DDRMax (USA) Scores and Commentary

This page goes into detail about some of the different experiences I've had with DDRMax. It's also the repository for my high scores, so hopefully you won't mind a bit of self-promotion as well.

Ahh, yes. The first version of DDR that I played and one of my favorites too. DDRMax (USA) has a ton of great songs in it, ranging from the sublimely easy (Cutie Chaser!) to the extremely difficult (Max300). I recently managed to get a copy of the Japanese version of DDRMax (6th Mix) as well, so those songs are included here too (some really obscure - but good! - songs in there). Rather than ramble on any further here, I'm going to first post the table of my scores, followed by comments and reflection below.

Name	Score Points	Grade	Dance Points	Max Points	Percentage	Missing DP	Comments
22 Dunk (Heavy)	48,634,100	AA	360	370	97.3%	10	-
5.1.1. (Heavy)	50,000,000	AAA	206	206	100%	0	"AAA" #207!!!
Abyss (Heavy)	49,950,600	AA	616	618	99.68%	2	SDG (2)
AM-3P (Heavy)	80,000,000	AAA	488	488	100%	0	"AAA" #80!!! (DDRMax2)
Baby Baby Gimme Your Love (Heavy)	60,000,000	AAA	326	326	100%	0	"AAA" #92!!!
Brilliant 2U Orchestra (Heavy)	70,000,000	AAA	452	452	100%	0	"AAA" #57!!! (DDR Extreme)
Broken My Heart (Heavy)	49,672,060	AA	716	720	99.44%	4	SDG (4) One of my best scores
Bye Bye Baby Balloon (Heavy)	50,000,000	AAA	792	792	100%	0	"AAA" #216!!!
Candy Star (Heavy)	49,615,445	AA	823	828	99.40%	5	SDG (5) Luv Unlimited!
celebrate (Heavy)	50,000,000	AAA	520	520	100%	0	"AAA" #210!!!
Cow Girl (Heavy)	50,000,000	AAA	684	684	100%	0	"AAA" #218!!!
Cutie Chaser Morning Mix (Heavy)	50,000,000	AAA	302	302	100%	0	"AAA" #13!!!
Dark Black Forest (Heavy)	50,000,000	AAA	710	710	100%	0	"AAA" #11!!!
Deep In You (Heavy)	50,000,000	AAA	442	442	100%	0	"AAA" #85!!!
Dive (more deep style) (Heavy)	49,852,640	AA	643	644	99.84%	1	SDG (1)
Do It Right (Heavy)	49,846,280	AA	568	570	99.65%	2	SDG (2)
Do It Right 2Step Mix (Heavy)	70,000,000	AAA	674	674	100%	0	"AAA" #238!!!
Do You Remember Me (Heavy)	50,000,000	AAA	770	770	100%	0	"AAA" #217!!!
Drop the Bomb System SF (Heavy)	70,000,000	AAA	616	616	100%	0	"AAA" #72!!! (DDRMax2 Japan)
Dynamite Rave SOTA Mix (Heavy)	70,000,000	AAA	730	730	100%	0	"AAA" #78!!! (DDRMax2 Japan)
Ecstasy (Heavy)	70,000,000	AAA	552	552	100%	0	"AAA" #91!!! (DDR Extreme)
Electro Tuned (Heavy)	49,795,880	AA	692	698	99.14%	6	SDG (6)
era (Heavy)	49,586,990	AA	708	712	99.44%	4	SDG (4) Fun
Exotic Ethnic (Heavy)	49,395,535	AA	971	988	98.3%	17	Must... double... step!
Fantasy (Heavy)	49,500,635	AA	875	880	99.43%	5	SDG (5) Tore this one up!
Firefly (Heavy)	49,847,650	AA	827	830	99.64%	3	SDG (3)
Flash In the Night (Heavy)	48,797,950	AA	879	898	97.9%	19	Obscure song, extremely hard
Follow Me (Heavy)	50,000,000	AAA	720	720	100%	0	"AAA" #15!!!
Gambol (Heavy)	50,000,000	AAA	302	302	100%	0	"AAA" #208!!!
Gentle Stress (Heavy)	48,964,700	AA	571	586	97.4%	15	-
Get Me In Your Sight (Heavy)	50,000,000	AAA	568	568	100%	0	"AAA" #214!!!
Ghosts (Heavy)	78,900,440	AA	724	732	98.9%	8	SDG (8) (DDRMax2)
Gradiusic Cyber (Heavy)	49,037,000	AA	727	740	98.2%	13	-
Groove (Heavy)	49,496,610	AA	521	528	98.7%	7	SDG (7)
Groove 2001 (Heavy)	49,470,745	AA	507	512	99.02%	5	SDG (5)
Healing Vision (Heavy)	79,190,400	AA	701	706	99.3%	5	SDG (5)
Healing Vision Angelic Mix (Heavy)	49,907,765	AA	957	958	99.90%	1	SDG (1) Wanted It SO MUCH!!!
Highs Off U (Heavy)	49,408,475	AA	638	644	99.07%	6	SDG (6)
Holic (Heavy)	50,000,000	AAA	626	626	100%	0	"AAA" #87!!!
I Like to Move It (Heavy)	50,000,000	AAA	638	638	100%	0	"AAA" #83!!!
I Was the One (Heavy)	70,000,000	AAA	582	582	100%	0	"AAA" #81!!! (DDRMax2)
I'm For Real (Heavy)	69,562,600	AA	709	716	99.02%	7	SDG (7) Worst steps ever
I'm In the Mood for Dancing (Heavy)	50,000,000	AAA	644	644	100%	0	"AAA" #249!!!
Insertion (Heavy)	49,641,805	AA	743	748	99.33%	5	SDG (5)
Jam and Marmalade (Heavy)	80,000,000	AAA	502	502	100%	0	"AAA" #36!!! (DDRMax2)
Justify My Love (Heavy)	49,721,700	AA	874	876	99.772%	2	SDG (2) Another obscure but great song
Kind Lady (Heavy)	70,000,000	AAA	678	678	100%	0	"AAA" #4!!!
Let's Groove (Heavy)	59,760,060	AA	460	462	99.6%	2	SDG (2) VERY close!
Let's Talk It Over (Heavy)	50,000,000	AAA	386	386	100%	0	"AAA" #202!!!
Let the Beat Hit Em (Heavy)	50,000,000	AAA	370	370	100%	0	"AAA" #86!!!
Let the Beat Hit Em R&B (Heavy)	50,000,000	AAA	384	384	100%	0	"AAA" #10!!!
Logical Dash (Heavy)	80,000,000	AAA	556	556	100%	0	"AAA" #77!!!
Look to the Sky System SF (Heavy)	50,000,000	AAA	574	574	100%	0	"AAA" #206!!!
Look to the Sky True Color (Heavy)	70,000,000	AAA	622	622	100%	0	"AAA" #25!!! (DDRMax2 Japan)
Love Again Tonight (Heavy)	49,845,770	AA	610	612	99.67%	2	SDG (2)
Love This Feelin' (Heavy)	80,000,000	AAA	484	484	100%	0	"AAA" #182!!! (DDR Extreme)
Lovin' You (Heavy)	79,476,200	AA	576	580	99.31%	4	SDG (4) (DDRMax2)
Matsuri Japan (Heavy)	49,872,355	AA	891	894	99.66%	3	SDG (3) On fire when I got this
Max300 (Heavy)	46,972,480	AA	1064	1122	94.8%	58	OMG! "AA" on Max 300!
Midnite Blaze (Heavy)	49,911,890	AA	665	666	99.85%	1	SDG (1) So close so many times!
Miracle (Heavy)	49,637,560	AA	491	496	98.99%	5	SDG (5)
My Generation (Heavy)	50,000,000	AAA	506	506	100%	0	"AAA" #2!!!
My Summer Love (Heavy)	90,000,000	AAA	520	520	100%	0	"AAA" #40!!! (DDR Extreme)
My Sweet Darlin' (Heavy)	49,256,970	AA	682	688	99.15%	6	SDG (6)
Never Let You Down (Heavy)	50,000,000	AAA	532	532	100%	0	"AAA" #204!!!
Nori Nori Nori (Heavy)	50,000,000	AAA	526	526	100%	0	"AAA" #219!!!
On the Jazz (Heavy)	49,492,400	AA	653	662	98.6%	9	SDG (9)
Ordinary World (Heavy)	49,155,050	AA	743	754	98.5%	11	This song is very hard!
Orion Civilization Mix (Heavy)	88,328,730	AA	781	796	98.1%	15	This used to be hard (DDR Extreme)
Overblast! (Heavy)	50,000,000	AAA	496	496	100%	0	"AAA" #205!!!
Paranoia Evolution (Heavy)	80,000,000	AAA	750	750	100%	0	"AAA" #192!!!
Paranoia Max Dirty Mix (Heavy)	49,762,835	AA	636	640	99.38%	4	SDG (4) Easy Paranoia
Peace Out (Heavy)	50,000,000	AAA	502	502	100%	0	"AAA" #203!!!
Remember You (Heavy)	50,000,000	AAA	394	394	100%	0	"AAA" TWO HUNDRED!!!
Rhythm and Police (Heavy)	49,915,160	AA	837	840	99.64%	3	SDG (3) Double-Stepping Full Combo!
Rugged Ash (Heavy)	50,000,000	AAA	362	362	100%	0	"AAA" #213!!!
Sana Morette Ne Ente (Heavy)	50,000,000	AAA	588	588	100%	0	"AAA" #102!!!
Sandstorm (Heavy)	50,000,000	AAA	594	594	100%	0	"AAA" #84!!!
Secret Rendezvous (Heavy)	70,000,000	AAA	546	546	100%	0	"AAA" #27!!! (DDRMax2 Japan)
Share My Love (Heavy)	50,000,000	AAA	456	456	100%	0	"AAA" #211!!!
Silent Hill (Heavy)	70,000,000	AAA	530	530	100%	0	"AAA" #95!!!
So Deep (Heavy)	87,391,080	AA	977	1002	97.5%	25	2x Full combo, 25 Greats!
So In Love (Heavy)	70,000,000	AAA	542	542	100%	0	"AAA" #69!!! (DDRMax2 Japan)
Sobakasu Freckles (Heavy)	50,000,000	AAA	694	694	100%	0	"AAA" #14!!!
Somewhere Over the Rainbow (Heavy)	49,433,615	AA	475	490	96.9%	15	Totally bizarre song
Spin the Disc (Heavy)	50,000,000	AAA	656	656	100%	0	"AAA" #209!!!
Stomp to my Beat (Heavy)	49,226,565	AA	489	494	98.99%	5	SDG (5)
Synchronized Love (Heavy)	50,000,000	AAA	794	794	100%	0	"AAA" #201!!!
Take It To The Morning Light (Heavy)	50,000,000	AAA	566	566	100%	0	"AAA" #215!!!
Telephone Operator (Heavy)	48,229,280	AA	600	618	97.1%	18	-
The Centre of the Heart (Heavy)	49,110,300	AA	510	518	98.5%	8	SDG (8)
The Cube (Heavy)	49,563,125	AA	559	564	99.11%	5	SDG (5)
The Shining Polaris (Heavy)	50,000,000	AAA	918	918	100%	0	"AAA" #12!!!
Trip Machine Climax (Heavy)	90,000,000	AAA	684	684	100%	0	"AAA" #195!!!
true... (radio edit) (Heavy)	49,019,870	AA	708	718	98.6%	10	-
true... (Trance Sunrise) (Heavy)	49,417,920	AA	671	676	99.26%	5	SDG (5)
Twilight Zone (Heavy)	49,659,720	AA	773	776	99.61%	3	SDG (3)
www.Blondegirl (Heavy)	50,000,000	AAA	518	518	100%	0	"AAA" #16!!!
Witch Doctor (Heavy)	49,466,480	AA	873	886	98.5%	13	Woo! This song rocks!
You Leave Me Alone (Heavy)	50,000,000	AAA	668	668	100%	0	"AAA" #212!!!
Yozora No Muko (Heavy)	49,851,260	AA	663	664	99.85%	1	SDG (1) Aaahhhh! 9-footer here!

Heavy Totals: 54 "AAA"s, 88 SDGs, 48 "AA"s
Highest Song Score: Fantasy (Heavy) - 79,353,770 (49,500,635 + 29,853,135 bonus)

A couple notes about the table... All songs are Heavy unless listed otherwise; I am not keeping track of Light and Standard scores to avoid clutter (and going crazy). The scores for all songs in DDRMax have a maximum value of 50,000,000 (which can only be achieved with a "AAA"), and then a bonus is added onto that score after the song is complete (for simplicity's sake, I have not listed the bonuses for each song). Any score over 50,000,000 comes from playing the same song on a different version of DDR, most likely DDRMax2 or DDR Extreme. "SDG" is an abbreviation for "single-digit greats", meaning that the player was within 9 Dance Points or fewer of getting a "AAA". SDGs are essentially a level between "AA"s and "AAA"s, since the latter are so rare. I am also using the words "Almost" and "Miss" instead of the word "Boo" to avoid any confusion.

This song is a fun 9-footer, one of the rare songs that I like to come from DDR 5th Mix. Broken My Heart moves along at a brisk 160bpm and throws a lot of different things at you: a sixteenth note pattern to start, a number of crossovers, lots of double steps in the middle of eighth note runs, and so on. It's not the easiest song, but I've always liked the music that went along with it. A good song to play.

Luv Unlimited! Definitely one of my favorite songs, Candy is a very fast (196bpm), very happy Japanese pop song which serves as the One More Extra Stage in this particular mix. It also happens to be the music that plays during the credits. The speed of this song makes it a fun 8-footer, even though it's packed with crossovers. You can spin in this song too, although that's tough to do. Playing this song makes me happy.

Now this is another very cool song. Ecstasy is a rather easy 7-footer, but the steps are written to accompany the music beautifully, making it highly entertaining to play. There are also two stops in the music to make it more interesting, the first one being two measures long and the second one four measures in length (this is where my friend Chris says the song "stops forever"). Ecstasy was one of the first songs that I learned how to do on Heavy, and it's still one that I play frequently. I also like this version much better than the remixed Ecstasy in 7th Mix.

This song comes from all the way back in 4th Mix days, but it's still a good one. Era starts out with short streams of eighth notes (flying along at 180bpm), then gradually extends them longer and longer until a slowdown to 90bpm (half-tempo) occurs at the halfway point. The rhythm synchs with the music during the slow section, then the tempo goes back to 180bpm and the long eighth note runs return, capped off by a final one of 63 notes in a row. A great workout to warm up for a DDR session.

Exotic Ethnic is one of the hardest songs in DDRMax, a blazing 9-footer racing along at 190bpm and packed with difficult eighth note patterns. If it were just the speed, the song wouldn't be too hard, but the eighth notes can only be done easily through constant turning of the body. Since I stink at these kind of crossovers, this song is tough. If that's not enough, this song has about a million freeze notes in it. Still, I do like this song, and the background music has a neat Indian theme, making extensive use of sitar. What's not to like about that?

All I can say is WOW. This is a VERY hard piece of music, and I am inordinately proud of myself for being able to get a "AA" on it. Healing Vision Angelic Mix starts out at an amazingly slow 49bpm (!) as the initial arrow pair slowly scrolls up to the top of the screen. As soon as you hit the first note, the song immediately speeds up to 196bpm with no break whatsoever and launches into a series of difficult eighth note runs. If you aren't prepared, you're likely to fail out within the first 10 measures. The song keeps pounding run after run at the player (many with double steps mixed in) with no chance to rest, until about 3/4 of the way through the song there is a stop in the music - for 1 beat! - followed by a devastating run of 128 straight eighth notes into the end of the song. Brutal, just brutal. Only the very talented will be able to dominate this song.

Can you say "gallops?" This song is quite fast at 180bpm, and anyone who can't do gallops will quickly be out of this 9-footer. Matsuri is probably one of my best songs in all of the DDR games, simply because there is exactly 1 crossover in the entire piece (right at the end), and I am very good at locking into the tempo and getting all of the steps. Matsui has a LOT of notes; 447 according to its step chart, so it's a test of endurance in many ways. Many long runs of eighths and/or gallops here. Lots of fun for those reasons.

Out of the dozens of Paranoias, this is probably my favorite. Paranoia Evolution flies along at 200bpm the whole way and doesn't try to do anything real tricky, just firing run after run of eighth notes at the player. Many of them have double steps in them, and a lot start on off-beats too (fun). Although this is one of the hardest songs in DDRMax, for some reason it's only an 8-footer? OK, sure, but it's a tough one.

Rhythm and Police is one of the most popular DDR songs of all time; apparently this was the theme song music to an obscure Japanese TV police show. In any case, this fast (170bpm) 9-footer has nothing but gallops and crossovers strung throughout its length, making it one of my worst songs in this mix. It has the distinction of being the last song in DDRMax that I got an "A" on, which should give you an indication of the difficulty. Love the background music for the song though, very upbeat and catchy.

Ahh, the most difficult and only 10-footer in DDRMax. In fact, Max300 was the first-ever 10-footer and is also the song for which the entire game is named. With that in mind, you know it has to be a doozy of a song. The actual steps in Max300 are pretty simple, nothing but a series of eighth note runs, but the speed is a whole different issue. 300bpm is freakin' FAST! No other song in this mix tops 200bpm, so Max300 is fully half again as fast as anything else. If the song were Max250, it would be pretty easy, but speed kills on this one. Even though some of the newer 10s are (significantly) more difficult, this will always remain a classic. Dedicated practice is the only way to beat this one.

The next page is pretty similar, only about DDRMax2.