Just Dance has been around in various iterations for
six years. In fact it's the game you likely
already own. Like sports games that eek out new features and
updated team rosters, Just Dance 2015 has some new tricks
and a crowd pleaser sing along version of Let It Go.
To help parents decide whether they need this year's game, and
which platform it the best match for their family here's the low
down on the game.
Background
Just
Dance 2015 is the sixth game in the series
that started on the Wii in 2009. That version used a Wii Remote to
judge the dancing, but newer versions use different control
schemes.
Just Dance 2015 consists of a collection of songs with
routines attached. Players mimic a dancer on screen as if the
dancer was their mirror image, with the next moves appearing along
the bottom of the screen. Players receive a rating for each move,
like OK, Good, or Perfect, and then a score at the end.
It can track multiple players at once -- up to six on the Xbox versions and up to four on the others. Some
songs have group routines that give different players different
moves. You can also play online, trying to beat the scores of
others.
New to Just Dance 2015 is a mode called Community
Remix, in which rather than the usual dancers on screen the song
plays footage shared by Just Dance players via the Kinect or
PlayStation Eye camera.
Developer
The Just Dance series is developed by Ubisoft, whose
catalogue of games features a wide range from Rayman to
Assassin's Creed.
Format
Just Dance 2015 is available for Xbox One, PlayStation 4,
Wii U, Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, and Wii. Xbox
One and 360 versions use just the Kinect camera. The PlayStation 4
version uses the PlayStation Eye, or you can play with the camera
and Move controllers, which is also how you play on PS3. You can
also connect a smartphone and use that as a controller. The Wii U
and Wii versions require Wii Remotes, but you can use the Wii U
GamePad to record yourself.
A smartphone version of the game
called Just Dance Now allows players to play without a
console, by syncing up their phones with an Internet-connected
screen.
Cost
You can get Just Dance 2015 from £20. Additional songs
cost a couple of pounds each.
Duration
Just Dance 2015 doesn't have a story so there's no real
end, though you do unlock additional content -- like extra songs
and routines -- the more you play. Even if you get five-star
ratings on all of the available songs there are more to buy as
downloadable content.
Don't
miss
Ratings
In the UK and Europe, PEGI rates Just Dance 2015 as 3+, "suitable for all
persons", though does point out that the game "allows the player to
interact with other players online".
In the US, the ESRB
rates Just Dance 2015 as E for Everyone 10+, with a
content descriptor for Lyrics and two warnings for online, that is
that it "includes online features that may expose players to
unrated user-generated content", which presumably refers to
players' ability to use a photo as the avatar that represents them
online.
The description highlights some of the potentially problematic
lyrics, e.g. references to alcohol and "suggestive material": "So
let me get you/In your birthday suit"; "Now there's a backseat
lover/That's always under cover"; and "School girl
sleazy".
Common Sense Media recommends Just Dance 2015 for
those aged 10 and older, stating that the game "heavily promotes
having fun with other players by dancing in groups, as well as
getting exercise by moving your body in time to the music." The
description also mentions the lyrics, saying that some "have
references (usually mild) to sex and alcohol". As for online play,
"players can dance with friends or strangers online, but there's no
communication available between dancers".
Overview
The fact that the dancers are represented by colourful silhouettes
takes the emphasis away from the physicality of those on screen
compared to the actual music videos for the songs. Parents who
worry about how, for example, female performers are portrayed
should have less to worry about here.
Unlike some other dancing games that are available, Just
Dance 2015 isn't focused on dancing skill as much as it is on
just having fun. The inclusion of popular songs like Let it Go from
Frozen extends the appeal of the game to a wider audience.
In a family setting this familiarity coupled with on screen lyrics
and easy to follow dance moves means that players of any age can
get involved, as you can see in the family video.
The ability for the game to track up to four or six players
depending on the version makes it a great game for party type
situations and for families to play together, especially those
versions that use a camera peripheral and thus don't require
additional controller purchases. The songs are mostly pop, so
should appeal to a wide range of people.
Source Article from http://www.wired.co.uk/news/archive/2014-12/08/just-dance-2015 http://cdni.wired.co.uk/620x413/d_f/Dance3.jpg
Just Dance 2015 helps families Let It Go this Christmas
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