DDR MAX 2
Released: 2002
The middle of 2002 presented Dance Dance Revolution fans with the next mix in the series, building on what was good about DDR MAX, while addressing the areas that people felt were lacking, resulting in a mix that just about completely replaced DDR MAX in the arcades.
The Dance Dance Revolution 5th Mix style interface was used again here, as it allowed easy navigation of large numbers of songs - necessary, as this mix had the largest song mix to date. The "groove radar" that DDR MAX used to replace the foot meter remained, but they brough back the foot ratings, with a few rating tweaks to various songs, such as Drop Out being moved up to 9 foot.
DDR MAX 2, unlike DDR MAX, featured an "unlock" system. A significant number of songs and oni courses (explained below) were initially not available to play. However, as time passed and people played the machine, the songs and courses would be unlocked, allowing players to play new songs and courses over time.
Scoring
The scoring in DDR MAX 2 is simplified from DDR MAX. Each song has a maximum value that is equal to the foot rating * 1,000,000. This means, unlike DDR MAX, that you have higher potential scores for harder songs. The maximum possible score is 10,000,000, achievable if you AAA a 10-foot rated song.
Each step is scored differently, based on a formula. To determine a step's score, you must multiply together the rating of the current step (10 for perfect, 5 for great, 0 for anything else), the number of the current step (1 for the first, 2 for the second, and so on), and the value that results from dividing the base value of the song (feet * 1,000,000) by the sum of all the step numbers (1 + 2 + 3 + ... + n, where n is the total number of steps in the song). Thus the later in the song, the higher potential value per step.
Note that the groove radar now has no bearing on your scoring - it is merely informative.
Gameplay
The
freeze arrow which first appeared in DDR MAX is present here, and definitely not on the way out - there are plenty present in the new songs on this mix.
The biggest gameplay change in DDR MAX 2 is the introduction of the "oni" course, a challenging new version of the nonstop course of previous mixes. Oni courses consist of between 5 and 10 songs, depending on the exact courses, and the songs are played back-to-back, with no break between them. What makes them challenging is that they give you a small number of "lives" on the course. You start with 4 lives, and each time you get less than a "Great" on a step, you lose a life. Lose them all, and the course ends. Finish a song, and gain 1 to 2 lives back, depending on the course and song.
This puts a premium on being accurate - you cannot afford to not be, or you will find your game over quickly. There are a variety of courses to work your way up, from Nearly=130 which has 5 songs with difficulties between 5 and 7, to the tough "Kidou", or Demon Road, with 10 songs, most with difficulties of 9. Only three courses are originally available: Nearly=130, Naoki Standard, and PARANOiA Brothers. Fifteen more are available after being unlocked.
There is also a new step difficulty to go along with the courses. Oni/Challenge steps exist for some songs, and are only playable when doing an oni course - they cannot be used for regular play. A number of remixes of past songs are present with only oni steps, forcing you to play the courses if you want to try them.
The unlocks in the game are based on a point scheme. Normally, 750 points are required for each unlock, though if unlocks are done quickly, the machine will up that to 1000 points. Similarly, if they come slowly, the required points are reduced. How to earn the points? Each song passed in single mode with a score better than D earns 1 point, and a song passed in double is worth 2. If a song is finished perfectly, then the points awarded are multiplied by 10. This also applies to songs passed in oni mode. Because of the scoring, unlocks usually take a while - but if someone can AAA songs, they can come quickly.
This can all be skipped if the operator decides to input one of these unlock codes in the operator menu.
- DGMBJCU - YCDPMAS (Unlocks 1-5 only)
- MCQEMRG - KHVOBWG (Unlocks 1-10 only)
- BARTYY(space) - PDSHTBH (Unlocks 1-15 only)
- USGCFHJ - JLBBYXK (Unlocks 1-20 only)
- IJURVIT - WXFCOJW (Unlocks 1-25 only)
- JCYWEKJ - DZJNBGF (All Unlocks (1-31))
Music
DDR MAX 2 provides the largest selection of music to date, with almost the entire DDR MAX
catalog present, along with a large number of favorites from previous DDR games, such as
Matsuri Japan,
Healing Vision, and 5 different versions of
PARANOiA. This allows an incredible variety to choose from, allowing you to play for hours without having to do the same song twice, if you so choose.
Evaluation
This mix is easily the best DDR MIX to date, though
Dance Dance Revolution Extreme does surpass it in terms of options and music to choose from. Even with DDR Extreme having been out for a full year as I write this, there are still numerous DDR MAX 2 machines available, even in the USA, where the machine is a
grey market import. It was successful enough in the USA that Konami acknowledged it with a US release of the home version for the
PlayStation 2.
DDR fans will not be disappointed with this mix.
DDR MAX Complete Song List
Difficulty ratings (in feet) are listed after the song - with single ratings first, double ratings second. Songs are categorized based on which mix they first appeared in.
New To DDR MAX 2
Single Double
Song Artist LGT STD HVY LGT STD HVY
A Minute (Extended Mix) X-Treme 2 4 7 2 5 7
Baby Love Me Judy Crystal 3 5 8 3 5 8
Breakdown! Be For U 4 6 9 4 6 9
Burning Heat! (3 option mix) Mr. T with Motoaki.F 2 5 9 2 6 9
Candy♥ Kosaka Riyu 3 5 7 3 5 7
D2R Naoki 3 5 7 3 5 7
Destiny Naoki feat. Paula Terry 2 5 7 2 6 8
Dive to the Night Kosaka Riyu 3 5 7 3 6 7
Drifting Away Lange feat. Skye 2 5 8 2 5 8
ever snow Yoma Komatsu 2 5 8 2 6 8
Fantasy Lockout 2 5 6 2 5 7
i feel... Akira Yamaoka 3 6 9 2 5 9
It's Raining Men (Almighty Mix) Geri Halliwell 2 5 7 2 5 7
Kakumei dj Taka with Naoki 4 6 9 3 5 9
Little Boy (Boy on Boy Mix) Captain Jack 3 6 8 3 6 9
Living in American John Desire 3 5 7 3 6 8
Long Train Runnin' Bus Stop 2 5 7 3 5 7
Look At Us (Daddy DJ Remix) Sarina Paris 2 6 7 2 5 7
Maximum Overdrive (KC Club Mix) 2 Unlimited 2 4 8 1 5 8
Maxx Unlimited Z 6 8 10 6 8 10
More Than I Needed to Know Scooth 3 5 7 2 5 7
Nothing Gonna Stop (Dance Mania Mix) Micky 2 5 7 2 6 7
Rain of Sorrow NM. feat. Ebony Fay 2 5 9 2 5 8
Secret Rendez-vous Divas 2 5 7 2 5 7
So Fabulous So Fierce (Freak Out) Thunderpuss feat. Jocelyn Enriquez
3 5 7 3 6 8
Spin the Disc Good-Cool 2 5 8 2 5 8
Stay Tess 2 5 9 2 5 9
Sweet Sweet ♥ Magic jun 3 6 9 3 6 9
The Reflex Duran Duran 2 5 8 2 5 7
The Whistle Song (Blow My Whistle Bitch) DJ Alligator Project 3 4 7 3 4 7
There You'll Be DJ Speedo feat. Angelica 3 6 8 2 6 8
Trance De Janeiro (Samba De Janeiro 2002 Epic Vocal Remix)
Bellini 2 4 8 2 6 9
Tsugaru RevenG vs De-Sire 3 6 9 4 7 9
Waka Laka Jenny Rom vs Zippers 3 6 8 3 5 8
From DDR MAX (6th Mix)
Single Double
Song Artist LGT STD HVY LGT STD HVY
Candy★ Luv unlimited 4 5 8 4 6 9
Cow Girl Bambee 3 5 8 3 4 7
Dive (more deep & deeper style) Be For U 3 5 7 2 5 6
Do It Right SOTA feat. Ebony Fay 4 5 7 4 5 8
Do You Remember Me Jenny 2 5 8 2 5 9
Exotic Ethnic RevenG 4 5 9 4 6 9
Fantasy Melissa 3 5 9 1 6 9
Firefly Be For U 1 5 7 2 5 8
Groove Sho-T feat. Brenda 4 6 8 3 6 8
Groove 2001 Sho-T feat. Brenda 4 6 7 4 6 7
Healing Vision (Angelic mix) 2MB 5 7 9 5 7 9
Highs Off U (Scorccio XY Mix) 4 Reeel 1 5 7 2 5 8
I'm in the Mood for Dancing Sharon 3 5 8 3 4 7
Justify My Love Tess 2 5 9 3 4 7
Let the beat hit em! (Classic R&B Style) Stone Bros. 3 5 6 3 5 6
Let's Groove Tips & Tricks vs Wisdome 2 5 6 3 4 7
Look To The Sky System S.F. feat. Anna 3 5 7 2 5 7
Lovin' You (Rob Searle Club Mix) Vinyl Baby 2 6 8 3 5 8
Max 300 Ω 6 8 10 6 8 10
Midnite Blaze U1 Jewel Style 4 6 7 4 5 8
Miracle St. Jannaro 2 5 7 2 5 8
My Sweet Darlin' Wildside 3 4 8 4 5 8
Nori Nori Nori Judy Crystal 3 5 7 3 5 8
On the Jazz Jonny Dynamite! 2 5 7 3 5 7
Ordinary World Aurora feat. Naimee Coleman 1 4 7 4 5 7
Orion .78 (civilization mix) 2MB 6 8 9 6 8 9
Share My Love Julie Frost 3 4 5 3 4 5
So Deep (Perfect Sphere Remix) Silvertear 3 5 9 2 6 9
そばかす Freckles Tiggy 3 5 7 4 5 8
Somewhere Over the Rainbow Cosmic Game 3 5 7 3 5 7
The Centre Of The Heart (Stonebridge Club Mix) Roxette 2 5 7 2 5 7
true... ~trance sunrise mix~ Kosaka Riyu 3 5 8 3 6 8
true... ~radio edit~ Kosaka Riyu 2 5 7 3 5 7
Twilight Zone (R-C Extended Club Mix) 2 Unlimited 3 5 9 3 5 8
Witch Doctor (Giants Toons Version) Cartoons 3 4 8 2 6 8
WWW.Blonde Girl (momo mix) Jenny Rom 1 4 7 2 4 7
Yozora No Muko Eurobeat Lovers 2 5 8 2 4 9
From Dance Dance Revolution 5th Mix
Single Double
Song Artist LGT STD HVY LGT STD HVY
Absolute dj Taka 3 5 8 3 5 8
Abyss dj Taka 2 5 7 3 5 7
Broken My Heart Naoki feat. Paula Terry 4 5 9 4 6 9
Can't Stop Fallin' In Love (Speed Mix) Naoki 4 6 9 4 6 9
DXY! TaQ 4 6 8 4 6 8
Ecstasy D-Complex 4 6 7 4 6 7
Healing Vision De-Sire 3 6 8 3 6 9
INSERTiON Naoki Underground 4 6 9 4 6 8
Matsuri Japan Re-Venge 4 5 9 4 5 8
Sana Morette Ne Ente Togo Project feat. Sana 2 5 8 2 5 8
Still in My Heart Naoki 4 6 7 4 5 7
From Dance Dance Revolution Solo 2000
Single Double
Song Artist LGT STD HVY LGT STD HVY
Can't Stop Fallin' In Love Naoki 3 5 8 3 4 8
From Dance Dance Revolution 4th Mix
Single Double
Song Artist LGT STD HVY LGT STD HVY
.59 dj Taka 4 6 7 4 6 7
B4U Naoki 4 5 8 4 6 7
Burnin' the Floor Naoki 4 6 7 4 6 8
Celebrate Nite N.M.R. 4 6 7 4 6 7
Drop Out NW260 5 7 9 5 7 9
era (nostalmix) TaQ 3 6 8 4 6 8
Higher NM feat. Sunny 3 5 6 3 5 7
Holic TaQ 4 6 8 4 6 8
Love Again Tonight (For Melissa Mix) Naoki feat. Paula Terry 4 6 7 4 6 7
My Summer Love Mitsu-O! with Geila 3 6 9 3 5 8
Orion .78 (AMeuro-Mix) Re-Venge 3 5 9 3 5 7
Sexy Planet Crystal Aliens 5 6 7 4 5 7
Trip Machine Climax De-Sire 5 7 9 5 7 9
Wild Rush Factor-X 4 5 6 4 6 8
Witch Doctor (Giants Toons Version) Cartoons 3 4 8 2 6 8
From Dance Dance Revolution Solo Bass Mix
Single Double
Song Artist LGT STD HVY LGT STD HVY
Hysteria Naoki 190 4 6 8 3 5 7
PARANOiA Evolution 200 6 7 8 5 7 9
Super Star DJ.Rich feat. Tail Bros. 5 6 8 4 6 8
From Dance Dance Revolution 3rd Mix
Single Double
Song Artist LGT STD HVY LGT STD HVY
Afronova Re-Venge 5 7 9 6 7 9
Dead End N & S 5 7 9 6 7 8
Drop The Bomb Scotty D. 4 5 6 4 5 6
Dynamite Rave Naoki 5 7 9 5 6 8
End of the Century No. 9 4 7 8 5 6 9
La Senorita Captain T. 4 6 7 4 6 9
Luv to Me (AMD Mix) DJ Kazu feat. Tiger Yamato 4 7 8 5 6 8
PARANOiA Rebirth 190' 6 7 9 6 8 9
Silent Hill Thomas Howard 2 6 7 4 5 7
From Dance Dance Revolution 2nd Mix
Single Double
Song Artist LGT STD HVY LGT STD HVY
AM-3P KTz 5 6 8 5 6 7
Brilliant 2U Naoki 4 5 6 4 5 7
Brilliant 2U (Orchestra Groove] Naoki 5 6 7 4 5 7
PARANOiA (KCET Clean Mix) 2MB 6 7 8 7 8 9
PARANOiA MAX (Dirty Mix) 190 6 8 8 7 8 9
Trip Machine (luv mix) 2MB 6 7 8 7 8 9
From Dance Dance Revolution 1st Mix
Single Double
Song Artist LGT STD HVY LGT STD HVY
PARANOiA 180 6 7 8 7 8 9
Complete Unlock List
- TEMPO CHANGER (oni course)
- La senorita
- NAOKI feat. PAULA TERRY (oni course)
- .59, DXY!
- Abyss, ECSTASY
- SOUL6 (oni course)
- Sana Morette Ne Ente
- COOL7 (oni course)
- Be For U (oni course)
- sexy planet
- WILD RUSH
- POP8 (oni course)
- HOLIC
- TRIP MACHINE CLIMAX
- SUPER STAR
- Fine choice (oni course)
- HAPPY HARDCORE (oni course)
- My Summer Love
- LUV TO ME(AMD MIX)
- Silent Hill, HIGHER
- LOVE REVEN-G (oni course)
- From SOLO (oni course)
- MIDNIGHT BLUE (oni course)
- Spin the disc
- Burning Heat!(3 Option Mix)
- From IIDX (oni course)
- i feel...
- NAOKI PLATINUM (oni course)
- Oni Michi (Demon Road) (oni course)
- MAXX unlimited, Kakumei
- Oni Michi 2 (Demon Road 2) (oni course)
Sources:
Aaron in Japan's DDR Pages, http://www.aaroninjapan.com
DDRFreak.com, http://www.ddrfreak.com