Dance dance revolution and your choice of peripherals
May 19 '01
The Bottom Line Different choices for different situations
Congratulations! You have been lucky enough to purchase your own home version of Konami's Dance Dance Revolution. Perhaps you were the winning bidder on ebay, or the traveler returning from Japan, or the lucky soul who found a video game store that had a few games available for customers who came in just at the right moment. You are ready to spend countless hours practicing the dance routines at home so that you can be prepared and downright stylin on your next trip to Gameworks.
You now have a big decision to make: what peripheral should I use for home practice?
There are 2 major methods of play: simulated play with the controller, or actual play with a mat/pad of some form. While most folks with a playstation will already own at least one control, play with a mat implies the purchase of a peripheral that can be used exclusively with Dance Dance Revolution.
Lets discuss the controller method of play. Players can use a normal Playstation controller for either 1 or 2 player action. The arrows on the screen will correspond to the different directions on the controller; a player may use directions on both sides of the controller simultaneously. One very nice advantage of this play is that you can learn the rules of the game with the controller before adding the difficulty of whole-body play. One can also learn the routines for each track quite thoroughly by using the controller, especially since play time will be longer in the absence of physical fatigue. The controllers work very well-none of the buttons "stick", and play is as fast as your reflexes can handle! I advise this method for new players.
However, one will eventually want to become more physically involved in the game. I have also come to realize that after a certain point, practice with the controller is not transferable to performance on the mat. Thus, if one wants to prepare for arcade performance, mat practice is imperative. Lastly, practice on the mat can be an effective and fun method of aerobic exercise-in fact, one of the game modes is designed for "work-outs"!
You have two main choices of pads: the soft mat designed for (and now packaged with) Dance Dance Revolution, and the hard pad targeted at best simulating arcade play.
Most people playing DDR at home buy the soft mat variety. The major reason for this purchase: price. You can easily find a soft mad for under $20. Large electronic distributors and sellers on ebay will distribute these mats for around $16; if you buy yours on ebay, you will pay 6 to 10 dollars for shipping. The mat has all of the pedals that the arcade game has, which allows nice practice. The plastic is fairly sturdy and should not tear unless you wear shoes. This is a much better peripheral than the mats of Nintendo days.
However, there are some major concerns about the soft mats. Slippage, to some extent, is inevitable with the soft mats. Slippage between the floor and the mat can be reduced by either using the 4 adhesive pads that come with the mat (will anyone's mother actually let them stick these adhesives to the floor? I think not) or by sticking the adhesives to a piece of wood, plastic, or styrofoam. Personally, I choose to place the mat on the carpet, and it doesn't slide around too much on this surface; you will also protect your joints from repetitive stress by jumping on a carpet rather than a harder surface.
Unfortunately, there really is no way to decrease slippage between the 2 layers of the mat. There is a material that sounds like tissue paper between the top and bottom layers of the pad: these layers side over one another during play. This causes player distraction, possible falls, and a lag in play time. Again, these consequences seem to be minimized on carpet, but not entirely eliminated.
Your second choice is the hard pad. This pad looks exactly like the pads at the arcade, complete with flashing neon lights. Made of plastic, the mat is sturdy and prevents falls and movement of the arrows. There is no delay in play time. Using this pad best simulates arcade play. Unfortunately, this pads are difficult to find and will cost you a pretty penny. It is also worth noting that these pads are not manufactured by Konami or Playstation; various independent manufacturers market these pads. However, I have not heard any complaints about the durability or compatability of these products. Buying from an online video game company, the pad costs $100, and you can often purchase one an ebay for 60 to 80 dollars. Shipping is approximately $25.
Final recommendation? If you can afford it, and you know that you are a die-hard DDR fan, buy a hard pad. You'll probably get your money's worth. But for folks without the cash, those just getting into the game, and those without sufficient storage room for a hard pad, the soft mat isn't too bad. Heck, the arcade play will seem much easier after practicing at home with the soft pad.
Happy gaming!
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Member: Jennifer
Location: los angeles, CA
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No longer an editor, thanks a bunch Nirav.
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