Dance Dance Revolution: Classroom Edition announced

By Fred Dutton Published 2 February, 2012

48 mat-multiplayer will fight child obesity.

Konami has announced a new Classroom Edition of perennial party game favourite Dance Dance Revolution that will be compatible with a whopping 48 dance mats.

As reported by Joystiq, the project will be formally unveiled on 24th February at the California Association for Health, Physical Education, Recreation & Dance Conference as part of a wider initiative to tackle childhood obesity.

Up to 48 dance mats can connect to a single PC running the game "for full class or after-school recreation participation".

"Research indicates that interactive, movement-based video games such as and especially DDR, greatly increases' students' Moderate-to-Vigorous Physical Activity minutes, thus positively impacting students' overall health and fitness, and decreasing the prevalence of childhood obesity," read CAPHERD's announcement blurb.

Are European kids fat enough to warrant a UK launch? We're checking in with Konami right now to find out.

Picture of Fred.

About Fred Dutton

Fred Dutton is Eurogamer's US news editor, based in Washington DC.

Read more articles from Fred by visiting the Fred Dutton archive page.

You may also like...

Comments (13) Latest comment 4 months ago

Comments for this article are now closed, but please feel free to continue chatting on the forum!

  • Stompy #1 4 months ago

    Post deleted at 23:13:35 17-04-2012

  • chaywa #2 4 months ago

    Featuring hits such as The Ketchup Song, Candy Shop by Fiddy Cent, Chocolate by Snow Patrol and The Fast Food Song

  • You_shlaaaag #3 4 months ago

    "48 mat-multiplayer will fight child obesity."

    It's utterly tragic that a game developer has to waste time and effort on something that the childs' parents should be doing instead. Whilst on the one hand it's no doubt a fun way to lose weight and is another validation of gaming being productive and not without benefits, but what's wrong with, you know, letting them walk to school (or time permitting walk with them) and not driving them everywhere?

    Sorry for being a grumpy old goat about this. It's been a long day.

  • RichieTenenbaum #4 4 months ago

    I've worked in a school where they have a very similar system already. Ran off a massive PA system and a laptop on a trolley.

  • Canyarion #5 4 months ago

    Crap, I wish I were fat like an American.

  • FireMonkey #6 4 months ago

    @You_shlaaaag - But if the kids are doing all that AND this then that's even better isn't it?

    Also, surely making yet another Fifa, COD or whatever is more of a waste of time then helping make something that could potentially improve and extend a kids life?
    Edited by FireMonkey at 02/02/12 @ 20:47

  • Bander #7 4 months ago

    48 fat American kids stomping about in the same room at the same time?

    Isn't California on a tectonic fault line?

  • You_shlaaaag #8 4 months ago

    @FireMonkey

    Absolutely. It's just a shame that it takes a videogame to get kids active rather than their parents.

  • Lucodeath #9 4 months ago

    Whats wrong with PE lessons? Football on the school field an stuff.
    Edited by Lucodeath at 02/02/12 @ 21:44

  • ShiroBen #10 4 months ago

    This sounds unbelievably entertaining.

  • Toothball #11 4 months ago

    First time through, I missed the part about having classes for it and was trying to figure out how to use 48 dance mats at once.

    Still, if it gets kids moving then where's the harm? I've found myself playing more Dance Central recently than I thought I would, might even help cut down on my beer belly.

  • Whitster #12 4 months ago

    Wait for the inevitable yopu tube video of a japanese kid managing to play all 42 mats at once!

  • skunkfish #13 4 months ago

    How long before my taxes get spent on this? On the plus side, it should enable kids to eat more McDonald's before they explode. Ronald must be rubbing his hands with glee...