Pump It Up: Exceed Bundle PS2 Review

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(More customer reviews)I've been playing DDR(Import versions) since it came out for PSOne and was sort of growing tire of it when I was getting to play PS2 versions(US versions)- then heard about "Pump It Up", which is suppose to be more popular than DDR in Asia, Europe, and South America regions- and decided to give it a try; and understood why it was more popular in other regions after few tries.

I definitely agree with other reviews that it feels more of dance moves than just stepping like DDR; Pump it Up added only one more step button in middle and changed '+' format of DDR into 'X' format instead. However, result is quite different because you gotta cover more space and extra step to fill in, resulting in dance-like movement and more rhythm to dance to.

Yes, I guess if you are THE veteran in DDR, you could probably do the headspin and 360 and all, but casual players like me felt more of dance movement because of the middle step button.It's only an extra stepping button yet it's like math where 2square (2x2)is 4 but 3square (3x3) is 9, exponentially giving more variation/freedom to the player.

I did some research when I decided to purchase this game and the feedbacks were overwhelmingly positive; one of my concerns was what if they give you this crappy dance pad since it's coming out at the end of PS2's life cycle??I did a direct comparison with DDR dance pad (one that came as a package with DDR Extreme, 3rd installment in PS2) and not only it has better surface feel to it (more of synthetic nylon feel instead of sorta 'sticky' plastic feel of DDR if you play in bare feet; I always had to wear socks to play DDR but don't need to do that with PIU) but most importantly it has more 'meat' to the dance pad, which is easier on your feet for a long playing time (I play about an hour- looking for a cardio workout??).

Like I said I'm a casual player, but I consider myself pretty good in DDR since I've been playing it for years...and could pretty much cover all the difficult levels in DDR... yet it was a different story with PUMP.May be I haven't gotten familiarized with the 'X' format quite yet, but it becomes way too hard if you are trying to finish even a 'hard' mode(ok, I just blew my cover as a 'pretty good' in DDR... hehe..but PUMP is objectively harder than DDR... try 'CRAZY' or 'NIGHTMARE' mode...you better be in a good shape).

I used to love DDR when it first came out... The idea was refreshing, and I could feel the effort of people involved in making DDR on every step I took on DDR dance pad- yet I feel recent versions have been more of rehash instead of 'evolutionary'; I don't really feel 'soul' in them anymore.

Well, if you are into DDR (or have grown tired of DDR these days)or looking for a dancing game (seriously, just play this sucker for an hour everyday and see what happens) then give Pump It Up a try because you will fall in love with it like I have.Last DDR game lasted only couple days...yeah...but PIU looks even more promising after two weeks of playing. It's probably because of various genre over more than 100 songs and creative background video for each one of them (I believe some of background videos are so cute like cartoons..even kids in elementary will love them).

Ok.. gotta go now for another round of PUMP IT UP...I'm out of shape

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Dance Dance Revolution Konamix Review

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(More customer reviews)This is one of the best all around games you can find on any console.Dance Dance Revolution is an arcade dancing simulation game that is lots of fun for the entire family, has great replay value (you can play for hours on end), and is a great workout to boot!
DDR Konamix is the 3rd game that Konami has put out for DDR in the US and it is by far the best.It has over 50 songs, some of which are brand new for the US only.Most of the songs are japanese pop music, but they're very catchy and there's a lot of variety between fast and slow dance music.
The most important thing you must remember is to get the dance pad accessory with this game.You can play with the regular controller, but playing with the dance pad is the only way to really enjoy this game.Be sure to stick with dance pads from Konami or RedOctane as those are the only decent brands available.

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Product Description:
Get ready to dance the night away with all-new songs and game modes in this sequel to Dance Dance Revolution. Players can save and edit dance steps to create their own dance routines. The special workout mode allows you to have fun shaping up while also tracking the calories you burn. And you can re-create the arcade experience with Konami's Dance Dance Revolution controller. The game includes more than 50 high-energy songs in a variety of genres, including pop, disco, Latin, techno, and house. It also features a completely redesigned interface and new graphics, plus a special edit mode that allows players to customize dance steps for every song, develop player-specific routines, and trade dance patterns with friends. Also included are new songs never released in the Japanese version. Burn up the dance floor with two-player modes, allowing players to dance cooperatively or competitively. Multiple options and difficulty settings make Dance Dance Revolution Konamix easy to learn for people of all ages.

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Playstation 2 Dance Pad Revolution 2 Review

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(More customer reviews)I'm a total DDR (Dance Dance Revolution) Newbie.(For now.)And this is the pad I've chosen to start with.
This is the least expensive pad of reasonable quality I have found yet.
It is a soft pad and can be folded.But you really should remember to fold it in thirds so the stepping areas don't get creased.(I don't know what happens when the stepping buttons get creased, and I don't plan on finding out.)
I have a somewhat cushy carpet, but that combined with the softness of the pad, it does NOT seem to negatively affect the sensitivity of the controller.
There does tend to be a little bit of slippage during play.(They do include some sticky disks that are supposed to help with that, but I want to be able to put the pad away so I'm a little dubious.I can probably fix the problem with some self adhesive Velcro or something.)But the slippage is not enough to seriously hinder gameplay for a fair number of rounds.(At least, not the way I dance, your mileage may vary.)Even without sticky stuff or Velcro, it's not big deal to step off the pad between songs and nudge it back into place with your toe.
The bottom is a smooth neoprene, the top is vinyl, and the padding in between sounds like crunchy plastic type material.
No, this is not the best made pad in the world.
But it's a good pad at a good price.
If you're just starting out and you're not sure that this type of game is for you, or if you're just on a limited budget, you would do well with this dance pad.

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Product Description:
MODEL- 47051VENDOR- NAKI FEATURES- Dance Pad Revolution for PlayStation 2 The original Dance Pad Revolution! The original dance pad just got better now with a new Non-Slip Floor Grip to make sure you're the only thing moving.

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Dance Dance Revolution Extreme 2 Review

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(More customer reviews)I'm an enormous fan of Konami's Dance Dance Revolution series, and play the game almost every day of my life.The concept is so simpe - just hit the arrows once they're at the top of the screen, yet once you get going, it's a lot more addicting than you'd expect.What's incredible though, is that doing this for a long enough time can burn up some calories and tone up your calves.It was life-changing experience for me that out of nowhere got me from being lazy to athletic.It's getting bigger and bigger every day in the US, but too bad it still isn't as appreciated as it should be, thanks to monster franchises such as GTA and Halo.

DDR Extreme 2 is the sixth installment that Konami has released in the United States (seven if you count the Disney Mix), and it's by far the best one, and it proves to be a great comeback after the largely disappointing Extreme US (although that game is still the recommended one for beginners).

Hardcore fans of DDR will be most pleased to see not just the menu interface returned to normal (with the songwheel, groove radar, etc., that were removed for DDR Extreme US), but also a significantly better list of selectable songs.Such classics as "Cartoon Heroes", "Sakura", "Colors (For Extreme)", and a whole lot more, all made the cut and should not disappoint any true long-time lover of the series.By the way, instead of "Max Dot", the "boss song" in Extreme 2 is "PARANOiA Survivor Max" (which is acompanied by the original "PARANOiA Survivor").Also worth mentioning is that US players finally get a taste of the popular song "Butterfly" with the upswing remix as well as "Boom Boom Dollar (K.O.G. G3 Mix)", also an old favorite.The selection of songs that everyone will recognize is also chosen much more cleverly.Instead of a bunch of songs from like 25 years ago like "Kids in America" and "Like a Virgin", we get some recent electronica/dance hits from the likes of Sean Paul ("Get Busy"), Fatboy Slim ("Wonderful Night"), Delerium ("Silence"), and more, although I don't understand what a horrible cover of "Oops I Did it Again" (not the one from 5th Mix AC) is doing on here (it's not the year 2000, Konami, and almost nobody even cares about songs like that anymore).The choices for repeats from older DDR games is also great.One big problem that Extreme US had was that it overrepeated stuff that already made appearances, which hogged up a lot of room for better stuff.This time, there are less than ten repeats, and almost all of them are from PS1 editions, which gives a chance for old fans of those songs to play them with much better graphics and a much better scoring system.I must admit, playing songs like "Dive", "Dynamite Rave", and "PARANOiA" is much more enjoyable to do on Extreme 2 than it was on Konamix with that slow transmission and poor scoring system.

Also worth noting are a few new features.Instead of simply playing songs over and over again to unlock new ones, you need to clear different stages in the all-new Dance Master Mode.Replacing Extreme US's Mission Mode, Dance Master Mode is loaded with several different scenarios with certain songs and a certain task to clear in order to advance to new stages.Along the way, you'll discover some unfamiliar songs on areas and must clear them.If you do that, they'll appear in the shop for you to buy with your credits (received for clearing songs, DMM or not).This is a wise strategy that adds a plot to the game and allows players to choose which songs they want at the same time.

Another addition is the Online Mode.This will allow players from around the world to go head to head with one another online, and yes, I'm sure that the population of onliners almost entirely made up of the masters that can receive an AAA on "PARANOiA Survivor Max Oni" with relative ease, but this is still a great way for those people to go seriously competitive without having to enter a tournament.

There were only a few noticable flaws.One is that the Training Mode was made less intuitive, as it takes a longer time to set up your song, although I am pleased to see that Konami brought back the feature of slowing down difficult songs to practice.The Party Mode (a feature that was full of many different mini games) has been entirely removed from DDR, and while I won't cry about that, the usage of the Eye Toy Camera is much lower, as the only time you actually use it is when you are playing the Hands and Feet Mode.One more thing, "Love Love Shine", one of DDR Extreme AC's most frequently selected songs (also one of my favorites), did not make the cut, but the similar "Candy*Heart*" is on, which also symbols that "Love Love Shine" is practically guaranteed to be on next year's installment.

With all things said, DDR Extreme 2 is easilly the best overall home version that the US can get their hands on so far.With an excellent song list, great new features, and excellent graphics, this game is a true winner.If you were unhappy with DDR Extreme US from 2004, you won't be with this, so buy it now if you're interested at all and start dancing the night away!

Two more words of advice:

1. I know that I said that DDR Extreme US was a disappoint among many people, but I also said that it was great for hooking new players.I highly recommend you to buy that game first, and then get this.Trust me - the layout is much friendlier to beginners.

2. If you are a novice player, stick with the plastic pads available in the stores (since they're easy to use and don't cost much), but be sure to use the metal arcade-style mats that can be ordered online if you're an expert (they're harder to get used to, but are more sensitive than soft pads and don't slide around to heavy usage).I recommend the ones from Cobalt Flux because they've held together for months and work marvelously.

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Product Description:
DDR's newest best seller, Dance Dance Revolution Extreme 2, has EyeToy USB Camera so you can compete head-to-head with others from around the world. Featuring popular artists, smash hit songs and more unique modes, DDR Extreme 2 pumps up the volume with over 100 minutes of energetic dance music.Get in shape with the popular Workout Mode Customize your own dance steps in the Edit Mode All movies and cutscenes are newly created adding fresh flair to the DDR universe

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PS2 USB Energy HD 1" Foam Deluxe Dance Pad 3 in 1 Review

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(More customer reviews)The pad is great. It works with my dell pc running windows xp. I put the foam in, zipped it up, and plugged in the usb cord that came with it and it was working in 5 minutes with stepmania. 1 week of strenuous use and still perfect recognition of steps. No lags whatsoever. If you want cheap and best, this is it. "

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Product Description:
DDRGame is pleased to announce the Enrgy Premium Edition Super Deluxe Dance Pad. The Energy Premium Edition Super Deluxe Dance Pad features the super-sensitive-definetely-no-more-delay technology with our brand new look and offers Three-in-One multi-platform plug that works flawlessly with PS One, Playstation 2, Xbox, and PC/MAC via USB. Thanks to its new and improved stripe surface, the Energy Premium Edition Super Deluxe Dance Pad has been designed for maximum durability. The new stripe material gives the dance pad a much improved dance surface, smooth transitions from step to step, as well as increased traction that prevents you from sliding off the dance pad. The Energy Premium Edition Super Deluxe Dance Pad features raised, reinforced buttons so that you can know exactly where you are on the dance pad at all times. The included one-inch super high density foam inserts give you the perfect balance between fast reaction times and comfort, so you can play longer and get higher scores. The Energy Premium Edition Super Deluxe Dance Pad also features a non-slip grip bottom that prevents the pad from moving even on Expert step charts! From complete novices to experienced experts, you can now experience skill level that can match your abilities.

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We Cheer Review

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(More customer reviews)This is a game for kids who dream of being a cheerleader or for "old kids" who didn't make the final cut for cheerleader and never got over it.It's one to add to the "Get up off the couch and move" list of Wii games and it's a way to get some very good exercise while having some fun.

I just got this today and have been playing with it for the last couple of hours.That's as long as I could play because by arms and shoulders are ready to fall off!This game really gives your arms a great workout and once I get better at it and can follow along with the foot movements it should be an all around great exercise game.(Walking and chewing gum at the same time can be challenging)There is also a "Work out" section that's has a choice of quick or extended exercise routines which involves a lot of footwork as well as the arms.That, BTW is a good way to practice getting the cheer moves down.

There's a Campaign Mode where you can compete with another person for team captain or Party Mode where you can play with up to 4 people and have your own squad. I probably won't be playing in those modes since most of my friends would think this 50-something woman had totally lost it if I asked them to come join my Wii cheerleading squad. (Why didn't they name the game "Wii Cheer"?

I like the music and the cheerleader characters are all bubbly and enthusiastic (perky?) which is good motivation to get moving.They're also chatty with recommendations and small talk, which you can hit the A&B buttons to skip if it gets old after a while.

I barely made it past failing after a couple of hours and that was on the easy songs.It's fun even when you don't hit every beat.I did improve by doing the routines over and over. I've found that watching the cheerleaders is the best way to stay on the beat.A good sense of rhythm helps. It seems to have enough different songs to keep it interesting and challenging.

I'm glad I bought it.It's big, big fun and anything that keeps me exercising for over 2 hours is a good thing.

Update 10/18/08 - Well it's almost 1:00 in the morning and I've been playing with this game for almost 3 hours after the rest of the household has gone to bed.I've been trying to clear more stages in order to unlock that song in the trailer, "Walking on Sunshine".I finally did it!This game has become a major addiction.

Also, the points scored in this game are based completely on arm movements (although it makes it easier to stick with the rhythm if you move around a little) so if you're hesitating about this game thinking it involves a lot of jumping around, doing back flips or the splits, not to worry.You could pretty much stand in one place and play this game.It's all in the wild flailing (and precision movements) of the arms.That said, you might want to keepyour drapes closed when playing so as not to confirm the suspicions of the neighbors that you are totally out of control.

Update 11/5/08 - If you're having trouble hitting some of the movements when it seems like you're doing everything right, and you're using an HD LCD TV, try going into the options menu and adjusting the timing.I ended up setting it a couple points down and this seemed to make all the difference.I think there might be a slight delay between the music and the display with some TV's and this seems to solve the problem, although I'm not really sure how this works.(Still loving this game!)

Update 11/4/09 - I just got the new We Cheer 2 and it's just as much fun as this one with some nice additional features.

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Product Description:
Prepare to clap your hands, stomp your feet and bring it on!

Putting players at the center of a nationwide cheerleading competition, We Cheer utilizes two Wii Remotes* as virtual pom-poms to create an authentic cheerleading experience. Players must move the wireless Wii Remotes as directed by the on-screen indicators to choreographed routines, utilizing a full range of arm and body movements such as spins and twists.

Ready, and!
Character & squad customization.
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Follow the prompts in singleplayer.
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Bring it on against a friend.
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Line up for four-player action.
Viewlarger. As each routine is successfully performed, the player will be able to recruitnew team members to their squad, adding new cheerleading abilities and choreographedroutines. The first cheerleading video game to offer licensed music, We Cheerfeatures 30 smash-hit master recordings for players to perform to, including tracksfrom Hilary Duff, Aly & AJ, The Plain White T's and Natasha Bedingfield. Lettingfriends and family participate in the cheerleading fun, We Cheer featurescooperative and competitive multiplayer modes for up to four players to determinewho deserves to stand at the top of the pyramid. The game also features a workoutmode that lets players keep track of approximately how many calories they haveburned while cheering. Each character in the game is fully customizable, witha variety of uniforms, shoes and accessories to choose from for added personalization.

Key Game Features:

Hit Songs - Dance and cheer to 30 smash hits from the hottest artists of the past, present and future. With an endless variety of music genres to choose from - rock, hip hop, dance or even disco, there is something for everyone to groove to.
Endless Character Customization - Create your ultimate cheerleader by customizing her with the perfect competition outfit. Choose from a variety of tops, bottoms, shoes and more that will make your cheerleader look super cute and ready to perform her best on stage.
Engaging Modes - Choose a mode that suits your mood. Burn some calories in Exercise Mode, compete for the Captain position in 2-player Campaign Mode, or play with up to 4 players in Party Mode and show everyone who is #1 on the team.
Real, Active Gameplay - Get totally immersed in the competition, using your entire body. to spin, kick, jump and dance to various choreographed routines. Not only can you cheer and dance, you can also recruit new squad members, unlock new teammates, outfits, songs and more.

The Complete Tracklist:

"Walking On Sunshine" – Aly & AJ "It Takes Two" – Rob Base & DJ EZ Rock "If You're Gonna Jump" (Paul OakenfoldRemix) – Natasha Bedingfield "Push It To The Limit" – Corbin Bleu "I Want Candy" – Bow Wow Wow "On Top Of The World" – Boys Like Girls "The Great Escape" – Boys Like Girls "Godspeed" – BT "Gonna Make You Sweat" (Everybody Dance Now) – C+C Music Factory "Eye Of The Tiger" (Sunset Crew Radio Mix) – Crew 7 "Come Clean" – Hilary Duff "Unbelievable" – EMF "Calabria 2008" – Enur feat. Natasja "Star" – Erasure "Perfect Day" – Hoku "That's The Way" (I Like It) – KC & The Sunshine Band "I Say Hey" – Kinky "Footloose" – Kenny Loggins "Bodyrock" – Moby "Born For This" – Paramore "Our Time Now" – Plain White T's "C'mon N' Ride It" (The Train) – Quad City DJ's "I'd Do Anything" – Simple Plan "Groovy Train" – The Farm "Jump" – Simple Plan "Stamp Your Feet" – Donna Summer "Whoomp!" (There It Is) – Tag Team "In This Diary" – The Ataris "The Power Is On" – The Go! Team "The Huddle Formation" – The Go! Team
* Gameplay requires each player top have two remotes each (not nunchucks), except in four-player where each player only uses one.

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Imagine Fashion Party Review

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(More customer reviews)all in all, this game is worth a buy.i was intrigued when i first heard about this title.the imagine software seems to be doing great on the DS platform, with only a small release of their games for Wii.so i wanted to know what all the hype was about.at first it was hard to understand how to work the controls.but luckily, the beginning stages act a tutorial to help you learn the controls.after a short while, they became intuitive and i was breezing through the game.you can play freestyle or you can enter a project runway competition of sorts.freestyle lets you take your time and dress up the models any way you like, do their makeup and hair, and see your final creation as they strut on the runway.competition mode is you competing against other wanna-be designers and each round the lowest scoring person is eliminated.the tasks within each round are timed and incorporate a fashion theme, so you pretty much have to style the model as you're instructed.while this can sound boring, they made it interesting by giving you a few choices within the design guidelines and a time limit, so no time to overthink anything.this goes for clothes as well as hair and makeup.sometimes you'll be pleased with the overall look you've created, and sometimes you'll feel bad you made the model look so bad...i know i did.after you've gone to the trouble of doing up your model, you now have to walk her on the runway.you can do this with either the wiimote and nunchucks, or the wii balance board.i can tell you that both were taxing.this part of the game is probably my least fave.it all seemed like an afterthought.no matter how hard and fast you fling the remotes or how well you copied the moves on the balance board, somehow the moves wouldn't always register correctly, therefore causing your model to misstep on the runway.how dreadful.i guess i can live with that, but honestly i get frustrated with this part of the game.i would say the wiimote and nunchucks read better than the balance board, but you can come to your own conclusions about that if you have both options available.if not, you're not missing anything, so please don't go out in search of a balance board for this purpose alone.as you successfully complete more competitions, you unlock more styles to try on your model in free play.this is a great game for anyone interested in fashion.i would suggest this game for kids who are old enough to read.only because in parts of the game the dialogue is read aloud and other parts you have to read the dialogue yourself.that also made no sense to me.either voice all of the characters or none at all.

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Product Description:
Have you ever wondered what it would feel like to be up there, competing in the world of high fashion on shows like Project Runway, or Top Designer? Now you can join in the fun with Imagine Fashion Party, the newest game in the Imagine line-up for Nintendo Wii from developer UbiSoft. Star in your very own TV show as you compete through a series of challenges to show that you are the best up-and-coming young fashion designer the world has ever seen.


See what the judges think of your clothing at the catwalk. View larger.

Choose between different colors and styles. View larger. Loads of Fun Combinations
In Imagine Fashion Party you are in control of the action, using the Wii remote and nunchuck as your scissors, hair brushes, makeup applicator and other tools. From top to bottom you design the looks you want, putting them on the girls you think will suit them best. Not only do you pick out what all your models wear, but you get to determine their hair and makeup as well.
Take a Walk on the Wild Side
Once you have created your fashion line, send your models out on the runway to see what the judges think. But don't let them just stand there, because you need to make the right moves with your remote if you want your models to impress the judges with their moves. Imagine Fashion Party is even compatible with the Wii Balance Board accessory for added modeling fun.
The fun continues when you work on developing your skills, or challenge a friend in some of the all-new fashion design mini-games. In one example, such as Office mode, you play the role of a hip young designer running your own boutique agency with loads of demanding clients. When you come up with something you are especially proud of, you can roll out the whole collection in a photo shoot or catwalk show, and share your work with all your friends via Nintendo wi-fi.


Use your Wii remote to cut patterns and sew your garment.

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