You have probably heard of the arcade dancing game called DDR that uses four arrows on the floorboard (Dance Dance Revolution), however, there is a bit more complicated version of it called PUMP that uses four arrows and one PUMP at the middle. Every year in South Korea the “World Pump it Up Festival” is hosted, where participants all over the world come together in one stage and perform the best they can in points, originality, dual and single performances in front of thousands of people and its judges going for the prize money and recognition. Participants may choose whichever part of their body (hands, feet, knee, elbow, head, doesn’t matter as long as it is done) as their weapon to pressing one or more of the five buttons on the floorboard.
It is easier when the task is only pressing those buttons with your feet (like I would do), but freestyle which lets the participant choose its dance moves to get the job done are the hardest to accomplish. Freestyle in this tournament is categorized in single or more participants using both of the floorboards.
The only place I have seen the PUMP game is at Dave & Buster’s in the United States. But, take in mind that more entertaining and interesting games that are similar to using your body to dance are available in Asia that I haven’t seen in the US but actually one in Guatemala in the Concepcion shopping mall (which by the way does not work properly :S). There are dancing games that require your hands or arms for body movement with a sensor that is attached to the game at the top and bottom. There are other dancing games that have sensors around the floor board that only sense your hand movements, so your feet are there to freestyle themselves. You might look a bit awkward only dancing by moving your arms if you know what I mean.
These dancing games give players a chance to come up with their own dance moves, show them around, and have fun. Who plays more arcade games than Asians?
