Of all the Ubisoft franchises that get an annual release, Just Dance is perhaps the most successful. While other music games like Guitar Hero and Rock Band have fallen by the wayside, this dancing game with its unique choreography and flashy visuals continues to grow year after year. Just Dance 2025 Edition is now the sixteenth game in the series and we’re already dancing!
Just Dance is becoming more and more of a live streaming experience every year. Where you could only choose from a limited list of songs and dance moves, in recent years you have been able to purchase additional songs or compete online with other players. This is even more evident in the Just Dance 2025 release. You work your way through songs that are recommended, popular, or on a topic, and you can filter through a wide range of songs using keywords. You can also sort by difficulty level, mood, or year. This allows you to organize a dance session the way you want. But this way of working is not really ideal, because despite all the tools, there is only the keyboard to search for one specific song and this is not a great convenience on consoles.
This version has the largest catalog ever because you can access all previous game versions with Ubisoft Connect. You need a stable internet connection to get the most out of this game. Many songs from the catalog charge, but anyone who purchases the Just Dance 2025 edition will receive a free month of Just Dance+, making every song available. The 2025 edition has a total of 22 songs and with Just Dance+ you can increase this number to 358 at €24.99 per year. In our opinion, a good deal for those who like to dance in their living room.
But you buy a new Just Dance game mainly because of the flashy new maps (videos) and new songs. Ariana Grande fans will be especially happy with at least five of her most famous songs, including “Yes, and?” and “One more time” and “The boy is mine.” Each folder matches the song with fun dance moves and is colorful and cheerful in typical Ariana Grande style. We also see a great mix of other popular songs released in the past year, like “Espresso” by Sabrina Carpenter or “Exes” by Tate McRae. But some older hits are also reviewed. Think “Party in the USA” by Miley Cyrus or “My Heart Will Go On” by Celine Dion. So there’s something for every music fan in this new game, even though the focus is mainly on pop songs.
Obviously, fun is key and we see that with the more fun songs that have been added. What about “sleigh ride,” for example? This quintessential Christmas carol features a map made entirely using clay, as if it were an old children’s movie. Even SpongeBob is there to celebrate his 25th birthday with the song “SpongeBob’s Birthday” with a volume that looks like it was ripped straight from an episode. It’s clear that Ubisoft spent a lot of time on the new maps to get everything down to the smallest detail. This makes the Just Dance franchise unique in the genre of annual releases that are often released without much enthusiasm (I’m looking at you, sports games). This is not to say that there is innovation in Just Dance 2025, but the new songs are well made!
This year, additional attention was also paid to less mobile players. There are three songs that you can dance to while sitting in the chair. We tested this and all movements were recorded perfectly. In addition, there are also three songs where you can choose the difficulty level, depending on the trainer you are following. This means everyone can join in the fun, whether you’re 9 or 99 years old. You can also play with up to six players. Everyone can participate by taking out their smartphones.
The biggest loss for loyal fans is the lack of a story mode. While previous releases always had a thin story, this is missing now in any way. There are a few songs that introduce well-known characters and show some easter eggs in previous events, but nothing more than that. The previous story events may have been limited, but they gave you an extra reason to play.
