Like every year around this time, Ubisoft’s Just Dance 2026 Edition sweeps you back into the party, and on PS5 it mostly delivers what its fans have come to expect: colourful, energetic choreographies, a wide variety of tracks, and renewed accessibility features. But while there’s plenty to like, there are also some friction points that stop this edition from being a flawless leap forward.
From the moment you launch the game, you sense that Ubisoft has doubled down on making Just Dance more welcoming than ever. The new Camera Controller mode is perhaps the biggest indicator of that. This lets you use your whole body, tracked via your smartphone’s camera, and seeks to restore some of the feel that motion systems like Kinect (arguably the heyday of the franchise) once offered. When it works, it’s liberating – freedom to move without having to clutch a phone or controller – and gives the routines a more expressive, visceral feel. At the same time, though, that mode is limited: only one dancer can use it, and its accuracy depends heavily on lighting and space. On PS5, in a cramped or dimly lit living room, you’ll occasionally see loss of precision during faster moves. Still, the attempt is welcome.
The 40-song tracklist is another high point. There’s a good mix of recent chart hits, pop classics, and even some crowd-pleasers for younger or more casual players. Somehow Just Dance 2026 strikes a better balance than recent entries between the expected big-names and some fresher or more family-friendly fare. The inclusion of the “Bluey medley” is one of those touches that stands out for doing something quirky and sweet – great for families with young kids especially. However, for those seeking a more competitive or hardcore experience, some choreographies feel toned down. The relatively gentle difficulty curve in several songs suggests Ubisoft is aiming to avoid intimidating newcomers, but perhaps at the cost of thrills for veterans.
Gameplay mechanics feel solid for the most part. Timing is mostly tight, visuals are polished, and the choreography is generally well matched to the music. The PS5 hardware handles the game fluidly: transitions between menus, song loading, frame rate during dances – all feel clean. Ubisoft has clearly refined the interface and smoothed over many of the clunkier bits that showed up in earlier editions. That said, the control scheme remains a mixed bag. Using the standard phone-as-controller method has always been a bit fiddly, and that remains the case here: lag, missed inputs, and moments when you know you’ve nailed a move but the game tells you otherwise. The Camera Controller shifts the needle in the right direction, but doesn’t utterly solve those tracking frustrations.
Visually and sonically, the game is mostly a joy. The colourful backdrops, creative staging of coaches and dancers, and the costumes are vibrant and often imaginative. There are few moments where things feel generic, but overall there’s enough flair to keep you engaged. The audio mix does its job: vocals are clear, the beat is easy to follow, and the balance between instrumental, rhythm, and coach cues is carefully handled so that you can dance rather than fight the sound design. With good speakers or a decent headset, the songs hit with satisfying punch.
There are, though, negatives that can’t be ignored. One recurring frustration is the reliance on an internet connection – not just for multiplayer, but for accessing many songs via a subscription (Just Dance+), streaming, or downloading content. If your net is spotty, or if you live somewhere with capped or expensive internet, the experience suffers. Also, while Party Mode is a fun addition with its mini-challenges and quick prompts mixed in with dancing, it sometimes disrupts the flow. What should heighten the chaos becomes a mild annoyance in some songs, especially when you’re trying to lose yourself in the rhythm.
Another (recurring) criticism is about innovation vs. repetition. For longtime fans, the changes from Just Dance 2025 to 2026 don’t feel revolutionary. The new modes, new controller option, nicer visuals – these polish the edges, but don’t drastically reshape the formula. If you expected a reinvention, you might feel a little let down. For casual players or families, this may be fine – or even desirable – but for those hoping the series would take greater creative risks, 2026 feels safe.
In the end, Just Dance 2026 Edition on PS5 does what it needs to: it’s a party-friendly, family-inclusive dance game with enough bells and whistles to keep most users happy, especially newcomers. For veterans, the best parts are present (song variety, polish, and even new control options), but the worst parts (tracking issues, subscription walls and little risk in choreography) are still there – despite some noteworthy improvements. If you dance to have fun rather than chase perfection, this is absolutely worth picking up. If you’re in it to get every pixel of challenge or precision, you’ll find both rewards and frustrations here.
Score: 7.5/10
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