These upcoming music games urge you to slip on your dancing shoes. Andre Rodrigues on which ones to pick
Rockband
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Rock Band 4
PlayStation 4, Xbox One
The bands back together. After a long hiatus, Rock Band 4 is finally coming out. You can get to play the game with special Mad Catz-made instruments. From the Microphone to the drum kit to guitars, Rock Band 4 will see you and your friends rock it to the top by role playing a band, scrounging for gigs and making the right choices. Here, how well you play is not all that matters, but also how good your stage presence is and how well you woo the crowd. The good news is if you already own the earlier controllers, they will be usable with Rock Band 4, not to mention the songs of the previous Rock Band games will be playable too.
ETA: October 2015
Persona 4: Dancing All Night
PlayStation Vita
An unusual sequel to a popular Japanese RPG with a sinister dark plot in the form of a dancing game. Those familiar with the infectious and fun cast of Persona 4 will love Dancing All Night. You will enjoy the unique jazz pop music and the timed dance moves of all the cool characters as you help them solve another sinister dark plot. Come for the plot, stay for the dance and music. The game is already out in Japan, and you can order the English versions online
from overseas.
ETA: September 29, 2015
Just Dance 2016 + Unlimited Streaming
PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, Wii U, Wii, Xbox 360, Xbox One
Ubisoft’s Just Dance series is one of the most accessible and popular dance games out there. It is available on a plethora of systems, and will work on your Kinect and other camera/motion-based systems. If you have a smartphone, all you need to do is install the companion app, and hold your phone in hand while you dance, and your phone’s accelerometer and gyro sensor will relay all the movements to the screen. Just be sure you have a good grip on your expensive device. Just Dance 2016 comes with several songs, but also has a new Unlimited Streaming Service just unveiled, which is paid and with unlimited songs. So you can keep dancing.
ETA: 23 October 2015
Rush now
Dance Central Spotlight
Xbox One
Like Just Dance, Harmonix’s Dance Central brings a realistic dancing game to Xbox One with Kinect. You dance with a troupe as the game realistically mimics your movements. The more accurate your performance is, the more you score. And, it’s a great workout for you and your friends.
UltraStar
PC
Want to Karaoke with your friends? Download UltraStar, which is an open-source copy of SingStar, the popular Karaoke, sing-along game, except that you can load in any song and get singing. Did we mention it’s free? Get the game here https://ultrastardx.sourceforge.net
RockSmith 2014
PlayStation 4, PlayStation 3, Xbox One, Microsoft Windows, Xbox 360, Mac OS
A very unique concept. RockSmith is a game that lets you plug in your real guitar using a real tone cable. Think of it as a Guitar hero for pros, or people serious about getting good with their guitar skills. Using some amazing technology, RockSmith creates a virtual on-screen guitar environment, guiding the player about what should be played. It decodes how you play and increases difficulty as the game progresses.
Guitar Hero Live
PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, Wii U, Xbox 360, Xbox One, Mobile, tvOS, iOS
The rebirth of Guitar Hero goes Live. It lets you play directly in front of realistic crowds with realistic reactions. It features a new six-button redesigned controller that promises to be easier on the fingers and more challenging to master, making it not only fun, but also adding a bit of technique for the music lover to master. If you have the pipes, you can plug in a USB mic and sing along. So, take centrestage at the biggest music festivals to make the crowd go wild — especially the crowd of friends you have over for your Guitar Hero sessions. Also available on mobile devices by syncing the controller via Bluetooth.
ETA: 20 October 2015
Amplitude
Amplitude is a remake by the people who brought you the Rock Band games, Harmonix. Geared towards the electronica and pop crowd, you control a futuristic spaceship across neon tracks. All you have to do is hit the right buttons and switch the tracks to score points. Keep the music playing to make you go faster. An unusual rhythm game, but one that seems addictive, not to mention the tracks are colourful and very ’80s.
ETA: Q4 2015