Customer Reviews

Dance Dance Revolution Max 2

5 star:		(112)
4 star:		(45)
3 star:		(6)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(5)

 

 

Go to your local arcade and the game with the crowd around it will be Dance Dance Revolution. The arcade game, which was wildly popular in Japan first and is now becoming so in the U.S., is up to its 8th version in the arcades, and even more than that on Japanese consoles. Meanwhile, this is only the fourth DDR game released in the U.S.

Fortunately, it's the best so far. There are quite a few songs NOT taken from the DDR arcade games that most people will recognize, such as Days Go By from the Mitsubishi commercials, Heaven, Get Down Tonight, etc. Some may be disappointed that the difficulty of these new songs is not great, even on the hardest levels. But they're fun and sound great, and one of them (A Little Bit of Ecstacy) has a tricky tempo change.

There are a lot of old favorites here that arcade players will recognize: Burning Heat (remake of a song from an old Nintendo version of Gradius), Maxx Unlimited (one of the hardest songs ever), Kakumei (based on the classical Chopin piece "Revolutionary Etude"), Let's Groove, Twilight Zone (the jock-jam anthem), So Deep (so hard), and a couple of Captain Jack songs.

New to this mix is the Nonstop Mode, which lets you play predetermined or random sets of songs with no pauses in between. Also new is actual videos behind the arrows in several songs, and the dancing characters and Endless Mode (dance 'til you lose) are back from previous mixes.

Some have complained about songs repeated from other U.S. versions. Yes, it's annoying. I'm dealing with it. Hopefully next time, we'll get all new songs.

If you want to take this game seriously, I recommend you research and buy a metal dance pad from eBay or Red Octane. Soft pads (available at stores) will work for the less, er, intense players.

One more note, I have been using this game as my workout regime for the last year. Benefits I've noticed so far have included increased stamina and lung capacity and stronger calf muscles. I've played almost every day since August 2002 and I'm not even close to tired or bored of it. In fact I own only three games for my PlayStation 2: this, another DDR game, and a third game I've played only once.

Unlimited replay value, fitness benefits and great fun: you can't lose. Buy it now.

I'm 34, overweight, and easily bored with exercise programs. I just hooked up DDR Max 2 and the dance mat that came with it, and so far, I love it! It's *quite* a workout, even on the beginner level (beginner means less intricate steps, *not* less intense workout).

There's a workout mode, too, which you can set so that you're playing the game (hitting the right symbols at the right time) but the game doesn't end if you screw up too much. That's cool too.

If I had young kids, I think I'd love this game as a tool for using up some of their energy. :-)

If you buy this game, get the dance mat. (Toys R Us sells the mat and the game packaged together.) Using the hand-held controller for this game would be utterly lame.

Let's get something clear here. I am a total novice where it comes to DDR. I wanted to find a version of DDR that would let me grow from total newbie to super grand boogie master.

If you are like me, and you're a little intimidated by DDR but you really want to play, listen to me. I've looked around, and I can help you.

The version you want to start on is DDRMax2.

Most, if not all, other versions of DDR have three levels of Difficulty. (Light, Medium, Hard) And Light mode isn't really much for beginners.

DDRMax2 has those three settings, but it also has a Beginner mode. The steps Beginner mode are sufficiently simplistic enough that you can just jump into most of the songs right off. You might feel a bit foolish at times, playing in beginner mode, because of the shear amount of time between steps in some of the songs. But it's a good confidence builder and gets you used to watching the arrows fly up and to using your dance pad.

Beginner mode also shows you a kid standing on a dance pad, doing the steps with you. So you if you're unsure about what to do with your feet, there's an example right there.

The best part of this is that, two players can each select their own difficulty. (And many, but not all, of the songs have step sets for different difficulty settings.) So somebody who's very advanced, and somebody who's very inexperienced, can play together without to much hassle.

Going back to the issue of learning how to use your feet, DDRMax2 is also unique, as far as I can tell, in having a "Learning" mode. Now all versions of DDR have a "Training" mode, but that's really more like practice. (That is, you can play the different songs over and over again without being graded. But there's no actual instruction.)

Learning mode actually gives you advice and instruction about what to do with our feet. And as it does this, teaches you a few of the songs in "Light" difficulty.

Most of the hard core DDR fans I know prefer the Japanese version of Max2, or just about any other version of DDR. It's not that they don't like Max2, it's just that they seem to think that the song lists are better in other versions. This is a minor gripe at best and has yet to cause any of my DDR playing friends to not want to play at all. Usually, them mention this fact, and then they get on the pad. :)

I hope you find this helpful. See you on the dance floor.

What is the game you see when people are dancing on a medal square with arrows on them at the arcade? It's DDR! This game is awesome! I also did a review for the DDR Extreme Bundle! (check that out too! if you want!) I rated fun 5 stars cuz this game is: FUN!!!! Educational, 4 stars cuz you have to concentrate on dancing and what arrow to step on and stuff. Durable, 5 stars. I rate this toy overall, 5 stars! There are A LOT of songs to dance too. There would be some sections in different colors, I usually choose the green ones, I think they're the easy songs to dance too. If you say it's too hard and stuff, just choose beginner! Or choose a slow song. I think there are a couple of DDR kinds. All I know of really is DDR Max, DDR Max:2, and DDR Extreme. In this one, they have Workout, Game, and I think Lesson Mode. That's all I can remember though. And then they have the NEW! Information thingy. Anyways, invite your friends over and play DDR! A great game..(like I said before!) Sleepovers, parties, exercise, or just for fun! Any occasion! I guess....LOL!! If it's your first time playing, it might be a little hard or not use to it. But don't worry! You'll get better and better once you do it more and more! You can probably buy this game at: Target, Best Buy, Circuit City, Toys "R" Us, etc. I really hope my review helps! If it did, please please click the Yes button below my review! Thanx a bunch! Cya!

Not nearly as good as the Japanese mixes but DDRMAX2 has something that is acutally an American release exclusive, real music videos. Granted not all songs have the music videos just
Days go by, Dream a dream, In the navey, Take me away,The whistle song but I've always wanted to see a Captain Jack music video so thank you DDRMAX2! Well one of my biggest let downs with DDRMAX2 was how many repeats they had from MAX1 but you can be the judge if there are too many song overlaps

A Little Bit of Ecstasy
AFRONOVA
AM-3P
AM-3P (AM EAST mix)
Bad Routine
BREÍK DOWN!
Burning Heat! (3 Option Mix)
Busy Child
CAN'T STOP FALLIN' IN LOVE
CELEBRATE NITE
CELEBRATE NITE (EURO TRANCE STYLE)
CONGA FEELING
D2R
Days Go By
DESTINY
DIVE (more deep & deeper style)
Do It Right
Do It Right (80's Electro Mix)
Don't Stop! -AMD 2nd MIX-
DREAM A DREAM
DRIFTING AWAY
END OF THE CENTURY
feeling of love
Forever Sunshine
Get Down Tonight
GHOSTS (Vincent De Moor Original Mix)
Groove
Heaven

HYSTERIA
Hysteria 2001
i feel...
I Need You
I Was The One
IN THE NAVY '99 (XXL Disaster Remix)
Jam & Marmalade
Kakumei
Keep On Liftin'
Kind Lady
Kind Lady (interlude)
LET'S GROOVE
LONG TRAIN RUNNIN'
Love at First Sight
LOVIN' YOU (ROB SEARLE CLUB MIX)
MAXX UNLIMITED
more deep (ver 2.1)
PARANOiA (KCET CLEAN MIX)
PUT YOUR FAITH IN ME
Radical Faith
rain of sorrow
Secret Rendez-vous
Silent Hill
SILENT HILL (3rd christmas mix)
SO DEEP (PERFECT SPHERE REMIX)
SP-TRIP MACHINE (JUNGLE MIX)
Spin the Disc
STILL IN MY HEART
SUPER STAR
SUPER STAR (FROM NONSTOP MEGAMIX)
Take Me Away (Into the Night) (radio vocal)
The Shining Polaris
THE WHISTLE SONG (Blow My Whistle Bitch)
think ya better D
Tomorrow Perfume
Try 2 Luv. U
TSUGARU
TWILIGHT ZONE (R-C Extended Club MIX)
VANITY ANGEL
Will I?
Xenon

DDR is becoming increasingly popular so pick up max2 a good dance pad (if i may make a reconmendation stick with name brand stuff and if possible a hard or metal pad I've broken 2 normal ones) and practice hard because being a DDR freak is no longer that bad^^

Crystal Method, KC & The Sunshine Band, and Kylie Minogue will be among the artists providing tracks for the next Dance Dance Revolution game.

Konami of America has released a partial song list for DDRMAX 2, the latest game in the Dance Dance Revolution rhythm game series for the PlayStation 2. The game will include 65 songs, including tracks from artists such as The Crystal Method, KC & The Sunshine Band, Kylie Minogue, and Dirty Vegas.

Song - Artist

A Little Bit of Ecstasy - Jocelyn Enriquez
AM-3P - KTz
Break Down! - Be for U
Busy Child - The Crystal Method
Celebrate Nite - N.M.R
Conga Feeling - Vivian
D2R - Naoki
Days Go By - Dirty Vegas
Destiny - Naoki feat. Paula Terry
Do It Right - SOTA feat. Ebony Fay
Dream a Dream - Captain Jack
Drifting Away - Lange feat. Skye
Get Down Tonight - K.C. & The Sunshine Band
Ghosts (Vincent De Moor Remix) - Tenth Planet
Groove - Sho-T feat. Brenda
Heaven - DJ Sammy & Yanou featuring DO
Hysteria - Naoki 190

I Feel... - Akira Yamaoka
I Was the One - good-cool
In the Navy '99 (XXL Disaster Remix) - Captain Jack
Jam & Marmalade - Final Offset
Keep on Liftin' - DJ Nagureo
Kind Lady - Okuyatos
Let's Groove - Tips & Tricks Vs Wisdome
Long Train Runnin' - Bus Stop
Love at First Sight - Kylie Minogue
Lovin' You (Rob Searle Club Mix) - Vinyl Baby
Rain of Sorrow - NM feat. Ebony Fay
Secret Rendezvous - Divas
Silent Hill - Thomas Howard
So Deep (Perfect Sphere Remix) - Silvertear

Spin the disc - good-cool
Still in My Heart - Naoki
Super Star - DJ Rich feat. Tail Bros.
Take Me Away (Into the Night) (radio vocal) - 4 Strings
The Shining Polaris - L.E.D. feat. Sana
The Whistle Song (Blow My Whistle Baby) - DJ Aligator Project
Tsugaru - RevenG vs De-Sire
Twilight Zone (R-C Extended Club MIX) - 2 Unlimited
Will I? - Ian Van Dahl

"Dance Dance Revolution has always been known for its revolutionary gameplay and pulsating music. Now, DDRMAX2 brings the revolution to the masses by raising the bar in both areas," said Jason Enos, product manager at Konami of America. "The exciting catalog of music, videos, and difficulty settings in DDRMAX2 offers something for everyone and is a testament to the ever-growing popularity of the series."

DDRMAX 2 is currently scheduled for release on September 23.

...

After the curious DDR Konamix and DDRMAX, the "Dance Dance Revolution" series finally put the pieces together for North American players with DDRMAX 2.

All DDR games have more or less the same entertaining game play - BTW, it should be obvious that you need a dance pad controller for playing any DDR game - so what distinguishes one from another is its song list and features. DDRMAX 2 does a better job than the previous installments by offering a song list that is large and deep. Its 60-some songs isn't as bogged in faux R&B as DDRMAX, and instead includes more Japanese songs than we've seen before ("Break Down!", "Dive", "Tsugaru", and "Kakkumei"), plus electronica, Latin, and other styles.

MAX2 also benefits from the best workout mode in the entire series. In MAX2, you can set up three programs of up to 20 songs (each with customizable difficulty and other options), instead of having to stop your workout to pick each new song, which was the case in DDRMAX. In another nice touch, songs you complete in workout mode count towards unlocking new songs, so players who are just it for exercise don't have to play a bunch of arcade-style sessions just to unlock the playlist.

Given the fiasco that the subsequent "DDR EXTREME" would be in its US incarnation, DDRMAX 2 ends up the best option for American players who haven't yet resorted to importing Japanese games.

We purchased this game after playing DDRMax for months, and getting a little bit tired of the same old songs. Unfortunately, a good portion of the songs on this game are remix's of the songs on DDRMax. Don't get me wrong, there are new songs, but I was dissapointed to see repeats. Also, the scoring on this game is strange. I have been so frustrated some nights, earning an A or a AA on a song that was currently a C or B, and not getting a new record. I also have seen some of my grades going down, from an A to a C. I don't play solely for the scoring, but that does get annoying!
The light mode is too easy if you have used any other DDR game prior. Some of the standard mode is more like light on the original DDRMax. But I should say something that I really like about DDRMax2 is the beginner mode. We originally bought our first game for our daughter who was 5, and it turned out it was too difficult for her to get the hang of. She is now doing great, because of the beginner mode. This mode takes the movie away from the background and shows a character standing on a pad and moving to the beat, and also moving their feet to the appropriate square as the song progresses. This really helped her understand how to do it!

I don't listen to much music
I didn't have a PS2
When my sister first told me about it I thought it sounded lame for so much money (cause we'd have to buy the PS2 also)
When I went to a place to see it, I still thought it looked like a waste of money.
But I always give in to my older sis, so we got it.
But then.(...)

I TRIED IT!(...)!

It was so much fun I wanted to have DDR parties and invite everyone i know to play it! (All my theatre friends who like that sort of stuff).
Not only that but I got to hear more songs! My favorite is "Heaven" and my sis's favorite is "Love at First Sight" but we both really like the twilight zone one!

It is so much fun and I can play it for hours on end, not to mention how good it is for parties, espacially when you have alot of people, and you need to wait around while everyone is ariving

If you love dancing, hearing new songs, PS2 games, or just having fun this is so(...)the thing for you!

I've been playing this game before DDR Max came out. The first one was nice, but the second is totally better. The second Max has a lot more to offer than the first one, but doesn't have any of the hit songs from the original mixes. But game play is better than any of the others; and with harder steps, better selections of songs, the need for more feet and eye cordination. This game has a lot to bring us.

With a game like this, excercise was never so much fun. You burn calaries and have a great time in the mix. Awsome beat and new songs will get you on your feet and move your body to a whole new level of gaming. And with the Beginner, Light, Standard, Heavy and Non-Stop Modes, you can build up your skill.

Overall, this game is one of my favorites and it's well worth the time and money. Now we just have to wait for Extreme to come out.