Dance Dance Revolution X
Encyclopedia
Dance Dance Revolution X, abbreviated DDR X or simply X, is a music video game
, and a part of the Dance Dance Revolution
series. DDR X was originally announced by Konami
on May 15, 2008 for the North America
n PlayStation 2
. The arcade
version was announced on July 7, 2008, July 9, 2008 in Europe, and July 10, 2008 for North America. Released to celebrate the 10th anniversary of Dance Dance Revolution
, DDR X sports an improved interface, new music, and new modes of play. The arcade release will feature a new overhauled (second generation) cabinet design
with a widescreen display, e-Amusement
and USB access, and an improved sound system. Despite such new design of its arcade cabinet, upgrade kits to change the edition of DDR on its first generation arcade cabinet from SuperNOVA2 (or earlier) to X is available. The PlayStation 2 release will have link ability with the arcade machine, multi-player support over LAN
, and other improved and returning features such as EyeToy
support. DDR X is being called a "truly global version", with a planned multi-platform, multi-regional release by all three major Konami houses.
and Dance Dance Revolution Hottest Party 2
. DDR X is intended to be released as part of the 10th anniversary of Dance Dance Revolution. Konami promised that at least 70 songs would be featured in this release and that DDR X would bring with it enhanced graphics and new modes of play. Also promised was LAN multi-player support for up to 8 players, an upgraded Workout Mode that will allow players to build their own regimen, new dancing characters and the return of existing features such as EyeToy support.
On the same day, Konami released gameplay preview images and video that showcased new graphical content. Three songs, two that had previously premiered on SuperNOVA 2 and its Japanese PS2 version (Poseidon and TimeHollow) and one that was new to the Dance Dance Revolution series, "Taj He Spitz", were also displayed in this media.
During the E3 gaming convention on July 15, 2008, additional information was revealed about the North American PlayStation 2 game, announcing that Dance Dance Revolution X would feature classic gameplay as well as new gameplay. The difficulty rating scale was extended resulting in existing songs in the series being re-rated to compensate. The Shock Arrow feature was also playable. Previously licensed music from earlier DDR series has returned including Me & My's "Dub-I-Dub
" and Smile.dk
's "Butterfly". GameSpot
's reporters announced that the game was expected to be released sometime during Fall 2008. Additionally, new gameplay screenshots were revealed at the same time showcasing new features like new and returning dancing characters, a new Workout Mode, LAN network gameplay and returning modes such as Battle, Edit, Training and Street Master Mode. A successor to the previous Master Modes, Street Master Mode is akin to Quest Mode from Dance Dance Revolution Ultramix 3
. Moving across a map, players guide themselves from one dance challenge to the next, meeting new characters and visiting different locales along the way.
The game was released on September 16, 2008. In addition to the aforementioned features, the PS2 version also contains "Xmixes", several nonstop mixes containing several songs each.
(a DDR and music gaming fan community, with a particular emphasis on the European market) that said DDR X would be a "truly global version", mentioning that the Dancing Stage name would be dropped in favor of Dance Dance Revolution, confirming the game's pending release in Europe as an arcade title. The press release went on to say that the arcade cabinet and hardware would get a fresh, new look and feel. Naoki Maeda, one of the sound producers for the Bemani
series, pointed out on his TËЯRA
blog that repeated requests from the fans of DDR were partially responsible for the decision to redesign the game's hardware.
Konami held a private party on July 10, 2008 to showcase the arcade version of Dance Dance Revolution X in Japan, revealing additional information on the upcoming game. Improvements included a widescreen LCD display, better sound system, new modes of gameplay, a link system between the arcade and PlayStation 2 version of the game, the ability to publish step edits across all arcade machines via e-Amusement using a standard USB drive and a new type of arrow called a Shock Arrow, one that is to be avoided instead of stepped on. Konami promised that there would be at least 60 new songs featured in DDR X, in addition to having the "strongest" songs of the Dance Dance Revolution series returning from previous DDR games. Konami also announced the North American DDR X arcade through their DDR Online Community website.
Location tests also revealed enhancements to the interface, such as a new "screen filter" option (which adds a transparent shaded area behind the arrows to improve visibility), a full combo "splash" effect animation (white for a Marvelous combo, gold for a Perfect combo, and green for a Great combo), and colored combo numbers which indicate the status of a combo colored the same way (which however, was absent on the US PS2 version).
An issue of Arcadia Magazine confirmed other details, such as the presence of some of the "x-edits" and licenses from the US PS2 version, Koko Soko by Smile.dk
and announced that there would be a collaboration song with Naoki and Smile.dk present.
A post on Konami's development blog website announced that the arcade version of Dance Dance Revolution X would be released in Japan on December 24, 2008. A December 20 posting confirmed that songs from the home version DDR Hottest Party
would appear on DDR X, demonstrated by a screenshot showing new doubles steps for a song inferred to be from one of the Hottest Party games and a dance stage backdrop from the game. The December 22nd post confirmed that "will" by Naoki (from the original Hottest Party game) would appear on DDR X, also showing a dance stage from the game branded with the logo of a recently released DDR game.
The North American release was prepared at the 2009 ASI Expo in Las Vegas, Nevada
in March, which revealed that the game would be released in North America by May, and that e-Amusement
service would be available for a monthly subscription on launch. Minor adjustments also revealed included a reversion back to use of the left and right buttons rather than up and down for song selection on the new cabinet, and that changes would be made to the cabinet as well to reduce costs including the removal of some of the lighting. Additional design changes were made for the final cabinet, significantly altered from the designs that had been previously exhibited and released outside of the country.
USB flash drive
(which can be used with the link features), and other items.
The gameplay of Dance Dance Revolution X continues the gameplay introduced at the beginning of the series. DDR X contains returning Konami Originals and classic licensed tracks as well as new songs by Konami and label artists. Despite the new overhauled cabinet design available, the dance stage
layout remains almost completely unaltered to the original, except in North America, where aesthetic changes were made to cut costs in production.
The scoring system from Dance Dance Revolution SuperNOVA 2
is retained in this game. Since the step rating for shock arrow is similar to freeze arrow, their values is the same.
Difficulty ratings ranging from 1 to 10 are shown with yellow blocks, and 11 to 20, overlapping the first ten, in red. Existing songs in the DDR series included in DDR X are re-rated to reflect the new range. No songs, new or otherwise, in X had songs rated higher than 18, though a song in Dance Dance Revolution X2
, Valkyrie Dimension, goes up to 19 on Single/Double Challenge.
.
has also returned, players are able to make edits with the Japanese PS2 version of Dance Dance Revolution X and play them on the Japanese arcade version. Although the ability to use PlayStation memory cards for edit data between arcade and console versions was present between the special "link version" of 2nd Mix and Extreme, X utilizes USB flash drive
s for this functionality rather than PlayStation memory cards. The Japanese PS2 version of Dance Dance Revolution X can export edit data from it, and any other Japanese DDR home version onto a USB drive.
In the United States, SD cards will be used for edits instead of USB flash drives. A program will be released for PCs that will allow users to create and share edits to save to these cards.
Another new feature of edits is the ability to publish player edits on the arcade machine. Each machine can hold up to one hundred player edits, and the machine eliminates old edit data based on popularity. Konami has also announced that the "most popular" edits will be chosen on a weekly basis to be published on all X machines connected to Konami's e-Amusement online service.
Unlike previous versions however, different extra stage songs may become available if certain conditions are met. Playing songs whose difficulty levels add up to 27 during the last 2 stages, 40 during the last 3 stages, 53 during the last 4 stages, or 66 during the last 5 stages will unlock Saber Wing (Akira Ishihara Headshot Mix) by TAG for the Extra Stage. Getting AA on this song will unlock on the bounce by Neuras. Another condition also unlock one more song on Encore Extra Stage. By adding up the difficulty levels on previous stages as well as Extra Stage (40 for 3 stages, 53 for 4 stages, 66 for 5 stages, and 79 for 6, all including Saber Wing (Akira Ishihara Headshot Mix)) will unlock Trigger as Encore Extra Stage.
X-Specials, special edits of boss songs from previous versions, can be unlocked for the Extra and Encore Extra Stages using varying criteria based on songs from their respective version.
functionality has increased on Dance Dance Revolution X. Players can now specify rivals, and regional high scores are now displayed before a song begins. Patches for song timing and the unlocking of new songs have also been distributed to machines over the network. e-Amusement service will also be offered outside of Asia for the first time, as US machines will ship with e-Amusement card readers, and arcades will be able to register for a monthly subscription to the service. e-Amusement service for DDR X has ended on Japan as of September 1, 2010
Unfortunately, e-Amusement was never offered to arcades after the release of DDR X. It was said from a Konami representative that a partnership with the Brunswick Zone arcade chain had fallen through and they have yet to find an interested partner for the service.
, Japan
and ended July 23, 2008. The first test location featured a somewhat-complete machine. The machine did not feature many of the music videos that will be in the final version, USB support, or e-Amusement support. Several new Konami tracks were spotted by players, though only one song was seen with the Shock Arrow feature and no licensed tracks had yet been revealed. The second location test in Japan started on July 25, 2008 in Osaka
, Japan
and ended on July 31, 2008. The second test location featured a new version of the game software with more accurate difficulty ratings, fixes for bugs seen during the first location test, and licensed music.
On August 26, Konami announced that a location test for X would be held at Boomers! Parks
in Irvine, California
. This was the first announced location test of Dance Dance Revolution X for North America. The test began on September 8, 2008 and ran until September 14, 2008. A location test for UBeat was also held alongside the X test.
Konami also announced that there would be location testing of Dance Dance Revolution X in the coming months in Europe prior to the arcade machine's global release. Dance Dance Revolution X and UBeat appeared at the 2009 ATEI Expo in London
in January 2009, featuring the same build as seen at the Irvine tests. The cabinet used was moved to Trocadero Funland
after the expo.
gave the PS2 version of Dance Dance Revolution X a 5.4/10 ("mediocre"), noting that Street Master Mode was neither "good or bad", noting the dropping of online multiplayer and the previous mission mode and shop system from the previous version. The new announcer was also criticized, stating that it has the "most annoying lines, voices, and attitude ever". The visuals were also criticized as being blocky, with the UI being described as "ugly and unpolished". 1UP's Torrey Walker gave the game a C-, describing Street Master Mode as "painfully dull and repetitive". The soundtrack was described as "a clutter of uninspiring off-brand dance tracks, with captivating licensed songs few and far between" (citing a poor stepchart for U Can't Touch This
), and the announcer was dubbed "unintentionally hysterical". However, the wide variety of game modes (including workout mode) was mentioned as a plus, and suggested the game as an alternative to Nintendo's Wii Fit
.
However, Cheat Code Central
gave the game a 4.1/5 saying that "The music here is quite well balanced and, no matter what beats you find yourself attracted to, you’ll find something to appreciate in DDR X." and "Graphically, this title looks very good despite being on the aging PlayStation 2". PlayStation Illustrated gave the game an 88/100 citing the new rating system and the $29.99 price tag in its reasoning.
. Significant changes to the construction of the pads themselves were also made, including the pad being covered by one piece of metal rather than the traditional design of separate panels (with its connection to the main cabinet covered by a metallic platform), and lower quality sensors in the pads themselves, all inferring that the manufacturers cut corners in the construction of the cabinets.
Music video game
A music video game, also commonly known as a music game, is a video game where the gameplay is meaningfully and often almost entirely oriented around the player's interactions with a musical score or individual songs...
, and a part of the Dance Dance Revolution
Dance Dance Revolution
Dance Dance Revolution, abbreviated DDR, and previously known as Dancing Stage in Europe and Australasia, is a music video game series produced by Konami. Introduced in Japan in 1998 as part of the Bemani series, and released in North America and Europe in 1999, Dance Dance Revolution is the...
series. DDR X was originally announced by Konami
Konami
is a Japanese leading developer and publisher of numerous popular and strong-selling toys, trading cards, anime, tokusatsu, slot machines, arcade cabinets and video games...
on May 15, 2008 for the North America
North America
North America is a continent wholly within the Northern Hemisphere and almost wholly within the Western Hemisphere. It is also considered a northern subcontinent of the Americas...
n PlayStation 2
PlayStation 2
The PlayStation 2 is a sixth-generation video game console manufactured by Sony as part of the PlayStation series. Its development was announced in March 1999 and it was first released on March 4, 2000, in Japan...
. The arcade
Arcade game
An arcade game is a coin-operated entertainment machine, usually installed in public businesses such as restaurants, bars, and amusement arcades. Most arcade games are video games, pinball machines, electro-mechanical games, redemption games, and merchandisers...
version was announced on July 7, 2008, July 9, 2008 in Europe, and July 10, 2008 for North America. Released to celebrate the 10th anniversary of Dance Dance Revolution
Dance Dance Revolution
Dance Dance Revolution, abbreviated DDR, and previously known as Dancing Stage in Europe and Australasia, is a music video game series produced by Konami. Introduced in Japan in 1998 as part of the Bemani series, and released in North America and Europe in 1999, Dance Dance Revolution is the...
, DDR X sports an improved interface, new music, and new modes of play. The arcade release will feature a new overhauled (second generation) cabinet design
Arcade cabinet
A video game arcade cabinet, also known as a video arcade machine or video coin-op, is the housing within which a video arcade game's hardware resides. Most cabinets designed since the mid-1980s conform to the JAMMA wiring standard...
with a widescreen display, e-Amusement
E-AMUSEMENT
e-AMUSEMENT is an online service offered worldwide by Konami to enable exclusive online features in games, such as Internet Rankings and unlockable content. It is utilized by multiple Konami games as listed below, including the arcade and the PlayStation 2 platforms.- Magnetic Cards :Before 2006,...
and USB access, and an improved sound system. Despite such new design of its arcade cabinet, upgrade kits to change the edition of DDR on its first generation arcade cabinet from SuperNOVA2 (or earlier) to X is available. The PlayStation 2 release will have link ability with the arcade machine, multi-player support over LAN
Län
Län and lääni refer to the administrative divisions used in Sweden and previously in Finland. The provinces of Finland were abolished on January 1, 2010....
, and other improved and returning features such as EyeToy
EyeToy
The EyeToy is a color digital camera device, similar to a webcam, for the PlayStation 2. The technology uses computer vision and Gesture recognition to process images taken by the camera...
support. DDR X is being called a "truly global version", with a planned multi-platform, multi-regional release by all three major Konami houses.
Development
American PlayStation 2
Konami announced the development of Dance Dance Revolution X on May 15, 2008 alongside Dance Dance Revolution Universe 3Dance Dance Revolution Universe 3
Dance Dance Revolution Universe 3, or DDR Universe 3, is a video game for Xbox 360. It was announced by Konami on May 15, 2008 and it was released on October 21, 2008...
and Dance Dance Revolution Hottest Party 2
Dance Dance Revolution Hottest Party 2
Dance Dance Revolution Hottest Party 2, called in Japan, was announced by Konami on May 15, 2008 as part of the 10th anniversary of Dance Dance Revolution celebration. Hottest Party 2 features the same gameplay as the first Hottest Party and introduces new gameplay modes, gimmicks, characters and...
. DDR X is intended to be released as part of the 10th anniversary of Dance Dance Revolution. Konami promised that at least 70 songs would be featured in this release and that DDR X would bring with it enhanced graphics and new modes of play. Also promised was LAN multi-player support for up to 8 players, an upgraded Workout Mode that will allow players to build their own regimen, new dancing characters and the return of existing features such as EyeToy support.
On the same day, Konami released gameplay preview images and video that showcased new graphical content. Three songs, two that had previously premiered on SuperNOVA 2 and its Japanese PS2 version (Poseidon and TimeHollow) and one that was new to the Dance Dance Revolution series, "Taj He Spitz", were also displayed in this media.
- Dance Dance Revolution X gameplay teaser at GameTrailersGameTrailersGameTrailers is a media website that specializes in video game related content. It provides free access to original programming , game trailers and recorded game play. Along with standard definition , many of the video clips are offered in a higher resolution .Users can upload videos, create...
During the E3 gaming convention on July 15, 2008, additional information was revealed about the North American PlayStation 2 game, announcing that Dance Dance Revolution X would feature classic gameplay as well as new gameplay. The difficulty rating scale was extended resulting in existing songs in the series being re-rated to compensate. The Shock Arrow feature was also playable. Previously licensed music from earlier DDR series has returned including Me & My's "Dub-I-Dub
Dub-I-Dub (song)
"Dub-I-Dub" is a 1995 song recorded by Eurodance act Me & My. It was the second single from the eponymous album and was released in 1995. The song was successful in many European countries, being a top ten hit in Denmark , Sweden where it peaked at #2, and Belgium...
" and Smile.dk
Smile.dk
Smile.dk is a Swedish bubblegum dance group with Veronica Almqvist and Cecilia Reiskog as the current members. The band is well-known around the world partly due to their many songs in Dance Dance Revolution, including "Butterfly", "Golden Sky", "Boys", "Mr...
's "Butterfly". GameSpot
GameSpot
GameSpot is a video gaming website that provides news, reviews, previews, downloads, and other information. The site was launched in May 1, 1996 by Pete Deemer, Vince Broady and Jon Epstein. It was purchased by ZDNet, a brand which was later purchased by CNET Networks. CBS Interactive, which...
's reporters announced that the game was expected to be released sometime during Fall 2008. Additionally, new gameplay screenshots were revealed at the same time showcasing new features like new and returning dancing characters, a new Workout Mode, LAN network gameplay and returning modes such as Battle, Edit, Training and Street Master Mode. A successor to the previous Master Modes, Street Master Mode is akin to Quest Mode from Dance Dance Revolution Ultramix 3
Dance Dance Revolution ULTRAMIX 3
Dance Dance Revolution ULTRAMIX 3 is the tenth home version of Dance Dance Revolution released in the United States. It was released by Konami on November 15, 2005, for the Microsoft Xbox video game console. About 70 songs are available in total in this version...
. Moving across a map, players guide themselves from one dance challenge to the next, meeting new characters and visiting different locales along the way.
The game was released on September 16, 2008. In addition to the aforementioned features, the PS2 version also contains "Xmixes", several nonstop mixes containing several songs each.
Arcade
On July 7, 2008, following a redesign of the Dance Dance Revolution Global Gateway, Konami of Japan announced that Dance Dance Revolution X would be released as an arcade and PlayStation 2 title in Japan as well. Shortly thereafter, on July 9, 2008, Konami sent out a press release to DDRUKDDRUK
DDR:UK is a United Kingdom-specific Dance Dance Revolution , Dancing Stage , and music gaming community on the internet. Its main components are the website and forums, also collectively known as "DDR:UK"...
(a DDR and music gaming fan community, with a particular emphasis on the European market) that said DDR X would be a "truly global version", mentioning that the Dancing Stage name would be dropped in favor of Dance Dance Revolution, confirming the game's pending release in Europe as an arcade title. The press release went on to say that the arcade cabinet and hardware would get a fresh, new look and feel. Naoki Maeda, one of the sound producers for the Bemani
Bemani
is Konami's music video game division. Originally named the Games & Music Division, or simply G.M.D., it changed its name in honor of its first and most successful game, Beatmania, and expanded into other music-based games.-Bemani video games:...
series, pointed out on his TËЯRA
Terra (group)
RЁVOLUTIФN*Additional arrangers for RЁVOLUTIФN:#Masao Akashi#Sōta Fujimori TracklistЁVOLUTIФNTracklist-Development:...
blog that repeated requests from the fans of DDR were partially responsible for the decision to redesign the game's hardware.
Konami held a private party on July 10, 2008 to showcase the arcade version of Dance Dance Revolution X in Japan, revealing additional information on the upcoming game. Improvements included a widescreen LCD display, better sound system, new modes of gameplay, a link system between the arcade and PlayStation 2 version of the game, the ability to publish step edits across all arcade machines via e-Amusement using a standard USB drive and a new type of arrow called a Shock Arrow, one that is to be avoided instead of stepped on. Konami promised that there would be at least 60 new songs featured in DDR X, in addition to having the "strongest" songs of the Dance Dance Revolution series returning from previous DDR games. Konami also announced the North American DDR X arcade through their DDR Online Community website.
Location tests also revealed enhancements to the interface, such as a new "screen filter" option (which adds a transparent shaded area behind the arrows to improve visibility), a full combo "splash" effect animation (white for a Marvelous combo, gold for a Perfect combo, and green for a Great combo), and colored combo numbers which indicate the status of a combo colored the same way (which however, was absent on the US PS2 version).
An issue of Arcadia Magazine confirmed other details, such as the presence of some of the "x-edits" and licenses from the US PS2 version, Koko Soko by Smile.dk
Smile.dk
Smile.dk is a Swedish bubblegum dance group with Veronica Almqvist and Cecilia Reiskog as the current members. The band is well-known around the world partly due to their many songs in Dance Dance Revolution, including "Butterfly", "Golden Sky", "Boys", "Mr...
and announced that there would be a collaboration song with Naoki and Smile.dk present.
A post on Konami's development blog website announced that the arcade version of Dance Dance Revolution X would be released in Japan on December 24, 2008. A December 20 posting confirmed that songs from the home version DDR Hottest Party
Dance Dance Revolution Hottest Party
Dance Dance Revolution Hottest Party, known as Dancing Stage Hottest Party in the European and Oceanic regions, is a video game released by Konami in and to several countries for the Wii console. Konami took the game beyond the traditional setup of Dance Dance Revolution by incorporating the Wii...
would appear on DDR X, demonstrated by a screenshot showing new doubles steps for a song inferred to be from one of the Hottest Party games and a dance stage backdrop from the game. The December 22nd post confirmed that "will" by Naoki (from the original Hottest Party game) would appear on DDR X, also showing a dance stage from the game branded with the logo of a recently released DDR game.
The North American release was prepared at the 2009 ASI Expo in Las Vegas, Nevada
Las Vegas, Nevada
Las Vegas is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Nevada and is also the county seat of Clark County, Nevada. Las Vegas is an internationally renowned major resort city for gambling, shopping, and fine dining. The city bills itself as The Entertainment Capital of the World, and is famous...
in March, which revealed that the game would be released in North America by May, and that e-Amusement
E-AMUSEMENT
e-AMUSEMENT is an online service offered worldwide by Konami to enable exclusive online features in games, such as Internet Rankings and unlockable content. It is utilized by multiple Konami games as listed below, including the arcade and the PlayStation 2 platforms.- Magnetic Cards :Before 2006,...
service would be available for a monthly subscription on launch. Minor adjustments also revealed included a reversion back to use of the left and right buttons rather than up and down for song selection on the new cabinet, and that changes would be made to the cabinet as well to reduce costs including the removal of some of the lighting. Additional design changes were made for the final cabinet, significantly altered from the designs that had been previously exhibited and released outside of the country.
Japanese PlayStation 2
A PlayStation 2 version of Dance Dance Revolution X was released in Japan on January 29, 2009. It was the final Dance Dance Revolution game released in Japan for the PlayStation 2 . The game features the ability to transfer data between the arcade and PS2 versions such as edits. The Japanese PS2 version will also feature the UI enhancements seen on the arcade version. Pre-order included the game, the combined soundtrack for X and Full Full Party, a DDR X branded 2GBGigabyte
The gigabyte is a multiple of the unit byte for digital information storage. The prefix giga means 109 in the International System of Units , therefore 1 gigabyte is...
USB flash drive
USB flash drive
A flash drive is a data storage device that consists of flash memory with an integrated Universal Serial Bus interface. flash drives are typically removable and rewritable, and physically much smaller than a floppy disk. Most weigh less than 30 g...
(which can be used with the link features), and other items.
Gameplay
The gameplay of Dance Dance Revolution X continues the gameplay introduced at the beginning of the series. DDR X contains returning Konami Originals and classic licensed tracks as well as new songs by Konami and label artists. Despite the new overhauled cabinet design available, the dance stage
Dance pad
A dance pad, also known as a dance mat, dance platform, or jiffer deck is a flat electronic game controller used for input in dance games. Most dance pads are divided into a 3×3 matrix of square panels for the player to stand on, with some or all of the panels corresponding to directions or actions...
layout remains almost completely unaltered to the original, except in North America, where aesthetic changes were made to cut costs in production.
The scoring system from Dance Dance Revolution SuperNOVA 2
Dance Dance Revolution SuperNova 2
Dance Dance Revolution SuperNOVA 2 is an arcade game in the Dance Dance Revolution series of music video games. It was produced by Konami and released through Betson Enterprises. The game was released in Japan in August, 2007, while the North American version was released several months later. The...
is retained in this game. Since the step rating for shock arrow is similar to freeze arrow, their values is the same.
Difficulty scale changes
The difficulty scale for Dance Dance Revolution X has been changed from previous versions. This is the first full-scale overhaul of the Dance Dance Revolution difficulty rating system since the introduction of the Groove Radar in DDRMAX in 2001.Difficulty ratings ranging from 1 to 10 are shown with yellow blocks, and 11 to 20, overlapping the first ten, in red. Existing songs in the DDR series included in DDR X are re-rated to reflect the new range. No songs, new or otherwise, in X had songs rated higher than 18, though a song in Dance Dance Revolution X2
Dance Dance Revolution X2
Dance Dance Revolution X2, abbreviated DDR X2 or simply X2, is a music video game, and a part of the Dance Dance Revolution series. The arcade version of DDR X2 was revealed by Konami on November 20, 2009. A sequel to the Dance Dance Revolution X, X2 began public beta testing on November 25, 2009...
, Valkyrie Dimension, goes up to 19 on Single/Double Challenge.
Screen Filter
Screening filters are introduced in X, which placed on the scroll behind the arrows and on top of the background. The default placed on it was off, and can be set to either dark, darker, or darkest.Combos
The following features are introduced in X. Combo will break when a player has made a N.G. in freeze arrow and/or shock arrows. Numeric digits in the number of combos and the word "combo" are assigned certain color; it applies only to current fragment of combo; its color can be white (with frost surrounding the font) if it contains "Marvelous" steps only, yellow if it contains "Marvelous" and/or "Perfect" steps only, or green if it contains "Marvelous", "Perfect", and/or "Great" steps only. Declaration of "Marvelous Full Combo" (If all steps are "Marvelous" only), "Perfect Full Combo" (If all steps are "Marvelous" and/or "Perfect" only), and "Full Combo" (If all steps are "Marvelous", "Perfect", and/or "Great" only) is conditionally shown before the message "Cleared" (With matching color for laser beam effect and sunlight effect) and on stage result (Shown below performance grade with matching color for sunlight effect).Options
The following features are introduced in X. Various options have been color coded to indicate whether a player has altered it (white) or not (green) and assigned colors for various difficulties, just like being shown during song selection. Speeds (and its matching spacing of arrows) have been added, i.e., x2.5, x3.5, x4, x4.5, x5.5, x6, x6.5, x7, and x7.5. "Cut" have been added ("On2" shows single- and half-spaced arrows only.) and an existing one renamed ("On" in SuperNOVA2 is "On1" in X. "On1" shows single-spaced arrows only.). Setting of options on Encore Extra Stage is possible.Shock Arrows
Shock Arrows are different from normal arrows. They represent white arrows with lightning effects that span across all the arrows, and must be avoided instead of stepped on. Stepping or even holding your foot on a Shock Arrow results in players losing their combo, part of their life bar and all other arrows disappear momentarily. Avoiding them results in an OK judgment and hitting one results in an N.G., similar to how Freeze Arrows are judged. Songs containing Shock Arrows are marked with an icon on the song select screen, and only came up on specific difficulties These are similar to the mines from In the GrooveIn the Groove (series)
In the Groove was a series of music video games that used a four-panel dance pad. The series was first distributed by Roxor Games during a time when four-panel dance games in the arcade market were on the decline...
.
Edit data
The "edit data" functionality which was dropped after DDR ExtremeDance Dance Revolution Extreme
Dance Dance Revolution Extreme is a music video game by Konami and is the eighth release in the main Dance Dance Revolution series. It was released on December 25, 2002 for Japanese arcades and on October 9, 2003 for the Japanese PlayStation 2...
has also returned, players are able to make edits with the Japanese PS2 version of Dance Dance Revolution X and play them on the Japanese arcade version. Although the ability to use PlayStation memory cards for edit data between arcade and console versions was present between the special "link version" of 2nd Mix and Extreme, X utilizes USB flash drive
USB flash drive
A flash drive is a data storage device that consists of flash memory with an integrated Universal Serial Bus interface. flash drives are typically removable and rewritable, and physically much smaller than a floppy disk. Most weigh less than 30 g...
s for this functionality rather than PlayStation memory cards. The Japanese PS2 version of Dance Dance Revolution X can export edit data from it, and any other Japanese DDR home version onto a USB drive.
In the United States, SD cards will be used for edits instead of USB flash drives. A program will be released for PCs that will allow users to create and share edits to save to these cards.
Another new feature of edits is the ability to publish player edits on the arcade machine. Each machine can hold up to one hundred player edits, and the machine eliminates old edit data based on popularity. Konami has also announced that the "most popular" edits will be chosen on a weekly basis to be published on all X machines connected to Konami's e-Amusement online service.
Extra Stage and Encore Extra Stage
As with SuperNOVA 2, the extra stage is unlocked by getting a AA grade on either a song available only on the final stage - On the Break by Darwin (by getting A or better on second-to last stage, AA a song picked using random on final stage, or AA a X-Mix on second-to last stage. The number of lives given on the Extra Stage is the same as that of SuperNOVA2 plus 1 (Except if the score obtained on Final Stage is at least 990,000). The song that will unlock on Extra Stage is SABER WING by TAG; by getting AA on this, the song that will unlock on Encore Extra Stage is Horatio by OR-IF-IS.Unlike previous versions however, different extra stage songs may become available if certain conditions are met. Playing songs whose difficulty levels add up to 27 during the last 2 stages, 40 during the last 3 stages, 53 during the last 4 stages, or 66 during the last 5 stages will unlock Saber Wing (Akira Ishihara Headshot Mix) by TAG for the Extra Stage. Getting AA on this song will unlock on the bounce by Neuras. Another condition also unlock one more song on Encore Extra Stage. By adding up the difficulty levels on previous stages as well as Extra Stage (40 for 3 stages, 53 for 4 stages, 66 for 5 stages, and 79 for 6, all including Saber Wing (Akira Ishihara Headshot Mix)) will unlock Trigger as Encore Extra Stage.
X-Specials, special edits of boss songs from previous versions, can be unlocked for the Extra and Encore Extra Stages using varying criteria based on songs from their respective version.
e-Amusement
e-AmusementE-AMUSEMENT
e-AMUSEMENT is an online service offered worldwide by Konami to enable exclusive online features in games, such as Internet Rankings and unlockable content. It is utilized by multiple Konami games as listed below, including the arcade and the PlayStation 2 platforms.- Magnetic Cards :Before 2006,...
functionality has increased on Dance Dance Revolution X. Players can now specify rivals, and regional high scores are now displayed before a song begins. Patches for song timing and the unlocking of new songs have also been distributed to machines over the network. e-Amusement service will also be offered outside of Asia for the first time, as US machines will ship with e-Amusement card readers, and arcades will be able to register for a monthly subscription to the service. e-Amusement service for DDR X has ended on Japan as of September 1, 2010
Unfortunately, e-Amusement was never offered to arcades after the release of DDR X. It was said from a Konami representative that a partnership with the Brunswick Zone arcade chain had fallen through and they have yet to find an interested partner for the service.
Location tests
Live testing of the Japanese Dance Dance Revolution X arcade machine started on July 17, 2008 in Kanagawa PrefectureKanagawa Prefecture
is a prefecture located in the southern Kantō region of Japan. The capital is Yokohama. Kanagawa is part of the Greater Tokyo Area.-History:The prefecture has some archaeological sites going back to the Jōmon period...
, Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
and ended July 23, 2008. The first test location featured a somewhat-complete machine. The machine did not feature many of the music videos that will be in the final version, USB support, or e-Amusement support. Several new Konami tracks were spotted by players, though only one song was seen with the Shock Arrow feature and no licensed tracks had yet been revealed. The second location test in Japan started on July 25, 2008 in Osaka
Osaka
is a city in the Kansai region of Japan's main island of Honshu, a designated city under the Local Autonomy Law, the capital city of Osaka Prefecture and also the biggest part of Keihanshin area, which is represented by three major cities of Japan, Kyoto, Osaka and Kobe...
, Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
and ended on July 31, 2008. The second test location featured a new version of the game software with more accurate difficulty ratings, fixes for bugs seen during the first location test, and licensed music.
On August 26, Konami announced that a location test for X would be held at Boomers! Parks
Boomers! Parks
Boomers! Parks is a chain of family amusement centers which feature indoor activities including carousels, kiddie swings, restaurants, musical shows and amusement arcades; and outdoor activities including miniature golf, kiddie rides, bumper boats, batting cages, go-karts, kiddie roller coasters,...
in Irvine, California
Irvine, California
Irvine is a suburban incorporated city in Orange County, California, United States. It is a planned city, mainly developed by the Irvine Company since the 1960s. Formally incorporated on December 28, 1971, the city has a population of 212,375 as of the 2010 census. However, the California...
. This was the first announced location test of Dance Dance Revolution X for North America. The test began on September 8, 2008 and ran until September 14, 2008. A location test for UBeat was also held alongside the X test.
Konami also announced that there would be location testing of Dance Dance Revolution X in the coming months in Europe prior to the arcade machine's global release. Dance Dance Revolution X and UBeat appeared at the 2009 ATEI Expo in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
in January 2009, featuring the same build as seen at the Irvine tests. The cabinet used was moved to Trocadero Funland
Trocadero (London)
The London Trocadero is an entertainment complex in Shaftesbury Avenue, London originally built as a restaurant but most recently used as an exhibition and entertainment space....
after the expo.
American PS2
Game reviews for the North American PS2 game were mixed. IGNIGN
IGN is an entertainment website that focuses on video games, films, music and other media. IGN's main website comprises several specialty sites or "channels", each occupying a subdomain and covering a specific area of entertainment...
gave the PS2 version of Dance Dance Revolution X a 5.4/10 ("mediocre"), noting that Street Master Mode was neither "good or bad", noting the dropping of online multiplayer and the previous mission mode and shop system from the previous version. The new announcer was also criticized, stating that it has the "most annoying lines, voices, and attitude ever". The visuals were also criticized as being blocky, with the UI being described as "ugly and unpolished". 1UP's Torrey Walker gave the game a C-, describing Street Master Mode as "painfully dull and repetitive". The soundtrack was described as "a clutter of uninspiring off-brand dance tracks, with captivating licensed songs few and far between" (citing a poor stepchart for U Can't Touch This
U Can't Touch This
"U Can't Touch This" is MC Hammer's 1990 super hit signature song, from his album Please Hammer, Don't Hurt 'Em. The album sold more than 10 million copies, due primarily to this single, and gaining multi-platinum certifications from the RIAA, and other Recording Industries.Rick James sued Hammer...
), and the announcer was dubbed "unintentionally hysterical". However, the wide variety of game modes (including workout mode) was mentioned as a plus, and suggested the game as an alternative to Nintendo's Wii Fit
Wii Fit
is a video game developed by Nintendo for the company's home video game console, Wii, designed by Hiroshi Matsunaga. It is an exercise game consisting of activities using the Wii Balance Board peripheral...
.
However, Cheat Code Central
Cheat Code Central
Cheat Code Central is a video game website primarily known for its extensive list of cheat codes. Cheat Code Central, also known as CCC and CheatCC, offers previews, reviews, news, and various articles on the gaming industry...
gave the game a 4.1/5 saying that "The music here is quite well balanced and, no matter what beats you find yourself attracted to, you’ll find something to appreciate in DDR X." and "Graphically, this title looks very good despite being on the aging PlayStation 2". PlayStation Illustrated gave the game an 88/100 citing the new rating system and the $29.99 price tag in its reasoning.
Cabinet changes in United States
As was stated by Konami at ASI, significant changes were made to the DDR X cabinets released in the United States. In comparison to models that had been exhibited before release, the new cabinets featured different lighting and sound systems, the inclusion of USB ports rather than SD cards as had been previously announced, and a monitor experiencing large amounts of lagAudio to video synchronization
Audio to video synchronization refers to the relative timing of audio and video parts during creation, post-production , transmission, reception and play-back processing...
. Significant changes to the construction of the pads themselves were also made, including the pad being covered by one piece of metal rather than the traditional design of separate panels (with its connection to the main cabinet covered by a metallic platform), and lower quality sensors in the pads themselves, all inferring that the manufacturers cut corners in the construction of the cabinets.