. I've scored a lot of points with the kids in the neighborhood because I can play this game (and even beat some of them at it). If you do pick it up you won't be disappointed, but definitely buy some dance pads to go with it or you miss out on the whole purpose of playing this game.

Hope my review helped!

I first started hearing about Dance Dance Revolution (DDR) when I read through a O.P.M. and saw almost every reviewer's favorite game was DDR. I went to my local arcade and started playing, and haven't stoped yet. If you play in the arcade for the first time, you will get nervous, but after you play for a while, you get comfortable, and start to crave the fan attention.
After I got into DDR, I showed the PC clones to my friends and they all got hooked on that. As a secret Christmas present, my best friend Rachelle and get cousins got DDR for the US Playstation. No matter who you are or what kind of music you like, you will like DDR.
With that said, We'll move on to the latest in a long awaited series. Dance Dance Revolution: Konamix!
With a total of 52 songs (30 to start, the rest are unlocked as you play), it beats the heck out of the 1st US Playstation version of DDR. With options like being able to edit your own dance steps (that you can play in DDR machines that have a Playstation memory card slot), you can turn the easiest songs like 'Have You Never Been Mellow' into killer songs like 'Paranoia Evolution' and really show off your mad skills.
Workout Mode to shead pounds and get fit, Doubles mode to play on both pads, and much, much more.
With Dance Dance Revolution: Konamix, it'll satisfy the newbies that have never played before, to the DDR experts. Or, look at it this way. 2 other US DDR versions are out: Dance Dance Revolution and DDR: Disney's Rave. Dance Dance Revolution has limited songs and limited options. DDR: Disney's Rave...you can "Rave" to remixes of the "Micky Mouse Club" and "Supercalafragilisticexpialidsious"...enough said. Your only option is Dance Dance Revolution: Konamix.

As a fan of the Japanese Dance Dance Revolution series, I have quite a bit of experience with these games - and let me tell you, this one rocks! Although nothing can match up to the import games, Dance Dance Revolution Konamix was a huge comeback from its somewhat disappointing American predecessor. There is now a more advanced workout mode, an extremely difficult 6-panel mode (if your mat is compatible with the function), solo mode and 50 awesome songs! For people who have played the imports, don't hesitate to try this one. There are lots of new songs but they are really cool. (I am even overlooking the repeated absence of Smile.dk in my 5-star rating!) Try this game for a fun and exciting experience.

Now I've only been playing ddr for around 4 1/2 months. I've been a addict ever since I tried last July.. and failed misrably at Butterfly upswing at an anime convention. I was overjoyed when I bought DDR USA, and two dance pads for the playstation. I formed love for new songs that I had never even tried before "Dub I Dub" and "Afronova" to name a few! But I wanted more songs, only to find a DDR 4th mix machine in my town! I was excited, but can't afford to go to the arcade daily!
Once I heard news about KONAMIX I was overjoyed! I just bought the game and I am VERY impressed! Much like the layout of 4th mix, the songs are put into little catigories (WHICH YOU CAN CHANGE IN THE OPTIONS MENU!) with different dancers. I like that. Also the feature in which you get different songs unlocked as you go along has me playing until I can get them all. (They have Orion .78 AMeuro MIX!!) I have yet to try Edit mode but just the thought of such an option makes me excited! This is the best DDR version for the playstation to be released in the US.
Even if you are just getting into the game, or if you are one of those old time players who can bust out on Maniac and freestyle so well people's jaws drop, this game is for you! Who needs a game were you sit around to play when you can be up and move playing DDR Konamix? Go on, get up there and dance! No crowd, so don't be scared! ^_^
Thank you Konami for giving the US such a great game!

My kids got this for Christmas (2 girls 10 and 13). They are having a blast playing and taking turns (which is not easy for them usually). I had read other ratings before buying and was curious about the adults who had fun with their kids using this item. I can attest that it is loads of fun for parents to use too and maybe will turn out to be good exercise too. Dad just looks into the room and laughs before moving on...
The graphics are WILD and borderline ridiculous, but so are we when we are stomping around. Definitely a good investment! Don't get a cheap pad, it is worthwhile to have some cushion under the feet--and have some extra quality in the wiring to endure all the repeated pressure from dancing.
I will be doing this in my sleep!

I am a regular DDR fan. I enjoy playing the game in the arcade and I own 2 of the 3 home versions. DDR USA and Konamix. Many people complained about the fact that all of the songs are divided into groups and the groups can only be played by one character! Listen! You may want to start looking in the options menu once in a while! There is an option to show all of the songs at once like DDR USA does! So stop complaining about that!