Customer Reviews

Dance Dance Revolution Mario Mix

5 star:		(51)
4 star:		(21)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(3)

 

 

First of all, I think this game is great. It's also a great price for the game and an action pad, while most new games cost the same price for the game only.

One of the biggest complaints I read is that the game is too easy. I don't think the game is too easy. The easy level is great for first time DDR players. Also, what I'm sure many people don't realize is that there is a "Super Hard" level above the "Very Hard" level. However to be able to play a song in "Super Hard," you have to play the corresponding "Very Hard" level in Free Mode and get a decent score to be able to unlock the "Super Hard" mode for that song.

Another complaint that I read is that you have to unlock all of the songs. It's very easy to unlock all of the songs, even for a new player. All you have to do is play through the entire story mode once (it can be in easy mode), and also get 4 extra songs at the in-game shops (this can also be done easily in easy mode if you keep repeating the mini games to get a lot of coins).

One thing I do not like is the Mush Mode items (however, you can turn Mush Mode off when playing in Free Mode). Mush Mode makes strange Mario related items come up on the screen, and you have to press the corresponding arrow. I don't like this because sometimes the items are hard to notice against the constant moving background. I also don't like how they force you to read through the story and watch the animation to be able to move on to the next level (in Story Mode). This isn't that big of a deal though. I also wish it was easier and cheaper to get a second action pad. Overall, this is a great game, and I would purchase a sequel if they came out with one.

I'd like to begin this by saying that I'm not 5, I'm 12 and will be 13 in 3 months. I just didn't feel like registering.

Anyway DDR Mario Mix is a great game the whole family can enjoy. Even my mom and dad who dislike video games were playing it. Now to the overview.

Graphics-4/5- The graphics in dance mode are like the rest of the DDR games. Out of dance mode they're a little better than the Mario Party games, not bad but not good.

Sound-5/5- It's DDR of course it sounds good. The songs range from remixes of the origianal Mario theme song to this song that sounds like a combination of Mozart and the Hampster Dance.

Story 2/5- The magic music keys have been released and chaos will fall on the Mushroom Kingdom. Apparently there's a rhyme in the M.K that says if you dance you will create magic. Throughout the game you'll have to dance to get out of holes, fix hotels, cross rivers,etc.

Gameplay-5/5- Basically the only gameplay is dancing but this is beautiful. The pads always work and you'll never blame them for anything.

Difficulty-4/5- this is the spot that ultimately hurt this game. When it says easy it means easy. Normal is still pretty easy and hard is just a little hard. Very hard is pretty hard. However there is a huge difficulty jump between very hard and the unlockable super hard. Super hard really is hard. Even my friend whos been playing DDRMAX for the last year had trouble on Super Hard. This game also has a thing called mush mode where rockets can fly onto the screen and steps can change,etc. This makes it REALLY HARD. However really really good players will probably find this too easy so other than that this game is for everyone.

Here's my quick version of this review:

This game will be great for any beginning DDR players, or big Mario fans who'd like a little more than just stepping to the music in their DDR title.

Serious DDR players hoping for a challenge will be disappointed that even the hardest difficulty is still extremely easy to pass.


Read on for the longer, more detailed review:


To start off this review, I should say that I am a huge DDR fan. I've got most of the games for the Xbox, PS2 and older systems. When I heard DDR Mario Mix was coming, I was very excited. I couldn't wait to try out all the classic Nintendo songs.

I bought the game on launch day and drove home to play. Right away, I was disappointed that you have to beat the little "Story mode" in order to unlock the songs, even if you just want to go into workout mode or "free play". I'm used to a few unlockable songs in every DDR title, but having to unlock EVERY song was frustrating.

Still, the minigames are cool. It's fun to have a goal besides just hitting the arrows at the right times. There's a trampoline game that's pretty fun, as well as trying to jump to the top of a flag pole by "running". For old school gamers, some of the minigames will remind you of the Nintendo Power Pad titles.

Overall, this isn't a great DDR game and I'd rate it near the bottom of the series. That being said, it's a still good game for the Game Cube and worth picking up. I already bought a copy to give to my niece who enjoys trying to play DDR with me but usually can't keep up with the songs on Xbox's Ultramix or PS2's Extreme. I think she's going to love this game, and I think if you've got kids...they'll love it too.

I have two kids, 9 and 6, both love this games. I also have various DDR games for Playstation2. But before I bought DDR Mario Mix, my kids have no interest in playing DDRs, no matter how hard I try to get them to. But DDR Mario Mix gets them onto the dance pad in no time. No wonder the 1st batch of Mario Mix is a sold-out. My friend bought a GameCube for his kids last Christmas and was horrified to find out that this game is in short supply and he has to pay somewhere around $150 for one. Well, after contacting Nintendo America, he was informed recently that the game is scheduled for a re-release in mid-May this year (2006). So for all the people wanting this game but not willing to pay the crazy price sellers are currently asking, just be patient and wait a bit. It'll coming out again, not like these sellers claim that this is "out-of-print".

Played this game at a friend's house. Thought of buying a copy, but did not want to pay too much, GOOD NEWS is Nintendo is releasing more. By April at the latest, more copies should be available. They did not stop making the game, there was just a higher demand then they thought. You can call Nintendo customer service hotline and hear it from them, even better is that they will ship you a copy as soon as they get them (which will probably be before the stores get them).

Dance Dance Revolution doesn't seem as kid-friendly as this newer version... well, actually, it's not new now, but hey, it's a whole 'lot newer than the previous versions ^^ as high-tech as they might be. Before you sprint out to a video-game dealer, I'm going to warn you, it's very pricey. Notice that the game is often $100+ -- if you're a bit more lucky than the others, you'll find the game with its price dropped down by about $50. Another warning-- this game is very, very likely to be out of print, so you're lucky if you even find it for the high price! During Christmas 2005, lots of kids (me, for example) were disappointed on Christmas morning to find that Santa didn't have the chance to pick up DDR Mario Mix. The dance pad that comes with the game is, contrary to the reviews of some *grouches*, NOT fragile at all. In fact, King Kong could probably use it and hey, no harm done! Keep in mind, to do the 2 player battles you will obviously need 2 mats... and they, too, are costly-- $20 per mat. I suggest that you wait until you are attached DDR Mario Mix until you go to the trouble of buying the 2nd mat. Quite frankly, I think that if you aren't sure if you like it (how sure can you be when you're window shopping?), the mat should not be priority.Hopefully, this will not stop you from buying this (I am also saying that on behalf of the Nintendo company-- heh-heh!) DANCE-TASTIC game.

So you've plugged in your GameCube and the dance mat, and everything is set for your game. Well, first you will want to clear Story Mode... yes, I know it's 'extremely cheesy' (quoted from my mum) and the long cutesy-cutesy animations are annoying. The way I see it, they include the animations because they're giving you a break-- which will soon be at an advantage, once you feel confident enough to move onto the level Very Hard (or even when you unlock Super Hard). The thing is, without completing Story Mode, the song you get to dance to is Twinkle Twinkle Little Star. C'mon, is this kindergarten music class, Nintendo? The completed Story Mode unlocks familiar tunes from previous Mario games. These are the songs that will really get you into the true DDR spirit!

The first difficulty level you will want to try in DDR Mario Mix is easy, but only if this is your first DDR experience. Otherwise, you'll be finding yourself do beginner's dance steps-- left to right, or right to left. For awhile, the up and down buttons are completely out of use! And even if this is your first time with the game, I can't imagine ANYONE having a difficult time in the first few levels unless you're a genuine couch potato. The next difficulty level is Normal, which is stuck between Easy and Hard... I'd prefer to call it Medium. Hard will have you panting (hard to believe when you're playing a Mario game, but the newer video game generations are unpredictable) for breath! Very Hard is obviously, well... very hard, and you've got to finish it to unlock the hardest difficulty level-- Super Hard. Don't get your hopes up, because it's going to be pretty hard to get to that rank.

I hope my review has somewhat convinced you to buy this game. I look forward to seeing you in the Mushroom Kingdom! lol

NOTE: Please don't underestimate this review because it's a kid's review... it's useful to get a kid's view on a toy targeted towards a kid! Thanks, Amazon, for enabling kids to express their opinions here. It means a lot!

We've played this game with family for the last two months. It is a blast for all ages!

HOWEVER, we have searched for another copy of the game but can't find it for the original $50 price tag. If you spend more that $50, the seller is taking advantage of you. I heard that Nintendo discontinued the game and is coming out with a new version. We're going to wait for the new one, even though our kids will be disappointed on Chrsitmas morning.

Dance Dance Revolution, the wildly popular dancing game, was once found only in arcades, but because of its popularity, it is now available on all consoles and new DDR "clones" are showing up everywhere. For awhile, however, there wasn't a single DDR game for the Nintendo Gamecube. Then, in 2005, Konami and Nintendo came together and made DDR: Mario Mix. The question is: is it any good?

The answer is: yes. Just as long as you remember that DDR: Mario Mix is not DDR Extreme 2 (arguably the most popular DDR console game) by any stretch of the imagination. For one, the difficulty level has been toned down. In comparison, the "Hard" mode on Mario Mix is about the same as "Light" mode in other DDR games. "Super Hard" (the hardest Mario Mix level) is about "Moderate" or an easier "Heavy"-level song on other DDR games. This can be both good and bad. The easier level makes it much less intimidating for those who have never played DDR before, and the younger crowd. Those who are already fairly good at the harder DDR games may find this one a bit boring after awhile. But don't get me wrong; not all the songs and levels are easy. "Bowser's Castle," for example, can make you sweat a little, no matter what level you choose.

The other major difference between this DDR and others is the lack of songs. You won't find any pop song remixes or original dance tracks. You will, however, find plenty of remixes of songs from the Super Mario Bros. games, Donkey Kong, Dr. Mario, Mario Kart, and more. You'll also hear some remixes of classical songs, including Mozart. There are about 30 songs total, which is a considerably low selection compared to other DDR games. Despite this, the songs have a very nostalgic feel, and Mario fans will be delighted.

Mario Mix, however, does include an exclusive story mode, which other DDR games do not have. Story mode takes about 2 hours to play, depending on whether or not you fail a song and have to repeat it. To unlock every song in the game, you have to play Story Mode again, this time on EX Mode. Although it's a different way of unlocking new songs and minigames, it can become tedious, and the story is neither very original nor interesting.

Like in other DDR games, you'll find the Free Mode, which allows you to play any songs on any level to your heart's content. (This is much more fun when you have someone else to play against.) There is also a workout mode, which uses your weight to calculate how many calories you burn in each song.

Overall, Mario Mix is a very enjoyable game, despite a few shortcomings. Kids and DDR newcomers will like it because of its ease and the fact everything in it is Mario-related. Even old pros will like some of the more challenging songs.

Summary:

PROS:
+ Easier modes for new players
+ Play as Mario characters in a very Nintendo-inspired world
+ Features over two dozen Mario song remixes
+ Free and Workout modes
+ Includes fun minigames and a bonus "Super Hard" level, plus other unlockables

CONS:
- "Hard" levels not that challenging for experienced DDR players
- Not a wide variety of songs to choose from
- Story mode is very boring after the first time through
- No Training Mode like in some other DDR games, so learning how to play and how to get better at some more difficult rhythms is all up to your own practicing
- I bought the game back in June '06 for about $50. Looking at the prices on Amazon now (staring at $100, as of the date of this review), I'm guessing this game has been discontinued again(?), making the price now very high.

"Waluigi is at it again! Waluigi has stolen the Music Keys, and it is up to Mario to get them back!

This game takes all the fun of the past mario games, mixing them together, but in a dance-style. This game is very fun, and teaches kids how to use their mind and placing what goes where (feet on which arrow) at that certian time that the brain interprates. It has all the fun of video games, with many different skill leves and dance areas, but instead of using a controller (optional) kids can use the dance pad. Kids will love to play this video game, while at the same time getting excersice and learning dance moves. One thing that could possibly frustrate them is the mush-mode. This is where Mario-related item come up on screen, and you have to press the corressponding arrow. The items are sometimes hard to see, but sometimes these might help you have fun! In "Story mode," kids will have to dance and save the Music Keys, and defeat Wario. (Mush Mode can not be turned off in Story Mode, but in free mode it can.)

Some complaints I've heard are these.
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"The game is to easy!" I don't think this game is to easy. Many of the leves, (Bowser's castle, for exmaple) are very hard to where I haven't seen even some of the best complete without a rank better than F. If you still think it is easy, try to unlock 'super hard' if you think you're so good.
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"This game is to hard!" Well, there are many different levels to where you can make it easier, and the difficulty leves are as follows: 'Easy', 'Normal', 'Hard', 'Very Hard', and, after unlocked, 'Super Hard'. Try easy on some of the levels (Here We Go, for example). Work your way up.
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"I've gotten to tired, but I still want to play!" Take the dance mat out and plug in a controller. It still works!
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"Ive played 1 player long enough. Is this game 2-Player compatible?" Yes it is. This is very fun for 2 players, hooking up 2 dance pads, 1 pad and a controller, or 2 controllers.
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"People have told me that their kids quit and let it collect dust. Would this really happen?" I don't think so. I have played this for myself, and gone on for hours without stopping. This game will be fun for quite a long time.

Overall, this game is very fun, and will be a blast for all ages! Definately a recomendation.
P.S. Don't Wear Shoes On The Dance Mat!


News About the Game 'Dance Dance Revolution Mario Mix':
12/24/05-After recent events, it has come to my attention that this game WITH THE DANCE MAT INCLUDED, is currently not being sold or manufactured. They will sometime start making it again, but this time the dance mat will NOT be included. These people figured out (after ALL this time) that they could make more money if they sold the dance mat seperately. But untill it is being manufactured again, I'd suggest not to but it for a price more than $50-$60.

News Is Updated For Any Changes Or New Understandings For The Game.

I bought this game for my 12 year old, who is a die-hard Mario fan. I fully anticipated that he would enjoy the game, but never expected that my 8 year daugther would also fall in love with this game. My children are having an exceptional cardio work out every day and believing that they are just playing a game. I would recommend this to everyone!!! The dance pad is included in the system and is holding up very well considering how much use it is getting. I am very pleased with this purchase.