Just Dance VR[a] is a virtual reality music rhythm game developed by Ubisoft Paris in association with Soul Assembly and published by Ubisoft. It was released for Meta Quest 2, Meta Quest 3, Meta Quest 3S, and Meta Quest Pro headsets on October 15, 2024,[1] being a spin-off title to the Just Dance series.
| Just Dance VR | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Developers |
|
| Publisher | Ubisoft |
| Series | Just Dance |
| Engine | Unity |
| Platforms | |
| Release | October 15, 2024 |
| Genre | Rhythm |
| Modes | Single-player, multiplayer |
It is the first Just Dance spin-off game in 8 years following Just Sing, which released in September 2016.
Development
editPlans 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.
In 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]
The game uses the Unity engine, the same engine used in mainline Just Dance titles since Just Dance 2023 Edition.[8]
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° VR setting.[9] All backgrounds are rendered in-game within the 360° viewing angle, similar to mainline Just Dance installments prior to Just Dance 2016.[8] Additionally, the game shares user interface elements with Just Dance 2023 Edition. Customizable avatars and a social hub were also added with the purpose of allowing players a more fun experience by interacting with each other.[9]
Gameplay
editAs 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 acted as an exclusive track until it was released on Just Dance+ on February 18, 2025.[10]
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.[11]
Soundtrack
editThe following songs appear on Just Dance VR:[12]
Reception
editJust 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 criticized 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.[13] 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.[14] 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.[15]
Notes
editReferences
edit- ↑ Herrero, Juan Ignacio (October 16, 2024). "Ariana Grande, una de las grandes protagonistas de 'Just Dance 2025'". LOS40. Retrieved April 16, 2025.
- ↑ Reparaz, Mikel (June 14, 2016). "Just Dance VR Prototype Debuts at E3 2016". Ubisoft News. Retrieved April 10, 2025.
- ↑ Feltham, Jamie (June 13, 2016). "Ubisoft is Bringing 'Just Dance' and 'Trackmania Turbo' to VR". UploadVR. Retrieved April 16, 2025.
- ↑ Hamilton, Ian (September 21, 2022). "Just Dance VR Is Pico's First Major Exclusive". UploadVR. Archived from the original on September 21, 2022. Retrieved April 10, 2025.
- ↑ Stockdale, Henry (November 20, 2023). "'New Partner' Takes Lead On Ubisoft's Just Dance VR". UploadVR. Archived from the original on November 20, 2023. Retrieved April 11, 2025.
- ↑ Brady, Sarah (November 7, 2023). "Signal: ByteDance to cut jobs from VR arm Pico as market demand weakens". Verdict. Retrieved March 1, 2026.
- ↑ Purchese, Robert (June 10, 2024). "Everything shown during Ubisoft Forward 2024". Eurogamer. Retrieved April 16, 2025.
- 1 2 Horn, James (December 16, 2025). Expanding the dancefloor: Reinventing Just Dance for VR using Unity – Unite 2025. Unity. Retrieved March 1, 2026 – via YouTube.
- 1 2 Spurlin, Brittany (September 30, 2024). "Ubisoft Partners with Soul Assembly for Just Dance VR: Welcome to Dancity". Ubisoft News. Archived from the original on September 30, 2024. Retrieved April 11, 2025.
- ↑ @justdancegame (February 18, 2025). "Take a look at Centuries by Fall Out Boy available now on Just Dance JD+!" (Tweet) – via X (formerly Twitter).
- ↑ "Just Dance VR". Ubisoft. October 15, 2024. Archived from the original on October 15, 2024. Retrieved April 11, 2025.
- ↑ Vicencio, Chastity (October 15, 2024). "Just Dance 2025 Edition & Just Dance VR: Welcome to Dancity Available Now". Ubisoft News. Archived from the original on October 15, 2024. Retrieved April 11, 2025.
- ↑ Hector, Hamish (October 16, 2024). "Just Dance VR review: big on style, lacking in substance". TechRadar. Archived from the original on October 16, 2024. Retrieved April 11, 2025.
- ↑ Colantonio, Giovanni (October 15, 2024). "Just Dance VR is the best (and most dangerous) way to play". Digital Trends. Archived from the original on October 15, 2024. Retrieved June 30, 2025.
- ↑ Stockdale, Henry (October 15, 2024). "Just Dance VR Review: A Familiar Beat". UploadVR. Archived from the original on October 15, 2024. Retrieved April 11, 2025.