Konami announced today that there will be a brand new version of Dance Dance Revolution for the Wii coming in the Fall of 2010 to replace their solid yet admittedly aging Dance Dance Revolution series.
The new version of DDR features a new “Choreography Mode” which will feature actual dance moves from choreographers. If this sounds familiar, it’s because you’ve seen this already in the wildly successful Just Dance from Ubisoft.
This is where competition can be a great thing. As fun as Just Dance is, the most frustrating thing about it is its imprecise motion tracking, and given Ubisoft’s track record with motion and exercise games, they haven’t seemed to have the expertise nor the will to improve it. Konami has always done a great job with precise motion tracking due to its dance mat controller–but after 11 years, jumping on squares is admittedly getting stale. Can they extend their technology to track real dance moves?
And so the race is on. Who will come up with the best game featuring real dance moves for Fall of 2010? And will it be one of these two companies or a dark horse who will produce the best game for the PS3 Move or the Xbox Kinect? I’ll be reviewing both games when they come out in a few months. Stay tuned!
Here’s the full press release from Konami:
EL SEGUNDO, Calif. – June 15, 2010 – Konami Digital Entertainment Inc. today announced DanceDanceRevolution for Wii™. Featuring an all-new Choreography Mode, a wide variety of hit music, and enhanced multiplayer capabilities, DanceDanceRevolution makes its triumphant return to the family-friendly platform with over 11 years of dance history.
“DanceDanceRevolution is back and better than ever, combining entertaining and physically engaging gameplay with all of Nintendo Wii’s interactive capabilities,” said Shinji Hirano, President of Konami Digital Entertainment, Inc. “The newest addition to the DanceDanceRevolution family will offer fans the complete DanceDanceRevolution package full of movement, fitness and fun.”
DanceDanceRevolution will have players back on the mat with the introduction of the all-new Choreograph Style mode, allowing gamers to move with the model dancer on screen utilizing their body, mat controller, Wii Remote and Nunchuk, simultaneously. Completing the traditional style Wii gameplay, DanceDanceRevolution will also bring back the use of the Wii Balance Board™, taking the dance party to the next level with both beginner and expert dancers. As an added bonus, everyone can join in on the fun with a new multiplayer mode that allows up to four players to become the ultimate dancers using their upper body to follow the on-screen dance moves.