XBox Ultramix - Got it and....

....I'm kind of impressed in ways, and disappointed in others.

For the most part, everything you know about the home versions of DDR for the PS/PS2 is different, but the general things remain intact.

What I mean by that is, the game is the same, but the wrapping is different.

The good:

Online content. Even though I don't have XBox Live (since I only have dial up), I love the fact that you can both play online and download new songs (albiet, it's pretty expensive, the first downloadable song pack is 5 songs for $5. The songs are: dj TAKA - Abyss,
Naoki - Burnin’ the Floor, Tomosuke - Mind Parasite, Mr. T with Motoaki. F - Burning Heat! (3 Option Mix), ric - in my eyes).

The interface. While not a WHOLE lot different, it is a lot more clean looking with the exception of two things: no beginner mode, and the letter grades for songs are displayed over the song title in 'the wheel selector' for ALL THREE DIFFICULTIES! If you've 'AA'ed, say Overblast!!, in all three difficulties, you cover up half of the song title on the wheel because it looks like this: OverAA AA AA. Annoying. Otherwise, it's very bright and very clean looking. There are about 9 different arrow types to choose from as well including what I call 'turtle arrows', since they look like turtles.

New Challenge mode. No ONI, no Nonstop (yet, I've only begun to play it). Instead there is a new entry on the main menu: Challenge. It allows you to complete 'tasks' for six songs in a given difficulty to move on. Say you try beginner mode in Challenge. It might ask you to play 'Can't Stop Fallin' In Love (Speed Mix)' without getting a single boo. If you do that, then you can chose from one of the remaining 5 tasks/songs in the beginner Challenge set. Finish beginner, then go onto light, then standard, etc. It's a better alternative to ONI AND Nonstop.

The bad:

Song selection. Ewww... I guess if I didn't have these songs on my PS2, it would rule, but most of you might be disappointed. They even neutered my favorite track 'Shiny Disco Balls' by chopping out the lyrics (but since the lyrics are: 'Drugs, rock 'n' roll, bad ass Vegas hoes, late night booty calls, shiny disco balls...' I can see why. :) ). Castles In The Sky is so so, as is Ready Steady Go (although it has decent tempo changes). The Masai track would rule if it weren't for the MEN DANCING IN THEIR UNDERWEAR IN THE VIDEO! (and it's the only licensed track to have a video - so far... I've only unlocked 3 songs out of 9)... Overall it's an ok selection of songs, but nothing to write home about by any means.

Dancers. They're better looking than DDRMAX2 USA, but there are only two. Unless more are unlockable, the dancers are disappointing.

No beginner mode. It starts off at light. No challenge steps either (yet).

XBox pad. This is the only game on the XBox that I think the playmat will win out over the controller. The controller is hard to use with this. Go figure.

Overall: B-

It's a good value still, and with the online capabilities, it's only going to get better. But, it should've been better than it is from the start.

So far I've unlocked:

MGS2 Mission R - LED
Put Your Faith In Me - Disco Mix
Graduistic Cyber - Taka

-Chris

Mind Parasite? That's one of my favorite Dance Maniax songs! Man, if they really wanted to, they could make a KILLER 9-footer out of that song.

I browsed the topic at DDRFreak and I must say, I'm a tad jealous. It has a few songs I'd like on a home mix, CSFiLSM, Sweet Sweet Love Magic, and Colors, namely. It also has an 8 footer exlcusive and a 9 footer exclusive, which is pretty nifty.

Maybe I'll ask for an X-Box for my birthday. I'm already asking for too much for Christmas. :)

Colors must be an unlockable, since I haven't gotten that one yet....

I hope that there will be more licensed tracks for d/l in the future. Shiny Disco Balls and the Masai track can't keep me occupied forever. :)

-Chris

$5 for 5 songs is on par with what services like iTunes charge. Admittedly it's a different market...

This is the first XBox Live game I'm aware of with pay downloadable content. The Live-enabled games I own have all been free content, although it's been clearly stated that premium content could (and would) be offered.

Given that the only other DDR I have is Konamix (original Playstation, but I have PS/2) this might be on my list...

*** Edited 11/20/2003 3:09:15 PM UTC by GregLeg***

Hmm...i dunno if Ultramix really does anything for me. From your post, Chris, and visiting the Ultramix website, it seems like this DDR Mix is pretty mediocre compared to other DDR Mixes in terms of gameplay, song selection, options, and things like that (stuff i actually care about). And superior in terms of framerate, graphics, and what-not (things i really don't care about).

So in conclusion, i don't think i'd get it unless i had some change lying around. I certainly wouldn't get an X-Box just for that game.

Neither will I buy an X-Box for this game, but how fun would it be to play 4-player DDR? The point is moot though, because I have a hard time finding one other person who wants to play.

If all goes well, I will play it at a friend's tomorrow. I haven't seen this guy for more than 5 years, but I heard through another friend that he's now obsessed with DDR, including building his own pads and playing it projected onto a sheet in his garage. ;)

Ah, but with XBox Live, you'd have NO problem finding other people to play with. You'd lack the social aspect, though, and I'll bet there are already lamers out there sitting on DDR Live using the standard control pad instead of a floor mat, beating up on anyone who tries to play for real.

On that note, ARE there any XBox mats? I haven't looked yet. If nothing else, one of the PS2-to-XBox controller converters (like a JoyBox) would probably work, if the buttons map correctly.

--Greg, who actually wants XBox-to-PS2 and XBox-to-Gamecube converters because he likes the XBox "S" controller the most of anything out there. Unfortunately, the only XBox-to-something converters I've found so far are cables that do XBox-to-USB.

Yeah, you might as well play alone if you're going to play online. The score or whether I "beat" the other person makes no difference to me.

Strange, though, I *suck* at playing with the controller.... much worse than with my feet.

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GregLeg said:
On that note, ARE there any XBox mats? I haven't looked yet.

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I believe Mad Catz is making one, as is Naki (I think that's the company name). They're retailing for around $19-$24. The game without the controller is due the first week of December. Only the bundle is available now.

-Chris

What really gets me all worked up is Konami has NO plans to release the Live content as a support disc in the future for those who don't have XBOX Live. Terrible marketing by Konami rears its ugly head again.

http://www.ebgames.com/ebx/product/238170.asp

The pad comes with the bundle, if you so choose to get it.

I never really played DDR in my life.. only once, with my ex-girlfriend's son, did I get suckered into playing it but I had no idea what I was doing. It wasn't bad, but it could grow on me.

I am actually seriously thinking about getting it... if the pad is any good. I could definately use the cardiovascular work-out, despite looking like a retard... and might even be fun enough to hook up for the rest of the family to enjoy

Basically... you probably could purchase the game seperately, but I don't think many will do that, especially since that 1) defeats the purpose of DDR and 2) It won't even be nearly as fun hitting the joypad left left right right up right down right left.... the only thing that'll do is give you a calius on your thumb.