Dancing Stage MegaMix

2003 video game
  • EU: May 30, 2003
  • AU: September 26, 2003
Genre(s)Music, exerciseMode(s)Single-player, multiplayer

Dancing Stage MegaMiX is the fifth home release in the Dancing Stage series, a European version of the Dance Dance Revolution series of music video games. MegaMix was the first Dancing Stage game released on the Sony PlayStation 2 game console - and as with Dancing Stage EuroMix 2, MegaMix introduced many new features to Europe, such as Freeze Arrows, the Options menu, and a cleaner interface. Based largely on Dancing Stage EuroMix 2, MegaMiX was separated from the arcade game by a completely different track list of songs. The game was marketed by Konami as a family game and an exercise tool in efforts to make the niche series more mainstream.[1]

Gameplay

The gameplay of Dancing Stage MegaMiX is exactly like Dancing Stage EuroMIX 2, which had been released the previous year. Players who had not played EuroMIX 2 would be introduced to Konami's "Freeze Arrow" in this game, where players have to step on the correct arrow and hold their foot down until the game signaled to release it. This added more dynamics to the overall gameplay of MegaMiX and introduced situations where the player is forced to hold one foot down and hit a series of arrows solely with the other foot, maintaining balance at the same time. For beginner players MegaMiX was the first console title to feature the Beginner difficulty level, containing the absolute easiest steps possible for a song, never featuring anything beyond the most simple of step patterns, and utilizing an on-screen guide to assist

Dancing Stage MegaMiX uses the exact two-tiered scoring system that EuroMIX 2 does, but the judgment is less forgiving than EuroMIX 2, however there is a slightly larger window for perfects making it easier to pass a song overall.[2]

As with EuroMIX 2, Dancing Stage MegaMiX was based on the Japanese release DDRMAX2: Dance Dance Revolution 7thMIX, but with modifications such as difficulty selection being done before the song instead of being offered before the song wheel (but being changeable with codes). Challenge Mode[3] was replaced with Nonstop Mode, again to mimic EuroMIX 2. In total, the gameplay modes include the traditional game and nonstop modes, Workout Mode, Lesson Mode (containing tutorials), Training Mode (allowing the player to practice specific portions of songs), and Endless Mode, most of these modes and one additional song are unlocked through regular play.[4]

Modifiers

Unlike EuroMIX 2, Dancing Stage MegaMiX implements the new Options Menu which debuted on DDRMAX: Dance Dance Revolution 6thMIX, allowing easier access to modifiers which required special codes entered on the difficulty selection screen on previous versions.[4]

Interface & graphics

The visual interface was completely overhauled for the console Dancing Stage series.[5] For the first time the game played at 60fps and doubled the old video resolution from 320x240 to 640x480. Full motion background videos completely replaced the aging background animation engine, and Konami's signature dancing characters were omitted from the game for the first time on a European home version. Graphical karaoke style lyrics are displayed during some songs when there are spoken words. Occasionally videos are specifically made for a certain song, and in Dancing Stage MegaMiX's case, some licensed tracks contain their original music video in the background.[6]

Music

Dancing Stage MegaMiX song list[4][7]
Song Artist Note
Love at First Sight Kylie Minogue
One Step Closer S Club Juniors
Shake UR Body Shy FX & T-Power feat. Di
When You Look At Me Christina Milian
A Little Less Conversation (Elvis vs JXL) Elvis vs JXL
Stealin' Beats Kid Galahad
The Lovecats The Cure
Arcade BEMANI crossovers (4 total)
BROKEN MY HEART NAOKI feat. PAULA TERRY from Dance ManiaX
I Was The One good-cool from beatmania IIDX 2nd Style
Let the beat hit em! BM IIDX version Stone Bros. from beatmania IIDX 2nd Style
Spin the disc good-cool from beatmania IIDX 5th Style
Returning Songs (6 total)
DROP THE BOMB -System S.F. Mix- Scotty D. from DDRMAX Dance Dance Revolution (NA PS2)
Groove 2001 Sho-T feat. Blenda from Dance Dance Revolution Extra Mix
Kind Lady OKUYATOS from DDRMAX Dance Dance Revolution 6thMix (JP PS2)
PARANOiA KCET (clean mix) 2MB from Dance Dance Revolution (JP PS1)
Share My Love Julie Frost from Dance Dance Revolution 4thMix (JP PS1)
SO IN LOVE Caramel.S from DDRMAX Dance Dance Revolution 6thMix (JP PS2)
Returning Arcade Songs (10 total)
BRILLIANT 2U (Orchestra-Groove) NAOKI from Dance Dance Revolution 2ndMix
CRASH! mr.BRAIN & THE FINAL BAND from Dancing Stage EuroMix 2
from Dance Dance Revolution Extreme
MEMORIES NAOKI feat. PAULA TERRY from Dancing Stage EuroMix 2
from Dance Dance Revolution Extreme
MY SUMMER LOVE mitsu-O! with GEILA from Dance Dance Revolution 4thMix
Remember You NM feat. Julie from Dance Dance Revolution 5thMix
Secret Rendez-vous DIVAS from DDRMAX2 Dance Dance Revolution 7thMix
Sweet Sweet ♥ Magic jun from DDRMAX2 Dance Dance Revolution 7thMix
TRIP MACHINE CLIMAX DE-SIRE from Dance Dance Revolution 4thMix
TSUGARU RevenG vs DE-SIRE from DDRMAX2 Dance Dance Revolution 7thMix
VANITY ANGEL FIXX from Dancing Stage EuroMix 2
from Dance Dance Revolution Extreme
Unlockable songs (1 total)[8]
MAX 300 Ω from DDRMAX Dance Dance Revolution 6thMix

Courses

Note: The colors indicate the preset difficulty of the songs in the courses; STANDARD is yellow, DIFFICULT is red, and EXPERT is green.

Dancing Stage MegaMiX course list[4]
Course Songs
EASY 1
One Step Closer
When You Look At Me
Remember You
Love at First Sight
Shake UR Body
EASY 2
Spin the disc
A Little Less Conversation (Elvis vs JXL)
Stealin' Beats
Let the beat hit em! BM IIDX version
The Lovecats
EASY 3
Kind Lady
MY SUMMER LOVE
Share My Love
SO IN LOVE
The Lovecats
NORMAL 1
MY SUMMER LOVE
I Was The One
When You Look At Me
Secret Rendez-vous
Share My Love
NORMAL 2
MEMORIES
CRASH!
Kind Lady
Let the beat hit em! BM IIDX version
VANITY ANGEL
NORMAL 3
Love at First Sight
SO IN LOVE
BROKEN MY HEART
Remember You
MEMORIES
HARD 1
VANITY ANGEL
DROP THE BOMB -System S.F. Mix-
Sweet Sweet ♥ Magic
CRASH!
TRIP MACHINE CLIMAX
HARD 2
Spin the disc
Shake UR Body
Stealin' Beats
Let the beat hit em! BM IIDX version
GROOVE 2001
HARD 3
BRILLIANT 2U (Orchestra-Groove)
TRIP MACHINE CLIMAX
PARANOiA KCET (clean mix)
TSUGARU
MAX 300

Notable music

  • MAX 300 - First seen in DDRMAX: Dance Dance Revolution 6thMIX. As the title suggests, this song plays at 300 BPM, The song is usually considered to be the first 10-foot difficulty song, and is also notably the only unlockable song.

Other versions

On September 26, 2003, Konami released a localized version of Dancing Stage MegaMiX to the Australian audience. The game was simply re-rated and there were no changes made that sets it apart from the European release.[9]

Reception

Slogan from promotional video
Reception
Aggregate score
AggregatorScore
GameRankings76%[10]
Review scores
PublicationScore
Eurogamer6/10[11]
GameSpot7.6/10[12]
GamePlanet4/5[13]
TVG6/10[14]
AceGamez8/10[15]
All About Games8.3/10[16]
Contact Music7/10[17]
RewiredMind3.5/5[18]

Konami launched Dancing Stage MegaMiX with promotional ads in game magazines and videos. Konami attempted to reach the "underground" dancing crowd with the slogan "Take the Stage" and a television spot that displayed hip, young teens breakdancing on the dance mats to the songs in the game.[19]

The general public took the new game with mixed emotions. While many praised the introduction of the Dancing Stage series on the PlayStation 2 and how it brought with it better graphics and smoother gameplay, others were chastising the meager song selection it brought to the table.[20] Released against the home version of DDRMAX2 Dance Dance Revolution 7thMIX in Japan and the North American DDRMAX2 Dance Dance Revolution, it was considered the weakest of the three and hardcore European fans recommended importing one of the other two or picking up an older release instead.[21] In the end, however, most people were happy with the game overall and gave it points for being one of the best Dancing Stage games at the time.[2]

See also

References

  1. ^ "Dancing Stage MegaMiX". Konami of Europe. Archived from the original on 9 March 2005. Retrieved 11 September 2016.
  2. ^ a b Zell_KFF. "Dancing Stage Megamix Review". DDR:UK. Retrieved 1 January 2008.[permanent dead link]
  3. ^ "DDRMAX 2 -Oni Mode-". DDRMAX2 -Dance Dance Revolution 7thMIX-. Retrieved September 11, 2016.
  4. ^ a b c d Neko Neko. "Dancing Stage Megamix for Playstation 2 (PAL)". DDRers' Stompin' Ground (in Japanese). Retrieved September 11, 2016.
  5. ^ "Dancing stage Mega Mix (with Dance Mat) (PS2) Screenshots". Atari Australia. Archived from the original on 10 August 2008. Retrieved 11 September 2016.
  6. ^ "Dancing Stage Megamix Screenshots". GamePlanet. Archived from the original on 30 December 2004. Retrieved 11 September 2016.
  7. ^ "Dancing Stage Megamix (Europe) Song List". Zenius-I-Vanisher. Retrieved 11 September 2016.
  8. ^ "Song Lists and Difficulties - Dancing Stage Megamix". DDR FREAK. Retrieved 11 September 2016.
  9. ^ "Dancing stage Mega Mix (with Dance Mat) (PS2) Game Overview". Atari Australia. Archived from the original on 4 August 2008. Retrieved 11 September 2016.
  10. ^ "Dancing Stage MegaMix - PS2". Game Rankings. Archived from the original on 11 January 2009. Retrieved 11 September 2016.
  11. ^ Kristan Reed (2003-06-05). "Dancing Stage MegaMix". EUROGAMER. Retrieved 11 September 2016.
  12. ^ "Dancing Stage MegaMix PS2 Game". GameSpot. Archived from the original on 7 February 2009. Retrieved 11 September 2016.
  13. ^ "Dancing Stage Megamix". Gameplanet. 2003-07-13. Archived from the original on 2 May 2007. Retrieved 11 September 2016.
  14. ^ Mark Simons (2003-06-03). "Dancing Stage MegaMix Review PlayStation 2". TVG. Archived from the original on 23 July 2008. Retrieved 11 September 2016.
  15. ^ Tom Leclerc. "DANCING STAGE MEGAMIX". AceGamez. Archived from the original on 3 July 2007. Retrieved 11 September 2016.
  16. ^ Elaine Campbell. "Dancing Stage Megamix review". allaboutgames.co.uk. Archived from the original on 19 September 2016. Retrieved 11 September 2016.
  17. ^ "Dancing Stage MegaMix Review PS2". contactmusic.com. Retrieved 11 September 2016.
  18. ^ "Dancing Stage MegaMix (PS2)". REWIREDMIND. 2005-09-12. Archived from the original on 9 November 2007. Retrieved 11 September 2016.
  19. ^ "Dancing Stage Megamix Game Trailer". Konami of Europe. Archived from the original on 29 March 2006. Retrieved 11 September 2016.
  20. ^ Arcane Azmadi (2003-12-05). "What kind of pathetic feebs do they take us for?!". GameFAQs. Archived from the original on 7 April 2005. Retrieved 11 September 2016. 27 songs is not good, no, not good at all
  21. ^ ecureuil (2003-05-30). "Not such a MegaMix." GameFAQs. Archived from the original on 12 February 2005. Retrieved 11 September 2016. get Party Edition, not only is it cheaper, but it's a better game

External links

  • Dancing Stage MegaMix at Konami Europe
  • Konami of Europe Konami Europe Corporate Information
  • The scoring system for DDR MAX 2 Scoring formula used in Dancing Stage MegaMix
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