Home >> Internet Games >> Video Game Accessories

How to Use an XBox Pad

Dance Dance Revolution, also called DDR for short, started as an arcade game. After the arcade version became popular, it was adapted, or "ported," to consoles like the Xbox, Xbox 360, Playstation 2, Playstation 3 and Wii. Many spin-off and competing dance games were soon developed for the home gaming market. The game requires the player to dance on a pad in sync with various on-screen prompts. To make the DDR concept work at home, portable cloth-like pads were developed. To use the Xbox pad, you must properly position and hook up the DDR pad.

Things You'll Need

Non-slip rubber mat
Dry cloth

Instructions

- 1
  Position a non-slip rubber mat on the floor in front of your television. With the exception of expensive, top-tier Xbox pads, most dance pads are thin and lightweight and can slide across the carpet as you use them. For your own safety, and for uninterrupted game-play without having to regularly reposition the pad, a non-slip mat works well.
- 2
  Place the Xbox pad on the rubber mat and make sure it is centered with the television. As you dance on the pad, it can be difficult to see the screen if it is not in the direct center. Make sure your pad is at least two full leg lengths away from the screen. Some people accidentally kick their television screens while dancing if they are too close.
- 3
  Plug the Xbox pad into your Xbox's "player one" controller port. This port is the leftmost slot on the front of your Xbox.
- 4
  Turn on your Xbox and insert your dance game.
- 5
  Use the Xbox pad to navigate through menus and begin game play. Some users have trouble adapting to the pad during menu navigation, since it can be difficult to know which "steps" represent various Xbox buttons. When using your pad, remember that the Xbox arrow keys are pressed by simply stepping forward, left, right or backward on the dance pad. The "B" button is in the uppermost left corner of the pad, and the "A" button is in the upper right corner. The "Y" button is found by stepping on the lower left corner of the pad, and the "X" button is on the lower right corner. With a working knowledge of the button positions, you can navigate menus and play virtually any game using the pad.
- 6
  Turn off your Xbox and disconnect the pad if it does not work properly. Reconnect the pad and start the Xbox again. According to Video Game Action, simply disconnecting and reconnecting a pad will usually fix any problems that arise as you use your pad. If you are still unable to use the pad, it may need cleaning. Unscrew or un-Velcro the individual arrow or button that isn't working, then wipe away any dust or dirt from the pressure-sensitive foil with a dry cloth.

Video Game Accessories