You can dance. You can jive. But having the time of your life? Well, that depends largely on how much you like ABBA.
“ABBA You Can Dance” is made by the folks behind the extremely popular “Just Dance” series, and like those games, has you hold the Wii Remote in your right hand as you mimic the dancers on-screen. Also like those games, “You Can Dance” only tracks your movements so well, but the choreography is so silly, you learn to let go of caring about your score and get lost in the dance.
For all the people who listen to ABBA and hear mere ’70s music, the frustrations with the motion-sensing tech will probably outweigh their enjoyment. But for those of us who adore the Swedish superstars, dancing to masterpieces like “Take a Chance on Me,” “Gimme! Gimme! Gimme!” and “Mama Mia” is unreasonably fun.
| ‘ABBA You Can Dance’ |
| » System: Wii |
| » Price: $39.99 |
| » Rating: 3 out of 5 stars |
Up to four people can play at once, making this a great party game. And the development team clearly had a good time making the videos — witness the Western setting for “Fernando,” the group’s inexplicable salute to the Mexican Revolution of 1910.
Soldifying its status as the perfect gift for the ABBA fan who has it all, the game has a karaoke mode. Plug in a USB microphone, and you can sing along to the original videos starring Agnetha, Benny, Bjorn and Anni-Frid.
“You Can Dance” won’t make converts of people who change the radio every time “Dancing Queen” comes on. And the Wii’s well-documented limitations will bug even the most ardent ABBA fan from time to time. But for the right audience, and as a way to introduce your kids to pop gold, it’s a real treat.
