3 Responses to "Just Dance 3 Reviews"

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  Nutwiisystem.Com says:

  December 16, 2011 at 6:06 am

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  152 of 156 people found the following review helpful:

  
  Despite a few glitches, overall a successful transition to the Xbox with some spectacular Kinect-only features, October 14, 2011

  By 

  Nutwiisystem.Com (New York, NY USA) –
  
    

  = Fun: 

  This review is from: Just Dance 3 (Video Game)

  Like most of you, I was curious about a few questions with Just Dance 3. First, how does Just Dance 3 for Kinect compare to its counterpart on the Wii? Second, how does it compare to the gold standard for dance games on the Kinect, Dance Central? Third, how does it stand on its own as a game? I’ll try to cover all those questions in this review.

  As with the Wii version, the opening menu of Just Dance 3 is delightfully simple. You’re given four choices:

  * Dance
  * Just Create
  * Extras
  * Shop

  “Dance” has four options. “Songs” allows you to jump into the songs and start dancing. You scroll through a list of songs. As with the Wii version, you’ll see icons signifying the difficulty level (gears) and the intensity level (drops of sweat).

  If you know and love the Wii version, it’ll be an easy transition to play the Kinect version. The gameplay and the graphics are virtually identical. A colorful silhouetted figure will dance on the screen and you have to dance the “mirror image” to it. The more accurately you dance, the more “stars” you’ll earn. At the end of the dance, you’ll see your point total and earn “Mojo Points” to unlock new songs, choreography, and playing modes (the first gift is “Jamaican Dance Mashup”)

  Ubisoft has wisely kept the songs and the choreography identical across the platforms, which means you can learn the dances on a Wii and know the routines inside and out when visiting a friend with an Xbox (and presumably with a PS3, once that version is finally released).

  There are two important distinctions from the Wii version: first, you’re not holding a remote in your hands so you have complete freedom of movement. Second, you see a little postage-sized silhouette of yourself in the upper left-hand corner which lets you easily compare how well you’re performing the dance with the on-screen silhouette. Both of these things are definitely an improvement over the Wii.

  One thing that is decidedly not an improvement over the Wii version is multiplayer mode. It says that up to four players can play together, but all four players have to squeeze together in a staggered pattern to fit within the Kinect camera range, and players are so tight that you invariably end up hitting and bumping into each other. The way the system tries to automatically detect players can be spotty as well. Before the song, each player has to stand in front of the silhouette whose moves they want to follow and follow it throughout the dance routine. I found that it can take several tries before getting it right, but once you get it right it’s a lot of fun, especially if you have four players (You can see from the song selection icon whether the choreography is designed for one, two, or four dancers).

  Before each song you can choose a “difficulty level” by raising your hand. You can choose between “Easy” and “Normal”. The “Easy” setting icon shows a person whose torso is highlighted but whose lower body is white; presumably this was added to the Kinect version because some folks’ Kinects (like mine) are set up in a small room where there’s not enough space to capture the whole body. But to be honest, I tried dancing to the same songs on both settings and I really didn’t notice a difference between either.

  The motion tracking seems to be spot on, if a little lenient. The first time I danced to “California Gurls”, I easily got 10,295 points and 5 stars. I started to think pretty highly of myself until I noticed that for practically every song I tried (even ones I never tried before), I’d get 4 or 5 stars. As an experiment, I tried just standing still and flailing my arms up and down through the whole song, and I still ended up getting 3,613 points and one star. I think Ubisoft learned from their experience with the original Just Dance that it’s better to be a little more lenient in scoring than to be overly harsh. Some people (particularly kids or newbies dancing in a party setting) will welcome this, while others may be a little annoyed that there’s not much of a challenge in racking up a high score. As for me, I’ve learned to ignore the score and just enjoy the game on its own merits.

  The best way to sum how up Just Dance 3 deals with motion detection is that it seems that the greatest emphasis (as with the Wii version) is placed on arm movements and general body movements, more so than precise detection of where your hands and feet are at any given time.

  This is probably a good way to describe the difference between Just Dance and Dance Central. Dance Central definitely is a superior title if you’re looking for a much higher degree of precision or something approaching “detailed dance instruction”. On the other hand, Just Dance 3 is arguably the better title if you just want to hang out with friends and have a fun time. And this is just personal preference, but I much prefer the…

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  NeuroSplicer says:

  December 16, 2011 at 6:48 am

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  24 of 26 people found the following review helpful:

  
  LIGHTNING STRIKES THE DANCE FLOOR YET AGAIN!, October 13, 2011

  By 

  NeuroSplicer (Freeside, in geosynchronous orbit) –
  
    

  = Fun: 

  This review is from: Just Dance 3 (Video Game)

  After its hugely successful predecessors, the third installment of the JUST DANCE series has arrived – and this time it is also available for both the Xbox and the PS3 (you can thank UBISOFT being in financial trouble due to the overzealous DRM scheme they use in their PC releases). Anyway, JD3 comes with tons of fun and it will make you sweat while having it. If you are or feeling young, if you want to get your kids out of the couch or if you want to burn calories yourself, this is the game for you.

  A MODE FOR EVERYONE
  On top of the good old Classic Mode, fans of the series will be able to enjoy their favorite exergame in numerous different ways.
  Duet Mode & Simon Says: Duet and group dances as well as the dance version of Simon Says make JD3 a good idea for parties and sleepovers. If, like me, you are over 35, this also offers the opportunity for numerous very humiliating experiences with your young ones.
  Medley, Non-Stop Shuffle & Just Sweat: Very good for getting your heart rate up and keeping it in the aerobic range for as long as you can handle it, without interruptions. If you are really pumped, try giving the Dance Til Dawn Mode a try. unfortunately there is still no calculations for calories burned.
  Just Create: a mode that is not available for the Wii. It allows the player to create his or her own dancing moves, save them and either repeat them or have his friends try to match them.

  INCENTIVES
  But the game is all carrot, no stick. The better you match the song’s moves (and the Kinect here is veeery forgiving!), the more points you accumulate. mention getting the background to animate!). Increasing your points first allows you to animate the background – and it also increases your mojo. And the more mojo you `ve got, the more dancing modes and songs become available to you.

  IMPROVEMENTS
  Graphics received a boost, in both details and backgrounds. You prefer singing to dancing? No problem, JD3 comes with all the lyrics showing on the screen for you to accompany your favorite group or singer (no, no points for turning this dancing game into a karaoke but who cares, right?).

  NEW SONGS
  If truth be told at first glance I liked the song collection of JD2 better. However, I think this will keep happening with every new installment of the series. These games just grow on you. You are having so much fun that the new songs will simply become as dear to you as your old favorites. Give it time.
  So, yes, the song list may not contain the latest hits but it has some very uplifting dance songs and your list can be enriched online (although not cheaply).

  This is the COMPLETE LIST of the songs contained in the game, alphabetically:
  1. 2 Unlimited: No Limit
  2. A-Ha: Take On Me
  3. Anja: Dance All Nite
  4. Aretha Franklin: Think
  5. Bananarama: Venus
  6. Black Eyed Peas: Pump It
  7. Bollywood Dream: Kurio ko Uddah le Jana
  8. Cee Lo Green: Forget You
  9. Countdown Mix Masters: Beautiful Liar
  10.Daft Punk: Da Funk
  11.Danny Elfman: This is Halloween
  12.Donna Summer: I Feel Love
  13.Dr. Creole: Baby Zouk
  14.Duck Sauce: Barbra Streisand
  15.Girls Aloud: Jump (For My Love)
  16.Groove Century: Boogie Wonderland
  17.Gwen Stefani: What You Waiting For
  18.Inspector Marceau: The Master Blaster
  19.Janelle Monae: Tightrope (Solo Version)
  20.Jessie J featuring B.o.B: Price Tag
  21.Brahms by Just Dance Classical Orchestra: Hungarian Dance No.5
  22.Katy Perry: E.T (BONUS – only in the Special edition)
  23.Katy Perry: Teenage Dream (BONUS – only in the Special edition)
  24.Katy Perry ft. Snoop Dogg: California Gurls
  25.Kiss: I Was Made For Lovin’ You
  26.Konshens: Jamaican Dance
  27.African Ladies: Pata Pata
  28.Latino Sunset: Mamasita
  29.Laura Bell Bundy: Giddy On Up (Giddy On Out)
  30.Lena Meyer-Landrut: Satellite
  31.Lenny Kravitz: Are You Gonna Go My Way
  32.LMFAO featuring Lauren Bennett & GoonRock: Party Rock Anthem
  33.Madness: Night Boat To Cairo
  34.MIKA: Lollipop
  35.Nelly Furtado ft. Timbaland: Promiscuous 832. Pointer Sisters: I’m So Excited
  36.Pointer Sisters: I’m So Excited
  37.Queen: Crazy Little Thing Called Love
  38.Reggaeton Explosion: Boom
  39.Rita Mitsouko: Marcia Baila
  40.Robbie Williams & Nicole Kidman: Somethin’ Stupid
  41.Robin Sparkles: Let’s Go To The Mall
  42.Scissor Sisters: I Don’t Feel Like Dancin’
  43.Sentai Express: Spectronizer
  44.Sweat Invaders: Gonna Make You Sweat (Everybody Dance Now)
  45.Taio Cruz: Dynamite
  46.The Buggles: Video Killed The Radio Star
  47.The Chemical Brothers: Hey Boy Hey Girl
  48.The Girly Team: Baby One More Time
  49.The Sugarhill Gang: Apache (Jump On It)
  50.Tommy Sparks: She’s Got Me Dancing
  51.Wilson…

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  Ryan DeJonghe "Kinect Reviews and Interviews" says:

  December 16, 2011 at 7:04 am

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  11 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

  
  Just Dance – FINALLY on the Xbox thanks to Kinect, October 21, 2011

  By 

  Ryan DeJonghe “Kinect Reviews and Interviews” (New Haven, CT) –
  
    

  = Fun: 

  This review is from: Just Dance 3 (Video Game)

  There isn’t a dance game around that has had the success of the Just Dance brand. Selling over five million copies worldwide, Just Dance 2 was a dance game juggernaut on the Wii. This time, the party has returned bigger and better than ever with Just Dance 3. And this time, the party is on the Kinect for Xbox 360.

  No review of Just Dance 3 would feel correct without mentioning the other giant Kinect dance title, Dance Central. Once Dance Central 2 comes out, I will do a review of the game and then do another separate article comparing the two games. Do they compete or is there room enough for both? We’ll soon see.

  For now, my immediate thoughts on Just Dance 3 are about a game trying to make itself accessible to a larger crowd. The playlist (found here) represents a variety of songs from various generations, genres, and ethnicity. There are no opportunities to slow things down and learn each step. The idea of Just Dance is simple, just dance.

  Those familiar with Kinect’s other major dancing game will feel right at home here. As soon as the game starts, move your hands up and down to find the right menu, and swipe to select. Here is where I have to give Just Dance 3 some worthy credit, because there is a lot of content to play around with.

  The first mode that will draw your attention is the Just Dance mode. Hop in, pick a song, and you are off. Instead of a menu of options, everything is decided on stage. Before you start the dance, you set the difficulty and number of players. Raise your hand to pick from easy or hard. If you have multiple players, have them stand side-by-side or by staggering, where they will all show in the feedback panel.

  The difference between easy and hard modes is how the Kinect tracks you. For just upper body tracking, pick easy. This is a good way to ease in players coming from the Wii version. It is also a good mode for players that don’t want to jump or spin. For full body tracking, pick hard. The tracking is where I have a small problem with the game. There is nothing to tell you what you are doing wrong or right. You are given a “X”, an “OK”, a “good”, or a “perfect”. This can be a bit frustrating when trying for high scores or to earn certain achievements.

  Speaking of tracking, the tracking in Just Dance 3 seems very well done. If your living room allows for it, you can have up to four people dancing and tracked at the same time. I was able to cram myself and both kids into the routine and I scored just as well as when playing solo. For added fun, Just Dance has brought back Duets and added a Dance Crew for several songs. Duets is where two players can do complementary dances during the song. Dance Crew is similar, but for four people and usually involves an orchestrated performance. For those solo artists out there, don’t fret. You can still have your own one-person party by selecting whichever Dance Crew coach to follow and then square dance the night away with your invincible friends.

  The routines of Just Dance 3 are what separates it from most dance games. You will either love them or hate them. You will either let loose and have fun or you will dismiss them as being a bit too corny. If you are fine with dancing as a cheerleader to Britney or acting like Mr. Pumpkin man in a Halloween themed song, you’ll be fine here. As I said earlier, the main thrust of Just Dance games is accessibility. Nothing says accessibility like swinging a lasso or playing a virtual guitar. Everything is done in fun and is choreographed perfectly with the music. The dances are easy to learn and follow. Instead of the choreography changing to reflect the difficulty level, the difficulty level is set by how the game tracks you (upper versus entire body).

  Each song is scored on a five-star scale. Higher points are awarded to “perfect” moves and even more points are given to players hitting several perfect moves in a row, which is also called being “on fire”. There are extra points available in the song through Gold Moves and Shout Outs. Gold Moves are specially highlighted moves during the song, which are an added bonus to the score. Shout Outs are specially selected portions of the lyrics, which are sung for even more points. Earning more stars after each song will fill up the Mojo Bar, which is a currency used to unlock items in the game.

  There are several nice unlocks in the game, either through the Mojo Bar or by uPlay. The Mojo Bar is simply filled up by dancing. uPlay points are earned through special feats and can be used to buy anything from Ubisoft game themes for your Xbox Dashboard to in-game unlocks. The game specific selection for uPlay is about four items, while the unlocks from the Mojo Bar are many. Just in my first time playing, I unlocked special modes and new choreography for current songs. For instance, instead of rocking out to one…

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