Developer: Ubisoft
Publisher: Ubisoft
Platform: Switch, Wii, Xbox One, PS4
Tested on: Switch
Just Dance 2020 – Review
We’ve had a few run-ins with the Just Dance series over the years and while these games often don’t bring that much new to the table in terms of mechanics and content, the series remains fun for young and old. The last few releases are pushing a subscription-based formula if you wish to add some content to your game, which you either agree with or don’t. The game, however, does pick up on new trends and tries to find a suiting soundtrack with each iteration to keep pleasing the many fans. Just Dance 2020 is also the last Wii game to ever release (if we’re not counting homebrew content in the future).
Story
There is no real story to be found in the Just Dance games. You just pick the songs you like, and you follow the choreography that’s shown on the screen. Other than that, it’s a bit of luck to have plenty of songs that suit your personal style. The game tries to do something story-like with the All Stars mode, but it’s just a celebratory mode for the series’ 10 years anniversary. You’ll have a few cutscenes here, but they are somewhat nonsensical.
Graphics
As always, you’ll be treated with flashy looking choreographies on your screen or monitor. While many of the scenes being depicted don’t always go hand in hand with the song that is being played, they are cute, attractive and flashy enough to keep you invested in the game. That being said, when actually playing the game there isn’t that much time to pay attention to the backdrops or other finer details, as you’ll be forced to pay attention in order to keep track of your upcoming move expectations. That being said, while the game doesn’t push any graphical boundaries, the design is still great and it feels appealing for all types of gamers and different age groups.
Sound
It comes as no surprise that music is the most important aspect of the game. Ubisoft pays great attention to the current trends in music and adds popular titles to the tracklist. We notice a hefty increase in K-Pop (and J-Pop? Don’t shoot us if we’re wrong) as well as many Spanish songs. There are also two peculiar new bands added to the roster, namely Little Big and XS Project. These groups are somewhat of an acquired taste and will not be everyone’s cup of tea. Other than that, there are some more mainstream pop songs to explore, as well as some tracks with a proper rock vibe. If you’re still wondering what to play next, you can also put your groove on with Baby Shark, the internet sensation, that has finally cooled down a bit. We can also be rather proud that our very own K3 made the roster this year, with their hit 10.000 Luchtballonen. That being said, there are many songs in this year’s list that don’t feel that inviting to actually start dancing on your own, let alone with the game’s preprogrammed choreography.
Gameplay
Just Dance 2020 is a dancing game in which you’ll have to copy the choreography that’s shown onscreen. You’ll have to get jiggy with the music and perform the best you can. The game is not that strict when it comes to certain moves, and when playing the Switch version, there is no real penalty for not using your legs or your left arm. If you want you can just swing your arms in the proper direction and still rack in some points. Of course, there would be no fun in that, and this is probably just a strategy for an annoyed partner who is forced to play with an overzealous girlfriend/boyfriend. Those sentiments aside, the game is straightforward, and you can pick any song you like to get started with. You can mix things around as you see fit, and some songs even allow you to pick the dancing position you want.
The leaderboards and the online subscription service have already been available for a while, which means there isn’t that much new content, safe for this edition’s collection of songs. This game does, however, have the All Stars mode, which combines songs from the previous games to celebrate the series’ 10 year anniversary. It’s just a bit of extra content to wade through, which lengthens the game’s replay value.
Conclusion
Just Dance 2020 is, just like the previous versions, a fun game to play solo or with friends and family. This year’s edition grants you a lot of new tracks, making sure you have hours worth of content to perfect your moves. That being said, the Unlimited subscription formula is pushed too hard and pretty much offers content from the previous games, be it with leaderboards. If you still own the previous games, it’s cheaper to play those instead if you want to play your old songs. All arguments aside, this edition is certainly worth buying, if you can find yourself in the current tracklist.
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