THE DDR DANCEPAD JUST GOT EXTREME!!!

Good lord I have no idea what to make of this game. It’s an extreme sports based game using the Wii controller and a DDR dance pad wannabe, and the whole things is very kid oriented. Have you seen this thing? Anyone? Well whatever this game is classified as, I was very interested to see what it had to offer. And so I did! Come see what I found!

Fancy footwork. That’s the name of the game. Hold the Wii controller (either with or without nunchuck) and place your feet quickly on that pad in correspondence with the onscreen prompt. A lighter, virtual version of an extreme sports game is the theme. There’s a lot of meat on this particular bone. Nine sports, each with at least a couple variations, sprawl out to a count of fifteen choices all together. Three modes are available: Extreme Tournament, Challenge Mode & Free Play. Multiplayer is available for two players. When you complete all the activities in the beginner levels, you get to bring your Mii’s into the fold which, aside from being par for the course, is still a nice addition. Sound effects and music are forgettable and are firmly on the take-it-or-leave-it level. The graphics are crisp, colorful and give a good representation of their real-life counterparts, albeit in a kiddy fashion. My personal favorites are the Street Luge and Base-Jumping courses with Wakeboarding not far behind. Difficulty is on a even curve, though being a speed tap dancer may be required to finish the later challenges. You definitely break a sweat, but I wouldn’t exactly compare this with Wii Fit. Oh, and in the spirit of the NES PowerPad from years past: sitting and hammering on the buttons is still an option. I’m actually surprised that I could jump around on this thing and didn’t crush it to death. Well done to the manufacturers.

This next bit’s gonna be short and to the point. Repetition and theme keep this from being a solid game for all ages. It doesn’t matter how many modes you have with however many levels of challenge for whatever sports you include, this game gets old quick for anyone over the age of fourteen. An afternoon is how long you have to get that point. The theme based on a younger demographic and its drawbacks needs no explaining at this point. Just know that it’s wrapped around this game’s core premise.

This is an odd score to give. Overall this is recommended for purchase – but with a caveat. Does AL: EC do what it does well? Yes. Is it a solid title? Yes. If you’re a kid who wants a friendly introductory foray into extreme sports: go for it. If you’re a person who needs that DDR footwork in a game – even if it’s not DDR: go for it. If you’re anybody else: really, really think first, this is a niche game and could very well be a waste of money. Word.