Good:

• Pro level has a refreshing level of difficulty.
• Improved interface less flashy/distracting

Bad:
• Brings nothing terribly innovative to the genre.

"Super Crazy Guitar Maniac Deluxe 4" (or SCGMD 4 for short) is the fourth go around of the PC version of the arcade dance classic, Dance Dance Revolution (DDR). Just like in DDR, your aim is to hit the indicated keys (in this case, arrow keys or numbers 1-4) in rhythmic order. Finish with impressive streaks to earn stars, achievements, and unlock new songs, guitars, and other such aesthetic goodies.

The game play is, by no means, innovative. What has improved is how smooth the game plays. The flavor animation progresses much smoother than previous versions and the flashes when you get a key stroke right or wrong are much cleaner. Gone are the bright, broad flashes that were needlessly distracting and in its place are smooth fades. As with the other games, this also brings in a fresh round of ear candy to feast on. If you are a fan of electro pop rock, than this game is right up your aisle… if you can master the key combination.

The replay factor is as limited by how much you enjoy any rhythm game. If you enjoy the challenge, SCGMD 4 does have a “Pro” version of each song that is appropriately named. With 8 keys to consider, you’ll need your wits and deft fingers (or a speed hack) to beat many of these levels. This is perhaps the biggest improvement in the series as I found my fingers getting more twisted during these levels than in previous SCGMD games.