DDRMAX Dance Dance Revolution

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DDRMAX Dance Dance Revolution
Developer(s)	Konami Computer Entertainment Tokyo
Publisher(s)	Konami of America
Distributor(s)	Konami of America
Designer(s)	Yumi Yoshida, Yoshiko Wada & Rieko Komatsubara
License	Proprietary
Series	Dance Dance Revolution & Bemani
Engine	DDRMAX PlayStation
Aspect ratio	NTSC, horizontal
Platform(s)	Sony PlayStation 2
Release date(s)	NA October 29, 2002
Genre(s)	Music & Exercise
Mode(s)	Single-player & Multiplayer
Rating(s)	ESRB: E (Mild lyrics)
Media	DVD (1)
Input methods	Dance pad (feet) & Gamepad (hands)

DDRMAX Dance Dance Revolution is the fourth home version of Dance Dance Revolution to be released in the United States, the first of which to be released on the Sony PlayStation 2 console. It was released by Konami on October 29, 2002. DDRMAX contains a total of 71 songs, 33 of which are hidden and unlockable. DDRMAX introduced core changes to the DDR games to the American audience, such as the redesigned Song Wheel interface, and Freeze Arrows.

Gameplay

Core gameplay remained mostly the same on DDRMAX, with the addition of Freeze Arrows and a new scoring system:

Freeze Arrows appear as green arrows with a long extension. If they are held for the entire length successfully, a O.K. is scored. If it is not held down for the entire length, a N.G. (no good) is scored. Freezes affect the life bar. Scores are calcuated with 2 distinct scoring systems, the long-score system used to determine rankings, and an independent dance point system now used to determine the grade.

All songs have a long-score ceiling of 50 million points, and a bonus score is tacked onto it based on the difficulty of the song and other factors. Rankings are given for the highest long-score accumulations a round. If a player plays more than three songs, then it only counts the last three played. If a song is played repeatedly among the three songs used for ranking, then the repeated songs carry no bonus score.

The dance-point system uses raw step values to determine the grade. A 'perfect' step adds two points, a 'great' step adds one point, a 'good' step is worth nothing, a 'boo' step takes away four points, and a 'miss' step takes away eight points. An 'O.K.' freeze adds six points, and an 'N.G.' freeze is worth nothing. The dance points are also tied to the life bar. As always, if a player takes too many bad steps and depletes the life bar, they will fail, and the game will end immediately. If the first song is in Light mode, then the game will allow a player to fail that song and continue, but will fail the player out if they fail a second song. In two-player games, if one player fails, they can continue dancing, but it ceases to accumulate dance points for the failed player, accumulates score points at only 10 points per step, and automatically gives the failed player an 'E' for the song.

The grade is dependent on the number of dance points accumulated: 100% dance points is 'AAA', at least 93% is 'AA', at least 80% is 'A', at least 65% is 'B', at least 45% is 'C' and anything below 45% is a 'D'. If a net dance-point total of zero is obtained without depleting the life bar and, thus, failing, an 'E' ia awarded. The final grade for the entire game is an average of the grades from the last three songs and not derived from the actual dance points scored.

In addition unlike the Japanese arcade release of DDRMAX, the Groove Radar is accompanied by the normal foot ratings as with DDRMAX2.

Extra Stage

A new addition to DDRMAX as with the arcade release is the Extra Stage. If, on the final stage, a player gets the grade of AA or better on any Heavy step routine, the Extra Stage mode is unlocked. The song wheel on the Extra Stage is locked to MAX 300, which is played with the Reverse Scroll modifier and a x1.5 Speed modifier. The Extra Stage is also played in "Pressure" mode, where health bar starts full and does not regenerate if it depletes with missed steps.

If the player scores a grade of AA or better, then they are forced to play "One More Extra Stage." This time, the Song Wheel is locked on CANDY ☆. The player is forced to play its Heavy steps in a Reverse Scroll modifier and a x1.5 Speed modifier. On One More Extra Stage, it is in sudden-death mode, which means just one step that is not scored "Perfect" or "Great" or one freeze that is scored "NG" ends the game. If the song is passed, a special credits scene is shown.

In both cases, if the song is beaten for the first time, it is unlocked for regular play.

Nonstop Challenge

The Nonstop Challenge, also referred to as Oni Mode, is a game mode which debuted on the Japanese version of DDRMAX2. The mode involves playing through 4-10 different usually themed songs with limited gaps between them just like in Nonstop Mode, but the traditional Dance Gauge is replaced by a "battery bar" with 4 lives. A life is lost if a combo is broken (which is done by getting a step judged as a Good or less, or by breaking a Freeze). Lives can be regained after every song played, and some courses force different modifiers. If all lives are lost, the game ends.

In Challenge mode, the dance point system is slightly modified (Perfects and OKs are worth 2 points and Greats are worth 1, everything else is worth 0), and the final score is displayed as a percentage of the maximum possible dance points.

Music

The songlist for DDRMAX in North America does not match that of the original Japanese version. It includes several classic songs, several that were featured on DDRMAX2 Dance Dance Revolution 7thMix, and licensed and original songs that are exclusive to the North American market.

Licenses

Konami Originals

References

External links

• Konami America