Dance Central for Kinect is the first dancing videogame that can be played without a controller of any kind, so there’s no tapping buttons to the rhythm, or stomping arrows on the floor necessary. Success in Dance Central is just a matter of whether you can keep up with the onscreen dancers, mimicking their every move. Dance Central is rated T for teen, but we think that the game is okay for Tweens to play.
Harmonix is the company that is the maker of Dance Central, and they are well-known in the videogame industry as being pioneers in music and rhythm-based gameplay, having created the original Guitar Hero game as well as the very successful line of Rock Band titles. Now, with Dance Central, Harmonix is taking of advantage of Microsoft’s controller-free Kinect technology, and have created a game that may be the best example yet of the possibilities of allowing players to use their bodies as the controller.
The Kinect camera will recognize the on-screen figures and allow players to use their right hand to make selections (with a sweeping inward motion), and their left hand to navigate back through the menus (again, with a sweeping inward motion). It’s very simple, cool, and is really sort of a “future is now” moment to be able to make menu selections by simply moving your hands and arms around.
Once in the game, you immediately have access to all of the game’s songs. There is a pretty broad selection of music, although most of it is the kind that you might hear in a popular dance club. There are no dirty lyrics, although some are mildly suggestive, but it’s really nothing worse than your family would hear on the radio. Artists range from Lady Gaga and Kylie Minogue to Kool & The Gang and the Commodores. There are some well known “classic” songs, like “Bust a Move” or “Push it” as well as a dozen or so tracks the average family has probably never heard of. We’ve included the full list of songs at the bottom of this page, but another feature of the game’s soundtrack is that you can also download songs for an additional fee off of Xbox Live as Harmonix periodically makes more tracks available.
Families can play each song on Easy mode right off the bat, or have the game “Break it Down” as they learn the moves one by one. Dancing is as simple as mimicking the onscreen dancer as if it were your mirror image. However, due to the Kinect sensor precise tracking, the game will let you know whether you are putting your feet, legs, arms and hands in the right place by outlining that body part with a red glow. We like that there is no “failing out” of songs, meaning the songs will not quit mid-stream if you are not doing well, but this game can still be a bit difficult, as the moves require full-body precision.
The way the moves in each song work is that the routines are basically broken down into lots of different series of moves. Although this may sound overly technical, each series basically consists of a 4-count along with the beat, which is ultimately the building block of most dancing. As you play through songs, a series of “flashcards” comes up on the right screen, which helps you know which dance moves to expect next. We found that on Easy mode, most players as young as 9 or 10 could jump right in and have success simply following along onscreen, but that the Medium and Hard modes are much more enjoyable if players take the time to select “Break it Down” and learn the different elements of the dance routine. Experienced dancers will likely be able to start on Medium mode, but for everyone else we recommend Easy.
Since players are moving around so much, Dance Central actually provides quite a nice workout for players. There’s really no way around it, you are probably going to break a sweat when you play Dance Central. The game-makers clearly recognized the exercise, and there is a selectable option within the game to turn on Workout Mode. The game continues to play just as it would normally, but this Workout Mode activates a play timer as well as a calorie counter, which seems to be based on players weight and movement.
Each song also has the option to be played by two players in a “Dance Battle.” With this selection, two players will take turns performing the same part of the song to see who can score the most points. If your family is ultra-competitive, this may be a good mode for you, but families who are just happy to be dancing around together are probably better off playing the single-player mode, and dancing along either out of the Kinect camera range, or firmly behind the main player.
Dance Central’s precise full-body tracking system will have tweens and up moving all parts of their body along to popular dance songs. The game also features a great Workout mode, which tracks time spent playing and, at least theoretically, the amount of calories that players have burned while playing. Although we think the real fun in Dance Central is the single-player mode, Dance Central is the perfect Kinect title for a party atmosphere, but be prepared that anyone who plays Dance Central is likely to break a sweat.
Here’s the full song list for Dance Central for Kinect:
• Audio Push – Teach Me How To Jerk
• Basement Jaxx – Rendez-vu
• Beastie Boys – Body Movin' (Fatboy Slim Remix)
• Beenie Man – King Of The Dancehall
• Bell Biv DeVoe – Poison
• Benny Benassi – Satisfaction
• Cascada – Evacuate the Dancefloor
• Christina Milian – Dip It Low
• The Commodores – Brick House
• Craig Mack – Flava In Ya Ear (Remix)
• Dirty Vegas – Days Go By
• Eric B. & Rakim – Don't Sweat the Technique
• Fannypack – Hey Mami
• Jay Sean ft. Lil Wayne – Down
• Kool & The Gang – Jungle Boogie
• Kylie Minogue – Can't Get You Out of My Head
• Lady Gaga – Just Dance
• Lady Gaga – Poker Face
• Lipps Inc – Funky Town
• M.I.A. – Galang '05
• Nelly Furtado – Maneater
• Nina Sky – Move Ya Body
• No Doubt – Hella Good
• Pitbull – I Know You Want Me (Calle Ocho)
• Quad City DJ's – C'mon N' Ride It (TheTrain)
• Rihanna – Pon de Replay
• Salt-N-Pepa – Push It
• Snoop Dogg/Pharrell – Drop It Like It's Hot
• Soulja Boy Tell 'Em – Crank That (Soulja Boy)
• Wreckx-n-Effect – Rump Shaker
• Young MC – Bust A Move
*FamilyFriendlyVideoGames.com Favorite* - This was one of our favorite family-friendly video games we saw at the E3 video game trade show in Los Angeles in June 2010. Here's what we had to say about it then:
Dance Central is scheduled to be one of the first games available for Microsoft’s new Kinect add-on for Xbox 360. The game uses the Kinect sensors precise recognition of body position to provide a new level of detail for video game dance routines.
Dance Central for Microsoft’s Kinect is unlike any other dance game we’ve ever played. By using the Kinect camera, the game requires a high level of dance detail and precision, and will end up teaching you all sorts of new dance moves without you ever realizing it.
The game is really all about stringing together lots of different individual dance moves into what really resembles an overall routine, especially as presented onscreen with two “backup” dancers mimicking your every move onscreen. From the demonstration we saw, there are a number of humorous dance moves, including with funny, descriptive names, such as Humpty Groove, Kid & Play Pull Groove, Kick & Chest, Windbreaker, Kickstep, Butt Sing & Smile and Poison.
With a great soundtrack ranging from the Beastie Boys to B.O.B ., everyone will want to get on the couch and move along with the game’s highly-choreographed routines. Every song is playable from the moment you turn the game on, although you’ll have to work hard to earn the more difficult routines.
This game is definitely not an easy dance game, but at the same time it doesn’t overdo it on negative feedback. Players don’t get booed off the stage, but instead are encouraged to work harder to perform the moves even better next time.
Although seeing an expert perform these detailed routines could appear to be daunting and difficult, the game provides a slowed down beat and presentation for the dance moves. So if you take a little bit of time to learn what’s happening, you should be able to experience success.
It looks like Dance Central may not be the game that new players will be able to jump right into, and the difficulty of the dance moves may be a little too hard for young kids. But with a little practice and knowledge of the game’s moves, dancing and rocking should be a good time for most of the family.
We think Dance Central is shaping up to be a great Kinect title for families because the game encourages lots of moving around, but in a fun and entertaining way. With every song unlocked from the beginning, even young kids will want to get up and mimic the action of their older siblings and parents as they move around to the game’s upbeat and recognizable soundtrack.
INFORMATION FROM COMPANY FACT SHEET
Product Overview:
“Dance Central,” exclusively for Kinect for Xbox 360, is the first real dance game experience that is fun, social and for everyone!
Brought to you by Harmonix, the developers who created the worldwide blockbuster “Rock Band,” “Dance Central” is the first immersive dance video game that features and tracks full-body dance moves. Completely free from any controller, every routine has authentic choreography for beginners and experts alike to master, alongside a killer soundtrack that spans today’s current pop, hip-hop and R&B artists. Take it step-by-step with Break It Down or jump right in and start performing for your family and friends. Either way, you won’t just learn dance moves, you’ll own the dance floor!
Details, Details, Details
• Ready. Set. Dance. “Dance Central” will get you warmed up and dancing in no time with “Break it Down” and “Perform It!” You’ll be introduced to some of the over 600 moves in the game, polish your performance, and put it all together to master the routine!
• Pump up the volume. Featuring tracks from hot artists including Lady Gaga, No Doubt, M.I.A., Bell Biv Devoe, and more, you’ll master more than 90 dance routines all created by professional choreographers. You may even recognize some of the moves from the song’s music videos!
• Burn up the dance floor — and calories. Whether you’ve had your dancing shoes on your entire life or this is your first time hitting the floor, “Dance Central” will have you dancing like a pro in no time. As you cruise through songs and master moves, you will earn Achievements, unlock new character outfits and venues, and progress through the dance ranks. “Dance Central” even tracks the calories you burn so you can turn all that fun into your daily workout routine.