Stepmania

is a free, open-source rhythm game engine and cross-platform video game. Originally developed as a clone of Konami's Dance Dance Revolution , it has evolved into a highly extensible engine that supports various rhythm-based game types. Core Gameplay & Features

: It serves as the engine for arcade machines like In The Groove and Pump It Up Pro . Introduction to Theming - StepMania - Mintlify

: Change the visual appearance of the scrolling arrows. Stepmania

: While famous for "Dance" (4-panel), it also supports modes like Pump (5-panel), kb7 , para , beat , Popn , and kickbox .

: Players can use "modifiers" to drastically change how notes appear and behave visually. Customisation & Theming is a free, open-source rhythm game engine and

: StepMania 5.x is the modern baseline, though development has branched into specialized projects like Etterna (focused on keyboard play) and Project OutFox (enhanced engine for modern systems).

: Modern versions (like StepMania 5) use Lua scripting for complex theme behaviors and BGAnimations. Versions & Evolution Introduction to Theming - StepMania - Mintlify :

: Arrows scroll up the screen, and players must hit the corresponding button (keyboard) or step on a "dance pad" sensor in time with the music.