ABBA You Can Dance

Review

Common Sense Media says

Great dance and singing game for any fan of the pop group.
greenON: Content is age-appropriate for kids this age.
yellowPAUSE: Know your child; some content
may not be right for some kids.
redOFF: Not age-appropriate for kids this age.
not for kidsNOT FOR KIDS: Not appropriate for kids any age.

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Quality
 
Sometimes media can be age appropriate but a real waste of time. Our star rating assesses the media's overall quality.

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Kids say

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What parents need to know

Parents need to know that ABBA You Can Dance features 26 songs from the iconic band, including everything from "Dancing Queen" to "When I Kissed the Teacher." This game uses the same dance controls as the Just Dance series, which has been acclaimed for its intuitive style and challenging but accessible gameplay. The varying difficulty levels allow every player to find a setting that is right for them. There are dozens of ABBA photos featuring the band's remarkable history, and a couple of them depict band members holding cigarettes.

  • Positive messages2
    As a dancing game, this title encourages players to get up off the couch and move. It does not provide a very strenuous workout but it nevertheless promotes a message of being active while gaming. The game is also best played in groups, so it encourages players to play together.
  • Positive role models1
    ABBA is generally regarded as a very wholesome, congenial music group. As one of the most popular bands in the world, the performers have become icons and role models for millions of people. This game includes biographical information about the band and showcases their drive and ambition over a span of decades. That being said, there are vintage photos of ABBA and some of them depict band members holding cigarettes. This is not meant to glamorize the use of tobacco, but rather shows a bygone time when smoking was more widely accepted.
  • Ease of play3
    This game has intuitive and accessible gameplay controls that are easy to understand but difficult to master. Players must follow the icons on the screen and make corresponding movements in-time to the beat of the song, which gets more and more challenging as the icons appear faster and in greater quantities. There are varying difficulty levels that allow players to find their comfort zone, but there is always a push for players to take it up a notch and tackle the next difficulty setting.
  • Violence0
    Not applicable.
  • Sex1
    Some of the songs contain flirtatious lyrics about kissing and "love-making."
  • Language0
    Not applicable.
  • Consumerism1
    This game promotes the music and ABBA band.
  • Drinking, drugs, & smoking1
    There is a feature in the game that allows players to scroll through a myriad photos and videos of ABBA over the decades. A couple of these photos show band members holding cigarettes, but the depiction is subtle and definitely not the center of attention.
  • Privacy & safety0
    Not applicable.
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What's it about?

ABBA YOU CAN DANCE puts players in the shoes of the legendary Swedish pop group, allowing them to go from venue to venue and dance to 26 of the band's most memorable tunes. The game includes a mode that allows players to perform back-to-back songs in the form of a musical, complete with interspersed story scenes. There is also a karaoke mode which strips away the dance mechanic and allows players to have fun by just singing along with the lyrics as they appear on screen. In addition, there is an extensive collection of videos, pictures, and live concert footage that span the storied 40-year history of the band.

Is it any good?

 

ABBA You Can Dance uses the same gameplay controls as the heralded Just Dance series of games, which has been praised for its accessible presentation, accurate and intuitive scoring system, and mastering the art of "easy to play but difficult to master." From a technical standpoint, this game is spot on. The inclusion of a casual karaoke mode, which nixes the dance controls and lets players have fun just singing along, is a great additional feature. No doubt only the most ardent ABBA enthusiasts will truly enjoy the entire span of 26 tracks included in this game. For the more casual fan, gameplay will likely be limited to only a few of the band's more popular hits; but with the collection of concert videos, behind-the-scenes photos, biographical information, and recreations of some of ABBA's most recognizable dance styles, this game is sure to be a hit with any fan.

What families can talk about

  • Families can talk about the cigarettes that appear in a couple of the behind-the-scenes photos. Why was this considered more socially acceptable 20-30 years ago? What changed?

  • Why has ABBA managed to become so successful?

  • Do you think the band members are good role models?

This review was written by Mark Raby
Kid, 9 years old
December 31, 2011
AGE
8
 
third book
it better than bad games and teach you how to dance
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This review was written by Mark Raby
Platforms:Nintendo Wii
Available online?Not available online
Genre:Exergaming
Developer:UbiSoft
Release date:November 15, 2011
Price:$39.99
ESRB rating:E10+ for Mild Lyrics, Tobacco Reference
This review was written by Mark Raby
 

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About our rating system
ON: Content is age-appropriate for kids this age.
PAUSE: Know your child; some content may not be right for some kids.
OFF: Not age-appropriate for kids this age.
Learning ratings
BEST: Really engaging, great learning approach.
GOOD: Pretty engaging, good learning approach.
FAIR: Somewhat engaging, OK learning approach.
NOT FOR LEARNING: Not recommended for learning.
Our child development rating guidelines

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