Developers: Ubisoft
Platforms: Playstation 3, Xbox 360, Wii, Wii U (Coming soon: Playstation 4, Xbox One )
Rating: 6+
Genre: Dancing
Interactive group games came and went like flashes in the pan, with the likes of Guitar Hero, DJ Hero and those random sports (Bowling! Kayaking! Fishing!) all having their moment in the sun, but now all pretty much forgotten about. However, the Just Dance franchise is still managing to stick around, becoming a go-to staple for any kind of house party, for people (not to sound too clichéd) of all ages.
Of course, this absolutely isn’t going to be for everyone, and not just because not everyone likes to dance. Naturally, this is about as likely to make you a better dancer as Guitar Hero was going to make you a better guitar player, as it’s more about simply following the directions on the screen, no matter how arbitrarily related they are to the idea and concept of what you think “dancing” might be.
The issue is that even though there are 49 songs available to bop to (and more available for download further down the line), there are all pretty much lowest common denominator pop songs. Yes, there are some random ones in there – 99 Luft Balloons by Nena, or Could You Be Loved by Bob Marley – and they help break up the (admittedly quite current) chart-dominating likes of Applause by Lady Gaga or Blurred Lines by Robin Thicke.
But to be fair, if you’re not into pop music, then you’re probably not into Just Dance-themed parties, so this isn’t for you. For everyone else, this allows you and up to five friends dance together at once, and the vibe is just too infectious for everyone else in the room to not want to join in once their turn swings around. Perfect for all of the Christmas and New Year’s parties that are coming up over the next few months, just make sure you have all of the right equipment, i.e. Kinect for X-Box and Playstation Move for PS.
Presentation: 3 out of 5
Gameplay: 4 out of 5
Replay: 5 out of 5
Overall: 4 out of 5
