DDR is a very simple game in concept. There is a stage with four arrows in the cardinal directions: up, down, left, and right (though in some versions, there are 6 arrows including up-left and up-right), on which the player steps in accordance with the matching arrow step pattern on the screen. This game first appeared in Japan in Fall of 1998, and since then has spawned 10 years of arcade releases as well as various home versions and offshoots (included mixes dedicated to one band such as with Dancing Stage: True Kiss Destination or Dreams Come True). Over time, the series expanded to use memory cards from the Sony Playstation to store high scores as well as user-created step patterns (created in the home Playstation versions of Dance Dance Revolution). From DDR Supernova, this would be replaced with the eAmuse system for scores, and edit data functionality was lost until DDRX, for which USB clip drives with data stored from the home versions on PS2 could be used with the system.

DDR Stage

The player stands on a metal stage in front of the main screen/unit. There are four arrows on each player's side (the four cardinal directions) on which the player can step. On the screen, arrows matching the direction of the arrows on the stage will scroll on the screen. When the moving arrows line up with the stationary arrow "casting" at the top of the screen, the player (should) step on the corresponding arrow. The arrows scroll up (or down) the screen amidst psychadelic backgrounds/dancing characters (and in the newer mixes, animated movies).

DDR Screen

After selecting your music, it's time to play. When the scrolling arrows overlap the stationary arrows, you then step on the corresponding arrow on the platform. The scrolling of the arrows goes with the music for the most part, though some tempo changes and even pauses in the song are not uncommon. At the end of the song, you are given a breakdown of your performance (the accuracy of your steps, which is graded (worst to best) "MISS", "BOO", "GOOD", "GREAT", "PERFECT!" and "MARVELOUS!!"), and your final letter grade (not every mix grades you the same way, though), which, in recent mixes anyway, ranges from "E" (fail) up to "A", "AA" (high percentage of accurate steps), or even "AAA" (All Perfects). Note that in later mixes, even the AAA is broken down into grades (All Perfects or better, All Marvelous, etc.), and the "F" grade was only ever seen in the home version of the original DDR mix. That's pretty much it! You have now learned the basics of DDR.