E3 06: Dance Dance Revolution SuperNOVA Preshow Report

It's a bit surprising to realize that, though the Dance Dance Revolution series gained its popularity in arcades across the globe, six years have passed since the last new DDR game debuted in American arcades. That's all set to change with the pending release of Dance Dance Revolution SuperNOVA, which will be showing up in an arcade, pizza parlor, or bowling alley near you in spring 2006. For those who would prefer to be a private dancer, SuperNOVA is also set to come to the PlayStation 2 in September.

The PlayStation 2 version of DDR SuperNOVA promises online multiplayer support and two-player local support, as well as support for the Sony EyeToy, which we suspect will make for a full-body dancing experience, much like the Dance Dance Revolution Extreme games before it. Though Konami has released no specifics as to the number of tracks or any of the specific songs to be included in SuperNOVA, it does promise a large and eclectic selection of songs. You can also expect to see better background visuals, including realistic dancers and music videos, thanks to an enhanced graphics engine. Beginners and experts alike will find new gameplay modes that will cater specifically to them, with beginners benefiting from a voice-assisted tutorial mode.

Tying the arcade and PlayStation 2 versions of Dance Dance Revolution SuperNOVA will be the ability to share data between both versions. We'll have more info on SuperNOVA as it becomes available.