Dance Game Machine

Whether you are part of Gen X or an elder Millennial, chances are you’ve experienced rhythm game culture at some point. Many people have even bought a DDR machine to enjoy at home.

While these machines are harder to find in stores, there are online groups where you can watch for listings.

How to Play

In its simplest form, the game involves the player stepping their feet on the dance platform to correspond with arrows that appear on screen and the beat. During normal gameplay, scrolling arrows appear from the bottom of the screen and pass over a set of stationary arrows near the top (referred to as “guide arrows” or “receptors”, officially). The player Shooting Game Machine must step their feet on the dance platform in order to coincide with each arrow, attempting to hit it at exactly the right time, according to the beat.

A successful hit fills the Dance Gauge, or life bar; failing to hit the arrows in time drains it. Once the Dance Gauge is exhausted, the game is over. Upon completion of the song, the player is shown a results screen that rates their performance with a letter grade and numerical score, among other statistics.

Twenty years after the birth of DDR, Bemani released a new rhythm dancing machine that looked and felt very much like DDR but worked in a slightly different way. Known as Dance Rush Stardom, this newer machine used LED-filled sensor pads divided into long columns rather than the traditional directional buttons of DDR.

Another recent DDR-style machine is the ORB Finger Dance Machine, which works by docking a smartphone to the toy and using its mobile app to play the game. It has patterns of varying complexity, and can be played as a single-player or two-player game.

Setup

The absolute best way to experience Dance Game Machine is to find a dedicated DDR machine from a local arcade retailer. These machines tend to hold their value fairly well, so you’re likely to recoup most of your initial investment when you’re ready to sell or trade it.

The basic setup for a Dance Game Machine is a raised platform divided into two sides. Each side houses four acrylic glass pads[1] arranged and pointed in the orthogonal directions (left, up, right and down). The pads sit atop pressure activated switches, which are connected to software-controlled cold cathode lamps that illuminate each pad. The switches and pads are connected by a wire harness, which allows for ongoing calibration and prevents damage caused by players’ feet.

Successfully hitting the arrows in time with the music fills up the Dance Gauge, or life bar. Draining the Dance Gauge in the course of a song causes the player to fail the song and end gameplay.

The release of SuperNOVA 2 introduced e-Amusement functionality, a network for connecting players to save stats and unlocks. However, this functionality was only available in Japan at the time. The North American release of Dance Dance Revolution A introduced similar e-Amusement functionality, which was hosted on a different server from the Japanese version.

Songs

Music is a key element in DDR, as it motivates players to push themselves and become better. The songs in Dance Game Machine are an eclectic mix of classic favorites and newer compositions. Burnin’ The Floor, an early DDR anthem featuring ambient synth melodies, graceful piano sequences and operatic vocals, is an enduring classic that makes the hard work worth it. On the other hand, Healing Vision features drastic tempo changes and keeps players on their toes.

In addition to a variety of song selections, the player can choose from various gameplay modifiers on a per-game basis. These can make the song easier or harder, and can also affect how the arrows move on the screen.

For example, “training mode” may limit the song’s tempo to an appropriate range for newer players. On the other hand, a “lesson mode” is designed to help beginners master the correct technique. A home version of the game also adds a “Challenge Mode” that may feature a series of challenging songs with specific gameplay modifiers.

In order to get the most out of the DDR experience, it is recommended that the player experiment with a wide variety of songs and difficulties. Playing the same songs over and over can lock players into bad habits and lead to a poor playing style. Additionally, it is important to vary the speed (measured in beats per minute, or BPM) of the songs, as this affects how quickly the arrows appear on the screen.

Score

DDR scores are based on the accuracy of the player’s steps. The more on-time the player’s steps are, the higher the score (Marvelous, Perfect, Great, Good, Almost, Boo, Miss). A combination of songs completed with a full combo earns a “Perfect” rating. Getting a Perfect score was considered a feat worthy of public display, and even in an era before Shooting Game Machine personal video cameras were common, skilled players would draw crowds as they challenged each other to beat their best scores. The DDR fansite DDR Freak and its forums became a gathering place for players to share clips of their gameplay.

The home version of Dance Game Machine does not allow players to save their score or progress, which some felt reduced the longevity of the game. However, the arcade version of DDR SuperNOVA 2 added an internet based link system e-Amusement that allows players to save their stats and unlock song progression. This feature was later ported to mobile devices with the release of the North American version of the game.