Dance Dance Revolution II

Dance Dance Revolution II (DDRII for short) is a game in the Dance Dance Revolution franchise. It follows the basic gameplay of the series. DDRII features both elements of the arcade versions DDR X2 and DDR X3.

Hardware

The pads provided with the DDRII are similar to the original pads provided with the Playstation versions, which are in turn similar to the Power Pad. They feature a thin foam matting covered by a plastic top layer with the pressure sensors sandwiched between the two layers. Small Plus (+) and Minus (-) buttons are positioned at the top of the pad and the two upper diagonal spaces are used for the A and B buttons. The pad is used for both the gameplay and menu navigation.

Common complaints about the foam pads often stem from the fact that one must look down at the pad to assure that they still have their feet aligned with the sensors when the recessed pads on the arcade version do not present this problem. Another common problem with home pads is "traveling", where pads shift across the floor during play due to poor traction. In addition, the thin mat failed quickly when used with shoes, yet provided little padding when playing on hard floors, making barefoot and sock play an uncomfortable alternative.

Because of widespread dissatisfaction with the foam dance pads, "hard" versions were sought out by players. They allowed for more precise inputs, despite their higher expense. They could be found on eBay for between $100 and $500 dollars.

Gameplay

Gameplay is similar to previous editions of DDR. The game forgoes special modes, focusing on training, workout, learning the game, and playing the game instead.

Different difficulty songs had different steps. The higher the player pushed themselves, the higher their score. Players can also select their dancing "avatar" from a list, including a few Konami employees who have worked on the DDR games.

Successfully timing footsteps to the arrows adds to a life bar. Missing them completely will subtract from it. Steps were graded in the accuracy of their timing. Scores ranged from "marvelous" to "miss." Anything lower than a rating of "good" on a step would break the combo chain, lowering the player's score multiplier.

If the life bar is ever emptied, the player fails and play of that song ends immediately. At the end of a song, the player is given a summary of their performance and a letter grade in addition to the score earned. The biggest penalty in your score came from missing notes entirely.

Returning for the first time since DDR 5th Mix is long version songs. These are selected prior to selecting a difficulty. Step ratings have also been expanded to the 20-point scale first found in DDR X.

Soundtrack

Total song count: 85