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The two-player dance platform used in the arcade version of Dance Dance Revolution.

Dance platform for PlayStation version of DDR, with a hand controller in the lower left square for scale

A dance pad, also known as a dance mat or dance platform, is a flat electronic game controller used for input in dance games. Most dance pads are divided into a 3×3 matrix of square panels for the player to stand on, with some or all of the panels corresponding to directions or actions within the game. Some dance pads also have extra buttons outside of the main stepping area, such as "Start" and "Select". Pairs of dance pads are often joined side-by-side for certain gameplay modes.

Popular arcade games such as Dance Dance Revolution, In The Groove, and Pump It Up use large steel dance platforms connected to the arcade cabinet, whereas console versions usually use soft plastic pads. These home pads are specifically made for systems such as the GameCube, PlayStation, or Xbox, but can also be used in computer simulators such as StepMania through the use of special adapters.

• "Soft" pads are thin and made of plastic. They generally cost $10-$20 USD. They are good for beginners to dance games or casual use, but they have a tendency to move around and wrinkle up during gameplay (unless "modded", such as by gluing or taping them to the top of a piece of plywood or the bottom of a transparent office chair mat). They are not usually durable and may wear out easily, but for light use they are quite fitting. Manufacturers of soft pads include Konami, BNSUSA BUYNSHOP.com, RedOctane, Intec, MadKatz, MyMyBox, Naki International, and Nintendo (Action Pad).^[1] OEM manufacturers include Topway (manufacturer of RedOctane pads), Futime, and many others.

Some soft pads contain stiff foam inserts of the dense or hard varieties to provide more stability and durability. The inserts usually ship as three or six puzzle pieces (to allow for a smaller box) which fit together using a dovetail joint and slide into the dance pad, which then zips closed around the foam. Certain brands of foam pads put raised plastic sections under the directional buttons to allow them to be more easily felt by a player's feet, so as to help keep him centered on the pad. These pads generally cost between $40 and $100.

It is also possible to modify a pad by attaching it to a hard surface and optionally covering it with clear material; this can increase pad life and keep it from slipping around.

• "Hard" pads are usually constructed with metal (and sometimes wood) for durability, and usually come with a raised bar behind the player. Arcade machines use very durable metal pads that are designed for heavy use. Other hard pads can be purchased for home use with a video game system; the prices can be around US$100 to $300 ($200-$600 for double pads) - $700 to $1000+ online. Manufacturers of hard pads include DDRgame, Cobalt Flux, MyMyBox, and RedOctane.

Problems are often encountered when attempting to use a PlayStation pad with a computer simulator. Most PlayStation-PC adapters will not register Up and Down, or Left and Right, simultaneously initially, although they are common "jumps" in dance games. This is because normal PlayStation games do not require such input, and because D-pads are not usually designed to physically permit such input. StepMania's website has a section concerning adapter compatibility[1]. It should be noted that although these converters may work on a PC, to date, these convertors will not work with consoles that have built in USB ports such as the Playstation 3 and the Xbox 360.

Purchasers of home pads should be aware of the number and arrangement of active arrow panels that are required by the game(s) they want to play. Although most commercial pads have four arrow panels (DDR/In The Groove), some have five (Pump It Up), six (Dance Dance Revolution Solo), eight (Dance:UK), (MC Groovz Dance Craze), or nine (Technomotion).

Homebrew DDR pad

Not satisfied with the cost and/or reliability of factory assembled metal dance pads, many players construct their own dance pad. Using common materials (such as plywood, sheet metal, and acrylic glass or polycarbonate) found at local hardware stores, do-it-yourselfers are able to construct a pad that is often much more durable than factory built hard pads. Furthermore, the homebrew pads are easy to repair because they use common parts. Most homebrew pads must be wired up to a standard controller for the system it is being used for (GameCube, PlayStation, Xbox, or computer), but some have custom electronics built from scratch. The most common design uses metal contacts to act as switches, but some novel ideas have been proposed, such as the use of optical, pressure, vibration, or proximity sensors.[2][3]

Many players opt to modify their existing soft pads due to the immense amount of work needed to create a homebrew metal pad. Most of the time, players will take plywood sheets and staple it to their soft pads. This effectively cures wrinkling.[4]

Some games that can be played with dance pads do not involve pressing the arrow buttons on the pad to keep with the rhythm of a song:

• Many games developed for the NES Power Pad
• Breakthrough Gaming Presents: Axel
• The minigames of Dance Dance Revolution: Mario Mix
• Kraft Rocking the Boat
• Kraft Soccer Striker
• Kraft Virtual Dojo
• Step Maze
• Exult - using Dance Pad Walking controller mod
• DDR-A-Mole, a game similar to Whac-A-Mole ^[2]

Byrne, Michelle. "Console players win on their points" - An article about 'keep-fit' women buying dance pads to help with losing weight. Western Mail, 2004.