With the Wii becoming the third best selling home console of all-time (just narrowly behind the original Sony Playstation), motion controls took over the moment of a generation. Rushing to compete, Sony created their motion control system in the completely forgettable Playstation Move - which interestingly might make a comeback due to the advent of VR. Microsoft, on the other hand, gave us the much maligned Kinect. Despite many issues with the Kinect, the least of which being a camera system that often could not detect black people, it is worth some credit that Microsoft opted to try something a little different. It was still gimmicky technology, but at least they didn't try to just do a pure one-to-one rip off of the Wii the way the Playstation Move was. Instead, they opted for a more advanced system that, theoretically, would track the player's entire body.
All of these control schemes, of course, are rather gimmicky and have many problems. For example, the Kinect was inherently at a disadvantage given that it required noticeably more room to utilize than the Move or Wii. Additionally, that whole "track the whole body instead of just a moving controller" thing essentially limited the number of players that could use it. For reference, anyone who maybe did not have the use of their legs and were constrained to a wheel chair could still use the Wii or PS Move so long as they could swing their arm. If you're someone who has recently suffered any sort of back injury like a herniated or bulging disk, that too would limit your access to the Kinect in a way that it wouldn't for the Wii or Move. To call the Kinect an "ableist technology" would not in be inaccurate, though it is worth stating that this statement is not meant in any sort of political meaning. Rather, by virtue of what the technology actually is, it requires people to be relatively healthier and more fit than even the Nintendo Wii or PS Move.
Still, for all the flaws as video games, many dance games are quite fun! They simplicity of the controls make them easily accessible for anyone interested and able to play them. They're solid party games, allowing video games to perhaps anchor the party without alienating those who never play them. Plus, there is the added benefit of some physical activity, which is rarely a bad thing.
I thought now that we are fairly removed, however, it would be worth actually revisiting them by myself to get a sense of which games are worth it and which ones should be skipped. Admittedly, my selection of options is very limited. In my possession are Just Dance 2 and Just Dance 2014 on the Wii. On the Kinect, I have The Michael Jackson Experience and Dance Central. At the same time as figuring out which of these is worth it for any Kinect or Wii owners, I'll also briefly discuss a random smattering of other Kinect and Wii games. Still pretty limited, of course. Some are fitness games while others are more like tech demos. So here we go! (This seemed like a good project for my "cross train" day.)
JUST DANCE 2 (2010) - Wii
Just Dance kind of is the top dog in the dance game genre at this point, perhaps even surpassing the famous Dance Dance Revolution as the best dance game ever. (They're quite different, of course.) The follow up to the hot title improved a bit upon the original formula, but the games don't really change things up too much. Just Dane 2 is just as simple as the original, although loses the "Last One Standing" mode from the first, which was actually a pretty neat mode. Instead, Just Dance 2 focuses primarily on two player modes. More songs include two dancers in the choreography, allowing for greater multiplayer. There is also a battle mode, which isn't really anything super impressive. Then there is the "Just Sweat" mode which essentially attempts to count calories based on your score. It's not especially accurate, but it's' a good way to try and get players to use games as physical activities as well.
For most of the Just Dance games, it really comes down to either how many people you want playing at once, or the song list. Where the sequel excels is in its song selections and dance routines. Some of the most memorable choreography and most fun dances to perform are within this one. For my money, Boney M's "Rasputin" and the Bollywood track "Katti Kalandal" are two of the best in the franchise.
Worth It? I think most of the Just Dance installments are worth it. If you only select one, this one might not be the one to pick unless you are more enamored with the track list. But I'd argue it's worth picking up anyway if you have a Wii since at this point, it's old enough to be pretty cheap.
Yes. It's worth it.
JUST DANCE 2014 (2013) - Wii
Again, the main difference between Just Dance 2014 and various other Just Dance games is ultimately its song selection and dance routines. The core game features a weaker list than Just Dance 2, but the popularity of DLC allowed for more and better options later, which definitely makes it overall better. Additionally, each song has multiple routines to choose from. This actually improves the game as you don't just get stuck doing the exact same choreography for an individual song over and over again. Of course, odds are you'll prefer one and stick with that, but still, the "mash up" option forces skilled or quick players to have to adapt quickly to new maneuvers.
The battle modes in these games are usually interesting, but very flawed. Here, players choose a song, which takes up half of the battle. Players performing better and scoring more points with more accuracy land "hits" on their opponents, knocking off a chunk from their life bar. It's sort of Street Fighter, but with dancing. Of course, the glaring issue with this mode is that motion controls rarely feel particularly accurate, resulting in a game that never exactly feels fair. This is fine when doing random songs just for fun, but when there actually are stakes, it can get very frustrating when you have no idea why you're not scoring points.
There's also more of an online element, wherein players can perform on the "World Stage." It's a friendly competition wherein anyone can jump in and perform the same routine, seeing how many points they can score and where they land on the leader board. Players also vote on the next song, forcing competitive players to potentially expand beyond their comfort zone. It's actually pretty neat. It's one of the few times where Nintendo's crappy online play system actually improves the experience. Since you can't see other users, their names, or communicate, it makes it super easy to compete even if a little shy, with no concerns over being mocked or belittled.
Worth it? Yes. The song selection is ok, but the DLC tracks make it great, and the World Stage is pretty rad. Plus, if you have enough room, several songs allow up to four players! (Then again, who has that kind of room?)
Yes. This would be my most recommend of this list.
DANCE CENTRAL (2010) - XBox360 with Kinect
The thing that makes Just Dance so much better than Harmonix's Dance Central is that it's so much simpler. Sure, you don't necessarily need to match all of the dancer's movements, but everyone does anyway because it's more fun that way. Dance Central utilizes XBox's Kinect motion tracker to force players to match both arms and legs. It's a neat idea, but there are several problems with this.
First off, for anyone who isn't an experienced dancer (which presumably, most players don't have a lot of time in the world of choreographed dance routines), it's just a bit too much to have to deal with on the fly. Where Just Dance isn't exactly punishing if you struggle to keep up with the icons, Dance Central can be frustrating to score points in, since you might be missing the leg stuff while focusing on the arm stuff. It's just too much. It is a little telling that the option before "Perform It!" in the menus is "Break it down!" Though this game might be better than Just Dance if you are looking to actually learn some full routines, it is far less fun to put on while a bunch of friends are over with a ton of energy to expend.
Secondly, the Kinect itself is not particularly reliable. Everything that isn't a legitimate controller or mouse and keyboard is always going to have trouble in that department, but the Wii remote and sensor bar is noticeably more accurate and reliable that the Kinect's tracking.
Finally, the song selection is just not that great. Not to say that there are no good songs or routines, but it's not especially exciting.
Worth it? Only if you're a serious dancer looking to practice routines, really. The learning curve is just too steep by comparison to other dance games.
I'd skip it.
MICHAEL JACKSON: THE EXPERIENCE (2010) - XBox360 with Kinect
I feel a bit disingenuous trying to even talk about this one like it's a game, because it's really not. It's more of a teach tool for actual dancers to better learn Michael Jackson's moves. As a result, I don't feel qualified to comment on it. The tutorial videos (which is a big chunk of the game) actually are useful for anyone wanting to learn some Michael moves! But you don't exactly need a game, XBox360, and Kinect for that when so many videos can be found online. It's a shame, though, because a Michael Jackson dance game that is more accessible to casual players would actually be really awesome. Picture Beatles Rock Band, but with Michael Jackson and Just Dance instead.
Worth it? Definitely only if you are an experienced dancer, or are obsessed with trying to learn Michael dance moves.
Otherwise, skip it.
And now, onto the random selection of other motion control games that you won't play a ton of, but may or may not be worth picking up if it's cheap, if only for the novelty.
KINECT ADVENTURES! (2010) - XBox360 with Kinect
This is essentially the tech demo "game" to show what the Kinect is capable. Unfortunately, that isn't much. The introductory game - a raft game wherein you must collect coins, directing the boat by stepping to the sides and jumping - is practically unplayable. At no point in my playthrough did the Kinect register any of my jumps. I suspect it's simply because the Kinect is not very good at tracking, but admittedly a bunch of the failed jumps could have been the result of bad timing. Unfortunately, for a tutorial game, is offers no real timing hints to help you understand when you might need to step or jump.
Normally, it's great when they don't. Allowing the player to figure it out for themselves is usually good game design. Here, however, players are introduced to a fundamentally new and unusual control scheme. The introductory tutorial text is actually pretty self-explanatory and is filled with stuff a player could figure out within seconds of starting the game. It's the timing and calibration that needs work.
Even worse was after the tutorial game and getting into the menus, my Kinect was almost completely incapable of tracking my gestures to select additional games. I admit to not trying every game, but in my defense, it was practically impossible to select some of them because the Kinect was so unreliable and wonky.
Worth it? Definitely not. In fact, the Kinect itself is probably just not worth it at all.
YOUR SHAPE: FITNESS EVOLVED (2010) - XBox360 with Kinect
If you do find yourself curious about the Kinect, or you inherit one or someone gives you theirs out of sheer frustration, the thing it's probably best for is fitness tracking like Your Shape: Fitness Evolved. Though part of these games function to sell additional work out programs or advertise sports drinks, it does provide some rather decent workout routines that can be accomplished without consuming too much time. Generally, I stick with things like cardio-boxing.
Obviously, these things aren't exactly games. You do earn game-like things, such as experience points and whatnot, but there isn't really a point. It's more just potentially a motivation tool. I actually enjoy having this for my cross training days, typically, as there are several routines that I find give me a solid work out. The tracking isn't always great, but it can provide some pointers at times for whenever you are messing up. Having some AI vaguely function as a quasi-trainer can be helpful.
Worth it? If you have a Kinect and you want to use it for something productive, sure. But I would not recommend getting a Kinect just so you can use these fitness programs. They're relatively solid, but there is no shortage of video work out programs you can find.
WII SPORTS (2006) - Wii
Wii Sports served as the tech demo to highlight the capabilities of the Wii and its new motion control system. Where Kinect Adventures! failed because the tech was just bad and the games weren't fun, Nintendo managed to solve both of those issues years before. Wii Sports includes some logical options to showcase the technology. Baseball, bowling, golf, tennis, and boxing are all solid games to play. Even more, they're incredibly intuitive. Though they tell you what to do, anyone can literally just pick it up and figure it out. Though inevitably some things, like elements of boxing, feel kind of cheap because the motion controls aren't that amazing, everything else is fun and accessible to new players. There's a reason the Wii spread to a lot of casual gamers. Sure, you're not going to spend hours playing Wii baseball, but you will spend some time playing tennis with your siblings or friends.
Worth it? Totally! It's definitely a good introduction to the console and its unique controls.
WII PLAY (2006) - Wii
Like Wii Sports, this game was built more as an introduction to the Wii remote controls, giving players a low stakes way to get the hang of things. The big difference, of course, is that these games aren't entirely fun. They're basically mini-games that could be found in a blander version of Mario Party. They do work a few more elements into the repertoire for new players, such as twisting, pulling, and pushing rather than just swinging, but holding a remote and pointing it at the television is pretty self-explanatory.
Worth it? Not really, especially if you already have Wii Sports.
GHOST SQUAD (2007) - Wii
One of the things about the remote controls is that it allowed the shooter arcade games to come into our homes. Ghost Squad is an example of that. Generally one of those arcade games with the plastic guns that you aim and shoot at a screen while the characters move around on rails, the game translates pretty well on Wii. There isn't really much of a difference except, of course, you're using a remote control instead of a plastic gun (although certainly there were plenty of peripherals to make it feel more like the arcade controls).
These games are fun, but they aren't all that memorable. Odds are, you'll spend some time playing with friends, but this is definitely a game that primarily collects dust on the shelf.
Worth it? If you like arcade games, you can get it pretty cheap, so sure. I don't think it's a total waste. But it isn't something you'll get a ton of hours out of.
And so there you have it. Brief overviews of some of these activity-based games. Essentially, just get Just Dance games. The Wii and Kinect are primarily made up of gimmicky games with little to retain the players for any prolonged period of time. Of course, there are some exceptions for the Wii (which I will get to at some point on this blog). In the meantime, Just Dance games are really the only activity games with much value.
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