Review: Dance On Broadway

Ubisoft had a massive hit on the Wii with Just Dance, but it didn't appeal to me because of the track listing and the controls. But when they released Dance on Broadway, I decided to overlook the controls because of the music. (And I had a $25 gift card.) So because I thought many of you might also be tempted, I should offer up a review of this game. And I mean "game" in the loosest sense of the word.

You know you're in trouble when the game starts with a regular version of the Wii warning screen stretched out to fit an HDTV, and that pretty much set the tone for this bare bones release. Aside from the game and the usual options and credits, there's a tutorial you can click on, but all it is is the same instructional loading screen you get when you select a song.

Basically, you select one of four dancers and then follow their movements as indicators scroll across the bottom of the screen to show you what's coming up next. It's easier to just follow the dancer you select. Up to four people can play and are scored separately. There's no story, and no difficulty settings. Just pick a song and dance. There's not a whole lot of gameplay. The songs are all rated from 1-3 stars on both difficulty and effort, so you can dance choreography that's relatively simple, yet high-energy. Or something that's complicated, yet slow. That's about it. You don't even get any indication when you've beaten your highest score. And without signing in with your name or anything, you can't compete against friends except directly for that one dance because it won't remember your scores specifically. You hold one Wiimote in your right hand, which is all it tracks, no matter what the choreography might be, and as you might expect, the motion sensing is definitely hit or miss. Sometimes it's eerily accurate, and others it's telling you that you're not doing moves that you clearly are. So that can be frustrating at times.

There are 21 Broadway tunes listed on the box, but technically there's only 20, because "Aquarius" and "Let The Sun Shine In" are presented as one song. I give them credit for presenting a good range of classics and modern songs, putting Hairspray next to Cabaret. (Also, Cabaret? That's a little raunchy for kids...) There's lyrics at the top of the screen in case you want to sing along, but you're so busy following the dancers' movements that I don't really see the point. The graphics are.. acceptable. They're not great, but the choreography is easy to follow, which is the really crucial part. Oh, and the dancers are color-coded so you can easily tell which one is yours. And if you need a little reminder as the curtain is going up, a quick shake of your Wiimote will make your score box at the top of the screen wiggle.

I know this isn't much of a review, but honestly, there's not much of a game to review here. Really, you put the disc in, pick a song, and dance. It scores you, and maybe you'll beat your high score. Maybe not. And you can dance with your friends. The thing is, I can't really pan the game, because for whatever reason, I have fun when I play it. It's another stealth fitness game, which I always appreciate, making me break a sweat after a couple tunes, but... I don't know... it just makes me smile. Seriously, whenever I play it, I know I must look a pillock flailing around in my living room to "One Night Only," but I'm also grinning like an idiot. It's just fun. So while I can't recommend anyone pay $40 for Dance on Broadway full price, if you see it in a bargain bin (and you will... very soon, I bet) for under $20, it's totally worth it.