Best way to play Just Dance 2020 - or should I buy something else for my daughter?

[grmlin]

Hi all,
looking for a Christmas present for my 4 1/2yo daughter, and I think Just Dance could be something she enjoys. She loves dancing and moving around, sitting still isn't really her thing lol.

So I'm looking for a game she has to be active while playing it. She really want's to play on the big screen, too, but plays on iPad for now.
I know in the past there were games like Wii Fit or something, where you jumped around on some mats on the floor, but I'm totally out of the loop for these types of games.

Then I saw Just Dance 2020, and I have questions.

• There is a kids mode in it, right? So a younger kid can have fun with it, too?
• I have a PS4 Slim and an Xbox One X. Do I get it right, that I either have to give my daughter my mobile phone while dancing (I really dislike that idea for obvious reasons) or buy a used Kinect for the Xbox, or a camera + move controllers for the PS4?
• As this would be pretty expensive anyway, what about a Switch? Is it fine to play the game on it with the included controllers?

Any other or better suggestions for games like this?

Thanks a lot for your help era!

 

[Theswweet]

do you have a Wii still?

 

[OddSock]

My daughter is a big fan of the series and we have different versions across all platforms. Best way to play is with Xbox One + Kinect by far (multiple players without controllers, cos it really just tracks your hand). Problem with the Xbox One X is it doesn't have native support for Kinect without that extra, increasingly hard-to-find USB adapter. The Switch version is...well, it's just fine.

 

[Deleted member 873]

Wii version is the cheapest solution.

Switch version is also an option. It doesn't track your whole body but it's the version people play it most so most people don't care :p

 

[Klart]

I prefer the PS4 move controllers option.

 

[toilet_sandpaper]

Since you are considering purchasing more used hardware (Kinect, PS Move), maybe you could consider other options.

A used Wii would be dirty cheap nowadays. Surely your kid won't mind the low resolution on screen. Then you could buy the 2020 version for the Wii. And of course, the Wii has a lot of these types of games you can find used as well.

Also, an used Android phone would be very cheap, to use with PS4 or Xbox. It works even with the Chromecast version, if I'm correct, so you would have more options, and a second option to the tablet she already has to watch videos and play other games.

 

[Klart]

Dunno how it works with Kinect, but on PS4 the tracking with the move is much better than just the camera.

 

[grmlin]

do you have a Wii still?

Click to shrink...

no ;) I just realized you can still buy the current version for the Wii. That's amazing!

My daughter is a big fan of the series and we have different versions across all platforms. Best way to play is with Xbox One + Kinect by far (multiple players without controllers, cos it really just tracks your hand). Problem with the Xbox One X is it doesn't have native support for Kinect without that extra, increasingly hard-to-find USB adapter. The Switch version is...well, it's just fine.

Click to shrink...

Ok, thanks! That's too bad. So I would have to find a used Kinect and the adapter then. Not an easy task I guess.

Wii version is the cheapest solution.

Switch version is also an option. It doesn't track your whole body but it's the version people play it most so most people don't care :p

Click to shrink...

Getting a Switch would also be a little selfish, as I could finally play Zelda BotW lol

 

[JustJavi]

The cheapest option is to buy a used wii and the game op.

 

[grmlin]

Since you are considering purchasing more used hardware (Kinect, PS Move), maybe you could consider other options.

A used Wii would be dirty cheap nowadays. Surely your kid won't mind the low resolution on screen. Then you could buy the 2020 version for the Wii. And of course, the Wii has a lot of these types of games you can find used as well.

Also, an used Android phone would be very cheap, to use with PS4 or Xbox. It works even with the Chromecast version, if I'm correct, so you would have more options, and a second option to the tablet she already has to watch videos and play other games.

Click to shrink...

Oh, the game is on iOS, too. Does it use the build in camera for tracking? Or do you always hold a phone in your hand?

Dunno how it works with Kinect, but on PS4 the tracking with the move is much better than just the camera.

Click to shrink...

That's good to hear. Thanks for the input! Buying a camera (50€) and move controllers (80€) isn't the cheapest option though. Are there any other games on PS4 using these? Or is it more of a VR input method beside just dance?

 

[HavakPkmn]

I would probably go with a Wii if your daughter is not even 5 yet. You can find some other neat child friendly games as well and she probably wouldn't want to upgrade to something more current for a little while longer at least (if she stays interested in video games). By that point, you can probably get a Switch much cheaper and have some fun with it yourself even.

 

[grmlin]

A Wii hmm? I thought that's a silly idea to buy a Wii in 2019, but I don't think she would care for the old graphics etc. Would a Wii U work, too? Or does this not have the motion input devices like the Wii?

Does it work without problems with FullHD TV? The last time I had one I still played on my Sony CRT :D

 

[hanmik]

Just do the same as my daughters (they are 9,14 and 15).. I have bought them lots of Just Dance editions, for PS3, Wii and Wii-U.. and when I cam home yesterday from work, they were dancing to the videos on Youtube. Yes youtube...

So don't buy her anything, just show her the videos on youtube and watch her have fun...

 

[HavakPkmn]

A Wii hmm? I thought that's a silly idea to buy a Wii in 2019, but I don't think she would care for the old graphics etc.

Does it work without problems with FullHD TV? The last time I had one I still played on my Sony CRT :D

Click to shrink...

You can purchase a component cable for the Wii and it should look great. I was playing my Wii on a HD television at the time with this cable and I have to say the image quality was very sharp. I'd check that your television has the required connection though first otherwise things could get a little more messy. It might depend what deals you can find overall, but I would not be surprised if you can find a Wii with multiple accessories and get Just Dance 2020 for cheaper than it would cost to get the PlayStation Move set-up and PS4 version of the game...

However, I think if you're interested in getting the most value out of this then you need to weigh up whether you would rather purchase more PlayStation Move supported games (or venture into VR), or decide to look into some classic Wii and GameCube games for either your daughter or yourself. This doesn't just have to be a purchase soley to play Just Dance in the most desired or cheapest way, it can be so much more whichever option you choose :)

 

[Massa]

Oh, the game is on iOS, too. Does it use the build in camera for tracking? Or do you always hold a phone in your hand?


That's good to hear. Thanks for the input! Buying a camera (50€) and move controllers (80€) isn't the cheapest option though. Are there any other games on PS4 using these? Or is it more of a VR input method beside just dance?

Click to shrink...

You could buy just the camera, the game works with it.

I'd highly recommend you get the camera though, the game records parts of the performance and plays it after the song is finished. Watching those clips is one of the better parts of the experience.

 

[boi]

Get Bloodborne

 

[toilet_sandpaper]

A Wii hmm? I thought that's a silly idea to buy a Wii in 2019, but I don't think she would care for the old graphics etc. Would a Wii U work, too? Or does this not have the motion input devices like the Wii?

Does it work without problems with FullHD TV? The last time I had one I still played on my Sony CRT :D

Click to shrink...

The Wii U would work. It uses the same accessories from Wii: Remote and IR bar.

The Wii U has HDMI output but the native resolution of 480p from Wii will not look very good in a HDTV, in my opinion. The Wii needs an accessory to output HDMI, but I prefer its component cables.

 

[grmlin]

You could buy just the camera, the game works with it.

I'd highly recommend you get the camera though, the game records parts of the performance and plays it after the song is finished. Watching those clips is one of the better parts of the experience.

Click to shrink...

Hi, I think the camera and move controllers are my preferred option yet. Thanks again

Get Bloodborne

Click to shrink...

she just completed her NG+++ fists only run. But thanks for the suggestion!

The Wii U would work. It uses the same accessories from Wii: Remote and IR bar.

The Wii U has HDMI output but the native resolution of 480p from Wii will not look very good in a HDTV, in my opinion. The Wii needs an accessory to output HDMI, but I prefer its component cables.

Click to shrink...

I don't think my TV has a component input, but used Wii seem to be pretty expensive considering how old they are anyway.

 

[Deleted member 27751]

Just do the same as my daughters (they are 9,14 and 15).. I have bought them lots of Just Dance editions, for PS3, Wii and Wii-U.. and when I cam home yesterday from work, they were dancing to the videos on Youtube. Yes youtube...

So don't buy her anything, just show her the videos on youtube and watch her have fun...

Click to shrink...

Honestly this. We do this at school here in the outback because its just cheaper for a school (and easier licencing wise) to have kids watch on YouTube to dance around and exert all that wriggling energy. They absolutely love it and give no hints of caring that it doesn't "show" them doing it.

 

[grmlin]

Just do the same as my daughters (they are 9,14 and 15).. I have bought them lots of Just Dance editions, for PS3, Wii and Wii-U.. and when I cam home yesterday from work, they were dancing to the videos on Youtube. Yes youtube...

So don't buy her anything, just show her the videos on youtube and watch her have fun...

Click to shrink...

Honestly this. We do this at school here in the outback because its just cheaper for a school (and easier licencing wise) to have kids watch on YouTube to dance around and exert all that wriggling energy. They absolutely love it and give no hints of caring that it doesn't "show" them doing it.

Click to shrink...

I can see her doing that, yes :D

Thanks for giving me the idea, I'll definitely try it. Do you have any channel recommendations? Would be perfect if it works without understanding English ;)

 

[Waluigilicious]

If she's 4.5 years old, go for Just Dance 2019 or even 2018. It's the same game with different songs.

 

[Bazry]

My son has been playing Just Dance on Switch for the past few years and loves it, buying a Switch just seems like a sensible investment all round if you want to get your 4 year old into gaming

Pre warning though, you'll end up having to repeatedly buy Just Dance Unlimited when they go through phases of playing it, as without it most of the songs are locked and you'll get moaned at for not being able to choose those ones

 

[Deleted member 27751]

I can see her doing that, yes :D

Thanks for giving me the idea, I'll definitely try it. Do you have any channel recommendations? Would be perfect if it works without understanding English ;)

Click to shrink...

Basically just hit YouTube with "Just Dance (year)" and you'll see tons of videos. The channels that upload full song sets usually get taken down by Ubisoft or the music IP which sucks but understandable in needing to have people buy the game. One that is active and seems to have a ton of videos is this one but again just search Just Dance or even the song name with Just Dance attached to find something.

 

[Fatoy]

If she's 4.5 years old, go for Just Dance 2019 or even 2018. It's the same game with different songs.

Click to shrink...

Also all the best songs are on the subscription service anyway.

 

[grmlin]

My son has been playing Just Dance on Switch for the past few years and loves it, buying a Switch just seems like a sensible investment all round if you want to get your 4 year old into gaming

Pre warning though, you'll end up having to repeatedly buy Just Dance Unlimited when they go through phases of playing it, as without it most of the songs are locked and you'll get moaned at for not being able to choose those ones

Click to shrink...

First: I would like to play some Switch games, too :D But having both the Xbox and PS4 already, convincing my non-gaming wife to buy another console will be a tough one 😬
And not to start with my son. He loves playing the Lego games, he certainly wouldn't complain if we got a Switch,...

Also all the best songs are on the subscription service anyway.

Click to shrink...

So you have to subscribe to get it all? It's not a DLC on top of the base game?

 

[Rosebud]

I think the Switch is the best choice for sure. Can play Just Dance and many other games.

 

[Fatoy]

So you have to subscribe to get it all? It's not a DLC on top of the base game?

Click to shrink...

As far as I know, Unlimited is the only way to get "new" songs - and that's a subscription: https://www.ubisoft.com/en-us/game/just-dance-unlimited/

 

[OddSock]

Hmm...if you can find a second hand Kinect for cheap, Amazon has the USB adapter available. https://www.amazon.com/Kinect-Adapter-Xbox-One-Windows/dp/B07GRXJ69H

It is pretty much *useless* for anything else these days though. So I'll join the chorus in saying get a switch. ;P

 

[Klart]

Also all the best songs are on the subscription service anyway.

Click to shrink...

Nah, the most popular songs are on the disc. Surely the subscription has lots of those as well.

 

[Hieroph]

• I have a PS4 Slim and an Xbox One X. Do I get it right, that I either have to give my daughter my mobile phone while dancing (I really dislike that idea for obvious reasons) or buy a used Kinect for the Xbox, or a camera + move controllers for the PS4?

Click to shrink...

PS4 doesn't require the camera for PS Move, and you can get a dual pack of PS Moves brand new. It's PSVR branded but works with all PS Move compatible games.

Other option, maybe consider getting a Wii? Lots of games like that there. Wii Fit Plus would be a good starting point.

 

[grmlin]

PS4 doesn't require the camera for PS Move, and you can get a dual pack of PS Moves brand new. It's PSVR branded but works with all PS Move compatible games.

Other option, maybe consider getting a Wii? Lots of games like that there. Wii Fit Plus would be a good starting point.

Click to shrink...

Oh, I had no idea the move controllers work without the camera. I thought the whole idea is that the colored lights are tracked by the camera

 

[Hieroph]

Oh, I had no idea the move controllers work without the camera. I thought the whole idea is that the colored lights are tracked by the camera

Click to shrink...

DS4 also has those lights. I think Sony may have been planning something like that at some point, but I don't know a single game that actually uses them for that purpose.

 

[grmlin]

So I have to buy either the camera OR the move controllers? That's my best option then, as it's by far the cheapest.

 

[Hieroph]

So I have to buy either the camera OR the move controllers? That's my best option then, as it's by far the cheapest.

Click to shrink...

I think there's a demo on PS Store? You could download that and see what it says.

 

[grmlin]

Ok, thanks for the help!

 

[grmlin]

Thanks again for the help everybody.

To my surprise my wife liked the idea of a family Switch for Christmas and so I ordered one o_0. Didn't expect that, but I won't complain lol. I'll get Just Dance 2019 I guess, as it's cheaper and should be more than good enough to see if my daughter likes it. The great thing about the Switch: there will be plenty of other games to play for her.

 

[PyroPaperPlanes]

My girlfriend is currently looking to pick up a Just Dance game this Christmas for her Nintendo Switch. She was wondering if there was a difference between the 2020 release and the 2021 release (other than the included songs; she prefers the 2020 list). I'm aware of there being a subscription service that allows you to play any song in the series. Does this mean she could pick up Just Dance 2020 and still be able to dance to some of the 2021 songs with said service?

Bit of an extreme bump I realize but it's pretty much the perfect topic to ask this question.

Edit: According to the Just Dance 2021 webpage, It seems there's a new quickplay mode and that they've improved the world dance floor mode. Otherwise I don't believe there are any differences. Please correct me if there's something I've missed. Thanks!

 

[Squirt]

My girlfriend is currently looking to pick up a Just Dance game this Christmas for her Nintendo Switch. She was wondering if there was a difference between the 2020 release and the 2021 release (other than the included songs; she prefers the 2020 list). I'm aware of there being a subscription service that allows you to play any song in the series. Does this mean she could pick up Just Dance 2020 and still be able to dance to some of the 2021 songs with said service?

Bit of an extreme bump I realize but it's pretty much the perfect topic to ask this question.

Edit: According to the Just Dance 2021 webpage, It seems there's a new quickplay mode and that they've improved the world dance floor mode. Otherwise I don't believe there are any differences. Please correct me if there's something I've missed. Thanks!

Click to shrink...

The 2021 songs are exclusive to the 2021 version. Some of the 2020 songs get moved to the sub service. So, maybe check which songs moved over? I bought my gf 2019, she skipped 2020 and I got her 2021 for Christmas. I don't know a lot about it.

 

[TheChrisGlass]

PS4 is the superior platform for these games.

You have the choice of using your phone, using just the PS4 camera OR using the Move Controllers. The controllers are the most accurate and it lets you record video of your playback, unlike anything on the Switch. Even the 2021 PS5 version doesn't support the camera. It's phone ONLY. So if you have a PS5, still get the PS4 version. There is NO PS5 upgrade, and you wouldn't want it anyway.

Given how cheap the games are, it's more cost effective to get the old versions on sale than deal with the JD Unlimited subscription.

Originally, the kids version used to be standalone titles, but now they're all in the same title.

DS4 also has those lights. I think Sony may have been planning something like that at some point, but I don't know a single game that actually uses them for that purpose.

Click to shrink...

Dude. Literally every PS3 Move game requires the camera to track them for that. From Sports Champions to UFC Trainer. And I know that's the case, because I WORKED on UFC Trainer, and had to deal with all that personally. In this case, it's less accurate tracking on the PS4 without the camera.

 

[bionic77]

Thanks again for the help everybody.

To my surprise my wife liked the idea of a family Switch for Christmas and so I ordered one o_0. Didn't expect that, but I won't complain lol. I'll get Just Dance 2019 I guess, as it's cheaper and should be more than good enough to see if my daughter likes it. The great thing about the Switch: there will be plenty of other games to play for her.

Click to shrink...

If you have switch Mario kart and Mario Odyssey are an amazing introduction for little kids.

Also fun as hell to play through with them

 

[PyroPaperPlanes]

Just a reminder to people responding: It is a pretty old thread that I've bumped, so it might be best to not reply to some of the other posts.

The 2021 songs are exclusive to the 2021 version. Some of the 2020 songs get moved to the sub service. So, maybe check which songs moved over? I bought my gf 2019, she skipped 2020 and I got her 2021 for Christmas. I don't know a lot about it.

Click to shrink...

Roger that, thanks for the heads-up. I'll be sure to let her know.

PS4 is the superior platform for these games.

You have the choice of using your phone, using just the PS4 camera OR using the Move Controllers. The controllers are the most accurate and it lets you record video of your playback, unlike anything on the Switch. Even the 2021 PS5 version doesn't support the camera. It's phone ONLY. So if you have a PS5, still get the PS4 version. There is NO PS5 upgrade, and you wouldn't want it anyway.

Given how cheap the games are, it's more cost effective to get the old versions on sale than deal with the JD Unlimited subscription.

Originally, the kids version used to be standalone titles, but now they're all in the same title.

Click to shrink...

If only she had a PlayStation. :p

Didn't know that about the JD Kids though. That would be handy for work actually. It would be wicked if you could import older songs if you owned a copy of them but I don't think that's supported. Ah well. Thanks for the information!

 

[Hieroph]

Dude. Literally every PS3 Move game requires the camera to track them for that. From Sports Champions to UFC Trainer. And I know that's the case, because I WORKED on UFC Trainer, and had to deal with all that personally. In this case, it's less accurate tracking on the PS4 without the camera.

Click to shrink...

Dude. Talking about the PS4 and PS4 games here.