Video - Just Dance (Pump Up the Jam)

Having spent an hour or two dancing around, I can appreciate more fully the opinions from both sides of the Just Dance debate.  On one hand, this is as intense a cardio workout as you're likely to find on Nintendo Wii.  It's terrific exercise, and it's also terrific fun.  This game has "blockbuster hit" written all over it, and rightly so.  On the other hand, dance movements do not always register on the Wiimote, and it's a bit of a challenge to figure out just what the game requires.

You are scored for "accuracy," and with practice my scores have improved.  I'm sure with more practice I'll do much better, considering that I have no dance rhythm whatsoever (I can hop up and down and headbang, and that's it).  What's really needed are gameplay videos on Youtube that show high score performances.  Some brave soul out there needs to prove that perfect scores are possible, if just to silence the hardcore gamer critics.

Of course, the "video game" side of me obsesses over such things.  I sincerely doubt most partygoers will be concerned or even aware.  The other benefits of Just Dance - the cheesy-yet-catchy dance hits, the fun and freedom to dance up a storm - outweigh the technical challenges of the hardware.  This game wears its heart on its sleeve, and so will its growing legions of fans.  This has the potential to become dancing's answer to karaoke.  I could see Just Dance becoming huge.  Guitar Hero-styled rhythm games have burnt themselves out, and everyone's looking for the next video game fad.  This could be it.