It is the first Just Dance spin-off game in 8 years following Just Sing, which released in September 2016.
Development
Plans for a Just Dance virtual reality game date back to 2016. A prototype was showcased at E3 2016, containing the songs "Same Old Love", "Born This Way" and "Chiwawa" from Just Dance 2016, alongside "Problem" from Just Dance 2015, adapted to 360-degree versions. The prototype was referred to as Just Dance VR by Ubisoft.[2] Although it was said to be releasing the following year,[3] news on the game went silent after the event and the prototype was never made public. It is unclear whether or not it served as the basis for the final game.
On September 2022, the game was reannounced as a Pico 4 exclusive, aiming for a 2023 release.[4] However, news went silent once again throughout most of 2023. In November of that year, it was announced that development would continue with a new partner after major lay offs at Pico and disappointing sales from Pico 4 headsets.[5][6] The game was later featured at Ubisoft Forward in June 2024, where it was revealed that the game would be a Meta Quest exclusive.[7]
Development focused on creating immersion and interaction, adapting songs from previous entries in the series into virtual reality experiences. This included adding left-hand scoring, in contrast to the series' games traditionally scoring only through right-hand movement, and reworking the user interface into a 360-degree VR setting. Customizable avatars and a social hub were also added with the purpose of allowing players a more fun experience by interacting with each other.[8]
As with mainline and previous spin-off entries of the franchise, players must mimic the on-screen coach's choreography to a chosen song, in this case utilizing the headset's Touch, Touch Pro and Touch Plus controllers respectively.
All songs are taken from previous games in the series, with the exception of "Centuries" which acts as an exclusive track.
Players can access two distinct 3D social spaces; the Apartment and Dancity. In the former, users can see any trophies they have earned, customize their avatar, and interact with glowsticks and a basketball hoop. And in the latter, they can invite other users to multiplayer sessions, engage in freestyle dance battles and compete in throwing a ball in a hoop. In both, they can choose which song to play.
Within a song, a maximum of six players can dance simultaneously. Haptic feedback such as hand trails, pulse effects and clapping can be done while dancing.[9]
Just Dance VR received mixed-to-positive reviews from critics. Hamish Hector of TechRadar Gaming described the track list as "out of date" compared to Just Dance 2025 Edition, which released on the same day. He also critized how the game didn't take full advantage of its 360-VR stages, alongside the lack of a mixed reality mode and a poor scoring system.[11] Giovanni Colantonio of Digital Trends gave the game a more positive outlook, praising the series' smooth transition into a virtual reality format, while still criticizing the unclear UI, the small song selection, and the possibility of hitting real-life objects while dancing.[12] Henry Stockdale of UploadVR commented positively on the social hub and the songs' environments, while the small song selection and the limited amount of things to do in Dancity were his main complaints.[13]
Notes
↑ Also known in promotional material as Just Dance VR: Welcome to Dancity
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