Help please. Buying DDR: Which system & other ??

[Guest1014]

Hello:
I'm looking to buy DDR for my two teenage girls (13 & 15). We do not currently own Xbox, PS2 or GameCube. We're still back in Nintendo64 days - so this is a big upgrade for the house this Christmas!

Would anyone be so kind as to break this down for me? Is DDR available for all the current game systems? Does it matter as far as DDR which system I get? Can I save money by getting last year's game? I need the system, the game and the mat....anything else? Is shopping on Ebay a good idea or risky?

If you were buying this in today's market - what would you do?

Any other advice would be appreciated.
Grazi!

Don S

[FLAKK]

while it is out for the xbox and ps2, i'd say go with the ps2. konami seems to give games to sony first, so you'll have more options in which mix you wish to buy. you can get the game bundled with a mat at your local game store, but i like mats that last more than 6 months so i'd check out http://www.redoctane.com for a game/pad bundle. i'm not sure if i'd shop on ebay for this sort of thing.

edit:
here's a bundle that includes the game and two of the ignition 3 dance pads (really nice foam pad) - http://www.redoctane.com/ddrextreme2-2igpad.html

edit*2:
http://www.levelsix.com/index.php?cPath=21
this is my favorite brand. they offer mats that are of the same quality as red octane, but they are WAY cheaper. whichever you get though, i recommend the pads with a hard foam insert. i just like the way they feel.

[djfooboo]

I would do the PS2 if I were you. Not only does it have more mixes, it has a better selection of games for that demographic. Plus the new PS2 is way more chic' than an XBOX.

[Mosh_Mosh_Revolution]

Let's put it this way....



Look how sad this kid looks. XBox = nono.

And...you know.......



Girls just like cute things. n_n I have a slim PS2 (obviously displayed on the left), and every time I set it up to play it, I'm like "Ooooaaaawwww!!! Kawaaaaaiiiiiii!!!! <3 <3 <3 <3!!!!!"

XD

[mexican ninja]

Is DDR available for all the current game systems?

I know X-Box and PS2 have DDR mixes out, and I know Gamecube is going to release some kind of Mario DDR, but it looks pretty sketchy. PS2 has more DDR mixes to choose from, and it's backwards compatable with mixes from PSX (which are still pretty fun).

Does it matter as far as DDR which system I get?

I would say yes. While PS2 does not have to option to play DDR online like X-box does, most kids really don't think this a really big deal. Besides, your kids can always play against each other. PS2 = winner.

Can I save money by getting last year's game?

Yep! I personly think that some of the older mixes are better than the newer ones, but the newer mixes do have more "popular" songs. I use popular loosely, because while most kids have heard of The Village People, they're not exactly that popular.

I need the system, the game and the mat....anything else?

You're going to want a memory card (for the PS2 at least). And don't let the guy at Best Buy try to talk you into buying the "Sony Name Brand" memory card. I have a much cheaper Nyko card that serves the same purpose, and, well, was cheaper.

And in case you're wondering, the memory card is used to save high scores and unlocked songs. It can sometimes take a while to unlock new songs, and it's a real drag if everytime you turn the PS2 off, you loose all your unlocks.

Is shopping on Ebay a good idea or risky?

It's a very good idea, just make sure you know what you're buying! On e-bay, people also list Japanese mixes of DDR that cannot be played on US PS2s unless you modify them, which involves voiding your warrenty.


I'm a PS2 guy, so I'd suggest getting a PS2. And Katamari Damacy. That was easily the best $20.00 I ever spent.

[***WILLIS***]

get extreme2, and a pad, and if u want a 2nd game, get DDR:Max

[Dyme]

get extreme2, and a pad, and if u want a 2nd game, get DDR:Max

yes. extreme2 is the best mix out for home.

[WhiteDragon]

While PS2 does not have to option to play DDR online like X-box does, most kids really don't think this a really big deal. Besides, your kids can always play against each other. PS2 = winner.

Actually, Extreme 2 on the ps2 does, in fact, have online play, though I hear it's not as well set up as the Xbox version.

Anyway, Go with the ps2. There are more DDR mixes available for it. Plus, it's a hell of a lot smaller than the Xbox, even if you were to get an old model. Plus, you'll probably enjoy the game library available for the ps2 a whole lot more than the library available for the Xbox.

[Dyme]

sweet avy white

[Green Tea]

I have played it on both PS2 and XBox and I just like the PS2 version better. More selection, and I just think it was more designed for the PS2. I don't know, I am always more partial to the PS2 so my opinion I guess is not that meaningful

[Guest1014]

thanks to all of you who took the time to respond. I appreciate it. When I can get it, I prefer advice from consumers - not sales people. (That's not to denigrate sales people, but there is a bias to steer towards the product that benefits them more than me - especially in one shot purchase.)

I'll keep checking back in case others still want to add some thoughts. Thanks again.

(Sorry - I dont have a cool picture to post with my message.......)

[mexican ninja]

While PS2 does not have to option to play DDR online like X-box does, most kids really don't think this a really big deal. Besides, your kids can always play against each other. PS2 = winner.

Actually, Extreme 2 on the ps2 does, in fact, have online play, though I hear it's not as well set up as the Xbox version.

Bah. I stopped buying DDR mixes for home after Max 2.

Anyways, me = fail.

[FLAKK]

as did i. all the US versions that came out after Max2 just played different. i didn't care too much for the layout. that's another reason i play mostly pump and Step Mania. Step Mania is much more flexible in how it can be layed out and there are WAY more modifiers that can be placed. sometimes i love to just play around with those on different songs.

[Guest1014]

Thanks for the help on this thread - maybe it really wasnt all that complicated...it just seemed that way in November!

I got the PS2 at Meijer for $149 and got four free games as part of their Christmas sale (Golf, motorcycle race game, bowling, and a shootem up game). We simply bought a basic mat ($20 maybe) and the DDR extreme - or whatever the current game is - for $35 I think.

It was a big hit at Christmas and the 16 yr old and 13 yr old play a lot and their friends seem to like it - even if we are a few years behind everyone else!
We bought some old games at Blockbuster (Madden 2002, etc) so we've played with those some too.

I popped $20 for an 8mb memory card and now they can "unlock" songs so they're happy about that.

I, of course, am terrible, but the game has assured me a few times that

I AM AN EXTRAORDINARY FELLA!

[Fluffyumpkins]

Hah, sounds like a few new people are hooked on the arrow game. Have funs with it.