Dance Factory
© 2006 Codemasters
Expanding on the Dance Dance Revolution concept, Dance Factory allows children and teens to customize the dance action to their own music. We tested the Solo and Multiplayer modes and found both offered several options for play, as well as Easy, Normal and Pro difficulty levels. Note that the dance pad is not included in the price. In Solo play, after clicking on Normal, you choose from five current pop songs like "Don't Cha" from the Pussycat Dolls or you can dance to your own music CD. (The game prompts you to insert your own music CD.) Then, the game displays the song number without titles and allows you to rename the track and create dance moves for the song. When you choose the Endurance option in Solo Play, the game creates moves for all songs on the CD. It took seven minutes to create dance moves for all 13 songs on our CD, but the game conveniently offers Cubric, an arcade-style game, for play during the wait. Record permits you to create and save your own moves for a song, and Creature lets you accessorize a creature with hats, sunglasses, collars and other items to dance along with you. For a calorie-counting workout, you can choose the Fitness option. Multiplayer mode offers Battle, Cooperative, Creature and Tournament options. Battle allows dual dance mats to compete against each other for a higher score. Cooperative allows team dance for a combined score. Creature lets both players choose a creature to accompany them in the dance. Tournament play can accommodate up to 16 players, with the winner of a match battling the next contestant. The points you accrue during play can be used to purchase different background themes for songs and accessories for your creature. The dance mat replaces your controller here, so selecting options will require the use of your feet with the dance mat directions for Up, Down, Left, Right, Select and Start. This games' combination of movement, music adaptability and accommodation of several players makes it a good choice with lots of replay value. Our two 11-year-old testers also expressed that it would be great entertainment for a party or sleepover.
$39.99, PlayStation 2
Teaches: following directions, memory, patterns, rhythm, coordination
CTR Rating: 82%