Just Dance 3 (Wii) > Reviews (15)

Just Dance!

Just Dance is a gaming phenomenon which has got people all over the world on their feet. This particular game is the third in each series for the Nintendo Wii. I am a huge fan of the first few games and so decided to buy this one to see how it has developed. In order to play this game you have to have a Wii and controllers but no other equipment is needed, just you and your dancing shoes.

The Game

There is no set-up involved with this game, you simply pop the disc in and you are away. Up to 4 controllers can be used in the game at any one time. The game is very easy to follow and the instructions are clear and simple. The aim of the game is to get as many points as possible by following the characters on screen and trying to synchronize dance moves with them. You are rewarded points for accurate and energetic dance moves. When playing you keep a Wii controller in your right hand at all times so that the moves can be measured. You follow the on-screen character as if it is your mirror image. You can choose which character you are and which songs you dance to.

Before you can start dancing you have to pick a song to dance to. There are 51 tracks in total on this game and if I am honest I only like about 10 of them. I am not overly impressed with the choice of songs that this game has to offer as a lot of them are dated and not great to dance to. This game would have been so much more fun with more up-to-date music on it.

Here are a few of my favourite tracks and the ones I don’t really enjoy:

Best Tracks:

• Taio Cruz: Dynamite
• Lmfao feat. Lauren Bennett & Goonrock: Party Rock Anthem
• Cee Lo Green: Forget You
• Jessie J feat. B.O.B.: Price Tag

I love all of the above tracks because they are fun, energetic and easy to follow. The music is current and exciting and these tracks really bring the game alive. Worst Tracks:

• Robbie Williams & Nicole Kidman: Somethin’ Stupid
• Scissor Sisters: I Don’t Feel Like Dancing
• Banarama: Venus
• a-ha: Take On Me

For me these are some of the not so good tracks on the game as they are boring to dance to and they don’t really get you in the party mood. There are other tracks on the game as well which are not actually performed by the original artist. They are in fact some of the best songs on the whole game and I find it frustrating that they have put them on there but without the original singing so it’s only really half as good. Some of the best ‘other tracks’ are:

• Baby One More Time
• Beautiful Liar
• Think
• Gonna Make You Sweat (Everybody Dance Now)

If you are going to buy this game I think that you need to be prepared to go onto the Nintendo Pay & Play store (accessible through the Wii console) and purchase some more tracks to add a but more variety to what is already there. Once you have a song that you like you must practice is quite a lot in order to achieve really high points. It is not simple but it is definitely not hard, it just takes a little bit of commitment. There is a score ball which hovers above the on-screen character which tells you how good the moves are that you are doing.

For every move one of the 4 following words will appear:

• x - missed the move.
• ok - just got it.
• good - got it.
• perfect - couldn’t have done it any better.
  Good moves get you a lot of points and if you get a lot of perfect moves in a row then ‘on fire’ will appear. At the end of the song your overall performance is rated by a number of stars and if there is more than one player playing then each one will be given a style which reflects how they danced e.g. you had the best sense of rhythm or you were the least energetic, try a little harder. There are gifts and medals available too for exceptional players!

You can play the game in the following modes:

• Duets - up to 4 people can play in 2 duet forms.
• Dance Crew - up to 4 people can play, each one has a different dancer to follow.
• Hold my Hand - up to 8 people can play, 2 players each hold the same remote.
• Simon Says - commands interrupt whilst you are playing the game e.g. stop or clap.
• Just Sweat - dance workouts which are guaranteed to get you moving.

Overall Opinion

I really enjoy this game as it is challenging and fun! It is great to play with other people and is perfect for parties. There is quite a lot of practice required to pick up the routines especially well however in general it is easy to follow and suitable for all ages. The graphics are fantastic, the game itself is bright and colourful and the characters are all interesting to watch. It is not difficult to score on this game, you can choose how hard the dancing is too which is great for moving on and completing songs. My favourite mode is dance crew as it is fun and when you are playing with other people it looks really good. The music on this game lacks a little something for me but that is only my opinion, others may love the variety of songs so definitely check it out to see if there is anything you like.

Cost

The cost of the game varies depending on where you buy it. It can be found on the internet at such sites as amazon.co.uk and play.com for as little as £14.99. It is usually slightly more to buy it from a store. I paid £14.99 for this game and I think that it was well worth it.

Would I recommend it?

I would definitely recommend this game however be aware that the songs just aren’t that good. If you can get this game cheap then I would suggest doing so, so that you can then pay to download some more tracks. I love the concept of this game and it is fun playing it. It is great for working out too as it can make you work up a sweat. Summary: an energetic and fun game for all the family to enjoy.

Thank you for reading : )