Dance Dance Revolution has been out for consoles since the PlayStation 1, so it was only a matter of time before it was released for the Xbox 360. The most recent release for the PS2, DDR SuperNova was probably the most complete and satisfying DDR game out there until now. Needless to say, expectations were high for the Xbox 360 release. The thought of downloadable content and custom soundtracks danced in gamer’s heads…

Well, let’s shoot those dreams down right now: there are no custom soundtracks available in the game, nor, almost 45 days after release, has downloadable content been released either for the game, which is a pretty big disappointment. One hopes that this content is released soon.

The game which was released in February sells with one dance pad for $79.99. This dance pad of course is incompatible with the PS2 pads so you’ll have to repurchase them for the 360. Thankfully the connection on the 360 is via USB cable, so this should not be a problem going forward if there’s a PlayStation 3 release of DDR. Extra dance pads are $40 each. You can buy just the game for $50 and use a regular controller, but the whole idea of the game is to get on your feet and be active.

The basic concept of DDR Universe has not changed from the other DDR games. There are four directional arrows on screen, and you must press the button using your foot or 360 controller that correspond to the arrows which move with the beat. By stepping on these patterns of arrows you become quite the dancer. When you choose a song in the quick game mode, you can also select a difficulty level. Beginner is insanely easy and best for children while basic is the ‘normal’ mode of the game. Difficult, expert and oni are definitely not for the sedentary as you’ll be jumping around quite a bit on the arrows.

I am not sure what is inherently great about something as simple as stepping on arrows, but the game is indeed fun, especially with the music available in game. Some of the songs scream Japanese (J-Pop), but there are also some great video game remixes (like Castlevania and the 8-Bit Mix) in there as well. Name brand artists are also there, including Depeche Mode, Chris Brown, and New Order. The tracks are usually remixed for a club which of course means more steps to take and a better workout – however you may have to make an adjustment from the song you are familiar with to the remixed song.

There is no doubt that if you want to lose weight while playing games, DDR is a much better workout than Wii Sports because you are always moving around and the great music adds to the atmosphere. In fact, there is a workout mode in the game which, after entering your weight it keeps track of the number of calories burned and time played. I have been doing a blog for GameShark going over my new found fitness. In 2 weeks I have lost 3 pounds without doing much as far as diet is concerned but instead playing DDR for approximately 20 minutes per day. I’m gere to say that getting exercise from a video game is fun and enjoyable and much better than a stupid treadmill at a club.