Learning to dance in real life is often described as a humbling journey of trial and error. It’s a process where you stumble, repeat, and gradually improve, until you reach a point of competence where the effort transforms into enjoyment. Dance Central 3, arguably more than any other Kinect-based dance game, effectively mirrors this real-world experience, presenting a workout that’s both intensely satisfying and genuinely tiring – and not just in the way you’d expect from motion-controlled games.
Initially, the rehearsal mode in Dance Central 3, with its repetitive routines, can feel like a chore. This is especially true because mastering these routines is crucial for any real chance of success within the game. However, as you persevere and rediscover your rhythm, the core appeal of Dance Central resurfaces. It’s not just a Kinect game; it’s a hobby. Much like how Rock Band turned living rooms into rock stages, Dance Central 3 transforms your space into a vibrant nightclub, a retro disco, or an energetic house party. Yet, similar to the initial grind of learning an instrument or dance steps, the game can sometimes feel like a repetitive routine you’re weary of, even considering its overall quality.
Dance Central 3 Gameplay
Time-Traveling Dance Antics: The Story Mode
Dance Central 3’s most compelling feature is undoubtedly its story mode – not for its narrative depth, which is intentionally lighthearted, often absurd, and amusingly unfunny – but for its innovative stylistic approach. You step into the shoes of a secret agent for Dance Central Intelligence, tasked with time-traveling to different eras. Your mission: to immerse yourself in the dance crazes of each period and thwart a villainous doctor’s plot to suppress the joy of dance.
Yes, the premise is outlandish, but it serves a critical function: distinguishing Dance Central 3 from its predecessors. A natural and delightful outcome of this time-hopping narrative is the game’s musical diversity, spanning the ‘70s, ‘80s, ‘90s, and ‘00s. Dance Central 1 and 2 largely concentrated on contemporary music – think Lady Gaga, Cascada, and Benny Benassi – with older tracks sprinkled in. Dance Central 3, however, strives for a more even balance, appealing to a broader audience. While personal preferences might lean towards the energetic moves of Usher’s “Scream” over “The Hustle” or “Ice Ice Baby,” there’s a distinct pleasure in mastering the diverse dance styles across eras, each with its unique flow. The ‘70s tracks are generally more accessible due to their simpler choreography, laying a foundational understanding that proves useful when tackling the Electric Slide in the ‘80s.
The Challenge and the Grind: Gameplay and Tutorials
However, the story mode presents a significant hurdle if you haven’t already practiced the songs extensively. This is particularly evident right from the start; the initial track, intended to prove your worth to your secret agent superiors in 2012, is inexplicably “Bass Down Low,” one of the most demanding songs in the entire Dance Central 3 library. Consequently, the campaign feels restrictive, essentially off-limits until considerable practice has been undertaken elsewhere in the game. Why not ease players in with simpler routines first?
This design choice initiates a cycle of wanting to dive into the story but needing to grind through practice to become proficient enough. Kinect voice commands offer some relief by allowing you to retry difficult sections or slow down instructions, but a persistent issue from previous Dance Central games remains in Dance Central 3. Red lights that appear around a character’s limbs are meant to indicate problem areas as you attempt dance moves, but they frustratingly fail to clarify what you’re doing incorrectly. This tutorial ambiguity was a notable flaw years ago, and its continued presence feels inexcusable now. And so, the practice grind continues.
Dance Central 3 Multiplayer
Dancing with Friends: Multiplayer and Overall Experience
Looking back, once you’ve developed the necessary skills to spin, shake, and shuffle your way to Dance Central stardom, those initial tutorial frustrations fade into insignificance. They become minor hurdles on the path to genuinely enjoying yourself in your living room dance floor. The exhilarating feeling of achieving high scores intensifies when you introduce other dancers into the mix. Dance Central 3’s multiplayer mode accommodates up to eight players in the Crew Throwdown mode, pitting two teams against each other in various mini-games. While these diversions, focused on keeping rhythm and striking poses, are entertaining, they pale in comparison to the core experience of players rotating through a series of full songs.
Ultimately, straightforward dancing remains the pinnacle of Dance Central 3 – it’s where the game shines brightest. Whether Dance Central 3 surpasses its predecessors is subjective, depending largely on your preference for disco and boy bands versus contemporary club hits and hip hop. However, dancers with an open mind will discover a rich and engaging musical selection in Dance Central 3. Moreover, the game retains compatibility with all your previously purchased Dance Central tracks and downloadable content, effectively expanding your music library. At this juncture, however, this “more” is essentially a continuation of what players have been enjoying for years.
