Another year, another Just Dance, but honestly, I couldn’t be happier about it. The franchise has proven time and time again to be an excellent and fun way to burn calories and have fun, without feeling like a tedious workout. With the holidays around the corner, what better time to dive into something that will help us look our best for the upcoming festivities? Ubisoft’s Just Dance 2026 Edition boasts improved controls and motion tracking technology, so let’s hop in and see how it steps up to its predecessors.

I’m sure most of you know how Just Dance works by now: grab a controller (or a VR headset if you’re playing Just Dance VR), or even your phone, select a song, and follow along with the dancers as they perform their flashy dances. The more closely your movements follow the dancers, the higher you’ll score. Missing steps or not following the beat will result in less points. Pretty much the same design as always.

Now one thing that makes Just Dance 2026 Edition different in the gameplay area is the Just Dance Camera Controller feature. Designed after requesting a motion tracking system akin to the Xbox Kinect (remember that?), this allows players to use the cameras on their cell phones to track their full-body movements with surprising accuracy. The Camera Controller feature is currently single-player only and available on the Just Dance Controller app.

The app is compatible with IOS 14.4 or higher OR Android 9 or higher. The app is free to download and, in my opinion, is definitely the best way to go if you’re looking for a solo-play experience, with either the focus of improving your dancing technique or if you’re simply looking for a more comfortable experience without having to hold onto a phone or Joy-Cons for the Nintendo Switch version.

There’s also another new mode making its debut in Just Dance 2026 Edition: Just Dance Co-op Party Mode. This mode is an absolute blast. It has you entering Dr. Gigavolt’s Lab to face a series of his wacky experiments, with Visual and Action Disruptors appearing while players are dancing to challenge their rhythm and reflexes in shorter songs. This mode can be enjoyed solo or with up to six other players, but it’s more hilarious with a group to see how catastrophically some of you will fail.

There are three modes that are returning to Just Dance 2026 Edition: Workout Mode, Challenge Mode, and Local Multiplayer Mode. In Workout Mode you can track and burn calories while dancing and staying active, and adjusting your level of intensity. The Workout Mode will definitely have you sweating before long. Challenge Mode will have you competing against other players to see who can get the best score. Then in Local Multiplayer Mode, you can dance with up to six other players at the same time (just make sure you have ample room for everyone’s flailing).

Every year new songs are added to the Just Dance library of licensed music, and Just Dance 2026 Edition is no different. There are forty new songs here, such as APT. by ROSÉ & Bruno Mars, Abracadabra by Lady Gaga, Houdini by Dua Lipa, and Girls Just Want to Have Fun by Cyndi Lauper. Heck, if you have young kids that want to play, they can dance with Bluey to the new “Bluey Medley”, or Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree by Mrs. Claus and the Elves, just in time for the holiday season.

Visually, Just Dance 2026 Edition is far and away the most eye-catching yet. The visuals are vibrant, colorful, and explosive, without being too distracting to pay attention to the moves onscreen. Every song and mode looks like a rainbow wonderland, filled with dynamic lighting and creative details in the backdrops. 

 There are some who think, “if you’ve played one Just Dance, you’ve played them all”, but I respectfully disagree. Between the new modes, fine-tuned returning modes, new song list, and the vastly improved controls and motion tracking technology, Just Dance 2026 Edition is an incredible entry for both newcomers and veteran fans alike. You can also access the full song list from previous entries by subscribing to Just Dance + for a reasonable price, if you’re looking for even more tunes to dance to. So if you’re looking for an enjoyable way to have some fun with friends or sheds some pounds, the Just Dance 2026 Edition is a great way to go.

Graphics: 9.0 This is the most dynamic Just Dance has ever looked. The visuals are vibrant, colorful, and explosive, without being too distracting to pay attention to the moves onscreen.	Gameplay: 9.5 Motion controls and movement tracking have been vastly improved for Just Dance 2026 Edition, with the Joy-Cons serving as the most comfortable way to move while holding a controller. The implement of using your phone’s camera as a full-body motion recognition tool makes it possible to get accurate movement tracking without needing to hold anything.
Sound: 9.0 Another year, another banger soundtrack, with over forty new songs to choose from. You access the full song list from previous entries by subscribing to Just Dance + for a reasonable price, if you’re looking for even more tunes to dance to.	Fun Factor: 9.0 Just Dance has always been a fun time, but now thanks to the improved motion controls and tracking systems, it’s even more accurate and precise, making the challenges much less frustrating. There’s something in here for everyone.
Final Verdict: 9.0

Just Dance 2026 Edition is available now on Nintendo Switch, Nintendo Switch 2, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X|S.

Reviewed on Nintendo Switch 2.

A copy of Just Dance 2026 Edition was provided by the publisher.