Just Dance 2023 Edition is a 2022 dance rhythm game developed and published by Ubisoft. It was unveiled on September 10, 2022 during the Ubisoft Forward September 2022 web presentation as the fourteenth main installment of the series. It marks a new release form for the series, switching to a live service format with annual downloadable content song packs.[1][2] The game was released on November 22, 2022, for Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X/S.[3] It was also planned for release on Stadia, but that port of the game was cancelled due to the service's shutdown on January 18, 2023.[4]
| Just Dance 2023 Edition | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Developer(s) | Ubisoft Paris Ubisoft Pune Ubisoft Shanghai Ubisoft Mumbai |
| Publisher(s) | Ubisoft |
| Series | Just Dance |
| Engine | Unity |
| Platform(s) | |
| Release | November 22, 2022 |
| Genre(s) | Rhythm |
| Mode(s) | |
Gameplay
editAs with the previous installments of the franchise, players must mimic the on-screen coach’s choreography to a chosen song using the game's associated smartphone app (Nintendo Switch players have the option to use the console's Joy-Con controllers). This installment is not released for Xbox One and PlayStation 4, thereby dropping support for Kinect, PlayStation Camera, and PlayStation Move.[5]
Features
edit
The game features an updated and redesigned user interface, which emulates those seen on streaming services, such as Netflix, Hulu, Disney+, Max, Paramount+ and Peacock, all within a single Just Dance hub, serving as the home for the game and future installments of the series.[6] It is also the first Just Dance title to be developed using the Unity engine, as opposed to Ubisoft's in-house UbiArt Framework which had been in use since Just Dance 2014.[7] A new online multiplayer feature is added, where up to six players can join a private group with cross-play support at launch, with the Xbox Series X/S version later being supported.[8] Dancer cards, an in-game tool to express what the player was doing in-game, received a major overhaul, with avatars now being pictures of the coaches instead of their heads,[9] and emotes are added to show how the player feels after each song.[2] Score feedback animations can now be customized and are a toggleable option. Victory celebrations are a new addition, used for when the player finishes the song in single player or wins the song in multiplayer.[10] Cross-progression is a new feature to the Just Dance series, allowing players to progress through multiple consoles. Furthermore, the "Beat Vibrations" function, which has been exclusive to the Nintendo Switch version of previous installments, has been added to the Xbox Series X/S and PlayStation 5 versions.[11]
On October 9, "Workout Mode", a mode designed for exercise, and "Challenge Mode", an online mode where a player attempts to beat a pre-set higher score from another player, are added as part of the 2024 Edition Celebration Event.[12]
Story mode
edit2023 Edition includes a story mode-based playlist, a first in the series, titled "Enter the Danceverses", which includes a total of seven songs. The playlist starts with the song "Can't Stop the Feeling!", where we see our main character Sara, playing the game Just Dance with her friends on Earth, until suddenly an anthropomorphic disco ball launches out of the screen of the TV. Sara picks it up before Wanderlust reaches his hand out, almost asking for the disco ball back. After Sara hesitantly gives it back, he pulls her into the game itself, in which the song finally starts.[13] Near the end of the song, the main antagonist, Night Swan, appears and kidnaps some of the other dancers that were previously dancing with Sara and Wanderlust throughout the map in the background. The two then escape from the evil witch in order to assemble a team to stop her from conquering the Danceverses. After Sara And Wanderlust escape before capture, we get to see Night Swan arise from her throne and corrupt the other dancers in the map "Witch", while her son and right-hand man, Jack Rose, watches from the background. Once the song ends, we then move on to "Physical (Dua Lipa song)". The map takes place in a large mall, and the song focuses on a workout enthusiast named Brezziana, whom is motivating other coaches to dance with her, and helps them up when they feel that they are about to give up. After the end of the map, Sara and Wanderlust appear and successfully recruit her to the team. Next on the playlist is "Rather Be", which follows Mihaly, the child of the Flow (a source of energy connecting the coach to the world around them in Just Dance). The map starts in a bustling public setting, in which Mihaly puts on their earphones and enters a world which resembles the outside of a japanese-style temple with waterfalls and rather large cliffs. Right before the final chorus, Mihaly is greeted by Master Panda, whom is claimed to be the ultimate master of the Flow and the two dance together. After the song ends, Master Panda grants Mihaly the ability to harness the Flow more expertly and even transform into a Panda themselves (seen only in "Dance with the Swan") before being greeted by the trio from previously, in which Mihaly hesitates before joining. the third final song is "Locked Out of Heaven", where we follow Night Swan's son Jack Rose. The map begins with a flashback of a young Jack Rose dancing in his room, before Night Swan walks in and disapproves of him. It then cuts to Jack Rose fantasizing about being a large celebrity within the danceverses, before going back to Jack Rose in the present, still in his room, and Night Swan dissaproving once more. Right after Night Swan leaves his room, the team arrives. Unlike the previous two coaches, Jack Rose attempts to decline the offer solely because he doesn't trust them. The next map, "Majesty", begins, and the four coaches are giving more of a sophisticated greeting to Jack Rose, with Wanderlust approaching and dramatically saluting to the ground before rising up, Brezziana showing a muscle, Sara waving enthusiastically, and Mihaly formally bowing down, before Wanderlust and Jack Rose rising up to the center of Night Swans tower. As the two do, Wanderlust becomes corrupted, and Jack Rose must battle him in order to save him. While that's happening, Brezziana and Mihaly free the other coaches from the backgrounds of "Can't Stop the Feeling!" and "Witch" In between, Jack Rose successfully frees Wanderlust from corruption. Near the end, Sara and Night Swan face it off in a final battle, Sara being a bit scared, before defeating Night Swan, for now. Night Swan retreats back to inside of her base, and the five heroes then begin to celebrate in the final song "If You Wanna Party". It takes place right inside the disco ball, and previous coaches (both from the background of the story and from previous games, such as "Mr. Saxobeat" and "Disturbia (Rihanna song)") appear in the background, dancing with Sara, Wanderlust, Brezziana, Mihaly, and Jack Rose. At the end, Wanderlust opens a portal back to Earth for Sara, in which she returns back to her home planet, and gives a heartfelt goodbye to the other four, making the playlist end with a nice, happy ending. [14][15][16]
A follow-up to this story, titled "Dance with the Swan", is part of 2024 Edition.[17][18]
Soundtrack
editThe following songs appear on Just Dance 2023 Edition:[19][20][21]
- ^ a b c d e f g Also part of the "Enter the Danceverses" playlist
- ^ Only available as a French-exclusive track on the soundtrack
- ^ a b Tie in to League of Legends
- ^ Tie in to Lyle, Lyle, Crocodile, with the titular character being the coach of the song.
- ^ Appeared in Just Dance 2 with a different routine, which appears in the game as an alternate routine
Just Dance+
editJust Dance+ is a new subscription service launched alongside 2023 Edition.[22] Similar to Just Dance Unlimited from the previous seven games, it offers subscription-based access to a streaming library of songs (150 songs at launch) from previous Just Dance games alongside new exclusive tracks.[23] Songs ported from previous Just Dance games, as well as songs exclusive to the service, are added through frequent updates.
Songs exclusive to the service include:
| Song | Artist | Year | Release date |
|---|---|---|---|
| "Farfalle"[24][a][b] | Sangiovanni | 2022 | January 6, 2023 |
| "Ubu Love"[24][a][c] | Naniwa Danshi | 2021 | January 6, 2023 |
| "Woman" ("VIP" alternate routine)[24][a][d] | Doja Cat | 2021 | January 12, 2023 |
| "Vleugels"[24][a][e] | K3 | 2022 | January 12, 2023 |
| "Stay" ("VIP" alternate routine)[24][a][f] | The Kid Laroi and Justin Bieber | 2021 | January 19, 2023 |
| "ABC (Nicer)"[g][h] | Gayle | 2021 | February 27, 2023 |
| "Thank U, Next"[g] | Ariana Grande | 2018 | March 9, 2023 |
| "Wet Tennis"[g][i] | Sofi Tukker | 2022 | March 16, 2023 |
| "Provenza"[g][i] | Karol G | 2022 | March 30, 2023 |
| "About Damn Time"[g] | Lizzo | 2022 | April 6, 2023 |
| "SloMo"[j][k] | Chanel | 2022 | May 9, 2023 |
| "Give That Wolf a Banana"[j] | Subwoolfer | 2022 | May 17, 2023 |
| "Euphoria"[j] | Loreen | 2012 | May 25, 2023 |
| "Beggin'"[j] | Måneskin | 2017 | June 15, 2023 |
| "Trenulețul"[j] | Zdob și Zdub and Advahov Brothers | 2021 | June 22, 2023 |
| "Dare to Live"[l][25] | Trady | 2021 | June 29, 2023 |
| "Sunroof"[m][n] | Nicky Youre and Dazy | 2021 | July 20, 2023 |
| "Bloody Mary"[m] | Lady Gaga | 2011 | July 27, 2023 |
| "Miraculous"[26][o][p][q] | Lou and Lenni-Kim | 2017 | August 10, 2023 |
| "Sacrifice"[m] | The Weeknd | 2022 | August 17, 2023 |
| "DJ Got Us Fallin' in Love"[m] | Usher | 2010 | August 24, 2023 |
- ^ a b c d e World Tour Event
- ^ Also available as an Italian-exclusive track on the soundtrack
- ^ Also available as a Japanese-exclusive track on the soundtrack
- ^ Also available as a Canadian-exclusive routine on the game
- ^ Also available as a Benelux region-exclusive track on the soundtrack
- ^ Also available as a Korean-exclusive routine on the game
- ^ a b c d e Season 1: Lover Coaster
- ^ Free for a limited time from February 27 to March 9
- ^ a b Free for a limited time from March 30 to April 6
- ^ a b c d e Season 2: Showdown (Tie-in to the Eurovision Song Contest)
- ^ Free for a limited time from May 9 to 17
- ^ Also appeared in the Chinese version of Just Dance 2020
- ^ a b c d Season 3: Beach, Summer & Vampires
- ^ Free for a limited time from July 20 to 27
- ^ Credited as "Miraculous Official Theme Song".
- ^ Tie in to Miraculous: Tales of Ladybug & Cat Noir, with the titular characters being the coaches.
- ^ Free for a limited time from August 10 to 16
Controversy
editOn March 20, 2023, a union claimed that ten percent of Ubisoft's employees experienced burnouts and work stoppages every four weeks during the production of Just Dance 2023 Edition.[27]
Reception
edit| Aggregator | Score |
|---|---|
| Metacritic | 80/100 (XSX)[28] 76/100 (NS)[29] 70/100 (PS5)[30] |
| Publication | Score |
|---|---|
| Hardcore Gamer | 4/5[32] |
| Nintendo Life |   [31] |
Just Dance 2023 Edition received "generally favorable reviews", according to Metacritic.[28][29][30]
Awards and nominations
edit| Year | Award | Category | Nominated work | Result | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | The Game Accessibility Conference | Best Representation | "Radioactive" routine | Won | [33] |
| Kids' Choice Awards | Favorite Video Game | Just Dance 2023 | Nominated | [34] |
Future
editIn an interview with JB Hi-Fi in November 2022, Just Dance brand director Amelie Louvet confirmed that 2023 Edition would be the final annual installment in the main series, with all further content, including new songs, game modes and features, being added to the game through online updates "throughout the months and years following launch".[35] In a later interview with creative director Matthew Tomkinson, he further confirmed that the series will still release yearly installments through annual song packs instead of new games, and players owning 2023 Edition and future Editions can play with each other online.[17] Subsequent song packs include 2024 Edition, released in October 2023;[36] and 2025 Edition, released in October 2024.[37]
References
edit- ^ "Just Dance 2023 Reveal and Gameplay Overview | Ubisoft Forward 2022". IGN. September 10, 2022. Archived from the original on November 20, 2022. Retrieved September 10, 2022.
- ^ a b Vicencio, Chastity (September 10, 2022). "Just Dance 2023 Edition Coming November 22". Ubisoft News. Archived from the original on September 12, 2022. Retrieved September 12, 2022.
- ^ Conditt, Jess (September 10, 2022). "'Just Dance 2023' goes live November 22nd with online multiplayer". Engadget. Archived from the original on September 21, 2022. Retrieved September 21, 2022.
- ^ Cranz, Alex (September 29, 2022). "Google is shutting down Stadia". The Verge. Archived from the original on September 29, 2022. Retrieved September 29, 2022.
- ^ "Just Dance finally dumps Kinect and Xbox One with Just Dance 2023 - OnMSFT.com". November 29, 2022. Archived from the original on May 27, 2023. Retrieved May 27, 2023.
- ^ "Review: 'Just Dance 2023' welcomes a new era of dancing with a unique story". Lifestyle Asia Kuala Lumpur. December 19, 2022. Retrieved October 30, 2023.
- ^ Tomkinson, Matthew (October 9, 2022). "Just Dance 2023 está hecho de cero con un nuevo motor gráfico". Nintenduo. Archived from the original on February 9, 2023. Retrieved February 9, 2023.
- ^ Doolan, Liam (September 10, 2022). "Ubisoft Announces Just Dance 2023 Edition, Out On Switch This November". Nintendo Life. Archived from the original on September 11, 2022. Retrieved September 11, 2022.
- ^ Just Dance 2023 Edition - Discover the New Features, September 14, 2022, archived from the original on September 27, 2022, retrieved March 7, 2023
- ^ "How to unlock rewards - Just Dance 2023 Edition Unlockables for Nintendo Switch". www.chaptercheats.com. Archived from the original on March 8, 2023. Retrieved March 8, 2023.
- ^ "Version 1.0.4 – Patch Notes". Ubisoft. December 19, 2022. Retrieved June 16, 2023.
- ^ Just Dance 2024 Edition - What's coming in the October Update, October 5, 2023, retrieved October 16, 2023
- ^ Lucas (November 18, 2022). "Backstage Passes To The Behind The Scenes of Just Dance 2023 Edition". GamerBraves. Retrieved August 2, 2023.
- ^ The ENTIRE Lore in Just Dance 2023 (Video game). littlesiha. August 4, 2023 – via YouTube.
- ^ Just Dance 2023 Edition [@justdancegame] (December 14, 2022). "Discover the adventure of the #JustDance coaches in our latest story trailer. Enter the danceverses!" (Tweet). Retrieved December 15, 2022 – via Twitter.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link) - ^ Szelinski, Cailyn (March 11, 2023). "10 Pieces Of Just Dance Lore No One Noticed". CBR. Retrieved June 16, 2023.
- ^ a b "Just Dance 2024 Edition – Creative Director Discusses New Features and Just Dance+ Year 2". news.ubisoft.com. Retrieved July 25, 2023.
- ^ Just Dance 2024 Edition - Story Playlist Trailer, October 11, 2023, retrieved October 11, 2023
- ^ Chin, Carmen (September 14, 2022). "'Just Dance 2023' to feature BTS' 'Dynamite' and ITZY's 'Wannabe' on tracklist". NME. Archived from the original on September 21, 2022. Retrieved September 21, 2022.
- ^ Apsey, Joe (November 21, 2022). "Just Dance 2023 song list and track list". The Loadout. Archived from the original on November 28, 2022. Retrieved November 24, 2022.
- ^ "Just Dance 2023 Edition Song List". Nintendo Insider. November 22, 2022. Archived from the original on December 4, 2022. Retrieved November 22, 2022.
- ^ "Just Dance Plus – everything to know about the new service". The Loadout. November 22, 2022. Archived from the original on November 29, 2022. Retrieved November 23, 2022.
- ^ "다양한 K-pop과 인기 팝송이 수록된 『저스트 댄스 2023 에디션』이 발매됩니다" ["Just Dance 2023 Edition" containing various K-pop and popular pop songs will be released] (in Korean). Nintendo Korea. November 11, 2022. Archived from the original on March 14, 2023. Retrieved November 19, 2022.
- ^ a b c d e World Tour Event | Just Dance+. Just Dance. January 7, 2023. Retrieved January 7, 2023 – via YouTube.
- ^ "The song "Dare To Live" by Cui Di comes out on Just Dance+ today". Twitter. Retrieved July 3, 2023.
- ^ rawmeatcowboy (August 10, 2023). "Just Dance 2023 Edition "Miraculous Official Theme Song" music video". GoNintendo. Retrieved August 13, 2023.
- ^ Brown, Andy (March 22, 2023). "Ubisoft's 'Just Dance 2023' allegedly burned out 10 per cent of its developers". NME. Retrieved October 18, 2023.
- ^ a b "Just Dance 2023 Edition for Xbox Series X Reviews". Metacritic. Archived from the original on January 6, 2023. Retrieved January 6, 2023.
- ^ a b "Just Dance 2023 Edition for Switch Reviews". Metacritic. Archived from the original on November 29, 2022. Retrieved November 29, 2022.
- ^ a b "Just Dance 2023 Edition for PlayStation 5 Reviews". Metacritic. Archived from the original on January 6, 2023. Retrieved January 6, 2023.
- ^ O'Reilly, PJ (November 24, 2022). "Review: Just Dance 2023 Edition - Some Welcome Changes To The Old Routine". Nintendo Life. Archived from the original on November 28, 2022. Retrieved November 29, 2022.
- ^ Peeples, Jeremy (November 26, 2022). "Review: Just Dance 2023 - Hardcore Gamer". Hardcore Gamer. Archived from the original on November 29, 2022. Retrieved November 29, 2022.
- ^ "GACONF AWARDS". gaconf.com. The Game Accessibility Conference. January 25, 2023.
- ^ McPherson, Christopher (January 31, 2023). "Nickelodeon Kids' Choice Awards 2023 Nominees Include 'Top Gun: Maverick' and 'Obi-Wan Kenobi'". Collider. Retrieved November 2, 2023.
- ^ Flower, Amy (November 14, 2022). "Don't stop the dance! Just Dance Q+A". JB Hi-Fi. Archived from the original on November 15, 2022. Retrieved November 15, 2022.
- ^ "Just Dance 2024 Edition: Nintendo Switch™, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S". www.ubisoft.com. Retrieved June 12, 2023.
- ^ "Just Dance 2025 Edition: Nintendo Switch™, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S". www.ubisoft.com. Retrieved October 22, 2024.