Dance Dance Revolution: Step it Up!

You've tried dieting, working out at the gym, and even Hoodithin! You've spent thousands on memberships, support groups, and miracle cures. You've even stocked your fridge and cupboards with fat free and low calorie foods that you never eat. But nothing seems to be cutting it like you wish you could cut the calories. The truth is dieting is a hard routine to stick to and people always seem to want what they cannot have. Working out in the gym is hard work! You've tried lifting weights, but everything is SO heavy. And the miracle diet pill? The fact that this last desperate attempt didn't work either was a little hard to swallow. But have you ever thought of dancing your way into a sexier body? No? Well here's your chance to step it up.

Dance Dance Revolution, the video game, just may be your cure. This game goes beyond button mashing and use of the controller in general. So don't fret about figuring out which button does what. You rely solely on the large dance pad, included with the game. Well that and your feet. The square mat has four directional arrows which you will match up with the stream of arrows on the TV screen. When the music starts, arrows begin to scroll up the screen. When they reach the top, you must step on the corresponding direction on the dance pad. It's all about timing and accuracy. Just move your feet to the beat and step on the arrow shown on the screen. It's a little tricky at first but with a little practice you'll get the groove.

But how does this differ from the regular grind and boredom found with your typical workout routine? It's all about the music. All games in the series lean towards beat-happy techno music, the kind found at raves. In the newest version, Supernova, the creator's inserted rock and pop songs to add to their fan base. There are also many covers of mainstream artists such as Britney Spears and Beyonce. After the initial thrill of dancing to one of your favorite songs, you realize that they just don't have the beat and rhythm like the other songs do. There was a reason Japanese versions stuck to trance and club music. They are just easier to move to. There's music in every direction so there's bound to be something to get you on the dance floor, err...uh, dance pad.

Although Dance Dance is more about game play not game graphics, they have improved in recent versions. In addition to colorful backgrounds, and realistic dancers, the game also has music videos. All of which are in the background of the flowing arrows. You don't take much notice in what's going on behind the scenes because your focus is on the arrows. For the spectators, though, it does deem as a pleasing visual break from the back of your head and blurry feet.

Stop counting calories! And let the game do it for you. Enter your weight and the amount of calories you'd like to burn into the workout mode and the game keeps tract of them for you. As you continue to sweat of the pounds Dance Dance converts your dance steps into miles jogged, swam, and even how many times you jumped rope. It a great way to get the physical benefits from these things without ever leaving your pad. Wouldn't you rather dance a 5K than run one? This fast paced game will surely get your heart pumping and your feet moving. And unlike a 5K you won't want to stop once you get that far.

The game's addictive, very addictive. As you progress in the game you have certain goals to obtain, all the while unlocking more songs. There is a beginner mode for first timers. As you work your way up in skill level you can raise the difficulty level. The possibilities are endless and it's impossible to get bored. It's more likely you will get tired of the throbbing techno music before you get tired from dancing. Once you start playing you will be more focused on winning the game than losing the weight.

After you think you have unlocked and mastered all the songs on Dance Dance try inventing your own in the edit mode. You can even invite friends over to test their skill on a song you created or play online. Can you say free support group? Goodbye Curves.

So throw out the remainder if those pill popping prodigies and slim fast smoothies. And get your hands, or feet rather, on your own copy of Dance Dance Revolution. Game and dance pad are available for only $59.99, a lot cheaper than the gym and tons more fun. Move it, move it!