The Classic Videogames Blog 

The Return of Space Invaders

I've just came across this story about how Taito is planning to re-release the original Space Invaders game in the arcades in order to coincide with the game's 25th anniversary. (Has it been THAT long ago? It seems like only yesterday when I used to spend time and money shooting those aliens out of the sky.)

The only change is that one game play will now cost 50 cents, instead of the 25 cents that the game originally charged years ago.<

Crazy Taxi vs. The Simpsons: Road Rage

Ever since The Simpsons: Road Rage, a game that's based on The Simpsons teleivision series, was released a few years ago, many people have noticed how similar it is to Crazy Taxi, a popular arcade game that also became a hit in the home videogame market.

In both games you have to drive passengers to their destinations within a certain time period by any means necessary, even if you have to drive your car through a shopping mall or drive on the sidewalks. If you succeed, you get paid and if you drive really fast, you'll get rewarded with more time added to the end of the game. If you're running too far behind, your passenger will lose patience and bail right out of your car, thus you end up losing money.

I have a copy of both games for the Playstation 2 and they are pretty addicting in their own way. Crazi Taxi has a kick-ass soundtrack by The Offspring, four interesting characters to choose from (a spiky green-haired guy named Axel, a sexy woman named Gina, a hip-hop looking guy named B.D. Joe, and a chubby bald older guy with a gravelly voice and an attitude named Gus), and you get drive along realistic looking streets that resemble San Francisco. Road Rage has the Simpsons characters driving throughout the Springfield metropolitan area with some pretty witty banter (such as Chief Wiggins saying "Just say no to drugs, stay in school, yadda, yadda, yadda.") and some outrageous vehicles (such as Reverend Lovejoy's Book Burning Chariot, which is propelled on burning books like Louisa May Alcott's "Little Women").

The Simpsons: Road Rage also has some holiday-themed hidden cars that are revealed only if you play the game on a certain holiday. If you play on Halloween, you'll get Bart Simpson dressed as Frankenstein driving a Halloween-themed car. If you play on Thanksgiving Day, you'll get a car with Marge Simpson dressed as a pilgrim. If you play on Christmas Day, you'll get Apu dressed as Santa Claus driving a red car whose horn beeps "We Wish You a Merry Christmas." If you play on New Year's Day, you'll get a New Year's themed car with Krusty the Clown dressed in a tuxedo.

Both games were big hits on the home videogame market and both were re-released as part of the low-cost "Greatest Hits" line where older hits are priced around $19.99.

For years it was common knowledge that The Simpsons: Road Rage is quite similar of Crazy Taxi. Yet it was only recently that Sega of America, the company behind Crazy Taxi, has filed a lawsuit against Fox Interactive, which owns the rights to The Simpsons property, Electronic Arts, which published the Road Rage, and Radical Games, which developed the game, on the grounds that Road Rage is a knock-off of Crazy Taxi.

The only thing I'm wondering about is what took Sega of America so long to do something about this. If they felt that Road Rage was a knock-off, you'd think they would've filed this lawsuit a few years ago when Road Rage was at the height of its popularity. Road Rage is not a new game and the people behind that game has already made as much profit as they could. In fact, according to the story that I have already referred to, Road Rage has sold more than one million copies across multiple platforms worldwide. That's why Road Rage can be found so cheaply in the stores.

Well, anyway, Sega of America is seeking the removal of Road Rage from retail shelves, a recall of all existing copies, and unspecified damages in return for lost profits.

If you're looking for a videogame that could become a collector's item one day, then you'd better snatch up The Simpsons: Road Rage just in case a judge rules in favor of Sega of America. While you're at it, you could also get a copy of Crazy Taxi (which can also be found in stores for low prices) so you can see for yourself whether Sega has a case or not.

DISCLAIMER: This blog is based on one person's biased opinions of which videogames should be considered to be classics and why. It is not meant to provide a complete history of the videogame industry, the latest videogame news, technical support, or hints on how to play a certain videogame. None of the videogame manufacturers or programmers mentioned here have endorsed or supported this blog in any way, shape, or form.

NOTE: If there are any errors or updates to what I have written about this entry, please send an e-mail to [link=mailto:kstarkREMOVE-ALL-CAPS-IF-NOT-SPAM@erols.com]kstarkREMOVE-ALL-CAPS-IF-NOT-SPAM@erols.com[/link] (remember to remove the capital letters from my mailing address before sending or else it will get rejected) and I'll edit this piece when time permits.

CRAZY TAXI AND THE SIMPSONS: ROAD RAGE GAMES AVAILABLE FOR PURCHASE

DREAMCAST

Crazy Taxi

Crazy Taxi 2


GAME BOY ADVANCE

Crazy Taxi: Catch a Ride

The Simpsons: Road Rage


GAME CUBE

Crazy Taxi

The Simpsons: Road Rage


PLAYSTATION 2

Crazy Taxi

The Simpsons: Road Rage



WINDOWS

Crazy Taxi


X-BOX

Crazy Taxi 3

The Simpsons: Road Rage

Getting Videogames on the Cheap

The official first shopping day of the winter holiday season (also known as "Black Friday") has come and gone. In recent years the stores have been opening as early as 6 a.m. and telling consumers that if they arrive before noon they can get some products for super cheap deals that expire at noon. Well, this new holiday tradition of opening early in the morning with super cheap bargans has produced this really disgusting story about how a 41-year-old Florida woman who was at the front of the line of a mob of Wal-Mart shoppers scrambling for $29 DVD players was knocked to the ground, trampled, and suffered a seizure. What's worse is that while a few shoppers tried to help the prone woman, most people were drawn to the aisles and cash registers and didn't even notice her.

So a woman landed in the hospital for a $29 DVD player. Of course the story doesn't say which brand of DVD player it was but I wouldn't be suprised if it was some no-name brand that will suffer a massive break-down the day after the warranty expires. That's what happened to me a number of years ago when I bought my first CD player for $99 that was manufactured by some company called Crown Electronics that I had never heard of before. Shortly after the warranty expired the CD player began to malfunction so badly that we ended up buying a more expensive Yamaha CD player that still works to this day.

This is also the time of the year when people buy videogames as gifts for their loved ones. Videogames are the one consumer item where it can begin to depreciate in value the moment you play them for the first time. How bad does it depreciate? Not so long ago, I saw a person in a local videogame store attempt to trade in SOCOM: U.S. Navy Seals for the new SOCOM 2 sequel. When the cashier told him that he would only earn $5 due to the fact that SOCOM: U.S. Navy Seals has recently gone down in price in response to the release of the newer game, the guy turned it down because he originally bought that game new for around $50 and he would've suffered a $45 loss if he had traded it in.

Let's face it, videogames can be expensive. The newest and hottest videogames can run as high as $50 (and that's for domestic releases--I've seen Japanese imports that start at $70). However, I've managed to amass a decent videogame library while rarely spending $50 per videogame or dealing with the hassle of trading in a videogame that I didn't like for a lower price than what I originally paid for it. Here are some tips (all of which are legal) on how to amass a decent videogame collection without paying more than $20 per game:

1. Get a friend, relative, or sweetheart to buy you that $50 game as a birthday/Valentine's/Easter/Eid/Christmas/Hanukkah/Kwanzaa present. If the game turns out to be a major disappointment, you can take heart that someone else spent $50 on that game. What's more, you can always trade in that present at a local videogame store for another game. Here's a rule of thumb with this suggestion: Unless you know for sure that the gift-giver is loaded, don't ask for more than two $50 videogames per gift-giver because that'll put a financial hardship on the gift-giver plus you'll be perceived as greedy and materialistic. The last thing you want to do is to get on the bad side of the gift-giver. If you want three or more videogames, ask two or more gift-givers for each videogame that you want.

2. Borrow the game from someone else. If you have a friend or relative who already has that game, ask if you can come over to his/her house to play it. You can get enough of a feel for the game to decide whether you really want it without having to pay anything.

3. Rent the game. If you don't know anyone who already owns the game you're interested in, renting it is the next best thing. Many of the same video stores that rent tapes and DVDs also rent the latest videogames. For around $5 you can play with the game for a few days to see if you like it. If you don't like the game, you are out only $5 and you can return the game to the store. That's a better option than spending $50 on a game that you end up not liking and having to deal with the hassle of getting rid of it. Thanks to this rental option, I was able to discover Crazy Taxi, a kick-ass game that I loved so much that I actually bought it. Thanks to this option, I also discovered that there is no way in hell I would ever want to own Frogger: The Great Quest, a mediocre adventure game based extremely loosely on the original arcade classic.

4. Buy used. It's pretty easy to find places where you can buy used games. The big chain stores like GameStop, FYE, and Electronics Boutique all sell used games. Many video stores that rent games also sell used games (mainly because they need to clear the shelves in order to make room for the latest games that people can rent). You can also find used games at thrift stores and pawn shops. eBay and Amazon.com's Marketplace are other sources for used games, although you should check the seller's feedback before bidding on anything in order to protect yourself against fraud. The main advantage of buying used is that previously-owned games are cheaper than buying something that was recently shipped directly from the factory. The only disadvantage is that sometimes the used game may not come with a manual. Sometimes you can figure the game out without a manual. If you can't, the good news is that GameFAQs.com have manuals to many games on many different platforms that you can download for free.

5. Wait six months or more before buying the game. Most new games tend to be more expensive when they first come out. Once a few months pass by, the prices will gradually start to drop to $40. After a few more months, the prices will drop to around $30. If you wait long enough, you'll see the prices drop to $20 or lower. If you can't wait six months or more to play the game, re-read Tips 1-3.

6. If the game in question is the latest in a series, try buying a previous version of that game. As of this writing, SSX 3: Out of Bounds costs $50 but SSX Tricky costs $20. You can buy at least two older Final Fantasy games for the price of the latest Final Fantasy installment. If you love football games in general but aren't a stickler for getting the latest team roster, you can buy Madden Football 2002 or 2001 or earlier at a fraction of the cost of buying this year's Madden Football game.

7. Buy domestic. Like I wrote earlier, Japanese imports start at $70. On top of that you have to worry about getting a mod chip for your console just so you can play that game. (A dirty secret is that all the consoles released in the U.S. can play only games released in the U.S. You have to somehow get a mod chip installed in order to play any game that's imported from any country. That's easier said than done since the mainstream chain stores that sell consoles will not offer that service. You have to look for a small local mom-and-pop anime videogame store that offers this service or do a search on the Internet for a reputable site that will do such an installation. Mod chips are a murky legal issue since console manufacturers hate them as much as the music industry hates peer-to-peer file swapping.) Many Japanese import games will eventually make their way as domestic releases if you are patient enough to wait. I get amused by reading the message boards on DDR Freak about how people will go through the expensive effort to buy the Japanese import version of the latest Dance Dance Revolution game only to see a U.S. version get released a few months later and the domestic version have many of the same songs as on the Japanese import.

8. Buy an obsolete console system. For less than $40 you can buy either a Nintendo 64 or a Sega Dreamcast and still be able to play games with 3-D graphics, many of which cost less than $20 each. On the Nintendo 64 you can buy games like Namco Museum 64, Mario Kart 64, or Mario Party for a low cost. For less than $10 you can even buy the once-controversial Conker's Bad Fur Day, a game that definitely challenged the Nintendo 64's child-friendly image. On the Sega Dreamcast you can buy Soul Calibur, Crazy Taxi, or House of the Dead 2 for equally low prices. The only disadvantage of going with an obsolete console system is that no new state-of-the-art games will be released for that system. But if you're the kind of person who can care less about Grand Theft Auto: Vice City or could be easily contented with playing the original Soul Calibur on the Dreamcast instead of the recently released Soul Calibur 2 sequel on the newer consoles, going with an obsolete system is a great option.

9. Buy a game system that has backward compatibility. If you like the idea of playing the newer games in addition to playing older ones, this is a great alternative to buying an obsolete console system. On the console side, the Playstation 2 is a great choice. Playstation 2 is backwardly compatible with a large library of older Playstation 1 games. And many Playstation 1 games have come down in price to the point where many new PS 1 games are priced as low as $10. (Recently Sony has announced that the future Playstation 3 console will be compatible with both PS 1 and PS 2 games. Sweet!) On the portable side, the Game Boy Advance is the perfect choice. Game Boy Advance is backwardly compatible with both the Game Boy Color and the original early 1990's Game Boy games so you have the option of buying a whole bunch of older cheaper games.

That's it for cheap videogame alternatives. Just remember that while playing videogames can be fun, it's much sweeter if you are having fun with a game that you either got as a present or bought for a low price.

DISCLAIMER: This blog is based on one person's biased opinions of which videogames should be considered to be classics and why. It is not meant to provide a complete history of the videogame industry, the latest videogame news, technical support, or hints on how to play a certain videogame. None of the videogame manufacturers or programmers mentioned here have endorsed or supported this blog in any way, shape, or form.

NOTE: If there are any errors or updates to what I have written about this entry, please send an e-mail to [link=mailto:kstarkREMOVE-ALL-CAPS-IF-NOT-SPAM@erols.com]kstarkREMOVE-ALL-CAPS-IF-NOT-SPAM@erols.com[/link] (remember to remove the capital letters from my mailing address before sending or else it will get rejected) and I'll edit this piece when time permits.<

My Policy on Exchanging Links With This Blog

I never thought I had to write an entry like this. I've always assumed that anyone visiting this blog would know that it deals with videogames and nothing else.

Well, I was wrong. This morning I got an e-mail from someone who has three sites. He wanted me to link to his sites right here in this blog. In exchange, he would create a link on his sites to this blog. He wrote: "I only seek links to sites that will be beneficial to my visitors and http://classicvideogames.blogeasy.com looks great...As you probably know, there are 3 main reasons to exchange links. 1. It is beneficial to our visitors as well as yours to direct them to good sites. 2. It helps increase your Google rankings. 3. You will receive targeted traffic from us free of charge. (This is a free link exchange.)"

It sounds like a great deal but there's one problem. All three of his sites deal with wedding rings. That's right, wedding rings. I have no idea where he would get the idea that a blog that deals with videogames would be an ideal place to hype wedding rings since most people do not visit this blog with obtaining wedding tips in mind.

The only thing I can figure is that the guy is either a) totally stupid or b) is so short on time that he wasn't able to read any of my blog entries in detail and figure out what it's about or c) both totally stupid AND short on time.

So here is my policy with exchanging links. I'm willing to exchange links ONLY if your site, blog, or message board is about videogames. I will NOT link to sites, blogs, or forums that deal with wedding rings, pets, bass fishing, nuclear weapons, Michael Jackson, NASCAR racing, horseback riding, the Paris Hilton sex tape, nail polish, Bruce Springsteen, ice cream cones, eating disorders, or any other topic that has NOTHING to do with videogames.{

Mickey Mouse Videogames

Seventy-five years ago today, Walt Disney released his first sound cartoon, a cute short called "Steamboat Willie" that also served as a debut for the most famous cartoon character ever created--Mickey Mouse. After "Steamboat Willie", Mickey's popularity grew as he appeared in more shorts, made his feature film debut in "Fantasia", made a successful leap to television via "The Mickey Mouse Club" and "The Wonderful World of Disney", became a presence at Disney theme parks, and even made the leap to cyberspace (thanks to Disney.com and numerous fan sites).

Over the years Mickey has been loved for his cuteness and sweet good-guy persona and reviled for his cuteness and representing a corporation that has grown in dominance and power around the world.

As a child growing up I only watched "The Wonderful World of Disney" whenever they showed Mickey Mouse shorts. (I never really cared for the live-action episodes, to be honest.) I also used to own some Mickey Mouse toys. One toy I remember was the one where Mickey and his pals were on rollerballs and you drove them around a short track that contained a loop so they would do a loop-de-loop. I temporarily grew out of my Mickey fixation because back in the 1970's, Disney only marketed itself to children under 10. Wearing a Mickey Mouse t-shirt or watch in high school would earn you a bunch of ridicule from your classmates. I became enamored of Mickey again when I visited Walt Disney World in Florida for the first time in 1985 and I was totally amazed and thrilled by this place. In fact, I was kind of sad when my trip was over and I had to go back home. I went into kind of a Mickey withdrawal and I began to wish that I could see images of Mickey in my hometown in places other than the toy store.

In an illustration of the old saying "Be careful of what you wish for", the people at Disney changed its marketing strategy by opening Disney Stores nationwide, began creating Mickey clothes aimed at teens and adults, creating expensive limited edition collectibles, and coming out with Christmas ornaments. Then Disney bought ABC and it really got big.

As you're reading this, you're probably wondering what does this have to do with videogames? Well, it has plenty to do with videogames, as a matter of fact. Mickey was absent from the arcade scene during the 1970's and 1980's. Popeye was the first cartoon character who was turned into a videogame and Disney used Tron--not Mickey Mouse--as its first videogame license.

With the rise of the home videogame market, though, Disney has constantly sought to license Mickey for computers and home consoles as much as possible.

Below is a list of the games that Mickey Mouse has appeared in that have been created for the home videogame market in a variety of platforms. (The list covers the games that--as of this writing--have either been released or announced as going to be released in the near future.) While I can't guarantee that this is a complete list, it's still pretty impressive.

AMIGA

Mickey Mouse

Mickey Mouse 2


AMSTRAD CPC

Mickey Mouse


ATARI 400/800

Mickey Mouse in the Great Outdoors


ATARI ST

Mickey Mouse

Mickey's Runaway Zoo


COMMODORE 64

Mickey Mouse

Mickey's Runaway Zoo

Mickey's Space Adventure


GAME BOY

Mickey Mouse

Mickey Mouse 2

Mickey Mouse 3

Mickey Mouse 4

Mickey Mouse 5: Mickey's Magic

Mickey Mouse Magic Wands!

Mickey's Dangerous Chase

Mickey's Racing Adventure

Mickey's Speedway USA

Mickey's Ultimate Challenge


GAME BOY COLOR

Mickey's Racing Adventure

Mickey's Speedway USA


GAME BOY ADVANCE

Disney Sports Basketball

Disney Sports Football

Disney Sports Motorcross

Disney Sports Skateboarding

Disney Sports Snowboarding

Disney Sports Soccer

Disney's Magical Quest Starring Mickey & Minnie

Disney's Magical Quest 2 Starring Mickey & Minnie

Disney's Party


GAME CUBE

Disney Sports Basketball

Disney Sports Football

Disney Sports Skateboarding

Disney Sports Soccer

Disney's Hide and Sneak

Disney's Magical Mirror Starring Mickey Mouse

Disney's Party


GAME GEAR

Mickey Mouse: Castle of Illusion

Mickey Mouse: Land of Illusion

Mickey Mouse: Legend of Illusion

Mickey's Ultimate Challenge


GENESIS

Castle of Illusion Starring Mickey Mouse

Mickey Mania

Mickey Mouse Great Circus Mystery

Mickey's Ultimate Challenge

World of Illusion Starring Mickey Mouse


NES

Mickey Mouse

Mickey Mousecapade

Mickey's Adventures in Numberland

Mickey's Chaos in Number City

Mickey's Dream Balloon

Mickey's Safari in Letterland


NINTENDO 64

Mickey's Speedway USA


PLAYSTATION 1

Dance Dance Revolution: Disney Mix

Mickey's Wild Adventure

My Disney Kitchen


PLAYSTATION 2

Disney Golf

Kingdom Hearts


SEGA CD

Mickey Mania: The Timeless Adventures of Mickey Mouse


SPECTRUM

Mickey Mouse


SUPER NINTENDO

The Magical Quest Starring Mickey Mouse

Mickey Mania: The Timeless Adventures of Mickey Mouse

Mickey's Playtown Adventure: A Day of Discovery

Mickey's Ultimate Challenge


WINDOWS/PC

Disney Trivia Challenge

Mickey's Space Adventure

DISCLAIMER: This blog is based on one person's biased opinions of which videogames should be considered to be classics and why. It is not meant to provide a complete history of the videogame industry, the latest videogame news, technical support, or hints on how to play a certain videogame. None of the videogame manufacturers or programmers mentioned here have endorsed or supported this blog in any way, shape, or form.

NOTE: If there are any errors or updates to what I have written about this entry, please send an e-mail to [link=mailto:kstarkREMOVE-ALL-CAPS-IF-NOT-SPAM@erols.com]kstarkREMOVE-ALL-CAPS-IF-NOT-SPAM@erols.com[/link] (remember to remove the capital letters from my mailing address before sending or else it will get rejected) and I'll edit this piece when time permits.

RELATED LINKS

The Walt Disney Company--The official site of the company that's responsible for Mickey Mouse.

The Walt Disney Family Museum profiles the life of the man who's responsible for Mickey's creation.

Mickey-Mouse.com is a fan site that's devoted to the mouse.

Info-Galaxy: Mickey Mouse is another fan site that's devoted to the mouse.

Mickey Mouse History and a Little About Minnie Mouse--That's one's self-explanatory.

The Encyclopedia of Disney Animated Shorts: Mickey Mouse--Provides a complete list of all the animated shorts that Mickey Mouse has appeared in.

Disney Tattoo Guy--This site shows the length that one hard-core Disney fan will go to show his love for Mickey Mouse and his friends. George C. Reiger, Jr. has over 1,000 Disney tattoos on his body, over 15,000 Disney collectible items, and a custom-built 4,000 square foot Disney house.

The Disney Corner--An independent site that's a great place to get all the Disney and Mickey Mouse-related news.

Mouse fresco 'challenges Mickey'--A BBC News story about the 2002 discovery of a 700-year-old fresco in Malta, Austria that resembles Mickey Mouse.

Is Disney Really "Kiddy"?--An interesting discussion on whether Disney really should be synonymous with children's entertainment.m

Pac-Man for Excel

Here's a really strange link that I've just come across. This person has written a Pac-Man program using Visual Basic that will enable you to play the game in an Excel spreadsheet. Games for Excel?!? What's next, Q*Bert for Microsoft Word? Space Invaders for QuickTime? The possibilities are endless, I suppose.<

Another Interersting Link

Here's another interesting link that I've come across recently. The Arcade Restoration Workshop site is devoted to providing help to those who wish to restore vintage arcade games. This highly technical site is a useful resource for anyone who is into restoring old arcade games.

Dance Dance Revolution

Most books and websites I've seen on classic videogames generally deal with arcade games that were released prior to 1984 (the year of the fabled Great Videogame Crash where many videogame manufacturers either lost a lot of money or went out of business). However, this narrow-minded interpretation of what videogames deserve to be considered "classics" completely ignores worthwhile and innovative games that were released in the years since then.

Dance Dance Revolution is a case in point. When Konami first released this game in the arcades in Japan in 1998, it created an instant sensation due to its uniqueness. Up to this point, most people played videogames by either standing or sitting in front of a machine while pushing buttons with their fingers or moving joysticks with their hands. Sure it gave the eyes and hands a good workout but the rest of the body was pretty still so it wasn't very condusive to being physically fit.

Dance Dance Revolution was different. For one thing, you used your legs and feet instead of your hands. Plus the game had a soundtrack that sounded like something you'd hear at a nightclub or rave instead of the usual computer game music.

The object of the game is simple. The player stands on a pad that has arrows. The player uses the arrows on the pad to select the game's difficulty then select what song he/she wants to play. (The game provides a brief snippet of each song in order to help the player make a choice.)

Once the game begins, a row of dark arrows appears on top of the screen. Yellow arrows start floating from the bottom of the screen to the top. Once the yellow arrow matches one of the dark arrows, that person is supposed to hit the corresponding arrow on the pad. In the meantime the game flashes a bunch of pretty images that's tempting to watch, but not too closely or else you'll get so distracted that you miss hitting the arrows at the proper time.

If the person does well, then he/she can progress to the next song. The game ends after mastering the third song. However, if the person bombs out on the song at any point, then the game will end much sooner.

It's very easy to learn but, like all great games, it's difficult to master, especially if one hits the faster-paced songs at the hardest difficulty and the yellow arrows start flying like crazy to the top.

Dance Dance Revolution was (and still continues to be) a sensation in many ways. Each subsequent sequel boasts a soundtrack that will definitely keep your toes tapping. Even though many of the songs are by relative unknowns, most of the music is excellent. At times I find myself thinking that some of these songs deserve to be major radio hits far more than anything by the likes of Justin Timberlake or Hillary Duff.

What's more, many people who play Dance Dance Revolution on a regular basis have reported losing weight, which is unusual for a videogame.

Dance Dance Revolution have also inspired knock-offs. One such example is a similar game called Pump It Up that is also frequently found in arcades where the pads sport diagonal arrows instead of horizonal and vertical arrows. Another one is Bust a Groove, an excellent dancing game that was released for the Playstation before Konami released the first DDR game for that platform.

Even Britney Spears got into the act by releasing her own dancing game, featuring her music and likeness, called Britney's Dance Beat.

I discovered this game in a roundabout way. I had pretty much stopped frequenting video arcades on a regular basis by the mid-1980's mainly because of Mortal Kombat. Don't get me wrong, I didn't hate that game (in fact, I even played it a few times). What I hated was that Mortal Kombat's success prompted the way for numerous sequels (which were basically similar) and inspired other manufacturers began to come out with their own Mortal Kombat knock-offs. At the same time, a few of the old-time arcades in my area went out of business while the remaining arcades had gotten rid of Pac-Man, BurgerTime, and other classic games so they could offer Mortal Kombat and its many sequels and clones. It just got so boring with all these fighting games and no other alternatives so I basically quit going. (It also didn't help that the prices of playing these games had gone from 25 cents a game to 50 cents a game then up to $1 per game.)

So I pretty much missed Dance Dance Revolution's initial arrival in the U.S. I saw a few dancing games like The Jungle Book Rhythm & Groove in the video stores for the Playstation but I ignored them.

I didn't discover that game until October, 2001 when I was still reeling from the September 11 terrorist attacks (I live just 20 miles from the Pentagon and the ministers at my church had officiated over a memorial service for an entire family who were on that plane that hit the Pentagon). I was on a diet but had gone off of it in a big way and I would go on these eating binges where I would eat a bunch of candy or something else that was sweet. I was browsing through one of the stores when I found Dance Dance Revolution: Disney Mix featuring Mickey Mouse and his pals on the front. I looked at it mainly because I was into Mickey Mouse as a child and it seems like a blast from the past. What was really cool was that this game had a Workout Mode where you can track how much calories you've burned.

Even though I had a Playstation 2, the big obstacle was that not only did the game cost $40 but I had to buy a dance pad controller, which cost $25 at the time (the prices have gone way down since). At first I was leery about making such an investment because I was afraid that I wouldn't like the game. So I went home and mulled it over for the next couple of weeks.

I took stock of my current weight situation, which had gotten so out of control that recently purchased a few pairs of size 26 jeans at Wal-Mart, which totally upset me. I began to realize that just walking for 30 minutes a day three to four times a week wasn't doing it for me. I decided to add some more exercise time by trying Dance Dance Revolution: Disney Mix.

So I took the plunge and bought the game and dance pad controller. When I first tried the game I found the music to be surprisingly listenable. As for the dancing part, I found that while I was okay with the really easy songs, I would quickly get out of breath whenever I tried any of the harder songs. But I soon began to enjoy the game and I found myself hooked.

What's really refreshing about the game's Workout Mode is that you don't get some perky, hyperactive instructor barking orders like a drill seargeant. Your only guide are the arrows and the deejay in the game is laid-back compared to Richard Simmons. (It also helps that the music in DDR is far superior to what one would find in a typical workout video.)

Soon afterwards, I bought the first Dance Dance Revoltuion game that Konami released in the stores in the U.S. I found the songs on that game to be even better than the ones on Disney Mix and I really got into it. I soon became inspired to purchase Bust a Groove and The Jungle Book Rhythm & Groove as well. I began to buy every new dancing game released in the U.S. I even bought Britney's Dance Beat, even though I'm not a big Britney Spears fan.

There are hardcore DDR fans who have purchased the Japanese imports but I haven't bothered to do that yet mainly because the imports are expensive plus I really don't feel like going through the time, effort, and money to get a mod-chip installed in my Playstation 2 so it can play those imports.

In any case, I began to get serious about my weight. I began to take 30-minute morning walks around the neighborhood four days a week and do shorter stretching/toning exercises two days a week. I augmented all that with playing Dance Dance Revolution and other dancing games for 30 minutes in the evening four days a week. (I've recently boosted that to playing DDR for 30 minutes in the evening six days a week.) At the same time I began to closely follow two books by Kathleen DesMaisons: The Sugar Addicts Total Recovery Program and its sequel Your Last Diet!

I began my weight loss program in earnest on January 2, 2002. Since then, my dress size has gone down from a size 26 to a size 18. Recently I've discovered that I'm able to fit into some size 16 clothes if they are cut loose enough. In addition, I've received compliments from many people who've noticed my weight loss.

All I can say is that I'm one of the many people who can claim that they've loss weight playing Dance Dance Revolution. Actually, I have a perfect tabloid headline to describe my current situation: I'VE LOST WEIGHT PLAYING VIDEOGAMES!

But there is one other thing that Dance Dance Revolution has done for me--it has exposed me to a variety of music that one would never hear on corporate radio in the United States. Konami seems to make an effort to find music that people would actually like instead of just picking superstar acts like Madonna or Christina Aguilera. The soundtrack is far more adventurous and interesting than what one would hear on a radio station that's owned by Viacom or Clear Channel.

Sure, there are a few klunkers among the good songs. But even the klunkers are fare more listenable than some Top 40 hits that gets played several times a day on the radio.


When I was visiting Ocean City, Maryland this past summer, I found a Dance Dance Revolution machine in the arcade on the Boardwalk that was frequently crowded, no matter what time of day it was. I've noticed that the best players were also the thinnest ones. These players would draw crowds as they successfully dance to the hardest songs at the hardest difficulty levels.

From time to time I'll try either Dance Dance Revolution or Pump It Up in the arcades and I do okay at the lower levels. Maybe one of these days I'll be in good enough shape and get enough guts to try the hardest songs at the hardest difficulty levels and have throngs of crowds gather around me to admire me.

For now, I'm just content trying the harder songs in the privacy of my own home.

DISCLAIMER: This blog is based on one person's biased opinions of which videogames should be considered to be classics and why. It is not meant to provide a complete history of the videogame industry, the latest videogame news, technical support, or hints on how to play a certain videogame. None of the videogame manufacturers or programmers mentioned here have endorsed or supported this blog in any way, shape, or form.

NOTE: If there are any errors or updates to what I have written about Dance Dance Revolution, please send an e-mail to [link=mailto:kstarkREMOVE-ALL-CAPS-IF-NOT-SPAM@erols.com]kstarkREMOVE-ALL-CAPS-IF-NOT-SPAM@erols.com[/link] (remember to remove the capital letters from my mailing address before sending or else it will get rejected) and I'll edit this piece when time permits.


DANCE DANCE REVOLUTION AND OTHER DANCING GAMES AVAILABLE FOR PURCHASE

PLAYSTATION 1

Dance Dance Revoltuion--This is the first DDR title that Konami released in the U.S. Many hardcore DDR enthusiasts who had previously been buying Japanese imports were disappointed by this title. However, I think that it's a pretty enjoyable debut. Sure, the gameplay and graphics are crude compared to later DDR titles but the songs are still very good and worth dancing to. Personal Favorites: "Boom Boom Dollar", "Drop the Bomb", "El Ritmo Tropical", "Make it Better", "I Believe in Miracles", and "Smoke" (a rap song that's based on Deep Purple's classic "Smoke on the Water").

Dance Dance Revolution: Disney Mix--Many hardcore DDR enthusiasts think that this second U.S. release is a travesty but I think this is a charming game that has an all-ages appeal to anyone who likes Disney. The music is a combination of remixed techno Disney songs (which are surprisingly listenable) and non-Disney toe-tappers. Mickey Mouse and his friends alternate as deejays while you dance. This game doesn't boo you like the other DDR games and the announcer is encouraging even when you bomb out on a song, which is perfect for children and DDR newbies. Personal Favorites: "Are You Ready Do the Bus Stop", "D.D.D! (Happy 65th Anniversary for Donald Duck)", "Macho Duck," "Fire", "Mickey Mouse March (Eurobeat Version)", "Mickey Mouse March (Summertime Extended Version)", "Zip-A-Dee-Doo-Dah", "Let's Twist Again", and "Mr. Bassman".

Dance Dance Revolution: Konamix--The third DDR game released in the U.S. is the game that many hardcore DDR enthusiasts think is the best release on the Playstation 1, citing the fact this title has more songs than the previous Playstation 1 DDR titles. This title is the last one that Konami would release for the Playstation 1 in the U.S. Personal Favorites: ".59", "Absolute", "Cutie Chaser", "Drop Out", "Drop the Bomb", "End ot the Century" (which has a riff that's based on Ludwig von Beethoven's "Ninth Symphony"), "Look to the Sky", "Make a Jam!", "On the Jazz", and "Super Star".

Bust a Groove--Of all the non-DDR dancing games, this one is the best. The object of this game is to pick a character (with each one having his/her own theme song) and challenge other characters in a series of dance competitions. The more you dance without missing a beat, the more you can see objects in the background start to animate and evolve. The best dancer wins the round and gets to go on to the next competition. If you perform extremely well during the competition, you'll get rewarded with Extended Time where you do a few seconds of funky dance numbers. The graphics are excellent and it boasts an awesome soundtrack that have no duds on it. Personal Favorites: The theme songs of Shorty, Strike, Hiro, and Hamm.

Bust a Groove 2--This sequel has the same gameplay but with even better graphics than the original. The soundtrack, unfortunately, does contain a few dud tunes along with the catchy memorable songs. Overall, it's a flawed yet fun sequel that's worth checking out. Personal Favorites: The theme songs of Comet, Bio, Tsomutu, and Kelly.

The Jungle Book Rhythm & Groove--It's a fun dancing game that's based on Disney's classic "The Jungle Book." In Story Mode you get to control Mowgli as he dances his way through the jungle and faces off against Shere Khan. The music includes the original movie songs "The Bear Necessities" and "I Wanna Be Like You" along with newer tunes that were written especially for this game. The game also includes a Karaoke mode so you can sing along to the lyrics.

Super Star Dance Club: #1 Hits--Of all the non-DDR dancing games, this one scrapes the bottom of the barrel. The one saving grace is that this game is so bad that it's funny and I find it far more playable (and cheaper in price) than something like Frogger: The Great Quest (a dull and mediocre adaptation of the arcade classic that made me glad that I only rented it). How bad and funny is it? The cover art leads one to believe that the person gets to control either a blonde, brunette, or purple-haired girl in the game. However, once you start the game, you get to control only one character--a blue-haired, well-endowed girl who can't be seen anywhere on the front cover. The game is similar to Bust a Groove where the blue-haired girl goes through a series of dance competitions so she can win money and go shopping (which seems to be the only reason why she is interested in competing). The game's sub-title is "#1 Hits" but I guess it means that the songs were number one hits on another planet in a distant galaxy since these songs sound like nothing you've ever heard on the radio anywhere on Earth. In fact, the music sounds like something that a teenage girl composed with her cheap MIDI keyboard in the privacy of her own bedroom. The one-frame-per-second 2-D animation is awful and does not even match the beat of the music. The game also only costs $10 so it's a pretty cheap way of enjoying a totally bad DDR/Bust a Move clone.

Bratz--It's a dancing game that's based on the popular Bratz doll line. The game is similar to Bust a Groove where you choose a Bratz doll and go through a series of dance competitions. The 3-D graphics are pretty good and the dolls seem lifelike. As for the music, while it's not quite as bad as Superstar Dance Club: #1 Hits, it's pretty forgettable compared with DDR or Bust a Groove. On the plus side, the game is pretty cheap compared to other dancing games and people who collect Bratz dolls will definitely enjoy this.

DDR Dance Mat--This is the official dance mat that's made by Konami, the same company that's responsible for the Dance Dance Revoltuion series.

Dance Pad Revolution--This is a dance pad controller that's made by Naki.

Dance Mat--This is a dance pad controller that's made by Intec.

Mad Catz Dance Mat--This is a dance pad controller that's made by Mad Catz.


PLAYSTATION 2

DDR Max: Dance Dance Revolution--This is the first Playstation 2 game that Konami released in the U.S. Personal Favorites: "Celebrate", "Cutie Chaser (Morning Mix)", "Dark Black Forest (Short Trip)", "Drop the Bomb", "Gambol", "I Like to Move It", "Look to the Sky", "Ordinary World", "The Shining Polaris", "True (Trance Sunrise Mix)", and "You Leave Me Alone".

DDR Max 2: Dance Dance Revolution--The second U.S. Playstation 2 game boasts more mainstream music (which includes likes of Kylie Minogue, Dirty Vegas, KC & The Sunshine Band, and The Crystal Method) than the previous titles yet it's still just as danceable as its predecessors. Personal Favorites: A cool remake of the Village People's classic "In the Navy", KC & The Sunshine Band's classic "Get Down Tonight", The Crystal Method's "Busy Child", "Dream a Dream" (which has a riff that's based on Edvard Grieg's "In the Hall of the Mountain King"), "Take Me Away", Dirty Vegas' "Days Go By", "Super Star", "End of the Century" (which has a riff that's based on Ludwig von Beethoven's "Ninth Symphony"), "Let's Groove", "The Whistle Song", and "The Shining Polaris".

DDR Max 2: Dance Dance Revolution With Dance Pad--It's the same game mentioned above except that it comes with a dance pad controller, which is perfect if you are just getting into DDR for the first time or you need to replace your current dance pad.

Britney's Dance Beat--It's a dancing game featuring the music and likeness of Britney Spears. It's similar to Bust a Groove where you get to play as an aspiring dancer who's auditioning to become one of the backup dancers on Britney's upcoming world tour. The gameplay and graphics are excellent. The biggest weakness is that this game boasts only five songs, which is a pittance compared to any of the DDR titles. It's also pretty bad considering that, at the time of this game's release, Britney had just released her third CD. (I mean, c'mon, couldn't the manufacturers include a few non-hit CD tracks on this game?) Hearing the same five songs over and over again can get monotonous after a while. Die-hard Britney fans will love this game. For everyone else, it's a fun but seriously flawed dancing game.

The Jungle Book Rhythm & Groove--It's a fun dancing game that's based on Disney's classic "The Jungle Book." In Story Mode you get to control Mowgli as he dances his way through the jungle and faces off against Shere Khan. The music includes the original movie songs "The Bear Necessities" and "I Wanna Be Like You" along with newer tunes that were written especially for this game. The game also includes a Karaoke mode so you can sing along to the lyrics.

Lowrider--This game has been described as "DDR with cars." You select a car then cruise the streets or participate in a series of tournament competitions, which include Hop, Dance, Bed-Dance, and Unlimited.

American Idol--Another game that's similar to Bust a Groove. Based on the hit TV show, you use the dance pad controller to make a series of steps that corresponds to the contestant's singing ability. The more you can keep your feet in tune with the music, the better that contestant will sing in the game and the more likely you'll make the judges Paula Abdul, Randy Jackson, and Simon Cowell happy. If you mess up, you can count on nasty remarks, especially from Simon.

Space Channel 5, Part 2--This is a sequel to the original dancing game that was created for the Dreamcast and later ported to the Game Boy Advance. A mini-skirted television reporter named Ulala (pronounced "ooh-la-la") is on another assignment as she investigates a mysterious dancing group who is forcing innocent bystanders to dance before whisking them away. Like in the previous game, Ulala becomes part of the story herself as she is forced into dancing and singing in order to free the hostages.

DDR Dance Mat--This is the official dance mat that's made by Konami, the same company that's responsible for the Dance Dance Revoltuion series.

Dance Pad Revolution--This is a dance pad controller that's made by Naki.

Dance Mat--This is a dance pad controller that's made by Intec.

Mad Catz Dance Mat--This is a dance pad controller that's made by Mad Catz.



X-BOX

DDR Ultramix--This is the first DDR title for the X-Box that Konami released in the U.S. It has a similar set list to DDR Max 2: Dance Dance Revoltuion (for the Playstation 2) as well as other songs that have appeared on other DDR titles for the Playstation 1 and Playstation 2. This game does have one added feature: DDR Ultramix is X-Box Live compatible so players have the option of downloading additional songs and competing online.

DDR Ultramix With Dance Mat--It's the same game mentioned above, except that it comes with a dance pad controller, which is perfect for X-Box owners who are just getting into DDR for the first time.


DREAMCAST

Space Channel 5--This is a fun dancing game that has a wacky premise: a television reporter named Ulala (pronounced "ooh-la-la"), who wears an orange mini-skirt, is covering a story about an alien invasion of Earth and she ends up being part of the story as she's forced to copy the aliens' dance steps in order to free the hostages. This game is a fun cross between Dance Dance Revolution and the old electronic memory game Simon.


GAME BOY ADVANCE

Space Channel 5: Ulala's Cosmic Attack--This is a port of the original Dreamcast game. It's a fun dancing game that has a wacky premise: a television reporter named Ulala (pronounced "ooh-la-la"), who wears an orange mini-skirt, is covering a story about an alien invasion of Earth and she ends up being part of the story as she's forced to copy the aliens' dance steps in order to free the hostages. This game is a fun cross between Dance Dance Revolution and the old electronic memory game Simon.

Britney's Dance Beat--It's the same Playstation 2 game that's adapted to the Game Boy Advance and it's designed to give your fingers a workout. Die-hard Britney Spears fans will definitely love this one.

Mary-Kate and Ashley's Girls' Night Out--The Olson twins appear in their own dancing game that's only available for the Game Boy Advance.



DANCE DANCE REVOLUTION LINKS

BeatFreekS--This fan site provides the latest news on music games for the PC, Playstation 1, and Playstation 2 in the UK.

DDR Freak--This is the ultimate fan site. It includes a history of the game, the complete song list of every single DDR game that has ever been released in both Japan and the U.S., the latest DDR news, a search engine to help you locate a DDR arcade game near your home, step charts to help you master the most complex DDR song, and a very lively and active forum.

DDR Spot--Provides the latest news on Dance Dance Revolution and other music games. This site includes DDR music ringtones that one can download for free, multimedia downloads, and a list of upcoming DDR tournaments.

DDR East Invasion--Another DDR fan site with a forum that's less active than DDR Freak's. This site tends to focus more on upcoming DDR tournaments, which frequently posts such information on the front page.

DDRManiaX.net--This site provides information on Dance Dance Revolution simulation games for the PC (such as Stepmania and Dance With Intensity).

International DDR Meetup Day--You can meet other DDR enthusiasts face-to-face in your hometown once a month.

The Killer List of Videogames' Dance Dance Revolution Exhibit

Konami--The official site of the company that's responsible for Dance Dance Revolution.

12 Steps to Addiction: Confessions of a DDR Addict--The title is self-explanatory.<

Good Luck for Game Cube Owners

I was at a local mall recently when I walked by FYE and noticed something interesting. If you pre-order Star Wars Rebel Strike: Rogue Squadron III for the Game Cube, you'll get a free limited edition Game Cube disk that includes the original Star Wars arcade game that Atari released in the arcades back in the late 1970's. (I noticed that FYE's website doesn't mention this offer. I guess you'll have to show up at the store in person if you want the extra disk.)

This offer applies to the Game Cube only. Playstation 2 and X-Box owners are out of luck on this one.<

A New Classic Game Package for the Consoles

When I was searching around Amazon.com yesterday, I found out about an upcoming title for the Playstation 2, Game Cube, and X-Box called Midway Arcade Treasures. For only $20, you get the following games, some of which have never appeared on any console classic gaming title before: SpyHunter, Defender, Gauntlet, Joust, Paperboy, Rampage, Marble Madness, Robotron 2084, Smash TV, Joust 2, Bubbles, RoadBlasters, Stargate, Moon Patrol, Blaster, Rampart, Sinistar, Super Sprint, 720, Toobin', KLAX, SPLAT!, Satan's Hollow, Vindicators, and Root Beer Tapper.

But that's not all. This game will also include DVD content with interviews with the original creators and developers, along with music from the 1980's.

That is so sweet!<