Dance Dance Revolution: Pikmin Mix

Dance Dance Revolution: Pikmin Mix, known also as Pik Pik Revolution, Dance Dance Pikvolution, and Dance Dance Revolution: Pikmix, among many other names, is a fanon Pikmin rhythm game made by Cheepy-Cheepy.

Plot
After investing in dance lessons as a business venture for Hocotate Freight, the President sends Olimar and Louie to PNF-404 in the ship to test the power of dance in a world fraught with danger while also searching for and collecting treasures to compensate for spent funds. After arriving on the planet, Olimar and Louie reunite with various Pikmin species as they travel through various environments with them, surviving encounters with the planet's deadly wildlife and perilous landscapes merely by dancing. They venture through grassy plains, a lush jungle, a sandy beach, a crumbling city, and finally the remains of a dance club, all while collecting treasures. The leaders leave after finding and recovering the Glorious Transducer, a golden loudspeaker worth many Pokos, from a fallen Funky Long Legs.

Throughout the adventure, the ship has problems with its memory storage devices but tries its best to inform the two leaders of any news it can find to help them. This comes in the form of general information and advice, as well as presenting promotional advertisements for useful products they can purchase using the Pokos gained from sold music-related treasures. Because of its memory problems, the Hocotate ship can only store any intergalactic information it receives for a few in-game days, meaning that opportunities to purchase items from a select set do not last long.

=Gameplay= The entirety of Dance Dance Revolution: Pikmin Mix gameplay, barring progressing through menus, consists of inputting the required directions, left, up, down, and right, when prompted during songs and minigames. These indicators are often in the form of arrows but may be different in certain modes. During songs, the arrows are arranged into four lanes, in the specified aforementioned order, but for minigames, this varies. Higher difficulties introduce new challenges and necessitate new techniques to overcome them, and often require a fast reaction time.

Depending on the game mode, the game supports one to two players. The former is called "solo" while the latter is called "dance-off".

Options
The following can be accessed after the title screen, from the options menu.


 * Sound: choose surround, stereo, or mono sound. Stereo is the default option.
 * Rumble: toggle the Joy-Con and Pro Controller rumbling.
 * Pikmin: toggle the commentative Pikmin voices during songs and on their grading screens and the results screens of minigames.
 * Help: toggle the explanations of Pik Mode modifiers before songs that have them, and minigames before they start.
 * Timing: adjust the input timing of steps, in seconds.
 * Dance Gauge: adjust how much the Dance Gauge depletes upon missing a step in Jam Session. The higher the level, the more it drops.
 * Calories: adjust how burned calories are calculated, by either all steps or hit steps.

Achievements
The following rewards achievements:


 * Unlock a new song and minigame;
 * Complete Story Mode and Story Mode EX at a selected difficulty without altering it;
 * Amass combos of one hundred, two hundred, and three hundred;
 * Get each song ranking;
 * Earn perfect scores on half and then all songs on a chosen difficulty.

Records
In this menu, view the grade and points for every song at every difficulty with and without Pik Mode enabled in Jam Session, as well as the top five best overall performances in either Story Mode variant with the same circumstances.

Alternative modes
Story Mode EX almost identical to the standard Story Mode, but features exclusive songs that replace some present in the standard Story Mode, and some secret songs that are made available only by purchasing them with Pokos. After completing Story Mode EX for the first time on any difficulty, the President is permanently unlocked as a playable character.

Jam Session allows any song that has been played in either Story Mode variant to be replayed at any difficulty and with Pik Mode enabled or disabled. If desired, the player can record their weight, and when playing using a dance pad, the number of calories they burn during gameplay will be kept on record in their in-game profile.

Minigames allows replaying any minigame that has been played in either Story Mode variant. This is the only alternative game mode to support only one player. Minigames are shared between Story Mode and Story Mode EX and occur in the same order. In either Story Mode variant, minigames provide Pokos, which are used to purchase items when prompted to by the ship. Also in either Story Mode variant, with two players, only one volunteering player may play a presented minigame, although both players may choose to skip the minigame.

Difficulty
When starting a session of Story Mode or Story Mode EX or while browsing songs in Jam Session, it is possible to choose their difficulty. Each difficulty introduces more steps in more complicated sequences. All difficulties are available by default.


 * Easy includes only left and right steps.
 * Normal includes basic cardinal steps.
 * Hard songs average under two hundred steps, and common patterns appear in step sequences.
 * Ultra-bitter songs often have over two hundred steps. Complicated patterns that require the shuffling of feet and moving off of the dance mat's center occur.
 * Ultra-spicy every song has an average of around two hundred fifty steps. Offbeat steps also occur.

In Story Mode, the difficulty chosen stays permanent through every song unless a Cool-It bottle is used.

Dance Gauge
The Dance Gauge is a meter that appears in the upper left corner of the screen at the start of each song and remains there until the song ends. If a second player is present, their Dance Gauge appears on the opposite side and at the same height. Its purpose is to measure a player's performance during a song. The Dance Gauge has a maximum capacity of ten flowers, each song starting with five, although this can be changed through the use of various items in either Story Mode variant.

As well- or perfectly-times steps are made, the Dance Gauge fills; likewise, it depletes as steps are missed. In Story Mode, the amount the Dance Gauge depletes upon misstepping increases, but in Jam Session, this amount is determined by that specified in the options menu.

While the Dance Gauge is at two or fewer flowers, it flashes red, and when the Dance Gauge fully depletes, the song automatically ends, a "failed" message is presented, and an "F" ranking is given for the song. Whether the song ends automatically can be determined by the current mode; it ends automatically in either Story Mode variant and does not in Jam Session. A failed song can be attempted indefinitely until it is cleared, and in either Story Mode variant, must be cleared to progress.

Steps
Each step in a song gets a grade that determines the overall score for the song by giving points for each step.


 * Perfect the step was timed extremely well, if not perfectly. When the step is made on the mark, it flashes white; otherwise, it flashes yellow. Regardless, the maximum amount of points is given and the Dance Gauge fills.
 * Great the step was timed satisfactorily. Half the maximum amount of points is given and the Dance Gauge fills.
 * Early/Late the step was done too soon or too late, but not missed. No points are given, but the Dance Gauge stays as is.
 * Miss the step was missed completely. No points are given, and the Dance Gauge depletes.

Getting more than one consecutive great and perfect step not only fills the Dance Gauge but also causes a combo to be displayed and increment positively for each great or perfect step made thereafter. Upon getting a combo of one hundred steps, Pikmin can be heard exclaiming excitedly, and fiery text reading "FEVER!" is displayed under the combo text. Misstepping, by either stepping too early or late or not at all, terminates an active combo.

As a song plays, a small crowd of Pikmin can be heard reacting to the player's current performance level, although this can be disabled in the options menu. Depending on the Dance Gauge's capacity, the Pikmin can be heard reacting encouragingly for poor performances or positively for good performances.

Songs
When a song is cleared, a grade, determined by the grades of every step taken during that song, is given. When enabled in the options menu, a crowd of Pikmin can be heard reacting more positively and intensely to better grades than to worse grades.


 * A few, if any, missteps were made.
 * B very few missteps were made.
 * C some missteps were made.
 * D many missteps were made.
 * F a significant amount of missteps were made.

Pik Mode
Pik Mode is the '-themed twist to the standard ' gameplay. Pikmin enemies, and some items, replace some steps and must be hit or avoided, or serve as overall detriments during a song. Pik Mode is enforced by default in either Story Mode variant but can be disabled in the options menu and is optional in Jam Session. Pik Mode is unavailable for songs in easy difficulty. In harder difficulties, songs commonly have two simultaneous Pik Mode modifiers and often have two or more instances of a modifier appearing at once.


 * Dwarf Bulborb functions as a normal step, but missing it reduces the Dance Gauge more than missing a normal step does and causes a bite mark to appear briefly on the arrow it passed.


 * Anode Beetle requires two steps to clear. When hit initially, it moves a full space below its original position, and must then be hit again to clear. Getting a white-flash perfect on the second hit makes it fall and perfect-clear the first note it hits.


 * Wogpole/Mitite functions as a normal step, but curves onto the lanes and can move between them.


 * Iridescent Glint Beetle moves faster than other steps and can switch lanes. When hit, subsequent normal steps change into Pokos for a limited time that can be reduced or extended depending on the grading of the time it was hit. Each Poko rewards two Pokos when stepped.


 * Breadbug quickly changes the position of a step before disappearing. Breadbugs usually change a step's position once it reaches halfway up its lane but may sometimes do so later than that.


 * Speargrub when stepped, reduces the Dance Gauge more than missing a normal step does but does not reduce the Dance Gauge when missed. It may move slowly or quickly.


 * Boulder an Armored Cannon Beetle Larva aligns itself at the bottom of a lane, facing upwards, and spits boulders that replace steps normally in their position. It may switch lanes before firing another boulder. Boulders may move slowly or quickly, and stepping on them reflects them at the Armored Cannon Beetle Larva that spat them. It takes three boulders to kill one and misstepping a boulder reduces the Dance Gauge much more than missing a normal step does.


 * Crystal nodule a Skutterchuck lobs a crystal nodule before disappearing. The crystal nodule replaces steps, and missing them reduces the Dance Gauge much more than missing a normal step does. In dance-offs, crystal nodules are passed between the lanes of both players and timed with a step that would normally be there. If when missed, a crystal nodule will still be passed to the other side after depleting the Dance Gauge it hit.


 * Empress Bulblax and Bulborb Larvae when the song begins, the Empress Bulblax obscures one-fourth of each lane's height. It rises slightly for each misstepped Bulborb Larva and lowers just as much for each successful step on one. Missing a Bulborb Larva reduces the Dance Gauge more than a normal misstep does and causes a bite mark to appear briefly on the arrow it passed.


 * Emperor Bulblax and bomb rocks functions identically to the Empress Bulblax and Bulborb Larvae, but the Emperor Bulblax always advances upwards unless a bomb rock is stepped on, knocking it down into the creature's mouth. Better grades more effectively keep it at bay. Missing a bomb rock reduces the Dance Gauge much more than missing a normal step does.


 * Pileated Snagret and Burrowing Snagrets Burrowing Snagrets occasionally take the place of normal steps. Before appearing, a Burrowing Snagret generates a dust cloud at the bottom of the lanes, obscuring the view of upcoming steps, before rapidly ascending the lane of the step it replaced. Its head must be hit. Missing a Burrowing Snagret reduces the Dance Gauge much more than missing a normal step does.


 * Funky Long Legs all four lanes occasionally flood with an overbearing influx of steps, creating what would be an impossible series of inputs if not for the true steps shining, and glittering, white. Hitting almost all of the glowing steps during such a time is crucial as it is the only way to defeat the Funky Long Legs. If too few of the glowing steps are hit, the song is failed.

List of songs
In addition to the following songs, the soundtrack of Dance Dance Revolution: Pikmin Mix also includes the following songs, remixed from their original tracks: title theme as its title theme,  cinema menu theme as the music for its Story Mode, options, and records menus, and Pikmin 2 Challenge Mode results theme as the music for the song rating screen. The first Pik Mode modifier becomes active in normal and hard difficulties, and so does the second one in ultra-bitter and ultra-spicy difficulties. The secret songs do not have Pik Mode modifiers.

Minigames
In addition to a selection of songs, there are also a handful of minigames that are unlocked by progressing in either Story Mode variant and can be replayed anytime from their designated menu.


 * Throw Away Olimar, Louie, or Shacho must repeatedly throw their ever-returning Pikmin in cardinal directions to accomplish nearby tasks. Played after Rolling Hills in either Story Mode variant.
 * Catch! Olimar, Louie, or Shacho must catch Pikmin as they jump down from a high ledge to prevent them from being hurt from the fall. Played after Riverside Rush in either Story Mode variant.
 * Iron Rule Pikmin must be made to push a iron balls down a steep slope to crush unsuspecting enemies, but not Pikmin, below to clear a path forward. Played after Fervent Crowd in either Story Mode variant.
 * Avalanche Olimar, Louie, or Shacho must dodge boulders tumbling down a nearby slope. Played after Spring to Life in either Story Mode variant.
 * Bouncy! Olimar, Louie, or Shacho rebound off a Bouncy Mushroom to reach treasures. The most valuable treasure can be reached only by traveling the farthest and highest. Played after Down Under in Story Mode or Dirty Dancing in Story Mode EX.
 * Peril Panic Olimar, Louie, or Shacho and their Pikmin must run through a passageway filled with ravenous animals. They must dodge them by moving left and right, and also jumping over and sliding underneath. Played after Break Through in either Story Mode variant.
 * Run, Run! a secret minigame unlocked by completing Story Mode for the first time on any difficulty. Sometime before Onion Fever or Pellet March, a Red Bulborb chases Olimar and Louie until they escape its territory.
 * Here We Come! another secret minigame unlocked under the same circumstances as the above minigame. Olimar, with Louie as the passenger, must guide the ship through an asteroid field. If the ship collides with an asteroid, it is destroyed, but if the ship makes it past, it enters warp speed towards PNF-404.

Items
Items are available only in either Story Mode variant, where they are bought from advertisements announced by the ship and found from most completed minigames. Only three items in total can be held at the same time, and all have one use. For an item to function, it must be used before a song.


 * Cool-It bottle: lowers the difficulty of the next song by one level when used.
 * Fruit juice: starts the next song with a full-capacity Dance Gauge.
 * ReStore bottle: refills the Dance Gauge halfway if it empties during the next song. Even if it is never consumed during the song, it still disappears from the inventory upon use.
 * ReStore Super bottle: refills the Dance Gauge completely if it empties during the next song. Even if it is never consumed during the song, it still disappears from the inventory upon use.
 * Wonder juice: randomly depletes or fills the Dance Gauge at the start of the next song.
 * Pikpik wafer: allows up to four steps to be missed without the Dance Gauge depleting.

Controls
Included with each copy of Dance Dance Revolution: Pikmin Mix is a dance mat, or action pad, that connects wirelessly to the console and serves as the preferred way to input controls. To use it optimally, the player should stand in the center of the dance mat and then simply step on inputs when needed.

If the dance mat is unavailable, either because it has no charge or is simply not in the player's possession, the Joy-Cons and Pro Controller can be used instead to play the game. For two players, each player must have one dance mat, two Joy-Cons, or one Pro Controller.