Mainstream Songs On Domestic DDR Games

[WaNdErLuSt]

I know I haven't been here long enough and I'm pretty sure this question has been asked already but I was just curious so I apologize in advance if I'm asking a repeated question.

I was just wondering what your thoughts and opinions are towards the mainstream music added with the US versions of DDR. I'm talking about the ones recently added to the PS2 games like Ordinary World Darude - Sandstorm for DDRMax and the other mainstream dance songs on DDRMax2 like Days Go By, Love At First Sight, Will I?, Heaven, and the other mainstream dance songs they crammed into DDRMax2 (which sorta surprised me on how many domestic mainstream dance songs they put in, but I suppose it was to be expected).

So what do you guys think about it? (again, I apologize in advance if this has already been asked)
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[-Mystik-]

well, it's the US version, what do you expect? Frankly I don't give a damn what they put in the mix as long as there are some original songs thrown in.
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[wraith985]

i would like it a lot more if the steps better (i.e. if they weren't so darn easy)

[Dr. Landluver]

I think the reason they made the heavy steps so easy, is because random people who buy the game as a first time playing ddr, and struggle their way to 7-8 footers, REALLY would seem to want to play the songs they know. Example: my cousin recently got DDRMax, a cheap pad, and a ps2 for her b-day. This was her first time playing, but she had seen me play it before and thought it looked fun. Now she won't stop playing sandstorm as one of her first songs. I think this is a combination of knowing the song, and the difficulty of it (easy).

-Dr. Landluver

[Zukin-Man]

I actually like most of the mainstream songs they put in. My only complaint is that nagging issue about the low difficulty, especially in Busy Child. (Yes, you read correctly. I like Busy Child.)
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[J.R.]

Yeah I mean Days go by has to be the easist AAA song ever!
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[Vic Viper]

[Kidnemo]

[Syxx]

Back when I was first playing DDR my favorite songs were Sandstorm, I Like to Move it Move it, and Darkblack forest. I didn't know they were U.S. exclusives or whatever. I had no idea which songs were made by Konami, these songs just appealed to me the most at first. I'm sure the American exclusives have the same effect on new DDR'ers now.
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whites

[jamus_se]

I had always thought that freshly licensing songs in mainstream America is a sound idea. Not only does it attract customers who don't usually enjoy arcade DDR, it's... God forbit, original and different from what Japan is already offering us.

So far, KOA is still not brave enough to break the 9 barrier on their original songs - frankly, I don't blame them. Most people in the States had carpets instead of wood floor boards, and as much as every DDR site and their mom had info on how to mod pads, most people simply don't mod their pads - which means 9 footers are virtually "impossible" for them to do.

For those who want harder steps, there's an, OMG, step editor! It's liek, the thing that makes 1337 steps liek wut!!!!!!111 LOL!!!111
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[gs68]

At least there aren't say songs by say, Slipknot or Nelly.

[wraith985]

easy steps should go in beginner, basic, and standard. heavy is supposed to be hard. there's absolutely no reason that a licensed song can't have challenging steps - it makes it that much more rewarding when the player actually passes the song. and there's absolutely no reason that i should have to do what konami should have done for me. i paid 50 dollars for the game, and i expect step charts for the new songs to mirror (difficulty-wise) step charts for songs from the arcade. drifting away, a licensed song that just happened to make it onto an arcade version, was an 8, and a fairly difficult one at that; there's no reason sandstorm and dark black forest should be that ridiculously easy on heavy. being licensed is no excuse. ok so maybe KoA is too chicken to make new 9s for home versions only, but the LEAST they could do is make hard 8s and hard 7s.

re: the argument made that i can make my own steps - that's like saying if i don't like the single player maps in an FPS because there's no challenge or they make absolutely no sense, i can *gasp* make my own campaign! what kind of reasoning is that? granted an FPS campaign is a lot more work but the point stands.

that's just my view on things. still, licensed songs are an awesome idea and i hope konami keeps getting them.

[Clover]

Personally, I really like all the mainstream songs they put into the new mix; I thought it was so awesome to be able to play "Take Me Away" and "Ghosts" (Two of my fav trance songs!). It was really cool to me to see a lot of my favorite dance songs on DDR, it was like, the best of both worlds. In many ways I do wish the steps were harder, but hell, the seps are fun, and thats all that matters really! I think its awesome that a lot of my friends have gotten into the game now that they heard a lot of known songs and it opened their mind to the game. It really was smart what Konami did to get more US consumers.

On a side note:
OMG! Syxx, you make me laugh soooo much! Your name=funny
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[L1nK]

[Vic Viper]

Just a side note:

KoJ makes the steps. Even for the US exclusives. Someone said this before.
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BeForU

[cristian989]

[Drenchfur]

Looks like everyone wants harder steps for these songs. I do too.

It seems that Konami rushed to make the step patterns for these new additions, as if it didn't matter if they were hard or made sense. In the arcade, I'm a standard/heavy crossbreed, but at home (on the controller - shut up) I want the hardest frickin' steps the music allows for.

Maybe some of us should form a "Cata Club" to exchange edits.

[cristian989]

[Drenchfur]

Well, I love playing them on the PS2 controller best. By "frickin' hard" they still have to make sense, like Kakumei (sp?) and Burning Heat.

Konami should have made true "challenge" steps for all their songs.