Get Up and Dance

Deciding whether to buy Get Up and Dance should be a simple process of answering two simple questions. Firstly do you mind getting up and secondly are you in the mood for a wee dance? Unfortunately if you answer yes to these questions that doesn’t actually mean you should run out and buy Get Up and Dance, despite it’s incredible aptness to your requirements. Other questions you might want to ask yourself are would you like to dance with Mel B? No? To Grease songs? On Broadway? Maybe you’d like to “experience” Michael Jackson while dancing, or the Black Eyed Peas, because you can, you know, if you want. You could hold a Dance Star Party. It’s not clear whether you need to invite stars or can become one through the medium of dance. Hey, maybe you want to Just Dance… 3. The point we’re rather archly making here is that there’s too many bloody dance games for the PS3 and  Get Up and Dance isn’t the best of them.

The game has far less songs to dance to than Just Dance but they are all, at least, by the original artists. They cover a multitude of styles and generations but is that a good thing? Get Up and Dance will work fabulously at the family Christmas do, with your old da giving it laldy to Billy Rae Cyrus, and your little sister trying to pretend she’s in the Pussycat Dolls, while wearing her new comedy reindeer slippers. Outside of that jolly family vibe, though, the mishmash of music tastes forced together won’t work for anyone. Why buy a game with three songs you like when you could dance to a ton of awesome Michael Jackson songs and learn to moonwalk for the same price. You don’t like Thriller? Are you saying you DO like Achy Breaky Heart?

Technically the game works well with a good spread of modes including a tutorial and fitness modes and a few multiplayer options to let you dance together. The onscreen prompts though aren’t as clear as they could be and work better in other games in this genre, however you should be able to keep up reasonably well regardless. The fitness element is fun but unlikely to really get your heart pumping as much as other more fitness focused games for Move.

Get Up and Dance is a perfectly competent game that suffers from being in an overcrowded market and having nothing in particular to mark it out as special. However, its averageness might work in your favour if what you’re after is something specifically for a seasonal get-together with family. Your desire to get up and then proceed to dance, though, may have left you entirely by Boxing Day.