What Is DDR?: Difference between revisions

: Introduced in [[AC DDR 1st|DanceDanceRevolution]], this difficulty is aimed at people more familiar with the game. The level range is from 3 to 7 with 13 being the maximum and 1 the minimum. Charts include 4th notes, and at times, 8th notes. In DDRMAX to DanceDanceRevolution EXTREME, BASIC was known as LIGHT (楽, ''raku''). For HAPPY MODE in X2 and X3 VS 2ndMIX, BASIC was known as ふつう (''futsuu'').

: Introduced in [[AC DDR 1st|DanceDanceRevolution]], this difficulty is aimed at intermediate players. The minimum difficulty is 4 and the standard difficulty range is 5 to 9 with 16 being the maximum. Charts can have 4th, 8th, and occasional 16th notes. DIFFICULT was known initially as ANOTHER from DanceDanceRevolution to 3rdMIX, it was changed to TRICK in DanceDanceRevolution 4thMIX to 5thMIX, and became STANDARD (踊, ''odori'') in DDRMAX to DanceDanceRevolution EXTREME. It finally received the name DIFFICULT in DanceDanceRevolution SuperNOVA.

: Introduced in [[AC DDR 1st IR|DanceDanceRevolution Internet Ranking Version]], this difficulty is aimed at experienced players, and for many songs is the highest difficulty. The usual interval is 10 to 13 with 18 being the maximum and 6 the minimum. Introduced as MANIAC in DanceDanceRevolution to 5thMIX, it was temporarily named SSR (Step Step Revolution) in 3rdMIX but returned to its former name in DanceDanceRevolution 3rdMIX PLUS. From DDRMAX to DanceDanceRevolution EXTREME, MANIAC was known as HEAVY (激, ''geki'') before receiving its current name EXPERT in DanceDanceRevolution SuperNOVA.

: Added in [[AC DDRMAX2|DDRMAX2 -DanceDanceRevolution 7thMIX-]], this last difficulty is aimed at very experienced players seeking to go beyond the above difficulty. CHALLENGE is also often referred to as 鬼 (Oni). In DDRMAX2, this difficulty was exclusive to select songs during some Nonstop Mode courses, as well as its ONE MORE EXTRA STAGE song, and even in modern games appears on a minority of songs, often with different unlock conditions compared to corresponding EXPERT charts. Typical range is 13 to 18 with 19 being the maximum and 5 being the minimum. A few songs have ''only'' a CHALLENGE chart and no other difficulties, more often than not indicating that the song selection itself is a special take on or a special remix of another song. Due to an anachronism, some older songs have a CHALLENGE chart slightly easier than their HEAVY/EXPERT chart, due to the CHALLENGE chart previously being restricted to Nonstop Mode (course) or Challenging Mode (boss course) play. In addition, the Shock Arrows (SA) added in DanceDanceRevolution X are found in CHALLENGE charts almost exclusively, and an icon is displayed on-screen to notify the player of their presence in the chart. Some Shock Arrow CHALLENGE charts are intentionally a lower difficulty than their corresponding EXPERT chart, either because the Shock Arrow chart is a modified lower difficulty chart or because the Shock Arrow chart is intended to follow a certain choreography, or is otherwise meant to use Shock Arrows in a special way.