Continue Your Dancing Routine In 8 Other Titles!
Dance Dance Revolution may not be as prevalent as other rhythm games. However, it made a significant splash in many individuals’ childhoods with its rhythmic based gameplay and iconic music tracks. This game continues charming individuals from households to arcades with its addictive and slightly competitive gameplay. If you’ve finished playing Dance Dance Revolution and are looking for alternatives – fret not! We’ve combed through the archives and saved you the hassle with our top 8 picks. Of course, for all the games we’ve reviewed, we’ve also added a handy link, so you can check out our full thoughts on that and see if it’s something you want to invest your time in. So without further ado, we present 8 games to check out if you’re looking for a game like Dance Dance Revolution.
Hatsune Miku: Project DIVA (Series)
Hatsune Miki is a famed virtual pop star in Japan. She’s as popular as Dragon Ball’s Goku. Instead of being a formidable fighter, she’s a talented singer. Eventually, someone aimed to capitalize on Miku’s popularity with the nerdy culture and granted her the Project Diva line of video games. Like Dance Dance Revolution (DDR), Project Diva is a series of rhythm games that feature popular songs from Vocaloid like Miki, Kagamine Rin and Len, and others. In these games, players will choose their favorite Vocaloid and be taken to a screen of them performing the song. In DDR and Project Diva, players must press several buttons according to the sequence on their screens. Project Diva utilizes four symbols that are light the direction inputs you’d find on DDR dance pads except replaced by a cross, circle, square, and triangle. Once those symbols overlap, players must time their presses accordingly. This series requires excellent timing and rhythmic ability. This game’s difficulty ranges from Easy to Hard. Project Diva provides gamers with an Edit Mode, that allows them to create their own custom music videos using in-game songs or custom music. This is a step above DDR, which essentially has you play with the music provided.
Just Dance (Series)
Just Dance feels like a spiritual successor to DDR. This game promotes physical health and dancing just like that franchise. This is a motion-based dancing game that includes a nice mix of classic and modern songs. This game awards its players via their accurate portrayals of select dance moves. Each round will feature a slew of different moves for players to imitate. The pictorials they’ll need to mimic will appear in the bottom right corner of their screen. Like most rhythm games, Just Dance offers players opportunities to earn bonus points by striking poses or completing challenging dance moves. This is one of those dancing games that can help players lose some pounds. Unlike DDR, this game awards players who take its routines seriously and imitate the moves effectively. Just Dance 2023 plans to take the series to a new level by granting players access to an online mode where they can set up dancing group sessions with friends.
StepMania
Due to DDR’s fame in the early 2000s, many games aimed to replicate similar success. StepMania was a gaming project that was planned to serve as a competition for DDR. However, it would evolve into an extensible rhythm game engine that’d support different game types of this music genre. Like DDR, this game featured four directional arrows that’d move upwards on your screen. Once they make contact with the stationary arrows, you’d press the corresponding arrow on your keyboard or dance pad. The game’s arrows would always align with the beat of each song. You’d receive an accurate score based on how many successful attempts you make. While scoring was relatively the same as DDR, StepMania included a few new tidbits to its title. If players hit all the directional input at the same time, they can achieve a “Full combo” title alongside their grade. In addition to offering players the chance to tamper with the product, StepMania was a ground-breaking rival to Konami’s beloved DDR series.
Dance Central Spotlight
Dance Central Spotlight was one of Microsoft’s attempts at gathering more casual gamers to their platform. This game promotes dancing and features a variety of memorable tracks like DDR. This game was made for Microsoft’s Kinect peripheral and involves players mimicking motions on their screen to gain points. Like other rhythm games, you’ll receive a grade based on how many dances move you successfully mimicked in a timely fashion. The motion controls in this game felt accurate and fair. While the selection of music it offers is subjective, there is a decent variety of tracks that’ll get you motivated to bust some dance moves. Many critics praised this title for its simple interface and swiftness to get in you into the gameplay. While a new installment feels less likely, its current entries hold up well. If you have an old Xbox 360 system lying around and want to get into shape, check out Dance Central.
In the Groove (Series)
Do you remember StepMania? In the Groove is a series that benefitted from StepMania’s open-source game engine. Its developers at Roxor Games aimed to capture the rhythmic-loving audience DDR spawned, but Konami ended up securing the intellectual property rights of the series from them in 2006. Regardless, In the Groove was a carbon copy of Konami’s DDR in every way. In it, players must step on one of four arrows as soon as they align with the stationary arrows on their screen. The game featured similar special inputs where the players would hold or rapidly tap notes to achieve better points. If players miss more than 30 notes in a row, the game closes, resulting in the player’s failure. This game offers an assortment of judgment calls ranging from “Fantastic” to “Miss”. There are options where players can tackle songs without needing to worry about failing. You’d receive a letter grade at the end which varies based on your percentage. This is a series fans may stumble across in gaming restaurants like Chuck E. Cheese or Dave & Buster’s. If you ever see a unit lying around in any of these facilities, give it a shot.
Zumba Fitness: Burn It Up
Zumba Fitness: Burn It Up differs from previous entries. While the game focuses on getting your body moving through dancing, it feels leans heavily into exercising. Unfortunately, the game lacks a practice mode, which is unfortunate given the dances it wants you to mimic and learn. The dances range from simple to complex. While players with experience can burn through this game with no issues, others may find it troubling. Some dance styles you can expect from this title include the merengue, salsa, hip hop, and others. This game is jam-packed with iconic hit songs including I Like It” by Cardi B, Bad Bunny & J Balvin to “Level Up” by Ciara. Burn It Ups live-action segments are well done, as players will adore the various backdrops and instructors this title offers. Like other fitness games, you can set personal goals and share your achievements with friends. If you’re searching for a dancing title with some iconic tracks, check out Zumba Fitness: Burn It Up!
Dance Masters
Dance Dance Revolution and Dance Masters were brought to you by the same creators. Dance Masters features 30 tracks, including hip-hop, R&B, pop, and techno. The game received a mixed reception upon its 2010 launch because it lacked music variety and a robust practice mode. However, many players refute those claims, saying the title doesn’t pressure players to learn complex dance moves. Your focus is to score points and move instead of mimicking the dance styles you watch on screen. Messing up routines is a part of this game’s DNA. It’s a title meant to get you and your family together to enjoy a night of hilarity and peace. Check this game out if you have an Xbox 360 and a Kinect peripheral.
FLOW: Urban Dance Uprising
Considering DDR’s success as a rhythm dancing title, many companies insisted on joining the bandwagon. They aimed to deliver an experience that was on par with it. Enter FLOW: Urban Dance Uprising, a game that looks and functions like DDR but with minor differences. Instead of J-pop music, players received an assortment of hip-hop-themed music. However, it includes songs from artists across the world. The gameplay is nearly identical to DDR, as you will utilize dance pads from that title to play this game. Like DDR, you’ll use your feet to tap an arrow as soon as it lines up with its stagnant copy on the screen. There are slight twists in FLOW, though. For instance, when you strike the arrows at once, you’ll receive a visual cue indicating a chain effect. Gamers can raise the difficulty of a song while playing it. You do this by tapping on an area outside the Rhythm arrows. If you’re searching for a decent Dance Dance Revolution clone, check out FLOW: Urban Dance Uprising. So there we have it, our 8 video game picks to keep you busy after playing Dance Dance Revolution. What do you think of our picks? Do you agree? Are there any notable omissions? Let us know in the comments below!
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