Get "In the Groove" with RedOctane @ Gaming Target

Written by John Scalzo on March 04, 2005

News: A new kind of dance game for your PS2.

RedOctane, a maker of PS2 dance pads, has teamed up with Roxor Games to bring In the Groove to the PS2. Not surprisingly, RedOctane describes In the Groove as "a new kind of dance game" and they describe much better than a dance game virgin like myself could:

While maintaining the same addictive game play of popular dance titles, In the Groove offers innovations in step choreography - hands, mines, and quads will have players making new kinds of moves never seen anywhere else before. Hands means a player must hit the designated arrows with their hands and with mines, there are red "landmines" that at a glance may appear to be arrows, but must be avoided at all costs. With quads, players may have to use all two hands and feet to hit each of the arrows simultaneously. In the Groove features more than 70 songs including four not currently found in the arcade version of In the Groove. Original titles include Utopia, Xuxa, Zodiac, and Oasis. The music selection reflects fan requests and brings in a new, more Western techno sound.

"The popularity of our award winning dance pads has demonstrated the enthusiasm gamers have for active video games," stated John Tam, game producer at RedOctane. "In the Groove is an incredible leap forward in dance games with the arrow modifiers providing fun, variety, customization, and challenge to players of all skill levels - including the hardest of the hardcore. In the Groove was created by Roxor who, as die-hard fans really drove the development of this project. Many features were designed to make the game easier to learn yet challenging at the highest level of skill."

RedOctane also revealed a list of modes and features:

Game Modes
Battle Mode: Challenge a friend or the computer to an all-out competition in Battle Mode. In this mode, as you score better throughout a song, you will unleash modifiers on your competitors screen. The better you do, the harder it will be for your competitor to keep up and vice versa!

Marathon Mode: Play four or five songs in a row with no breaks in-between. Watch out! Some Marathons also feature arrow modifiers that will affect your game play.

Fitness Mode: This mode helps you stay in shape by developing an In the Groove exercise routine and tracking the amount of calories you burn. You can choose between 1 Player, 2 Player, or Double Fitness Modes.

Tutorial Mode: This is a great way for new players to familiarize themselves with the game.

Features

Over 70 brand new songs from proven talent and new independent artists, covering a wide variety of genres.

Over 550 new step patterns from step artists in the dance community.

50+ modifier options, including 20+ new arrow modifiers for creative challenges.

3 styles of play: One Player, Two Player, or Double-Pad.

Up to 5 difficulty levels per song to accommodate all players from beginners to experts.

Innovations in step choreography- mines, hands, and quads will have you making new kinds of moves.

Finally, here are the first four screenshots of the game.