[TheZeeMan]

Dance Central

• Official site http://www.dancecentral.com
• Developer: Harmonix Music Systems
• Genre: Music / Rhythm
• Alternative game name: Dance Central
• Modes: 2 Player Co-op, Multiplayer, Versus
• Players: 2
• Online Features: Achievements, Content Download, Leaderboards
• Kinect Features: 1-2 Player
• Kinect Activity Level: Active
• Uses avatars?: No
• Age group: 15+
  

Dance Central - The good

• Full body tracking including twisting of your joints, and noise recognition such as clapping or snapping your fingers.
• Utilizes the camera for in-game photos, I'm not sure if this a good thing
• Also has workout mode, in case you wanted a 2-for-1 game that teaches you dance and allow excercise, this is for you.
• Break it down mode is very helpful for those that don't have dancing skills
  

Dance Central - The not so good

• Even though the moves are fun, I am one that always wanted to do the real dancing, and the real dance moves associated with the songs are NOT in the game.
• There's something that just doesn't feel right about mirroring the dancer. In all the other Kinect titles I played, you can see your character in the game and whatever you do in the game, the characters mimic it. There is a small video screen of what you are doing, but not detailed, by the cue cards, and it still does not make you feel like your "in the game" if that makes sense.
• No real time multiplayer support, you take turns which is more annoying than anything, but it does give you a break in between.
• With the production of Dance Central 2 already underway, I'm not sure how much support this game is going to get, for all we know, they could have Dance Central 2 completed by the same time next year.
  

Dance Central - Kinect experience
The good thing about Dance Central which previously until now, I have only played dancing games such as DDR and Just Dance, is that it's full body tracking including feet. DDR is only feet moves, with improvision of arms unless you match it for personal gain, and Just Dance is opposite of that, making you only match arm movements, and you can match feet movement for personal gain, heck you can sit on the couch for both of those and play if you really wanted to. But Dance Central takes the dancing genre to a completely new level. It also utilizes the camera and takes pictures of you and fast forwards some stills to give you quite a humorous effect, and the microphones are used as well to pick up your claps as well as finger snaps. It is highly accurate though, and unless you know what you are doing, there is a learning curve.

Dance Central - Graphics
I have to say, this is the first Harmonix game I am impressed by the graphics for. Rock Band has always had subpar graphics, not this game. The characters and their moves are spot on and very accurate.

Dance Central - Gameplay
I love having to use your feet in this game. My kids think they are the greatest dancers in the world because of Just Dance. I explained to them they are only good at moving their arms around. Let them have a try at this, they realize now they aren't as good as they thought they were

As for the actual gameplay, the game has a lot of standard dance moves, but does well at teaching you them. I fair pretty well at dancing, so for me, it's more or less remembering the routine. For example, Lady Gaga's Poker Face is apparently the most basic song in the game. On easy, after the 3rd time of playing it through, I picked up the routine, once I had the routine down, it was very easy to not miss anything. This is how the other songs are as well. Jumping up from easy -> medium adds more moves or changes current ones, which I found interesting, although it's nothing that isn't realistic, and just more remembering of the routine. Going to hard is also fun as it's pretty intense at times, but once again, once the routine is down, it's not that difficult.

Break it down mode allows you to practice each move separately so you can master the moves. As with any learning game, practice makes perfect. The replay value of this game is huge because of everything you are attempting to accomplish, although there is no story/career mode in it, it is still fun. Harmonix did add a difficulty level challenge that is a like a megamix of each of the songs on that difficulty level which I also found fun, but once again, repetitive.

Dance Central - Multiplayer options
I did not play the Dance Battle mode yet, however I did see it in person. It seems to be a nuisance as you keep changing from player 1 to player 2 and basically if player 2 just pays attention to player 1, player 2 will almost always win. This is why you need simulatenous dancing for this type of battle, that way it's all fair.

Conclusion
Overall, I'm happy and impressed with this game. I would of still loved the real dance moves, however, that may be possible for Dance Central 2. Also for those interested, Best Buy is offering Janet Jackson's "Control" as DLC for right now, but it's $5 where if you wait until Harmonix releases it, more than likely it will only be $3...but that's up to you. Also for those curious, I put the age group higher because even though it is rated for T, most younger people do not know a lot of these songs and the majority of them are played in clubs or in past years on the radio that the current generation never heard of.

More Dance Central
[news] [trailer] [gameplay] [screenshots] [preview] [achievements] [order here]

[billybojer]

boring signal player but fantastic dance battles and taking turns& >

[Victoria]

I get what you mean about not feeling "in the game". It kinda takes away from a game-type experience and just leaves you with a dancer-practicing-type experience.