Anyone with energy to burn knows that a little body movin' is all it takes to let it out. Video games might often encourage players to sit for long hours at a time, but sometimes you can't help but let the rhythm get you and get on your feet.
Dance Dance Revolution
This is obviously the dance game that started the frenzy of peripheral based and motion controlled dancing games to come. It seemed as though when Konami realized they could sell the pads needed for DDR's foot controls to people at home, it made the games as fast as they could be bought. Sequels galore amped the footwork up until it a less strenuous motion controller could come along to score your grooves.
Regardless, if you've never tried Dance Dance Revolution in an arcade, you're missing part of the game's thrill. The Japanese arcades that bred DDR are all about social interaction. Get up and try a few easy steps! Yes, it's embarrassing, but it's fun. Someone might even join you if your arcade has a two-person machine.
Dance Central
Microsoft's Kinect debuted in the fall of 2010 and literally it only took one game to convince people to buy the camera. Frankly, it feel like was tricked because Dance Central is so much fun, but every thing else about the motion tech on Xbox 360 is inaccurate and sucks. Rock Band developers and Guitar Hero creators At Harmonix Studios does a sincere job of bringing a hip hop dance class to the comfort of your home.
While DDR's public-facing nervous energy can be exciting, Dance Central feels friendly. People just like to dance sometimes, and it's OK if you do too! Even better, Harmonix makes sure to give the player a ton of feedback. You might actually get some dance skills (if you ever needed more that is) from a game!
Just Dance
Ubisoft über-dance craze takes shape in the form of Just Dance, originally for the Wii and since published on the other consoles in sequels. The magnitude of Just Dance is actually beyond comprehension, especially since many gamers might turn their nose up at the family-friendly spin-offs like Just Dance Kids.
Regardless, Just Dance is fun and easy, and you already have the Wii and remote controls lying around. Just Dance sits in American homes, lying in wait, eager for a chance to strike, like on a Saturday night. Kids might have their friends over, but even adults can join in and bust a move.
Dance Dance Revolution Mario Mix
So maybe this isn't one of "the best" dance games ever, if you only owned a GameCube it was your only option. DDR Mario Mix at least exists to show Mario break-dancing like only a plumber with Brooklyn roots can. The game was developed by Konami and published by Nintendo and came with a Mario-themed dance pad. In order to save the Mushroom Kingdom's Music Keys, Mario has to dance-off against friend and foe, until ultimately battling against Waluigi.
Obviously this is one of the oddest things to come out of Dance Dance Revolution or even Mario, but it speaks to the universal appeal the two iconic franchises have in common. DDR and Mario go together like peanut butter and catfish (in that they don't go together), but even the Gamecube owners ignored by third parties needed stomp a beat out to Mario music.
Mass Effect 2
Do I really need to say more?
