I’m a big Dance Dance Revolution fan. The series has even helped me lose weight. The exercise is actually fun and the game provides a challenge. That being said, it was only a matter of time before we felt like we are paying full price for essentially the same game. Unfortunately that’s the case with Dance Revolution SuperNova 2.
The DDR phenomenon has taken over athletic clubs as well as people’s homes. By using a dance pad, you follow the arrows on screen which are usually timed with the music beat on five different difficulty levels; the lower the level, the slower the speed. At the most difficult level, the arrows are coming insanely fast and if you don’t keep up, your dance meter drains and you lose.
The original SuperNova game was the first DDR game that I played and enjoyed, so I was really looking forward to the sequel which provides over 100 minutes of music and 70 songs total. While there is online, there is no content download (remember this is the PS2), so you have to work with the music that ships with the game. DDR 2 is available as a package with a PS2 DDR pad or available stand-alone. If you already have a pad, there is no need to pick up the full package unless you need another one as the controller has not changed. Like the original Eye Toy support is included but really not a lot of fun.
The set list is an eclectic mix. There’s an obscure Britney Spears song, Gwen Stefani’s “Wind It Up,” and Justin Timberlake. If you like High School Musical, Ashley Tisdale’s latest “He Said She Said” is here. For fans of the 80s, there’s Bobby Brown and a-ha. Of course, a DDR game wouldn’t be complete without some J-pop and that’s here as well. The music mix is pretty good; however the song choices are a little odd. Of all the Britney songs they picked “And Then We Kiss” which I hadn’t heard until this game. Part of the fun is discovering new music, but when you think Britney Spears, you aren’t thinking “And Then We Kiss.” (You’re most likely thinking Sanitarium – ed)
The DDR series is usually an up tempo workout – the higher the beats per minute in the songs, the better. However, in SuperNova 2, maybe they received too many complaints about the game being too hard because some songs are actually too slow – you hit an arrow here, wait, hit another arrow there, go have lunch and hit the up arrow. On the other hand, some songs are very difficult so the culture shock between the slow and the fast song is quite a hit to your system.
Everything that was supported from the last game is here: Eye Toy support, online play, training mode, and advanced mode. Personally the workout mode was where I play the most as it records my weight and calories and helps me track my progress. The only thing new is an enhanced “master mode,” which is called “Hyper Master Mode.” Instead of just dancing through songs you’ll have to complete missions which can be extremely challenging – you must have a certain amount of “dance meter” left or only complete certain steps. While that’s not all that new, there are now boss battles that add to the challenge. Again, these levels are certainly not cakewalks.
The graphics and controls have remained the same – there are no new moves in this version of the game. Basically the only thing different here is the addition of the “hyper master mode” and a new soundtrack, although if you’ve played DDR across all systems, not all the songs will be new (a-ha has been around on other consoles, for example).
Online gameplay is available, but good luck finding anyone to play. When you find someone to play, there’s no lag and it can be an enjoyable experience, but leaving your PS2 on all day waiting for someone to sign on is an exercise in frustration.
