Full Review of Just Dance 2017 - Dance, magic dance

Just Dance has been forcing people into shaking the excess fat off of their bodies for more than 9 years. Good times, my friends… The newest and freshest iteration of that pulse-stimulating game might be just as good as the classic ones. Let's give it a quick inspection.

Graphics — 4/5

Don't expect much from Just Dance in terms of graphics. Everything is pretty generic and bland, although the visual quality dramatically increased since the first game in the series was released. Everything is much more polished now. The visuals of the game are limited to a number of abstract figures dressed in both casual and a bit bizarre clothes, representing different cultures or holidays. You'll see:

• An Indian sari.
• A red jacket with a British flag on it.
• Japanese anime-stylized clothes.
• An Easter bunny suit.

And so forth.

The figures are resemblant of dancing dummies. Their dance techniques are realistic though since the creators used the motion-capture to record the funkiest of the moves, performed by the real dancers. All that rhythmic bacchanalia takes place in a setting similar to a low-budget nightclub, with discotheque light flashing fiercely, in correspondence with the rhythm of a tune currently playing. Indubitably there's not much to look at. But in the context of that specific genre, the looks of the game are satisfactory. 

Gameplay — 4/5

Calorie burning and sexy dancing. This is the entire gameplay concept behind Just Dance.
Choreography difficulty is changeable - it starts with basic moves, that even the worst of the noobs with horrid coordination and feel of rhythm could repeat (e.g., me) to advanced and elaborate moves that might prove to be a challenge to a professional dancer.

Moreover, a new category has been added to mark your success. Now the highest award possible is "Funky" if you manage to hit the super high score. The song list isn't colossal, but it has a number of catchy tunes with fiery rhythm, from golden oldies to modern radio jams. In case you're curious here's the list.

As you can see it includes a lot of beloved dance music bombs from immortal "Don't Stop Me Now" by Queen to "Hips Don't Lie" by Shakira. And even appalling "PoPiPo" made it to the party. Apart from the group/solo dance mode, there's even a whole campaign. According to the back-story, aliens from a nameless world got lost among the stars and what's even worse hit zero on the gas gauge. To rescue the ambassadors from another planet, you're supposed to lend them a couple 'o bucks dance to restart the engines of their spacecraft. Who could've guessed that the interstellar flights would be possible not because of concentrated dark matter or Alcubierre warp drive but because of "Watch Me (Whip/Nae Nae)"... 

Controls — 3.5/5

It has the classic dance game controls. You will need either a Kinect or your smartphone with a special controller app. The app can be downloaded here. Unfortunately, if you stick to using your mobile device, you'll have to utilize the Xbox controller for song selection. 

Replay Value — 5/5

Although I'm not a big fan of dancing, that game is both beneficial for having a good time and improving your physical condition. The next time you're hosting a party - try this, it'll be a blast. 

The Bottom Line

Just Dance 2017 is definitely fun to play. It'll help you enjoy some good time, especially with your friends and also keep your muscles well toned. It's irreplaceable for social events as well.