Dance Dance Revolution: Disney Mix

Best For: Ages 4 and Up
ESRB Rating: E for Everyone
Genre: Music/Rhythm
Available For: Television
# of Players: 1 per game
Fun Factor: 4 out of 5

Konami's Dance Dance Revolution (DDR) series is one of the finest video games available for kids because it gets them off of the couch and on their feet for some challenging fancy footwork. It also works well to make adults feel and look really silly. The idea is simple: A special controller has buttons for up, down, left, and right. As arrows fly up to a bar at the top of the screen, players use their feet to hit the arrows and are judged based on timing and rhythm. It's terrific! But DDR has typically come at a high price: You need an expensive console system, a dance mat controller, and the game itself. For parents who own an Xbox or PlayStation 2, we highly recommend the DDR games available for both. Parents with a GameCube or the new Nintendo Wii system should look for DDR Mario Mix for their younger kids, but parents on a budget or who don't have a video game system, Konami fulfills your dancing needs with a new line of affordable and decent self-contained versions for younger kids.

Best for kids over four years and under seven, DDR Disney Mix (and the other versions based on Strawberry Shortcake and more) are simplistic low-tech versions of the same addictive gameplay. The game comes with a small round dance mat that plugs directly into your TV's audio and video inputs (the red, white, yellow plugs). The game is inside the mat and a couple AA batteries are also required (a wall plug would have been preferable). Then, on the TV, you get a very low-tech version of DDR with simple sound and basic gameplay. The Disney one is jam-packed with familiar tunes from the house of mouse like the "Mickey Mouse Club March" and "It's a Small World." (Disney is the parent company of FamilyFun.com.)

Parents take note: This version of the game isn't anywhere near the quality of the console versions. It's missing 2-player mode, most of the cool features, and the fitness mode found in other DDR games. But, it's far more little kid friendly. Also, DDR fans will be disappointed in the poor, tinny, music quality. But the low price point (MSRP $29.99) makes it worth recommending to parents curious about the phenomenon or on a strict budget.

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