A rhythm action game with the primary gameplay mechanic uses a dance mat to complete a dance pattern consisting of arrows that scroll up the screen in time to the music. The game aims to achieve a high score by positioning as many arrows as possible in the correct order and at the appropriate moment. The distinctive selling point of this product is that Dance Factory will automatically generate a dance routine based on any music CD loaded into the PS2 console.
There are a total of six different single-player game modes available in Dance Factory. Each of these modes offers a unique take on the core gameplay concept, which requires players to match patterns traveling up the screen by pressing buttons or tapping their feet in time with the beat of the music. In addition to the standard gameplay mode, there is an endurance mode that allows players to listen to an entire CD’s worth of tracks, a fitness mode that keeps track of calories, and a record mode that enables players to create their dances from scratch. There is also a mode called “creature,” which causes a computer-animated figure to dance with the music on the screen. Additionally, there is a mode called “EyeToy,” which adds hand icons to the dance patterns that the player’s onscreen camera picture has to touch in time to the music.
A multiplayer mode is available in Dance Factory, which enables two players to compete against one another in a head-to-head battle or compete for higher scores while dancing simultaneously. There is also a tournament option available in the multiplayer component, in which up to 16 players can compete against one another in a series of head-to-head matches to determine the overall victor.
