Dance Dance Revolution Ultramix E3 2003 Preshow Report

With entries in its long-running, genre-defining Dance Dance Revolution series having already appeared on the PlayStation, Dreamcast, and PlayStation 2, Konami is now bringing DDR to the Xbox with Dance Dance Revolution Ultramix.

Like other DDR games before it, Ultramix will be a rhythm game where you will use a special dance mat to perform specific dance steps in time with onscreen instructions. While past US DDR releases have generally just been Japanese DDR games that have been altered for North American audiences, Ultramix will be an all-new game and will feature licensed music, including new songs exclusive to the US market. No other specifics about the game’s soundtrack have been revealed at this time.

Recent DDR games have suffered a bit from sticking too closely to the series' well-defined formula, but it seems that Ultramix will shake things up a bit by including a new challenge mode--where you'll have to complete specific objectives in order to advance to the next round--and Xbox Live support. Konami has said that the Xbox Live support in Ultramix will include downloadable content, an Internet ranking system, and the ability to compete with other players online. With the edit mode making a return in Ultramix, you could theoretically exchange custom dance routines with other players via Xbox Live, though this is not currently a confirmed feature.

Konami has not yet mentioned any specifics about a dance mat for the Xbox, though it's assumed that either Konami itself or a third-party peripheral manufacturer will produce one. Dance Dance Revolution Ultramix is set for an October 2003 release exclusively on the Xbox.