After playing the previous iterations of Just Dance with a phone as a controller, thinking there’s no way this could get any more intuitive, I finally decided to give the franchise a go on the Switch. I don’t remember the last time I’ve played a Switch game 100% focused on motion controls and the gimmicks offered by the Joy-Con. Was it Arms? Was it 1-2 Switch? Well, whatever the case, it was time to tackle Just Dance 2022 on Nintendo’s rooftop party platform and see if it would feel any different from its other console counterparts.

If you’re wondering if by any miracle there’s any actual difference between Just Dance 2022 and any of its previous counterparts, I’m glad to tell you that, yes, there are a few improvements. They are not exactly game changers, but they’re still welcome. The game’s dance videos and choreographies, while still retaining the franchise’s trademark visual style, look more detailed than ever before. That’s… basically it. The menu interface is still the same (which is not exactly a bad thing), the core gameplay loop is obviously still the same.

What really differs one Just Dance from the other, if you don’t put its Unlimited Pass service into account, is its base setlist. Just Dance 2022 keeps the tradition of featuring a collection of songs almost algorithmically curated to please every single human being on Earth. Kids from the 90s and early 2000s will love the inclusion of Justin Timberlake’s “Rock Your Body” and “Buttons” by The Pussycat Dolls. The K-Pop fans will have a lot of fun with the handful of Korean tunes included in here. Hot 100 enthusiasts will shake their bodies to Dua Lipa’s “Levitating“. I could go on and on with the musical selection. I don’t necessarily love every single song in here, but I know that I’m not exactly the core audience. Not every current Top 40 tune is a delight to my ears, but I know a ton of people will love their inclusion.

What made me like Just Dance 2022 over pretty much any other version of the game wasn’t exactly its soundtrack. Sure, “Levitating” is one hell of a banger, but it was the fact I played it on the Switch. It was the fact I played it with the JoyCcons. I may give those damn things a lot of crap for their uncomfortable design and the fact their analog sticks drift just by looking at them, but they feel like they were made with Just Dance in mind. Yes, I feel like a slowpoke just finding out about the the most obvious thing ever, but I’d say it’s better late than never.

Using your phone as a controller was already pretty good, but that still required you to use your controller to navigate through menus and whatnot. You were still more or less bound to a big controller in order to properly access every single menu and feature. With the Joy-Cons, you have the practicality and high-quality motion capture of the phone, coupled with the buttons and ease of accessibility of a standard controller. It sounds stupidly obvious now that I’m putting this into words, but it really felt like a game changer to my overall Just Dance experience.

I still think that, with the Unlimited Pass, there is very little reason for you to buy more than one Just Dance every, say, three or four years. If so, I think Just Dance 2022 is the best one so far, and the one you should buy, not only because of its improved choreographies and inclusion of half a dozen songs I love, but because it does feel more visually impressive and polished than any other Just Dance I’ve played. Also, make sure to grab it on the Switch. I used to think using a phone’s gyro as a controller was already great, but using the Joy-Cons and the handful of gimmicks in it that no other developer uses is pure genius. Whether you use it as a party toy or as a cardio session, Just Dance 2022 is a lot more fun that it has any right to be.

 

Graphics: 7.5 Just Dance 2022 retains the visual style from its predecessors, but its videos and choreographies look a lot more detailed than before. You can clearly notice the difference when you play an older Unlimited pass song after playing a brand new one.	Gameplay: 9.5 Finally, a game that actually uses the Joy-Con’s motion sensors in a smart and intuitive way. I loved the usage of its HD Rumble feature to simulate a heartbeat to the beat of whichever song you’re dancing to at the moment.
Sound: 8.0 A mix of classic dance bangers, songs from my teenage years, and modern pop tunes that make me question if I’m getting old and not understand the youth of today. Not to mention the library of songs available at an extra cost via the Unlimited pass, which will be a deal or a dealbreaker, depending on the person.	Fun Factor: 8.0 Yes, you more or less require the Unlimited pass in order to fully enjoy what Just Dance 2022 has to offer, but the core gameplay and versatility of the Switch version made this my favorite iteration of the franchise so far.
Final Verdict: 8.5

Just Dance 2022 is available now on PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series S/X, PC, Switch, and Stadia.

Reviewed on Switch.

A copy of Just Dance 2022 was provided by the publisher.