Excercise, video games and the evolution of the dance game

[forgotten_aria]

I've been trying to get more exercise. nothing will replace the time I was completely addicted to DDR and dropped 50 lbs, but I still hope and search. First, DDR still gives a nice work out, but I just don't NEED to play it like I used to. So I'm still seeking that new addiction. Luckily the technology is marching forward.

A while back we got a kinect and an box 360 so I could try Dance central. Super fun, but not as much exercise as I would like. Hamonix got most of it dead on. The UI is great, the music selection is terrific and they track surprisingly subtle motions. But like DDR, you still feel like you're playing a video game and not dancing. The choreography, while good, is clearly limited by needing to track your skeleton the entire time. I got Dance Masters, konami's foray into the gerne. The UI is horrible, but I got used to it. The game play, however was good. Instead of tracking ever motion, they want key poses (many of which are dynamic), arm arc and hand positions. They also seem to some how track steps and use the mic to see if you're clapping. The result feels like a full body Elite Beat agents and ends up being a lot more dynamic. The choreography is a lot freer (though still clearly reined in by the game) to the point where there are a few dances that I want to learn as dances. The music is very DDR/parapara, but since I'm already a fan that's not a problem.

I've also been looking at the straight up work out games, but nothing seems to be that engaging. I think I was spoiled by eye toy Kinetic which, if it were on the kinect would be the best thing ever. It's too bad the eye toy let that game down.

I think I will still try to make myself play DDR for the full on cardio, but at least these other games get me up and moving and might teach me a few tricks for more dynamic taiko choreography.

EDIT: I have NO parapara instincts at all!

Comments

[mathhobbit.livejournal.com]

I went from Wii Fit to DDR for Wii and will not go back. DDR Hottest Party is awful -- maybe you could get a decent score, but it was not designed not for mere middle aged mortals. My theory is that they used the same play testers for Hottest Party that they did for all the PS games. The new Wii DDR in the blue box was great, with a smooth learning curve that started where I did and room to go on even after six months of daily workouts.

I do find that sometimes moves don't register, to the point where I'm consciously shaking or posing or swinging in an exaggerated way to try to trigger whatever it is. Knowing the physics of the Wii controllers would help, but I'm too lazy to bother.