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Pediatric journal boasts about benefits of exergaming
Kids-focused health journal Pediatrics recently published a study that would shock those who decry the health benefits of exergames. The study, which was performed by researchers from the University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, measured young people's energy expenditure while at rest, while playing Dance Dance Revolution at two different skill levels, while walking and running on a treadmill and while boxing and bowling on Wii Sports. That sounds like more physical exertion than we go through in a year.Some of the comparisons between these activities yielded somewhat unsurprising results -- playing the video games burned three times the calories the kids spent at rest, of course. However, the researchers also found that playing these games was a comparable activity to "moderate to intense walking," despite the fact that Wii Sports requires little lower-body movement. It seems that for the first time in recent memory, we've got science on our side. Hooray![Via Kotaku]
Behold the brilliant terror of the DDR alarm clock
The standard "snooze button" is for the lazy. You're not lazy, are you? You want to work for those extra seven minutes of rest in the morning. Well, with the DDR Alarm Clock Finger Dance Alarm Clock you can honorably earn the extra sleep: just turn on your brain when the alarm chimes, key in the lit panels in order and you may go back to sleep.Though it highlights the £9.99 ($16) cost, the product description doesn't detail if the pattern is randomly generated every morning. If it's a set pattern, your hand's muscle memory will eventually key it in faster than the frantic feet of that little boy playing DDR on ludicrous difficulty down at the cineplex.[Via Engadget]
E3 2009 highlights: The Xbox roundup
E3 was brütal! If you blinked, for a split/second, you missed something. Even if you were trine to keep up, it was a blur -- staying a.wake like that, you only pushed yourself to the brink of your own dark void. That's where Joystiq comes in; to crackdown on the madness; to reach out ... with conviction -- phew! Crysis averted. We've scoured the dark corners and survived the inferno to piece together this roundup of all things Xbox at E3. Why? Just 'cause we love you. So, draw nier and shift your eyes past the break.
Have 8 feet? Try the new DanceDanceRevolution
For dance fanatics that are just too good for four buttons comes DanceDanceRevolution for PS3 and Xbox 360. The newly revised game will take advantage of a brand new floor mat that has twice the number of buttons as the original. We're not exactly sure how this mode will play, but we're hoping it'll be a little less confusing than playing the drums in Rock Revolution.The 360 and PS3 versions of DanceDanceRevolution will also include 50 licensed tracks from artists such as Rihanna, Ne-Yo, Coldplay, Gorillaz. 150 classic tracks will also be downloadable at launch.
Silent Hill and DanceDanceRevolution now on iPhone
Though neither of them rhyme with "Petal Near Squalid", two of the four portable games Konami announced have arrived for your stroking and poking pleasure on the iPhone and iPod Touch this morning. The first, Silent Hill: The Escape, will run you $7.99 and allow you to "escape the suspense with full use of the touch panel and confront evil with the accelerometer." Watch your back, evil!Also arriving in the iTunes Store is DanceDanceRevolution S Lite, an early version of the game – the "full version" is "currently in the works." It's being distributed for free, which seems like a bargain until you factor in the price of replacing your iPhone after you jump all over it.Download – Silent Hill: The Escape [iTunes link]Download – DanceDanceRevolution S Lite [iTunes Link]
Toys R Us offers buy one, get $20 off deal
Wii owners should head over to Toys R Us next week (or, toysrus.com), as the retailer is having a good deal on Wii titles. From 8/3-8/9 (and even starting earlier in select stores, according to ads), if you buy a Wii game that costs $29.99 or more, you'll get $20 off a second Wii game.Fortunately this deal includes games with peripherals, like Wii Play, Wii Fit, DDR, and Guitar Hero. That is, of course, if you can actually find said games (silly old Wii Fit) in stock.Does anyone plan to use this deal to pick up a long desired title?[Via CAG]
Wii Warm Up: I got rhythm
We already came to the conclusion that the lack of universal instrument compatibility holds us back from purchasing multiple rhythm games. Which peripheral-based music games do you already own, though? For what system or systems? Which do you plan to buy in the future?Perhaps after hearing what you have and want, we'll have a better idea of where the faux-band game genre is heading in the future.
DDR2 Hottest Party 2 screens show Mii support, poor outfit decisions
What does this woman think she's doing? We have seen some terrible outfits before, but this woman is crazy enough to wear hers with a smile. She should be ashamed just to have these embarassing pieces in her wardrobe, let alone actually on her, in public view. What excuse does anyone have to ever own checkerboard-patterned thigh-highs?In case you missed the news from last week, Konami is following up its previous DanceDanceRevolution Hottest Party game with DDR Hottest Party 2, promising Mii support, new gimmicks like the "triple stomp," more Wii remote interaction in the Dance n' Defend Battle Mode, new stages, and new characters, such as the unfortunate looking woman mentioned above. The rhythm title will also support a new soundtrack including "smash-hits from the last 4 decades," like Rihanna's immensely annoying "Umbrella" (ella, ella, ay, ay, ay) and Michael Jackson's least exciting single, "Black or White." But let's get back to what's really on every gamer's mind -- how do these people live with themselves dressing in these clothes? This lady thinks she can get away with wearing a Zebra-print cap with matching hot pants and boots. Protip: it's best to pair a loud print with a neutral piece, rather than mixing or matching it with more loud prints. Now you know.%Gallery-23249%
An even Hottester Party this fall?
Konami wrote themselves into a corner with the title of their Wii Dance Dance Revolution game. If DDR Hottest Party is really the hottest party, what will the inevitable sequel be? Will it be a different superlative -- the coolest party, or the freshest party, or the most Chex-Mix-having party? Will it be the Hottest Party For Real This Time -- Last Time Was the Hottest to Date, But This Time's Even Hotter Than That?Well, if the title of the new game found on Gamefly's site (with a release date of September 30th) is the real title, it'll just be DDR Hottest Party 2. It worked for Final Fantasy.
Cross-promote Cross-promote Revolution
Despite the fact that, as alluded to in the post title, this stuff is basically marketing for other games, we love it when game music turns up in rhythm games. It may have something to do with the fact that video game music is awesome, especially from companies like Konami that care enough about music to make whole games about it.This video is from the Japanese PS2 game Dance Dance Revolution Supernova 2 Super DREAM, and features original Time Hollow animation to go along with the game's surprisingly cool theme song. The song sounds vaguely Akira Yamaoka-esque (Yamaoka's works have also appeared in DDR games), though it was composed by Masanori Akita.
Library lets patrons play DDR to avoid late fees
We've heard plenty of stories of libraries lending out video games, or using them to attract patrons, but this Nashua Telegraph story about expunging late fees with a quick play of Dance Dance Revolution is unique in our experience.According to the story, the library's annual "Patron Appreciation Day" let attendees avoid their overdue fines by donating non-perishables to a local soup kitchen or playing a quick game of DDR. The exact pay-for-play system wasn't discussed in detail, but 16-year-old Arienne Stearns apparently needed a "C" grade on her dance to erase $14 of fines from her record.Not that you had to have overdue books to play -- apparently, many girls "took second turns competing against the librarian, just for fun." This is a good deal, because from what we've heard, you haven't really experienced DDR until you've played it against a librarian ...
See Ronald McDonald teach DDR
We've never really been what you could describe as Dance Dance Revolution experts. We've always believed it was because years of the sedentary blogging life have lead to thick, unwieldy bodies that could sooner emit diabetes-curing indigo light from their fingertips than complete 15 seconds of physical exertion. Now though ... now we're starting to think its because we never had Ronald McDonald to show us the way.Watch the odd video above and see if you don't end up feeling the same way, just don't blame us if you have to trade your sanity away in the process.
Video: Since when is DDR:DSU viral?
After doing some quick surfing through the intertubes we came across this "Viral Video" for DDR: Dancing Stage Universe and were instantaneously dumbfounded. The first thirty seconds or so of this vid pulled us in with its colorful swirls, contrasting light and introduction of a dancing female. Then we suddenly get slapped in the face with a nauseating amount of colors and we soon realize that the outline is of what looks to be an 80's dancer decked out in a yellow tank top. We're confused, awestruck and are ever so curious to learn how a video becomes officially labeled "viral". This definitely isn't viral, it needs to have its viral license removed ASAP.
DDR your GBA
This one's a little messy, and involves the death of a perfectly likeable DDR pad, but it's all for a good cause. Jason1820 modded up his DDR pad to control his Game Boy Advance, and got himself a good game of Pac-Man going. The video after the break demonstrates the very type of hijinks that can ensue, and also serves as a helpful reminder why Nintendo was insane not to include a backlight in original Advance. Yeah, we're still bitter about that.[Thanks, Joe]
What was the GBA missing? A DDR pad, of course!
Instructables user Jason1820 rewired his Game Boy Advance to accept controller inputs from a Dance Dance Revolution controller, creating the weirdest way to play Pac-Man since the board game. The resulting monstrosity is neither a console nor a handheld, and is really unsuitable for anything but being insane. Thus, we love it. This guy rewired the circuitry on his GBA to take an external controller, and one that was meant for another system at that. Then he wrote up detailed instructions on how to do it yourself, and added pictures. Meanwhile we couldn't muster the wherewithal to make dinner today, and we'd barely know how to turn on the GBA without the instruction manual. [Via Wonderland]
Japanese DDR Hottest Party features back-breaking song
When we first heard that Japan got an exclusive song in their copies of DDR Hottest Party, we were peeved. Japan always gets the cool stuff, amirite? But after seeing a video of the song, that annoyance turned into relief. Think of all the money we saved in the hospital bills that we surely would have accrued when trying to move our legs in such an unnatural manner. The song is "Pluto the First" by White Wall, and it sounds like it would be a fun DDR song if it just wasn't so ... impossible. Are there people out there really this good at Dance Dance Revolution?[Via GoNintendo]
Rock Band, Guitar Hero, and DDR get cheap rip-offs
When you're out trawling for a copy of the rapidly selling out Rock Band, you may run into a cheap knock-off or two of the rhythm game genre. Our tipster spotted several units including a Guitar and DDR imitation in Macy's, and a Drum game in another store. All of them plug directly into a TV, but none are particularly cheap at around $40 each. The usual target audience for these kind of gadgets are unsuspecting parents looking for a present for the kids, so make sure you include a rigorous education program in the perils of game rip-offs when you hand in your holiday wish-list.[Thanks, Seth]Read - Guitar SuperstarRead - Dance ManiaRead - Drum Star
Wii Warm Up: Waggle Waggle Revolution
With DDR Hottest Party out and Guitar Hero III and Samba de Amigo on the way, the Wii is quickly building up an outstanding library of rhythm games (and also the Alvin and the Chipmunks thing). In some cases, especially with Samba, the Wiimote makes the system ideal, but the real draws are the popularity of the Wii and the relatively low cost of development versus other next-gen consoles.What does the Wii need in order to have a truly classic music game library? Ports, remakes, sequels, or even original ideas are welcome. We long for a new version of Enix's early rhythm game Bust a Groove, whose combination of attack moves and somewhat flexible timing is still totally unique.
WRUP: It's a hot party edition
The highlight of this week's releases is undoubtedly Konami's DDR: Hottest Party. While we have yet to see how hot that party is for ourselves, we're sure many of you are sweating up a storm as you move to the beat. So, are you going to be cutting up a rug this weekend, or do you plan on playing something else?
Wii releases for the week of September 24th
This week doesn't hold much for eager Wii enthusiasts, aside from Konami's introduction of its wildly-popular franchise Dance Dance Revolution to the platform. If you're looking for something else to play, well you might just be out of luck. Most of what's available doesn't look all too appealing, to us at least.This week's releases are: Dance Dance Revolution: Hottest Party Bundle Hot Wheels Beat That Dragon Blade: Wrath of Fire Balls of Fury So, any of you trying to pick one or more of these new titles up?
