Of course this was all before I actually got into the game, the real test would be when I let my girlfriend take the pad out for a few rounds. After playing through the first song she informed me that she felt a significant improvement in the performance and feel of the pad. The solid base gave her more stability while the raised arrows ensured that she would make clean contact each and every time. I decided to try out the pad for myself and I could instantly feel the improvement. I’m not exactly adept at DDR so I tend to drag my feet across the mat instead of making clean and precise steps. This is one of the primary factors that causes the mat to crumple up beneath me, forcing the contacts to overlap and causing the pad to go haywire. I’ve reviewed four DDR games before
DDR Extreme and this is happened to me with every single pad I’ve had. But this all changed with the Red Octane pad, I never ran into any problems and the mat remained stationary throughout the duration of my playing time. In fact, the pad actually made me a much better player because the raised steps helped guide me through the experience.
And if you’re like me you’ll see instant results. Before this pad arrived, I had trouble keeping up with my girlfriend, but afterwards I was able to gain some decent scores on the standard setting which was a huge improvement. Also, the pad is a bit larger than most of the competing products. This is a huge blessing if you have huge feet like me. With the other pads, my feet kept inadvertently hitting the arrows when I was trying to stand in the middle of the pad. It got to the point where I actually had to stand off to the side of the pad when selecting a song because the mat would go haywire. I never ran into this problem with the RO Pad because there was enough space for me to stand on without inadvertently hitting the contacts.
Previously the DDR games have been relegated to the PS2 and PSOne, but Konami has started to cater to the Xbox crowd in recent years. To accommodate this addition, the Red Octane pad is multi-platform and works with the PS2
and the Xbox. This is an excellent design decision that’s practical and provides you more bang for your buck. You won’t have to deal with multiple cords either; the device features one long cord that splits off into two connectors, one for the PS2 and one for the Xbox. As another nice addition, the pad retains the two slots found on the Xbox controller. This allows you to retain the memory card and headset functionality without having to plug in a second controller.
I received my review unit directly from Red Octane, but you can purchase the pad at most GameStop stores around the nation. The local one here in Rancho Cucamonga stocks them while the one over in Montclair has a fairly large supply of them as well. I also remember seeing them over at the GameStop over in San Francisco at the Serra Monte mall. With that said, the pad is pretty much available all over the country so you won’t have any difficulties finding it at retail outlets. If you live out in the boonies, like in Ashland, Ore. you can still order the pad online if you choose but I have a feeling that the mall over in Medford stocks them as well.
After you see the price tag you’ll probably start questioning whether or not it’s really worth the price. The same notion popped up into my head until this situation played itself out in my head; every time I take my girlfriend to the Arcade she spends 75 cents to play three songs (50 cents if I’m lucky) and she generally plays about three or four rounds. Let’s say we go to the Arcade three times a week, that’s about $36 a month on average. After three months of wasting quarters I would have enough money to purchase another dance pad. Sure you’re paying more for the Red Octane pad than you would for the competitor’s pads, but this is a situation where you really get what you pay for. If you ask us it’s a true no-brainer; buying the Red Octane Pad is like getting the luxury of a Rolls Royce for the price of a Honda Civic. It’s a true steal and a must-have for any true DDR fan.
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If you’re a true DDR geek, there’s a chance that the name Red Octane will ring a bell. Not only is it the company responsible for starting this whole online game renting craze, but it’s also the sole producer of the best dance pad on the market. Early incarnations of the mat were basic, but featured solid construct that did an excellent job of recreating the Arcade experience in the confines of the living room. Today we’ve received the newest iteration of the Red Octane dance pad and if you’re a Dance Dance Revolution fan, it’s the only pad you need to own.
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