Just Dance (video game series)

Just Dance is a rhythm game series developed and published by Ubisoft, beginning with the original game in 2009. The games feature of a variety of songs that are accompanied with choreography performed by on-screen dancers. Players physically mimic the dance routine shown on screen and are scored based on how accurately they followed. The series has attracted popularity among a wide age range and dance skill level, and has been played in various contexts, such as entertainment, fitness and education.
Just Dance is a motion-based dance video game for multiple players, with each game including a collection of classic and modern songs each with its own dance choreographies. During each song, players mirror a dance performed by dancers on the screen, following moves that appear as pictorials on the bottom right corner of the screen, and are awarded for their accuracy. Additionally, there are gold moves in which players must strike a pose or complete the hardest move in the dance in order to earn bonus points. Players are given ranks based on how well they do. Depending on the game and system it is played on, the game can be played with either motion controllers or camera devices (such as the Wii Remote and Kinect), or using an app downloaded on a smart device. The game can be played by up to six players at once on eighth- and ninth-generation consoles, as well as the PC version of Just Dance 2017 and the Stadia version of Just Dance 2020, Just Dance 2021, and Just Dance 2022, with support for a gamepad and a keyboard used to navigate the menus. This excludes Dance Crew routines for Kinect users for the Xbox One version, as well as Wii Remote users for the Wii U version, and PlayStation Move users for the PlayStation 3 and PlayStation 4 versions, which are limited to four players. Seventh-generation consoles and the Wii U versions of Just Dance 4 to Just Dance 2015 and the Wii U version of Just Dance 2019 are also limited to four players.
The technological advancement in the 2000s shifted the gaming industry, with one of the most important developments during this time being the introduction of motion sensing controllers. These controllers were different from traditional gaming controllers, where players interacted with games using joysticks or buttons. In 2006, Nintendo released the Wii and the Wiimote, a device that uses accelerometers and infrared sensors that allow players to interact with games by physically moving their body.
Fitness culture became increasingly popular in 2000s mainstream culture. According to Marc Stern, the number of private fitness clubs in the United States grew from 3,000 in 1978 to nearly 20,000 by 2002, with memberships increasing from 1.7 million in 1972 to 42.7 million by 2006. The popularity towards fitness can also be seen in the increase of exercise classes such as Zumba and dance cardio, which were mainstream trends in the 2000's. During the same time, video games such as Wii Sports were released which integrated physical activity into their game designs, responding and contributing to the growing demand for fitness-related entertainment.
The Nintendo Wii was released in 2006. Its motion sensing technology and simple yet intuitive design made gaming more accessible to a broader audience. This included families, older adults, and casual gamers. The Wii exposed gaming to those who had previously not been part of the gaming community, such as non-gamers or those with limited experience with video games. The Wii’s success also had a role in the rise of casual gaming, as it helped expand the demographic of people who played games. Both the Wii and the casual gaming industry also led to the creation of new genres, including fitness games.
All game reviews are from Metacritic.
On 14 January 2019, Deadline reported that Screen Gems has acquired motion picture rights to Just Dance with Jason Altman and Margaret Boykin from Ubisoft Film & Television set to produce alongside Jodi Hildebrand and Will Gluck of Olive Bridge Entertainment. In January 2020, it was reported that Molly Prather, Amelie Gillette, Brian Gatewood, and Alessandro Tanaka wrote the script for the film. In January 2023, Gluck was reported to be re-writing the script alongside A.C. Bradley.