Dance Dance Revolution-FAQ v1.8 This FAQ is copyright by me, Tracy Smith 2000. Feel free to copy this document and read it on your own time. Do not copy this document and claim it as your own. Do not copy this document and sell it. Song titles copyright by their artists. _Dance Dance Revolution_, its sequels, and _Hip Hop Mania_ copyright Konami. That is all. E-mail: see bottom of this FAQ. Don't just scroll down. Read this FAQ, please. You can find this FAQ at: Gamefaqs.com Gameadvice.com "Mammy, would you please sing to me, 'Trip Machine'?" --_Trip Machine (Luv Mix), first screen (hope your eyes are as fast as your feet) "Can you catch me?" --_Butterfly_, first screen "Show me your moves" --_Put Your Faith In Me_, parting shots Contents: I. Really, really basic introduction II. Version info...I think III. I'm supposed to play this game with my WHAT? IV. Music terms and other terms V. I wanna dance NOW! (or The Commandments, for short) VI. The songs VII. SOME secrets VIII. My PERSONAL Hall of Fame IX. The Ultimate Streak X. Name That Tune XI. Credits ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ------ I. Really, really basic introduction Left, right, left, right, hit both pads at once. Welcome to the world of Dance Dance Revolution. For the duration of the game, you are a dancer. You will be performing for a live audience within the game, and some spectators waiting for their turn to show off their moves. There will also be a very annoying MC who will make some extremely dimwitted comments. Now, onto the basics... ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ------ II. Version info...I think 1.0-While this FAQ has been around much longer than the date of this version (started 1/26/00), I needed to make some MAJOR changes to certain vital parts of this FAQ (like the songs section). Finally got around to releasing it. (3/15/00) 1.1-Oops, forgot my e-mail address (cherriebomber@yahoo.com). Updated songs section and streak. Ah, well. (3/16/00) 1.2-Someone brought a Playstation, a Dance Pad, and a copy of _Dance Dance Revolution-2nd Mix_ to a nice little party. I will include strategies to what songs I remember seeing. Uptated song and streak section. . .again. (3/19/00) 1.3-After reviewing the previous version, I found a HUGE error. I forgot to fill in my thought for the Playstation cheat! Note to self: Don't use Save As command unless absolutely necessary. Did a bit of tweaking (Commandments, songs, streak), and added the quotes in the beginning. (3/20/00) 1.35-Not a real update (well, at least not the one I was planning for). Put in a note about injuries. After all, it's hard to dance when. . .read for yourself. I stuck it in the Commandments section (geez, the number of commandments just keeps rising). (3/28/00) 1.4-Sheesh. . .trying to copy text off an e-mail is a major pain in the rear. Fortunately, Nickel's e-mail (deloura@halcycon.net) wasn't ridiculously long. He gave me advice on just about everything. Someone was nice enough to sell me a CD containing the songs from _Dance Dance Revolution: 3rd Mix Nonstop Megamix_, so I've just included the few titles I could decipher from that. Feel free to add or correct me if I'm wrong. Updated the Commandments section. . .again. (3/29/00) 1.41-The only reason why I'm commenting on such a minor update is because I got a 44 streak for _Trip Machine_ Trick Mode. You'll see why this is important in the streak section. This not an April Fool's joke! (4/1/00) 1.47-Added a new section. I hope you like it! Also added another commandment. Did some Nonstop nonsense. About the e-mails: I may not be able to get back to you for a few days, especially if you mail me on a Friday. Sorry! (4/6/00) 1.5-One of my friends happens to have the legal copy of _Dance Dance Revolution: 3rd Mix Nonstop Megamix_, so I bummed off some song titles and groups from him. Since he also has a copy of the lyrics, I'll be using what I remember to screen the songs (geez. . .a group called E- rotic. . .wonder what kind of music they play). In the credits section, I credit two people because someone borrowed the CD from someone, and I don't know who did what. Added some tempos. I'm adding the tempos to give you, the reader, an idea on just how much difference there is between songs like _My Fire_ and _Butterfly_. This is for those who want to try a more difficult song with a similar tempo. It's easier to make the transition from _Boom Boom Dollar_ to _Brilliant 2 U_ than from _Make It Better_ to _Paranoia_. Are your eyes tired yet? (4/9/00) 1.6-Oops, forgot to change the version number! Since that nice friend of mine was nice enough to let me see the song titles, groups, and lyrics, I was able to update a good portion of the 3rd Mix section. Sorry, but I haven't danced since the last update :(. (4/10/00) 1.7-Hi, good to see you all back again. My life, being dormant for a while, woke up all of a sudden. Now that I have a bit more time, I can fix a really major error. Skywalker (one of my friends) told me that the Nonstop Megamix is a combination of two different mixes, and that IT'S FOR LISTENING PLEASURE ONLY!!! Therefore, I will take the ratings off some of the songs in that section. Meanwhile, Jonath8436@aol.com gave me a few ULTIMATE streaks (some which I never would have gotten on my own). Updated the strategy, Commandments, both streak sections, and the credits. (5/4/00) 1.8-I wish I could access the Internet on my personal computer. Since I can't, I haven't been able to update for a LONG time (there is a use for school). Now I'm dancing in Maniac Mode. I've updated the songs section (that section that I have been neglecting). Added a few more general rules, a.k.a. commandment, and updated my personal streak section (laugh away, experts). (7/26/00) ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ------ III. I'm supposed to play this game with my WHAT? Welcome, O Newbie Dancer. If you know the answer to the question above, skip this section. For those of you who don't know. . .you play this game with your feet. There's no joystick. At the beginning of every song, you will notice four arrows at the top of the screen. Arrows will be rising from the bottom of the screen. As soon as they match up to one of the arrows on the top of the screen (the gray ones), step on the appropriate direction pad. There will be times when two arrows will need to be stepped on. Jump on both correct pads. For the more difficult songs, you will be stepping on the arrows between beats. When you sucessfully step on four or more arrows correctly (get a Perfect!!! or Great!! message), a Combo will start. The more arrows you combo, the more points you'll get, and the higher your overall grade will be. Above the arrows is a gauge. To clear a round, there must be at least one bar left in that gauge. Miss the arrows repeatedly, and your gauge will decrease. A "DANGER" message will flash across the screen. You know you have utterly failed when the background turns orange, and stays that way. Don't be embarassed; try again when you feel rested. Regardless of whether you pass or fail a round, you will be graded. The grade ranges from from SS (meaning that we all bow down to you...for now) to E (meaning that there is room for improvement, because you'll only see this rating when you fail a stage). ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ------ IV. Music terms and other terms Since this game deals with music, I will be spewing out quite a bit of musical terms, as well as a few of my own made-up ones (for the arrows). To help sort out the confusion, this section will deal primarily with various words and phrases that will appear in Section VI. For this, I am assuming that you know NOTHING about music. If you already know some of these terms, don't feel insulted. DOWN BEAT/UP BEAT-To figure out what this means, tap your foot in time to _AM-3P_ or _Butterfly_. You'll notice that you foot hits the ground with the beat. There will also be times when your foot is in the air. The time when your foot hits the ground is called the down beat. When your foot is in the air, it's called the up beat (I may refer to an up beat as an eighth note). MEASURE-In all the songs (with the exception of _Paranoia_ and maybe _Brilliant 2 U_), four beats. The exception songs are two beats per measure. SIXTEENTH NOTE-I know you're trying to dance, but I can't think of any other way to express this. Divide every beat into four parts (yes, this will be fast). Each part is a sixteenth note. TRIPLET-For every beat, cram in three even notes. Not featured in any songs. QUARTER NOTE TRIPLET-For every two beats, step three times evenly. I'll mention the songs that have this weird rhythm. HALF NOTE TRIPLET-For every four beats, sluggishly stomp three times evenly. If you can do this, congratulations. You'll notice that the stomps will have an interval longer than one beat. Will only appear in the _Make It Better_ series. PAD-Now, now, let's all be mature. This refers to the pink/blue arrow you step on whenever an arrow scrolls up on the screen. DOUBLE JUMP-Press up on the joystick twice. Only kidding. Jump on two pads at once. VERSE/CHORUS-The easiest way to illustrate these terms is to use _Boom Boom Dollar_. In this case, the verse starts after the music starts. The chours starts when the artist starts singing the title of the selection. This may not be true for all songs. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ------ V. I wanna dance NOW!!! (or The Commandments, for short) So you don't have the patience to read through the whole FAQ? Well, hothead, here are a few general tips before you make a complete idiot of yourself (or you can call this the Seventeen and a Half Commandments of Dancing). 0.5. Make sure that the shoes you're wearing have treads on them and are comfortable. I've already slipped twice because I wore non-tread shoes. Also, you're not supposed to have blisters by the time you're done dancing. Nickel also sent this note in about socks: "Make sure you wear socks that aren't wearing thin on the bottoms or sides, as they may give you blister problems." Girls, if you really want to be good at this game, wear regular running shoes with treads on them. Platform sneakers don't count, as it takes more effort to lift than a regular sneaker (and yes, I wear running shoes when I dance). 1. Watch what others do. It's a great way to learn how to feel the beat. 2. If there is any room behind you, dance along to the songs while someone else is playing. People may give you funny looks, but don't worry. Life's too short to worry about such things. 3. Drag a friend along. Couple (two player) mode is easier than one player mode. Or, if your friend happens to be good, Versus mode can give you some valuable practice (because Versus mode has both players dancing to the same set of arrows as the one player game). Just remember that ONE of you has to have something left in the dance meter. On the same token, if you really want to prove that you're good, dance alone. 4. Start off simple. Trying to show off will only make you look like a fool when you fail the round. 5. Dance to your personal favorite songs. I always do best on the songs I like. Dancing to songs you really dislike is a good way to fail (which is why I'll never pass _My Fire_). Just don't fall in love with _Paranoia_ right away, okay? 6. Keep your left foot on the left arrow. Use your right foot to step on the other three arrows. Don't forget to shift your weight whenever a left arrow scrolls onscreen. Do this for songs you're not too familiar with. For the songs you're fairly familiar with, use your left foot for whatever arrows show up (but don't lose your balance). Oh, yes, and you can just leave your foot at whatever arrow you last stepped on. It makes life so much easier on _Boom Boom Dollar_. 7. Step to the beat. Very simple concept, yet very hard to do. If you know how to march, you have an advantage. If you're in a marching band, you have a bigger advantage, because you'll also know the fundamentals of music (which is extremely important in harder songs). 8. Always look at your final grade, along with the graph at the top. You'll either feel extremely depressed or surprised. 9. Remember that NOT ALL SONGS ARE EQUAL. If you can dance to a song with a Superior rating, you may not be able to dance to ALL songs with a Superior rating. Some songs really should have gotten half-ratings (like three and a half feet). 10. If thou art tired, thou shalt take a long rest. This means that if you've just played Maniac Mode 5 times in a row, take a nice long break. The machine isn't going anywhere (at least I don't think it's going anywhere). As an add-on, if you suffer from any health problems that are triggered by exertion (like asthma), make sure you're rested before you dance. Remember, THIS IS ONLY A GAME!!!!! 11. I sincerely hope this commandment doesn't apply to you. If you're recovering from some type of leg injury (sprained ankle, newly-healed broken leg, etc.), don't dance for long periods of time. You may end up injuring yourself again. 12. Unless you are in grave danger of falling down, don't lean on the back bar as you dance. First, it messes up your balance. Second, someone else may be leaning on it. Third, you may slip and fall down. Fourth, it looks more impressive when you do _Paranoia_ without gripping the back bar. 13. Sheesh, I thought I wouldn't need to include this, but here it is. WAIT YOUR TURN! In one day alone, five different people cut in front of me (and I can't stay at the arcades for very long). Ask before you challenge. If you are better than the person who challenged you (this shouldn't happen too often), don't be a show off. In short, be courteous to others. 14. Dancing style: Whatever feels comfortable to you. Some people play like they're sleepwalking, others stomp on the arrows and occasionally jump (me), some spin around (experts and related show-offs only), some lurch around trying to get to the next arrow (me again),and a few will be constantly jumping. Do the last one only if you think you can handle the strain. 15. If someone else is dancing, don't step on their arrows to mess them up. YOu may hurt that other person, and just maybe yourself. If someone does this to you (and you lose because of this), my opinion is that you have the right to ask the offending person to pay you a dollar (or however much a game of DDR costs). 16. Girls, don't be afraid to improve. Who cares if a guy can dance really well on Maniac Mode? With practice, you should be able to challenge any guy! I don't want to be the only girl who can dance ALONE in any mode other than normal. 17. Last of all, HAVE FUN! ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ------ VI. The songs This is a listing of all the songs you will find in the arcades (I live somewhere in that country called America). These ratings are for normal mode only. A not-so-quick note about the ratings: The songs listed here are in order of difficulty, from simplest (one foot) to hardest (in this case, six feet). The ratings can go as high as eight feet (Exorbitant). To find the Trick Mode ratings, add one to the number of feet shown here (unless I make some other note in the strategy section). For Maniac Mode ratings, add two feet (again, I may make some comment about the rating in the strategy section). Title: Artist RATING One foot: _Have You Never Been Mellow_:The Olivia Project SIMPLE Two feet: _Boom Boom Dollar_:King Kong and D Jungle Girls MODERATE Three feet: _Butterfly_: Smile-dk ORDINARY _Put Your Faith In Me_: Uzi-Lay ORDINARY (first stage only) Four feet: _Put Your Faith In Me (Jazz Groov)_: Uzi-Lay SUPERIOR _Brilliant 2 U_: Naoki SUPERIOR _Make It Better_: Mitsu-o SUPERIOR _My Fire_: X-treme SUPERIOR Five feet: _AM-3P_: kTz MAREVELOUS _Brilliant 2 U (Orchestral Groov)_: Naoki MARVELOUS (last stage only) _Make It Better (So Real Mix)_: Mitsu-o Summer MARVELOUS (last stage only) Six feet: _Trip Machine_: De-Sire GENUINE _Paranoia_: 180 GENUINE (last stage only) 2nd Mix songs (those that I remember) (I don't think this was released in America): _20, November: (if this is the same song that appears in Hip Hop Mania, n.a.r.d.) SIMPLE (may replace _Have You Never Been Mellow_) _Boys_: Smile-dk ORDINARY (replaces _Butterfly_) _El Ritmo Tropical_: Dixie's Gang ORDINARY _Tubthumpin'_: Chumbawumba SUPERIOR _Hero_: Papaya SUPERIOR (probably replaces _My Fire_) _Dub I Dub_: Me & My SUPERIOR (?) _Stomp to my Beat_: JS16 MARVELOUS _If You Were Here_: Jennifer MARVELOUS _Love That Feeling_: Chang Ma GENUINE (?) _Paranoia (Dirty Mix)_: 190 GENUINE! _Paranoia MAX (Dirty Mix)_: KCET GENUINE _Paranoia (Clean Mix)_: 2MB (?) GENUINE (enough with the Paranoia mixes!) _SP Trip Machine (Jungle Mix)_: De-Sire (?) GENUINE (?) _Trip Machine (Luv Mix)_: 2MB GENUINE (secret song!) _Bad Girls_: (?) (not ridiculously hard) _think ya better D_: sAmi (?) (someone has a shift key problem) _In The Navy_: Captain Jack PRACTICE MODE ONLY (appears in 3rd Mix as a playable song) _The Race_: Captain Jack PRACTICE MODE ONLY (appears in 3rd Mix as a playable song) Those arcade songs that weren't replaced are in this mix, too. A little bit on replacements: I used this term because those songs that "replaced" an arcade song have similar step patterns or (in the case of _Boys_), were done by the same artist. If there is a question mark next to anything, that means I'm relying on what I remember, and I may be wrong. THESE SONGS APPEAR IN _DANCE DANCE REVOLUTION: 3RD MIX_ ONLY: I am in desperate need of ratings. There is supposed to be a rating of Catastrophic (nine feet!) in this mix. The ratings are pure guesswork! The songs without an underscore are songs that do not appear in this mix. As far as I know, this mix wasn't released in America (but then, I live in a place where we get "new" releases six months after the initial release). _Afronova_: Re-Venge (I could get to like these guys) PARAMOUNT (?) _The Race (Formula One Mix)_: Captain Jack ORDINARY (?) _Dam Dariram_: Joga SUPERIOR (?) _Mr. Wonderful_: Smile-dk (them again) SUPERIOR (?) _Operator_: Papaya ORDINARY (?) (good for annoying people) _El Ritmo Tropical (El Bimbo) (!)_: Dixie's Gang (?) (Oh dear. . .) _In The Navy '99 (XXL Disaster Remix)_: Captain Jack ORDINARY (?) _Do it all Night_: E-rotic (um. . .no) MODERATE (?) _Dynamite Rave_: Naoki (whoopie!) GENUINE (?) _Rock Beat_: Loud Force MARVELOUS (?) _Gradiusic Cyber (AMD G5 Mix)_: Big-O featuring DJ Taka (here we go with the DJ thing) GENUINE (?) _Captain Jack (Grandale Mix)_: Captain Jack MARVELOUS (?) _Boom Boom Dollar (K.O.G. G3 Mix)_: King Kong and D Jungle Girls SUPERIOR (?) _End of the Century_: No. 9 MARVELOUS (?) (Beethoven's 9th, techno style) _Gentle Stress (AMD Sexual Mix)_: Mr. Dog featuring DJ Swan GENUINE (?) (before I get tons of hate mail, THIS IS AN INSTRUMENTAL!) _Jam Jam Reggae (AMD Swing Mix)_: Rice C. featuring jam master '73 MODERATE (?) _Tubthumpin'_: Chumbawumba SUPERIOR (?) (*burp*) _Get Up And Dance_: Freedom SIMPLE (?) _So Many Men_: Me & My MODERATE (?) (someone is in desperate need of a life) Make A Jam!: U1 (not U2) _It Only Takes A Minute (Extended Remix)_: Tavares MODERATE (?) (so why is the time listed as 2:19?) _Get Up (Before The Night Is Over)_: Technotronic featuring Ya Kid K SUPERIOR (?) _Upside Down_: Coo Coo MODERATE (?) _Silent Hill_: Thomas Howard SIMPLE (?) (I call it the Christmas song. WTH?) _Xanadu_: The Olivia Project SIMPLE (?) (Another Olivia Newtown-John song. Are these guys bent on remaking every single one of her songs? I hope they didn't remake that song called _Physical_!) Love: Sonic Dream _Holiday_: Who's That Girl! (why me, of course) ORDINARY (?) _Wonderland (UKS Mix)_: X-treme (not them again!) SUPERIOR (?) _Oh Nick Please Not So Quick_: E-rotic (There goes my lunch) ORDINARY (?) _If You Can Say Goodbye_: Kate Project (huh?) ORDNIARY (?) Luv To Me (AMD Mix): DJ Kazu featuring tiger Yamato (ouch.) _Flashdance (What a Feeling)_: M.A.G.I.K.A featuring Stixman MARVELOUS (?) _Volume 4_: Raver's Choice MARVELOUS (?) _Follow the Sun (90 Degrees in the Shade Remix)_: Triple J SUPERIOR (?) _Turn Me On (Heavenly Mix)_: E-rotic (what do I look like, a light switch?) MARVELOUS (?) _Butterfly (Upswing remix)_: Smile-dk SUPERIOR (?) (about time!) __Paranoia Rebirth__: 190' (?) (hmm. . .does this remind you of any SNK characters you happen to know of?) PARAMOUNT (?) __Paranoia KCET-Clean Mix__-2MB (?) PARAMOUNT (?) _La Senorita_: Captain.T ORDINARY (?) (really bad Ricky Martin wannabe. Or is it the other way around?) _Dead End_: N & S GENUINE (?) I'm missing a lot of information, in the form of ratings. HELP! As for the song censor, you figure it out (really big hint: look at my comments about the songs and/or the name of the group that performed the song. If I make sarcastic/otherwise stupid comments, that song isn't meant for the younger generation (the really, really, younger generation), with the exception of the Paranoia remix). STRATEGY, SORT OF (Before you decide that I'm a control freak, I'm putting in my comments about the lyrics as a service to those who have younger siblings to watch. Some parents may not appreciate their children being exposed to some of the subject matter that is sung about) Here are the songs-with my opinions: _Have You Never Been Mellow_-Originaly by Olivia Newton-John. This song is only for those who can't take the speed of _Boom Boom Dollar_. The biggest problem in the song is the speed-up in the chorus. The steps go from one step per measure to two steps per measure to one step per beat. There will be a long break right before the chorus kicks in. During the chorus, one section will go left/right/up/down. Remember that there is no break between the first two arrows. Watch your balance. Tempo: 97 (or something like that) Tempo: too slow (112) TRICK MODE-Still easy. However, the arrows now come once every two beats in the verse, and will come once every beat sooner than you'd like to think. MANIAC MODE-The only time I saw someone dance to this was when his "friend" accidentally hit the song select buttons, thus selecting _Have You Never Been Mellow_. If you can dance to AM-3P in single player mode and clear that stage easily, passing this song should be fairly easy. Yes, there are eighth notes thrown in (a whole string of 'em, in fact). The rating goes up to Superior for some odd reason. . .oh yeah, this is Maniac Mode. _Boom Boom Dollar_-Some people might object to the lyrics. IMHO, this should have been the beginning song. The step rate is pretty constant. The chorus stepping is also fairly easy to figure out. When dancing to this song, do not put your feet back at neutral. Tempo: 124 TRICK MODE-The rating goes up to Marvelous. It's not as bad as it looks. Just keep a clear head (and remember that most of those bunched- up arrows are UP BEATS). Somewhere in the verse, a string of eighth notes (seven of them, according to Nickel) will appear. Memorize this string, as it will be repeated in Maniac Mode. MANIAC MODE-What did they do to this song? The Genuine rating should be taken very seriously, especially when the singer starts to hold out his words. Sixteen arrows will race up to the top of the screen (did you memorize the string of arrows in Trick Mode? The sequence is the same, but the timing is not). If you can pull this stunt off while the aforementioned arrow string is going, it's impressive (from Nickel). Practice this slowly, because there is a very good possibility that you'll trip. Use your right foot for the up and down arrows. Use your left foot for the left and right arrows. The sequence goes up/left/down/right/down/left, and will repeat itself until sixteen arrows are stepped on. The chorus is also a pain in the rear, but the last time the chorus is sung is really nasty. If you don't believe me, try it yourself. _Butterfly_-Many people like this song. Again, the beat is fairly constant, but the concept of double jumping is what messes people up. In the one player game, the two pads will always be left and right. In the Couple game (normal), the double jump on the up and down pads will show up. Moral of the story: try this song out in one player mode or Versus mode first. Tempo: 127. TRICK MODE-Easier than the original, the only real change is the up-down double jump before the left-right double jump, and a surprise in the chorus. Sort of reminds me of hopscotch. MANIAC MODE-Although it's supposed to be easier than _Boom Boom Dollar_ on Maniac Mode, I find it harder. The up beat steps are very hard to predict. The beginning is, well, shifted (try this to find out what I mean). The ending is the same, though. _Put Your Faith In Me_-The trick to this song is timing. Since this is one of the slower songs, make sure that you step exactly on the beat. There will be times where the arrows come on the up beat, but they are rare. Not too many people dance to this song on normal mode. Tempo: 121 (?) (my metronome is doing some odd things. . .) TRICK MODE-If you can pass the normal mode without difficulty, then you should be able to pass this mode (with a little bit of difficulty). When the verse is being sung, the extra arrows show up. MANIAC MODE-About a third of the arrows in this song are stepped on the up beat. There's a pattern to the verse of the song (with the exception of the seven-arrow string that shows up here and there). Have fun with the chorus! This is a typical, slow Genuine piece. _Put Your Faith In Me (Jazz Groov)_-DON'T DO THIS SONG ON THE LAST STAGE, UNLESS YOU HAVE LOTS OF ENDURANCE! This time, the up beats aren't in nice sets of three. One in particular comes in a set of two. If you're not dead on your feet when doing this song, you have a chance of passing. Tempo: forget it (jazz and my metronome don't like each other). TRICK MODE-The beginning is confusing. If the verse is no problem for you, then the rest of this song should be a breeze. Please note that you'll be dancing to a few too many up-beats. MANIAC MODE-There's a reason why this is the Jazz Mix. The rhythm may feel weird, but that's the essence of jazz (up beats). Hence, some of those weird strings start on the up beat. _Brilliant 2 U_-My personal favorite song. This song will only show up in the first two stages. The beat is fast if you're new to this song. If you find Butterfly too slow, try this song. The double jump pattern is again used, but this time, the arrows are up and down (along with the left and right arrows). The ending requires some very fast stepping. Some eighth notes will pop up in the beginning. Learn to recognize them, as songs with the Superior rating and higher will incorporate them (in some cases, way too often). Are you up to it? Tempo: 147, or about five beats every two seconds. TRICK MODE-Prepare for a lot of jumping. Much more double jumping than in the original. The ending is jazzed up a little (but the rhythm is the same). MANIAC MODE-The thing that makes this song a pain on Maniac mode is the fast stepping during the synthesizer melody (because you are literally stepping to the melody). Just note that some patterns are used more than once (okay, okay, it's two patterns used seven times). For these patterns, don't be afraid to shift your feet around (start off the first string with your left foot on the up arrow, and your right foot on the down arrow. Once you step on the up arrow, switch your left foot to the left arrow. After stepping on the down arrow, stomp on the right arrow with your right foot. Figure out the rest on your own). You may find just a trace of the Normal Mode steps... _Make It Better_-The programmers put in every double jump pattern in this song. After the annoying double jump section, the song will go into various eighth note patterns of monumental annoyance. The half note triplet is introduced, and it is SLOW (you know, those steps that just don't feel right? Those are the half note triplets)! Do this song as a bridge between the Superior and Marvelous ratings (only because _AM-3P_ is slightly faster than this). Don't be heartbroken if you can't pass this song on your first try. Tempo: 117, or a little slower than two beats per second. TRICK MODE-There was only one really hard spot, and that was at the end. Besides the obligatory extra steps, the timing has been changed ever so slightly. You'll know what I mean when you play this. Some slightly sleep-deprived programmer put a certain something in the beginning, and if you find THAT hard, you'll find the rest of the song extremely difficult. If you find that you can't dance to this, don't even consider Maniac Mode. MANIAC MODE-Before you play this, make sure you are familiar with Trick Mode. Life will be much easier if you are. If you aren't, you're in for a nightmare (unless your reactions are FAST). Most of those eighth note strings end in a double jump. One string of six arrows is in a pattern of one, two, one, two (the numbers represent how many arrows you have to step on at once). IMHO, there is WAY too much up-beat stepping. Before you try the remixed version, try this first. If you can clear the ending to this song without scrambling, you have a chance of doing the So Real Mix. The ending requires either careful dissection or three feet. This song wasn't rated Paramount for nothing. _My Fire_-No offense to all of you who like this song, but I find it to be a _Put Your Faith in Me_ wannabe with _Butterfly_ dance steps and more questionable lyrics (you can prove me wrong by e-mailing me the lyrics to this song). Not too many people dance to this song. The beginning is easy enough. Use the relatively simplistic down arrows to build a streak. The bunched-up arrows call for three very fast steps on the same arrow. You will know the song has ended by the last two down arrows, very close together. Pace yourself. This song really feels like a hop-scotch game. TRICK MODE-More arrows. That is all I remember. MANIAC MODE-It's not the up-beats that make this song hard. It's where the up-beats are placed. Hmm. . .maybe Konami should have retitled this _My Fire (Trip Machine Mix)_ :P. _AM-3P_-I have no idea what the title is supposed to mean. I do know that this song is much harder than it seems. The beginning has a nice hopscotch pattern. When you hear the "melody" to this song, get ready for a musician's nightmare. I call it a musician's nightmare because it's very hard to play a quarter note triplet correctly (especially at the speed of this song). Step carefully, and don't fall over. Tempo: 130. TRICK MODE-This is what AM-3P will be like in Maniac Mode-sort of. The hardest part is trying to figure out the rhythm. If you don't flunk out on the beginning, you may make it through the whole song. Oh, yes, and a note about the beginning. The programmers put some strange things in the beginning of this song (like a bunch of eighth notes where they don't belong). . . MANIAC MODE-This is the second-most popular song on Maniac Mode (next to Trip Machine). In the beginning, there will be a constant stream of down arrows, with arrows in other directions on the up beat (although many people, like me, leave one foot on the down arrow, I've seen someone do it with one foot on the left arrow. I'm not quite sure how, but he passed with an S rating). Next will be a string of right arrows, with more annoying arrows on the up beat. After that, you'll have to deal with a string of left arrows. Streak here if possible. When the "melody" plays for a second time, there will be two notes that look very close together. Welcome to the sixteenth note. For more info on how to deal with these things, please refer to the _Brilliant 2 U (Orchestral Groov)_ Maniac Mode section. After the second long eighth note string (the one where it's easy to get a 16 combo), there will be a very confusing mass of eighth notes (show-off alert, show-off alert!). If you really want to dance to this song, do so before you use the bathroom.:) For a real challenge, do this song on either Hidden or Shuffle mode. _Brilliant 2 U (Orchestral Groov)_-There's no melody in this mix.:( There are more eighth notes thrown in (with one eighth note in a really weird spot), along with a frustrating number of double jump patterns. Some demented programmer put a surprise in the beginning. Do not try _Trip Machine_ before this song. TRICK MODE: Want to know the meaning of syncopation? Play this song. It ain't easy, though. You'll know when the syncopation hits (the part where you're lurching, trying your best not to fall over). At one point, the arrows will look a bit weird. When this happens, stomp to the beat of the music (literally). This is passable (and if you think this one is hard. . .) MANIAC MODE-Don't take this rating lightly. There are sixteenth notes galore in this song. If the arrows look close together (and are in the middle of a "melody"), those arrows are probably sixteenth notes. Don't even attempt to step on the sixteenth notes with the same foot. You'll NEVER make it in time (or you may, but you'll have a nasty leg cramp). Something that Nickel suggested (and I am guilty of it too) is to jump in the air and land in such a way that you land on the first arrow with one foot, and your other foot lands on the second arrow as fast as you can (but not at the same time). However, this rule doens't always apply. _Make It Better (So Real Mix)_-Not very popular. More annoying than the original. Still the double jump patterns like crazy. Go figure. This wouldn't be a _Make it Better_ song without it. Tempo: too slow! TRICK MODE: Don't EVER dance this song right after playing something like _Trip Machine_ or _Brilliant 2 U_. This song goes very slowly, and the timing is something else. If you don't believe me, try it for yourself. MANIAC MODE-This is the hardest song to do on Maniac Mode, hands down (the Exorbitant rating should tell you something). If you see a nice, on-the-beat step, your eyes are deceiving you. Those steps are probably half note triplets! All the double jump patterns are there, but they are dispersed through the song. Some parts are going to feel strange, because you won't be stepping in time to anything (the background music or the singer). The ending requires careful dissection or three feet (for best results, leave left foot on left arrow, and use right foot to stomp on other arrows, until the last two or three beats, when you're on your own). If you're confident you can pass it, this is a great finisher. _Trip Machine_-Take the title of this song literally. Make sure that your shoe laces are tied tight, unless you really like tripping in front of many people (especially after the "singer" says something about "returning to the show"). The rhythm is synchopated (you'll know what I mean after you try to dance to some of the oddly-placed eighth notes). This song is very popular in Maniac Mode. I'm not sure why. Tempo: 160! TRICK MODE-The middle is so very different from Maniac Mode. The ending is also a bit different. . .thank goodness the beginning is fairly easy. Otherwise, I'd never have lasted through this song! MANIAC MODE-VERY tiring (yes, I've tried it). A note about the beginning-you can position yourself so that one foot is on the down arrow. It makes the beginning easier. . .until a left-up-right pattern shows up. After that pattern shows up, go back to your regular position. Don't ask me how to do the nine-arrows-in-four-and-a-half- beats section, because I ususally miss a few arrows in that section. There is a three-beat break in the middle of the song. After the three- beat break, things start getting very weird (like eighth notes where they don't belong). For all of you who like to show off, try to turn around in the middle of the song (the easiest part of this song besides the beginning). One word best describes the middle and end of this song: cycle (this will make sense to those who have seen/danced to this song often). If you thought normal mode was hard... _Paranoia_-Finally, the grand daddy of all songs (in speed, not necessarily timing). Missed steps will result in having plenty of your dance meter taken away. The song will slow down in the middle (for the whole of three measures). After that, there will be plenty of arrows for you to step on. If you're going for score, get the streak in the beginning. Tempo: 180, or three beats per second!! TRICK MODE-Not as bad as certain other songs that are played in Trick Mode (like _AM-3P_). Remember to keep stomping on the bunched-up arrows until all arrows are gone. If you really want to know the secret of passing this finale song, your reactions must be up to par. . . MANIAC MODE-The nightmare never ends. There are an alarming amount of people who dance to this song in Maniac Mode. Trust me, this song goes twice as fast on Maniac Mode (especially the beginning). The timing is also strange (if each down beat had a number, and each up beat is represented by *, then the beginning would look like: one, two, three, *, four, five, six, *, seven, *, eight, etc.). This pattern will repeat in the middle (sort of). NOTE: THE SONGS LISTED BELOW ARE FOUND ONLY ON _DANCE DANCE REVOLUTION: 2ND MIX_. _Boys_-Much like _Butterfly_. If there's been any changes, I haven't noticed (except the lyrics change, which now makes this song sound something like a bad cross between _Butterfly_ and _Boom Boom Dollar_). _El Ritmo Tropical_-Lousy rhyming, tricky timing (this is why I'm writing an FAQ and not a song). This is what triplets are all about. They're bound to feel weird, but it's correct. Just be glad that there are no old English marches included in these games (as everyone who tried to dance to them would DIE!). _Tubthumpin'_-The only thing I remember is that this song is SLOW! (This song is about drinking. And drinking. And drinking. Some people may not like this subject). _Hero_-Much like _My Fire_. Unfortunately, I don't remember anything significant about this song (other than the ugly green background, and a few eighth notes). _Stomp to my Beat_-Take the song title literally. That is, stomp to the artist's beat. However, some may find the lyrics to this song offensive. MANIAC MODE-Instead of stomping only to the artist's beat, stomp to the drummer's beat, too. Don't slip on the extremely fast section in the middle. _Love That Feeling_-This is the only song with a tempo change. It starts out very, very, very slow. To give you an idea how slow it goes, look at a watch with a second hand. For every two seconds that go by, evenly tap three times. Go slightly faster (and I do mean slightly) and you have the tempo for the beginning (which, for all of you who know how to read a metronome, is 95). Somewhere in the middle, this song will speed up past _Paranoia_ speed (to 190, while _Paranoia_ speed is 180. To give you an idea on how fast the latter is, evenly tap three times in one second). The step pattern, however, is the same (which isn't saying much). MANIAC MODE-Well, all I can say is have fun on the fast section! _Paranoia (Dirty Mix)_-Consider it a faster version of Paranoia (and if the group name has anything to do with tempo, then the tempo is probably 190). MANIAC MODE-Same steps as original _Paranoia_. _Paranoia MAX (Dirty Mix)_-Not too sure about this song, since my slightly insane friends played it on Maniac Mode. MANIAC MODE-Gulp. Too many arrows. I have yet to see anyone go more than halfway through this song. To give you an idea of the arrow format, combine the significant feature of _Make It Better_ with the beginning of Maniac Mode _Paranoia_, and set it to this song's speed (which is about as fast as you'll fail this song on the first try. I'm not insulting you. I'm being a realist. Think you can pass it on the first try?). _Paranoia (Clean Mix)_-My friends played this song on Maniac Mode. Crazy, huh? MANIAC MODE-Just like the previous song. Count yourself a champion if you can pass this song without panting. _SP Trip Machine (Jungle Mix)_-The faster version of _Trip Machine_. That's all I remember. _Trip Machine (Luv Mix)_-Imagine someone playing _Trip Machine_ backwards. Now imagine the timing is trickier. Welcome to the remix. MANIAC MODE-How many superlatives can I cram into this FAQ? Another pain to dance to (literally). This time, there's more rest (and some nasty little things between rests). _Dub I Dub_-I only played this song in Maniac Mode. *Tracy sticks her tongue out at Leviathan, who just HAD to try this song on Maniac Mode* MANIAC MODE-Hey, who put the dance steps to _Trip Machine_ and _Butterfly_ in here? Like _Trip Machine_, the beginning is easy (for a Maniac Mode song). The chorus is another matter entirely. I am not going to bother with _Bad Girls_ and _20, November_. I seem to have a case of amnesia concerning those two songs. _In The Navy_-This is a practice mode song. Find out yourself. Just remember that when the Village People sang this song, some people were offended (it had to do with the Navy and a sensitive issue that is usually associated with another branch of the military. If you can't figure out what this is supposed to mean, fine by me. Don't e-mail me about this). _The Race_-This is the raunchier practice mode song. Find out yourself. If you have younger siblings and extremely strict parents (like mine), don't play this song. I'm sure some will find the lyrics offensive (to put it mildly). ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ------ VII. SOME Secrets Alternate Characters Stand on either the left or right arrow when you hit START, and keep standing on it until the Song Select screen pops up. Trick Mode At Song Select screen, down, down, down, left, left, right, right. Ratings will appear in red. Works on the first stage only. Maniac Mode At Song Select screen, down, down, down, right, up, up, left. Ratings will appear in green. For true maniacs only. Works on the first stage only. Mirror Mode This mode scrambles arrows somewhat. At Song Select screen, left, right, left, right, left, right, left, right. The word Mirror should appear in the lower left or right corner of the screen (depending on whether or not you are 1P or 2P). Left/Right Mode More arrow scrambling. At song select screen continually stomp on EITHER the left or right arrow. Please reread the previous sentence aloud to yourself 10 times. Now that we are all on the same track, the word Left or Right will appear over your score (keep in mind that the cheat is related to what direction you were stomping on. Thus Left means that you were stomping on the left arrow, and vice versa). Shuffle Mode The ultimate arrow scrambler. At song select screen, up, down, left, right, down, up, right, left. This may not work, in which case, go to Gamesages.com. Note that you can have only ONE of the previous arrow-scrambling cheats on at a time. Hidden Mode Arrows will disappear four beats before they need to be stepped on. At Song Select screen, up, down, up, down, etc. (keep alternating) until you hear a sound. The word Hidden should appear in the lower left or right corner of the screen (depending on whether you are 1P or 2P). Little Mode If you're in this mode, there had better be a VERY GOOD reason why! All arrows are down beats. Won't help that much on anything rated below Superior. Anyway, the code is left, down, right, down, left, down, right, up. DON'T USE THIS CODE TO PLAY _PARANOIA_ ON MANIAC MODE. IT'S INSULTING! Versus and Double Mode Before you hit start, hold down the two yellow arrows that appear on either side of the start button. Versus Mode will repeat the 1P arrows for both players (in a 2P game), and will show who won at the end of every song. Double Mode will let one player dance on ALL the arrows (this is very tiring). If you put in enough money for one player, Versus, Double, and Couple (why would anyone choose this?) will only last for one stage. If you put in enough money for two players, those modes will last for three stages. Cheat cancel Keep stepping on the Up arrow on the Song Select screen. Note that Trick, Maniac, Versus, and Double Modes will not disappear. I-don't-wanna-play-in-Maniac-Mode Cheat On the very first Song Select screen, keep stepping on the Down arrow to cancel any Mode changes, and set the mode to Normal. For more cheats, go to gamesages.com, click on Arcade, and look for Dance Dance Revolution. The Playstation cheat: All songs On stage select, keep pressing the Song Select right arrow until you hear the infamous "You've successfully entered a cheat" sound. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ------ VIII. My PERSONAL Hall of Fame As the title states, I will be posting my personal best for some of the songs. PLEASE DON'T E-MAIL ME WITH YOUR BEST STREAKS! There is a certain logic to this. Every song has a finite amount of arrows. Thus, streaks can only go so high (go check out the next section to see what I mean). BTW, I am not trying to be arrogant. I am just trying to show those fairly unfamiliar with the game that yes, it is possible to get these streaks. You don't believe me? So far, I've won the Most Accident Prone award (band award) for three years straight. You can compare your streaks to mine. Or, you can just laugh at me. Highest grade: SS (_Brilliant 2 U_, Trick Mode) Streaks: _Have You Never Been Mellow_: 32 (you can do better than this!) _Boom Boom Dollar_: 103 (this is the only song where I will post someone else's streak. In this case, the proud owner of this streak is my mom, who can beat me at this song any day of the week) TRICK MODE: 42 (my own) MANIAC MODE: 54 _Butterfly_: 80 TRICK MODE: 113 (Don't ask me what I did to get this streak. My next highest streak on Trick Mode is 45) MANIAC MODE: 133 (a miracle to me) _Put Your Faith in Me_: 63 TRICK MODE: 81 _Brilliant 2 U_: 129 TRICK MODE: 176 (SS! Finally!) MANIAC MODE: 34 _Make It Better_: 35 (stop laughing) TRICK MODE: 47 MANIAC MODE: 17 _AM-3P_: 88 TRICK MODE: 72 MANIAC MODE: 111 _Brilliant 2 U (Orchestral Groov)_: MANIAC MODE: 16 (I'm working to improve this) _Make It Better (So Real Mix)_: MANIAC MODE: 27 (and my guess is that there are 230 arrows in this song) _Paranoia_: 112 TRICK MODE: 108 MANIAC MODE: 26 (pretty bad) _Trip Machine_: 55 TRICK MODE: 44 MANIAC MODE: 85 I did not put my streaks for all the songs simply because I got a streak of downright humiliating on those songs I didn't mention. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ------ IX. The Ultimate Streak So you think you're GOOD? Here are the highest possible streaks. Please note that I did not bum off of anyone's work to get these streaks. I simply observed others and noted the total number of arrows through some addition. Other streaks were obtained when certain show- off friends of mine (*cough*cough*Mr.AM-3P NetRonin*hack*cough*) somehow got a Perfect!!! or Great!! for every single step they took! I think I need to find friends with actual lives now. _Have You Never Been Mellow_: 64 TRICK MODE: 118 _Boom Boom Dollar_: 103 _Butterfly_: 160 TRICK MODE: 160 MANIAC MODE: 219 _Put Your Faith In Me_: MANIAC MODE: 203 _Put Your Faith In Me (Jazz Groov)_: TRICK MODE: 145 _My Fire_: TRICK MODE: 144 _Brilliant 2 U_: 130 (?) TRICK MODE: 176 _Make It Better_: TRICK MODE: 188 _Brilliant 2 U (Orchestral Groov)_: TRICK MODE: 187 _AM-3P_: TRICK MODE: 195 MANIAC MODE: 244 (who doesn't get this streak?) _Trip Machine_: MANIAC MODE: 230 (someone addict got a SS) _Paranoia_: TRICK MODE: 214 (?) MANIAC MODE: 319 (I got these numbers through some fast addition) ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ------ X. Name that tune Okay, okay, so you've just stepped into the arcade. Someone is playing something on Maniac Mode, and you don't know whether to laugh at the person or bow down to him/her. Here are a few interesting notes I made about the individual songs. Enjoy! YOU KNOW IT'S (INSERT SONG TITLE HERE) WHEN. . . _Have You Never Been Mellow_: All colors are pastels. Nothing but pastels. It's possible to fall asleep anytime during the song. _Boom Boom Dollar_: There's a thing about raven's wings. The singer holds his notes for a while. A long while. Like forever. _Butterfly_: The background's green. 'Nuff said. The chorus will always begin with a certain three-arrow sequence. _Put Your Faith In Me_: Arrows appear either bunched up or far apart. No exception. Some word sequence appears at the end. _Put Your Faith In Me (Jazz Groov)_: Just about everything is in shades of BLUE! Trumpets are heard. _Make It Better (either mix)_: Some people's faces show up in the middle of the song (recognize anyone?). Every single double-jump combination is present. The middle looks too slow to be true. The ending is made up of arrows requiring either three feet (Maniac Mode only) or your behind (as in, bounce it on the last arrows). Orange. _My Fire_: Way too many hearts appear out of nowhere. The colors remind you of _Boom Boom Dollar_. The steps remind you of hopscotch. _Brilliant 2 U (either mix)_: My pet dog is seen in the very beginning. The difficulty of the ending is directly proportional to the difficulty of the "lyrics" (that digital thing). Electric blue seems to be the dominant color. _AM-3P_: The only colors are light and dark blue, white, black, and a little gold. There are no lyrics (anywhere. It's a pure instrumental). It sounds like a freeway during rush hour. _Trip Machine_: It's pink or red. Weird timing. Really weird timing. Enough to give the _Make It Better_ series some serious competition. A three-beat respite appears out of nowhere. There's a countdown. _Paranoia_: The tempo can be defined as really, really, really, really fast. It's as easy technically as _Put Your Faith In Me_. The song is played on the last stage. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ------ XI. Credits This FAQ was supposed to be very boring. Because of everyone here, it's not quite so boring. Gamefaqs.com and Gameadvice.com ------------------------------- For actually posting my FAQ, and for being cool sites overall (did you take the poll of the day at Gamefaqs.com?) Konami ------ The makers of the game. They got me addicted. All the video arcades who carry this game ----------------------------------------- This one is obvious... My Music Teachers ----------------- It takes someone who is familiar with music to figure out what the heck Konami threw in their game. Go figure. All my friends (if you know my other name, this is for you)...I think --------------------------------------------------------------------- You were the nuts who supplied most of my song info, without realizing it. Now will you guys quit bugging me about my refusal to play fighting games? K', and whoever you borrowed that dance mat from ------------------------------------------------ Needless to say, you provided me with pretty much all the information for _Dance Dance Revolution: 2nd Mix_. Can you dye your hair silver? Gamesages.com ------------- THE site for codes! Nickel (deloura@halcyon.com) ---------------------------- For LOTS of game info. Really, I thought Exorbitant was the highest rating. Editor-in-Chief at KHS ---------------------- Thanks for selling me the _Dance Dance Revolution: 3rd Mix Nonstop Megamix_ CD. Now I can really annoy people with _Mr. Wonderful_. Skywalker, Leviathan, and NetRonin ---------------------------------- For all those 3rd Mix titles, gropus, and lyrics and for dancing and putting up with me. Can you wait until KOF 2000 comes out, or are you going to ditch me and fly to some Asian country to see it first? Jon I. (Jonath8436@aol.com) --------------------------- For putting up with me and my lame jokes, getting those ultimate streaks, and somehow getting a SS on AM-3P and a bunch of other songs on Trick Mode (my grade average for AM-3P is a C, give or take a grade). My Mom ------ She pointed out the relationship between The Olivia Project and their songs. She also got a SS on _Boomb Boom Dollar_. This proves that anyone can dance, regardless of gender or age (you can TRY to figure out how old she is. . .but don't ask me about it, because she will kill me if she finds out about this!) You --- For taking the time to read this thing. So you REALLY want to know who I am? I'm the girl that dances solo or with a (ahem!) friend on Maniac Mode, and almost always to _Brilliant 2 U_ or _AM-3P_. Do you have any questions, comments, or CLEAN jokes? E-mail me cherriebomber@yahoo.com