Taken for a Tango | Just Dance 2018

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It’s that time of year again, chums; ridiculous high-budget John Lewis adverts make the news, Strictly Come Dancing peppers staff room TVs, and Ubisoft’s long-running salsa series returns to sweat a pound or two off our pre-Christmas waistlines. Is this year’s edition a Brendan Cole masterclass or a Dad-dancing disaster? Let’s find out!

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​by Rob
​Holt

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@acousticmagic

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Developer: Ubisoft
Publisher: Ubisoft
Platforms: Switch, PS4, Xbox One, Wii U, Wii, PS3, Xbox 360
Players: 1 - 5

I’ve got two right feet - so what’s in it for me?

Honestly, a hell of a lot of laughs, and maybe even a bit of fitness if you play it regularly enough. You may feel like a complete plonker playing it - yes, I’m definitely speaking from experience here - but there’s no doubt that the end product is rather good fun.

How does it play?

Using either a motion controller (a trusty, dusty Wiimote for us at PTC Hertfordshire) or a smartphone, one must mimic the moves of an on-screen dancer, scoring points based on the accuracy of your timing. The better your rhythm, the higher your score; it really is that simple.

Is the presentation Strictly endorsed?

We’d call it big-budget-bubblegum; the graphics are funky and full of retina-searing luminous colours, the menus are easy to navigate, and the selection of tunes is decent, if lacking in a death metal moshing number. Add to this the hilarity/embarrassment of Just Dance TV, where your console’s camera (if applicable) films your “moves” for later viewing and sharing, and you have a cracking multiplayer game.

Has much changed since last year? Are we being ripped off?

As with any series that’s done the rounds, not a huge amount has been altered, and perhaps for good reason. The presentation doesn’t need changing, as it really works, so it honestly comes down to song selection. The problem here is that outside of the 50-odd included on the disc, everything else is hidden behind the Just Dance Unlimited membership.

Ubisoft has been good enough to include a free 3-month pass here, but after that you’re looking at £25-30 a year depending on your platform of choice. Not a completely horrendous price point, but certainly something to think about for the amateur jive-ist.

With that in mind, would you recommend it?

For us, this is a cracking Christmas party game, especially if you can find it at sub £20. You don’t need to shell out on expensive controllers, as your friends/family/enemies can use their phones, the Just Dance TV footage is both hilarious and cringeworthy, and, honestly, even for an oft-cynical shit like myself, it’s just bloody good fun.