DDR
Spotlight
Spotlight
with Lyndsey Beatty
Note from the editor:
Welcome to the DDR Spotlight! We’re examining the myriad of songs found in the Dance Dance Revolution series from the very first mix all the way to SuperNova.
Welcome to the DDR Spotlight! We’re examining the myriad of songs found in the Dance Dance Revolution series from the very first mix all the way to SuperNova.
Download the current DDR glossary. Just in case you ever wondered what some of the terms mean, we've compiled a dictionary, courtesy of the now-defunct DDR Freak.
Artist: The Olivia Project
Difficulty: 1/2/5 (DDR 1st Mix), 2/3/5 (DDR CS JP), 1/2/4 (2nd Mix to 4th Mix, DDR CS NA), 1/2/8 (4th Mix Plus S-Maniac charts, later Oni steps)
Chosen difficulty: Heavy
BPM: 126
This remake of Olivia Newton John's hit song is an easy starter song in early DDR and becomes substantially harder with the introduction of S-Maniac/Oni steps. This is a song you learn to step to and get the basics of DDR. The stepcharts across all difficulties aren't hard and at most the problem is a lack of speed to spread arrows out. Do yourself a favor and play it post-4th Mix Plus so that you get the benefit of the harder steps and Speed Mods to help make things more readable.
Suggested Speed Mod: x2
Difficulty: 1/2/5 (DDR 1st Mix), 2/3/5 (DDR CS JP), 1/2/4 (2nd Mix to 4th Mix, DDR CS NA), 1/2/8 (4th Mix Plus S-Maniac charts, later Oni steps)
Chosen difficulty: Heavy
BPM: 126
This remake of Olivia Newton John's hit song is an easy starter song in early DDR and becomes substantially harder with the introduction of S-Maniac/Oni steps. This is a song you learn to step to and get the basics of DDR. The stepcharts across all difficulties aren't hard and at most the problem is a lack of speed to spread arrows out. Do yourself a favor and play it post-4th Mix Plus so that you get the benefit of the harder steps and Speed Mods to help make things more readable.
Suggested Speed Mod: x2
Artist: Ken D
Difficulty: 2/4/6 (DDR 4th Mix and 5th Mix), 2/4/5 (DDR Solo)
Chosen difficulty: Heavy
BPM: 138
The 7 Jump is a fun song that takes advantage of jumps to make things interesting. Pay attention to the lyrics because the stepchart follows that more closely than the melody. In any version of the song, the Heavy stepchart is not hard in terms of readability. There will be a lot of jumps and triplets but there is nothing strenuous here. Use it as a good song to learn and practice jumps.
Suggested Speed Mod: x2
Difficulty: 2/4/6 (DDR 4th Mix and 5th Mix), 2/4/5 (DDR Solo)
Chosen difficulty: Heavy
BPM: 138
The 7 Jump is a fun song that takes advantage of jumps to make things interesting. Pay attention to the lyrics because the stepchart follows that more closely than the melody. In any version of the song, the Heavy stepchart is not hard in terms of readability. There will be a lot of jumps and triplets but there is nothing strenuous here. Use it as a good song to learn and practice jumps.
Suggested Speed Mod: x2
Artist: ZZ
Difficulty: 6/9/10 flashing (15 in re-rated charts in DDR X onward)
Chosen difficulty: Heavy
BPM: 83-667
By the point of DDR Extreme, Boss Songs were nothing new. The legend of Max takes the Boss Song concept and runs with it. The Heavy stepchart is one of the hardest in the series and features an overwhelming stepchart full of jumps and triplet runs that are designed to tire you out. By the point of the slowdown/speed up in the middle of the song, you will be tired if you're not using the bar (if playing on your feet; if you're using a controller to play, there will be hand cramps in your future). The song follows the melody throughout because there are few spoken lyrics. Consider this one of the endgames of DDR Extreme and play at your own peril.
Suggested Speed Mod: x1
Difficulty: 6/9/10 flashing (15 in re-rated charts in DDR X onward)
Chosen difficulty: Heavy
BPM: 83-667
By the point of DDR Extreme, Boss Songs were nothing new. The legend of Max takes the Boss Song concept and runs with it. The Heavy stepchart is one of the hardest in the series and features an overwhelming stepchart full of jumps and triplet runs that are designed to tire you out. By the point of the slowdown/speed up in the middle of the song, you will be tired if you're not using the bar (if playing on your feet; if you're using a controller to play, there will be hand cramps in your future). The song follows the melody throughout because there are few spoken lyrics. Consider this one of the endgames of DDR Extreme and play at your own peril.
Suggested Speed Mod: x1
Look for past issues of Gaming Insurrection's DDR Spotlight on YouTube!
Sidenotes
Boss Songs revisited
The legend of Max is the latest in Boss Songs in DDR Extreme. Joining Paranoia Survivor, Paranoia Survivor Max and CS addition Max.(period), legend of Max is meant to be a hard song to test your mettle and your DDR comprehension skills. All the Boss Songs at this point were created by Naoki or 2MB through aliases and pushed the then-known foot rating limits.
Max series
Max 300
Origin: DDR Max
Difficulty Rating: 6/8/10
BPM: 300
Maxx Unlimited
Origin: DDR Max 2
Difficulty Rating: 6/8/10
BPM: 300
The legend of Max
Origin: DDR Extreme
Difficulty Rating: 6/9/10 flashing (15 in re-rated charts in DDR X onward)
BPM: 83-667
Max.(period)
Origin: DDR Extreme CS (JP)
Difficulty Rating: 9/9/10/10 flashing (old charts, 16 - Heavy, 18 in re-rated charts in DDR X onward)
BPM: 180-600
Paranoia series
Paranoia Max ~ Dirty Mix~
Origin: DDR 2nd Mix
Difficulty Rating: 6/8/8
BPM: 190
Paranoia Survivor
Origin: DDR Extreme
Difficulty Rating: 5/8/10
BPM: 135-270
Paranoia Survivor Max
Origin: DDR Extreme
Difficulty Rating: 5/8/8/10 flashing (old charts, 15 Heavy, 16 Oni in re-rated charts in DDR X onward)
BPM: 73-290
Boss Songs revisited
The legend of Max is the latest in Boss Songs in DDR Extreme. Joining Paranoia Survivor, Paranoia Survivor Max and CS addition Max.(period), legend of Max is meant to be a hard song to test your mettle and your DDR comprehension skills. All the Boss Songs at this point were created by Naoki or 2MB through aliases and pushed the then-known foot rating limits.
Max series
Max 300
Origin: DDR Max
Difficulty Rating: 6/8/10
BPM: 300
Maxx Unlimited
Origin: DDR Max 2
Difficulty Rating: 6/8/10
BPM: 300
The legend of Max
Origin: DDR Extreme
Difficulty Rating: 6/9/10 flashing (15 in re-rated charts in DDR X onward)
BPM: 83-667
Max.(period)
Origin: DDR Extreme CS (JP)
Difficulty Rating: 9/9/10/10 flashing (old charts, 16 - Heavy, 18 in re-rated charts in DDR X onward)
BPM: 180-600
Paranoia series
Paranoia Max ~ Dirty Mix~
Origin: DDR 2nd Mix
Difficulty Rating: 6/8/8
BPM: 190
Paranoia Survivor
Origin: DDR Extreme
Difficulty Rating: 5/8/10
BPM: 135-270
Paranoia Survivor Max
Origin: DDR Extreme
Difficulty Rating: 5/8/8/10 flashing (old charts, 15 Heavy, 16 Oni in re-rated charts in DDR X onward)
BPM: 73-290