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| Latest morning routine | |
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2.10.2010
6:50 AM | Link0 comments |
The morning is my favorite time of day, so I love making the most of it. I like the morning so much that on the weekends I get a little bummed after lunch since I feel like the day is over! I've written about my morning routine several times in the past, but since it's constantly changing (in fact, I recently adjusted it about a week ago!), I think it's fun to record it here. My new wake up time is 5:00 AM (that may sound crazy, but it's easy to do once your internal clock is trained), and the first thing I do is write my "one sentence journal" for the day. This is one of my 2010 goals, which I use to reflect on the previous day (and I've only missed one day so far, while I was in Los Angeles). Next is Japanese study on the web, which is a little more intense since I'm gearing up for the JLPT. I'm using two different sites to work on kanji (using different methods that help me from two angles), as well as standard vocabulary/sentence practice. After exercising my brain, my body is next with 15 songs on Dance Dance Revolution (since I've been re-enjoying all my old PS2 mixes). After the workout, I've started writing my WEBmikey post for the day (which is the step I'm on now). I used to do this later in the day, but sometimes it was getting too easy to blow it off, so I moved it into the premium morning time and shuffled a couple activities (which are easier and less likely to be procrastinated) to later in the day. Finally I get dressed, do a little more exercise (like sit-ups and light dumbbell lifts), then take my vitamins and eat breakfast while I read some manga or a couple chapters in whatever book I'm working on. At lunchtime I work in a couple more activities, which are checking my Jpop video downloads and importing/tagging another batch of images into iPhoto (I'm finally up to 2008, by the way!). During the day I make an effort to get in a couple walks (1.5 miles each), and if I have any spare moments (including potty time), I study a few more kanji using some fantastic iPhone apps I've bought recently with some birthday gift cards! |
| New dance pad, old games | |
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1.28.2010
12:12 PM | Link0 comments |
 One of my birthday gifts from my parents this year is the latest version of RedOctane's Ignition Dance Pad, which can plug into just about any game console you want, including the Wii and PS2. It's been way over a year since I even turned on my PS2 (in fact, I was considering getting rid of it this year), and I didn't even have a dance pad that would work with it, since all of my old ones had worn out and went in the garbage can. But now I have a single awesome dance pad that I can use with both machines, and I'm really surprised at how much I'm enjoying the old PS2 games! I love playing Endless Mode (I desperately wish the Wii games had this feature), and the older mixes have such great music!Enjoying these older games made me think about my Dance Dance Revolution "career" (I've written about this before, but a brief recap won't hurt!). It all started in 2000 when I saw people playing in an arcade in Japan, soon followed by my first ever attempt at a mall arcade in Oklahoma City, which led to me buying the PS2 just so I could play at home. Soon after that I got a Japanese PSOne so I could buy import mixes (since the US releases were kind of appalling), and started trying different dance pads. I've probably owned five or six different RedOctane pads, including the latest Ignition that I'm using now. Over the years I've tried lots of DDR knock-off games, but nothing can match the feel of the real thing, so I always buy new editions of the game the moment Konami releases them! It's kind of amazing to me that I've been playing DDR around 10 years, and although I sometimes take a break for a few weeks, I always return to it as a form of exercise and general fun. I like the nostalgic feeling I get when I play these PS2 games and hear old songs (I remember spending hours trying to pass Afronova, which I just cleared this morning with no trouble at all), and I'm looking forward to keeping up with new Wii games as well! |
| Dance Dance Revolution Hottest Party 3 / Nintendo Wii : 4 of 5 | |
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1.05.2010
6:26 PM | Link0 comments |
 It's amazing how long I've been playing Dance Dance Revolution, first in the arcade, then on my Japanese PSOne and US PlayStation 2, and finally on my Nintendo Wii with the Hottest Party series. I wasn't very impressed with the first release, but Konami really improved the game with Hottest Party 2 (which I really enjoyed, although I completely forgot to write a review). Now I've been playing Hottest Party 3 daily since Santa brought the game for Christmas, and it's definitely my favorite Wii DDR yet! Konami kept the things I liked about Hottest Party 2, hid some of the things I didn't like (I could care less about using the Wiimote for hand motions), and generally made it easier and more fun to play classic DDR. The song selection is really good this time, with a nice set of 80s dance hits (including everything from Duran Duran to Depeche Mode) and lots of anime-style pop, plus some very cool long medleys from Hottest Party 1 and 2 (which you have to unlock). Speaking of unlocking things, Tournament Mode is the way it's done in this release, and thankfully it's a fun mode that didn't force me to play in ways I don't like (I only had to use gimmicks for one song). While most gamers are never impressed with DDR graphics, I think Hottest Party 3 has made some fantastic improvements with a new user interface that shows CD album art, plus some wonderful cut scenes of the cute dancers that show when you hit certain combos (or end your combo, which shows your character hang their head in shame). While the songs are playing, the animated dance moves are really geared toward the song (rather than just random dancing), so the characters play air guitar at appropriate times and camera angles switch on emphasized beats, for example. Jun is my favorite character (with many kimono colors to choose from), but since so many of the songs include the actual music video, I wish I could see her dance more often. There are lots of other modes I haven't tried, including a weird balance board hip-wiggling game, but I'm content with the dance pad (unfortunately, Konami makes you buy yet another dance pad with the game, though they will probably release a game-only version months later). I'm so glad DDR is still popular enough for Konami to create new releases, and I hope someday I'll be playing Hottest Party 10!
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| Pump It Up Exceed / PS2 : 4 of 5 | |
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2.19.2009
6:19 PM | Link0 comments |
 I actually bought this game back in 2005 when I was trying out all the possible DDR alternatives available, but I didn't really give it a fair trial at first (I didn't even write a review!). But recently I decided to try out some old games again, and I've really been enjoying Pump It Up! If you don't already know, Pump It Up is Korea's answer to Japan's Dance Dance Revolution, so it's essentially the same kind of dance game with one important twist. Actually, it's literally a twist, since the arrows form an X-shape rather than a cross shape, and the center of the X is also a valid step, giving the game all kinds of wild combinations for jumps. I still play Pump It Up at the arcade every now and then, but I've seriously been giving it a workout at home for the past few days! Because of the special step layout, Pump It Up requires a unique non-DDR dance pad controller, which is just a cheap soft pad, but I'm still enjoying it and haven't had any trouble so far. I really like the music, which is grouped into the Pop Channel (which has semi-hits like Stereogram's Walkie Talkie Man and lots of Latin pop), the Kpop Channel (which is full of really cool Korean pop songs), and the Banya Channel (which has some crazy dance arrangements of classical music with awesome names like Beethoven Virus!). There are no dancer characters to choose from, but each song has a complete video, with styles ranging from live-action to CG to great anime-style animation (often with hilarious risque scenes!). My biggest complaint is the lack of a true Endless Mode, although the Survival Mode lets you keep playing without waiting for a final score. My DDR instincts have made it pretty easy to switch to this new dancing style (although 8th notes are tricky since they don't pulsate like in DDR), so I'm going to stick with it until I unlock everything or the dance pad wears out - whichever comes first!
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| Three Small Things 2.12.09 | |
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2.12.2009
7:46 PM | Link0 comments |
 I really wish my Apple TV could natively listen to internet radio (which I can do via Boxee anyway), but it's still cool to enjoy the great (and long) music podcasts that are out there ready for free streaming from the iTunes Store. Lately I've been listening to the WGBH Classical Performance Podcast, which features live studio performances by soloists and small ensembles. It's perfect for background music while I'm reading, and the variety of pieces (not to mention the quality) is fantastic!I've been trying to get back into playing Dance Dance Revolution a little more regularly, which means having fun with Endless Mode on DDR X. I really like the way Endless Mode is handled on this version of DDR, since the different levels provide an easy way to combine different song difficulties, plus the way you can keep continuing a single game over multiple sessions is super fun (which can make Endless Mode truly endless!). The funny thing about continuing a single game over 90 songs or so is that the score becomes ridiculously high. My current game (over the past several days) is now scored at 193,363,845,194,021 - I seriously copied that off the TV, so it's not made up! I'm tempted to keep the same game going to see what happens to the score. Will it stop at all 9s or roll over? Do you know any 42 year-olds with parents who still send them Valentine's Day cards (with generous checks inside)? If you know me, you do. Sometimes I feel like the luckiest kid in the world! Labels: ddr, family, music, small things |
| Dance Dance Revolution X / PS2 : 4 of 5 | |
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10.26.2008
7:35 AM | Link0 comments |
 It's amazing that DDR has been around since 1998, and this new release celebrates the 10 year anniversary of the game! It's always exciting for me to dive into a new DDR game, since everything is so fresh and there's tons of things to unlock. But Dance Dance Revolution X is quite a bit different than the Supernova series - besides a few dancer outfits and songs, almost everything is already available from the start, even Endless Mode, which is usually the "grand prize" after unlocking everything. So, the whole idea of earning points to spend at the store has been scrapped, and the new master mode is now Street Master Mode, which follows a loose story for each of the characters. It's kind of interesting at first, as the characters move around on a map and engage in dialogue, but it gets old pretty fast! But there's plenty to love about DDR X for me, too. The song list is nice and long and includes some cool new indie tracks and anime themes (with videos) as well as the DDR classics like Butterfly (absolutely essential for an anniversary mix!). The difficulty levels seems to be well balanced, too - the basic steps aren't too boring to be fun, and the more advanced steps are challenging without being suicidal! While the stage backgrounds are a little silly (why am I dancing in front of giant cupcakes?), the dancers themselves look awesome. Alice is back with new outfits, including a super cute Native American number that takes the award for hottest video game pants! Even though it feels like DDR X is kind of less advanced than previous releases, it's still got all the elements I enjoy for hours of fun and exercise. Now I just have to work up the addiction and keep dancing!
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| Dance Dance Revolution Hottest Party / Nintendo Wii : 3 of 5 | |
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6.03.2008
6:55 AM | Link0 comments |
 Since I'm always excited when a new version of DDR comes out, I traded in some old PS2 games and bought this in 2007 for my Wii right away, even though I knew it would be a bummer to play with the included dance pad (since my cool PS2 dance pads won't work with the Wii). But when I started playing, I was totally disappointed - Hottest Party just didn't feel like DDR! It's hard to explain, but it seemed like the original Japanese fun had been stripped from the game, so I immediately wrote it off and didn't even review it. But recently while I was trying out older DDR mixes, I looked at the Wii dance pad and decided to give it a fair chance, and now I'm really enjoying the game! I still have plenty of gripes, so I'll get those out of the way first. I really hate the look of the characters (I don't mind giant heads, but at least make them cute!), most option settings don't get saved, so I have to reset them every time I play (since I just want to play classic DDR, without all those bombs and crap in my way, and even though this is a Wii game, I don't give a flip about using my hands), and the annoying two second pause at the end of each song is a bummer. And don't get me started on the missing Endless Mode! But there's a lot for me to like, too! This DDR mix is almost entirely new songs, so I have tons of fresh material to experience (but not a single Jpop tune, unfortunately). The Groove Circuit mode that you play to unlock new items only requires you to dance your best - thankfully it doesn't want to you do any unnatural things like avoiding a certain arrow or whatever! So, I'm definitely going to give this game (and my feet) a workout, and if I like the next Wii DDR being released later this year, I'll even buy a better third-party Wii dance pad. I'm still not thrilled with the "tone" of Hottest Party, but I'm glad I decided to play it again and keep it in my regular DDR rotation!
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| Dance Dance Revolution: Disney Channel Edition / PS2 : 4 of 5 | |
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4.11.2008
7:44 AM | Link0 comments |
 Since a steady supply of fresh music is essential to keeping me addicted to DDR, I decided to buy this special Disney Channel version of the game, even though I haven't watched many of the featured shows (why didn't they make this back when I was a Lizzie McGuire junky?). I knew this game would have less songs than the average DDR mix, and truthfully I was expecting a simple rehash of DDR Supernova, but surprisingly, they really gave this game a distinctive look, and I like it! Of course, most of the music is from Disney Channel shows and movies, such as High School Musical, Hannah Montana, and a few other things like the Cheetah Girls, That's So Raven and Kim Possible (which is one of my favorite themes to dance to, actually!). The game comes almost totally unlocked right out of the box, so you can play Endless Mode right away! The only challenge to overcome is revealing a second outfit for each of the characters, which you can do by beating that character in a three-song battle (unfortunately, the Battle Mode makes such annoying noises that you can barely follow the music). The game itself has unique graphics, with lots of Disney Channel logos and character photos, and all of the characters are pretty well-animated with new dance moves (so rather than my old favorite DDR characters Emi or Alice, I have to dance with Miley!). To fill out the Disney songs, there are a few Konami tracks which are mostly totally new to me - I never knew a DDR tango could be so much fun. I've been enjoying this game for a few weeks now, and I have to say that all those positive lyrics eventually make me feel like I'm dancing at a Disney park!
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| Back to socks | |
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3.26.2008
5:57 AM | Link0 comments | I've been cranking out 20-25 songs on DDR everyday for the past several days, and all of that stepping has made my failing RedOctane Afterburner start to really annoy me. The down arrow just doesn't register half the time, and I tried taking it apart to clean it, swapping arrow panels, and so on, but nothing really helped. I've used the Afterburner for so long that I thought I could never go back to anything else, but since I've been a little more frugal lately, I wasn't prepared to shell out the big bucks for a new one just yet! So in an act of desperation, I dug under my bed (where I have about four other old forgotten DDR pads!) and found my trusty RedOctane Ignition pad. I decided to give it a try, and I'm loving it! Maybe all the years of playing with shoes on has made me appreciate the feel of socks again, but I can't believe how light and free it seems. It took me about five minutes to get used to it, and suddenly I was hitting 800+ combos again with no problem. I could never do that with a bum down arrow! So, I'm happy to say I'm really enjoying Endless Mode on Supernova 2, and I went ahead and got the Disney Channel mix for a little variety, which I'll start playing soon. It feels great to be in control of my dancing score again! |
| Dance Dance Revolution Supernova 2 / PS2 : 5 of 5 | |
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3.14.2008
5:50 PM | Link0 comments |
 Fresh after my victory with DDR Supernova, I decided to buy DDR Supernova 2, which has been out a long time, so it's great to finally play it! I've been doing some major stepping lately, playing almost everyday, shooting for my usual goal of unlocking Endless Mode, and I'm happy to say that I unlocked it today! So, this is a good time to write a quick review, which can be easily done by saying that DDR Supernova 2 is essentially the same game as the original, with nearly all the faults corrected! The best improvement is that Hyper Master Mode is someone easier (and less stupid) than the old Stellar Master Mode, and better yet, you can actually unlock everything in the game by sheer determination, since eventually items unlock based on total hours of game play (thank goodness!). The song list is actually pretty great (for my taste), since there are plenty of Jpop songs to keep me happy, as well as some songs that I just can't get enough of - I could dance to Dragon Blade over and over (and I have!), and I love Freeway Shuffle as well. As usual, there are several songs with videos, but unfortunately they didn't bother syncing them up (but I guess it doesn't matter since I'm watching the arrows anyway), including some awesome anime videos - I love playing Baby Tears with the Sky Girls intro (it makes me want to watch that anime!). Another cool tweak is the quick manga style character drawings that appear after 20, 50, and 100 step combos - Emi looks so cute! In order to earn the points to unlock everything, I played just about every mode possible, even Battle Mode, which is kind of fun if you enjoy those crazy options. DDR Supernova 2 is definitely one of my favorite mixes, and now I'm excited about enjoying the joys of Endless Mode!
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| Endless fun (and exercise) | |
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2.19.2008
12:46 PM | Link0 comments | DDR Supernova is notorious for being difficult to unlock, since you have to be able to buy every single song before you have access to Endless Mode (which is always my Holy Grail when it comes to DDR). Since I've been playing more recently, I decided to read up on the game and get some tips, so I was able to get much further on Stellar Master Mode than I had in the past, which got me a few songs. I really didn't think I had them all, but a couple days ago I realized that I had actually done it - Endless Mode was finally unlocked! I was totally surprised and excited, and I've been playing it ever since then and really enjoying it! I've got a new DDR game on the way, so I'll be playing that one soon, but I think I want to have some epic Endless sessions with this game for a while longer to celebrate! |
| Back on the arrows | |
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2.09.2008
8:02 AM | Link0 comments |
 Lately I've been starting to get into Dance Dance Revolution again, since it's probably the best form of exercise that I've ever done regularly. I love walking, but when it's cold or windy (or my allergies are getting to me), it's much easier to play a few games of DDR, which usually makes me sweat more than walking anyway! Since I've played the game for so many years, I've been a little burnt out - you can only listen to those songs over and over so many times! I actually bought DDR Hottest Party for the Wii, but it was incredibly disappointing (I didn't even review it here since it was so craptacular). So I decided to brush off the old PS2 again and see if I could get my interest back. Since I've been on hiatus for a while, it actually seems a little fresh. Of course, I had lost my stamina (but not my technique!), so I played through every single song on DDR Supernova in Beginner mode, which was boring, but improved my timing. Since then I've done the same thing for Easy mode, and now I'm almost through with Expert (I still prefer calling that Trick mode like the old days!). My old RedOctane Afterburner dance pad is still hanging tough, even though the down arrow sensor is going bad - it really only affects freeze arrows, though, and I'm not as obsessed with perfect scores since my main goal is working out. I guess pretty soon I'm going to have to buy DDR Supernova 2 (and maybe the Disney Channel version, too), which is exciting since playing a new mix is always cool!
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| Dance Dance Revolution Supernova / PS2 : 5 of 5 | |
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10.10.2006
10:32 PM | Link0 comments |
 At last the DDR drought is over with the latest official release from Konami, which is so much better than playing those lame knock-off games that I get sucked into! There's nothing like starting a fresh DDR release - checking out the new songs, new graphics, unlocking stuff, and trying to get A's on every song in every mode (even the boring easy stuff!). My biggest shock so far in DDR Supernova is the new dancers, who have all been re-created with really "human" moves - the new Emi character is so cute that I missed a bunch of steps the first time she was on-screen! There are also several songs with full motion video backgrounds, including old hits like Video Killed the Radio Star by the Buggles and Girls Just Want to Have Fun by Cyndi Lauper (and now I've seen that video at least 47 times). Several new concepts from DDR Extreme 2 have returned, such as the Shop where you buy (unlock) items with points you earn from dancing, but the new mission mode, now called Stellar Master Mode, is so much better. There are several tasks in checklists that you have to complete in each Stellar Joint (what a bizarre name), and then you can attempt to win a showdown for a VIP pass. The showdowns unfortunately include the weird tasks that I don't like - I hate being rewarded for playing "wrong" (such as complete this song, but never use the up arrow), but it's no big deal. Playing Stellar Master Mode puts new things in the Shop, and that's essential to keep unlocking new stuff. I can't wait to unlock Endless mode, but I think I have a lot of playing ahead of me! I don't think DDR will ever get old for me - I just hope Konami keeps it coming for years to come.
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| Dance Factory / PS2 : 2 of 5 | |
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9.14.2006
11:19 PM | Link0 comments |
 Such a tragic story - I remember seeing a magazine ad for Dance Factory back during the summer and instantly getting excited about every DDR maniac's "dream game". I'm sure everyone who plays as much as I do has hoped for the same thing - to be able to dance to any CD of music! Well, I survived the wait (including a couple of delays by the developers), and got the game - I had to buy it just to support the Bemani industry. Sadly, Dance Factory is more like Dance Frustration. There are some good points - the game does its job with generating dances for your own CDs, and the waiting time isn't too bad. Some of these dances are fun and the general graphic look of the game (which has to be fully loaded in PS2 memory) is fine with me. I really like Endurance mode, since it's fun to dance through a whole CD. OK, on to the bad stuff - the song analyzer is downright stupid (granted, I'm sure it's not an easy coding task). It tries to key off any prominent sound in the song, so anything with a syncopated beat can causing the timing to go wonky. Sometimes it guesses an incredibly slow beat for a fast song, and vice versa. It does an OK job with stuff like Kumi Koda and Heartsdales, but unfortunately can't deal with Morning Musume since their songs have so much going on that the waveform must be fairly even. But, even if I could forgive the bad dance timing, there's simply no accepting the switched arrow order - the up and down arrows are reversed from standard DDR, meaning that my well-trained brain who sees steps as pre-defined patterns naturally screws up. I can make the switch for the easier modes, but it's too much pain in Pro mode, which would be the most fun to play. Finally, I just have to say that the whole "creature" thing is a tremendous waste of code for the ugliest, most unnecessary feature ever included in a game. I would be twice as sad if DDR SuperNova wasn't just around the corner - I'll have some "real" fresh dancing soon!
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| Magic shoes | |
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6.23.2006
6:49 PM | Link0 comments | I'm glad it's the weekend, and I'm drinking a giant Sapporo Reserve to celebrate! I came home for lunch today to play some DDR - I've been playing a little more often recently, even though I'm totally dying for a new dance game (oh please, oh please, I hope Dance Factory isn't a dud!). Anyway, I've realized that I have a certain pair of sneakers that is perfect for DDR. A while back I started buying Sketchers all the time, since they are fairly cheap but still cool. The very first pair I bought is definitely worn out, but somehow they are constructed perfectly. I think my other Sketchers are possiblly a little too big, or too heavy, because they feel kind of clunky when I'm stomping out a fast beat. My old Sketchers are just perfect, so I'm going to keep wearing them until they fall apart, I guess! I was able to get a 1,700 step combo today, and I can't come close to that in my other shoes. Maybe my old Sketchers have magical powers? |
| New DDR high combo | |
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12.08.2005
9:28 PM | Link0 comments |
Here's a few totally random things thrown together to make a longer post!
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| 30 minute multitasking | |
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11.11.2005
5:28 PM | Link0 comments |
Last night I made up for my slacker time by doing my "30 minute multitasking" method. Whenever I feel like I have too much I need to do (or want to do), I can't decide what to focus on and I get paralyzed into doing nothing! To prevent that, I like to do one thing for 30 minutes, and then switch to another for 30 minutes, and so on. After a few hours go by, it feels like I've been working on everything all at once - just like a really slow multitasking processor! So, last night I cycled between video editing, Japanese study, and DDR. I went through my cycle three times, so everything got equal attention, stuff got accomplished, and I felt good about it! Speaking of DDR, I finally unlocked Endless mode on DDR Extreme 2 (it takes a lot longer to unlock things when you have to save up points to "buy" them)! Endless mode is my favorite way to play, so I did about 20 songs straight this morning. But then I accidentally reset the game (since I have to press tiny Start and Select buttons with my feet), so I lost today's points. Oh well, at least I didn't lose the exercise! |
| DDR Extreme 2 / PS2 : 5 of 5 | |
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10.04.2005
9:45 PM | Link0 comments |
 I usually don't review a video game until I've played it for weeks, but I just have to write about this fantastic new Dance Dance Revolution mix! It couldn't have come at a better time, since I've been playing my older mixes so often that I was getting desperate for new tunes. So far I am simply loving this new release - there so much new stuff to mention! I guess the biggest new addition is the revamped Mission Mode, which gives you various dancing challenges progressively, and they get mapped into a kind of chart. Playing this mode unlocks items that appear in the new Shop (things like special songs, dancing courses, and new outfits for characters), and then you "buy" these items with points you earn from playing the game! It's insanely fun, and it makes you want to play on and on (I got in three hours the day I bought the game)! There are tons of characters (basically everyone from all other mixes), and the graphics are slightly updated with more cool close-ups (although the shading on Alice's face makes it look like she has beard stubble!). There are about 70 songs altogether, with only a few classic repeats from past mixes (not counting new remixes of songs), and several of them are my favorites from the arcade (I love the goofy ones like Speed Over Beethoven). The whole game just feels totally polished, and I'm going to play it until my legs fall off! Let's DDR! |
| Sunny Saturday, rainy Sunday | |
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9.11.2005
2:15 PM | Link0 comments |
 This is the first rainy day Austin has seen in a while, and it makes me want to relax and watch anime all day (I've watched three episodes of Gatchaman already!). Yesterday was sunny, though, so I did lots of shopping - I finally bought some new sheets for my bed (since my parents are coming to visit soon), and I think these are the first new sheets I can remember buying in the past five years at least (probably longer). I also went to all my usual stores in the mall, and while I was in a game shop I heard the best news - DDR Extreme 2 comes out later this month! I'm sure everyone on DDR Freak has been talking about it for months, but I haven't checked the site recently, so I feel stupid that I didn't already know! Anyway, it's definitely time for some fresh DDR, since I've been playing more often lately (25 songs yesterday, in fact), so I can't wait! (That's my DDR girlfriend Alice in the picture, by the way!)My pal Matt made a request for a little movie of my 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea water globe to catch some of the exciting pulsating squid action! Well, it's not that exciting, but I threw a QuickTime movie together anyway (just shot with my regular camera's movie mode). You are basically seeing the bottom of the squid where his mouth is, which is a "beak" (and some squids really do have beaks, I think). Sometimes on the left side you can see part of an eyeball, but mainly it's just a bunch of tentacle suckers and the beak. Of course, I had to add the original movie soundtrack, which is a great score!  Watch movie: 20,000 Leagues Collectible
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| In the Groove / PS2 : 4 of 5 | |
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7.02.2005
4:54 PM | Link0 comments |
 All of you know that I'm a DDR junky, since I play nearly everyday. There's nothing better than playing a fresh mix of tunes, since it's so much fun learning new steps and unlocking new songs, so I was really excited when I heard about In the Groove, a DDR "clone" financed by RedOctane (who makes the Afterburner platform that I love so much). On the surface, In the Groove is just like DDR, but essentially is designed by experts with experts in mind. So, there are lots of high-difficulty songs, and new inventions such as mines (steps you have to not make!) and hands (three steps at once, meaning you have to bend down and hit the arrow with your hand!). There are also tons and tons of arrow modifiers, which are all sorts of ways to make the arrows do tricks to confuse the player (such as spinning, accelerating, or waving and drifting around). I've never been a fan of modifiers in DDR, but they actually are pretty fun on In the Groove! The bad news is that this game has some of the slowest load times I've ever seen, and that can be a real pain. The solution is to play Marathon Mode, which includes a large selection of 4-6 song courses with smooth transitions (and also include random arrow modifiers). There are definitely some great songs in the mix, but overall, I think DDR is just more "fun", since it has a sense of humor - In the Groove seems to be a little too stoic, which sounds funny, but it's true. However, that's not going to keep me from playing it, and I hope they come out with more mixes in the future!
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| Getting schooled | |
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6.02.2005
9:23 PM | Link0 comments | Last night I did some reading at Barnes & Noble and then headed over to Main Event around 9:30 to check out the night-time DDR scene. The place was really crowded, with lots of high school kids hanging out in the parking lot and filling up the arcade. There were some true DDR masters doing their thing - these kids were blazing through 9-footers with ease, and even accessing different options on the game that make the arrows move other speeds or react differently. It was amazing to see them play! When I got up there and played my 7-footers, I felt like I was moving in slow motion! Watching them was good, though, since I learned some lessons about staying loose, plus how to get to tons more songs that are kind of hidden in the game. There was also a guy playing doubles (both dance pads) on Pump It Up, and he was really dancing (doing some arm movements and stuff). It's like a whole new level I have yet to attain - maybe someday! |
| DDR five minutes away | |
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5.26.2005
5:57 PM | Link0 comments |
 My pal Ryan and I went to check out a new Dave & Buster's competitor that's close to our office for lunch today. It's called Main Event, and it's a huge place with tons of different activities, plus a large bar and a cafe area, too. Besides the arcade, they have a full bowling alley, a laser tag area, an indoor glow-in-the-dark miniature golf course, plus a huge rock climbing area - they even have some kind of motion simulator movie ride! We ate a quick lunch, then played some games in the arcade - it's smaller than the Dave & Buster's arcade, but they have lots of games from Japan! Yes, they have a DDR Extreme machine, so now there's a place close to me where I can go when I want that arcade experience! It was a blast to play, just because there are so many more songs than I have in my home versions. They also have other music games like DrumMania and Guitar Freaks - all Japanese imports! I think overall I like the adult atmosphere of Dave & Buster's better (Main Event is much more of a family place), but I'm anxious to go back and see what the DDR crowd is like in the evening or on the weekend. I'm going to blow so much money there!
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| Shoe Shoe Revolution | |
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5.21.2005
7:17 PM | Link0 comments |
 My DDR experience has just jumped up another level! I was starting to think about buying my third Ignition Pad, when I read that RedOctane was coming out with a new metal pad called the Afterburner. I read some information on DDR Freak from the product release party, and I decided to go for it (even though it's so new there's no real community opinion yet). I just got it earlier this week - it's 40 pounds of gleaming metal and I love it so far! The main reason I wanted to go metal is so I can play with shoes on, and it's a whole new experience. Just the subtle added weight of tennis shoes adds up over thousands of steps, so I seem to get a much better workout (and my ankles hold up much better with the added support)! I also really like hearing my feet tapping the pad, rather than the silence of a soft pad - I think I can time my steps even better when I hear my steps along with the music, kind of like a metronome. It feels really sturdy and the sensitivity is good - I was able to pass a few non-stop courses that I couldn't get through before, since I didn't have to worry about pad inaccuracy. I hope it holds up over time, because I'm really going to be playing on it a lot!
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| My moves aren't lame | |
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3.26.2005
8:20 PM | Link0 comments |
 Today I completed Endless Mode on DDR 3rd Mix - yatta! It's a great feeling to dance 55 songs in a row without stopping. I'm kind of amazed at how my skills have improved since I first started playing a few years ago. It's fun to go back to these old mixes (still playing faithfully on my old Japanese PSOne that my pal Matt bought for me) and smoke some songs that I had so much trouble with before. Now I actually like all those versions of Paranoia and Trip Machine!Speaking of DDR, RedOctane has joined up with a developer and their own dance game for PS2 will be out this summer! It's called In the Groove, and I'm sure it's going to rock - it's supposed to have about 70 songs (no licensed big hits, but as long as it's dance pop I don't care). I've already pre-ordered my copy so I get a free T-shirt. |
| DDR dilemma | |
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3.22.2005
10:56 PM | Link0 comments | I was planning on taking my iBook to Barnes & Noble to write a bunch of reviews, but the time got away from me. First I caught the last half hour of sun on my patio, then I decided to play some old-school DDR 3rd Mix. I wanted to try out Endless Mode, since I just recently unlocked it (my old mixes are kind of untapped since my moves weren't as good back then), but I couldn't get it to start. I would go to the Endless Mode screen, choose my settings, and then no matter what I stomped on, it wouldn't start! So, I tried digging around on the web, and before I knew it I had spent over an hour with nothing to show for it, and my iBook power was getting low. When I was giving up it dawned on me that since Endless Mode is a one-player game, maybe the controller has to be in the Player One slot (I always play in Player Two so I can pick the cute girl characters). I was right! So, I solved the mystery, but I didn't want to go out with a half-charged iBook, so I did a bunch of online Nihongo studying instead, which was fun anyway. |
| Least favorite DDR song | |
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3.08.2005
5:56 PM | Link0 comments | I finally played Dance Dance Revolution again after a couple weeks without playing - no time to dance while my pals were in town! It felt good to get moving again! Of course, somehow the game always manages to hit me with my least favorite DDR song, Absolute. I can pass it with no trouble, but I'm just so sick of the music. I don't even know what it is I don't like about it, since it sounds mostly like a regular goofy dance tune, but when it pops up, I'm always tempted to reset my Playstation! |
| Learning the DDR cross-step | |
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1.07.2005
7:50 PM | Link0 comments |
You may find it hard to believe, but after several years of intense Dance Dance Revolution playing, there are still techniques I have yet to master! I've only just discovered the brilliance of the cross-step (which I read about on DDR Freak), and now that I'm learning it, a new world of DDR is opening to me. The cross-step involves moves where your right foot steps on left arrow and vice-versa, which is hard for me, since over the years my feet have trained themselves to always hit their designated arrow. For fast songs, it's essential to alternate feet as much as possible, hence the need for the cross-step. (To be technical, the patterns that scream for this are Left-Down-Right, Right-Down-Left, Left-Up-Right, and Right-Up-Left.) The really hard part is remembering that after the cross-step is over, your foot is now on the "wrong" arrow, so you have to wind your way out of it somehow. Now I have to take to heart Yoda's words, "You must unlearn what you have learned."
I tried some instant udon noodles tonight, which is kind of like instant ramen, but with thick rubbery noodles. The noodles were great, but the seasoning packet was just short of yucky - kind of stinky, too. Guess I just need to go to Japanese restaurants more! |
| I can see a dream in my dance | |
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10.12.2004
7:58 PM | Link0 comments | Yatta! I just completed every single song in Endless Mode on DDR Extra Mix! That's 50 songs in a row, with no breaks - all one game (in Trick mode, of course) - over an hour and a half of dancing. My previous record was 33 songs in a row, but since I had been playing so much DDRMAX2 lately, I decided to give the old Extra Mix a whirl since I felt like seeing those cartoon nurses again (with the word balloon that says "I've waited so long time for this moment"). I was really happy when I hit the 34th song, and then I just decided to go for it all (gambarimasu!). When I finished it had a special message for me with a big omedetoo. Hurray for me! Hurray for DDR! |
| On with the revolution | |
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6.29.2004
9:32 PM | Link0 comments |
 Today I received my 4th RedOctane dance pad since I started playing Dance Dance Revolution. I think RedOctane products are top-notch, but everything wears out eventually (especially with me stomping on it thousands of times!). My first two pads were standard soft pads - the first one got zapped by static electricity, and the second one is still working pretty well, but has some tears in the vinyl. Then I got one of the first Ignition pads, but it had the original squishy foam insert that totally sucked, so I stopped using it. Later I ordered the new replacement hard foam, and became an Ignition lover. Recently I've been upping my DDR playtime, but one or more of the sensors in my Ignition pad has become totally erratic - especially during jumps. A couple days ago I got so peeved at it that I ordered a new Ignition right away. Now it's here, and I just scored an 800 combo on Endless Mode - one of my best combos ever! Wow, the difference it amazing - it's so great to have an awesome dance pad again!
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| Dance pad pondering | |
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1.05.2004
9:06 PM | Link0 comments |
 Yes, I've mentioned this several times before, but I'm still amazed that my good ol' RedOctane Dance Pad is so much better than my expensive Ignition Pad! I tried the Ignition this morning and that stupid left foot sensor kept frustrating me, so I played with the regular pad tonight, and got a 750 combo right off the bat (playing Endless Mode, of course). Someday I may have to spring for a Cobalt Flux pad, just so I can play with shoes on for a change. I haven't played DDR in an arcade in ages, and I just found out that the arcade that I used to go to is closed! There are plenty of other machines in Austin, though - maybe I'll check them out sometime.
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| Alice from DDR | |
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10.17.2003
6:17 PM | Link0 comments |
 I'm not the only one who's in love with Alice, the cutest little dancing bunch of pixels in the whole Dance Dance Revolution world - I found quite a few fan sites on the web looking for this image! Alice is adorable, even though she doesn't wear a short skirt like the other DDR girls. She's cool enough in her T-shirt and jeans, and don't forget those suspenders hanging loose from her waist, because that's her look, dude. Alice seems quiet and reserved with her Mona Lisa smile, but of course, she loves to dance!
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| DDRMAX2 / PS2 : 5 of 5 | |
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10.04.2003
1:41 PM | Link |
 I completely forgot to review DDRMAX, Konami's first US PS2 version of DDR, and now it's too late. It's also completely unnecessary, since DDRMAX2 is so much better! There's a large selection of songs, including some US releases (from artists like Dirty Vegas and Kylie Minogue), plus several of the songs have full screen artist videos! The videos are really cool, but steal your attention away from the arrows (so sneaky!). Tons of the songs have freeze arrows this time, which I have mixed feelings about, but I can deal with it. There are fantastic Nontop Mode courses, Endless Mode (which is awesome), and it's a ton of fun to unlock hidden songs and features (and the game lets you know your unlocking progress this time!). My favorite feature, though, is the return of the on-screen dancing characters (which they ripped out of DDRMAX), and they all look fantastic with crisp, smooth graphics. DDRMAX2 is an excellent game - great features, great songs, and a great mixture of difficulty levels to keep it interesting!
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| Dancin' away | |
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10.01.2003
9:15 PM | Link0 comments |
 Today's topic is DDR - I've been playing the new DDRMAX2 for PlayStation 2 (Last 5 review coming soon) and having a total blast! I played for an hour today (which is great for my current SportBrain challenge, since I really need the steps), and pretty much every day since last weekend. It feels great to break a sweat again. Here's a few random DDRMAX2 comments:
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| Dance Dance Revolution | |
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1.31.2003
9:41 PM | Link0 comments |
 Dance Dance Revolution (DDR) is an arcade game (also available for Playstation) where the player "dances" by stepping and jumping on arrows, following a pattern displayed on the screen. The experience in the arcade is complete with pumping dance music, flashing stage lights, and an announcer's voice proclaiming "The crowd loves you!" What seems like a simple game is soon revealed to be difficult and exhausting, but also immediately addictive!
I first saw DDR during my visit to Japan (where the game originated). My pals Matt and Barron and I were walking by an arcade where they had a DDR machine pushed out into the sidewalk so everyone could watch the spectacle! The players/dancers were fantastic - very athletic! I was pretty drunk on sake, but I remember thinking what a cool game it was. |
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9:40 PM | Link 0 comments |
 Many months later, while visiting my parents in Oklahoma City, I saw a DDR machine at the mall arcade - I had to try it. I failed the first song in about 15 seconds, and my first game of DDR was over. I stood there and watched other guys who were pretty good at it, and thought to myself that I could do that, too, if I could only practice.
Back in Austin, I started searching the web, and fell right into the lap of DDR-dom - I had no idea it was such a huge subculture! Tons of otaku like me working up a sweat to dance with cartoon women! I ordered the DDR USA version, plus a RedOctane dance mat, and even bought a Playstation 2 just to try DDR at home. I started out slowly, playing the 1-3 foot songs (the difficulty of a DDR song is measured in 1-9 "feet"). I remember being so happy when I full-comboed Boom Boom Dollar! (A full combo is completing an entire song without missing a single step.) I was also thrilled when I figured out "eighth note" patterns in the steps - I was on my way to becoming a master! |
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9:39 PM | Link 0 comments |
 I had to have more DDR, which meant buying import versions from Japan. Matt was cool enough to send me a Japanese PSOne, and I started buying up all the Japanese mixes I could afford. At this point I was playing DDR up to two hours straight everyday and passing 7 footers - I couldn't get enough! At lunchtime I would leave work and go play in the arcade, too. I actually lost over 10 pounds during this frenzy!
Eventually I revealed my addiction to my pals, and after a quick demo, I hooked most of them, too! I've never seen anyone play DDR and actually dislike it - not everyone may be good at it, but everyone has fun. My pal Tom even had a DDR party (with myself as coach), and DDR sessions have popped up at all kinds of get-togethers (Thanksgiving, Christmas, you name it!). I still play DDR several times a week at home, both for exercise and for fun. I'm always craving new music, so I buy new releases of DDR games they day they hit the market. Every now and then I can pass a 9-foot song, too! |
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9:38 PM | Link 0 comments |
 So, why am I a DDR freak? Lots of reasons! I like the goofy pop dance music, full of energy and life. The otaku in me likes that it's a Japanese invention, and the lazy bum in me likes that it gets me off my butt and makes me sweat. But mostly I would say it's the fact that DDR is larger than life - I can jump around and listen to the crowd cheer, and when the announcer says "I can see a dream in your dance! I can see tomorrow in your dance!", sometimes I actually believe it.
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| Dance Dance Revolution Konamix / PS1 : 5 of 5 | |
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9.07.2002
8:19 AM | Link0 comments |
 As many WEBmikey readers know, I've had this game for months! All DDR at home fans were excited by the release of this game, since it finally brought many excellent songs to the US audience, along with the great DDR 4th Mix graphics and interface (I've been playing these cool songs for a long time, but only because I have a Japanese PSone)! My favorite thing about Konamix is that it's become a kind of "greatest hits" of the songs I've loved playing on my import mixes. I'm not too fond of the scoring system - you have to get a full combo just to make an A! Still, I play Konamix all the time - now I can't wait until DDRMAX arrives in the US for PS2!
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| DDR victory! | |
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7.21.2002
2:54 PM | Link0 comments |
 Big Dance Dance Revolution news! Mikey has finally passed a 9-footer! I decided to just pick the first 9-footer on Konamix, Afronova Primeval, and keep going over it in practice mode until I got the steps down. When I finally passed it in game mode, I was so excited (and completely exhausted)! Nothing is impossible! (Of course, now I have 14 other songs to pass to finish the whole mix, which could take awhile!)
Last night Tom and I saw Into the Woods at Zilker Park at the outdoor theater - we had a great time. Of course, we spent the whole show drinking wine and taking breaks from the plot lying down on the blanket under the huge pecan trees. It was really nice seeing the stars between the giant branches - beautiful! |
| Dancing goal | |
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7.10.2002
8:04 PM | Link0 comments | I really want to "finish" a complete DDR mix. I've been groovin' and movin' much too long - I need to pass those 9-footers and live to tell about it! I've decided that I'm going to shoot for Konamix, since it's my newest mix and has such a wide variety of songs on it. I passed several 8-footers today, so next I need to starting playing the 9-footers in Training Mode. That should do the trick! |
| DDR Konamix | |
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5.09.2002
11:00 PM | Link0 comments | Today I finally bought Dance Dance Revolution Konamix (the second US DDR mix). So far it's really fun! I've played most of the songs before on all of my Japanese mixes, but it's cool to have all of the hits combined into one game - I've review it after I play it for a few days. |
| DDR Freak | |
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5.05.2002
4:07 PM | Link0 comments |
 There are quite a few DDR sites on the web, but DDR Freak is the best of the bunch. I check this site practically every day, mainly to read the latest posts to the forums, which are always busy with the freshest rumors on home mixes, dance pads, arcade tips, and so on. The site also has some great reference material - you can look up the step patterns to any song on any mix if you want to study them, plus find out hidden codes to unlock different modes of the game. They have also sold some great DDR Freak T-shirts (I have them all and wear them proudly)!
 Visit site
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| DDR sweat | |
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5.03.2002
7:42 PM | Link |
I've been having fun playing DDR lately (of course) - my newest thing is to play Diet Mode (which counts calories based on your weight and number of dance steps), and increase my goal by 10 calories a day. I started with a 200 calorie goal, and today I just did 310 calories - I don't think I've missed a day! I've been switching between the various mixes to keep it fresh (but I wish 3rd Mix had continuous play for Diet Mode!).
Now I'm trying to stop sweating before I leave for my gig tonight - GAH is playing at the Carousel, and we have a new singer to break in, plus two new cool songs: CHiPs and Starsky & Hutch! I'm going to wear my new Hawaiian shirt that I ordered from Honolulu (because if it's not from Hawaii, it's not an Hawaiian shirt). It has come to my attention (from a certain gaijin) that I write too much about blogging rather than about me. Never fear, I will endeavor to improve! I promise to include many more boring/interesting details about what I'm doing, thinking, and buying. So there! |
| Desktop and DDR | |
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4.04.2002
11:19 PM | Link |
I'm having fun using the new Palm Desktop for Max OS X - in fact, I bought a USB cable so now I can sync my Palm to both my iBook and my old, slow PC (using the cradle). I need to keep the PC synced so I can get my AvantGo content, which is the best reading material when you are stuck somewhere (waiting in line at the grocery store, sitting in the Chick-Fil-A drive-thru, and so on). It's fun to be able to download Palm apps using my iBook and sync them right away!
I received my Red Octane Ignition Pad! It's a really amazing dance experience - I passed three Maniac songs on DDR 5th Mix that I had never passed before the first time I tried it out. The arcade layout takes a little getting used to, mainly because it's easy to mis-select things when not dancing, but it's so nice to have a great new pad to continue my addiction. Speaking of DDR, my music tastes have been leaning heavily to dance lately, and I've discovered the Disco Kandi series! These are super-cool two CD sets of fantastic dance tunes with beautiful, creative packaging - I have sets 2 and 4 so far, and I love them! (My iPod loves them, too.) |
| Dancin' calories | |
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1.20.2002
3:04 PM | Link |
Ah, so nice to play DDR again after being too busy to play for a while. I just burned a nice 325 calories and had a blast! I played with the little boy character on 5th Mix for a change, and noticed that he licks his ice cream cone while he dances! So kawaii. (He also has a pink heart on the butt of his pajamas, but we won't mention that.)
My parents saw Lord of the Rings and loved it. I think that's so cool! |
| Spreading the revolution | |
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12.19.2001
7:42 AM | Link |
Last night there was some fun DDR action at my pals Chris and Eliza's house - they now have two dance pads! (You can send my royalty check any time, Konami.) I managed to pass many 7 footers, too. I have a feeling that I will have some real competition once they start really practicing!
I had a nice brisk walk with the iPod this morning - not too chilly, but oh so windy! |
| DDR results | |
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12.15.2001
1:55 PM | Link |
Today I'm wearing jeans one size smaller than usual, plus I know all the words to "Shake Your Booty"! Thank you, Dance Dance Revolution!
This endorsement not paid for by Konami, Inc. |
| Dance Dance Revolution Pals | |
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12.10.2001
7:26 PM | Link0 comments |
 One day I was browsing through my digital photos and realized that I had hundreds of shots of my friends playing DDR at various parties. So, I slapped some together into a little slide show set to the tune of "Dancing All Alone" (a favorite among my DDR crowd). Enjoy all the sock pictures! Watch video: DDR Pals Slideshow
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| DDR party | |
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12.09.2001
3:31 PM | Link0 comments | Last night Tom hosted a Dance Dance Revolution party, since so many of his friends have been bugging him to see what all the buzz is about. I played "coach" all night long - dancing along with the current player, clapping out rhythms, and generally being an encouraging cheerleader. I didn't sit down from 9:00 PM until 2:00 AM, and did so much dancing during that time (I danced little "exhibitions" when there was a gap in willing players)! Today my legs are worthless - my quads are sore and my calves are stiff - but it was a great time. |
| Tom's DDR Party | |
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12.08.2001
5:58 PM | Link0 comments |
So many friends were curious about DDR, so Tom had a party where everyone could join the revolution. View photos: Tom's DDR Party
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| Pump It Up pros and cons | |
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10.21.2001
5:28 PM | Link |
While I was working at Works, I used to make lots of trips to Dave & Busters to play games and have lunch. Now I usually stop in every two weeks or so just to see if they have new games. Today I went since I was buying a ramen bowl next door, and discovered that Dave & Busters finally has a dancing game - but they got the wrong one! Instead of getting Dance Dance Revolution, they got the "rival" game, Pump It Up (not by Konami). Hey, I still ended up playing for over an hour, but DDR is so much better. To be fair, here's the good stuff:
Now here's the bad stuff: Anyway, I had fun, but Pump It Up will never be my dance of choice. Having something at Dave & Busters is convenient, though, so I'm sure I'll play every now and then (sweat is still sweat, eh?). |
| DDR on campus | |
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10.20.2001
4:28 PM | Link | What a cool DDR day! I decided I had the guts to try out the arcade on campus (where are the younger DDR-ers hang out), and I also just had the urge to play on a newer machine (they have a brand new 5th Mix, while I usually only get to play an older 3rd Mix). Anyway, I got there and some other guys were playing (first time I've ever seen anyone else play in Austin) - one was really good, showing his friend some tips. When they finished I played doubles with the good dancer, which was cool because we weren't competing at all - just enjoying some sychronized fun. The machine was great, by the way, with excellent stereo and lights (the lights are the main thing missing at home). Another guy wanted to play, so I offered to play doubles with him, and that was fun, too. Then I continued to spend a full two hours dancing on that machine in an arcade with students filing in and out - at one point I had 8 people standing around watching (the pressure to not mess up is kinda cool). So, this was a new and amazing experience! Then I hauled my sweaty carcass next door and slammed a Gatorade. |
| Passing Paranoia | |
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10.14.2001
4:50 PM | Link |
I just passed a milestone on DDR 5th Mix! Previously I had never been able to pass "Paranoia Eternal", even though I had passed every single other song (in Basic mode). Today after several rounds in Training mode (which lets you slow tempo and hear handclaps for each step), I finally passed it with a B! I'm so stoked - that song is absolutely crazy at 200 BPM and full of off-beat, syncopated steps that I would hate to drum, let alone dance! Anyway, I did it!
I've started using an easy little service called BlogBack so you can comment on specific blog entries. It was simple to add, and it's kind of fun, so comment if you want to! |
| Japanese DDR | |
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10.04.2001
10:39 PM | Link |
The DDR madness continues - my pal Barron loaned me his Japanese Playstation console, so I quickly ordered the amazing new DDR 5th Mix (available only in Japan). I just spent two hours straight playing it - wow, what a game! The overall design and look of the game is so much cooler than DDR USA, with more characters to dance with, over twice as many songs, and lots of other new features! I had to play with every character, and I managed to get As and Bs on almost every song (in Basic mode, of course). I also like the more "bizarre" things the announcer says that don't appear in DDR USA - I even remember one of them from my sake-drinking evening in Japan. "I can see a dream in your dance! I can see tomorrow in your dance! We can call it - our hope." Man, talk about a deep compliment! Labels: ddr |
| My DDR secret | |
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9.30.2001
7:57 AM | Link |
It's time to reveal a secret that I haven't told my pals - I am a closet DDR junkie. "DDR" is Dance Dance Revolution, which is a popular Japanese arcade game that involves stepping on arrows in time with cheesy dance music. I first saw the game in Japan, and was amazed by it (probably because I was downing vending machine sake). Then I played one game of it while visiting my parents - I was terrible, but I kept thinking about it for days afterward. Next I found all kinds of DDR websites, and after reading those I broke down - I bought a Playstation 2, DDR, and a Red Octane dance pad (a large pad with the arrows that you dance on to play the game). Now I am hooked - I play at least an hour a day, and I'm getting good! My addiction has spread to arcades, too - I found a few DDR machines in town and I've been visiting on the weekends to play. I'm even good in the arcade now (though all that sweating in public is embarrasing)! If my obsession continues, I'm going to have to buy a Japanese PS One so I can play all of Japanese DDR games (which have lots more songs than the US version)! Labels: ddr |
| First try | |
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8.17.2001
3:53 PM | Link | I just tried my first ever game of Dance Dance Revolution (I don't know why I haven't seen one of these in Austin, but they have one in Oklahoma City!). I didn't do very well - the machine tried to break it to me gently by yelling, "Your moves are lame!" I think if I had the time and guts I could be good (yeah, sure I could). |
