Platform Played: WiiU
Developer: Ubisoft
Release Date: 10/01/2013
The idea is simple…stand in front of your TV, hold your Wii remote in one hand, follow along, and dance! Just Dance 2014 is the fifth major installment of a now longstanding game franchise designed to get players up and moving, dancing along to some favorite songs (as well as a few long-forgotten ones). Dancers will then be scored based on how well they were able to copy that animated movements on their screens, even though getting a high score is frequently just a small part of what makes these games so much fun. The end result is always dancing. Sometimes good, sometimes less than good. Almost always a really good time.
Just Dance 2014 does offer some new features, including expanded second screen usage, online multiplayer (sort of…it’s not great), and of course a whole host of new songs to dance along with, ranging from recent hits to some favorite oldies. Honestly, the new features seem pretty inconsequential, and if you’ve played the previous game, you’ll be faced with a near identical setup…but that isn’t necessarily a point against this game. The system works; all that’s left to do is dance.
In terms of song selection, there are a few dozen songs to choose from. In theory, this could keep you busy for a good long while, though there are a few songs you’re going to find more entertaining than others—sometimes due to individual taste in music, but in other cases because of lackluster or repetitive choreography. For the most part, dust off your dancing shoes, because this iteration of the franchise offers a solid selection of songs to enjoy. Some favorites include “Turn Up the Love” (Far East Movement, feat. Cover Drive), “Prince Ali” (Yup, from Aladdin), and “Ghostbusters.” Let’s just say that there’s something for every possible mood. And if you do start to get bored with the selection after a while, there’s a fair amount of DLC content available to expand your collection.
Having played this game both alone in my living room (attempting to do something that would qualify as a work out) and with guests bouncing along with me, it’s safe to report that Just Dance 2014 is fun both alone and with friends, so long as you remember not to take yourself too seriously. The dance moves you’ll be faced with aren’t exactly going to rival Beyoncé, but you also won’t end up feeling like you’re going through the motions doing thinly-veiled work-out movements. How good you look is up to you.
In the end, Just Dance 2014 is a fun but not groundbreaking addition to a consistently satisfying franchise. If you’re looking for a way to trick yourself into enjoying some minor exercise, or even just to feel like you’re a slightly better dancer than you really are, then you should absolutely check out Just Dance 2014.
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RATING: ★★★★★★★★ (8/10 stars)
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