Dance Dance Revolution Solo Bass Mix
Arcade Beginner's FAQ
Version 1.0

Dance Simulation
Two player/team hook-up optional
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Copyright 2000 by JuneHa Kim/BakaOrochi
All Rights Reserved.
Unauthorized reproduction of this FAQ in any shape or form is prohibited.

Come on, it's not like it's HARD to e-mail me if you want to use any part
of this FAQ, is it?

If you want to use ANYTHING, even codes or whatnot from this, CONTACT ME
FIRST.  This is my work, and not one bit of this is to be reproduced in any
way, shape, or form.  Copyright laws protect this FAQ.  This is
purely my own work, any other similarities to other FAQs are purely
coincidental.

I do respect all other copyrights and if I have inadvertently infringed on
any, please contact me immediately so that I may remedy the problem.
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FAQ History:

0.9
5/1/00
-First release, quotes are missing, but they're not too important.  If
you can help me with those, I'd appreciate it ^_^
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Contents:

1. What's the point of this FAQ?
2. What the heck is "Dance Dance Revolution?"
     2a. Differences in the Solo edition
3. How to play
4. Modes of play
5. Can you give me some tips/secrets?
6. Songs in this version
7. Quotes
8. Closing notes/Thanks/Contact Information

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1. What's the point of this FAQ?
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I played this game in an arcade, and I looked for a FAQ on it, but didn't see
one, not even a data sheet!

Also, I just wanted to throw in some suggestions for those who are struggling
with DDR, and how I picked up the game.  For further help, I'd recommend reading
some of the other DDR FAQs from gamefaqs.com.

Some tips on this FAQ may not work with you, but this is how I've found it to
work with me, and some others of my friends.  Some things on this FAQ I've based
from watching others as well.  IMHO, it's best that you develop your own style
to play this game, but if you can't, try using some tips I've put on this FAQ.
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2. What the heck is "Dance Dance Revolution?"
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Dance Dance Revolution (aka DDR) is a unique dancing simulation game.
It's made by the same company and development team who brought Beatmania and Guitar
Freaks, Konami's Bemani team.  You'll find that several songs are from Beatmania in
fact.

The basic point is to "dance to the music."  Easily said than done though.
Most people rather call it a stepping game however.  If you think that you cannot
dance to this game, look on the internet for some dancing clips.  An excellent
dancing group located in Korea is called the A-Team, who does performances with
DDR songs.



     2a. Differences in the Solo edition
The main differences include a new announcer.  Most noticeably, the announcer's
female and says different things.  The interface is also different.

The new mode added is the Nonstop Megamix.  Unlike, DDR 3rd, this is
literally nonstop.  You will have one set of three songs to choose from, and
each song is slightly shortened (so you don't end up killing yourself ^_^),
and they flow one into another.  Read section 3 for more.  But by far, the
biggest difference is the two new arrows, two diagonals.

Also, you cannot play with or against more than one person (hence
"solo"), unless you have more than one DDR Solo machines linked (which you
can enable Multiplayer mode).
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3. How to play
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The main point of the game:
Hit the arrows at the right time.  As long as you have at least one point in
your dance gauge (the numbered meter at the top of the screen), you will pass
the level.  If you're not playing in Beginner Mode, if you gauge hits Zero (or
you have no dance gauge points), game is over.  Game is also over when you clear
all the songs for the mode.


How I'm going to refer to the arrows (to avoid further confusion)-

Fixed arrows:The white set of arrows that don't move located at the top of the
screen.  They're always there.

Scrolling arrows:The colored arrows that will scroll up from the bottom of the
screen and tells you which direction you want to hit when they align with the
fixed arrows.

Pad arrows:The arrows on your dance pad.


If you've played the other DDRs, this version basically the same.  The conecpt
is the same.  You will have a fixed set of arrows on the top of the screen.
As music plays, colored arrows will scroll up towards the fixed arrows, and
the point of the game is to hit the corresponding arrow on your dance pad when
the scrolling arrow(s) is aligned to the fixed arrow(s).  Sometimes you will
be required to hit two arrows at the same time (read on about double-steps).

The original DDR has four arrows: Up, down, left, and right.  The Solo
version now has up, down, left, right, diagonal up-left, and diagonal up-right.

Even if you're native to DDR, this will add a new twist (since the diagonals
cannot be pressed by hitting two arrows at the same time, i.e. you cannot hit
up and left if the arrows tell you to hit diagonal up-left).  This brings me
to my next point: simultaneous arrows.

Sometimes, you'll be thrown two arrows to hit at the same time (I call them double
steps).  This usually intimidates lots of beginners, and most don't know what
to hit.  It really isn't that hard, just be prepared to jump to hit those arrows
at the same time (that's what baffles me: most beginners don't expect to be
jumping around at all when they play.  To hit those simultaneous arrows, the 
only way to hit them is to jump (or even hop) on them.  Once you get more advanced,
there are many other ways you can do it...

A nice tip for those struggling to hit the arrows on time:
Each song is in a 4/4 beat.  Which means you can count with the beat of a song.
Even though some songs may have irregular beats, you'll notice that the fixed
arrows will flash every fourth beat.  When you have to hit the arrows, it will
be on the beat or on the flash.  But you have to make sure you're not too hasty
to hit the buttons.  What I usually do is count outloud (whispering at most, not
screaming, please you'll scare the rest of the arcade patrons ^_^)
1,2,3,4,1,2,3,4,etc. and that way I can keep up with the beat.  Bouncing with
the beat works as well (may look ridiculous, but I've seen sillier looking
things).  So you can be thinking "1,2,3,step,step,2,step" etc.  Basically, just
keep a beat.  Also, the steps are not random.  Once you get the rhythm of a song,
you should be able to figure out when the steps will come out.

What you have to start worrying about is when you move up in difficulty levels,
especially when you turn off "little" mode or choose expert mode.  You'll be treated
to the green/blue "offbeat" arrows (also known as 1/8, 1/16, and 1/32 steps).  Those
are a bit more difficult to hit since they don't align with the fixed arrows on the
beat or the flash, but when the fixed arrows aren't flashing.  Those take some
practice to get used to.  If you can, keep "little" mode on, otherwise, you'll be
given these extra steps (unless of course you don't mind them).

Something first-time players do: try to ALWAYS center their feet in the middle panel
after each step.  For beginners, it's not always a good idea; you'll find
youself panicking to reach the pad arrows, and jumping around a lot, and especially
when you get to the hard parts, you'll be missing a lot.  One way to avoid this: keep
at least one foot on an arrow i.e. left foot on the left arrow.  Unless you'll be
jumping around a lot for the double-steps, trying to always keep a foot on the center
panel will be unnecessary movement, and thus will add something extra to your steps
that you don't need.  If you want, keep both feet on an arrow (i.e. left foot left
arrow, right foot, right arrow).  This is great especially for the left-right-left-
right or the left-right double steps.  You don't have to move anywhere, just lift
you foot and step without losing your balance (looks silly, but trust me, until you
can find a better looking way to do this, it's easy and it works the best).  In this
case, you'll also need to continually shift your center of balance.  Try not to shift
all your weight on one side of your body.


Everytime an arrow passes, you'll be judged on how accurate you steped on the arrow.
If you've hit it dead on, you'll get Perfect!
If you hit it a bit off, you'll get Great!
If you hit it about 1/8 of a beat off, you'll get a Good, and your combo will be cut
off.
If you hit it more than 1/8 of a beat off, you'll get Boo!  And one gauge point will
be lowered in half.
If you miss completely, you'll get a MISS, and you'll lose a point in your dance gauge.

Scores are basically multiplied by combos (like most DDR games).  The higher the
combo, the more points and the higher the point multiplier.  For example, if you have
a 2 combo, you'll get 4000 points.  The third will be 8000, fourth combo 16000, and
so on (I'm not sure exactly how it's measured however).  You also get more points if
you get more Perfect! points than Great!

One problem I've found: The background colors can be so colorful that you can't
see the arrows easily (especially during Samba de Janeiro).  The only thing I can say
is, ignore it.
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4. Modes of play
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You will have two different "difficulty" levels, Beginner and Expert, and a
Nonstop Megamix  level.  While choosing your level, you can also pick your
difficulty level, basic, another, maniac, and ultimate maniac.  So the
variables are as follows:

Basic Beginner
Trick Beginner
Maniac Beginner

Basic Expert
Trick Expert
Maniac Expert
Ultimate Maniac Expert

Nonstop Megamix Basic
Nonstop Megamix Trick
Nonstop Megamix Expert

And high scores will come up with each different variable.

It is possible to change difficulties after you've chosen a gameplay mode with
a certain difficulty level and change the gameplay (read section 5).

Nonstop Megamix is not like Endless mode (DDR 2nd/3rd) and Nonstop from 3rd Mix.
In Nonstop, you get no break, the songs go right into each other.  By default,
Little mode is OFF.  It's similar to expert mode in that you can fail the mode if
your dance gague reaches zero.

Also, remember that Nonstop Multimix mode is shorter than the normal mode, not
because the songs are nonstop, but the songs themselves are noticably shortened.

By default, Beginner mode has "Little" mode ON which you can turn off.
Expert mode has "Little" mode OFF which you turn on.
However, default settings have Expert mode have more songs, but the catch is
that if your gauge hits zero, the song finishes, and your game is over.
In Beginner mode, it doesn't matter if your gauge hits zero; you can always
recover.
Nonstop Megamix has "Little" mode OFF, unless you turn it on.
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5. Can you give me some tips/secrets?
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Changing difficulty modes:
To change to Trick from Basic, hit Down three times in mode select.
To change to Maniac from Trick, hit Down three times in mode select.
To change back to Basic, hit Up three times to move back a difficulty mode.
i.e. if you're in Maniac, hit Up six times to back to basic.

To play Maniac Ultimate difficulty mode:
After choosing Maniac, hit Diagonal up-left, Diagonal up-right,
Diagonal up-left, Diagonal up-right.  The only major difference is the
gauge will only be maximum 3 instead of 6 and you start at one.
This only works in expert mode.

Changing gameplay (all these are done at song select):
To choose "right" mode (so your dances are facing right), hit right 8 times
To choose "left" mode (so your dances are facing left), hit left 8 times
To choose "flip Up/down" mode (all arrows that are normally up appear as down
instead and vice versa), hit up, down, up, down, up, down, up, down.
To choose "flip left/right" mode (all arrows that are normally left appear
as right instead and vice versa), hit left, right, left, right, left, right,
left, right.
To choose "shuffle" mode (arrows are shuffled), hit up, down, left, right,
up, down, left, right.
To play Hidden mode (arrows will disappear as they approach the fixed arrows),
hit left, down, right, left, down, right.
To play Sudden mode (arrows will suddenly disappear), hit left, up, right,
left, up, right.
To play Little mode (what the basic default Beginner mode is), hit left, down,
up, down, right, down, down.

To cancel any of these mode, hit down four times.

NOTE: If you hit down four times even if you didn't enter a code, this WILL
turn off Little mode, even in Beginner mode!  If this happens unintentionally,
use the "Little mode" code to change back.

Play the extra stage:
Choose Expert mode, and play any song, until you get to choose the last song.
You MUST choose "Super Star," Hysteria," or "Paranoia Evolution."  You then
must achieve a 150 combo or more.  Your gauge must also be full.  You can change
to "little" mode if you want, but you need to get a 150 combo.  After you finish
the song, push and hold the left select button down during the "CLEARED" sign,
and you'll get a message saying "Challenge Extra Stage.  Play the extra stage
(it's in "Maniac Ultimate" mode).
Another note about this code.  Super Star may be the easiest to do this with, however,
if you choose to do this song as your last song, plus with little mode on, know that
you can only miss the first 2 in the beginning (even then, you can only afford to get
a "good"), because with little mode, Super Star is a 153 combo song.
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6. Songs in this version
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Artist/song title

Songs with *-I did a little "research" on a couple sites, they
listed these songs, but on the version I've seen, it doesn't include these
songs...so I didn't either.

Normal songs:
*Nineball feat. Atomic Gun and Julia- Together and Foever*
*DJ Bass feat. MC Dixie- That's the Way '98*
*Wizzzard- Get Off*
Cydney D- Club Tropicana
Bus Stop feat. Carl Douglas- Kung Fu Fighting
Bass Fist! feat. Boogie Girl- Samba de Janeiro
Popula Demand feat. Get Fresh Girls- Don't Clock Me
S&K- Get Up 'N Move!
Uncle 36 sec. feat. MC Taiwan- I'm Alive
Stone bros.- Let the Beat Hit 'em!
Anquette- My Baby Mama
De lite & MC Young- Freaky
Ponytown Boys- Love Machine
DJ Rich feat. Tail bros.- Super Star
Naoki- Hysteria
200- Paranoia Evolution

Hidden songs (only in Multiplay version):
200- Paranoia Evolution

Multimix songs:
Set 1-
Club Tropicana
Kung Fu Fighting
Freaky

*Set 2-*
*That's the Way '98*
*Get Off*
*Together & Forever*

Set 3-
I'm Alive
My Baby Mama
Love Machine

Set 4-
Get Up 'N Move!
Samba de Janeiro
Don't Clock Me

Set 5-
Brilliant 2U
SP-Trip Machine
Paranoia Evolution

Set 6-
Let the Beat Hit 'em!
Super Star
Hysteria

      6a. How some of the songs "move"

Each songs has a different type of "movement."  For example,
one song you might find yourself jumping around more (for the
double steps), and another you may be just walking around.

Here's how I think some of the songs move.


1-Club Tropicana
Basic steps, not many double steps, but a couple of repeated
steps (i.e. up, up, up, up).

2-Don't Clock Me
I found this song relatively easy since it's slow.  If you like to
move to your dance, here's one that you can do it to.

3-Kung Fu Fighting
Also an easy piece, but VERY easy to get careless...

5-Get Up 'N Move!
Moderate amount of steps, plenty of repeated steps, not
much double steps.  This is one of my favorite "stomping" songs.

6-I'm Alive
Several double steps, but very easy.  The steps go with the
song very well.  For those that like their music, this should be
a pretty easy one.

7-Freaky
Lots of double steps, not as many as Love Machine, but
a little more tricky.

8- Samba de Janeiro
This is just wacky.  The beat starts going off towards the
middle of the song.  The end has some weird double steps
as well.  Pretty fast and difficult.

9-Let the Beat Hit 'em!
Being slow, it's nothing special.  The key is patience.

10-Super Star
A moderately slow song with some tricky steps and double-steps.
Turn little mode off if you want a challenge.  Another fun stomping
song.

11-My Baby Mama
Because of the tempo, any double steps are easy (usually
are step-step-double step).  At the last chorus, the single
steps become more frequent.

12-Love Machine
More double steps, relatively easy to catch on.  In the
middle of the song however, you get a pattern that goes
in a semi-circle, then reverses.  Don't let it throw you
off: the last step of the first semi-circle rotation ends
differently than the pattern.  Plus the after the second
rotation, the steps become a little complicated.

13-Hysteria
If you like a lots of single steps (with a few easy double
steps), this song is easy.  Just don't let the tempo intimidate
you.  If you want a little more of a challenge, turn Little mode off.

14-Paranoia Evolution
Easier than Paranoia Dirty Mix by far.  But it's a mix of doubles,
lots of confusing singles.  Takes lots and lots of practice (and
memorization) before you can master this.  Don't even attempt this
if you haven't at least mastered a 3-star song, otherwise, you'll
get lost in the first 30 seconds.  The last seven double steps are quite
simple if you know them.  If you liked Paranoia Clean Mix, this one
shouldn't be too difficult.


      6a. The difficulty

You'll notice that each song's difficulty level is measured by a
star.  Here's why each song is usually given the difficulty it's
gotten (and what I'd rate it)

Club Tropicana-1 star
This song maybe I'd rate a 2 star.  It's very easy, but the tempo
is a bit hard for first timers to catch up to.

Kung Fu Fighting-2 stars
Definitely 2 star.  Tempo is slow, and it's an easy song (any
disco fans?).

Don't Clock Me-3 stars
Another easy slow song, but because of the double steps, it
maybe a tad difficult.

Samba de Janeiro-4 stars
I disagree with difficult.  Even I have a little trouble with this
song occasionally.  It's a little fast, but the steps are a bit
complicated.  5 or 6 stars at least.

Get Up 'N Move!-3 stars
Relatively easy and slow.

I'm Alive-3 stars
If you can move to the music, it's moderately fast, but it's easy
to move to.

My Baby Mama-3 stars
Moderately slow and easy...until you get towards the end.

Let the Beat Hit 'em!-4 stars
Yeah sure. It's not too difficult, but it's slow.

Freaky-6 stars
Not for beginners, challenging for novices.  Fast, and lots moving
around.

Love Machine-6 stars
Same as Freaky.  Not really for beginners.  A bit faster than Freaky,
and more jumping around.  IMHO, it's a little easier in some aspects
than Freaky, with more jumping around.

Super Star-7 stars
Unless you turn little mode off, it really is easier than 7...

Hysteria-8 stars
I really don't know why it's rated an 8.  Most likely because of the
tempo.  If you can keep up with the tempo, this song is really easy.
But if you're not fast, you'll get lost really fast.

Paranoia Evolution-8 stars
The song to beware of.  Every DDR has this song in some form or
another as the hardest song (or one of them).  Because this has a
crazy form to it, your best bet is memorization.  Beginners and
novices: STEER CLEAR OF THIS SONG!  First time I tried it, got lost
after 10 seconds.  Recovered for 2 seconds then got lost right away.
If you depend on the song medlody and beats to get the steps, you'll
get just as lost.



Multimix songs:
Set 5-
Brilliant 2U
SP-Trip Machine
Paranoia Evolution

If you're familiar with Brilliant 2U and you love the song (trust me,
a lot of people do), be careful; if you're not familiar with how
SP-Trip Machine works, you're in for a real treat.  Brilliant 2U follows
basically the same steps as previous, same with SP-Trip Machine; has some
whacked out with a lot of offbeat steps.  Paranoia Evolution is the same
otherwise as the Nonstop version, just shorter.

Turn little mode on, and this set becomes A TON easier.

If you're bored, and you haven't heard or tried Brilliant 2U, it's an
excellent song with some steps that are easy to move to.

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7. Quotes
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During loading:
"This is a great song!"

Before song:
"Next one's harder!"

During game play:
If you have a rating of 4-6
"Perfect!"
"Great!"
"That's awesome!"

If you have a rating below 3
"You missed"
"You've got no rhythm"

Stage finish:
Cleared
"That was awesome, you're the best dancer I've ever seen!"
"That brought tears to my eyes, thanks for a great show!"
"Nobody's better than you!"

Failed
"It's no good.  You have to go back to beginner mode."
"It's no good.  Do you know how to dance?"
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10. Closing notes/Thanks/Contact Information
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I myself haven't gotten to the point where I can perform, but I'm getting
there ^_^

Thanks to...
Konami for making such a kick arse game
GameWorks-If I didn't try this out at the ACEN2K, this game would have forever
collected dust on my shelf.
Diversions-I'm giving them a run for their money ^_^
DDRers Stompin' Ground, being a nice reference (although it would be nice if
they got back to me...)


Copyrights...(every game I mentioned thus far, just to be safe)
Beatmania, Guitar Freaks, and Dance Dance Revolution is trademark of Konami
and the Bemani team.



If you need to contact me for any reason or just leave a comment, feel free
to drop an e-mail at BakaOrochi@hotmail.com
PLEASE DO NOT ASK ME QUESTIONS LIKE "HOW DO I DO _your problem here_???"

BTW-I'm not a girl, so don't think about sending love letter.  Also spam will
be ignored and taken up with your ISP or mail server (yes, there are laws
against that too).



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