Dance Dance Revolution Ultramix 3 – X-Box

          Not to be out shadowed by it’s Playstation 2 counterpart, Dance Dance Revolution Ultramix 3 adds tons of new features; not just new songs. The new, X-Box exclusive modes are: Freestyle Mode, Quest Mode, & Jukebox Mode. Freestyle mode is a mode where the arrows don’t limit you to your moves. While there aren’t any arrows that you are forced to step on, the game will reward you for “completion of different combinations.” Quest mode has you going from city to city forming the ultimate dance team by passing songs and “routines” along the way. As of this writing, you start off in Sacramento and work your way north and east. Jukebox mode allows you to play songs that you have unlocked or have received via the X-Box Live song packs.

          Just like DDR Ultramix 2, Ultramix 3 is compatible with the song packs from the previous game. So along with the 65+ songs included in Ultramix 3, there are also the many songs bought from song packs. As with the previous two, Ultramix 3 is Live Enabled and will allow players to play head-to-head, download/upload song step edits, buy song packs, and see how they are doing via the ranking scoreboard. Workout mode also returns, allowing up to four players to “workout” to the dance tracks within DDR Ultramix 3.

First Impressions

          The new interface for this game looks amazing. It’s a water theme (*hint* Konami of Hawaii makes this game), and it certainly does do a great job of catching people’s eyes as they walk by. The E3 demo seemed to fix the problem that plagued Ultramix 2, which was that the framerate would take a dive whenever a different video loaded in the background. All of the multiplayer modes return, as well as online play, but this time around, Konami of Hawaii adds on Quest and Jukebox mode. Quest mode feels and plays like an RPG; you travel from town to town passing DDR songs and earning respect/recruiting people to join your team as you go along.

          Ultramix 3 continues along the line of the Ultramix lineup and certainly adds more modes to keep players wanting to buy it. The songlist for Ultramix 3 at E3 included a great version of Jelly Kiss (by Sana) remixed by Midihead, Akumajo Dracula Medley (from Keyboard Mania), and Kiss Me All Night Long (from the Japanese Extreme), with Sakura and Legend of Max for the 10 footers.

          With all of the new features and modes, players everywhere will be excited once Ultramix 3 comes out this fall.

To view pictures, click here, or to go back, click here.