Underplayed Gems

Dance Fest (2006)

Dance Fest cover
Platforms
PlayStation 2
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How it feels

A straightforward, upbeat rhythm game that feels like a casual test of timing and accuracy with friends rather than a deep challenge.

rhythmiccasualenergeticrepetitivelightheartedaccessiblemoderate challengeparty-friendly

About

Dance Fest takes the standard 'bemani' formula - arrows appear rhythmically on screen and the player must hit the corresponding button (on either a dance mat peripheral or the standard controller) in time with these arrows and the music. Points are awarded for accuracy with bonus multipliers awarded for making certain 'combos' (mini-routines within a song which are deemed especially difficult or long). This is a game for one or two players with three difficulty settings, easy, hard and medium. The player selects their difficulty level and their track and then attempts to score points by hitting the correct buttons in sequence. During the song the player is treated to an distant view of an animated disco dancer on a stage and illuminated with coloured lights. Once the track is over the player can enter their name, assuming they have achieved a high score. The game holds eight scores for each of the three difficulty levels but no scores are recorded for Workout and Recorder modes. The game has a workout mode in which the player first enters their weight, in kilograms, and then selects a track. Gameplay here is basically the same as the main game but instead of points the game calculates the number of calories burned. There is no difficulty setting for this game mode and the arrows come thick and fast. The Recorder option allows the player to create and save their own dance, there is no high score for this and while the dance moves are preserved from one game to the next only one routine can be saved. Songs included in this game are: Merry Christmas Everyone: Shakin' Stevens Don't Cha: Pussycat Dolls The Grid: Diablo Movin' On Up: M People Atlantic Ocean: Waterfall Killin' Time: Tina Cousins Push the Button: Sugarbabes Dancin: Aaron Smith feat. Luvli Flowers: Sweet Female Attitude Pink is the Colour: K&M feat. Joy Last Goodbye: Attic feat. Julie Thompson Stomp: Steps U R The Future: Busface Merry Christmas Everybody: Steps

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This page is from Underplayed Gems, a catalog of older and overlooked games. Not quite it? You can browse by platform and genre, or take this one into the 3D catalog and ask the Catbot for something closer.