September 25, 2002

1:36 AM

"He was twitching and his eyes were not quite shut ... I thought he was dead."   With the rise in home-computers during the mid-nineties came the fall of game arcades and their unhealthy drifter culture. The family-oriented nVidia and ATI companies provided home-entertainment and the final nail in the coffin for the infamous arcade. That was until late 1998, and DDR. Dance Dance Revolution swept the nation and kids exchanged "moves" like bubblegum. It was a juggernaut. It was out of control. DDR claimed victim after victim, with no signs of stopping...
posted by holloway (14 comments total)

The only reason I have not ventured onto the hallowed d-pad of DDR is that it is one of the few arcade games where a 13 year old girl could easily whup my ass with no effort, and such my ego can not allow it.

And how's the name of that children's hospital? KidzFirst? When do I get to go to H4XORZFirst or GenXerzFirst?
posted by PenDevil at 2:12 AM on September 25, 2002

I got a pair of DDR pads with Dancing Stage Euromix for my little sister's birthday this year.. She's 13 and can whoop me with one foot tied behind her back. The shame.

The Disney Dancing stage game has to be the best one though, it beats the DDRs any day - if possible buy it and gawk at the techno remixes of classical disney songs. Truly surreal.
posted by Mossy at 4:01 AM on September 25, 2002

13 year old girl could easily whup my ass

I've seen these at the movie theaters. It's funny every time me and some buddies have seen some teens playing this video game they have looked like the guy in the video, a 13 year old girl, no joke.........
posted by thomcatspike at 4:59 AM on September 25, 2002

For those a little bemused by this, the stuff at DDRFreak should help.
I'd also like to say that you shouldn't dismiss this game simply cos it looks stupid. And it does. However, it's one of the very best arcade games I've ever played (good arcade game = you spend hours, and a lot of cash on it without noticing). The only time I generally stop is when I'm about to undergo a coronary failure cos I'm too unfit :)
Anyone else on MeFi play this?
On Preview - Yeah, I've had my ass kicked by 8-13 year olds. Yeah, it was embarassing. These things happen, eh? :)
posted by PeteTheHair at 5:08 AM on September 25, 2002

I used to manage a video arcade during their heyday in the mid-80s, so it's interesting to see how the phenomenon evolved. However, this doesn't sound like much of an improvement over Ms. Pac Man, Burger Time, and Q'Bert.

I don't miss the old arcades much, but I have to admit that I still have fond memories of locking the front gate at the mall after closing time, setting the machines to free play, and letting in 4 or 5 of my friends for an evening of beer and Dragon's Lair.
posted by MrBaliHai at 6:21 AM on September 25, 2002

Yet another recycled slashdot thread...
posted by titanshiny at 7:02 AM on September 25, 2002

Here's the problem with DDR. A couple weeks after installation, the game room starts to smell like a locker room.
posted by originalname37 at 9:25 AM on September 25, 2002

Yet another recycled slashdot thread...

Oh fuck you.
posted by holloway at 12:47 PM on September 25, 2002

Sorry, holloway, I didn't mean to sound snippy. I'm just looking for a little more originality from the FPPs.

I know this has been discussed here before, but it seems like more than a coincidence that so many FPPs appear here after a similar post appears on Slashdot. Maybe you don't read /., maybe you're trying to impress your friends with a large # of FPPs- either way it's nothing to sodomize anyone over.
posted by titanshiny at 1:52 PM on September 25, 2002

Yeah, a post on the general topic of DDR, a month ago, on Slashdot. Good catch.

Weirdo.
posted by holloway at 1:57 PM on September 25, 2002

Anyone else on MeFi play this?

Oh, yes.

Mostly at home, because the closest arcade machine is a two-hour drive from here, but I play quite often using the Playstation versions. It's actually been great for my health - I'm in the best shape of my adult life, almost solely due to DDR (I do some free weights, but that's upper body stuff, and has nothing to do with the Calves of Steel™ that have appeared since I started playing...)

Plus, I can pass No Limit on Maniac ^___^

Yeah, sure, you look stupid playing it... but who cares? It's a silly game, not the Waldorf Astoria, Gary Cooper. The number of people who use this excuse really surprises me. Most of the people I've invited to play pull this one, while tons of people from a society where face is everything are happy to play. If I were a sociologist, there'd be a paper here somewhere.

Anyway, if you see a DDR machine, go ahead. Give it a try. The benefits are great - there's fun and health to be had, not to mention the agony of being crushed by some 11 year old who can freestyle Drop Out on Double -_-;;
posted by vorfeed at 2:08 PM on September 25, 2002

Damn, that (tm) tag worked in preview. Sure, make me look unsure of my Calves of Steel, MeFi. Go ahead.

Blargh.
posted by vorfeed at 2:28 PM on September 25, 2002

Bah. There are better videos.
posted by zerolucid at 2:54 AM on September 26, 2002

Ta for those, zerolucid, downloading now.
posted by holloway at 4:39 PM on September 26, 2002