Tell your story about how you started playing DDR...

[ddr_champ]

I started palying about 15 months ago,at an arcade I saw some kids playing and I thought that it looked pretty cool, so I gave it a shot and looked completly retarded but then I got the PS2 mat and DDR Extreme last November and began playing little by little and now I'm playing 8-9 footers, freestyle and Oni. I keep playing because it's like Crack. for my feet. And I've set my goal to get AAA's (AA at least) on almost every song on almost every home game. It's a big goal, but I'm pretty close to it.
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It takes an idiot to do cool things, that's why it's cool

[dy▶◀monyte]

[Pēńġũīń™ ▶◀]

SCHOOL TEACHED ME DRD!!

[Joe Somebody]

[BlueMarkerFumes]

I started playing DDR a little less than a year ago. You see, my close friend thought it would be fun to pull out the dance pad at her birthday so all of her friends and her could show off how awesome they were. Being the DDR virgin at this party they of course took care of me, and brought me gently into the world of DDR. NOT! My dear, dear friend placed me on a 3 or 4 step my first time, and the laughter ensued. You see I'm a pretty decent runner, so all the stamina and kinetic energy was there, just an absolute lack of skill or coordination. I flailed from one end of her living room to the other, taking the mat with me as I went. (I'm also very tall so imagine a whirling mass of arms and legs.)
After this incedent my friend mocked me to no end, she sadly underestimated my competitive spirit. So every day after school I would spend about 5 hours practicing, no lie, emerging every hour or so from my room a sweaty, beaten, mess. And eventually I became the only female heavy player in my group of friends, and now can take on 9 and 10 steps.
What keeps me playing is my love of music and dance, as well as my fear of losing to anyone. More so the latter than the former I'm afraid. As long as I can play DDR, I will. And now I'm branching out to other dance games like Pump It Up (which is insane amounts of crazy awesome) and Para Para.

[b!]

hey i started like 1 year ago um i dont know when exactly though but yeah my bro played it at his prom and said it was great (who hass ddr at a prom... really???) at the time i dispised ddr and thought it was gay. my bro got the game for the ps2 and i played once and the rest was history (1 year old history) yeah and now im geeting AAs on paranoias and As on most maxes on heavy (haha "AAs") ha and it only took me 3/4s of a year to do so

[Tyrgannus]

The first time I ever saw a person playing DDR was around 4 (if not 5) years ago. I had always been intrigued by dance, but I thought the concept of a song based around hitting arrows in time windows was a bit ridiculous. About a year later, I decided to try it. I failed miserably, and it was a light song too.( Basic back then) I told myself I would never play it again.

2 years ago however (26 months to be exact) I saw a new version called EXTREME in the nearby mall. One of my friends was along and said, "lets go make fools of ourselves on that one dance thing." Just to be funny, I tried it out. During the year or two between the first time I played DDR and this time, I had taken up a few breakdance lessons and learned how to drum. This helped immensely. By my 3rd song, I already got an A on Xenon Standard. This discouraged my friend and he said he'd never play around me again.

Since then, I have been perfecting the techniques of DDR and am now currently teaching it to other people. I have gotten 5 people at my school from light to heavy double in less than 3 months. Pretty much this game is more than some cheezy excuse for showing off, its a way to reach people and just a fun way to hang out.

Wow, I'm long winded
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AA Bob wrote:

Summer is as much of a 12 as PSMO is a 9.

[Clyde]

Back in 1998 or so, my local arcade (Manitou Springs, CO) got DDR USA. A couple of my friends tried it and got me hooked. I started playing off and on for a few years till I moved to Ft. Collins, CO to attend CSU. The arcade up here had Extreme and I played every day...mainly to hit on the arcade girl. I finally broke into Heavy that first summer (2003) and kept playing ever since. *note: I'm now marrying that arcade girl in a couple of months*

I keep playing to stay in shape and because I love to run tournaments. I've got one this weekend...Breaking Point...</shameless promotion>
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Laguna was who now?
How not to play Arrow Smash
I miss you Levi! It's something we did at the movies...lots. Good times!
Go play it for me, Squirrley Bro!!

[baby]

I started playing DDR summer 2002.

I worked in the mall and one of my coworkers encouraged me to play it because he could tell I was intrigued watching the DDR players in the arcade.

On Thursdays it was ladies night at gameworks so I'd go and play for free every week and meet other players.

I've gotten into playing again since Extreme2 has been out. I play because the music is good and I have fun. It's fun if people watch me too, but not a requirement for me to have a good time.
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Like all good luck charms...
Rub me I'm lucky!

[Cartoon_Hero89]

Friends house...DDRMAX2... tried to pass Dream a Dream on light--- that was a disaster!! so i bought it- practiced went to a school DDR party thing and now i'm on Heavy mode and am obsessed as ever-- i mean i sing the songs-mainly Cartoon Heroes-- i play it too much-- surf the web for DDR pics ect.!!!

so yeah

[quax94]

1.2001 on my birthday.

2.Seeing people play heavy(maniac).

3.Going up diffacultys and playing fast songs.
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[Feen]

Keep in mind I typed this up around 10 months ago.

The first time I played DDR was at GeeGees Arcade. I played We Will Rock you. I wasn't playing very well. I wasn't thinking I would when I first put the coins in. I just thought it would be funny to try. I didnt do good at all. I wasnt planning on playing again anytime soon, just because I didnt really care that much.
I didnt get back into it until...
I was at Bradley Beach, and my older cousins friend had DDRMAX and MAX2 with two pads. They brought the games out to the front porch by the small buttocks TV. We just started playing. I remember my cousin and friend being really good, doing songs such as Afronova and PARANOiA somthing on Heavy mode.
Anyway, when it was just me and my other cousins, I just played with my cousin. I repeatedly played The Whistle Song on light. Took a while, still did'nt get a double A, but it was fun. Every once in a while we would switch to AM-3P. I would get owned. In my opinion, there could have been no better way to get in to DDR then to play it outside across from the beach.
About a month later I went to GeeGees arcade to play Virtua On. Then I realized that I love DDR too. I waited in line and looked at who I saw as excelent players. When I played I used what I saw by not returning to the center of the pad. Pink Rose became my arcade favorite.
Later on in the summer I guess, my friend up the street got DDR Ultramix. So I started playing there and we would take turns and such on light songs. Eventually we moved up to Standard. Me and him played crap loads of ultramix. I hd new favorite songs such as Ready, Steady, Go, .59, Kind Lady, and After the Game of Love.
I went to Lancaster Pennsylvania to the Laserdome. There were two arcade machines next to each other. DDRMAX2 and Extreme. I played MAX2 with some guy who was really good. I played the Whistle Song of course. Later when I was out of coins, I asked the guy to play the song Tsugaru. He started doing all of that skippy stuff in the middle of the song, so thats where I learned how to do steps like that.
When I got home, me and my friend did the same old Ultramix Routine. We played really late. He was trying to find out how to unlock everything online. We really didnt want to have to get a AAA or land of MAX300 and beat it. It takes to long.
After playing it so much, I knew I had to get it. I saved up for a bit and bought the DDR Extreme and Controller bundle pack. To bad at the time I didnt know that DDR Extreme in the US would suck. I was shocked that they didnt use the Arcade style I'm used to. But I though "Whatever". Its just DDR, same gameplay. I got used to songs in that version. I really liked Move Your Feet at first. After about 2 weeks, I started playing the songs in Heavy mode. I was really proud of some of the grades I was getting.
Every once in a while I would Borrow DDRMAX2 from my friend who has Ultramix. Being Reunited with the whistle song was just sweet. I played AM-3P on standard this time, thinking Heavy would be to tough. Then I switched to heavy and it wasn't to hard. The song wasn't as fast as I remember. I also started playing Afronova, because of the kick buttocks stuff I saw with m cousin and at the arcade.
I started playing really fast songs on heavy. I played A, V, and stuff like that.
I was really pwning now.
Meanwhile, my friend who has Ultramix got 2 dance pads off of Ebay for 9 dollars. They arent that good, but you get used to how they feel... And how they smell.
When I went to Fun n Games at Willowbrook mall, I really wasn't used to playing hard touch pads. So it took me a while to get used to stomping. I failed Mobo Moga on Heavy -_-. Not a very hard song either.
I started playing more at home again, and was still doing good.
There was a videogame party at school. A pretty whack one, but I brought DDR, so thats cool. I played the song A, and I did better than ever. Then I played Tsugaru. Better than ever. So that proves to me that I work better with an audience.
When I went home I tried the two songs and they were as good as at the party. Level up, woohoo.
About 1 week ago we were at the Mall (We as in Me, my friend, two of his friends.) It was a week after I read a songlist for DDRMAX. I told him that it sounds good and that he should get it. I got an eyetoy for DDR Extreme and Antigrav(Which I dont have yet) and other games that may come out in the future for PS3). We ate, went to fun n games, I played two rounds, forgot which songs though. Oh right! I think it went Captain Jack(Standard)> Jet World(Heavy)> V(Heavy).
Anyway, My friend got DDRMAX, I got an Invader ZIM and a Corona wristband, and we went home. He told me that we could "Max" tommorow.
The next day he skipped school just to play DDR(Lucky him). I went to his house later that night. The first song I played was Sandstorm. My friend from school said its good. I like it and all, but its just to damn easy XD. We went in order trying to get at least a D on all songs(Just like we did in ultramix, except this time in heavy ^_^). I took a started getting into songs such as Orion.78(Which has been one of the Light songs I couldnt do when we were playing ultramix), Matsuri Japan, and Rythem and Police(Why those last two? There were two kickass people at GeeGees that time a while back when I started using better foot cooperation. They did Matsuri Japan and Rythem and Police. They looked really good at it.) I couldent do any of those, but those were the three I really wanted to practice.
2 days later I borrowed the game from my friend(The one who recomended Sandstorm). Its a good the she dosent seem to have a due date(Im planning on keeping it till christmas, when Im getting MAX and MAX2). I brought it home and of course started playing. I unlocked a few songs. Maybe 6 of em. I love the song Love this Feelin'. I also kept trying the 9 footers.
Two days ago I started playing Healing Vision on heavy and MAX300 on standard. I can almost get AA on Healing Vision now. Just a few hours ago I spent about 2 hours playing Healing Vision Angelic Mix. At least I can stay alive till the end of the song now. That I'm proud of. I got a D. Im shooting for a B tommorow. Wish me good luck
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Much better now, of course ^^... Still, those were the days. I'm an ITG man now though.
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Damn it feels good to be a gangsta.

[alyssa]

my dad bought me the dance mat and then i got in to it then mark my step dad

[Heero117]

I started a few months back, i can do 6 steps, if i really try.. : /
But i got intrested cuz me and my friends used to allways watch the peeps at the arcade play heavy, and we were mezmerized by it, but we were waay to chiken to play. i tried one night i really sucked. badly. i kept failing on begiiner on songs like, butterfly, wich is super easy now.

but i tried one night again, and i did really good, so i kept coming on fridays, meeting with this group of peeps who play on standerd - heavy. one time, the girls didnt come, and they are the onlys ones keeping the dudes in line, so i played, (i just started on light) and they were jeering, and making me feel like crap. but i started to come on weekdays, when the machine was empty, and i got really good. now im atempting to buy ddre or ddre2 for ps2
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videoCWK wrote:

Quote:

ITG can go beyond level 10? Woah...

[Jimizzle]

I had always heard of DDR, but never payed attention to it. Then on my senior trip to Disney I decided to try out the Disney's Rave machine with my friend. It was just a joke but we kicked buttocks at it, and I kept wanting to play it (regardless of my friends wasting my pictures on me playing it just to laugh at me >:|)

Since it was so damn fun I wanted to get it, so when I got home, I got DDRMAX2 (US) and a pad. My birthday was like, 2 days afterwards, so all my friends came over and we played it for like, 7 straight hours (unlocked all the songs too ). I played that damn thing so much until I could own standard. Then about a month later I started on Heavy and an arcade near my house in Maine got a machine, and then it was go time .

I got more serious about it last year when I met up with all the MIT people and other DDR people here at my school, and now I play Heavy all the time. I'm still working on songs and I still suck, but from time to time I can be good.

I keep playing because all of my best friends here at school play DDR and we're all one big awesome crew, so its more fun than sitting around doing nothing. Plus, the game is just fun as hell. (and I want to be able to beat every song in the game eventually, we'll see how far I get there...)
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Woof

[~]

Ive been playin for about 2 years (more or less idk)

I started because my brother and all his friends played and one day they all came over with one of those $10 pads, a red octane, and a playstation and started playin konamix i was watching and my brothers friend was doin drop out on heavy (on the red octane) i was so amazed it was like the coolest thing in the world so i decieded to try and i liked it a lot all though it was very hard to start. I can remember being amazed when i got a B on like baby gimme your love on light it was my favorite thing in the world then I would play everyday and do horrible but still be amazed by those arrows moving up the screen

I still play now because my friends are all starting now or have been playin for a while and we all love playin DDR at parties and tht type stuff
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I'll be a blondie girl!!!

[summerLove]

well i started pLaying ddr last march,when me and my buddies passed by the arcade and started daring each other.. when we got to the pad, i was amazingly acing the songs! from then on i got hooked on the game..
i bought some cds and 2 dance pads so i can practice at home. i also got my sis bro and cousins addicted to the game. the first heavy song i perfected was KichTheCan..it's an easy song i know,but hey i was just a beginner then..
so now i've been DDR-ing for about 8+ months and i don't plan on quitting..
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*kisses!*

[Healing_visioner001]

I started playing about 2 years ago in Puerto Rico for vacation. I was really bored when I found my uncle's PS2, but it had no games or controllers. I asked him later about the games when he got his Konami dance pad and DDR Konamix. He said that him and his friends had a couple hundred hours on that one game, so I felt a little competitive and wanted to play against him. He totally whooped my a**, so later that day I took the lesson mode and passed it within an hour. After that, I was completely hooked. I played from four to seven hours a day or until I couldn't feel my feet anymore. After that much abuse, the controller's sensors died about a week and a half later, so my uncle got some cloth from a store and opened the pad. He fixed the sensors and sewed the cloth over the back. It was really comfortable after that, but sadly, he sewed it on upside down. it really sucked, so about a week later, my twelth birthday came up where my dad bought me my own pad and DDRMAX, and after that, I made history. In about two weeks, I unlocked all of the songs in the game and was playing 7 and 8 footers like Holic and Paranoia (one of the billion remixes) on heavy.

When I got back to New Jersey, my PS2's laser burnt out and I couldn't play for about a month. In a desperate attempt to play, I brought DDR to a friend's house, in which he freakin loved the game (he is now way better than I am in the game, playing nine and ten footers like Tsugaru and Max unlimited) Last year, I went back to PR and I had yet another chance to redeem myself! In the one month span that I was there, I had accumilated over fourty hours of play and I was back into shape, playing my now favorite song Healing Vision (angelic mix) Rhythem and Police on heavy.Ever since, however, (since I'm poor as dirt in NJ) my PS2's laser is still burnt out and sitting idly by my TV and I haven't played since *sniff* DDR, I love you!!!
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Anyone want to chat? I know a lot about DDR konamix, DDRMAX, and DDRMAX2! (and a lot of other games, like Halo 1-2, MGS, and almost all of the FF games)

[Antipathy]

about September 2000 i went to an arcade and my friends were all "omg, i'll pay for your game if you get up and play DDR" so i decided to and i totally sucked, but it was sorta fun.

forgot about the game til early 2001 when one of my firends bought DDR(dont remember what version it was) for the PSX. it was pretty fun and stuff, the mat got me pissed off. so i stopped doing it for a while.. then around when Max came out for the PS2 i started playing again, and i got hooked! and i've been playin ever since!
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'nuff said

[Covert_Pajamas]

Sister got Ultramix, we both played the crap out of it for a few months, I kept playing, she didn't much anymore, ect.
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