How to play just dance on xbox one with kinect

Just Dance 2021 Review - Xbox Tavern

Jamie Collyer November 14, 2020

It’s been a while since I was among the masses getting wrapped in the fancy new games that allowed us to feel like rock stars, dancers or singers. I was always more of a Rock Band person being a guitar player but I also like to branch out and (perhaps after a beverage or two) like to think I can dance too. Just Dance 2021 might be full of tunes that I have never heard of before (and a few, thankfully, that I had) but that didn’t stop it being a reliably fun time, especially with the wife and kids.

Just in case you’ve not heard of Just Dance (yes, all two of you out there), it’s a series that seeks to get us up and moving to the beat, giving us live action video of dancers – super-imposed with all sorts of fantastic visual effects to liven things up – to follow along to various famous songs from across the last few decades. Naturally suited to a party setting (remember those?) it would often get even the most ardent of party poopers up and grooving thanks to its simple set up and encouraging feedback and gameplay.

Not a great deal has changed since the last entry I played a few years back, but then the formula is about as solid as it gets anyway, so why mess with it? Included in the base game are songs that will appeal to a newer, younger generation (Blinding Lights by The Weekend was a popular one with my children, as was Don’t Start Now by Dua Lipa), as well as stuff that old fogies like me will know (Without Me by Eminem and Temperature by Sean Paul). Even those songs I wasn’t aware of still managed to be fun to play thanks to some excellent choreography (if only you could see my clip from Que Tire Pa Lante…).

Just Dance 2021 works across generations, with a Series X version requiring the use of a smart phone app that replaces the Kinect functionality of the Xbox One version. I much preferred using Kinect though as not only do we get a little picture-in-picture image showing our positioning but I felt it did a better job at tracking my movements in relation to the dancing on screen. Plus, it’ll record clips throughout for you to laugh and upload if you like after the fact.

To play, all we need to do is follow along with the movements of our assigned dancer. Their left hand (we play in mirror, so this is followed with our right hand) is the key to look at, as that is the main aspect of the scoring – as long as we get that roughly right then we’ll score points. You’ll definitely need a good amount of space to get the most out of the game, especially if you’re playing with more than one or two people as some of the dances require some big movements, or even moving around each other. Having said that though, even in my fairly cramped front room we still managed to avoid whacking each other and the tracking was pretty solid throughout.

As you may expect, playing Just Dance 2021 can be quite the workout too. Much like Beat Saber, I found myself getting worn out after half hour of playing, though it is a far better way to exercise than going to the gym for me! Ubisoft have accounted for this, including a Sweat mode that tracks various stats to help us count things like calories burned etc. If you’re looking to try and move some of that “Lockdown weight” then playing this is a great way to track it as you go.

Just Dance Unlimited returns, and offers up hundreds of songs from the Just Dance history to play on demand. A 30 day trial is available to try out the service, though a daily/monthly/yearly charge ($2.99/$3.99/$24.99) applies after that. It’s a great add on if you’re looking for a good range of songs and will play daily, though if you’re only picking it up here and there then the base list of 43 songs will do most players for a while I’d imagine.

Just Dance 2021 is, as ever, a great party game experience that is simple to get into and encourages people of all skill levels to join in. Being able to use the Sweat mode to aid in your fitness journey is a great touch, while when using Kinect the video clips that are recorded never fail to get a laugh out of the room. Played without a camera it loses a little of its accuracy and charm, but it still manages to be a fun experience –provided you trust the players not to launch your phone across the room!

This game was reviewed based on Xbox One review code, using an Xbox One console. All of the opinions and insights here are subject to that version. Game provided by publisher.

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Good

Vast list of decent songs to dance to
Great choreography and visuals
Sweat mode is a great addition
Just Dance Unlimited will provide almost too many songs…

Bad

…for a price

8.1

Great

Gameplay - 8

Graphics - 8

Audio - 8.5

Longevity - 8

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Microsoft Kinect for Xbox One

Experience greater convenience and control with Kinect for Xbox One
Command your Xbox and TV with your voice
Be recognized and signed-in automatically
Make Skype calls in HD on your TV
Play games where you are the controller
Broadcast gameplay live with picture-in-picture using the Twitch app
Work out smarter with Xbox Fitness

The best Xbox One experience is with Kinect Xbox One. Experience greater convenience and control with Kinect for Xbox One. Command your Xbox and TV with your voice, make Skype calls in HD, and play games where you are the controller. Be recognized and signed-in automatically, and use your voice to find your favorite entertainment, snap apps, switch instantly and start recording game clips—all without lifting a finger. You can even broadcast your gameplay live with picture-in-picture using the Twitch app and work out smarter with Xbox Fitness. Kinect for Xbox One has a 1080p HD camera, advanced infrared technology and a microphone array with noise isolation for maximum precision in capturing sound and motion.

*Look for Kinect enabled games and features. 1080p HD resolution available with supported content. Some features, including Skype, Game DVR and picture-in-picture with Twitch require broadband internet; ISP fees apply. Game download from Xbox Live and requires up to 1.4 GB

Product Specifications
Product ID	102581
Is Preorder?	No
Only at GameStop	No
Product Height	3.53
Product Dimensions: (H x W x L)	3.53X4.13X10.27
Product Weight	1.67
Product Length	10. 27
Product Width	4.13
Brand Name	Microsoft
Developer Name	Microsoft

Dates

Product Specifications
Is Preorder?	No

General

Product Specifications
Only at GameStop	No

Dimension

Product Specifications
Product Height	3.53
Product Dimensions: (H x W x L)	3.53X4.13X10.27
Product Weight	1.67
Product Length	10.27
Product Width	4.13

Fandom

Product Specifications
Brand Name	Microsoft
Developer Name	Microsoft

Ratings & Reviews

3. 5

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rated 3.5 out of 5

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Top Customer Reviews

Horrible

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rated 1.0 out of 5

Jorden

Verified Purchaser

1 month ago

Said it was for Xbox one but doesn’t fit anywhere. Also, the Kinect sensor wasn’t even cleaned up a little bit. It was still super dusty and dirty.

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Works as expected

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rated 4.0 out of 5

Mike

Verified Purchaser

2 months ago

It works! Which is the important part had no issues so far using it on a PC, but man it was dirty like a thick layer of dust from sitting in a closet for years.

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amazing!

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rated 5.0 out of 5

Cesar

4 months ago

i bought this a few days ago for just dance 2017 and it works just fine! hand tracking, scoring works just fine, totally buy this one again.

GameStop Customer Service

3 months ago

Motion controls have never been this fun! Hope you have some awesome fun as the controller and thanks so much for your review!

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Poor Selection of Games

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rated 1. 0 out of 5

GP50

Verified Purchaser

5 months ago

The camera wasn't too bad, dirty but cleaned up nicely and worked fine. Problem was that although the xbox one can play many 360 games it cannot play 360 Kinect games. The games designed for the one are pretty bad when compared to the 360, not any good sports games, mostly dance style games. I ended up returning the kinect for xbox1 and setting up my old 360 kinect.

GameStop Customer Service

5 months ago

Thank you for taking the time to leave this honest review. If there is anything we can help with please feel free to reach out. We're always here to help!

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Kinect XBOX One

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rated 5.0 out of 5

Dawn54

Verified Purchaser

6 months ago

Works great! Love being able to use the Kinect for Just Dance instead of the app on the phone.

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Dance Central Spotlight Review - The Best Kinect Dance Game Now on Xbox One - Xbox

Tiffany Garrett

Xbox

When the Xbox One launched last year with a Kinect peripheral included with every console, many gamers opposed the inclusion of Kinect. Why not? The new Kinect launched without what many consider to be the best Kinect game series on Xbox 360: Dance Central. That roster hole has been filled now that Harmonix (creator of the upcoming Fantasia: Music Evolved) has released Dance Central Spotlight exclusively as a downloadable game for Xbox One.

For the low price of ten bucks, Dance Central Spotlight includes ten songs with multiple exercises and a fitness regimen. A variety of songs are also available for purchase as DLC, some of which are free to transfer if you own them on Xbox 360. But does Dance Central Spotlight mirror the magic of its Xbox 360 predecessors? Read the full version as well as our exclusive gameplay videos and screenshots.

Dance away your sorrows

The Dance Central games are real dance simulations with some video game elements added on top of them. Each song has actual dance moves that players need to learn and perform in order to be successful. The more moves you make correctly in a row, the higher your multiplier and score will be.

Two visual cues indicate which steps to take. First, look at the dancers themselves on the screen. As they perform each move, your job is to imitate them as closely as possible. If a dancer's body part glows with a red outline, that player's body part is out of alignment. If you closely follow the dancer, you will get higher marks: from 'Perfect' to 'Perfect' and even 'Perfect'.

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Simply following the dancer won't earn you any rewards. You'll also want to look at the dance cards that scroll up the edge of the screen. They tell you the next few steps, represented by a drawing and the name of the move. They can be hard to rely on completely because the drawings don't always represent every part of the movement, and they sometimes scroll too fast to be easy to read. You'll want to keep an eye on both the cards and your dancer if you can.

Menus, moves and routines

Unlike Dance Central 2 and 3, Spotlight doesn't have a story mode to tie everything together. Instead, you simply select your songs from the main menu and dance to them individually. The menu uses a new interface in the style of a modern user interface, which is much easier to navigate with motion than before. Like previous games, all menus also support controller navigation. You can't beat the controller for song selection and settings.

Now that the story is gone, Spotlight is introducing a new progression system. The first time you play any song (including DLC), you start with the beginner routine for that song. Beginner is intentionally simple and consists of a greatly reduced set of moves. Luckily for serious dancers, there are seven more routines (which act as difficulty levels) that can be unlocked for each song.

To master a new routine, you first need to master each movement of the previous routine. Performing the move flawlessly (even once) will make your dancer glow gold while 'Getting Ready!' displayed as a rating. You can tell if you've collected a move before by the color of its dance card; the card remains gold after this move has been perfected.

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This new system forces the player to make new moves correctly. Luckily, you have a useful tool for learning how to perfect your movements: practice mode. Instead of being a separate mode like in previous games, players now yell "Hey DJ, get some practice!" to enter training mode. Then you can repeatedly perform any movement from the song and even slow it down to better understand how it works. The practice mode certainly helps, but I perfected the movement just so the song kept registering the movement as less than perfect.

Fitness Mode

Unlike previous games, Fitness Mode is now a completely separate mode. First, you customize your profile by adjusting your height and weight statistics. Then you choose the type of workouts you like, and cardio and strength training join the main game.

Finally, select a workout duration from 10 to 90 minutes. The game will then create a mix of songs for you to play one after the other without you having to select anything. The more songs you have, the more variety you will get in your playlists.

Fitness mode is cool in theory, but it has serious drawbacks. The only way to see and keep track of calories burned is to use this mode, whereas in past games, calories were counted everywhere. And perfecting moves in Fitness mode doesn't unlock those moves outside of Fitness mode, which is terribly annoying. Progress should be shared between modes, otherwise we could just stick with the main game.

Two dancers are better than one

Two local players can dance together during any song and even in Fitness mode. Both players stand side by side, so you'll need enough space to avoid bumping into each other. The joint performance of the two players determines their overall star rating at the end of the song.

Co-op dances work the same as solo games; there are no special programs for playing together (Just Dance has something compared to Dance Central). But it's much more fun to get up and move with another person. The multiplayer mode turns Dance Central Spotlight into the party game that the Xbox One Kinect has been dreaming of for so long. And, unlike Just Dance 2014, both players can earn achievements!

Please note that Spotlight does not feature competitive modes such as dance battles from previous games. It's all about co-op.

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Song Selection

The Spotlight includes these 10 songs:

“Counting Stars” - Onerepublic
'Diamonds' - Rihanna
' Happy Williams
'I want' - Sher Llolayed
'Royals' - Lorde
'Show Me' - Kid Ink feat. Chris Brown
'Talk Dirty' - Jason Derulo ft. 2 Chainz
'#thatpower' - will.i.am ft. Justin Bieber
'Titanium' - David Guetta ft. Sia
'Wake Me Up' - Avicii

I wouldn't listen to all those who are outside of the game, but they are really perfect for dancing.

Dancing to ten songs may soon become obsolete. Good thing Harmonix is already offering 50 songs for purchase as DLC. New songs are $1.99 each and multiple 2-packs sell for $3.49dollar. The selection is outstanding, with some of my favorites such as A-ha's "Take on Me" and Fatboy Slim's "Weapon of Choice" joining the new club style songs.

Achievements

You will find 35 achievements totaling 1000 GamerScore in Spotlight. Don't expect to get them all unless you're a great dancer and/or don't spend a lot of time perfecting the base game's songs. The game has multiple achievements to unlock each routine and perfect each move, totaling over 900 moves. It will take some dedication!

Start Your Boys Dance Party

Dance Central Spotlight is the first and only must-have Kinect game for Xbox One. The base dance game is as good as ever, offering tons of fun for gamers and non-gamers alike. The base game is a great value and being able to choose from such a significant amount of songs allows anyone to create their own dream dance library.

On the other hand, the new move collection system is more complicated and less beginner-friendly than Dance Center 3's excellent leveling system. The new fitness mode is kind of overkill - I hope Harmonix updates the game to allow movement unlocks in this mode.

However, these issues are only minor annoyances when compared to Spotlight's limitless fun, party-friendliness, and workout opportunities. No Xbox One Kinect owner should be without it.

Dance Central Spotlight - Xbox One - 1.5GB - $9.99 - Xbox.com Link

Dance Central Spotlight review - The best Kinect dance game now on Xbox One

When Xbox One was launched last year with a Kinect peripheral included with every console, many gamers resisted the inclusion of Kinect. And why not? The new Kinect was released without what many consider to be the best Kinect game series on Xbox 360: Dance Central. That hole in the lineup has been filled in now that Harmonix (creator of the upcoming Fantasia: Music Evolved) has released Dance Central Spotlight exclusively as a downloadable title for Xbox One.

For the low price of ten bucks, Dance Central Spotlight includes ten songs with multiple exercises and a fitness mode. Various songs can also be purchased as DLC, some of which are transferable for free if you own them on the Xbox 360. But has Dance Central Spotlight really captured the magic of its Xbox 360 predecessors? Read on as well as our exclusive gameplay videos and screenshots.

Dance in sorrow

Dance Central games are honest dance simulations with some video game elements on top. Each song has original dance moves that players must learn and perform in order to succeed. The more moves you make correctly in a row, the higher your multiplier and score will be.

Two visual cues indicate which steps to take. First look at the dancers themselves on the screen. Since they perform every movement, your task is to imitate them as closely as possible. If a dancer's body part glows with a red outline, that player's body part is out of alignment. If you keep a close eye on the dancer, you will get the best scores, from Nice to Superb and even Flawless.

Following the dancer will not earn you any rewards. You also want to see the dance cards that scroll up the edge of the screen. They tell you about the next few steps, represented by a drawing and the name of the step. They can be hard to rely on completely because the drawings don't always represent every part of the movement, plus they sometimes scroll too fast to be easily read. You can follow the cards and the dancer if you can.