I first played Just Dance wearing an emoji-patterned gymnastics leotard. I was eleven years old.
It’s been a decade since that particular, beloved edition of the game—Just Dance 2016—was released. Since 2009, video-game publisher Ubisoft hasn’t stopped producing their yearly games, even though Just Dance’s popularity has arguably declined.
In October, Just Dance 2026 made its worldwide debut. The game comes with 40 new tracks and dance routines—also referred to as “maps.” Like other, recent Just Dance editions, 2026 includes its fair share of “TikTok songs”: “Messy” by Lola Young, “Anxiety” by Doechii, and “Cry Baby” by Melanie Martinez, to name a few.
The first maps I played, like always, were the songs I already knew. Many of the songs on Just Dance—on any edition—are overplayed pop tracks. Because of this, it’s necessary to abandon any personal opposition toward these slightly annoying songs to truly enjoy the game. I’ve learned to embrace the cheesiness instead of trying to fight it.
Some of my favorite dance routines have come from these top-hits-radio-dominating songs. On this edition, “Abracadabra” by Lady Gaga yields the best map of the entire game. The song is high energy, and the dance is of moderate complexity with easy-to-follow motions, and it involves full-body movement. In short, it has the perfect mixture of elements. While the routine is enjoyable for a solo player, it’s most fun with another person, as it involves two main dancers.
2026 includes more maps that are relatively simple yet nonetheless entertaining. Two prime examples of this are “Anxiety” by Doechii—even though the song itself is awful—and “Pop Muzik” by M and Robin Scott. The more physically-demanding “APT.” by ROSÉ and Bruno Mars is another endorphin-releasing favorite of mine. It’s a classic “easy” Just Dance map—fun, catchy, and a fantastic starting point for dancers of any level.
In order to experience Just Dance to its fullest extent, I’ve learned to take chances on the songs I don’t know as well. On 2026, “Don Raja” by Su Real and DISTORT has been my favorite wild-card map. The engaging routine makes up for the fact that I can’t sing along to the mostly wordless song. Hidden-gem routines like this one are only discoverable when chances are taken with the unknown—it’s a lesson in stepping out of one’s comfort zone. With risk comes reward, as they say.
Despite its exciting maps, Just Dance 2026 contained its share of subpar routines. “I Had Some Help” by Post Malone featuring Morgan Wallen was boring, underwhelming, and repetitive. “Thrift Shop (feat. Wanz)” by Macklemore & Ryan Lewis was also disappointing. The routine was tame: I was mostly doing low-energy arm movements with minimal leg motion throughout the entire song.
Ubisoft also made a few poor song choices. “Messy” by Lola Young, even though it’s annoyingly catchy, just isn’t the type of song that should be on Just Dance. While it isn’t “sad,” it borders the line of too emotionally loaded to be fun and danceable. Just Dance is supposed to be a party game, one that people play to have fun. Songs that are too serious—like “Drivers License” by Olivia Rodrigo from Just Dance 2023—shouldn’t have a place in the game. These routines are rarely interesting or exciting, and the songs bring yearning and seriousness to a lighthearted video game.
Based on 2026 and the games before it, I personally will continue to buy and play new Just Dance releases. Still, I cannot help but wonder if Ubisoft is making enough profit to continue the franchise much further into the future. In my shopping experiences, the games have been frequently priced as half-off at stores, sometimes mere weeks after they’re released. Many fans, myself included, make the educated guess that sales have been declining with recent editions. Despite these speculations, I hope I’m wrong—I want to play new Just Dances for as long as possible.
For now, I will continue to master the more difficult tracks of Just Dance 2026. The broad range of song choices and difficulty levels creates an amusing mixture for the coming year. While I doubt 2026 can outdo the well-loved 2016 edition, it undoubtedly has the potential to be the best of recent years.
