Dance Dance Revolution: Hottest Party 3 (Wii)

DANCE DANCE REVOLUTION HOTTEST PARTY 3 is the third DDR title to come out for the Nintendo Wii, adding new songs to dance to and a handful of new features, the most significant of which is a mode that lets players use the Wii Balance Board instead of the included dance mat. Instead of stepping on and off the board, players lean in the four directions to simulate hip-shaking and butt-wiggling dance moves. Like prior games in this series, Hottest Part 3 also incorporates arm movements via the motion-sensitive controllers. For those unfamiliar with how dancing games work, players must move to the beat of the song by responding to the arrows and other symbols that scroll up the screen.

Although the balance board integration might seem gimmicky or forced, it's actually quite fun. Players who aren't quite up for the intensity and agility required to perform moves on the dance mat can still get their groove on using the balance board without even having to lift their feet simply by shifting their weight around. Some songs feature the actual music video playing in the background - a rarity in DDR games, which have historically used abstract animated sequences instead. Although video quality is quite grainy, it's a nice touch. With eight modes - including a workout mode that can also incorporate the balance board, a relaxed mode , a beginner's tutorial mode, and a hypermove mode for advanced players - there's plenty to do and unlock.