Just Dance 2019 under test

All years again the autumn is full of semi-virtual dance pleasure, when the newest part of the Just Dance series is released. Again this year, 40 new tracks and a handful of new features await us to melt the Christmas calories with hot moves.

More from the old

Just Dance remains Just Dance in the 2019 version and so it’s once again about doing the same on screen as your digital alter egos and accumulating as many points as possible with dance moves that are as mirror-like as possible. On the PS4 you have three input options at your disposal: First there’s the PlayStation Camera, which records your movements and has the added advantage that you have both hands free and can move as you please, but also requires the most space in your living room or children’s room. Secondly, you can simply use the Move controllers – up to four players can dance simultaneously with one controller in their right hand; no camera is needed and you don’t have to stand directly in front of the screen, which is especially advantageous in rooms with limited space. And finally there is the control via mobile app, which you can download to any current smartphone. This option is especially useful if you don’t have a PlayStation Camera or Move Controller. Attention however: In the heat of the dance fights the phone can slip out of your hand and be catapulted across the room.

Once you have selected your preferred control method, it’s time to play a few songs first and then unlock more features. The internal selection contains 40 current songs, which are mainly in the pop and electro genre. Some songs among them: Ariana Grande with “No Tears Left To Cry”, Bigbang with “Bang Bang Bang”, Britney Spears with “Work Work”, Bruno Mars ft. Camila Cabello with “Havana” or Arash ft. Snoop Dog with “OMG”. For the smaller players there is also a children’s mode with simpler choreographies as well as guaranteed youth-friendly songs from the Disney songs, various musicals and Co.

.

If the selection of songs is too small for you, you can of course also use the 30-day subscription for Just Dance Unlimited included in the game. This gives you instant access to over 400 songs in the game’s back catalogue. After 30 days you can extend your subscription for an extra charge on a daily, weekly, monthly or yearly basis.

Feature Flood

First things first: Apart from Just Dance Unlimited, there’s nothing in the game you need (or can) buy for real money; instead, you unlock new songs and features by successfully completing other dances or solving small tasks, from starting certain modes once to earning enough stars during your dance sessions. With the latter you earn Mojo – the currency in the game – which in turn can be used to randomly unlock alternative songs, new avatars, artworks and more at a special slot. In total there are 215 of these small, playable surprises.

As for the modes themselves, there are several options available: In normal solo mode you always select a song – the difficulty level of the corresponding dance moves will now be displayed before you start -, choose your favourite dancer within the choreography – there are up to four per song here – and then swing your hips as best you can. In sweat mode, which you can activate for each song, the focus is additionally directed to the calories consumed and the game shows you after each song how many of them you burned. In the Multiplayer you play with up to three (on the Switch even up to five) friends and try to be the best dancer in your small group.

If you want to dance with fewer interruptions, this time you can also start playlists – here the selection ranges from a list, which the game compiles based on your previously danced songs, over a playlist with the most popular songs of your country up to genre and theme lists, for example Disney songs or 90s hits.

Your personal dancer

In order to really stand out when playing with friends and family members, you can edit your own profile again in Just Dance 2019. You choose a nickname, your favourite avatar and a title – the latter both you unlock via the gifts at the machine or for special achievements. On the profile screen you can also track your previous achievements and view your unlocked artworks, saved videos and more.

Where we are at Videos – after each song you have the opportunity to share your videos online this time to share your smooth moves with your friends on the internet.

FAZIT:

Just Dance 2019 offers exactly what we know and love from the game series since its first offshoot: Hot melodies with cool dance moves that are especially fun to play with friends – at least when your friends like to swing their hips as much as you do. It is still a pity that the included Just Dance Unlimited subscription is only valid for 30 days and not for a whole year, until the next game is released. The included song selection is very pop/electro-heavy and therefore probably not very interesting for many – including me. With the Unlimited songs from all possible directions, including cool classics like various songs by Queen, songs from musicals like Hair and Footloose or 90s hits à la “Cotton Eye Joe” the game is really fun only with this additional option. In addition, as in earlier parts, there is the problem that your score does not necessarily match your performance, because movements are sometimes wrongly classified as “perfect”, then again as just “ok”, although perfectly correct – by the way, with all three control options. On the other hand, it’s nice to see that there’s a special children’s mode with youth-friendly songs and choreographies, and the playlist options (in sweat mode including total duration and calorie counter, almost like a small work out program) enrich the game. In short: If you love dancing, you will have a lot of fun again with Just Dance 2019 and you will be able to counteract the chocolate Nicolae and Christmas biscuits.

What is Just Dance 2019? The current part of the popular party dance series by Ubisoft
Platforms: PS4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, Xbox 360, Wii U, Wii
Tested: PS4 version
Developer / Publisher: Ubisoft
Release: October 23, 2018
Link: Official Website