Dance Dance Revolution is unresponsive? Help!?

I don't really know how to describe it but when I try playing DDR MAX 2 and I step on the arrow right on it,it won't do it and it will say "almost" or "boo". Now I know it isn't the pad I just brought a brand new dance pad and it is doing the same thing. I even tried it on controller and it's doing the same thing so it can't be the dance pad at all. What I noticed I have to press it 2 seconds before the arrow hits. The game is a bit scratched up so could it be the game or what?