DanceMasters

This is actually an evolution, in that Evolution involves random mutations that aren't always beneficial.

DanceMasters is not a terrible game, just one that has been overshadowed by its competition.

Dance Evolution is a nice game with a "too-much-japanese" track list that could be a big problem for casual players. Despite this problem, Dance Evolution is quite entertaining, due to a design able to mix up the hardcore Dance Dance Revolution experience with new, interesting mechanics.

DanceMasters is a fun and lighthearted alternative to Dance Central that can be as challenging as you want to make it.

The tracking is okay, but the track list has been chosen with a lot of courage. Players with a liking for dancing should get Dance Central, but if you're into the reflex-focused gaming like DDR, try Dance Evolution.

Overall, Dance Evolution is a great attempt at using the Kinect technology to create a rhythm-action game.

I would recommend Dance Central over DanceMasters any day of the week, though there is a certain charm to DanceMasters that will appeal to the folks that frequented DDR-friendly arcades back in the day.

As far as Kinect dancing games go, Dance Central is still the better ticket, but if Dance Masters' distinct Japanese feel and set list move you, it may be worth a look.

A mediocre dance game that doesn't really gets us moving.

The actual dancing experience is closer to the real deal than Dance Central, but whether you'll actually bother getting into the game is a different matter. The song selection is limited and mainly contains j-pop and eurobeats, and with the overall presentation being highly focused on Japanese pop culture, Dance Evolution ends up feeling just a little too foreign.

Dance Evolution is not a bad game, but if you only want a single dancing Kinect title, forget this one immediately and buy Dance Central.

But this game is also clunky, burdened with terrible songs and much too weird for most people. It's a quirky alternative to Dance Central, but not a competitor.

There's going to be a certain group of fans who absolutely love (lovelovelovelovelove) DanceMasters – it does a great job of translating the spirit of DDR to the Kinect interface.

Though the novel camera feature fuels some goofy fun, DanceMasters only holds lasting appeal for dedicated dance fiends.

"Quotation Forthcoming"

The faults are a shame because the basic gameplay works perfectly well and if the technical issues can be ironed out, and the musical horizons broadened, a follow-up could be the real evolution needed.

Dance Evolution is not necessarily a bad game – at the very least it's functional and as a progression for the Dance Dance Revolution series it's certainly heading in the right direction. Unfortunately, in light of quality offer by its main competitor – namely Dance Central – Dance Evolution's attempts come off as somewhat shallow in comparison and unless you have a particular yearning for the style of music and dance routines featured, Harmonix's take on motion-dancing is a far safer bet.