Friday, October 5, 2007

Dance Dance Revolution: Hottest Party




After achieving success on other platforms, it was only a matter of time before the Dance Dance Revolution franchise found its way to the Nintendo Wii. The only question was how Konami would incorporate the system's unique motion controls into its instantly recognizable gameplay. Fortunately, it did a good job with Dance Dance Revolution: Hottest Party, which hit shelves this week.

Along with using one's feet to step on the included dance mat's four pre-set arrows, the Nunchuk and Wii remote must be held in the left and right hands, respectively. Parts of a song require you to shake your hands along to the beat. Getting he timing right takes practice, but once you do, you'll realize that this feature enhances the experience.


Also thrown into the game are new "gimmick" icons. These push the gameplay to a more upbeat level, particularly within multiplayer competition. Against another dancer, you can rebound missile icons their way, which shut down their dance meter if they don't successfully step it off. Other "gimmicks" include a frozen arrow that must be hit twice in succession, blocker arrows that obstruct portions of the screen if missed and confusion arrows that circle about madly, only to slot into one of the other arrows at the last second. These keep hot-steppers on their toes.



Groove Circuit Mode allows you to bounce from place to place as you accomplish goals and unlock new venues and songs. Free Play Mode lets you select whatever songs and characters you prefer and supports up to four players. (Unfortunately, additional dance mats haven't gone on sale yet, although the game supports Wii remote and Nunchuk gameplay.) Workout Mode serves a greater purpose, as folks can dance off their excessive weight while the game tracks calorie burn. In addition, the game tracks personal records, allowing you to compare your achievements against another player's

Visually, the game isn't amazing, but the backgrounds are vibrant and the on-screen characters look cute. The song list, though, could've used more variety. It's great to hear classic hits like "Disco Inferno" and "Rhythm Is a Dancer", but was it really necessary to turn mainstream songs like "Clocks" and "Lips of an Angel" into dance tunes? "Karma Chameleon" is almost completely unbearable. Fortunately, some better songs are unlockable over the course of the game, with enough groovy beats to make up for the lackluster selections.



Although the cost of the overall package is questionable $70 for the game and one dance mat, Dance Dance Revolution: Hottest Party is one of the more engaging entries in the series. The addition of hand movements and battle gimmicks keep things fresh, as they tie into the already worthwhile Workout and multiplayer modes. If you're all about dancing, then this Party deserves an immediate RSVP.




Posted by wii-play at 12:32 PM
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