Dancing the night away

Besides winning tickets and exchanging them for prizes, what really pulled me to the arcade was Dance Dance Revolution. DDR was released in 1998 but was only made available in Indian arcades much later. Nevertheless, I spent a fair share of my early 20s jostling children to try my hand at it and bust out some of my moves.

So, when I got my hands on Ubisoft's Just Dance 2017, I put on my dancing shoes once again. I did get the chance to test out previous versions of the Just Dance series and it was a great way to let off some steam. I received the PlayStation 4 version of the game. As the name suggests, the game is about dance and to "play" it, one requires a sensor that would detect your moves. This can be done in numerous ways: a PS4 Move controller, a PS4 camera or the Just Dance Controller app on your smartphone.

There is nothing new in Just Dance 2017. The gameplay is the same, the modes are the same (barring the Machine mode) and same paid Unlimited subscription. For those new to the franchise, Just Dance Unlimited is a paid subscription that gives you access to "Unlimited exclusive" songs and those from previous installments of the series. Considering that the on-disc tracks are limited, you'd soon find yourself dancing to the same songs over and over. Unlimited has been chided ever since its conception, but Ubisoft doesn't seem to take the hint.

That said, it sure is an enjoyable experience. There are songs from different genres you can dance to and the on-screen dancers are not boring silhouettes - Lean On has four dancers with dreadlocks and Indian accessories, while What is Love has a man dressed in quirky 90s clothes with a handlebar moustache. The Machine mode is an interesting one. The player has to use their dance moves to power an alien spaceship. This mode has a routine of five different types of dances and with every successful routine, you can unlock more of the 32 dance genres. The game also has a Sweat mode wherein you can make a customised workout playlist. The game supports up to four players that makes it a fun activity for small gatherings.

Though the latest installment in the series doesn't have a novelty value, it is definitely fun and worth trying out - be it for working out or just dancing your worries away.