Dance Dance Revolution SuperNOVA (PlayStation 2, 2006)

Positives: open to all ages, encourages activity and cooperation

Negatives: pricey (like all new Wii games) and more pricey if you need more than the included pad, need a lot of space for multiplayer options

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Although the family just opened the box this morning, it's already a sure favorite that will be worth every penny. The game provides challenges for all levels of dancers--from adults to the young teens to the elementary school child to the 5 year old. Please note that family members are not listed in order of skill level because I'm still not sure how a fast-footed Kindergartner achieved an "A" on an expert level song...

The included gamepad stays in place much better than the Nintendo gamepad that was made for DDR: Mario Party Mix, but if you have one of those, they work fine with the game if you can tolerate their tendency to migrate. However, you will need a lot of room in the living room if you plan to hook up more than one pad. In fact, I don't know if you can logistically arrange 4 pads without extension cords because the hand motions can get wild and potentially dangerous.

The rewards are nicely paced, and you can get new songs even for mediocre dancing. We haven't tried the work-out mode but suspect it will be useful for sluggish adults when that exercise bike routine seems too bland. While the only other DDR we've purchased was Gamecube's Mario Mix, the Wii: Hottest Party's hand motions add a nice depth to the game.

It's the type of game that has appeal to the solo player and the group setting. Parents will like that their kids actually get up and move while playing video games. And the friendship mode helps foster teamwork and cooperation between siblings instead of the competition emphasized by a lot of games. (Okay, okay, the real appeal of friendship mode is that one of the kids can help a clumsy parent through a tough song...)