Just Dance 2021 Review: A Remixed Version of the Same Song and Dance

Just Dance is by now a staple within the video game industry as it has kept fans shimmying for more than a decade now. As the next generation of game consoles is upon us, Just Dance 2021 is ready to bring its colorful flair to the next level. The game makes it easier than ever to jump right into the groove, but for the most part, Just Dance 2021 is the same old song and dance for better or worse.

For the most part, Just Dance 2021 handles the same as the franchise’s most recent entries. We tested the game on the Nintendo Switch, and it was easy as ever to do choreography with a single Joy-con in hand. Of course, gamers can still use their mobile devices to register their dance moves if they’d like, and that pairing process felt smoother than ever.

The biggest changes present in Just Dance 2021 come with the Quick Play mode, World Dance Floor, and in-game playlist. If you struggle to decide on which song you want to dance to, the game cuts out the decision making with the aforementioned Quick Play mode. All you do is select the mode, and the game will randomly shuffle you through songs for as long as you’d like. This new feature is a fun one to test out when you feel like letting loose, and it pairs nicely with the game’s sweat mode. After all, the randomized playlist shuffles between difficulty levels, so you are bound to get a good workout.

The World Dance Floor has also been tweaked to make it easier than ever to join other players for a jig. Gamers can put on their dancing shoes and pit themselves against similarly ranked players around the world. So if you have a competitive spirit, Just Dance 2021 makes it easier to show out your skills than ever before.

Finally, this latest installment comes packed with a slew of hit songs. Gamers can still subscribed to Just Dance Unlimited if they’d like to unlock all of the franchise’s best tracks to date, but if you are working only within the game, you’ll be able to dance to songs like “Adore You” by Harry Styles, “all good girls go to hell” by Billie Eilish, “Feel Special” by TWICE, and many more. There are more than 10 extreme routines players can unlock as they up their scores for certain songs. So if you are ready to get down to some of this past year’s best songs, Just Dance 2021 will not disappoint.

This title certainly marks the next phase of Just Dance, and it makes baby steps towards innovation. If you were hoping Just Dance 2021 would revolutionize the franchise as a whole, well, you will be disappointed there. The game feels and functions much like recent entries from 2019 and 2020. Still, its challenging choreography and updated features are sure to please newcomers and diehard dancers all the same.

Rating: 3 out of 5

Just Dance 2021 is now available on Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and Google Stadia. It is set to release for Xbox Series X|S and PlayStation 5 on November 24th. A Nintendo Switch code was provided by the publisher for the purpose of this review, and it was reviewed on a standard Nintendo Switch. Got questions about the game? Share your thoughts with us in the comments section below or hit me up on Twitter @MeganPetersCB.