The first hour of Dance Central will sell you on not just the game, but Microsoft's shiny new camera peripheral. Kinect is put into great effect here, enabling wannabe performers to go well beyond Just Dance-ing. For the first time ever, a dancing game requires you to do exactly that, and this singular achievement makes Harmonix's effort an instant success. Like Rock Band 3 before it, Dance Central is undoubtedly the "greatest" game in its genre, with a level of polish and creative ingenuity unseen in any of its competitors. But unlike its predecessor, Dance Central lacks the depth to make it the only dancing game "you need to own."
Although it's literally easy to get into the game -- just jump in front of the camera at any time -- Dance Central is probably the most intimidating dancing game ever made. Unlike Just Dance and its countless rip-offs, you'll really need to swing your hips and move your legs. No flailing here, folks.
Considering the complexity of the moves you must perform, it's overwhelming to jump into a routine blind. For the uninitiated, mimicking the on-screen dancer whilst trying to read the cue cards can seem impossible. Thankfully, the "Break It Down" mode allows you to learn the individual moves that comprise the routine. You'll watch the dancer perform a single move, and then you must mimic the same move three times. If the move is too difficult, you can slow it down. As you practice, the on-screen avatar will highlight parts of your body that aren't in sync.
In short, thanks to Kinect, Dance Central is the smartest dancing game of all time.
