Ah yes, Dance Dance Revolution. A staple in arcades everywhere since 1998. It was almost single-handedly responsible for getting alot of gamers off their asses and getting healthy (although that wasn't its intended purpose). DDR SuperNOVA for the Playstation 2 is a port of the first DDR Arcade game in 4 years, aptly titled "DDR SuperNOVA". Can it stand up to the arcade version? Does it live up to the legacy of the home DDR games? Is it enough to convert Dancer-turned-Groovers (In The Groove) back to the DDR Way? Eh, kinda.
Gameplay:
They say if it ain't broke don't fix it, and that's pretty much the principle here. This is the exact same gameplay that you've come to know from the DDR series. Battle Mode from DDRs of olde return, however this time it is more similar to Disney Mix's Magic Dance than anything. DDR SuperNOVA also marks the revenge of the return of the Mission Mode, titled "Stellar Master Mode" this time around. Unlike the impossibly and stupidly hard missions of yore, SM Mode involves you flying from planet to planet, completing certain trials. Once you complete a few trials you can move ahead to the Showdown, a marathon of special trials that will challenge you no matter how good you are (however the challenges are very reasonable to accomplish). If you can complete a Showdown, you get a VIP Card and can move forwards to the next planet. Or, if you want, you can complete the trials on the planet you're currently at
then move on. The possibilities are endless.
8.5/10 Graphics:
OVERHAULED. The dancers have
finally been updated to fit modern hardware, and they look ALOT different. The most notable examples of this change are Rage (pictured below), Jenny and Emi. There are also brand-new characters that join in the dance; Robo-Zukin, a Zukin in a Robo 2000 costume, Gus, a dude that looks like he was pulled out of Jet Grind/Set Radio, and Ruby, a "Hot Sexy Mama". Also exclusive to home versions are the various PiX; all-new female pixie-styled dancers. The dancers now dance on stages, no longer simply dancing on air as well.
The Evolution of Rage, from 5th Mix to Present.
However, even with all of these graphical enhancements, there are no background animations to speak of, whom many DDRers miss. There are also no BG Pictures for the songs either, it automatically goes to the dancer or the video (if it's a licensed song/from beatmania IIDX). I did not like this change at all, primarily because alot of the BG changes/picture of olde were amazing to look at, and sometimes even funny. It also makes the game seem rushed, and that
never looks good.
6.5/10 Sound/Music:
This is the meat of the game, a bad score here would be dire to the entire review. Luckily, this is not the case. Alot of the song are brand-new, straight from the arcade game (INNOCENCE OF SILENCE, Xepher, etc.). There are also home-exclusive songs as well, such as L.E.F. (Loud Electronic Ferocious) by Ferry Corsten, Let's Dance by David Bowie and Flow (Jammin' Ragga Mix) by Scotty D. revisits U1. The music, as a whole, is well-made and well-picked, and there's enough selection to please anyone (including Fallout Boy fans, the game has Dance, Dance and is surprisingly a good addition). Alot of the licensces are from Dancing Stage, the European equivalent to DDR, and it shows. Songs like Video Killed The Radio Star, Jerk It Out and Shout are strange additions to the game, but work nonetheless.
8.5/10 
DDR SuperNOVA is a well-balanced game, however the exclusion of BG Changes or Pictures bogs it down. Replay Value:
This, as per usual, is through the roof. There's always something new to discover whenever you play it, and as a party game there are no bounds to the amount of fun you can have. Even as a single-player experience it's mega-fun for a really long time.
9/10 Overall:
This is game definitely worth a purchase to the DDRer, even though there's no pretty BG changes or pictures. The songlist is packed with all-new content, and it's huge, even for an American home version. If you don't buy it for yourself, get it as a party game and have a blast. This is something that you will regret passing on later, so don't!
Gameplay:
8.5/10
Graphics:
6.5/10
Sound/Music:
8.5/10
Replay Value :
9/10
Average Rating: 8.125/10
Final Rating:
8.25/10
Dance Dance Revolution SuperNOVA (USA)/PS2 
