11 Sep, 2011
Title: We Dance
Developer: Nordic Games
Publisher: Nordic Games
Platform(s): Wii
TL;DR: Retro family fun sure to entertain even reluctant dancers
Family Friendly?: Yes! Click here to skip the detail and see if this game is right for your family!
Verdict: Buy it (if you’re into wholesome family games, anyway …)
I don’t really know how to describe We Dance. Neither old school nor innovation, it somehow sits between the two camps like the peculiar lovechild of Just Dance and Dance Dance Revolution, soaking up all that’s good (and occasionally bad) from both sides. And while there’s no doubting that, with a funky song-list, it’s well-equipped to ensure that all players get to sample something of their own discerning tastes, what’s less certain is what We Dance brings to the market that’s particularly new or exciting. A criticism? Not especially. A missed opportunity? Possibly, yes.
The mechanics? Look, you already know how this baby works. If you’ve played any dance game before – either this generation or last – then you’ll be able to jump onto We Dance with little-to-no tutorage. Flail your arms and/or legs about in time to the music, keeping a tight rhythm to ensure you hit the top scores, and – yup – that’s pretty much it. Even the party games are manageable without the need to pour over How To guides and to be honest, it’s somewhat refreshing to be presented with a dance game that – whilst offering tutorials – can be navigated confidently without them. No, it’s not the gameplay that’s going to entice you into the We Dance world. The twist here is in the shape of a new peripheral based upon an old concept; the dance mat.
And what a twist it is. Whilst the innovation of the Wii’s motion-sensor capabilities propelled it to the forefront of the family gaming market and birthed a huge range of kinetic games, competition from PlayStation’s Move and Microsoft’s remote-free Kinect systems have left Nintendo elbowing for space in the rapidly crowding market. But the addition of this simple device – an age-old one, actually, if your memory is as long as mine – has placed it right back at the head of the pack and enables the console to track not just your arms, but now also your fancy footwork.
Strangely enough, the mat’s touted as an “optional” addition and doesn’t automatically come packaged with the game. Whilst you may not miss the mat as obviously as, say, playing sister game We Sing without a microphone, it does seem a curious suggestion given that playing without it will more than likely halve the skill (and subsequent enjoyment). No, to properly enjoy We Dance you’re going to have to shell out for the mat which means either a) Nordic have genuinely tried to make the game accessible without requiring the additional expense of the peripheral … or b) it’s a sneaky move designed to make you spend more cash.
I’ll let you decide that one.
And to be honest, there’s very little here to criticise. With a simple premise that’s as pick-up-and-playable as they come, and a great set-list that spans four decades – including the likes of the Pussycat Dolls, Blue, MC Hammer, Pendulum, Spice Girls and, yes, even The Village People – there’s truly something for everyone. The varying difficulty ensures everyone can participate, regardless of their experience, and playing with kids almost guarantees a front room filled with screams of embarrassment and delight.
Is it hard? Well, I guess that depends upon your perspective. In my preview I reported that, surprisingly, it was the arm work that had me most confused, but after some quality time in We Dance‘s company, I’m happy to report that that in my case, it was simply attributable to beginners’ nerves. It didn’t take long to get acquainted to various movements, not least because the choreography doesn’t vary much from track to track. Again, I can’t make up my mind if this is a good thing or an irritating one; whilst, as an adult, I may find such repetition a little jarring, as a parent watching little ones play, it’s actually a great feature, one that ensures that kids can get acclimatised all the more quickly.
That said, I couldn’t manage much at all on Hard difficulty. Some tracks seemed to require Michael Flatley-esque movements that I will never master and, again, I can’t help but note my disappointment that the difficulty can’t be scaled up or down for individual songs. I also found the scoring a bit hit or miss too, and while the casual player might not care (or even notice), players trying to perfect routines or enhance their score might be left irritated by the lack of predictability.
So here I am, wrapping up my review, and I still don’t really have a strong opinion either way. There’s nothing here to particularly enrage me and yet … there’s little to positively praise, either. I’m not saying this is bad thing – the game isn’t fundamentally flawed – but unlike other titles that bring innovative and excitement, here we see merely a step back. And whilst those, like me, who had a raucous time growing up with DDR might positively embrace the mat, the fact remains that We Dance fails to poke its figurative head above the precipice. It’s a rehash. A redeployment. And it’s certainly nothing new …
… but that doesn’t mean it’s not fun!
>Good times!
- Fantastic setlists guaranteed to whet most appetites
- Game is easy to play from the outset for almost all ages
- The mat brings a new and welcomed dimension to Wii dance titles
Bad times :(
- The mat’s a quirky retro addition, but is it necessary?
- Graphics – whilst bright and simple – lack variation
- Scoring is at times inconsistent and infuriating
Family Focus
Parental Perspective: Vikki is the mother of an eight-year-old lad who spends much of her life juggling home, work, parenthood and a love of gaming – although not always in that order. She loves survival horror games, puerile humour and men dressed up like doctors, and is constantly searching for the perfect family game that she and her son can play together and both genuinely enjoy.
It’s games like these that define the very concept of “family gaming”. With no vulgar language, no violence (well, besides accidental wiimote bashing!) and nothing but healthy, wholesome family fun – and a great and varied song selection – it’s a great addition to any family-focused gaming library. Just be mindful of child-shaped frustrations and ensure you have plenty of room before you start!
Kid Kritique: Sammy is the eight-year-old lad of aforementioned Vikki with a burgeoning love of video games, particularly footballs titles and games based on his favourite costume-wearing superheroes. He loves SpongeBob, Doctor Who and Tottenham Hotspur Football Team.
Although Sam has had some help typing and formatting his contribution, the words and thoughts below are entirely his own and have been transcribed without interference.
The best part about playing We Dance is watching my Mum and Dad. Sometime they are not very good – especially my Dad – so it’s really really funny to watch him try and dance. When I played it I was okay but I did get a bit confused, particularly the arm bits (they were really hard!), but it was a good game. The pictures are a bit boring though and there was no character that I could pick that looked like me!
The music was great and I did know a lot of the songs which was cool. I did like dancing but I prefer doing my own moves not these boring ones!
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