''Just Dance'' is a 2009
music
Music is generally defined as the art of arranging sound to create some combination of form, harmony, melody, rhythm or otherwise expressive content. Exact definitions of music vary considerably around the world, though it is an aspect ...
rhythm game
Rhythm game or rhythm action is a genre of music-themed action video game that challenges a player's sense of rhythm. Games in the genre typically focus on dance or the simulated performance of musical instruments, and require players to pres ...
developed by
Ubisoft Milan
Ubisoft is a French video game publisher headquartered in Montreuil, founded in March 1986 by the Guillemot brothers. Since its establishment, Ubisoft has become one of the largest video game publishers, and it has the largest in-house developme ...
and
Ubisoft Paris
Ubisoft is a French video game publisher headquartered in Montreuil, founded in March 1986 by the Guillemot brothers. Since its establishment, Ubisoft has become one of the largest video game publishers, and it has the largest in-house developme ...
and published by
Ubisoft
Ubisoft Entertainment SA (; ; formerly Ubi Soft Entertainment SA) is a French video game publisher headquartered in Saint-Mandé with development studios across the world. Its video game franchises include '' Assassin's Creed'', ''Far Cry'', '' ...
as the first main installment of the ''
Just Dance'' series. The game was released exclusively for the
Wii
The Wii ( ) is a home video game console developed and marketed by Nintendo. It was released on November 19, 2006, in North America and in December 2006 for most other Regional lockout, regions of the world. It is Nintendo's fifth major ho ...
on November 17, 2009, in North America, November 26, 2009, in Australia, and November 27, 2009, in Europe.
Expanding upon a concept introduced in a minigame for ''
Rayman Raving Rabbids: TV Party'', players mimic the motions of an on-screen dancer's
choreography
Choreography is the art or practice of designing sequences of movements of physical bodies (or their depictions) in which Motion (physics), motion or Visual appearance, form or both are specified. ''Choreography'' may also refer to the design ...
for a selected song, using the
Wii Remote
The Wii Remote, also known colloquially as the Wiimote, is the primary game controller for Nintendo's Wii home video game console. An essential capability of the Wii Remote is its motion sensing capability, which allows the user to interact with ...
to judge the player's motions and accuracy (eschewing accessories such as physical
dance pad
A dance pad, also known as a dance mat or dance platform, is a flat electronic game controller used for input in dance games. Most dance pads are divided into a 3×3 matrix of square panels for the player to stand on, with some or all of the pane ...
s).
''Just Dance'' was released to mixed-to-negative reviews. It was criticized for its simplistic gameplay, poor motion detection, and a lack of progression or additional content beyond what was included on-disc. At the same time, the simplistic gameplay of ''Just Dance'' was praised for being accessible to a
casual audience, its "fun" soundtrack and dance routines, and for becoming more enjoyable as a
multiplayer
A multiplayer video game is a video game in which more than one person can play in the same game environment at the same time, either locally on the same computing system (couch co-op), on different computing systems via a local area network, or ...
party game
Party games are games that are played at social gatherings to facilitate interaction and provide entertainment and recreation. Categories include (explicit) icebreaker, parlour (indoor), picnic (outdoor), and large group games.Frankel, Lillian; ...
. ''Just Dance'' was a major commercial success, selling over 4.3 million copies worldwide and establishing a
franchise
Franchise may refer to:
Business and law
* Franchising, a business method that involves licensing of trademarks and methods of doing business to franchisees
* Franchise, a privilege to operate a type of business such as a cable television p ...
that, as of October 2013, had collectively sold over 40 million units, making it Ubisoft's second-largest franchise.
Gameplay
After selecting a song and either a short or full version of it, players are presented with an on-screen dancer, as well as an occasional display of scrolling
pictogram
A pictogram, also called a pictogramme, pictograph, or simply picto, and in computer usage an icon, is a graphic symbol that conveys its meaning through its pictorial resemblance to a physical object. Pictographs are often used in writing and ...
s/
silhouette
A silhouette ( , ) is the image of a person, animal, object or scene represented as a solid shape of a single colour, usually black, with its edges matching the outline of the subject. The interior of a silhouette is featureless, and the silhou ...
s representing specific poses.
[ While holding a ]Wii Remote
The Wii Remote, also known colloquially as the Wiimote, is the primary game controller for Nintendo's Wii home video game console. An essential capability of the Wii Remote is its motion sensing capability, which allows the user to interact with ...
in their right hand, players follow the moves of the on-screen dancer and their choreographed
Choreography is the art or practice of designing sequences of movements of physical bodies (or their depictions) in which motion or form or both are specified. ''Choreography'' may also refer to the design itself. A choreographer is one who cr ...
routine. Players are judged by their animated score icons on a ranking scale for the accuracy of each of their moves in comparison to that of the on-screen dancer, and receive points. There are three judgements, "X", "OK" and "Great". The "X" means that the player didn't get the move, "OK" means that the player tried, but isn't quite there, or the player is almost there, and "Great" means the player did an awesome job on the move. Some moves are shake moves, where the shake meter appears in front of their animated score icons, giving the players a chance to shake their Wii Remotes as fast as they can to earn bonus points.[
Along with standard play, three other modes are included; the "Warm Up" mode serves as a practice mode.][ In "Strike a Pose" mode, players are instructed at random to freeze (similar to Red light green light). In "Last One Standing" mode, players are given seven ]lives
Lives may refer to:
* The plural form of a ''life''
* Lives, Iran, a village in Khuzestan Province, Iran
* The number of lives in a video game
* '' Parallel Lives'', aka ''Lives of the Noble Greeks and Romans'', a series of biographies of famous m ...
; players lose lives on mistakes, and gain them back after hitting five correct moves in a row; a player is eliminated if they lose all of their lives.
Development
The concept of ''Just Dance'' originated from a minigame developed for inclusion in the ''Rayman Raving Rabbids
''Rayman Raving Rabbids'' is a 2006 party video game developed and published by Ubisoft. The game is a spinoff in the '' Rayman'' series. The game consists of 75 minigames. The game was released for the PlayStation 2, Wii, Xbox 360, and Microso ...
'' series. Ubisoft France's managing director Xavier Poix and his team felt the Wii Remote
The Wii Remote, also known colloquially as the Wiimote, is the primary game controller for Nintendo's Wii home video game console. An essential capability of the Wii Remote is its motion sensing capability, which allows the user to interact with ...
and Nunchuk would work well for music games;[ '' Rayman Raving Rabbids 2'' featured a music minigame that ''IGN'' compared to '']Guitar Hero
''Guitar Hero'' is a series of music rhythm game video games first released in November 2005, in which players use a guitar-shaped game controller to simulate playing primarily lead, bass guitar, and rhythm guitar across numerous songs. Player ...
''—where players shook the Wii Remote or Nunchuk when prompted to play an instrument. For '' Rayman Raving Rabbids: TV Party'', the concept was iterated into a pose-based dance game. Proving popular in demonstrations, the concept was refined and re-developed into a stand-alone game.
''Just Dance'' was developed by a small team of around 20 at Ubisoft Paris and Ubisoft Milan
Ubisoft is a French video game publisher headquartered in Montreuil, founded in March 1986 by the Guillemot brothers. Since its establishment, Ubisoft has become one of the largest video game publishers, and it has the largest in-house developme ...
, and was only officially pitched six months prior to its eventual release.[ Poix explained that unlike the ''Raving Rabbids'' games, which he described as being a "gamer's game", ''Just Dance'' was designed to contrast skill-based rhythm games with a concept and control scheme that would be accessible to a mainstream audience, encouraging them to " etoff the couch and ]ave
''Alta Velocidad Española'' (''AVE'') is a service of high-speed rail in Spain operated by Renfe, the Spanish national railway company, at speeds of up to . As of December 2021, the Spanish high-speed rail network, on part of which the AVE s ...
fun together".[ Ubisoft producer Florian Granger noted that ''Just Dance'' was designed to help players overcome their inhibitions and anxiety towards dance, helping them build a "vocabulary" of moves they can practice in a "safe context", and with the game itself being the focal point of attention rather than themselves. He reminisced that "everyone remembers going to a nightclub or school disco where it takes a couple of hours before anyone has the bottle to get up and dance. Most guys do the fix-placed-beer-bottle dance or neck-shake to the beat."][
Creative director Gregoire Spillmann argued that existing dance games at the time merely instructed players to press buttons with their feet, rather than actually dance. Acknowledging '']Dance Dance Revolution
(''DDR'') is a music video game series produced by Konami. Introduced in Japan in 1998 as part of the Bemani series, and released in North America and Europe in 1999, ''Dance Dance Revolution'' is the pioneering series of the rhythm and dance V ...
'' players who use its gameplay as a base for their own dance routines, Spiller likened ''Just Dance'' to be a reversal of the concept, in which the dance moves themselves were "fit" into the gameplay, and could be applied outside the game as well.[ The team deliberately focused on building the mechanics of ''Just Dance'' solely around the Wii Remote, eschewing dedicated accessories such as ]dance pad
A dance pad, also known as a dance mat or dance platform, is a flat electronic game controller used for input in dance games. Most dance pads are divided into a 3×3 matrix of square panels for the player to stand on, with some or all of the pane ...
s, arm or leg bands, as well as the Nunchuk attachment. Spillmann explained that such accessories were "distractions" that restricted the motion of players;[ for instance, the team felt that the Nunchuk's short cord limited how it could be used in routines, and that removing it helped the game focus less on precision and more on letting players feel like they are dancing.][ The lack of dedicated peripheral also contrasted with other music games that utilized increasingly intricate and expensive controllers.][
While Poix felt that his team had developed a game that could potentially become successful, his colleagues at ]Ubisoft Paris
Ubisoft is a French video game publisher headquartered in Montreuil, founded in March 1986 by the Guillemot brothers. Since its establishment, Ubisoft has become one of the largest video game publishers, and it has the largest in-house developme ...
doubted ''Just Dance''. Poix explained that "people thought it would never work, because people don't dance, or that it wasn't precise enough for people to actually learn to dance."[ Granger felt that the development team would be "cynical" of ''Just Dance'' due to the oversaturated market of ]casual game
A casual game is a video game targeted at a mass market audience, as opposed to a hardcore game, which is targeted at hobbyist gamers. Casual games may exhibit any type of gameplay and genre. They generally involve simpler rules, shorter sessio ...
s on the Wii
The Wii ( ) is a home video game console developed and marketed by Nintendo. It was released on November 19, 2006, in North America and in December 2006 for most other Regional lockout, regions of the world. It is Nintendo's fifth major ho ...
, but noted that there was a "sense of excitement" among them, as it would be based upon a proven codebase, and used "respected" games such as ''Dance Dance Revolution'' as an example to build upon.
Soundtrack
''Just Dance'' features a soundtrack consisting of 33 songs.
Reception
Reviews
''Just Dance'' received generally negative reviews from critics; Metacritic
Metacritic is a website that review aggregator, aggregates reviews of films, TV shows, music albums, video games and formerly, books. For each product, the scores from each review are averaged (a weighted arithmetic mean, weighted average). M ...
lists the game with an aggregate score of 49 out of 100 based on 21 critic reviews, indicating a "generally unfavorable" reception.[
''GameSpot'' was relatively positive, praising ''Just Dance'' for having simplistic gameplay, and remarking that its dance routines were "both fun and at times downright hilarious". However, the game's motion detection was considered "frustrating and unrewarding", and the game was also panned for its graphical quality, and its lack of career modes or downloadable content. In conclusion, giving the game a 5.5 out of 10, ''GameSpot'' felt that ''Just Dance'' would appeal best as a multiplayer ]party game
Party games are games that are played at social gatherings to facilitate interaction and provide entertainment and recreation. Categories include (explicit) icebreaker, parlour (indoor), picnic (outdoor), and large group games.Frankel, Lillian; ...
, where players " anattempt the silly dances, laugh at each other's mistakes, and sing along to the cheesy pop tunes", but was "water-thin" as a single-player game.[
''Nintendo World Report'' felt that the game's soundtrack was "fun" but "cheesy" at times. The game's user interface was described as being "colorful" but minimalistic, while the appearance of the on-screen dancers were compared to iPod commercials. It was also noted that the ]pictogram
A pictogram, also called a pictogramme, pictograph, or simply picto, and in computer usage an icon, is a graphic symbol that conveys its meaning through its pictorial resemblance to a physical object. Pictographs are often used in writing and ...
s additionally used to represent moves sometimes contradicted with the instructions implied to the player via the on-screen dancer, "making it look like timing relies on the pose you make rather than the movements you do", but that "once you 'get it', ''Just Dance'' becomes very enjoyable, very enduring, and extremely silly and fun." In conclusion, it was felt that ''Just Dance'' was "very rough but shows promise, especially when played with friends."[
''IGN.com'' felt that ''Just Dance'' was "an experience so devoid of depth or even basic game concepts that it would be considered a rip-off even if it was one of those Chinese knock-off systems masquerading as an existing console", further criticizing the game for its basic gameplay mechanics, "sloppy" motion detection, lack of variation or unlockable content, and excluding the Lady Gaga song of the same name. ''IGN'' concluded by urging readers not to buy, rent, or even think about ''Just Dance'', "lest someone at Ubisoft find out and they prep a '']Just Dance 2
''Just Dance 2'' is a 2010 dance rhythm game developed by Ubisoft Paris and Ubisoft Milan and published by Ubisoft. The game was released exclusively for the Wii on October 12, 2010, in North America and in Australia and Europe on October 14, 2010, ...
''. Such would be the end of all things, mark my words."
Sales
In contrast to its critical reception, ''Just Dance'' was a major commercial success for Ubisoft; for a period, it was the top-selling video game in the United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a country in Europe, off the north-western coast of the continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotland, Wales and North ...
, and in March 2010, Ubisoft announced that ''Just Dance'' had sold 2 million copies worldwide. In October 2010, the company announced that over 4.3 million copies of the game had been sold worldwide.
Legacy
The success of ''Just Dance'' led to the development of a sequel, ''Just Dance 2
''Just Dance 2'' is a 2010 dance rhythm game developed by Ubisoft Paris and Ubisoft Milan and published by Ubisoft. The game was released exclusively for the Wii on October 12, 2010, in North America and in Australia and Europe on October 14, 2010, ...
'', which focused on adding new features and refinements to the game—such as improvements to its motion tracking system, new game modes, and support for downloadable content. Sales of ''Just Dance 2'' surpassed that of the original; with over 5 million copies as of January 2011, it was the best-selling third-party title for the Wii.[ Laurent Detoc, CEO of Ubisoft's North American operations, stated that this achievement " olidifiedthe ''Just Dance'' brand as a pop culture phenomenon."] Poix felt that "there's a pressure within Ubisoft to keep ''Just Dance'' enormous, and we think we can make it enormous. But it wasn't like that initially, because at the end of the first one, people—even us—had our doubts that it would last. After the first one we thought maybe there would be a second one, and then it would be over."[
The release of motion control accessories for the Wii's competitors in the ]seventh generation of video game consoles
The seventh generation of home video game consoles began on November 22, 2005, with the release of Microsoft's Xbox 360 home console. This was followed by the release of Sony Computer Entertainment's PlayStation 3 on November 17, 2006, and Nint ...
—PlayStation Move
is a motion game controller developed by Sony Interactive Entertainment. Initially released in 2010 for use with the PlayStation 3 home video game console, its compatibility was later expanded to its successor, the PlayStation 4 in 2013, its Pla ...
for PlayStation 3
The PlayStation 3 (PS3) is a home video game console developed by Sony Interactive Entertainment, Sony Computer Entertainment. The successor to the PlayStation 2, it is part of the PlayStation brand of consoles. It was first released on Novemb ...
, and Kinect
Kinect is a line of motion sensing input devices produced by Microsoft and first released in 2010. The devices generally contain RGB cameras, and infrared projectors and detectors that map depth through either structured light or time of flig ...
for Xbox 360
The Xbox 360 is a home video game console developed by Microsoft. As the successor to the original Xbox, it is the second console in the Xbox series. It competed with Sony's PlayStation 3 and Nintendo's Wii as part of the seventh generation ...
, spawned competing motion-controlled dance games such as ''Dance Central
''Dance Central'' is a music rhythm game series developed by Harmonix, creators of the ''Guitar Hero'' and ''Rock Band'' franchises.
Series
Dance Central (2010)
''Dance Central'' was released exclusively for the Xbox 360 and was a launch title ...
'', ''Dance Masters
''Dance Evolution'' (known as ''DanceMasters'' in North America) is a Japanese dance, dancing video game developed by the makers of the ''Dance Dance Revolution'' series. The game was unveiled at Konami's Electronic Entertainment Expo 2010, E3 201 ...
'', ''Dance Paradise'', and ''SingStar Dance
''SingStar Dance'' is a 2010 competitive karaoke and dance video game for the PlayStation 3, a spin-off of the karaoke ''SingStar'' series. ''SingStar Dance'' was developed by London Studio and published by Sony Computer Entertainment. The gam ...
''. The 2010 Wii release of ''Dance Dance Revolution'' also added a mode combining its traditional dance pad gameplay with choreography gestures performed using the Wii Remote and Nunchuk; in its review, ''IGN'' declared that the dance pad had become "antiquated" by motion-controlled dance games.
''Just Dance 3
''Just Dance 3'' is a 2011 dance rhythm game released on the Wii, Xbox 360, and PlayStation 3 with Kinect and Move support respectively for the latter two. It is part of the '' Just Dance'' video game series published by Ubisoft originally on the ...
'' would introduce versions of the game for PS3 and Xbox 360, as well as Wii, and was ultimately the second best-selling video game of 2011 overall, finishing only behind '' Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3''. Tony Key, Ubisoft's senior vice president of sales and marketing, complimented the success of ''Dance Central'' for proving the viability of dance games for Kinect, but iterated that as a brand, ''Just Dance'' had become "a juggernaut way beyond anything that any dance franchise has ever done." As of October 2013, the overall ''Just Dance'' franchise had collectively sold over 40 million units, making it Ubisoft's second-largest franchise behind ''Assassin's Creed
''Assassin's Creed'' is an open-world, action-adventure, and stealth game franchise published by Ubisoft and developed mainly by its studio Ubisoft Montreal using the game engine Anvil and its more advanced derivatives. Created by Patrice D ...
''.[
'']Just Dance 2020
''Just Dance 2020'' is a 2019 dance rhythm game developed and published by Ubisoft. It was unveiled on June 10, 2019, during its E3 press conference as the eleventh main installment of the series, in celebration of the ''Just Dance'' series' te ...
'' was released on the Wii and Nintendo Switch
The is a hybrid video game console developed by Nintendo and released worldwide in most regions on March 3, 2017. The console itself is a Tablet computer#Gaming tablet, tablet that can either be docking station, docked for use as a home video ...
, but not the Wii U
The Wii U ( ) is a home video game console developed by Nintendo as the successor to the Wii. Released in late 2012, it is the first eighth-generation video game console and competed with Microsoft's Xbox One and Sony's PlayStation 4.
The W ...
.
References
{{Just Dance series
2009 video games
Dance video games
Fitness games
Music video games
Just Dance (video game series)
Ubisoft games
Wii games
Wii-only games
Video games developed in France
Video games developed in Italy
Multiplayer and single-player video games