Dance:UK and 8-way dance mat - PS2 review

Dancing Stage is still very Japanese and Dance:UK understandably strikes a tune with the UK crowd

Reviewer: Chris Hall
Review Date: 4 January 2004
Manufacturer: Sony
Price as reviewed: £40
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Our score

9/10

Full Review

Dancing continues to go from strength to strength in the arcades and on consoles, and the Dance:UK offering takes things to yet another level of interactivity. We tested the PS2 version with the bundled dance mat. The game is also available for the PSOne, supporting the same dance mat.

Dance:UK is mildly different from other dancing games on the visual side, but as far as dancing games go, there is not too much that can be different from those that have come before; the basic principle remains the same: you dance in time to the music following the directions given on the screen. A minor different here is that the Dance:UK game use 8 directions, whereas the Dancing Stage series only use 4. If you have huge feet this might be a problem hitting the correct directions on the mat, but otherwise this just adds to the challenge.

The game features an impressive selection of recognisable tracks, including Run DMC, Five, Sugarbabes and Daniel Beddingfield. As with other dancing games, besides the dancing games, there is karaoke mode (and an accessory headset is supported, but sold separately), and aerobics mode. Joking aside, if you really get into it, you can work up a decent sweat (perfect for working off those Christmas pounds). We used the mat on a hardwood floor, and that was no problem with slippage, and control was positive and felt solid. Any questions about reliability were soon dispelled. Also in this branded range is a 2.1 speaker set, which will enhance the sound output of your system, if you do not already have anything in place.

Verdict

Overall, Dance:UK has the edge on the recent Dancing Stage games. It feels like a better quality product - Dancing Stage is still very Japanese and Dance:UK understandably strikes a tune with the UK crowd. The selection of tracks is impressive, and the inclusion of number 1 hits is sure to be a winner. Combined with the mat, all bundled at a very competitive price, this is a winning solution - perfect for family or friend group action!