Kotaku: Dance Dance Revolution

Atari Puffer: The Wii Fit of 1982

Owen Good — Sun, 18 May 2008 14:00:00 MDT

Tucked into Boing Boing's look at the timeline of fitness gaming controls is something called the "Atari Puffer." It went unreleased because of the video game crash, but it sounds like, well, a blocky game representation of off-camera work in the porn industry. It actually was some kind of exercise bike you plugged into the 2600.

As an internal memo describes it:

"Concept: There is a whole generation of kids (and adults) out there who aren't into sports and/or don't get enough exercise. At the same time there is a huge fitness market. We have seen how kids can become addicted to our video games. We are going to hook up an exercise bike to a video game, where the bike is the controller. Hook up a bike to "Pole Position" and you have to pedal to make your car "go". Hook it up to "Dig-Dug" and shovel faster - or else! We can make fitness freaks out of the kids and game players out of the keep-fitters. We capitalize on the combination of the two powerful markets — video games and aerobic fitness."

Better than that, you could hook the bikes up to a generator, too, and have an army of child fitness freaks powering your city's electrical grid. That captializes on the combination of THREE powerful markets — video games, aerobic fitness and ~~child labor~~ public utilities!

The Puffer is actually one of the better ideas in this look at 18 products — because it wasn't released. Most of the others, up until Dance Dance Revolution, were disappointments and DDR wasn't even specifically released as an exercise game. Now we have Wii Fit, selling like nuts and offending parents of fat children everywhere. But it's early, and as Boing Boing notes, anything that promises to make exercise more fun usually doesn't. Because if it was fun to begin with, we wouldn't be sitting on our asses playing video games.

From Atari Joyboard to Wii Fit: 25 Years of Exergaming [boingboing]

Three New DDR Titles Boogie Down Your Way

fdemarco — Thu, 15 May 2008 15:40:00 MDT

Dance Dance Revolution is celebrating ten years of people making dancing fools of themselves in public with the launch of three new DDR titles, each for a different console. Dance Dance Revolution X for the PS2, Dance Dance Revolution Universe 3 for the Xbox 360 and Dance Dance Revolution Hottest Party 2 for Wii are all expected to launch in fall of this year and will provide DDR aficionados with even more songs to with which to get funky fresh on the dance pad.

If you are a PS2 owner you'll be able to link up to four PS2 up with LAN cables and provide a dance party for up to eight people. With that kind of set up you better have a huge living room and no neighbors if you wish to avoid arrest for disturbing the peace. You can also plug in your EyeToy camera and become part of the game.

Xbox 360 players will be treated to sixty five songs, Xbox LIVE compatibility and the ability to customize their own dancer. Also included are two new modes; DJ Mode where you can create your own tracks and set lists and City Mode where you can compete against various bosses to rule the dance floor.

Wii owners will get four player multiplayer, Wii remote and nunchuck support, new modes and an all new soundtrack. The new modes consist of the Dance n' Defend Battle Mode, a head to head dance off using the Wii remote, Course Mode and Groove Arena Mode. You'll also be able to use your Mii in the game!

Make the jump to check out the full press release and all the swinging details!

KONAMI CELEBRATES 10TH ANNIVERSARY OF DANCEDANCE REVOLUTION® WITH THREE NEW RELEASES:
DanceDanceRevolution® X for the PlayStation®2 computer entertainment system
DanceDanceRevolution® Universe3 for the Xbox 360
DanceDanceRevolution® Hottest Party 2 for Wii™

EL SEGUNDO, Calif. - May 14, 2008 - Konami Digital Entertainment, Inc. today announced three upcoming DanceDanceRevolution® titles will ship this Fall in honor of the 10th anniversary of the franchise. After a decade as one of the most popular franchises in the music genre, DanceDanceRevolution® fans can move their feet to different beats with DanceDanceRevolution® X for the PlayStation®2 computer entertainment system, DanceDanceRevolution® UNIVERSE3 for the Xbox 360™ video game and entertainment system from Microsoft and DanceDanceRevolution® Hottest Party 2 for Wii™.

"We cannot thank our fans enough for their continued devotion to the DanceDanceRevolution® franchise. The continued popularity and longevity of DanceDanceRevolution® has transformed it from a video game into something much bigger and more special," said Anthony Crouts, Vice President of Marketing for Konami Digital Entertainment, Inc. "We wanted to celebrate this special occasion by bringing to market three new versions of the game that offer the biggest and best musical selections along with a slate of unique features."

DanceDanceRevolution® X

In DanceDanceRevolution® X, players can dance their way through a soundtrack packed with major hits from some of today's top artists. The latest release for the PlayStation®2 system offers fans of the beloved dance video game enhanced graphics along with fun, interactive gameplay and innovative new game modes, including the brand new LAN Battle Mode — which lets up to eight players battle simultaneously through the LAN lines on their PlayStation®2 system. Additionally, players can work up a sweat by customizing their own workout and fitness programs and, by plugging in the EyeToy™ USB Camera (for PlayStation®2) peripheral, they can put themselves in the game.

DanceDanceRevolution® UNIVERSE3

Marking its return to the Xbox 360, DanceDanceRevolution® UNIVERSE3 offers fans a whole new experience with the debut of new modes including DJ Mode and City Mode. In DJ Mode, players can explore their inner DJ while creating tracks and song lists to dance to while City Mode allows players to compete against bosses throughout the DanceDanceRevolution city and become the ultimate champion. Additionally, the game boasts one of the biggest soundtracks, giving fans more than 65 songs spanning from the '70s to some of today's hottest tracks. DanceDanceRevolution® UNIVERSE3 also features online multiplayer function — allowing for dance-offs with up to four friends from around the world and character customization with more than 400 options of clothing, faces, skin tones and hairstyles — letting players create the ultimate dancer, and complete Xbox Live functionality.

DanceDanceRevolution® Hottest Party 2

Rounding out the DanceDanceRevolution® 10th anniversary celebration is the release of DanceDanceRevolution® Hottest Party 2 for Wii. DanceDanceRevolution® Hottest Party 2 is sure to be the life of the party with 4 player multiplayer, Wii Remote™ and Nunchuk™ support, smash hits taken from the last four decades of music, entirely new modes and more! The all-new soundtrack features big hits such as "I Want Candy", "Umbrella", "Black or White" and "We Got The Beat" ensuring that DanceDanceRevolution® Hottest Party 2 will appeal to dance enthusiasts of all ages. The mutliplayer function allows for head-to-head battles in the Dance n' Defend Battle Mode where players use the Wii Remote to battle their opponents. Other new modes include the non-stop dance action in Course Mode, the ability to unlock hidden features in Groove Arena Mode and the all-new Hottest Training Mode. With brand new gimmicks, the incorporation of your Mii™, enhanced motion capture, new characters exclusive to the game, and new stages with enhanced effects on more than 50 unique dance environments, there is no party like Hottest Party 2.

Colbert V Rain: DDR

Brian Crecente — Tue, 06 May 2008 09:00:00 MDT

Colbert is many things, but a graciously loser isn't one of them. After going off on Miyamoto for swiping the top spot in Time's 100 most influential people list (and calling Donkey Kong a game about hate crime), he settles on the person he's rally mad at. No, not himself: RAIN!!!

Hit up the jump to catch Colbert breaking it down, as the kids say, in a head-to-head dance-off with adorable Korean pop singer on Dance Dance Revolution.

DDR Workout Benchmarked, Found Healthy (Again)

Mark Wilson — Thu, 07 Feb 2008 14:20:09 MST

DDR might not still be all the rage with Wii Fit around, but its health benefits are legitimate according to the American Council on Exercise (ACE). We just came across and interesting study from late 2007 testing people ages 12-25 in which ACE calculated that teens burned 5.9 calories per minute on easy, and 6.7 and 8.1 calories on standard and difficult, respectively. For adults, probably because they weigh more, those numbers were even higher. So let's compare DDR to some standard aerobic activities and see how it holds up, shall we?

These statistics are all based upon a 160 - 170lb person, so my guess is that they will be a little naturally inflated over teen stats.

Walking (4 mph) - 6.1cal/min
Bicycling (10 mph) - 7.8cal/min
Jogging (5 mph) - 11.5cal/min
Basketball (full court) - 13.2cal/min

So if you are playing on standard or above, you really aren't doing too badly.

Ace Fitness PDF [via I4U][Stats from CoolNurse]

Want To Play Your GBA With A DDR Pad? Of Course You Do

Michael McWhertor — Wed, 12 Dec 2007 19:40:00 MST

Fulfilling your life long dream of playing Pac-Man on the Game Boy Advance using nothing but your feet is within your grasp. Thanks to the folks at Instructables, who provide a step-by-step tutorial on how to hack together such a contraption, fat kids everywhere will be able to combine their two favorite things: eating (dots) and shedding pounds by frantic shuffling. They call this a "win-win."

How to modify your DDR pad to play with your Gameboy Advance [Instructables via Wonderland]

British Schoolkids Stave Off Obesity With DDR

Maggie Greene — Sun, 16 Sep 2007 10:30:08 MDT

There have been a number of new stories about US schools using Dance Dance Revolution as a way to get kids who aren't into competitive sports or their required PE classes moving - now the Brits are getting in on the act. Despite the fact that the BBC couldn't be bothered to fact-check the name of the game title, they have a short piece on the use of DDR in Bedfordshire schools - they've just done trials, targeting it's use towards girls who aren't interested in traditional sports:

Mellone Cutts is the head of PE at Lea Manor High School which took part in the trials.
"There is a number of students who we don't reach with competitive sports," she said.

"With more and more children becoming obese, one way we can help is by increasing participation in sport and this does that."

And who says video games have no redeeming value?

Computer dance gets pupils active [BBC News, thanks Daniel!]

Dance Dance Un-Revolution

Brian Ashcraft — Fri, 06 Jul 2007 23:00:46 MDT

Exercise trends or not, Dance Dance Revolution is still a game made by a game company. Then, there's Dance Dance Revolution DVD Game. Boasting 30 dance sessions and featuring the tag "Where exercise gets fun," this is an exercise video, which includes mats that don't hook up to anything. They are just placed on the floor! In other words, NOT A GAME.
Dance Dance Revolution [Amazon via GameSetWatch]

DDR Gets Its Groove On

Brian Ashcraft — Wed, 13 Jun 2007 22:00:43 MDT

At a recent health and fitness exhibition in Japan, Konami introduced GROOVE MOTION DDR. It's based off the company's Dance Dance Revolution game, but includes six programs like yoga and martial arts-style exercises. While a DDR-type mat is used, GROOVE MOTION differs in that a motion sensor belt is worn. It calculates individual data like calories counted and "score." This title most likely won't find its way into Japanese arcades, but rather, into Konami's own fitness clubs. Yes, there are Konami fitness clubs — hence the exercise games. Makes sense! Brian Ashcraft

GROOVE MOTION DDR [Famitsu]

Konami To Close San Francisco Area Office

Michael McWhertor — Tue, 17 Apr 2007 19:20:23 MDT

Just days after a rumored round of SCEE layoffs, Konami, publisher of Metal Gear, Castlevania, and Dance Dance Revolution, announced today that it will be shuttering its Redwood City office and consolidating its workforce in El Segundo, California. While the company doesn't specify if any involuntary layoffs are expected, one could assume that some positions will become redundant in the effort and that some employees will choose not to relocate to the office about twenty miles southwest of Los Angeles.

CEO of Konami Digital Entertainment Kazumi Kitaue said of the closure, "In order to grasp the rapid change of entertainment trends and take timely strategic action, having all functions under one roof is critical." With current console development budgets rising, expect more publishers to make moves like this one. Michael McWhertor

Rock Band Videochecks DDR, Guitar Hero

Michael McWhertor — Tue, 10 Apr 2007 19:40:38 MDT

Safe-rock outfit Switchfoot have released a new video for their latest radio friendly jam "Awakening" and it makes some not-so-subtle allusions to rhythm games Guitar Hero and Dance Dance Revolution. Everything is all cardboard covered and stop motion animated, but it's clear what they're trying to get across. Arrested Development fans will be heartbroken to see the talents of Tony "Buster Bluth" Hale go to waste in the video, but Switchfoot lovers will probably enjoy the hell out of it.

Thanks Sylient! Michael McWhertor

DDR Parties On The Wii

Mike Fahey — Fri, 02 Feb 2007 15:40:48 MST

We saw this one coming a mile away. DDR enthusiasts around the world are going to have to learn some new moves, now that Konami has announced Dance Dance Revolution Hottest Party for the Wii. Using the wiimote and the nunchuk (Kung-Fu Fightin' better damn well be included), Hottest Party goes beyond fancy footwork to include arm movement as well, much like was seen in Wario Ware's dancing level, only more complicated. Music from the past four decades will accompany up to four players dancing in synch, or horribly, horribly out of synch. I except YouTube to be flooded with videos once this little number hits the streets later this year. Michael Fahey

Wii gets 'Hottest' DDR yet [GameSpot]

Clips: NSFW Dance Dance Revolution

Brian Ashcraft — Tue, 19 Dec 2006 18:30:30 MST

This is not the first of its kind, nor is it the last. Details are scant (clothes, too), but here are a trio of teams in some sort of upskirt Dance Dance Revolution event in which the competitors pay more attention to their pole dancing moves and less to the DDR screen. Our reason for posting? The song "High On Emotion" by Chris de Burgh is a stomper. Brian Ashcraft

Eds Note: Good peoples Brandon Sheffield at Insert Credit just dropped us a line saying this is a music video.

RedOctane Sues Wireless Guitar Controller Manufacturer

kotaku.com — Wed, 20 Sep 2006 08:40:03 MDT

RedOctane, the publisher of Guitar Hero, have initiated a lawsuit against "The Ant Commandos", a California-based company that sells the one Guitar Hero peripheral everyone wants: wireless guitar controllers.

Why? Red Octane's furious about the unrepentant unlicensed-ness of it all. "Defendants have copied the packaging of Plaintiffs' products and have used Plaintiffs' trademarks and copyrighted material in its packaging and advertising of its own products in an effort to cause confusion among consumers."

Plucky words from a company that made itself known selling unlicensed, third-party dance pads for Konami's Dance Dance Rebolution games.

"Pot? This is Kettle, you black son of a bitch..." Florian Eckhardt

RedOctane sues guitar manufacturer [Gamespot]

Wicki! Wicki! DDR for DJ's

Michael McWhertor — Sat, 26 Aug 2006 14:01:34 MDT

We were turned onto Wicki! Wicki! by Mike, a turntable controlled student project game built on Flash, a gutted optical mouse, and old Technics hardware. From one of the games designers, Patrik Berg:

By finishing up an old dusty turntable, mounting a optical mouse on it instead of a regular pickup and then connecting it to a Flash-interface, our group developed a game controlled by scratching.

Sadly, we're not aware of any video, nor the original Flash software portion, but it's cool regardless. It makes me a little sad that I never got to try out Sega's Crackin' DJ (and that DJ Portable Max for the PSP is still so pricey). Guess I'll go back to scratching various body parts as a pathetic replacement for actual digital scratching fun.

Thanks for the tip, Mike. Michael McWhertor

Wicki! Wicki! [via Playthrough]

DDR... With Shadows!

Brian Ashcraft — Thu, 17 Aug 2006 09:22:14 MDT

Taiwanese researchers have developed a shadow-based Dance Dance Revolution game that's based on "efficient 3D model retrieval technology." Uh, okay. Here's how it works:

The player stands in from of the screen and the computer determines the pose by comparing the player to the picture of the empty play area. Poses scroll from left to right across the bottom. You need to reach that pose before it reaches the red target. The program then informs you if you were successful.

Doesn't look like much fun. The player only got like three right. Brian Ashcraft

More Here [TechEBlog]

Eds. Note: We thought that Netscape had been run into the ground by AOL. Actually, it was.

The Greatest 5 Yr.-Old DDR Dancer Evar

Brian Ashcraft — Wed, 14 Jun 2006 22:21:37 MDT

Not only are this kid's moves better than mine, but his living room is bigger! Brian Ashcraft

Thanks, Nikongmer!

Dance Dance Brian Ashcraft

brownlee — Tue, 13 Jun 2006 14:40:48 MDT

A flabby man in red speedos and a shimmering gold halter top surrounded by four hot Japanese girls performing 'Night of Fire', a popular Dance Dance Revolution song. Ladies, gentlemen: meet Brian Ashcraft. Florian Eckhardt

A DIY DDR Pad for Joel "Fancy Feet" Johnson

Brian Ashcraft — Tue, 06 Jun 2006 06:22:43 MDT

Giving up smoking, cutting back on the sauce and getting in shape ain't easy. Ask Joel. Right now, he's sweating his bollocks off in some dingy Brooklyn basement, training for some serious DDR-ing. We fear a headband is somehow involved.

While Mr. Johnson puts the dance-dance in revolution, AOL Joystiq points to this DIY DDR set-up. The "pad" boasts a pimpin' lighting system, and it's made from acrylic, steel, springs and rubber grommets—just like Joel himself. Brian Ashcraft

More Here [AOL Joystiq]

Ask Kotaku: Help Me Dance, Dance... to Victory!

Joel — Mon, 05 Jun 2006 07:43:52 MDT

Before the end of this month, at the behest of a print magazine, I will enter a Dance Dance Revolution tournament. With your help, I might even win. (But I seriously doubt it.)

Now I'm not exactly a stranger to DDR; I've got a metal home pad for the PS2. What I am not is an expert. The ways of the hoppity dance are a cold territory unvisited by my white, hot flailing.

Secreted in our ranks are a few dance veterans willing to offer me guidance, surely.

I'm already planning on purchasing the latest PS2 version of DDR—the blue one—and have begun a legitimate physical regimen designed to counteract last month's swirling return to cigarettes and breading. What I need now are the following:

• A progression—a series of benchmarks determined by others more familiar with the world of competitive DDR. (That's you!)

• A plan—how to reach those goals.

• A persona—a garish identity in which I may cloak my ineptitude. (Seen here: Take 1, 'The Jazz Handler.')

• A place—I need to find a tourney in the New York Cityish area before June 30th.

Help me, Kotaku! Make this gooey hulk a Bemani monster! Joel Johnson

E306: Dance Dance TV

Brian Ashcraft — Tue, 09 May 2006 18:47:33 MDT

Konami announced a new live television show called Dance Revolution, based on Dance Dance Revolution. Details are scant, but presumably viewers will get their groove on this fall.

Update: Konami just announced the show will be on CBS.