User Rating: 8.6 | Dancing Stage MegaMix PS2
First off, Dance Dance Revolution is a game that appeals to me fully, and so my review will, of course, be somewhat biased. But having said that, I think that MAX is a very good version of the game. It has enough classics mixed in with some newer stuff to keep both new and old players entertained. As was said in the GameSpot review, the genre of the music does tend to be limited, but there is still some variety. I gave the gameplay a 9 because of the pad that I happen to have. I mean, you really can't review something like that unless everyone has the same kind of dance pad, and since there are so many different brands, that becomes quite difficult. Still, you can usually find a decent Konami Dance Pad for a fairly cheap price, and places like EBgames sell cheap bundles that include the game and the pad. I would definitely suggest one of the cheaper pads for a beginner. One aspect that I think is very good in this game is the Workout mode. I don't really care about the calorie counter or any of that, although some might, but I just like the fact that you can play as many songs as you want without having to end and restart a new game. Hmm...the only other thing I can think of is shelf life, and that really depends on how tired you get of the songs. I personally switch up every now and then between one DDR game and another.
