Wii Games that use the DDR Dance Pad / Dance Mat Controller

In many ways, the company that brought "exergaming" into the mainstream has been Konami. In 1998, they introduced a new arcade game called "Dance Dance Revolution". It was one of the first mainstream games that involved not just exercise of the thumbs, hands, and wrists but the whole body. It was such a simple concept--move your feet to match on-screen arrows moving to the pace of pop music--but it was as addictive as a video game as as effective as the best aerobic workout in the gym.

Fast forward to 2006. Nintendo introduced the Wii which also ended up reversing a trend of video games turning kids and grown-ups into flabby couch potatoes. Suddenly, every video game company started producing games that focused not just on fun but on getting exercise.

Konami ported DDR to the Wii, but was a little late to the game as far as producing fitness games. But in the coming months, they'll be making up for lost time in a big way by introducing a number of new titles which make use of the good old DDR dance pad.

Here are the upcoming games which will use the Dance Pad with their release dates. Click on any link to see the product on Amazon.Com.

Walk It Out (October 20, 2009). This game will be an exercise title which focuses on walking or step exercising using your DDR Dance Mat controller. It'll feature a huge "virtual" world that you can walk through and a rich music soundtrack.

Dance Dance Revolution Hottest Party 3 Bundle (October 27, 2009). This game will be the sequel to Dance Dance Revolution. The biggest improvements will be a much improved music soundtrack and optional support for the Wii Balance Board.

Ultimate Party Challenge (November 3, 2009). This game will be a set of over 40 minigames, many of which use the DDR Dance Mat controller. From early screens, it looks like this will in part be a response to Namco Bandai's Active Life series of games, which itself introduced its own mat controller. Here's hoping this competition is a good thing, and Konami will step up to the challenge of making high quality mini-games.

Many of these games will support multiple players, so if you already have DDR, you can either get the game alone or find the game bundled with a dance mat so you can play together with friends and family.

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