DanceDanceRevolution X (PS2) (North America)

You know what? I'll take your word for it. PSM is a 16 provided you can crossover.

As for Trigger's bpm changes:

200-400-200-100-200-400-100-200-400-6 Stops-200-400-200-400-100-200. That's 12 BPM changes. Less than FAXX and PR. It might be more sudden than FAXX or PR but it's not what makes the song hard. The thing is, I have been looking at how hard the chart is. In fact, I'm going to do dissect the chart and you can tell me what's easy, what's hard and how you would get past it.

1st 200-400 section: Starts off with jumps and reversed step-jumps (I don't know what to call it other than that), leading to an awkward jump-step-jacks-step-freeze jump. The latter looks similar to the last few notes of FAXX without the freeze arrows.

200-100-200 section: You have streams of arrows starting with a jump and ending with a jump. The 100 section has 16th note staircases and transitions to quick jumps at 200 bpm

1st 400 section: Several triplets close together and 5 note trills ending with quick jumps and a sudden decrease in BPM after the last trill.

100 section: Freeze arrows with various arrows to tap out and a few jumps. Then this awkward section starting off with 16th gallops turning into 32nd gallops with a few jumps sprinkled in for fun.

1st 200 section: A straight stream of 8th note twisting crossovers and freeze jacks ending with a freeze hold.

400 stop section: Very quick freeze arrow step-jumps comparable to FELM . Then a part where you hit a freeze jump and tap out several quarter notes. 8th note jackhammer streams ending with a freeze and the holds during the stop.

2nd 200-400 section: Guess what? More freeze jacks at 200 BPM. Ends with 3 8th note LR jumps and that familiar jump-step-jack-step-freeze jump.

2nd 200 section: Straight 8th stream filled with longer crossovers and staircases.

2nd 400 section: Looks like a simpler version of the first 400 section with freeze arrows. It isn't. Double-stepping galore with the freezes. If you crossover at the wrong moment or drop a freeze in order to use both feet, you might end up doing the 5 note 8th cluster backwards. Another set of freeze arrow tap holds leading to a staircase. Oh yeah, there's a long 8th stream. Then there's the FAXX ending (8th note step-step-jump) done 3 times ending with a twisting crossovers (or hipbreakers as I like to call them) and the FAXX thing again.

Ending: 16th note staircases or candles or whatever they're called at 200 bpm.

Trigger loves its jacks, fast jumps, 8th note step-jumps and crossovers. It might be easier at first glance but it's draining. You'll be dropping many freeze arrows here in order to use both feet but that might be bad considering that you'll have to double step a bit to get back into line with the crossovers.

Now let's compare this to 17 footer charts. Remember, my opinion on the charts. You can disagree.

There are... 4.

FAXX
NGO
CHAOS
Saber Wing (AI Headshot Remix)

FAXX ? Similar but you called it a 16. Eh. The step-jumps, jacks, and more dramatic BPM changes makes it more difficult than FAXX .

NGO ... Not sure whether to call it a 17 or yell for a rating change. Anyway, Trigger has the same elements. The majority of the step-jumps and crossovers are slower but then again, there are the parts that roll by at a blazing 400 bpm.

CHAOS ? Yeah... no. Awkward double-stepping and the nasty ending stream might make it a 17 but it's mostly the stops that make it a "first-time 17 footer." It doesn't compare.

Saber Wing (AI Headshot Remix) ? I'd say the BPM changes, 8th note streams at 316, and double-stepping make this a 17 but it doesn't really compare. It seems to be a blending of the various MAX-style streams and BPM changes and that doesn't make it as hard as Trigger .

Only NGO and Trigger seem like a real fight in the 17 foot category, mainly because of the step-jumps but Trigger has those same elements at a faster speed.

What about the 18 footers?

FELM , PH , PR beat out Trigger , that much I believe. Then there are HDV , FAXX , DEGRS. Trigger is harder than FAXX if you can handle stream but not jumps. HDVO's main bite is the ending stream. DEGRS is mostly triplets and insane double stepping with jumps and crazy jacks to boot. It can play ball with those 3 but not the others.

There IS a valid reason why Konami calls it an 18. I haven't seen other people calling out any serious rating mistakes other than those from people who have incredible skill and stamina saying that various boss songs shouldn't be called this or that. Maybe they wanted to fill the 18 spot with something so when they release that OMGWTFBBQ 19 footer chart, Trigger Oni would suddenly feel like an 18. Besides, the only 18's come from SN/SN2. If there's an 18 that's slightly less crappy than the big 3, it's going to seem easier.

tl;dr version: Trigger isn't about the ending only. Crossovers, jacks, fast jumps, awkward freeze arrows and dramatic BPM changes can kill also. Trigger Oni only compares with NGOO in my opinion and is similar to the lesser 18 foot charts in difficulty. Maybe FELMO, PRO, and PHO aren't 18 footers but borderline 19's? We just don't have a chart to compare yet.

Dream Machine actually reminds me a lot of L'amour (Darwin & DJ Silver Remix), both sound and step wise (Except Dream Machine's chart is noticeably better in my view).

Tell me I'm not the only one who thinks this, but Dream Machine sounds like something by Pink Pong.

The first post needs to be updated. the scale goes up to 20.

Do USB drives work with this game?

I think they forgot about it completely, I wonder how N.A. players are gonna get edits onto the AC machine like they promised.

I think they forgot about it completely, I wonder how N.A. players are gonna get edits onto the AC machine like they promised.

Don't you get it? NA players aren't supposed to enjoy the full feature set of the arcade release. SN2 AC showed that.