Being a dance game enjoyed by many, Just Dance titles aren’t known for deep narratives, and Just Dance 2019 is no exception. However, this review itself has a bit of a backstory. You might be wondering why we’re even looking back at Just Dance 2019 now, especially with newer versions like 2020, 2021, and 2022 already out.
To put it briefly, I wanted to experience Just Dance from a fresh perspective – as someone new to the series. But one particular aspect of the game made it a bit challenging to fully grasp and articulate my thoughts. Then, life happened, delays occurred, and now, finally, here’s a review of Just Dance 2019. Think of it as the Just Dance edition with that unforgettable Pac-Man dance.
Presentation: Familiar and Functional
If you’ve played any Just Dance game before, you’ll immediately recognize the formula in Just Dance 2019. Each song features a dancer silhouette set against a vibrant backdrop, all moving to the rhythm. On-screen prompts at the bottom guide your movements, showing you how to swing your controller in time with the music and mimic the on-screen choreography.
Visually, Just Dance 2019 looks crisp in HD and remains decent in handheld mode on the Nintendo Switch. However, playing in handheld mode is only really feasible if you detach the Joy-Cons, essentially using the Switch screen as a miniature display – which isn’t really recommended. The graphics are functional and bright, reminiscent of earlier entries in the series, doing the job without being groundbreaking. The user interface is snappy and easy to navigate.
Like most music-based games, the soundtrack is crucial to the overall presentation. Just Dance 2019 offers an interesting mix, and it’s this soundtrack that initially caused some hesitation in writing this review. My personal music tastes lean towards J-Pop and instrumental tracks, genres not typically found in Just Dance, and certainly not heavily featured in Just Dance 2019. (The Just Dance Unlimited subscription service does include some international songs that I found more appealing).
Despite my usual preferences, Just Dance 2019 did include a few instrumental pieces, most notably a fun, danceable rendition of the classic Pac-Man theme. This track, complete with dancers in Pac-Man ghost costumes, was a definite highlight. I also discovered a few vocal tracks within the base game that, while not my usual fare, grew on me over time. Ultimately, whether you enjoy the soundtrack of Just Dance 2019 will depend on your personal taste. You can always check the tracklist beforehand to see if it aligns with your preferences, or consider Just Dance Unlimited for a much broader song selection across the entire series. The game certainly pushes the Unlimited option quite aggressively.
Gameplay: Get Ready to Move
The core objective of Just Dance 2019 is straightforward: dance!
But let’s elaborate a bit. Just Dance 2019 comes with a solid selection of songs right out of the box. The tracklist spans various genres and eras, although there’s a clear emphasis on contemporary hits, reflecting the “2019” in the title. Many of the songs were popular charts toppers around the 2019 Just Dance release period.
Now, for those curious about a newcomer’s experience with Just Dance 2019, especially coming from someone with a background primarily in rhythm games featuring video game music or J-Pop, American vocal music has largely been outside my usual listening habits. My exposure has been limited to a few exceptions like “Only Time,” some Disney classics, and timeless songs like “Over the Rainbow.” (While Disney songs are available through Just Dance Unlimited from the Just Dance Disney Party series, the other examples aren’t). Therefore, a significant portion – around 97% – of the Just Dance 2019 tracklist was entirely new to me! While there are some international songs included, even those were mostly unfamiliar, and unfortunately, many didn’t particularly resonate with me.
However, amidst the unfamiliar tracks, Just Dance 2019 delivered something I did connect with: the incredibly catchy Pac-Man theme remix. It’s charming, the ghost costumes are amusing, and it served as an excellent introduction to the game’s mechanics. The gameplay is motion-based, as expected. You hold a Joy-Con and move your arm in sync with the music, following the directional cues displayed in the bottom-right corner of the screen. Like any rhythm game, timing is key to hitting the beat. While motion controls can sometimes be less precise than button presses, I was surprised at how easily I could achieve three stars on my first attempts at many songs, except for some of the higher difficulty, faster-paced tracks.
Playing Just Dance 2019 standing up definitely provides a physical workout. It’s not overly strenuous, but the game does include a “Sweat” mode for a reason. If you’re looking to get your heart rate up and burn some calories, Just Dance 2019 can certainly contribute. Alternatively, you can opt for a more relaxed approach and play seated, focusing primarily on arm movements. (However, handheld mode isn’t supported for gameplay, so you can’t simply cheese your way through by only moving your wrists!).
Despite my initial unfamiliarity with much of the soundtrack, I found the core gameplay loop of Just Dance 2019 enjoyable and reasonably fun. The “Kids” mode offers simplified, stress-free routines suitable for younger players, making it a family-friendly option. However, one recurring issue, particularly noticeable in Kids mode and throughout the game, is the constant and heavy promotion of Just Dance Unlimited, Ubisoft’s subscription service that has persisted through subsequent Just Dance releases.
Just Dance Unlimited dramatically expands the song library, offering a vast collection from across the entire Just Dance series up to Just Dance 2019. Many older, more recognizable tracks become available through Unlimited, including another video game-themed dance in the form of a Tetris routine. During the game’s launch period, I used a free trial of Unlimited and found the expanded tracklist much more appealing and comfortable. However, I wasn’t sufficiently captivated by Just Dance 2019 to subscribe beyond the trial period.
Despite not subscribing, the game persistently highlights Unlimited content. Unlimited songs are visible within the game but are locked, marked with an “Unlimited” label. You earn an in-game currency called Mojo, which unlocks alternative dance versions and cosmetic customization options, but Mojo cannot be used to unlock Unlimited tracks, even with extensive playtime. This leads to a central point of frustration: Just Dance seems to emulate a live service model with continuous updates, yet it’s structured as a traditional retail game with a heavy subscription component. Adding to the confusion, songs from Just Dance 2020, 2021, and 2022 are not accessible in Just Dance 2019‘s Unlimited. You need to purchase each annual release to access the latest content, effectively making each entry, like Just Dance 2019 on Switch, quickly superseded. In fact, Just Dance 2019 has even been delisted from digital storefronts due to the release of Just Dance 2022, further highlighting its limited lifespan.
Conclusion: Dance On, But Maybe With a Newer Beat
In conclusion, Just Dance 2019 is likely already in the collection of dedicated series fans. For newcomers in the current gaming landscape, there’s little compelling reason to seek out Just Dance 2019 specifically, unless you find it at a very low price. It offers a similar core experience to other budget-friendly dance games, and Just Dance Unlimited can grant you access to many of its songs in newer Just Dance titles.
Even back at its launch in 2018, despite having access to Just Dance Unlimited through a trial, Just Dance 2019 felt somewhat underwhelming. It came across as a relatively shallow music game with a limited base tracklist, heavily reliant on personal music taste. For me, the Pac-Man dance was the standout track, the only one I consistently revisited due to my familiarity with the source material and my general lack of connection with the rest of the soundtrack.
While Just Dance Unlimited offered some more familiar songs, it raises the question of why a selection of those tracks couldn’t have been included in the base game or offered as purchasable DLC, rather than being locked behind a somewhat convoluted subscription model that persists in even the latest Just Dance releases. A system allowing players to buy favorite songs as DLC alongside an all-inclusive subscription option might be a more consumer-friendly approach than yearly game releases that don’t quite feel like the ideal entry point for new players. While the Pac-Man dance was enjoyable, the motion controls and overall structure didn’t fully resonate with me.
Therefore, recommending Just Dance 2019 at its original MSRP in the current year is difficult. Even with Just Dance Unlimited in 2018, it’s questionable if it would have been a strong recommendation. The emphasis on subscription services in newer Just Dance games, instead of a more accessible entry model, creates confusion about the purpose of these full-priced releases. Perhaps the Wii version of Just Dance 2019 holds some novelty, leveraging the Wii Remote’s motion controls and avoiding the pressure of Just Dance Unlimited. Alternatively, opting for the newest Just Dance title and subscribing to Just Dance Unlimited might be a more comprehensive way to access the songs from Just Dance 2019 and beyond.
Just Dance 2019 gets a 5 out of 10.
