There's a place in my heart for rhythm and music games. If it isn't about the drunken challenges I receive on the Dance Dance Revolution machine at the local Dave and Buster's (they install those handlebars for a reason, people), then it's about belting out to Karaoke Revolution Country without looking stupid carrying "Ring of Fire" (that's hard to do). I mean, I have two left feet and my voice sometimes strains. But I'll be damned if I don't try and get the most enjoyment out of them. So there should be no surprise when I requested the opportunity to review Dance Dance Revolution SuperNOVA, the latest and probably last DDR game for the PlayStation 2.

OK, let's get the bad news out of the way first. Those who weren't convinced that DDR was the party game of the future before won't find anything here to really change their argument now. The game carries over a vast amount of modes and features that were featured in previous DDR games. This includes the EyeToy support that adds a twist to the typical toe-stepping action, the various modes that help with both weight loss and give you the chance to edit your steps, online support, and the versus mode that determines just who can handle the hot-stepping in your house. Yep, they were in previous versions, and they're back.

But then, why really change that much when it works so well? Dance Dance Revolution has established itself as a series that reaches out with its content. Konami could have easily taken the cheap way out and just emphasized on the same stuff you could find in the arcade edition. But instead they have plenty of features to keep gamers occupied, as familiar as they may seem. Weight Mode is not only great fun, but also rather useful to those who won't dare go near a treadmill or Stairmaster. Edit Mode is good for those who don't mind inventing their own crazy dances, no matter how insane they look. As for the EyeToy mode, it's not the greatest, and takes a little extra concentration, but it's a decent little challenge for those who want to involve their upper half in the dancing proceedings.

There is one great new mode worth talking about, called the Stellar Master Mode. It's a nice little twist on the game that explores the song list installed in the game, and takes a different approach with said list. See, in this mode, you have to visit different planets, where song set-ups are in place for you to complete. The difficulty on these can change wildly, keeping you on your toes...literally. Once you get enough completed, you'll be given showdown challenges to complete, which will take some time (especially if you have less-than-nimble footwork).

Speaking of the song list, it's...diverse. That's not to say it's not amazing or anything like that, because there's still plenty of J-Pop love and Captain Jack for the die-hard fanatics. However, Konami's taken a slightly different route here, installing more traditional pop tunes. You've got stuff from Fall Out Boy (what else but "Dance, Dance"), Franz Ferdinand, Kelly Clarkson, and even The Buggies, singing "Video Killed the Radio Star" (the song MTV debuted with, back when they played music videos). Some people might frown upon these tunes, but it was probably done to try and attract typical players or those who are into Top 40 tunes. It's not as bad as you think. In fact, I had a field day trying to keep up on "Do You Want To" on a higher difficulty.

The graphics have been touched upon a little bit as well. The interface involving the scrolling arrows is unchanged, but the graphic displays offer some more detail, and better crispness on the video clips. It won't amaze you by any means, and you might even get distracted if the screen gets a bit cluttered in chaos. However, kudos to Konami for trying to update the game with a little more graphical luster. The EyeToy mode's still a little fuzzy, but there's only so much a few-years-old peripheral can do for your image.

There are a couple of flaws worth noting with SuperNOVA. The borrowing of previous features has already been addressed, but let me talk about some other things. The Online Play is a strong addition, but the times I went online with the game, there weren't really any competitors around. Also, the game has 70+ songs to dance through, but you can't add your own and expand this play list. Fortunately, the forthcoming Xbox 360 DDR game, Universe, should address this with great ease- and offer purchasable song packs as well.

Although the groundwork looks familiar, Dance Dance Revolution SuperNOVA is still quite a fun foot-stomper of a game. The various modes, while nothing new, are a blast; the new Stellar Master Mode will keep DDR veterans busy; and the presentation and song list are still on the mark, despite some change-ups. Anyone can criticize DDR for being too much, but maybe the best option is to just shut up and dance.