Just Dance (video game series)
Just Dance is a rhythm game series developed and published by Ubisoft. The series' title was named after the Lady Gaga song of the same name. The original Just Dance game was released on the Wii in 2009 in North America, Europe, and Australia.
Gameplay
Just Dance is a motion-based dancing game for multiple players, with each game including a collection of songs each with their own dance choreographies. During each song, players mirror a dance performed by actors on the screen, following commands that appear on the screen, and are awarded for their accuracy. Additionally, there are gold moves in which players must strike a pose in order to earn bonus points. Players are given ranks based on how well they do. Depending on the game and system it is played on, the game can be played with either motion controllers or camera devices, or using an app downloaded on a smart device.Games
Main series
;Just Dance: The first game in the Just Dance series was released on 17 November 2009, with songs by MC Hammer, Elvis Presley, Iggy Pop, The Beach Boys, Baha Men, Spice Girls, Gorillaz and others.;Just Dance 2: Just Dance 2 was released in October 2010. This installment features 43 tracks including DLC tracks, and was the first and only installment to date to support 8-player sessions. It also supports downloadable content. It has over 40 tracks by Ke$ha, Outkast, The Pussycat Dolls, WHAM!, Avril Lavigne, MIKA, Rihanna, and others.
;Just Dance 3: Released 7 October 2011. This installment was announced at the Ubisoft E3 conference on 6 June 2011, the first installment to be released on Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3. It includes over 40 tracks by Jessie J, Katy Perry, Gwen Stefani, A-ha, Robin Sparkles, Lenny Kravitz, The Black Eyed Peas, and others.
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;Just Dance 4: Released 9 October 2012. The fourth installment in the Just Dance series was announced at the Ubisoft E3 conference on 4 June 2012, and was the first installment to be released on the Wii U. It includes over 40 tracks, by Carly Rae Jepsen, P!nk, The B-52's, Rihanna, Flo Rida, and others.
;Just Dance 2014: Released 8 October 2013. The trailer for the game was revealed at the Ubisoft E3 conference on 10 June 2013. It was the first Just Dance game to be released on Xbox One and PlayStation 4. It includes over 40 tracks by Lady Gaga, Nicki Minaj, PSY, One Direction, Chris Brown, Ariana Grande, ABBA, George Michael, Ricky Martin, and others.
;Just Dance 2015: Released 21 October 2014. The trailer for the game was revealed at the Ubisoft E3 conference on 9 June 2014. It includes over 40 tracks by Pharrell Williams, John Newman, Katy Perry, Iggy Azalea, Maroon 5, and others.
;Just Dance 2016: Released 20 October 2015. The game was announced at the Ubisoft E3 conference on 15 June 2015. It includes over 40 tracks by Calvin Harris, David Guetta, Meghan Trainor, Britney Spears, Mark Ronson, Shakira, Kelly Clarkson, Demi Lovato, and others.
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;Just Dance 2017: Released 25 October 2016. The game was announced at the Ubisoft E3 conference on 13 June 2016. It includes over 40 tracks by Anitta, Sia, Justin Bieber, The Weeknd, Major Lazer, OneRepublic, Fifth Harmony, Queen, Beyoncé, DNCE, and others. This is the first and only title in the series to be released on Steam, as was the first to released on the Nintendo Switch. It is also the first game in the series to not feature a song by Katy Perry.
;Just Dance 2018: Released 24 October 2017. It includes tracks by Bebe Rexha, Bruno Mars, Ariana Grande, Big Freedia, Shakira, Clean Bandit, Dua Lipa, Tomska, Luis Fonsi, Selena Gomez, and others.
;Just Dance 2019: Released 23 October 2018. The trailer for the game was revealed at the Ubisoft E3 conference on 11 June 2018. It includes tracks by Bruno Mars, BIGBANG, BLACKPINK, Sean Paul, J Balvin, Camila Cabello, Daddy Yankee, and others.
;Just Dance 2020: Released on 5 November 2019. The game was announced at the Ubisoft E3 conference on 10 June 2019. It includes tracks from Ariana Grande, Billie Eilish, Ed Sheeran, 2NE1, Panic! at the Disco, Khalid and others.
Japan exclusives
;Just Dance Wii: A Japanese version of Just Dance published and edited by Nintendo but developed by Ubisoft Paris, featuring 16 J-Pop songs and 12 songs from previous Just Dance titles. Just Dance Wii features hits from Exile, Kara, Kumi Koda, and AKB48. According to Media Create, as of 11 March 2012, the game sold 560,301 copies in Japan.;Just Dance Wii 2: The second Japanese Just Dance game published and edited by Nintendo but developed by Ubisoft Paris. It was released on 26 July 2012, only for the Wii.
;Just Dance Wii U: The third Japanese Just Dance game. It was revealed in a Nintendo Direct on 14 February 2014, and was released on 3 April 2014. It includes songs by SKE48, AKB48, BIGBANG, Kyary Pamyu Pamyu, Momoiro Clover Z, as well as other songs from Just Dance 4 and Just Dance 2014.
;Yo-kai Watch Dance: Just Dance Special Version: Co-produced by Level-5, featuring songs and characters from the Yo-kai Watch video game and anime franchise.
''Just Dance Kids'' series
;Just Dance Kids: Released 9 November 2010, it was created with an emphasis on songs popular with children. It features 40 tracks from various artists, including Justin Bieber, Selena Gomez & The Scene, and Demi Lovato. The game was released in Europe under the name Dance Juniors in 2011.;Just Dance Kids 2: The second installment in the kids themed lineup, released 25 October 2011. It features over 40 tracks from various kids' songs, songs from films including Shrek 2, Gnomeo and Juliet, and Despicable Me. and current pop hits, including Selena Gomez & The Scene, Ashley Tisdale, and Bruno Mars. "Take Me There" from Nickelodeon's 1998 film The Rugrats Movie by Mýa, Blackstreet, Mase, and Blinky Blink was planned to be in the game, but it was removed. The game was released in Europe as Just Dance Kids because of the first installment being called Dance Juniors there.
;Just Dance Kids 2014: The third installment in the kids themed lineup, released 22 October 2013. It features over 30 tracks that includes the original versions of songs from artists including Demi Lovato, One Direction, and Bridgit Mendler. The game also include songs from TV series and films, including Victorious, Yo Gabba Gabba! and The Wiggles.
''Disney'' series
;': Just Dance: Disney Party is the first Disney Just Dance game in the Disney series. It was released on 23 October 2012, in North America and Europe. It includes songs from Disney films, and current pop tracks from The Disney Channel.;': Released 20 October 2015, Just Dance: Disney Party 2 features a variety of hit songs, with more than 20 tracks from Disney Channel TV series and original movies, such as "Descendants," "Teen Beach Movie", "Austin and Ally", "Girl Meets World," "K.C. Undercover" and "Liv and Maddie".
''Experience'' series
;: Another spin-off of the Just Dance series, featuring 26 songs and full dance choreography from Michael Jackson. It was released on 23 November 2010.;The Black Eyed Peas Experience: Yet another spin-off of the Just Dance series, the game features more than 20 tracks from The Black Eyed Peas and was released in November 2011. Note that the Xbox 360 version has a completely different gameplay from that of the Wii version.
;The Hip Hop Dance Experience: The third Experience game by Ubisoft. It includes top hit tracks by artists like Flo Rida, B.o.B, Rihanna and much more.
Other spin-offs
;Dance on Broadway: A spin-off, featuring a selection of 20 songs from Broadway musicals. Some songs included are: "I Just Can't Wait to Be King" from The Lion King, "Bend and Snap" from Legally Blonde, "Fame" from Fame and "Time Warp" from The Rocky Horror Picture Show.;The Smurfs Dance Party: Another spin-off of the Just Dance series, featuring 24 songs. The game allows players to dance alongside Papa Smurf, Clumsy Smurf, Brainy Smurf, Gutsy Smurf, Smurfette, and Gargamel.
;: Another spin-off of the Just Dance series, featuring 26 ABBA songs. It was released on 15 November 2011, in North America, and 25 November 2011, in Europe.
''Greatest Hits'' series
;: Just Dance: Greatest Hits was released in North America in March 2012. It includes Ubisoft's favorite songs from previous titles: Just Dance, Just Dance 2, Just Dance: Summer Party, and Just Dance 3. It also includes the two Target exclusive songs from Just Dance 3: "Airplanes" by B.o.B feat. Hayley Williams, and "Only Girl " by Rihanna.Specials
;: Just Dance Summer Party includes most of the downloadable content from Just Dance 2, and two of the Best Buy exclusive songs from that game: "Jai Ho!" by A.R. Rahman and The Pussycat Dolls feat. Nicole Scherzinger, and "Funkytown" by Lipps Inc. covered by Sweat Invaders in-game. All the songs that were missing from the game were planned to be featured at some point but were scrapped in development. These scrapped songs include: "Crazy Christmas" by Santa Clones, "Spice Up Your Life" by Spice Girls & 3 more.;Just Dance Now: Just Dance Now is an app that lets players play Just Dance anywhere after syncing up a device with the website on a television screen or a computer. It does not require a console to be played and the device used to sync the game will be used as a controller in similar way to the Wii Remote
;Just Dance Unlimited: Just Dance Unlimited is a subscription-based service on Just Dance 2016, Just Dance 2017, Just Dance 2018, Just Dance 2019, and Just Dance 2020 which replaced downloadable content. It features over 150 Just Dance hits, with new exclusive songs including "Cheerleader " by OMI, "Better When I'm Dancin" by Meghan Trainor, "Shut Up and Dance" by Walk the Moon and many more. Ever since "No Lie" was released as an exclusive track for Just Dance Unlimited, newly added songs on the service would only be available on the newest game in the series.
Reception
All game reviews are from Metacritic.Main Series
Just Dance 2: 74 out of 100Just Dance 3: 74 out of 100, 70 out of 100, and 75 out of 100
Just Dance 4: 77 out of 100