Review: Just Dance 2022 brings the best of popular series to Switch again

On the Switch, instead of the Wii Remote, we have to carry the Joy-Con to enjoy its motion sensors. In terms of gameplay, everything works very well, and it takes a while to get used to the controls. There isn’t much of a mystery in this regard, which shows that Just Dance is a series for all ages.

Regarding gambling in general, it is worth noting that Just Dance 2022 does not have any kind of campaign, career or story to follow, only freely playable modes. Among them, we have Just Dance, the traditional Quick Play, the Kids format, and the World Dance Floor which takes place online against dancers from all over the world. Incidentally, all of these modes support multiplayer, which can be done through the use of a Joy-Con, or by connecting a cell phone to the franchise app, making the device become an impromptu console.

Therefore, it is noted that among the proposals and even the menus of the game, everything is very interesting, but it is very similar to the version of previous years. So what would be a good justification for players to buy the 2022 edition? Well, specifically, the possibility of dancing to the latest songs on the world pop stage – which, by the way, are well chosen, mainly in terms of variety and relevance.

…but with new songs on new tracks

By bringing in 40 new songs, Just Dance 2022 has been able to be very effective in the challenging task of thinking about the greatest songs of the moment, and also includes a good variety of styles. Upon reaching the artists in-game, names such as Olivia Rodrigo, Dua Lipa, Billie Eilish, Imagine Dragons, and The Weeknd immediately stand out, demonstrating the quality and timeliness of the chosen soundtrack.

Also, in an ideal way, the address allows us to communicate with authors from different parts of the planet. While Anita and Pabelo Vitar lead the Brazilian beat, the groups BLACKPINK and aespa represent South Korean pop music; And Karol G and J Balvin express the reggae undertones of Latin America.

With this in mind, Just Dance 2022 offers choreography intended to symbolize different musical genres and cultures, often following the profiles of composers or characters that appear in the music videos of the songs in question. Thus, the game is gaining advantages for bringing in very creative dance moves. I admit that even songs I thought weren’t very danceable, like Billie Eilish’s recent “Happier than Ever,” gained repertoire and gestures that were so much fun to repeat.

In addition to the creativity of the movements, another great feature of the title is the scenarios that are presented during the game. It is worth noting that the Just Dance franchise strives every year to improve this aspect; But I think the increase in the quality and creativity of the atmosphere was the highest this year, which is really great for the game as a whole.

Thus, Just Dance 2022 is manifested as a rhythm game with a good and fun repertoire, which has outstanding qualities, when we are alone or when we play with friends. However, not everything is great, and it must be said that some things do not go well at the big annual party, which has an additional subscription service that sometimes annoys its ads.

fun limit

When we start Just Dance 2022, it won’t take long to get access to the songs that can only be accessed by purchasing Just Dance Unlimited. It is the subscription service of the franchise that allows to expand the music catalog by bringing in more than 700 songs that have been through the series over the years. If the player does not want to buy the subscription, which is sold at monthly or annual rates, he will have to make do with the forty songs of the 2022 release.

By itself, this does not turn out to be a major problem immediately; After all, the decision is up to the player, who can decide whether he wants to pay that extra amount. However, it is a little inconvenient because the game makes us “push” the service. Having ads about Just Dance Unlimited is a constant in the game, plus the pointers that let us play some exclusive songs from the bundle annoy us because they are quite repetitive.

Regarding Just Dance Unlimited itself, I felt that the experience actually becomes flawless when we sign it, as with such an extensive catalog it is very easy to find songs that we like and want to dance to. However, this increase in fun comes at an additional cost, which despite having an acceptable value, makes us question the base price of the game, which is already high for the content it offers, and could become even higher with the purchase of the bundle.

Thus, it constitutes a subtle context that is up to the player. Before you immediately decide whether to subscribe to the package or not, I advise you to take a free trial period of 30 days for the service, which can be done by making a brief registration on the website of the game. In addition to costing absolutely nothing, the trial period also helps the player to get rid of a few constant ads regarding Just Dance Unlimited, which sometimes get annoying, as mentioned.

Dance to the tunes of the year

Without too much mystery, Just Dance 2022 delivers what it promises every year: bringing the best moments to deliver a great party on the Switch. Despite the lack of significant news for the series and some disturbing situations regarding the additional subscription service, the new version arrives at the right place in music selection, choreography, scenarios and playing criteria, showing itself as one of the best releases of the popular dance series to this day.