It’s okay to admit thatFortnitestarted an interest in flossing! Video games and dancing are intertwined and there’s no denying it. It’s thanks to dancing games that the Nintendo Wii still sawa new release in 2020because even gamers want to bust a move with their friends every now and again.
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As well as playing the games themselves, players have also been taking on non-dancing titlesusing a dance pad as a challengefor years. Thankfully, this isn’t the world ofFootloose,so fans of dancing games have many terrific choices available to them. However, what are thebest dancing gamesever?
Updated on June 24, 2025:This article has been updated with eachdancing game’s specifications.
14Now That’s What I Call Music: Dance & Sing
Karaoke and dancing are a match made in heaven, andNow That’s What I Call Music: Dance & Singmakes that entirely possible. Featuring over 30 of the best music tracks from over the decades from hip-hop to contemporary pop, this Wii game is sure to take players on a trip down memory lane with professionally choreographed dance routines.
With a visual format similar to the iconicJust Dancegames, players can use a plug-in USB microphone to sing along to their favorite songs! They can either sing solo in the campaign mode or compete in an epic dance-off against 2-3 other players for some disco-fever fun!
13Beat Saber
The world of virtual reality has brought gaming to new heights with added immersion, as players get to feel as though they are tearing up the dance floor in real life.Beat Saberis a popular VR-specific rhythm game by Beat Gamers, where players get to slash through incoming blocks in time to the music in a mysterious sci-fi backdrop.
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Although players don’t specifically have to dance while playingBeat Saber, it would be rude not to bust a groove while tearing up blocks to the beat of the music.Beat Saberfeatures a catalog of original musicbut if players don’t fancy that, they can sync up their own tunes and disco to their heart’s content!
12ABBA: You Can Dance
Developed by the same team behind the hugely successfulJust Danceseries,ABBA: You Can Danceis a little reminiscent ofThe Beatles: Rock Band. Of course, rather than jamming, players were expected to boogie on down to some of the best and most iconic pop songs of the seventies and eighties.
The game features 25 ABBA tracks in total, including hits likeDancing Queen,Mamma Mia, andWaterloo. Not only can four people play the game at once, but the title also features a two-player karaoke mode, making it one of the more unique and feature-rich dance games of all time.
11Michael Jackson: The Experience
Though the coreJust Danceseries typically offers a decent variety of songs and dance styles, they’re not great for those looking to specialize. That’s where theExperienceseries comes into play, withMichael Jackson: The Experiencebeing the first of three solid spin-offs.
Billie Jean,Smooth Criminal,andThrillercan all be found in the game’s expansive soundtrack, which includes just about every notable song from the Prince of Pop’s repertoire. Its success would pave the way for more specialized releases, including the aforementionedABBA: You Can Danceas well as a couple of Disney-themed dance games too.
Michael Jackson: The Experience
THE ULTIMATE DANCE EXPERIENCEStep into the King of Pop’s videos and learn all of his moves!Dance to Michael’s greatest hits in the ultimate party game.INCLUDES CHART-TOPPING ORIGINAL TRACKS from Michael Jackson’s groundbreaking career, featuring the smash hits:BAD • BEAT IT • BILLIE JEAN • SMOOTH CRIMINALTHRILLER • BLACK OR WHITE*AND MANY MOREGrab a Wii Remote and team up with friends in competitive multiplayer modes.*All named songs written by Michael Jackson, except “Thriller” written by Rodney L. Temperton and “Black or White” written by Michael Jackson and Bill Bottrell.
10Space Channel 5
This one might be cheating a little but it’s just too good not to include! Published by Sega for the Sega Dreamcast in 1999,Space Channel 5is an incredibly unique rhythm game in which players control a space-faring reporter named Ulala.
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Throughout the game, they must help Ulala imitate the movements and singing of her opponents, which results in some killer dance sequences. It’s a game thatis often forgottenbut is so good that it really shouldn’t be.
Space Channel 5
Hey There SpaceCats!
Meet Ulala, the grooviest reporter in the galaxy. She’s got attitude, the moves and the savvy to dance and scoop a story while saving the universe from invading Morolians.
FEATURES:- Stunning graphics in a colorful retro-futuristic environment• Great soundtrack featuring funky dance beats• 78 unique characters, each with their own bios and galactic moves• Multiple hidden levels for re-play value• Realistic dance moves that will have you groovin' in your seat
9Unison: Rebels Of Rhythm & Dance
ThoughUnison: Rebels of Rhythm & Danceis technically arhythm game, the gameplay is far more dance-like than something likeSpace Channel 5. Players essentially dance with their thumbs, using the joystick to move and wiggle to match arm movements on screen.
Unison: Rebels of Rhythm & Dancetakes heavy inspiration from things like J-pop, anime, and musical girl groups; both in terms of its art style and its themes. This all combines for a flavor unlike any other and a story that will keep players engaged as they’re boogieing down.
Unison: Rebels of Rhythm & Dance
Anime"Tecmo has taken Japanese- style animation and brought it to life like never before on PlayStation 2. When you see the Unison girls move, your heart (and eyes) will melt.“Chris Slate - Editor-in Chief, PlayStation MagazineDancingFight for your right to groove! Boogie to freedom through funk and hip-hop.Perfect party gameReveal hidden surprisesStunning full CG movieMega HOT soundtrack featuring:“Country Grammar” Nelly"Barbie girl” Aqua"That’s the Way (I like it )" KC & The Sunshine Band"Stop the Rock" Apollo 440"Nowhere" FAZE4"Synchronized Love" Joe Rinoue"Yosaku"and many more..
8Dance Dance Revolution: Mario Mix
Nintendo games are renowned fortheir amazing soundtracks, so the opportunity to dance to their tunes is arguably too good to pass up! Players can choose to play as Mario or Luigi to go through the game while dancing to amazing music from theMarioseries.
This game is such a fan favorite that players have even figured outspeedrun strategies for it. Plus, the game is one of very few to feature Waluigi as its main antagonist, making it a great one for fans of the purple-clad plumber. If only he could bust out those sweet dance moves in Smash…
Dance Dance Revolution: Mario Mix
Gel Down With Mario!Shake it to over 25 dance-flavoured songs, from remixes of classic Nintendo themes to familiar favourites. With five difficulty levels, dancers of all abilities can get into the groove! The path to Mario’s dance party is simple: Left, Right, Up, Down, Right, Down..Turn Mush Mode on to finally experience the thrill of stomping Goombos and other enemiesfirsthand–or footGrab a friend and throw your own dance party! Whoever’s got the best moves wins!There’s more to Mario Mix than just dancing! Unlock extra songs and minigames in Story Mode and play them over and over!
7Pump It Up Exceed SE
ThePump It Upseries of games originate in Korea and have one major difference when compared to other games with a dance pad: a fifth button. The added button in the middle of the mat gives the game added charm, though can make it difficult to play as it requires that unique controller.
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Unfortunately,Pump It Up Exceed SEwas the only major release for the series in the United States but is absolutely worth trying for any fans of dance games with the opportunity. For those who enjoy it, otherPump it Upgames can be imported, though tracking them down can be challenging these days.
6Dance Central
TheDance Centralseries is among some of the very best when it comes to usingthe Kinect for gameplay. The very first title in the series holds a Metacritic score of 82 and the soundtrack list contains some serious belters.
Poker Faceby Lady Gaga,Crank Thatby Soulja Boy, and evenFunky Townby Lipps Inc. are all available to shake it to. It’s nice having a fun dance game where a controller doesn’t have to be held or stomped on, but more so having several. While the original release is very good, the sequels are arguably superior, although the series is overall consistent.
Dance Central 2
MORE MOVES, MORE SONGS, MORE FUNTHE BEST SELLING DANCE GAME ON KINECT IS BACK! BATTLE YOUR FRIENDS OR TEAM UP TO MASTER THE COOLEST ROUTINES, SET TO YOUR FAVORITE MUSIC. WITH MORE DANCERS ON THE FLOOR THAN EVER BEFORE, DANCE CENTRAL 2 IS SURE TO GET YOUR PARTY STARTED!• TEAM UP OR BATTLE WITH YOUR FRIENDS WITH 2-PERSON MULTIPLAYER• 40+ NEW DANCE HITSI KEEP THE PARTY GOING BY IMPORTING YOUR ORIGINAL DANCE CENTRAL SONG LIBRARY• MASTER YOUR MOVES WITH BREAK IT DOWN PRACTICE MODE
5Step Mania
Imagine a dancing game where anyone can add and customize any song, whereDespacitoand Kirin J. Callinan’sBig Enoughcan be found side-by-side. This dancing fever dream isStep Mania, a dancing game released under the MIT License, so anyone can play it for free.
The only real downside to the game is how hard using a gamepad with it can be. Still, very few games can matchStep Maniawhen it comes to variety, and it doesn’t take all that long to familiarize oneself with the game’s gamepad control scheme.
StepMania
StepMania is a free and open source, cross-platform rhythm game. It supports common key-based rhythm game formats (including 4-panel and 5-panel dance games among others), as well as keyboard and dance pad controllers. It is customizable with user-made add-ons such as themes, and provides an integrated editor for creating your own simfiles.StepMania can also be used with dance game cabinets, and has been used as the basis for several major commercial products including Pump it Up Infinity and StepManiaX.
