Dance Dance Revolution Arcade Etiquette: Unspoken Rules of the Game

1) NO STOMPING! Stomping may be your preferred style of dancing, but when people stomp on the dance pads, it wears down the sensitivity, and physically wears down the pads. It's hard to play when the pads are unresponsive and pressed below the metal platform. If the pads are already worn from stomping, then try to apply just enough pressure without making it worse.

2) Don't obstruct the screen. This includes deliberately covering the screen as well as walking or standing between the dance pad and the monitor.

3) Stay back! It makes dancers very nervous when people are too close, and you might get hit by accident.
NOTE: If a dancer does accidentally hit you, step on you, kick you, etc. while playing, you should not hold that player responsible.

4) Stay off the pad if you're not playing. Parents should not let their kids play on the platform while someone is playing, even playing on the empty side can be dangerous.

5) Obey the coin line! What is a coin line? A coin line is where people who want to play DDR put their tokens in a line on a machine. To join the line, simply put your token at the end of the line, and know who is in front of you. You can wander away, but pay attention to who's playing so you can be ready when you're the next one up. Everyone must obey the line, regardless of how good they are, how long they're been waiting, or how often they hang out at the arcade.

6) One turn, one game. Your turn is over when you fail a song, or when you make it through every round. If there's a line, you get one turn. If there's no line, you're free to keep playing.

7) The person playing has a right to play the game all the way through. Don't deliberately try to make people fail, or yell at them to finish up.

8) Don't heckle. Don't comment on how "easy" a song is, don't tell people they suck, or that you're so much better. You may be, but it's rude to intimidate the person on the pad.

9) Don't try to talk to the person playing. It's very distracting, and it's very hard to carry on a conversation while playing the game. If you tell that person they're good, don't be offended if they don't respond.

10) Don't shadow without permission. Shadowing is when you go jump up onto the Player 2 side and dance along with the person playing. It's distracting, and very annoying. If you want to shadow, ask the player in between songs, and they have every right to say no.

11) Wear sneakers. Don't play in bare feet or socks, and don't wear shoes that can damage the pads (like high heels or heavy boots). Don't play in filthy shoes either, it leaves a mess of dirt for the people that use it after you.

12) Leave the pad in the same condition it was in when you got there. If you get it dirty, clean it up. If you shift the platform while playing, move it back into its original position when you're done.

13) Don't treat the player like your personal DJ, don't tell them which songs to play.

14) The bar is only to be used by the person playing. Don't rest your hand on the bar like it's a railing, it's there to help players keep balance and to keep people from falling off the back of the platform.

15) Don't chew gum while playing. It could fly out of your mouth and land either on an innocent bystander or on the game itself. It's hard to play when there's gum stuck to the pads!

16) DDR players can't hold their stuff while they dance. They have the right to put their bags, jackets, water bottles, etc. down near the game while they play without having their stuff touched, messed with, or stolen. Respect this right, or the player might just "accidentally" kick you in the chest.