In Dance Dance Revolution, a player must move his or her feet to a set pattern, stepping in time to the general rhythm or beat of a song. During normal gameplay, arrows scroll upwards from the bottom of the screen and pass over stationary, transparent arrows near the top (referred to as the "guide arrows" or "receptors"). When the scrolling arrows overlap the stationary ones, the player must step on the corresponding arrows on the dance platform.
Dance Dance Revolution requires a video game console. Available platforms
are made for Sony Playstation 2, PS One, Microsoft XBox, and Nintendo Gamecube,
though the Gamecube version is very difficult to find. The most popular
versions are on Playstation 2.
Successfully hitting the arrows in time with the music fills the "Dance Gauge", or life bar, while failure to do so drains it. If the Dance Gauge is fully depleted during
gameplay, the player fails the song, usually resulting in a game over. Otherwise, the player is taken to the Results Screen, which rates the player's performance with a letter grade and a numerical score, among other statistics. The player may then be given a chance to play again, depending on the settings of the particular machine (the limit is usually 3-5 songs per game).
DDR is now being dubbed one of the best methods of staying fit and losing weight. More and more people have had success stories playing Dance Dance Revolution to shed off unwanted pounds and to regain much needed energy. School districts and fitness facilities nationwide are now adopting DDR in their school
curriculums as an option of PE (Physical Education Class).
