Bibliographic Information: Ubisoft. Just Dance. Ubisoft Paris, 2009. ASIN: B002MWSY3O
Genre: Video Games, Music, Dance
Age Level: 10+
Curriculum ties: Arts, Music, Dance
Publisher: Ubisoft Paris
Developer: Ubisoft Paris
Awards: None
Note: The library offers a program called “Game time” where teens gather and play Wii games. This event is held once per week for 2 hour.
Reader’s Annotation: Compete against your friends while learning real dance moves to over 30 fun, chat topping songs.
Contents: Acceptable in the 80’s – Calvin Harris, A Little Less Conversation – Elvis Presley, Bebe – Divine Brown, Can’t Get You Out of My Head – Kylie Minogue, Cotton Eye Joe – Rednex, Hot n’ Cold – Katy Perry, Dare – Gorillaz, Eye of the Tiger – Survivor (Rocky), Fame – In the style of Irene Cara (cover), Funplex CSS – The B 52’s, Girls and Boys – Blur, Girls Just Want to Have Fun – Cindi Lauper, Groove is in the Heart – Dee-Lite, Heart of Glass – Blondie, I Get Around – The Beach Boys, I Like to Move it – Reel To Real, Jerk it Out – Caesars, Jin Go Lo Ba – Fat Boy Slim, Kids in America – Kim Wilde, Le Freak – Chic, Louie Louie – Iggy Pop, Lump – The Presidents Of The USA, Mashed Potato Time – Dee Dee Sharp, Pump up the Jam – Technotronic, Ring My Bell – Anita Ward, Step by Step – New Kids On The Block, Surfin’ Bird – The Trashmen, That’s the Way (I Like it) – Kc & The Sunshine Band, U Can’t Touch This – MC Hammer, Wannabe – The Spice Girls, Who Let the Dogs Out? – Baha Men, Womanizer – In the style of Britney Spears (cover)
Critical Evaluation: Just dance is one of those games that are fun for the whole family, especially teenagers. The best aspect of this game aside from the fun, upbeat routines and colorful graphics, is that it encourages teens to get up and participate. The Wii is known to get people off the couch and get involved but Just dance takes it to another level. As you dance along with each song, you begin to break a sweat. Teens can burn off calories, stay fit and enjoy a fun workout without even noticing. This is especially good for teens that are self-conscious about their appearance because the game can be played with friends without drawing any attention to the fact that this is a workout. Players have the choice of difficulty level for each song and if being used as a work out, teens can gradually step up the levels as they are more comfortable.
Booktalking Ideas: N/A
Challenge Issues/ Defense:
Challenge Issues: Mature lyrics
Challenge defense ideas:
• Rated “E10+” for teens 10 and older by ESRB see website: http://www.esrb.org/index-js.jsp
Why was this item is included?: Great team builder and workout game for “Game Time” at the library.
Developer Information: Ubisoft
1986 DEBUT -Ubisoft Entertainment S.A, an educational software and video game publishing and distribution company, is created by the five Guillemot brothers. A leading creator, publisher and distributor of video games, Ubisoft has grown considerably over the past two decades as a result of our strategy centered on the creation of strong brands, in-house development, and a vast global distribution network. This has allowed us to not only produce innovative, high-quality titles but also acquire an in-depth knowledge of our consumers and their expectations.
Strong brands play a pivotal role in Ubisoft’s strategy, ensuring the group’s recurrent revenue and long-term financial health. Ubisoft is fortunate enough to have a portfolio of 19 multimillion unit-selling brands that today represent approximately two-thirds of its annual turnover. The company furthermore plans to create three new brands every two years, expanding its catalogue to new market segments.
Hollywood movie and TV licenses have reinforced our strategy of brand creation. Our licensing agreements with major actors in the entertainment industry result in interactive games based on popular franchises and blockbuster movies. Thanks to resounding successes, such as Peter Jackson’s King Kong: The Official Game of the Movie, Avatar: The Game and Naruto, Ubisoft has pushed back the genre’s limits in terms of quality and innovation so that we are now one of tinsel town’s choice partners.
From the start, Ubisoft decided to bet on internal development. In 20 years, this strategic decision has paid off, and is proving crucial in the new transition period towards next-gen consoles. While numerous competitors prefer to externalize their game development to face this challenge, we remain convinced that our incredible creative teams and 24 studios will be key to a successful transition.
Over 5,350 creative talents in our studios – united in their desire to innovate – form the second biggest internal development force in the world. In order to build and develop the skills of these teams, Ubisoft promotes continuous professional training and international mobility thereby giving teams the necessary tools to excel in their fields. The Ubisoft Campus, set up both for future industry talents and available for existing teams, is one of the pillars of this strategy.
Ubisoft’s strategy is also based on its worldwide distribution network, a structure made up of experienced multi-cultural teams motivated by promoting and selling high quality games. With subsidiaries based in 26 countries, game distribution in 55 countries and localization in more than 20 languages, Ubisoft has a powerful, wide-reaching business network rare among publishers on any continent. Its market and consumer knowledge allows it to anticipate trends and reach players in the best possible way.
(Corporate information obtained from Ubisoft website. Retrieved from: http://www.ubisoftgroup.com/index.php?p=67&art_id=).
Clownfish619's Blog 