The Dance Dance Revolution, or DDR games, are over a decade old now. How well do they hold up in a modern world of motion sensors?

First, let me make clear that I'm not a Luddite :). I do actually own a PS3 and PS4. I own all sorts of games that make use of the more modern technology. So why do I keep going down into my basement and having fun with the ancient PS2 and its plastic dance pad?

Maybe the answer lies in the precision of the game. When I'm waving my arms around and having sensors guess if I'm doing something right, there's always some slop involved in that. In comparison, that dance pad needs you to be exactly on point. You have to hit your foot THERE at that exact moment for it to count. It's the same reason I adore the Rock Band / Guitar Hero games. You're actually playing along with the song and the rhythm matters.

Also, even compared with the other DDR games, DDR Extreme has a number of great features. When you're playing you can easily sort to your favorite songs, which puts your playlist right there in front of you. Then you can easily play in loops of three without stopping. It bugs me to no end in some of the other versions that they kick you out after a set and you have to start afresh. Here, you can just keep going until you're ready to quit.

Sure, the songs are a bit dated at this point - but I still love them. There's just something classic about tunes like "Ladies Night" and "Only You." I'm sure we all have songs we like and dislike on each game, and that's fine. What matters is finding a group that you enjoy and then dancing away to them.

Best of all, you can now get the game for pennies on Amazon and most other systems. So even if you had to buy a PS2 to go with it, and a dance pad, it'd probably still cost less than most other games do on a modern system. Which, considering this is also an exercise device, is a real win in my mind.

Highly recommended! I also recommend getting a foam mat to go beneath the dance pad, to help extend its life.

Buy DDR Extreme from Amazon.com

I purchased this game with my own funds.

To read my original review of this game, back over ten years ago:

DDR Extreme Review