Just Dance has been one of the most popular casual series in gaming for the past… twenty years or so. I, for one, haven’t played one in a good decade, with the last time I’ve tackled a Just Dance game being back in the Wii era, so when I was offered the opportunity to see how the Switch, with its motion-based controls and casual vibes, handles the franchise, I was up for the task. I really wanted to see how fun Just Dance 2025 Edition would be, not only as a game (spoilers: it is), but also as an exercise tool (it also is).

There are so many options!

The immediate note is that over the years, motion-based controls have become way better. I went from the janky Wiimote to the (still janky, but technically better) Joycon, after all. In the majority of sections where I miss a certain step, I know and understand that it was my fault. The other times I realised are due to the placement of my Switch dock. The Joycon felt like the way to go, but I also used the franchise’s now staple “use your mobile phone as the controller” option, and it also worked quite well. That means that it’s essentially up to you just how much effort you want to put into playing Just Dance, but let’s be real, there’s no fun in just sitting on the couch and waving one arm around.

Of course, the soundtrack to Just Dance 2025 is great. Whether you’re into ABBA, Blackpink, Kylie Minogue, Green Day (no, really, Green Day is here), or whatever else, there is generally some vibe you can get into. Now, don’t go expecting any crazy metal bands in here, but who knows in the future with bands like Babymetal, Electric Callboy, and the like that do have a lot more dancing to them. Alongside the 40-ish songs that come with the game, if you own previous versions of Just Dance, your music library will expand with a lot of those songs. There is also Just Dance+, something I wish Rock Band had had before I spent all sorts on individual songs, which gives you a large library of additional songs to dance to, for a price, of course.

How much fun you’ll have comes down to you.

Much to the player’s advantage, the graphics are mostly quite simple, yet absolutely gorgeous. It hasn’t changed for the past versions of the franchise, but they still retain a strong art style. If you were trying to follow along with dances while all sorts of other things are happening on screen, it could be quite distracting. That said, most songs actually follow what you might recognise from the music videos for them, or in the case of “Dancing Queen”, for instance, just features the original music video in the background. That one might be the most distracting if anything.

One of the best parts of playing Just Dance 2025 Edition is the speed you can get from song to song, so you can keep yourself moving and keep your heartrate up. If you pick individual songs, the game will automatically recommend other songs for you to play after each one. If you want to spend a few minutes getting ready, you can make playlists that will flow a lot smoother from song to song, in order to keep you going as long as you want to go for. Thankfully, the playlists do tell you exactly how long they are, so if you know you have 20 minutes to spare, you don’t have to stress about time, but make sure you account for shower time, as this can end up being some surprisingly sweaty work.

Now that was a knockout.

I’ve always expected to have fun with a brand new Just Dance, even if it has been 10 years since I last played an entry, but I didn’t expect to have this much fun with this 2025 iteration. It’s a great reason to get up and move, as well as burn some calories. If you put the effort in, it’s a great exercise, and thanks to how polished, intuitive and well-optimized the game is, it’s enjoyable to play for longer periods of time. Get ready to feel the burn, because this is exhausting work. One that still manages to put a smile on your face.

Just Dance 2025 Edition is available now on PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series S/X and Switch.

Reviewed on Switch.

A copy of Just Dance 2025 Edition was provided by the publisher.