Sleekly packaged and presented, Just Dance 3 is the personification of pop music today. It’s gaudy, it’s bright, it’s not to my liking at all but there’s a a sort retro charm to it that epitomises our semi-ironic adoration of The 80’s and NME’s failed campaign to get the ‘nu-rave’ recognised as a genre.

From the outset, Just Dance 3 has an expansive and borderline formidable repertoire, featuring everything from crowd-pleasers like the hideous Party Rock Anthem by LMFAO to the smooth stylings of the Sugarhill Gang and Apache (Jump On It).

I started as I meant to continue, by accidentally choosing the two-player version of Nicole Kidman and Robbie Williams’ rendition of Sideshow Bob’s classic Somethin’ Stupid, which inexplicably features a Mermaid dancing with a Rosie from Bioshock in a hideous display of neon Primark steampunk.

Up next was She’s Got Me Dancing, familiar to me from hours of a sodding about in the FIFA 11 arena. The first thing that strikes me is how Just Dance 3 uses a mirroring system, wherein the player is supposed to imitate the moves of the ‘dancer’ just like, well, in a mirror. Whilst apparently simple on the face of it, it can prove surprisingly complicated and bewildering, especially when twists and turns are thrown into the mix.

Whilst perhaps down to my unco-ordinated husk of a body, the dancers present further problems. Unlike in, say, Guitar Hero, the focus isn’t on the gameplay itself but on the visuals, often leaving the player fixated on the dancer/s rather than their cues. In Guitar Hero you simply ignore the background visuals, presumably only there to mildly entertaining anybody watching you ‘rock out’, and focus on the notes, having clear indication of precisely what’s up next. The same applies to most rhythm-based games simply because it’s best from a gameplay perspective.

The nature of dancing itself also serves as an issue, dance-mats were an excellent means of distilling down a huge activity into four buttons, allowing for ease of access and simplicity to everybody. In being a game that throws this concept out of the window, this means an almost immeasurable number of dance moves go into the game, meaning you simply cannot jump-in and play. I wouldn’t go so far as to say that Just Dance 3 is a ‘dancers’ game, but it’s less than forgiving to debutants.

In not knowing what comes up next, a certain amount of learning is involved but Just Dance 3 never seems in the mood to teach you. There’s no tutorial mode to speak of, or even a Career mode to slowly ease you into the glitzy and cocaine-splattered road of back-up dancing. Even in the modes that do exist, I’m never entirely sure how or what criteria my moves are being judged upon; easy mode only assesses your top half, but there’s little indication as to wether I’ve ‘hit’ a particular move, other than a small box in the opposite corner. Again, with the likes of Guitar Hero and dance-mat games, feedback is a vital part of the gameplay and mistakes are duly noted and thrown back in your face.

The soundtrack is difficult to fault and some tracks click fantastically, ticking all the necessary variety-within-reason boxes but Just Dance 3 never seems to evolve beyond a simple ‘party game’. For a party game, specifically a party where everybody likes dancing and the idea of direct competition, Just Dance 3 fits the bill perfectly. It’s slick, modern and will appeal to most, but in being so expansive in gameplay doesn’t work in the game’s favour. Dance enthusiasts will more than likely enjoy Just Dance 3 but as a game it lacks depth, refinement and may only be wheeled out in a desperate attempt to revive an ailing party.

This game was reviewed on the Xbox 360. 

With easy to follow routines, Just Dance 3 does what it says on the tin.

Just Dance 3, as the name implies, has you waggling your Wii remote around in a manner that unacquainted individuals may believe is dancing. You follow various diagrams and an on-screen performer to mimic the set dance routines, with points being awarded for accurate movements. My usual problem with this particular genre is the inability to fully understand a complex dance routine on your first attempt at a particular track, a problem not shared with more simple button based rhythm action games. JD3 is surprisingly good at informing you of what’s coming next however, rather unlike the myriad complexities of Xbox 360 competitor Dance Central. An element of this is how repetitive and basic some of the choreography is. Whilst dance enthusiasts may see this as a criticism, for the slightly inebriated party gamer, it is actually a positive. Just Dance winds up doing what it says on the tin, successfully allowing people to get involved with a mild degree of success without prior knowledge of the track. The basic mechanics are accessible enough for anyone to get into, though I’m still questioning exactly how accurate the motion detection truly is. It would be all too easy to rack up points just by waggling the wiimote randomly, but such in depth analysis sullies the spirit of Just Dance. This is a game designed for cheap thrills, but it delivers them fairly well provided you play by the rules.

Though the game is set up so that even the least musically knowledgeable of us can flail our limbs randomly, the likelihood is that you’ll know at least some of the songs on offer. The tracks offer solo, duet and group choreography types, and the songs cover a wide array of styles. There’s plenty of modern hits, but a few surprises crept in that really helped even an old soul like myself get into the proverbial swing of things. No one can resist dancing to A-ha, and that’s a fact. The inclusion of Lenny Kravitz and a song from the Nightmare Before Christmas soundtrack also cements the set-list as one of the most eclectic in any music game. There’s even a How I Met Your Mother reference in the form of a Robin Sparkles track! Now I’ve seen everything.

The group Danny Elfman is a definite highlight.

All dances are performed against a themed backdrop that reflects the song you chose. Some of the backgrounds offer… interesting interpretations of the source material, but they normally work well enough with the neon dancing figure to give Just Dance 3 some visual clout. The backdrops are a little lacking in movements and variety as opposed to other games in the genre, but it all looks shiny and pleasant enough.

With over forty tracks comprising the set list, Just Dance 3 offers a fair amount of content for such a low price. There are a few unlocks here and there as well, though it must be said that the game offers no real sense of progression. Songs and playlists are ranked in terms of technical and physical difficulty, but working your way through them is the only sense of moving forward Just Dance 3 has to offer. That said, if you’re playing it properly, you’re probably too drunk by this point to actually notice. Once you and your friends get bored of the on disc songs, there are downloadable tracks available as well. Being on the Wii, it must be said that they retail at a questionable price, but DLC on a Nintendo console is novel enough to be a point of celebration.

Even including the price of the necessary beer, Just Dance 3 still works out as a value package.

Overall you have a title that, though possibly lacking in terms of depth and content on closer inspection, stands up really well under minimal scrutiny. Whilst I’m sure this undermines the point of what game criticism is all about, JD3 isn’t a game that is designed for the seriously discerning gamer. For someone who just wants to get a little steamed and act like a mug in front of their TV with some friends, JD3 is a fun way to do so. Just don’t go expecting too much from the experience and you’ll find that Just Dance is as accessible and enjoyable as it is humorous.

The full track list for Just Dance 3 is:

• 2 Unlimited – “No Limit”
• African Ladies – “Pata Pata”
• a-ha – “Take On Me”
• Anja – “Dance All Nite”
• Bananarama – “Venus”
• Bollywood Rainbow – “Kurio ko uddah le jana”
• Brahms by Just Dance Classical Orchestra – “Hungarian Dance No. 5”
• Cee Lo Green – “Forget You”
• Countdown Mix Masters – “Beautiful Liar”
• Daft Punk – “Da Funk”
• Danny Elfman – “This is Halloween”
• Donna Summer – “I Feel Love”
• Dr. Creole – “Baby Zouk”
• Duck Sauce – “Barbra Streisand”
• Girls Aloud – “Jump (For My Love)”
• Groove Century – “Boogie Wonderland”
• Gwen Stefani – “What You Waiting For?”
• Inspector Marceau – “The Master Blaster”
• Janelle Monae – “Tightrope (Solo Version)”
• Jessie J featuring B.o.B – “Price Tag”
• Katy Perry featuring Snoop Dogg – “California Gurls”
• Kiss – “I Was Made For Lovin’ You”
• Konshens – “Jamaican Dance”
• Latino Sunset – “Mamasita”
• Laura Bell Bundy – “Giddy On Up (Giddy On Out)”
• Lena Meyer-Landrut – Satellite
• Lenny Kravitz – Are You Gonna Go My Way
• LMFAO featuring Lauren Bennett and GoonRock – “Party Rock Anthem”
• Madness – “Night Boat To Cairo”
• MIKA – “Lollipop”
• Nelly Furtado featuring Timbaland – “Promiscuous”
• Pointer Sisters – “I’m So Excited”
• Queen – “Crazy Little Thing Called Love”
• Reggaeton Storm – “Boom”
• Rita Mitsouko – Marcia Baila
• Robbie Williams and Nicole Kidman – “Somethin’ Stupid”
• Robin Sparkles – Let’s Go To The Mall
• Scissor Sisters – “I Don’t Feel Like Dancin'”
• Sentai Express – Spectronizer
• Sweat Invaders – “Gonna Make You Sweat (Everybody Dance Now)”
• Taio Cruz – “Dynamite”
• The Black Eyed Peas – “Pump It”
• The Buggles – “Video Killed The Radio Star”
• The Chemical Brothers – “Hey Boy Hey Girl”
• The Girly Team – “Baby One More Time”
• The London Theatre Orchestra & Cast – “Think”
• The Sugarhill Gang – “Apache (Jump On It)”
• Tommy Sparks – “She’s Got Me Dancing”
• Wilson Pickett – “Land of 1000 Dances”

This game was reviewed on the Wii.

Just Dance 3 is getting a new DLC, titled “Just Sweat Packs”. The two different packs will be available on January 17th on Xbox360 for 480 Microsoft Points and on January 18th on WiiT for 600 Wii points.

The DLC packs include all new dance tracks by the Sweat Invaders: Beat Match Until I’m Blue, Touch Me Want Me, Dun N Dusted, Cardiac Caress, Merengue and Boomsday. 

There are 19 other DLC tracks, including Cosmic Girl by Jamiroquai, Satisfaction (Isak Original Extended) by Benny Benassi and Baby Girl by Reaggaton, available on Xbox360 Kinect.

Ubisoft have announced that Just Dance 3 has now sold more than 7 million units since its release, bringing total sell-through of the Just Dance franchise to more than 25 million units worldwide.

Ubisoft also expanded its dance game offerings throughout the year with the release of ABBA You Can Dance, The Black Eyed Peas Experience, Michael Jackson The Experience, and The Smurfs Dance Party. According to internal estimates Ubisoft games accounted for 64 percent of the dance game genre in EMEA in calendar year 2011.

“The Just Dance franchise continues to be first choice for customers around the world looking for games that let them dance and get the party started in their living rooms.” said Geoffroy Sardin, chief EMEA sales and marketing officer at Ubisoft. “Our diverse dance game offerings ensure that everyone can find an accessible and enjoyable title regardless of platform, and that we have a broad base upon which to bring new ideas and titles in the years to come.”

Ubisoft announced a new downloadable track for Just Dance 3, featuring Mario. The track will be downloadable through the in-game Just Dance store on December 14th for 250 Wii Points.

This new track joins seven other recent DLC additions: Anja’s Baby Don’t Stop Now, Studio Allstars’ Jump, Olé Orquesta’s JamboMambo, The Girly Team’s TwistShakeIt, U Can’t Touch This and Soul Searchin by Groove Century and In the Style of Irene Cara’s Fame, all priced at 250 Wii Points each.

Ubisoft must be happy at these results as Just Dance 3 has sold almost 700,000 units during Black Friday. According to Cowen and Company, an analyst group, they mentioned that it is also the best selling game.

“Last week was an excellent start to the holiday shopping season for Ubisoft’s dance games,” said Tony Key, senior vice president of sales and marketing at Ubisoft.

“The popularity of Ubisoft’s dance games continues to gain momentum as these games appeal to a wide variety of consumers because they are fun to play alone or with friends and family.”

Just Dance is one of the popular franchises for Ubisoft and also their most successful Wii game.

Thanks, Gamasutra.

Ubisoft announced Just Dance 3 is now available in the UK on Kinect and Wii.

“Just Dance 3 is going to increase the Just Dance brand’s lead in the dance category by expanding across all three motion-controlled platforms,” said Geoffroy Sardin, EMEA vice president of sales and marketing, Ubisoft. “Just Dance has proven to be a phenomenal success, gathering friends and families for moments of pure fun and entertainment. Like its predecessors, the new Just Dance is packed with surprises that will delight all aficionados and new-comers.”

The track list for Just Dance 3 includes:

1. 2 Unlimited – “No Limit”
2. African Ladies – “Pata Pata”
3. a-ha – “Take On Me”
4. Anja – “Dance All Nite”
5. Bananarama – “Venus”
6. Bollywood Rainbow – “Kurio ko uddah le jana”
7. Brahms by Just Dance Classical Orchestra – “Hungarian Dance No. 5”
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. Katy Perry featuring Snoop Dogg – “California Gurls”
22. Kiss – “I Was Made For Lovin’ You”
23. Konshens – “Jamaican Dance”
24. Latino Sunset – “Mamasita”
25. Laura Bell Bundy – “Giddy On Up (Giddy On Out)”
26. Lena Meyer-Landrut – Satellite
27. Lenny Kravitz – Are You Gonna Go My Way
29. Madness – “Night Boat To Cairo”
30. MIKA – “Lollipop”
31. Nelly Furtado featuring Timbaland – “Promiscuous”
32. Pointer Sisters – “I’m So Excited”
33. Queen – “Crazy Little Thing Called Love”
34. Reggaeton Storm – “Boom”
35. Rita Mitsouko – Marcia Baila
36. Robbie Williams and Nicole Kidman – “Somethin’ Stupid”
37. Robin Sparkles – Let’s Go To The Mall
38. Scissor Sisters – “I Don’t Feel Like Dancin’”
39. Sentai Express – Spectronizer
40. Sweat Invaders – “Gonna Make You Sweat (Everybody Dance Now)”
41. Taio Cruz – “Dynamite”
42. The Black Eyed Peas – “Pump It”
43. The Buggles – “Video Killed The Radio Star”
44. The Chemical Brothers – “Hey Boy Hey Girl”
45. The Girly Team – “Baby One More Time”
46. The London Theatre Orchestra & Cast – “Think”
47. The Sugarhill Gang – “Apache (Jump On It)”
48. Tommy Sparks – “She’s Got Me Dancing”
49. Wilson Pickett – “Land of 1000 Dances”

*The Kinect version also includes an additional 2 tracks on top of the 49 above. And for a short time only, a Special Edition will be available which includes a further two tracks for both Kinect and Wii versions.

Just Dance 3 will be available for the PS3 on December 9 in the UK.

The Xbox Live Avatar Marketplace has been updated with a few Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim items as well as items from the hit AMC Show ‘Walking Dead’.  Also added to the Avatar Marketplace are items from Dark Souls, Just Dance 3, Batman Arkham City (including a full Batman suit w/ cape), and Guardians Heroes.  On October 13th we will be treated to Avatar Items from Saints Row The Third (Pictured Above), Battlefield 3, Kinectimals (Bears) and the arcade title Zombie Apocalypse: Never Die Alone.  I personally can’t wait to see what Battlefield 3 has to offer although, I still think every Xbox title should have Avatar awards.  Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim has added:

• Dragonborn Helmet for 240 Microsoft Points
• Skyrim logo t-shirt for 80 Microsoft Points
• Skyrim logo baseball cap for 80 Microsoft Points

The ‘Walking Dead’ and Guardians Heroes have added mostly character outfits as well as props while Just Dance 3 had added some new dance moves for your Avatar.  Saints Row The Third will bring items such as the Various Luchador Masks (Killbane’s, Angel’s, and a Luchador Lieutenant), Decker Outfits, STAG Uniform, Furry Outfit, Genki Time Shirt, Professor Genki’s Super Ballistic Manapult RC Car and many more outfits, shirts, caps, and props coming October 13th, most of which are pictured above.

Today Ubisoft announced the launch of the Just Dance 3 Autodance application, the first Just Dance application for smartphones. Available today on the App Store and soon on the Android marketplace, this new application is free and allows anyone to create dance videos, wherever they are.

The concept of Just Dance 3 Autodance is to create your own Just Dance videos. The application records four sequences and then combines them to create a short video matching one of the three Just Dance 3 songs available in the application:

• Duck Sauce – “Barbara Streisand”
• The Sugarhill Gang – “Apache (Jump on it)”
• Konshens – “Jamaïcan Dance”

Click on images to view full size.

Ubisoft have revealed 45 new tracks for Just Dance 3. Check them out below.

Tracks available in Just Dance 3 include:

1. 2 Unlimited – “No Limit”
2. a-ha – “Take On Me”
3. Anja – “Dance All Nite”
4. Bananarama – “Venus”
5. Black Eyed Peas – “Pump It”
6. Bollywood Rainbow – “Kurio ko uddah le jana”
7. Cee Lo Green – “Forget You”
8. Countdown Mix Masters – “Beautiful Liar”
9. Daft Punk – “Da Funk”
10. Danny Elfman – “This is Halloween”
11. Donna Summer – “I Feel Love”
12. Dr. Creole – “Baby Zouk”
13. Duck Sauce – “Barbra Streisand”
14. Girls Aloud – “Jump (For My Love)”
15. Groove Century – “Boogie Wonderland”
16. Gwen Stefani – “What You Waiting For”
17. Janelle Monae – “Tightrope (Solo Version)”
18. Jessie J featuring B.o.B – “Price Tag”
19. Brahms by Just Dance Classical Orchestra – “Hungarian Dance No. 5”
20. Katy Perry featuring Snoop Dogg – “California Gurls”
21. Kiss – “I Was Made For Lovin’ You”
22. Konshens – “Jamaican Dance”
23. African Ladies – “Pata Pata”
24. Latino Sunset – “Mamasita”
25. Laura Bell Bundy – “Giddy On Up (Giddy On Out)”
26. Lena Meyer-Landrut – “Satellite”
27. LMFAO featuring Lauren Bennett and GoonRock – “Party Rock Anthem”
28. Madness – “Night Boat To Cairo”
29. MIKA – “Lollipop”
30. Nelly Furtado featuring Timbaland – “Promiscuous”
31. Pointer Sisters – “I’m So Excited”
32. Queen – “Crazy Little Thing Called Love”
33. Reggaeton Explosion – “Boom”
34. Rita Mitsouko – “Marcia Baila”
35. Robbie Williams and Nicole Kidman – “Somethin’ Stupid”
36. Scissor Sisters – “I Don’t Feel Like Dancin’”
37. Sweat Invaders – “Gonna Make You Sweat (Everybody Dance Now)”
38. Taio Cruz – “Dynamite”
39. The Buggles – “Video Killed The Radio Star”
40. The Chemical Brothers – “Hey Boy Hey Girl”
41. The Girly Team – “Baby One More Time”
42. The London Theatre Orchestra & Cast  – “Think”
43. The Sugarhill Gang – “Apache (Jump On It)”
44. Tommy Sparks – “She’s Got Me Dancing”