Get fit, have fun and show off your moves with 'Just Dance 2022’

Dance your way to fun and glory with the latest installment in the "Just Dance" series. With mainstay features known and loved by all dancers, plus new ways to experience the diverse song catalogue, Just Dance 2022 kept me moving and grooving.

With the semester seemingly always getting busier and busier, it’s hard to include fun, friends and exercise into a frantic schedule. Fret not because “Just Dance 2022” is here to solve those problems and make you a novice dancing devil. The game includes chart-toppers, dancing bops and all-time classics to get any and every person up on their feet and party through the night.

For those who haven’t played “Just Dance” before, the goal is to dance along with the instructor on the screen using a motion controller or phone to track your motion. While dancing, a series of movement prompts slide along the screen to better anticipate the next dance move, and the how well the move is executed results in scores ranging from okay to perfect. The Just Dance system is largely intuitive, which is no surprise as the Just Dance series is widely known by all ages.

“Just Dance 2022” does a great job being a rhythm and dance game for all different kinds of players. Those looking to casually play with their family and friends can choose several co-op songs, each with their own unique dance routine. The Kids Mode is tailor-made for younger players, which makes it an obvious game to have fun with younger siblings and children, but don’t forget to try these songs for yourself. Dancing to “Kulikitaka” and “Dance of the Mirlitons” were surprising experiences yet became instant additions to my favorites playlist.

One of my favorite parts of this game are the cinematic videos designed for some of the songs. “Mr. Blue Sky” had an adorable Claymation aesthetic that alone drove me to replay the dance several times. “Think About Things” includes a festive elf animation that tells its own exciting story on top of an already catchy song, and these visual aspects demonstrate the creativity put into the game for dancers to revel at. While the visuals are no doubt engaging, the different difficulty levels gave me more than enough reasons to repeat songs and improve my score. I make it a priority to dance to Dua Lipa’s “Levitating” as it’s an easier level song that I can impress my friends with the next time we have a dance-off. A song like Sylvester’s “You Make Me Feel” slightly ramps up the difficulty, and after playing through the song once, I felt driven to try again and get a better score. This game strikes a nice balance between simply enjoying the music and perfecting the dance and features like Sweat Mode turn this party game into an effective workout routine.  

Activating Sweat Mode is just a button click, and the song list changes to reflect how intense a dance is, how long a workout session is and how many the dancer has burned so far. Songs like Ciara’s “Level Up” and Major Lazer’s “Sua Cara” are intense dances that make me sweat without realizing how much exercise it actually is. Having the option to create playlists in “Just Dance 2022” allows me to pick some of my favorite workout songs and get in a quick dance session before continuing my day.

What makes “Just Dance 2022” endless fun is the “Just Dance Unlimited,” a subscription service that gives dancers access to more than 700 songs and exclusive content every month, which keeps the party or workout session fresh and exciting. The original 40 tracks from the main game offer plenty of playtime and fun, yet having access to previous Just Dance songs all in one spot elevates the entire experience. Songs like “Let’s Groove” from “Just Dance 2016” and “Voulez-Vous” from “Just Dance ABBA: You Can Dance” are already some of my favorite selections from the access pass, but there are so many songs and playlist combinations still to explore.

Just in the few days I’ve played this new release, I already know that it’ll be my go-to party game, quick workout and easy mood booster. With the semester’s end in sight, it'll be more important than ever to make time for yourself with healthy and happy decisions. Grab a dance buddy – or five – and dedicate a night to swaying, twisting, jumping and just feeling good with “Just Dance 2022.”