The next installment of one of the most popular dance video games is here! It includes 40 plus songs and some new features designed for the Wii U touch screen gamepad. Up to four players can dance simultaneously with Wii remotes, while a fifth can have fun playing host with the Wii U controller. Wii U version reviewed here, of course.

The object is the same as in previous Just Dance titles. Hold the Wii remote and try to match the moves to the beat. Although it’s kind of hard to do, thanks to the sometimes unclear pictures and silhouetted dancers. Luckily, you don’t get penalized if you do poorly. You might just not earn as many stars and points. But since this is just a party game, you’re supposed to just have fun and not worry about getting a perfect score. Of course, I’m kind of a klutz and can’t dance worth a flip, so that may have something to do with it, too.

Using the Wii U game pad, a non-dancing player can do several things. Using the game pad camera, you can take pictures for editing people’s profiles.  On regular songs, they can draw on the touch pad to mess with other players. They can also display the lyrics on the screen for a mini-karaoke mode. You can unlock Puppet Master for each song, where the Wii U controller person chooses moves for the dancers, and can select poses and rewards, too. They can even keep the party moving by choosing the next song even before the current one is over.  This is a great idea for people who may be unwilling or unable to dance, or for those who need a little rest.

There is also a workout mode that gives you songs and aerobics to dance to, and you can choose different lengths of time to exercise. This mode includes a real calorie burning counter, too! By dancing and working out, you’ll earn Mojo Points that unlock various goodies. While I would’ve liked to have seen more variety in the song list (it’s mostly pop stuff I’ve never heard of, and I’m more partial to 80’s music myself), those who enjoy dance games should have fun with this one, too. It will take a long time to unlock all the good stuff, though.

Kid Factor:

Just Dance 4 is rated E-10 with ESRB descriptors of Comic Mischief and Lyrics. The songs aren’t anything worse than what you’d hear on the radio, and I think they even bleep out any bad words here. Kids love to dance, so if you have any little party animals in your house, this is a great way for them to move around and get some exercise.

Tags: Game Reviews