With the “Guitar Hero” and “Rock Band” franchises dropping high-profile installments this season, it's easy to forget about their spiritual predecessor in the rhythm game realm: “Dance Dance Revolution.” The series' latest release, “Hottest Party 2,” gives players a few reasons to remember.

Konami's foot-stomping series found a new realm for innovation on the Wii, where the motion-sensing Wiimote and Nunchuk made possible four-limbed dance moves in “Dance Dance Revolution: Hottest Party.” Its sequel, “Hottest Party 2,” faces the same struggle with this control scheme. The Wiimote and Nunchuk are limited in their sensory abilities, so the only hand gestures players need perform are quick flicks of the wrist in tandem with the series' traditional foot steps. It's a novel addition to “Revolution's” dynamic, but a faintly exciting one.

The core game play of the “Revolution” series remains intact enough in “Hottest Party 2” to retain as much fun as the game offered when it debuted about 10 years ago. “Revolution” play consists of four lanes up which arrows travel. When an arrow reaches the top, players must step in its direction on the dance pad that comes with “Hottest Party 2.” Even series novices will learn their way around the pad with little difficulty.

But when comparing more than one “Revolution” game, players have little ground aside from song selection. The soundtrack of “Hottest Party 2” contains its share of standouts and guilty pleasures, such as Michael Jackson's “Black or White” and Rihanna's “Umbrella.” (Other songs are more subject to personal taste, such as “Tribulations” by LCD Soundsystem and “D.A.N.C.E.” by Justice, both of which I will dance to all day).

One key addition to “Hottest Party 2” is the tricky directional notes that unpredictably bounce across each direction's lane before hitting the top. Along with newly introduced triple stomp moves, the unpredictable steps mix up the game play to make “Hottest Party 2” a steeper challenge for “Revolution” veterans. Players can experience the slightly revitalized game play in single-player and multiplayer modes, including Dance n' Defend Mode, where players can accrue offensive moves after hitting a succession of steps and use those attacks against an opponent. Fit-minded players may try the workout mode, where they can track the calories they burn with each dance step.

The shortcomings of “Hottest Party 2” reflect mostly those of the Wii itself. There is no online play, which hardly surprises given the system's underdeveloped online capabilities. The Wiimote and Nunchuk moves are yet another example of the controllers' narrow motion-sensing power, which Nintendo's MotionPlus add-on promises to remedy when it's released next spring. Until those real-time moves can be realized, there's plenty worth dancing for in “Hottest Party 2.”

David Wilcox

253-5311 ext. 245

david.wilcox@lee.net