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I know what you're thinking. You are wondering how the Wii can deliver an adequate dance experience? Let's lay it all on the table. Graphically, the Wii is the weaker console. The Wii remote itself is hardly capable of capturing precise body movement. The sensor bar sucks at tracking excited motion and seems to lose the controller entirely when you do something like flap your arms. There is no way to capture lower body motion either, unless you put the Wiimote in your pocket or buy the Wii Balance Board. Despite all of those drawbacks, drop all of those doubts; find a bunch of friends and "Just Dance 2". I, like many of you, was sceptical about 'Just Dance 2' for all the aforementioned reasons. Clearly this was a title that needed a group of non-partisan gamers who could give it a fair shake (pun intended). Intrigued by a dance game that didn't really monitor foot movement, I decided to bring 'Just Dance 2' to a panel of experts: The Friday Night Club. Every Friday I have the privilege of getting together with a group of young adults. Our little club consists of two young ladies in wheelchairs, a young man with Downs Syndrome, and a few of us who are just rhythmically challenged. There's no elaborate set up, no avatar designing, no levels to finish that unlock special content. All you need to do is; pop the game in, choose your song, and go nuts. The overall interface is simple, clean and crisp. It gets the players right to the point of the game. Each song features a perfectly choreographed routine performed by either a soloist or duet. The dancers are depicted as white silhouette figures dressed in theme with the selected song. Holding the Wii remote in your right hand, each player mimics the coach on the screen to earn points. Each move you make is scored based on the degree that it matches the timing and general motion of the on-screen performer. Each song can be performed either individually or in a group of up to four. I was especially impressed with the variety of music. 'Just Dance 2' comes with an eclectic collection of 40 songs spanning dance, swing, Bollywood, classic rock, hip-hop, disco, and electronica. There is at least one song for everyone. The most fun I had was dancing through a genre of music that was totally unfamiliar. Although there are settings for the soloist who wants to dance alone? This game is best shared in a small group of free-spirited, non-competitive types. So what if you don't get a sense of the whole dance move? I know the 2D silhouette fails to deliver the depth and detail needed to truly "Walk like an Egyptian". I know the controller isn't precisely picking up on my finessed robot moves. Who really cares though? It's still a lot of fun! Fortunately, for those of us with absolutely no rhythm or timing, this can actually work to our benefit. 'Just Dance 2' isn't a game changer; it isn't so addicting that your relatives will make you play it every time you get together for Sunday dinner. It won't convert any shy introverts into break dancers and it isn't compelling enough to re-invigorate a second coming of disco. Ubisoft ingeniously made the most of the Wii graphical platform, compiled a catchy mix of music, and choreographed some amazing dance routines. It's definitely one to add to the party pack for your more brazen friends. After a solid hour and a half of gaming the entire Friday night club agreed, 'Just Dance 2' is a keeper. The highlight of the evening was being soundly defeated by the two girls in wheelchairs dancing to a Kris Kross cover of "Jump". 'Just Dance 2' will never make me into a star but it sparked some hysterical laughs and created a few amazing memories.   Just Dance 2 Format: Wii Publisher: Ubisoft Developer: Ubisoft ESRB Rating: E10+ Official Site: http://justdancegame.au.ubi.com/ Rating: 8 / 10

 

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About G4 in Canada
G4 Canada (formerly TechTV Canada) launched in September 2001. G4 is the one and only television station that is plugged into every dimension of games, gear, gadgets and gigabytes. Owned Rogers Media Inc., the channel airs more than 24 original series. G4 is available on digital cable and satellite. For more information, see www.g4tv.ca.