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> Results: Dance Dance Revolution: Extreme 2
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Konami's Dance Dance Revolution (DDR) is a gaming phenomenon. Watching teens leap and prance around playing a video game with their feet is threatening to some, exhilarating to others, but it's also, easily, the best fodder in any "but video games are good for you" or "good for kids" argument. Health magazines have even begun recommending the workout mode in these games as an exercise regimen. What better game for your kids to play?
The object is simple, using the included dance pad or (even better) a 3rd party metal or foam reinforced pad, you have to hit the arrows as they reach the box at the top of the screen. Often this is like playing Twister at high speed as you jump, cavort, and prance around trying to strike the arrows as they fly by without missing any. You aren't penalized for hitting the wrong arrow, just for missing the right one. Make too mistakes and it shuts down on you. With DDR Max they introduced "Freeze Arrows" and steps on the down beat. Freezes mean you must keep one foot on that button while hitting other buttons with your free foot. Like the combos (hitting Up and Left simultaneously, for example) these take a lot of practice and Ultramix has a very good tutorial and they've brought over the DDR Max 2 "beginner" mode to help you get started. Practice makes perfect and memorizing a routine and the steps required is a gaming experience you just can't get anywhere else. Even if you do look like a big gamer goof doing it. The song list is different, but it still features a nice mix of club tracks and... um, look, I'm not going to pretend I know anything about dance music. It offers lots of music that's inoffensive and beat oriented, ok? Good groovy stuff. DDR Extreme added Eye Toy functionality, and Extreme 2 takes that to the next level, integrating it further. The camera lets you exercise your arms and hands, as well as your legs. Basically, spots appear on the screen and you have to hit them with the beat. It gets harder and harder but DDR fans will appreciate two things about this twist. One, it makes a challenging game that much harder, it makes a challenging work out (Eye Toy works in workout mode too) that much more aerobic, and it lets you watch yourself play the game. Naturally this ups the novelty/party game fun of DDR as well. Everyone loves being on TV, especially when they're hopping around like a jack rabbit on a DDR pad. Right? No? Well, you'll love watching your kids or friends do it, trust me. Plus, DDR is online now for the PS2! You can challenge and compete against remote players over the system. On the one hand, you'd be missing a lot of the laughter that goes along with playing DDR in mixed company (making a fool of yourself, or impressing people with your moves is a big part of the game) if you play online... but then again the converse is true as well. It's better to lose and not see your opponent's face. And for the truly hardcore, this is where you'll find the greatest challenges. 
DDR is fun for kids and adults. Moreover, it's good for kids. It's strenuous, it teaches co-ordination, balance, and it's competitive. Everything a parent could want in a video game. Also, it's fun at parties. Extreme's addition of the Eye Toy makes it even better as an exercise tool. Helping kids find rhythm, a skill they'll find useful in sports all the way to their Junior Prom. It teaches music, pattern recognition, helps them lose weight, and to top it all off, Eye Toy makes it all even better. This one is a GamerDad must buy. Get your kids off the couch, now, and dance!
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