DDR AC General Info
| DanceDanceRevolution |
|---|
| History - Gameplay (Scoring - GROOVE RADAR) - Trivia - Glossary |
| AC releases (Info - All region) - CS releases (JP - NA - EU - Other) |
| List of DDR characters - List of DDR artists - List of DDR songs (CS exclusives) |
General Arcade Gameplay
Unlike beatmania IIDX and pop'n music, DanceDanceRevolution's menu layout tends to change a lot based on what version the player is playing. Also unlike beatmania IIDX and pop'n music, DanceDanceRevolution has dedicated menu buttons.
All DanceDanceRevolution cabinets have at least left, right, and start menu buttons. Widescreen cabinets, like those sold with DanceDanceRevolution X or DanceDanceRevolution (2013) and later, also have up and down menu buttons. The directional menu buttons are used to navigate menus, and the Start button to make selections.
Once the game is started, the first order of business is inserting/tapping the player's e-amusement pass if the machine supports e-amusement. After that, or otherwise, they will be taken to the Select Style screen. After that, they will be taken to the Select Difficulty or Select Mode, and from there to Select Music or Select Course. In DDRMAX or later, they can hold Start upon selecting a song to enter modifiers. In earlier versions, they must use codes. After play, their score will be evaluated, and they will be returned to Select Music if not playing a course. When the game is done, a final evaluation is performed, and in earlier versions and under certain circumstances the player can enter their name.
Entry
The first screen that appears when starting a game with an e-amusement card is the Entry Screen. If the player doesn't have an e-amusement card, the next screen will be the Play Style selection screen instead.
e-amusement
e-amusement is KONAMI's online service used to keep all the players play data such as the scores, rivals and unlock achievements between all of their games. It was introduced in DanceDanceRevolution SuperNOVA and is now found in every title since. In DanceDanceRevolution, e-amusement has the following features in game:
- Dancer Profile
- Result Star: Since DanceDanceRevolution X3 VS 2ndMIX, Result Stars can be obtained when playing in order to access the EXTRA STAGE. The Result Stars earned by the player are transferred between each game.
- Dancer Rank: Used to keep track of the Dan level, much like in beatmania IIDX.
- CLASS: Used to keep track of the GOLDEN LEAGUE CLASS.
- My GROOVE RADAR (マイグルーヴレーダー): From DanceDanceRevolution SuperNOVA2 to DanceDanceRevolution (2014), keeps track of the player stats for Single and Double Play using a GROOVE RADAR. Removed in DanceDanceRevolution A.
- ENJOY LEVEL: From DanceDanceRevolution SuperNOVA to DanceDanceRevolution (2014), level system used for unlocking more modifier options, songs, character accessories, and CHALLENGE charts. Removed in DanceDanceRevolution A.
- Drill Level: Used to keep track of the Drill Courses level. It was removed in DanceDanceRevolution X3 VS 2ndMIX.
- Rivals: The player can have up to three rivals by entering their DDR-CODE. Allows the player to target their Rivals' scores during gameplay and play their EDIT DATA.
- Workout Function: Keeps track of the calories spent while playing. Requires the weight (in kilograms) of the player.
- Character: Pick a character from the available roster to be shown on screen dancing during gameplay, provided the song doesn't have a full-screen background video.
- Play Area Browser: Player's play history across the various prefectures in Japan or other countries.
On the official website of DanceDanceRevolution, e-amusement members can access a more detailed view of their play data and view their Rivals. Additional game options could be found in the website, but these were removed in DanceDanceRevolution WORLD as they can now by changed in-game.
Game Modes
As of DanceDanceRevolution A3, the game currently has the following entry modes, all of which can be paid with either credits or PASELI:
| Mode | Duration | EXTRA Stage | Course Mode | Modifiers | Remarks |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| NORMAL | Up to 3 stages | No | No | Limited | |
| PREMIUM | 3 stages guaranteed; up to 5 | Only if nine Result Stars and performance grade of at least D are obtained on FINAL STAGE. | Yes | Full | |
| BPL BATTLE | 2 stages guaranteed | No | No | Full | Added on DanceDanceRevolution A3 Only available on 20th anniversary model cabinets. Activated by pressing [1] on keypad. |
| GALAXY | 4 stages guaranteed; up to 5 | Guaranteed | Yes | Full | Added on DanceDanceRevolution A3 EXTRA SAVIOR A3/COURSE TRIAL A3 songs unlock instantly upon play |
Selecting a Style
- Single Play (シングルプレー)
- One side of the dance floor (4 foot panels), one player. Always requires only one credit.
- Double Play (ダブルプレー)
- One player uses both sides of the dance floor (8 foot panels). The BEGINNER difficulty and the LEFT, RIGHT, and SHUFFLE options are not available in this style. This normally requires two credits, but with Double Premium or Joint Premium enabled, it will cost one credit.
- Versus Play (バーサスプレー)
- Two players, each with one side of the dance floor. This requires two credits, or one credit if Joint Premium is enabled.
- Couple Play (カップルプレー)
- Only available in 3rdMIX and earlier. Two players each have one side of the dance floor, but each has different notes for the same difficulty. This requires two credits. This style is still available to use in EDIT DATA songs only as of DanceDanceRevolution (2014).
- Unison Play (ユニゾンプレー)
- Only available in 3rdMIX and 3rdMIX PLUS. Two players have one chart at the center, with different colors of arrow: Blue arrows for the left-hand player, red arrows for the right-hand player, and yellow arrows for both players. However, left-hand player can step on the red arrows and right-hand player can step on the blue arrows. Having more than two arrows in one row requires respective players stepping on them. On the 1st STAGE, charts for the left-hand player and right-hand player are separate but will show its animation of merging once stepping zone starts blinking.
As of DanceDanceRevolution A3, the player can now switch between the Single and Double play styles by pressing [3] on the keypad. This only works if there is one player playing.
Mode of Payment
Once selecting a Play Style, the game will require a valid mode of payment. For Normal Play (ノーマルプレー), credits, coins or PASELI can be used while Premium Play (プレミアムプレー) is exclusive to PASELI members in Japan or can be selected for players outside Japan or in non-PASELI locations by adding more credits.
PASELI
For more details on PASELI, please see this page.
PASELI (Pay Smart Enjoy Life) is a digital currency service that can be linked with an e-amusement account. Depending on the titles, the exclusive features vary from game to game. As of DanceDanceRevolution A3, by selecting PREMIUM MODE, you obtain:
- All STAGEs guaranteed (1st STAGE to FINAL STAGE only). Even if the NORMAL DANCE GAUGE is depleted, the song will continue until the end.
- LIFE4 and SPEED in 0.25x increments, from 0.25x to 4x.
- STAR SYSTEM to access EXTRA STAGE.
- Nonstop / Dan Courses.
Number of stages
This only applies from 1st STAGE to FINAL STAGE and does not include any type of EXTRA STAGEs. A minimum of one stage and a maximum of five (or three in some versions) stages are allowed.
Cabinets
As of DanceDanceRevolution WORLD, there are five different cabinet models released throughout the series' lifespan. Each model has different aspects and features, as shown below:
| Feature | Classic | SuperNOVA | X | 2013 | 20th anniversary |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year debut | 1998 | 2006 | 2008 | 2013 | 2019 |
| Color | Black | Red | Black/Silver | White | Gold |
| Software type | Type B | Type B | Type A | Type C-G | Type I |
| Screen display | 29 inch, cathode-ray tube | 29 inch, flat cathode ray tube | 37 inch, wide LCD | 42 inch, wide LCD | 55 inch, liquid crystal LCD (no screen tilting) |
| Screen resolution | 15kHz (480i equivalent) |
480p | 1080p (720p enlarged) |
1080p (720p enlarged) |
1080p (720p enlarged) |
| USB ports | Present | Present | Present | Absent | Absent |
| Up/Down buttons | Absent | Absent | Present | Present | Present |
| Special features | Absent | Absent | Absent | Absent | Present |
| Latest supported game | DDR A3 | DDR A3 | DDR WORLD | DDR WORLD | DDR WORLD |
Selecting a Mode
- Modes that appeared only in a single version of DanceDanceRevolution are not included.
NORMAL MODE
This is the default mode available in every mix. It allows the user to select the individual songs to play and to select the difficulty levels (after 2ndMIX only) one at a time. Depending on how the operator set the machine, the user can play 1 to 5 songs per game, plus an EXTRA STAGE if earned. In DanceDanceRevolution, 2ndMIX, 5thMIX, DDRMAX, and from DanceDanceRevolution (2013) to DanceDanceRevolution A, this is the only mode available.
BATTLE MODE
A variant of NORMAL mode available in selected games. It features a BATTLE lifebar (which starts at the center and moves to the player side that has an advantage) and no choice of modifiers to select; instead, modifiers are activated on the rival player's side at random depending on the main player's performance and vice versa. If the BATTLE lifebar is at the center at the end of a song, it results in a draw. On SINGLE play, the opposite side is replaced by a CPU.
COURSE MODE
Instead of picking individual songs, the player can select a course. A course is a group of at least four songs with each course having 2 difficulty levels. There are two lifebar types:
- The Normal lifebar, which functions similarly to the standard lifebar.
- The Challenge lifebar, where the player is given 4 or 8 lives (depending on the difficulty level chosen) that deplete on each combo break. When the player runs out of lives, they fail the course. Successfully clearing each song will regenerate a life or two.
Before DanceDanceRevolution X, the COURSE MODE was split into two parts: NONSTOP MODE and CHALLENGE MODE. From DanceDanceRevolution A20 to A3, Courses are split into two parts: NONSTOP and 段位認定.
- NONSTOP
- Formerly its own mode as NONSTOP MODE, first appeared in 3rdMIX and was removed in 5thMIX, and CHALLENGE MODE first appeared in DDRMAX2. EXTREME was the first mix to have both. NONSTOP MODE included courses with a selectable difficulty level and the standard lifebar.
- CHALLENGE MODE
- Similar to NONSTOP, but the difficulty of the songs in the courses is fixed, and features a lifebar set to LIFE4 and no choice of modifiers to select.
- Dan (段位認定)
- Similar to NONSTOP, but the difficulty of the songs in the courses is fixed, it features a lifebar set to GRADE (a yellow lifebar, which is filled to maximum at start but depletes faster), and some modifiers are unavailable.
Selecting Options
As of DanceDanceRevolution WORLD, 17 modifiers are available in the game (during the Select Options screen) with a few choice options being exclusive to Premium Play (PASELI only in Japan, in yellow in the table). When using Versus Play, each user can have their own settings which have to be set before playing a song. During special events such as an EXTRA STAGE, the number of modifiers available is limited and some are set to ON to increase the difficulty.
Prior to DDRMAX, the modifiers had codes that had to be entered one by one. It was replaced in DDRMAX with an options menu, which is accessed by holding the Start button after selecting a song. Since DanceDanceRevolution A, a player can also press [9] on the numerical keypad to access the Options menu. From DDRMAX until SuperNOVA, an option category named "OTHER" included ARROW, CUT, and DARK together. Selecting them would turn them ON. They were divided each into a category in SuperNOVA. For the first time in DanceDanceRevolution (2014), the modifiers' names were translated into Japanese instead of English. From DDRMAX to DanceDanceRevolution X3 VS 2ndMIX, a category titled STEP was available to change the song difficulty for each player. It was renamed in DanceDanceRevolution (2013) to DIFFICULTY, and in DanceDanceRevolution (2014), it was removed from the list due to the introduction of a Difficulty Select screen.
Introduced in SuperNOVA2 during gameplay, a maximum of 11 modifier square icons can be shown on the screen on top of the score box for each player. The modifiers icons are shown only when they are set to a value different than the defaults. The only exception is for SPEED which even "x1" is shown, and ARROW DESIGN, SCREEN FILTER, and GUIDELINE do not have any icon.
Note: ARROW MOVE, ARROW VISIBILITY, ARROW PLACEMENT, STEP ZONE, ARROW COLORING, ARROW DESIGN, SCREEN FILTER, and GAUGE require an e-amusement account since DanceDanceRevolution (2014) and CUT, FREEZE ARROW and JUMP count as ASSIST options. The SPECIAL ARROW, SCREEN FILTER, and GUIDELINE options could only be changed in the e-amusement website, but they were made available in-game as of DanceDanceRevolution WORLD.
HIGH SPEED
HIGH SPEED (ハイスピード) enables players to change the speed of the arrow flow up to 8 times faster than normal (x1) with matching spacing of arrows. This setting was previously known as SPEED before DanceDanceRevolution WORLD.
In DanceDanceRevolution X2 to DanceDanceRevolution (2013), the x0.25 and the x0.5 speeds were removed. In DanceDanceRevolution (2014), x0.25 and x0.5 were added back. A total of 24 speed modifiers currently exist with 9 of them being exclusive to Premium Play.
On DanceDanceRevolution X2 onwards, the player may also adjust the speed at the beginning of a stage using the Left and Right navigational buttons right before the first note of a chart or the SCREEN FILTER appearing.
Since DanceDanceRevolution WORLD, it is possible to change the arrow speed in increments of 0.05x, and as such, the table below applies to DanceDanceRevolution A3 and older games.
| SPEED (矢印の速度, Arrow Speed) | ||
|---|---|---|
| Options | First added | |
| ×0.25 | DanceDanceRevolution SuperNOVA2 | |
| ×0.5 | DanceDanceRevolution SuperNOVA2 | |
| ×0.75 | DanceDanceRevolution A | |
| x1 | DanceDanceRevolution | |
| ×1.25 | DanceDanceRevolution (2014) | |
| ×1.5 | DDRMAX -DanceDanceRevolution 6thMIX- | |
| ×1.75 | DanceDanceRevolution (2014) | |
| ×2 | DDRMAX -DanceDanceRevolution 6thMIX- | |
| ×2.25 | DanceDanceRevolution (2014) | |
| ×2.5 | DanceDanceRevolution X | |
| ×2.75 | DanceDanceRevolution (2014) | |
| ×3 | DDRMAX -DanceDanceRevolution 6thMIX- | |
| ×3.25 | DanceDanceRevolution (2014) | |
| ×3.5 | DanceDanceRevolution X | |
| ×3.75 | DanceDanceRevolution (2014) | |
| ×4 | DanceDanceRevolution X | |
| ×4.5 | DanceDanceRevolution X | |
| ×5 | DDRMAX -DanceDanceRevolution 6thMIX- | |
| ×5.5 | DanceDanceRevolution X | |
| ×6 | DanceDanceRevolution X | |
| ×6.5 | DanceDanceRevolution X | |
| ×7 | DanceDanceRevolution X | |
| ×7.5 | DanceDanceRevolution X | |
| ×8 | DDRMAX -DanceDanceRevolution 6thMIX- | |
SCROLL ACTION
SCROLL ACTION was known as BOOST when it was introduced in DDRMAX until DanceDanceRevolution (2013), then ARROW MOVE (矢印の動き方, Arrow movement) until DanceDanceRevolution WORLD. Also in 2013, NORMAL was simply known as OFF while BOOST was titled ON. BRAKE and WAVE were introduced as a fixed option in a DanceDanceRevolution EXTREME course. They were later made as selectable options in DanceDanceRevolution SuperNOVA2.
| SCROLL ACTION (スクロールの動き方) | ||
|---|---|---|
| Options | Description | First added |
| NORMAL | Arrows flow (scroll) at a constant speed. | DanceDanceRevolution |
| BOOST | Arrows accelerate as they reach the Step Zone. | DDRMAX -DanceDanceRevolution 6thMIX- |
| BRAKE | Arrows decelerate as they reach the Step Zone. | DanceDanceRevolution SuperNOVA2 |
| WAVE | Arrows slow down and speed up at fixed points on their way up the screen. | DanceDanceRevolution SuperNOVA2 |
ARROW VISIBILITY
As of DDR A, the old HIDDEN/SUDDEN options are not available, even on upgraded legacy cabinets. Previously known as APPEARANCE (見え方) prior to DDR WORLD. NORMAL was also previously known as VISIBLE prior to that game.
| ARROW VISIBILITY (矢印の見え方, Arrow Appearance) | ||
|---|---|---|
| Options | Description | First added |
| NORMAL | Arrows are always visible. | DanceDanceRevolution |
| CONSTANT | Arrows will fade in as they reach the Step Zone. The time it takes for arrows to fade in can be adjusted anywhere from 100ms (0.1s) to 3000ms (3s) in 10ms increments. The default setting is 1000ms, which is 1 second. | DanceDanceRevolution WORLD |
| STEALTH | Arrows are invisible. | DanceDanceRevolution 3rdMIX |
| HIDDEN | Arrows will disappear when they reach the middle of the screen. | DanceDanceRevolution 2ndMIX |
| SUDDEN | Arrows will appear after they reached the middle of the screen. | DanceDanceRevolution 3rdMIX |
LANE COVER SETTING
Before DDR WORLD, these settings were in the ARROW VISIBILITY section, and HIDSUD＋ was known as HIDDEN+&SUDDEN+.
| LANE COVER SETTING (レーンカバー設定) | ||
|---|---|---|
| Options | Description | First added |
| OFF | No lane cover. | DanceDanceRevolution |
| HIDDEN+ | Similar to beatmania IIDX, a lane cover is placed at the top (or bottom if using REVERSE) of the player's side. This can be adjusted by using the Up and Down navigational buttons; the lane cover can also be toggled off and back on by pressing the Start button during gameplay. | DanceDanceRevolution X2 |
| SUDDEN+ | A lane cover is placed at the bottom (or top if using REVERSE) of the player's side. Like HIDDEN+, this can be adjusted by using the Up and Down navigational buttons. | DanceDanceRevolution X2 |
| HIDSUD＋ | Both lane covers are displayed. The shutter window can be adjusted in the same fashion as the individual HIDDEN+/SUDDEN+ modifiers. | DanceDanceRevolution X2 |
ARROW PLACEMENT
Previously known as TURN (回転) prior to DDR WORLD.
| ARROW PLACEMENT (矢印の配置) | ||
|---|---|---|
| Options | Description | First added |
| OFF | The chart is in a normal position. | DanceDanceRevolution |
| MIRROR | Charts are flipped by 180 degrees. | DanceDanceRevolution |
| LEFT※ | Charts are rotated 90 degrees to the left. | DanceDanceRevolution 2ndMIX |
| RIGHT※ | Charts are rotated 90 degrees to the right. | DanceDanceRevolution 2ndMIX |
| SHUFFLE※ | Columns of notes are randomly arranged. | DanceDanceRevolution 2ndMIX |
※Not available if the play style is DOUBLE.
STEP ZONE
The Step Zone refers to the set of stationary arrows near the top of the screen. It was known as DARK when it was introduced in DDRMAX2 until DanceDanceRevolution (2014).
| STEP ZONE (ステップゾーン) | ||
|---|---|---|
| Options | Description | First added |
| ON | The Step Zone is visible at all times. | DanceDanceRevolution |
| OFF | The Step Zone is not visible at all times. | DDRMAX2 -DanceDanceRevolution 7thMIX- |
SCROLL DIRECTION
Previously known as SCROLL (矢印スクロール, Arrow Scroll) before DDR WORLD.
| SCROLL DIRECTION (スクロール方向) | ||
|---|---|---|
| Options | Description | First added |
| NORMAL | Arrows scroll up from the bottom. | DanceDanceRevolution |
| REVERSE | Arrows scroll down from the top. | DDRMAX -DanceDanceRevolution 6thMIX- |
ARROW COLORING
By default from the original DanceDanceRevolution to DanceDanceRevolution 2ndMIX, the arrow color is set to FLAT. The default was changed to VIVID in DanceDanceRevolution 3rdMIX with FLAT being an option activated using a code (in SSR, FLAT is the default with VIVID being an option activated using a code), before changing to RAINBOW in DanceDanceRevolution (2014), and finally to NOTE in DanceDanceRevolution WORLD. In DanceDanceRevolution SuperNOVA, ARROW became a new option category with VIVID, NOTE, FLAT and RAINBOW as options. Also in SuperNOVA, the color scheme SOLO (name used from DDRMAX to EXTREME) was renamed RAINBOW. The category name was changed to ARROW COLOR (矢印の色) in DanceDanceRevolution (2013), then to ARROW COLORING in DDR WORLD.
| ARROW COLORING (矢印の色分け) | ||
|---|---|---|
| Options | Description | First added |
| NOTE | The default color since DDR WORLD. Arrows are color-coded according to note value. It uses flat, simple colors: red for 1/4th notes, blue for 1/8th notes, yellow for 1/16th notes, and green for all other quantizations. | DanceDanceRevolution SuperNOVA |
| RAINBOW | The default color that was used in DDR (2014) until DDR A3. Arrows have different gradient cycles which correspond to note value: pink for 1/64-beat to 1/16-beat notes, blue for 5/64-beat to 1/8-beat notes, purple for 9/64-beat to 3/16 beat notes, and orange for 13/64-beat to 1/4-beat notes. | DDRMAX -DanceDanceRevolution 6thMIX- |
| VIVID | The default arrow color that was used in DDR 3rdMIX until DDR (2013). The arrows emit a rainbow gradient cycle which varies in starting colors depending on note value. | DanceDanceRevolution 3rdMIX |
| FLAT | Arrows follow the VIVID color cycle but all have the same starting color. | DanceDanceRevolution |
CUT
ON1 was named LITTLE when it was introduced in DanceDanceRevolution 2ndMIX. The name changed to CUT in DanceDanceRevolution SuperNOVA and again in DanceDanceRevolution X to ON1 as ON2 was introduced.
| CUT (タイミング別カット, Cut by Timing) | ||
|---|---|---|
| Options | Description | First added |
| OFF | Chart is unchanged. | DDRMAX -DanceDanceRevolution 6thMIX- |
| ON1 | Only shows the 1/4-beat notes. | DanceDanceRevolution 2ndMIX |
| ON2 | Only shows the 1/4 and 1/8-beat notes. | DanceDanceRevolution X |
FREEZE ARROW
| FREEZE ARROW (フリーズアロー) | ||
|---|---|---|
| Options | Description | First added |
| ON | The chart will include freeze arrows. | DDRMAX -DanceDanceRevolution 6thMIX- |
| OFF | The chart will only include the notes at the start of the freeze arrows (i.e. no holds). | DDRMAX -DanceDanceRevolution 6thMIX- |
JUMP
| JUMP (同時踏み, Simultaneous stepping) | ||
|---|---|---|
| Options | Description | First added |
| ON | Includes simultaneous notes. | DanceDanceRevolution SuperNOVA |
| OFF | Removes the simultaneous notes from the chart. | DanceDanceRevolution SuperNOVA |
DISPLAY TIMING
In the CS games, this option appears in the general game options menu instead.
| DISPLAY TIMING (表示タイミング) | ||
|---|---|---|
| Options | Description | First added |
| -5.0 to -0.1 | Causes the arrows to appear sooner by the designated amount of time. | DanceDanceRevolution A3 |
| 0.0 | Causes the arrows to appear at the normal time. | DanceDanceRevolution A3 |
| +0.1 to +5.0 | Causes the arrows to appear later by the designated amount of time. | DanceDanceRevolution A3 |
LIFE GAUGE
This modifier was named RISKY with ON and OFF being the two possible options when it was first introduced in DanceDanceRevolution X2. In DanceDanceRevolution 2014, it was renamed GAUGE as LIFE4 and the classic NORMAL were added as options. In games before DDR WORLD, LIFE GAUGE modifiers could not be selected in EXTRA STAGEs. Starting with DDR WORLD, they are selectable before starting an EXTRA STAGE. Similarly, in courses before DDR A20, they could not be selected.
| LIFE GAUGE (ゲージ) | ||
|---|---|---|
| Options | Description | First added |
| NORMAL | This is the standard dance gauge. | DanceDanceRevolution |
| LIFE4 | The song ends on 4 combined combo breaks (Good and below from SuperNOVA to X3 VS 2ndMIX; Miss from DDR 2013 onwards. N.G.'s also count from X onwards.). This is an option for advanced players. | DanceDanceRevolution (2014) Battery with three segments was used in MAX2 and EXTREME; appears only in CHALLENGE courses. In SuperNOVA, appears only on CHALLENGE courses. In SuperNOVA2, appears only on EXTRA STAGE and CHALLENGE courses. From X to X3 vs 2ndMIX, appears only on EXTRA STAGE and certain difficulties in Courses. In X and X3 vs 2ndMIX, a LIFE8 gauge also appears in certain difficulties in Courses. |
| RISKY | Getting a single Good (in X2 and X3 VS 2ndMIX), Miss, or N.G. will fail the song. | DanceDanceRevolution X2 From SuperNOVA to X, it appears only on ENCORE EXTRA STAGE. In X2, it's always ON on ENCORE EXTRA STAGE. In X2 and X3 vs 2ndMIX, it appears on MUSIC SELECT options only in SINGLE or DOUBLE. |
| FLARE I-EX | An option for advanced players where the dance gauge does not recover and decreases with each Great/Good/Miss/N.G.. Perfects also reduce the dance gauge with FLARE Level EX (not available when playing courses). | DanceDanceRevolution A3 |
| FLOATING FLARE | This gauge starts at FLARE EX and when that gauge is empty, it switches to a gauge of a lower level until it reaches FLARE I. | DanceDanceRevolution WORLD |
| GRADE | Similar to NORMAL but starts filled up (available only in Dan Courses). | DanceDanceRevolution A20 |
ARROW DESIGN
Originally known as SPECIAL ARROW (特殊アロー) before DanceDanceRevolution WORLD. The CLASSIC arrow was the default and only choice from 1st to 5thMIX; it was replaced by NORMAL in DDRMAX. The ability to change the design of the arrows was introduced as an unlockable reward of the both Enjoy Lv. and code systems in SuperNOVA2 to X. In X2, the option was unlocked by default for everyone.
| ARROW DESIGN (矢印のデザイン) | ||
|---|---|---|
| Modifiers | Description | First added |
| NORMAL |  The default rounded-tip arrow design.
|
DDRMAX -DanceDanceRevolution 6thMIX- |
| X |  Uses the arrow design seen on the step panels of a DDR X arcade cabinet.
|
DanceDanceRevolution X |
| CLASSIC |  The original V-cut arrow design used until 5thMIX.
|
DanceDanceRevolution |
| CYBER |  A special cyber-themed arrow design.
|
DanceDanceRevolution SuperNOVA2 |
| MEDIUM |  Arrows are half-sized.
|
DanceDanceRevolution SuperNOVA2 |
| SMALL |  Arrows are quarter-sized.
|
DanceDanceRevolution X |
| DOT |  Arrows are reduced to small dots.
|
DanceDanceRevolution X |
SCREEN FILTER
In DanceDanceRevolution X, OFF was known as NONE. The default changed from OFF to DARK in DanceDanceRevolution (2014). DARK is the default if the player does not use an e-amusement pass.
| SCREEN FILTER (背景フィルター, Background filter) | ||
|---|---|---|
| Modifiers | Description | First added |
| OFF |  The screen filter is not shown.
|
DanceDanceRevolution |
| DARK |  40 percent opacity.
|
DanceDanceRevolution X |
| DARKER |  60 percent opacity.
|
DanceDanceRevolution X |
| DARKEST |  80 percent opacity.
|
DanceDanceRevolution X |
GUIDELINE
| GUIDELINE (ガイドライン) | ||
|---|---|---|
| Options | Description | First added |
| OFF | The guidelines are not shown. | DanceDanceRevolution |
| BORDER | Displays guidelines along the top edges of the arrows. This display is similar to the EDIT mode found in the CS releases of DanceDanceRevolution. | DanceDanceRevolution (2014) |
| CENTER | Displays guidelines along the center of the arrows. | DanceDanceRevolution (2014) |
FAST/SLOW DISPLAY
When getting a Perfect/Great/Good with this option enabled, it will show the word "Fast" on early hits, or "Slow" on late hits. Even if this option is disabled in DanceDanceRevolution WORLD, the results screen shows a number of Fast/Slow hits.
| FAST/SLOW DISPLAY (FAST/SLOW判定表示) | ||
|---|---|---|
| Options | Description | First added |
| ON | Fast/Slow will be displayed on Perfects/Greats/Goods. | DanceDanceRevolution WORLD |
| OFF | Fast/Slow will not be displayed on Perfects/Greats/Goods. | DanceDanceRevolution WORLD |
EXTRA STAGE
The EXTRA STAGE was introduced in the original DanceDanceRevolution but was not found again after except since DDRMAX. The ONE MORE EXTRA STAGE was also added in DDRMAX. The name ONE MORE EXTRA STAGE was changed in DanceDanceRevolution SuperNOVA2 to ENCORE EXTRA STAGE.
In DanceDanceRevolution 2ndMIX CLUB VERSiON 2, an EXTRA STAGE was possible if the beatmania IIDX machine started the link session during the EXTRA STAGE. Since DanceDanceRevolution (2014), the EXTRA STAGE is only available in PREMIUM MODE.
Usually, the EXTRA/ENCORE EXTRA STAGE system changes from title to title. For more details on how the EXTRA STAGE and ENCORE EXTRA STAGE systems work, see the individual pages below.
| Game | EXTRA STAGE | ENCORE EXTRA STAGE |
|---|---|---|
| DanceDanceRevolution | ✔ | ✘ |
| DDRMAX -DanceDanceRevolution 6thMIX- | ✔ | ✔ |
| DDRMAX2 -DanceDanceRevolution 7thMIX- | ✔ | ✔ |
| DanceDanceRevolution EXTREME | ✔ | ✔ |
| DanceDanceRevolution SuperNOVA | ✔ | ✔ |
| DanceDanceRevolution SuperNOVA2 | ✔ | ✔ |
| DanceDanceRevolution X | ✔ | ✔ |
| DanceDanceRevolution X2 | ✔ | ✔ |
| DanceDanceRevolution X3 | ✔ | ✔ |
| DanceDanceRevolution (2013) | ✔ | ✘※ |
| DanceDanceRevolution (2014) | ✔ | ✔ |
| DanceDanceRevolution A | ✔ | ✔ |
| DanceDanceRevolution A20 | ✔ | ✘ |
| DanceDanceRevolution A20 PLUS | ✔ | ✘ |
| DanceDanceRevolution A3 | ✔ | ✔ |
| DanceDanceRevolution WORLD | ✔ | ✘ |
| DanceDanceRevolution Solo BASS MIX | ✔ | ? |
※ ENCORE EXTRA STAGE was briefly available in DanceDanceRevolution (2013) due to a bug.