Dance Dance Revolution is a popular rhythm arcade game that has received many different versions. In the arcade, you have a sturdy dance platform with arrows that you have to step on, based on on-screen arrows. For home console releases, the games were usually bundled with a much cheaper folding dance mat. You can technically use a controller, but that’s not in the spirit of the games, so while I didn’t use the official dance mat, I still used a dance mat.

While Disney Dancing Museum came out at the same time as Dance Dance Revolution Disney Mix, this isn’t a port of the arcade game, but is more a custom built version for the N64, featuring a different set of songs. I was expecting this to mean that we’d get a bunch of MIDI songs, but these are proper audio, some with vocals (a mixture of Japanese and English). The quality is passable, which is an achievement for fitting it on an N64 cartridge. They’re mainly a mixture of classic songs and unique songs (so, no popular songs like the Arcade and PlayStation).

The gameplay itself is DDR, it works well. From what I’ve read, people have said that this version is more kid-friendly and easy compared to other DDR games, which meant I could actually finish songs (I’m truly awful at rhythm games). You play three songs in a row and then you get credits, which is how the series worked in arcades, but doesn’t make a lot of sense for a home console release.

Disney Dancing Museum does have an exclusive mode, which features a second track to follow. This consists of a single large bar, and you have to either press the Z button or flick the analogue stick on the controller (plugged into port 2) when the bar reaches the top. It feels a bit awkward holding a controller while playing a DDR game, but it’s still a nice alternative way to play.

Fun

You can laugh all you like – this Disney-based dancing game was by far the most popular N64 title on display at last August’s Spaceworld show in Tokyo with crowds of Japanese tots queuing up to stamp and jive in time with Mickey and his friends.

N64 Magazine #51

Remake or remaster?

Not this one, but I think it’s strange that there isn’t a current console Dance Dance Revolution (and hasn't since the Wii era) – I think it could work great as a single “hub” where you buy additional packs separately.

Official ways to get the game.

There is no official way to play Dance Dance Revolution Disney Dancing Museum.