Line #10 VideoGame/DanceMasters


1	[[quoteright:300:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/dance_master_girl_217.jpg]]
2	[[caption-width-right:300:Prepare!]]
3	''Dance Masters'' (AKA ''Dance Evolution'' outside of America) combines the songs of the ''VideoGame/DanceDanceRevolution'' series, with the general movements of Para Para dancers, and announcers that must commentate on everything. ''Dance Masters'' is Creator/{{Konami}}'s foray with using the Platform/{{Xbox 360}}'s new Kinect device. The game is deceptively simple: follow the on-screen commands using your whole body. But like ''DDR'', simple does not mean easy.
4
5	While it may have been eclipsed in popularity in North America by its competition (the highly-established ''VideoGame/JustDance'', and Harmonix's ''VideoGame/DanceCentral''), ''Dance Masters'' was popular enough on the Xbox 360 in Japan to spawn an updated arcade version in 2012, ''Dance Evolution Arcade'' (which is played pretty much like the Xbox 360 version, right down to its use of Kinect, though connected to a PC instead of course)
6
7	Unfortunately for ''Arcade'' players, [=eAMUSEMENT=] service for it was discontinued after August 31, 2016. Fortunately, "offline kits" were made available to arcades carrying ''Arcade'' machines earlier that month, so that they can continue to run the game without [=eAMUSEMENT=] service.
8	----
9	!! Prepare... for tropes:
10	* AnnouncerChatter: Still around.
11	* DownloadableContent: Alt. Clothing packs and a Master mode Difficulty.
12	* {{Fanservice}}: The mirrored mini dress.
13	* HarderThanHard: Stealth mode. No markers are shown at all: instead, you must match the on-screen model the whole way in fear of missing a judgment.
14	** Master Mode. Like the Extreme mode but it feels how Insane Difficulty of ''VideoGame/OsuTatakaeOuendan'' and Hard ROCK Difficulty of ''VideoGame/EliteBeatAgents'' does minus the flipped icons.
15	* LevelGrinding: In the arcade version, Chocolate Smile and TA・DA ☆ YO・SHI start with only the Light difficulty unlocked, and you have to play Light difficulty once, then keep playing the game to fill up a meter to unlock the harder difficulties progressively. Later songs fix this slightly by having difficulties up to Extreme pre-unlocked; you only have to grind for Master and Stealth.
16	* MarketBasedTitle: Known as ''Dance Evolution'' outside North America.
17	* NintendoHard: The harder difficulties can feel this way.
18	** The ''entire game'' can feel this way compared to its Western rivals, especially as its routines tend to be more complex and/or involved relative to their position on the difficulty scale. For example, [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H-_eoybO5NM this]] is ''Just Dance 3'' 's routine to ''Hey Mickey (Hawaii version)''. [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oSpygpBEc7Q This]] is Dance Master's version.
19	* RecycledSoundtrack: Much of the game's soundtrack came from other ''VideoGame/DanceDanceRevolution'' games (particularly the Hottest Party games and X in most cases). The Arcade version carries on with this, but also adds more J-pop licenses and a few more crossovers.
20	** [[RequiredSpinoffCrossover Yes]], [[VideoGame/{{jubeat}} FLO]][[VideoGame/ReflecBeat WER]] [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8ZtiUZG6Izw is there too.]]
21	* RhythmGame
22	* SexyWhateverOutfit: The mirrored dress looks like it's based on a disco ball.
23	* SpiritualSuccessor: Primarily to ''VideoGame/ParaParaParadise'', a similarly motion-based, but short-lived dance game that used an array of 5 infrared beams for sensing. The game was ahead of its time, given its use of the "mirror the on-screen dancer" concept that most motion-controlled dance games use (but combined with the arrow paradigm of ''DDR''). A few songs from ''Para Para Paradise'' ("Yesterday", "Night of Fire", and "CAN'T STOP FALLIN' IN LOVE (super euro version)") made it to ''Dance Masters'' and/or ''Evolution'', with Para Para-esque routines too.
24	** In 2012, Konami released "Rhythm Party" (a.k.a. "Boom Boom Dance" in Japan) as an Xbox Live Arcade title. While still using Kinect, this game however, has more of a "freestyle" feel, as the goal is to simply hit targets when balls fly into them to the music.
25	** The game is this to ''VideoGame/DanceDanceRevolution''; according to Naoki, since you ''actually dance''.

Context VideoGame / DanceMasters