I don't think that I have to tell you that anything that's "fun for the whole family" typically sucks. Let's just say that MC Groovz Dance Craze is "fun for the whole family."

As the first dance game for the Cube, MC Groovz Dance Craze does not make a good first impression. Trying to cash in on the beat game craze that started in Japanese arcades and has since trickled down to the PS2 and Xbox, MC Groovz may actually be detrimental to dancers that actually have rhythm. The game is flawed in such a way that the onscreen graphics are out of synch with the music.

In case you're not familiar with dancing games let me offer a brief rundown. During a song, solid arrows will appear onscreen. They will be facing in different directions while heading toward hollow arrows. All you have to do is place your foot on the map in the area that corresponds to the same direction as the solid arrow seen onscreen. Do this "in time" to the music, or at the precise time when the solid arrow enters the hollow arrow. You have a choice of either watching the display in a circle or having it scroll horizontally. The horizontal scroll is the traditional format but the circle method works better in this situation due to the outlay of the dance mat. It's just more difficult to figure out the timing since it appears instantly in the center.

There are 29 songs. This is the worst collection of tunes bar none. They are meant to appeal to the most affected families you can imagine. By that I mean shallow, bland morons. Mom and dad used to dance to K.C. and Sunshine Band while Kaitlyn can't get enough of Jessica Simpson. With a collection of tunes that include Jewel, DJ Jazzy Jeff and the Fresh Prince and those other losers that were mentioned previously it just goes to show how out of touch Nintendo can be when it wants to pretend it's Disney by pandering to middle-class American values.

Not only is the selection of tunes bad, but they go on forever. Rather than add new tunes by other artists, the songs that have been included are extended mixes. It's like listening to them twice. Who really needs to listen to seven-minutes of Jessica Simpson? It's cruel and unusual punishment. There is one solution to the terrible music selection and it's all due to the sloppy mechanics which makes the arrows appear out of time.

Following the arrows has nothing to do with following the beat. Even when the song is over the arrows keep coming for almost half-a-minute. To say this is sloppy would be an understatement. But since it doesn't seem to matter what the beat of the song is, you can turn down the volume and play whatever the hell you want out of your stereo. Of course I hope that it never gets to that situation since I'm trying to discourage you from getting this game in the first place.

The multi-player, party aspect of a game like this is completely lost thanks to the extended mix of the songs. You should be able to cut these down to three minutes in the multi-player mode. At the very least you can get some exercise but you'll probably get more running back to the store to return this game if you purchased it by mistake. If you happen to receive this game as a gift, before you open it ask if the giver still has the receipt for it.