Just Dance 2016

Lore & Background

As with previous installments, players select a song, and then follow the motions of on-screen dancer(s) and their choreographed routine. Players are judged on a ranking scale for the accuracy of each of their moves in comparison to that of the on-screen dancer. The game supports the use of each console's motion controller accessories (Kinect on Xbox 360 and One, PlayStation Camera on PS4, PlayStation Move on PS3 and PS4, and Wii Remotes on Wii and Wii U); alternatively, players can utilize a smartphone app for motion tracking. Standard gameplay has been re-organized under the banner of 'Dance Party' mode—encompassing competitive and co-operative multiplayer modes, with co-op mode allowing players to earn jewels as a team, with up to 10 jewels for either a four, five, or six person team, and the ability to send recordings of performances alongside challenges to other players. In the 'Dance Quests' mode, players compete against a computer opponent across three randomly selected songs. Versions for eighth-generation consoles also include 'Showtime', which allows players to record short lip sync music videos to songs with themed visual effects. While the Wii, PS3, and Xbox 360 versions of the game are based on Just Dance 2015, the 'challenge' feature and the 'Community Remix' feature made a return, but the 'Just Dance Wall' feature did not return in this installment. The 'World Dance Floor' feature was available only on eighth-generation consoles and Wii U, not on Wii, PS3, or Xbox 360. The 'Community Remix' feature, returning from Just Dance 2015, was revamped with player videos being added into the background of the original choreography, excluding 'Uptown Funk', in a full screen format instead of the windowed format, with the latter format still being used in the Wii, PS3, and Xbox 360 versions of the game. Mashups now use the remade versions of the routines shown in the first three main games in the Just Dance series, first shown in Just Dance Now, unlike the pictures of coaches using the original designs from these games being remade in Just Dance 2015. The Wii U version doesn't have the ability to apply effects for 'Autodance' videos, just like in previous entries. Furthermore, all songs will now feature pre-rendered backgrounds instead of in-game backgrounds. This excluded the on-disc Mashups.

Reader's Guide

Players select a song and follow the motions of on-screen dancers. Use motion controllers (Kinect, PlayStation Camera, PlayStation Move, Wii Remote) or the smartphone app for motion tracking. Modes include Dance Party (competitive and co-op), Dance Quests (compete against a computer opponent across three randomly selected songs), and Showtime (eighth-gen consoles only, for recording lip sync music videos). Co-op mode allows earning up to 10 jewels for teams of four, five, or six. The Community Remix feature adds player videos into the background of original choreography (full screen on eighth-gen, windowed on older consoles). Mashups use remade routines from the first three games. Online services ended for Wii, PS3, Xbox 360 on November 19, 2018, and for all other platforms on July 3, 2023.

Did You Know?

• Just Dance 2016 was unveiled on June 15, 2015, during Ubisoft's E3 press conference.
• The game introduced a subscription service called Just Dance Unlimited, offering streaming access to a back catalogue of songs.