Video games are good exercise.
That’s what leaders of the U student group, Dance Dance Revolution Enthusiasts, told the Associated Students of the University of Utah in an effort to get funding for a club based on an arcade game.
“It’s really a good workout,” said Chris Nguyen, founder of the club dedicated to his favorite video game, Dance Dance Revolution.
DDR weaves together dancing and video game play. One to two people dance to techno music pouring from the game’s speakers; the object of the game is to follow the arrows that scroll down the video monitor by stepping on the matching foot sensors on the game’s platform.
Nguyen, a freshman majoring in biology, met his friend and fellow club member Charlie Thai, a freshman in biochemistry, two years ago in high school. They used to play DDR together to pass time.
“Charlie introduced me to (DDR),” Nguyen said. “He’s probably the best at it.”
Their passion for the game didn’t dwindle when they entered college.
“One day (Nguyen) got really into DDR and decided to start the club,” Thai said.
Nguyen ran into a snag applying with ASUU. He needed to come up with a written objective for how the DDR club would benefit members. After all, it is just a video game.
“That was the hardest thing,” he said.
But unlike most arcade games, the player dances and can break into a sweat while playing DDR.
Nguyen founded his club’s constitution on this premise.
“We’re about health and exercise,” Nguyen said.
With a set constitution and four members, ASUU approved the club during Summer Semester.
The group members have been busier this semester and have had less time to meet, but Nguyen and Thai are still anxious for new members.
“Just talk to Chris or me-we’ll get you in,” said Thai. “If you like DDR, just come and join.”
Thai assures newcomers that the game is not as physically challenging as it might appear.
“I’ve seen a lot of chubby people play, and they’re really good,” he said. “After you play a lot, you will get used to it.”
For Nguyen, playing is almost an addiction.
“It took six hours a day to get this good,” Nguyen said