If you’re like me where DDR is the most fun in groups and you’re good enough to not break something, but not quite at the point where you’d go and compete, then you’re probably wondering why you’d want to play another version of DDR. I happen to enjoy the various versions of DDR, but nothing has drastically changed to make this series any better. Now that it’s on the Xbox 360, I’ll have to buy additional dance pads, which don’t come cheap if you want a decent quality one. After you’ve spent the money buying four controllers, the thought of having to buy more is not appealing. At least the game comes with a pad, so at the very minimum you can use it as a workout regimen.

Once the game starts up, there is a basic edition section where you can start from square one. There should be no problems following the basic tutorial and the “How to Play” mode that shows up afterwards. If you continue with their tutorial, lesson mode becomes unlocked where you’ll have access to a 22-stage tutorial that will teach you some advanced techniques. Game Mode Lite, a simplified version of the Master Mode is also available if you’re not feeling quite comfortable enough yet to tackle the main game. This is a great way to warm up, and I found that even then it took me awhile to get used to the controls.

I don’t exactly DDR on a regular basis and the new pad took some getting used to. The pad that comes with the game is well-made, although since you’re playing barefoot, the plastic surface makes it hard to maneuver quickly since it can stick to the bottom of your feet. You don’t want to be playing in socks or you’ll slip, but at least the mat is made so that it won’t slide away from you due to the somewhat sticky plastic material underneath.

In Master Mode you’ll have access to a whole slew of various modes which can seem overwhelming at first. I’ve never really had the urge to play much else besides the regular arcade mode in previous games or I’ll sometimes do the workout mode. In Dance Dance Revolution Universe, game mode is similar to arcade mode in the other games, except that you can’t unlock any new songs. Songs can only be unlocked in quest mode, which is rather annoying. This is a dancing game, trying to throw in a pseudo storyline about touring North America and competing at various cities is really unnecessary. You start off as a backup dancer in Sacramento and you have an agent to tell you how many fans you need to impress before you can move on.

There is a good selection of songs this time around, including artists such as: Kylie Minogue, Chris Brown, Depeche Mode, Cascada, Verbalicious, Jamiroquai, New Order, Sugar Hill Gang, Goldfrapp and more. Dance Dance Revolution Universe wouldn’t be the same without your large selection of fast dance music as well as remixes of tracks that you’ve seen before. There are over 70 songs to discover, but like I mentioned, you have to play through Quest Mode on your own or with a friend to be able to unlock additional content.

It’s too bad the music videos aren’t in high-definition, but the graphics are decent for a game like this. Most of the time you’re staring at your DDR character who is dancing amidst a background of psychedelic colors so there really isn’t much to see anyway. You should be busy watching your arrows and making sure your feet are responding.

All the modes in Dance Dance Revolution Universe gives you a variety of things to play around with, but there really should have been other ways to unlock content. Workout mode is still there if you want to count the calories that you’re burning. Challenge mode, which is recommended for advanced players, makes the game a little trickier by telling you what you need to do and what combos you need to pull off. If you do manage to get four dance pads, there is a Quad Mode where you jump around on all four pads. If you’re new to the DDR world, this is a good time to start.