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

[the legend of maxxxxxxxxx]

OK, I started playing on my home version, but i found out about ddr when my brother's friend brought it and the pad over to my house. Well, I caught on pretty quickly and enjoyed it alot, it was DDR MAX 2. His friend let us borrow the game, but we had to give it back after about a month. So I decided to get a pad of my own and buy the game. Ever since then i've been playing DDR, but I mostly play at the arcades now. It's been about 2 years.
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10 footer heavy/oni grades on 1.5 at an arcade
MaxX-AA
Max 300-AAA Sakura-AAA
PS-AAA
Bag-AAA(x1)
PSMH-AA LOM-AA
PSMO-AA Max period (home version)-AA

[MAJO]

My sister bought a PS2 because she wanted to buy ddr. I thought she was crazy for doing that because I thought that game was pretty stupid. I got bored so I tried playing it. It turns out that I was pretty good at this game and it was fun and I started to like it. I played till I got really good. I played the home versions of DDRMAX, MAX2, and EXTREME for about five months, then I switched over to the arcade version, which is where I play now.
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My DD:Recall

[ǝɥʇʎɔs]

About 2 years ago, I was at a party with a bunch of people crazy about the game (this one kid AA'd a song with his eyes closed) so I tried to play, and made a total idiot of myself . For about a year, I would play the game at arcades, but still make a total idiot of myself. After Frances and Jeanne hit Florida, my friends and I made about $300 in hurricane cleanup, and bought the game. Now, I'm totally addicted, and I can beat Sakura, bag, PARANOiA survivor (only at the bowling alley, because the pad at the normal arcade uses Extreme Plus so it's hopelessly screwed sideways)
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i'm only into irony ironically

[SafeTinspector]

I've known of the DDR game franchise for a long time. Read all about it when it was just an import scene, and tried it once or twice at friends' houses. I really sucked, and didn't think I'd ever play it again.

Well, as I turned 33 in June of 2005, I found that I had gained some weight. I learned that I hated using the damn treadmill because it is BORING to just go thump-thump-thump-thump for a half hour or more, staring at nothing and wishing I was playing videogames.

A freaky friend of mine has been an avid DDR addict for years, and even has an arcade rig in his basement. I was visiting and he planted the bug in my ear that DDR would be just as good as a treadmill. I tried an old DDR import mix (not sure which, but it had "Dream a Dream" on it) and decided that I liked it almost as much as I liked masturbation.

I had an XBox, so I picked up the $20 platinum Ultramix 1 and a Mad Catz beatpad. Soon I upgraded to a Red Octane Pro pad, which has since failed miserably and was replaced with a Chinese steel-and-plastic hard pad. (the same freaky friend helped me replace the flimsy plastic pad parts with acryllic)

Now I play the game every day. I wake up at 5am, brush my teeth, and play DDR for an hour before my shower. My wife thinks I'm crazy, my daughter claps and sings along. I even made a lame video of myself playing my two favorite songs and posted it to my blog to show incredulous relatives what the monkey on my back looks like.
http://safetinspector.blogspot.com

I'm not losing weight, but this has GOT to be good for my cardiovascular system. I sweat right through a beach towel and drink a half-gallon of water while playing. My legs are rock hard, and I'm itching to play more RIGHT NOW. I fantasize about buying additional mixes and pads the way my wife used to fantasize about wedding plans.

I even fantasize about PSP and Nintendo DS versions of DDR (should be doable with a soft-pad!) for playing at work.

I'm sick, I tell you.
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-SafeTinspector states that, among other things, pasta is not for rodents.

[cpurola]

[GANGURO.luv]

I first played DDR like in the summer of 2002 when I was 10 years old and I totally sucked at it. From then on, I didn't play often.. in fact, I would only play DDR for about 2-5 times an entire year until.. this year, 2005. Around March, I was joined FlashFlashRevolution.com and I loved it, but I wasn't satisfied. I was so jealous at my brother's friend because he has DDR in his house. Well... then in like August, we went to Kings Dominion and my brother showed me how to play DDR, and I caught in pretty quick, cause.. yeah.. well.. I guess now I've been playing REGULARLY for about three months now. What I really enjoy about DDR is the dancing.. my initial interest is just my love for dancing, because I've always loved to dance... and I dance real good too, at least my friends say I do.. <3
I don't think I'm ever going to stop playing now, I'm so addicted to it. My dad thinks I've gone insane because I'm always pestering him about taking me to the nearest arcade with a DDR machine (1 hour away) just to waste his money.. every single weekend. =P
It sucks being 14 sometimes. ;_;....so.. for now, I'm keeping my dancing addiction at home. <3 and at school & church. XD
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[LOVE ♥ SHINE] : [MySpace] : [Website - Coming Soon!]

[SafeTinspector]

[lilaznpinoy416]

the thing that got me into this good game was when i was at my god sisters party about 5 years ago. Her friend busted out The original DDR. The first song i ever did was BOOM BOOM DOLLAR!

Now, What kept me playing was the rush and just dancing and jumping around in general. Also, I love the feeling when you know your getting better. Currently You can find me in the arcade playing 8-10 footers.

[DDTRN]

It all started last year when I took a girlfriend out to the movies. We went to the Regal Cinema. While we where there getting tickets , she told me that she always plays DDR while she waits for the movie to start. so since there was a DDR machine right there, we started to dance. A LOT! we played so long that we almost missed the movie. Then after it was done, we rushed back to play more. There was a line behind us but we didnt care. We had enought money to play. Ever since that I was HOOKED on DDR. Now, i finally got the DDR Extreme 2 bundle. Its AWSOME!!!!
Oooooooo the rush!!!!!
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I finally got DDR!!!!! Its so much fun!!!!!

[sol.ch]

Not much of an interesting story, but...

Got DDR Extreme + red octane ignition pad bundle for Christmas...started with light, got addicted, made it to about 6-8 footer heavies...then just played stepmania. after a couple of months of all stepmania, decided to head to the narrows plaza arcade one day to try out what a ddr arcade was like...got a D on the Whistle Song on heavy...humiliating. So I started "ghetto-padding" some heavy songs through stepmania, and then went back and managed to get a B or a C (can't exactly remember) on Sync. Figured that was good enough, and just started to constantly go to the arcade. Now I can get A - AA on 5 - 7 footer heavys (w/o bar), B - AA on 8 footers (w/ bar), and C - A on 9 footers (w/ bar...except Tsugaru and Twilight Zone ). Only 10 footers I can do are Sakura (constantly B or A) or Max 300 (C - B if first stage, fail if final stage).

[Marusame]

Before i start this out I'd like to say what i was like before playing DDR. Before playing it, before even reading anything about it, i judged the game. I looked at it, saw people playing it, and automatically thought to myself "That looks so stupid. You'd never catch me dead on anything like that." Yep. That was me, i was the guy who glanced your way in the arcade, smirked, and turned away.

Flash forward a year or so, and Penny-Arcade mentions a web comic they absolutely love. 10k-commotion. A webcomic about DDR. Still holding my reservations about the game, i gave the comic a shot. I mean, its just a comic right? im not going to change my P.O.V. about the game based on this thing. And so i thought i didnt. I read the comic and continued on with my life. Then, one weekend me and a friend were in the mall waiting for a movie we had tickets to to start. We're mall ratting around, and then we pass the arcade. 2 of my friends from school were in there playing games, so we joined them. we played some shooters, some racers, and eventually they moved on to the DDR machine. "You play this game?" i said, or something to that effect, and the reply was a resounding "Hell yeah we do!". And so we watched them, playing on heavy and getting these massive combo's, feet moving at speeds i didnt think these 2 could move at. I was amazed. When they stepped off, the y asked if we wanted to play. Reluctantly, we agreed. They reccommended we start on light, becasue Beginner was rediculously easy. My first song was "Speed Over Beethoven", and i owned it. The steps were so easy, and fun to jump around to, that after 2 more songs of this i fell in love with the game. An employee at the arcade challenged me, and said "lets try out heavy just for fun." I laughed and agreed, and he mopped the floor with me. 12 dollars, and a movie later i was walking out of that same mall with a copy of DDR Extreme 2, and a spare beatpad in my hands. I play every day now, and am currently working on getting use to standard. I gotta step it up so i can take out that Newbie punishing arcade employee...

To this date my best accomplishment has been a AAA on Butterfly(Upswing Mix) by Smile.dk on light. Yeah, not much but i'm proud of it.

[Skilas]

When did I start playing DDR eh? (I also call it 'losing my DDR virginity' XD)

Anyways ... it was nearly a year ago. I was visiting a friend in the apartment and watching another ddr. I was like "wtf" through the whole thing cause it just looked weird but addicting to watch. The guy was on Heavy but wasn't doing very good heheh.

Anyways, later on she went to her Mom's and I followed for company. She brought DDR with her and the pad, and asked for me to play it. Of course, at first, like most are, I'd said no... cause I was nervous and didn't want to try it, but then she convinced me to go on it. I was such a horrible Beginner lol. I was like, afraid to touch the arrows pretty much, and crying out her name for help. She was right beside me tho on the computer while I was feeling helpless.

That's pretty much how I started. I got good later on though, but goes to show if you try and practice, you CAN do it! \o.o/ ^^

[enad101]

Alright ladies and gents, this is the wonderful story of DDR...told by Enad...enhanced by the influence of Shakespeare.

Thou walkest down the boardwalk in the Summer of 2003 and thou spoteth a DDR Extreme machine in a Arcade...eth....anyways so i go in and im like....ok DDR looks kinda cool....but why is there 2 dances in the name? So i got one of my friends to try it with me...and of course i was like "beginner? Paleeze i can like do Heavy...but im gonna make my friend look good and do Light" So i do some lame song like 1998 or something...and of course...totally bombed. But the game was awesome, so i kept on playing. Now, i was Light for about 6 months, i was way to scared to do Standard. I didnt go any further untill i got Extreme for PS2. So to make a long story...long...i practiced and practiced and sweat many a bucket of sweat and now i am where i am...which is 10 foot Heavy...Now why do i keep playing...simple...PSMO AHHH i hate this song it needs to die...and i shall be the one to kill it! OK everybody Goodnight! and Goodluck! in all your DDR endeavors!
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>Where are you from?
>>Delaware
>Delaware...thats a state?
>>um yeah what do you think the 50th state is?
>Puerto Rico?

[xtr3mely_vici0us]

I first started playing DDR in the beginning of summer of 2004. I went to a friend's house because she had a party. She had DDR Max on Playstation 2 and was playing it with a bunch of my other friends. I wasn't really intrested until I saw them play a bunch of songs on Standard & Heavy. I thought it was cool. So I started playing it. I like playing it currently because it kicks butt. Yeah, it's fun!

[DaddyQuickFeet]

I was walking past the arcade in the mall in my hometown. Some buddies and I saw a group of really good looking ladies inside the arcade. So we went in there and played a few games(motorcross, some jetski game, etc) and watched them as they got on the machine. As a group quickly gathered around to watch them, we took part in the gawking at these hot ladies on the pads. After they were done we quickly formulated a plan to get on the machine next, so they would notice us. One of my buddies was pretty good at it and had played before (so i looked like an idiot).. So he was on there shredding up the pad, adn i made a very very weak attempt to keep up (didnt go so well) Well at the end of my turn i got off and looked at one of the girls that we had noticed before and said, " i'm actually better than that, i just felt bad for my friend cuz its his 1st time". She looked at me and started laughing and was like, "well thats nice of you..You should see if you can beat me".. Whooops!!!! I told her that i had to leave because i had to pick up my sister from her friends. She gave me her phone number and was like "practice up and give me a call". So thats exactly what i did. I started goin to the arcade and dumping dollar after dollar into the machine to get better and to impress this girl. Needless to say, we have dated now for about 5 months and now we have one at my place!!!!!

[WBBulldogs]

I started playing DDR around March of this year when my friends had stepmania. The first song I ever tried was Cowboy Bepop on Light I failed it and did not play any DDR until like May.
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[cpurola]

[Paradoxical Twilight]

I started playing because I was up in college and beyond bored. I also thought it be a cool way to meet people.

[emjay]

i lived in japan in 2000 and 2001 and i used to see all the super crazy kids getting down in the arcades, but i was too intimidated to try it myself...then a friend of mine had the home version of ddrmax with the crappy soft pads and i used to go over to her house and play sometimes back in '03...when i moved to new york a year and a half ago another friend of mine had the home game...i started to get addicted, so in july '05 i finally broke down and got a used play station and ddrextreme and a tv (i didn't even have a tv before)...now i've upgraded to extreme2, hard pads, and i'm just about to break the 9-foot barrier, i can FEEL it--there are just a couple of things holding me back. i still don't play in arcades cause i'm too shy and none of my friends will go with me...i'm trying to talk my bf into going...he plays a lot at my place and he can hold his own on the easier songs...but i kind of don't like the culture of one-upmanship and the "right" and "wrong" way to play that you see in the arcades. lot of those super freaky ddr freaks seem to forget that IT'S A GAME.

i love it, though, my neighbors think i'm crazy, i sometimes play for hours, and it's super great in the winter time. now i can't WAIT to get off work and go home and dance!!!!!

[katiepie]

I was a Brit backpacking round Oz in 2000/01. I spent 2 months in Sydney and was walking down one of the main streets there with tons of arcades in. Penniless and bored I went in and got transfixed by all the Japanese schoolkids playing together. I would go down there all the time and watch them. I really wanted to try it but I knew I'd never have got on the machine anyway and would've been laughed out of the place.

Back in UK I didn't forget about the "japanese dancing arcade games", then over the years they started coming over here along with the PS game versions. Now I live in Salisbury and there's no machine round here but I play at bowling alleys, ice rinks, seaside arcades, airports, whenever I see a machine I'm on it. I'm a newcomer really, just learning with not much chance to practice but I'm getting a steel mat which I think will be the making of me. I play for fun and fitness, I think it's an awesome game and the only reason I got a PS2. I wish I knew people round here who I could play it with but my bloke ain't interested