For over a decade, we've seen the Just Dance series go from something that was on the forefront of controller-free gaming in the Kinect days to now being something that showcases gyroscopes in phones along a new subscription model. Just Dance 2023 will be the last annual release and going forward, the series will be expanded upon with a subscription model to help keep it evergreen -- a move that should prove to be better in the long-run for the player base. This is the kind of game where the core foundation is about the same year over year and new content is the only major change needed to keep it fresh beyond technology changing and with the switch to a largely smartphone-base gyro control setup across every platform, there isn't a real need to worry about keeping up with motion-based controls.

The 2023 version has a killer track list and the Just Dance Unlimited subscription allows you to expand the lineup with streaming options -- or you can choose to download the songs for offline playback. The default in-game track list is killer, with a nice blend of Lady Gaga, Taylor Swift and classics thrown in for good measure like "Disco Inferno." K-pop gets some love with BTS, while those seeking rock will love the inclusion of "Bring Me to Life" and "Radioactive." Having so much variety is nice and even if you get tired from a longer play session, it's cool to just kick back and listen to songs in the game itself.

One great thing about the series is that it's optimized for multiplayer, so if one person wants to take a break in the group, they can, and you can just play as a duo or solo. It's also possible to play online and that's where the long-term life can shine because instead of just being the best in your group and getting those bragging rights, then you get the chance to do that on a grander stage with global competition. This is one of those trees that may not bear fruit right away for newcomers, but when you're in year two of playing the game, you can be thankful to have that feature to keep things interesting if local multiplayer isn't an immediate option.

Adding new players to a local play session is simple, although the usage of Joy-Con controls for menu navigation can be clunky. The actual menu layouts are nice and clean and mobile-optimized to have users use their phones to play alongside those using Joy-Cons. While the wrist strap helps for Joy-Con play, you should have some kind of wrist strap, a case with a finger loop or Popsocket on it to help hold the phone. if you're playing on a hardwood floor, then you want to have some kind of case or maybe even put a rug down to not only get better grip for your feet, but also minimize impact to a phone if it falls.

The core dancing fun of the franchise is intact and the playlist variety even early offers something for everyone. The idea of mirroring on-screen movements to the beat is a simple one to pickup for new players while the movements themselves are largely easy to do. Having a diverse track list means that songs of pretty much every genre are available across all difficulty levels and movement needs. Some songs are basic with shaking and arm movements while others involve popping up and down. There's a method to the madness in terms of how much to play in a single session.

I found that going with an easier song to start helped loosen the joints up while also getting my reflexes sharper so I could tackle the harder songs. The harder songs generally feature more elaborate movements, so unless you're in shape or warmed up beforehand, they can be more taxing. Some songs are also just longer and don't have much downtime, so you're in a constant state of motion. Those looking for an excuse to get more fit will get a lot out of the game and have a lot of fun in the process. This is very much a perfect gateway tool for someone looking to get into exercising more while also making it fun.

Visually, Just Dance 2023 looks about as good one would realistically expect it to. It doesn't need to look fantastic, but does need to run smoothly across every song type and every style of background. Easier songs and routines tend to have less-involved background graphics and movements, while those with bigger movements and larger routines tend to have more going on. This is seemingly done to get across how more grandiose these tracks and actions are, and it works well as a mental reminder of what songs are tougher or easier on the body too since the more you have going on visually, the tougher it can be to see your screen mirroring cues for the dance moves. Even on Switch, it doesn't stutter or suffer from slowdown so it's well-optimized across the board.

The track list is top-shelf for modern-day fans and has classics thrown in for fans of early '00s music as well. The diversity in the lineup is impressive and that should get better as time goes on and the track list expands to cover more genres. Having a diverse lineup helps make this a perfect gateway game for the series for players who may have always wanted to try it out but haven't gotten around to it. The blend of fast-paced music with quick movements and bright graphics is always fun and this entry should hold up nicely over time.

Closing Comments:

Thanks to the shift to a service model, Just Dance 2023 should be something that players get years of enjoyment out of. The default game is already an easy recommendation for veterans and newcomers alike due to its diverse track list and wide variety of difficulty options for every genre, and having an ever-growing song library through a subscription is going to help in the long haul since players don't have to worry about grabbing a new entry at full-price to enjoy a new song lineup and a largely incremental shift in core gameplay.