Dance Central from Harmonix is one of the fastest growing VR games in the world right now. Mixing new and upbeat songs with original choreography, this game propels you to get off your feet and onto the virtual dance floor no matter where you are. This game is available on the Oculus Rift platforms and the Oculus Quest, and today Harmonix is launching a new update with three fresh and new songs.
One of the best parts of this game is the music that is included with the purchase. This game, unlike other popular dancing games on the market, features plenty of songs from various different popular artists. Beat Saber has a few songs from two different bands, but. Most of their music is not popular outside of the headsets. With multiple grammy award-winning artists on the playlist, the game is one that many are wanting to play,, regardless of their current dancing skills.
The three new songs are Out Whole Night by M-Cue, Fall Apart by Shocked Laura, and Break For Me by James Landino with Noelle LeBlanc as a feature. Although these three songs aren’t as popular as some of the others on the current track list, these additions are sure to bring in some new fans to the game.
Break For me has a few great vocals with a fantastic EDM beat that brings its own choreography to the game that is unmatched.
“In middle school, I had recently discovered my newfound enjoyment of music rhythm games,” Landino says. “At the time, a popular web-based game regularly opened submissions for users on their site to submit music for implementation into their game. I had wanted to develop video games since I was a child, so I saw this as the perfect opportunity to learn both game design and music composition. The game is still available, and I have over 20 songs in it under my old alias.”
Out Whole Night by M-Cue (also known as Arthur Inasi) helped develop the entire soundtrack for Dance Central. Virtual reality is going to be the first place M-Cue’s song is played and heard, and it will be inside of the app by the end of the day.
When asked about what it is like to have his own music and creative influence, he responded to Oculus saying “Making video games is literally a childhood dream come true. I never thought I’d actually achieve it, until I just started walking towards that career with no fear. Ever since I was a kid, I’d come up with little game designs or characters. Now I not only develop games for a living, but I have the opportunity to creatively direct games from the ground up. The kid version of myself wouldn’t believe me if I told him what was coming. I’ve worked on so many games now, I don’t even keep count. It’s crazy.”
He went on to say “I got a long list of influences, but I grew up on a lot of rock because of my brother, so I was falling asleep to Hendrix, Iron Maiden, Metallica, Rush—all those old classic bands,” Inasi says. “Then I discovered hip hop and it was all over. Nas, The Notorious B.I.G., Mos Def, The Roots, Busta Rhymes, Timbaland, Dr. Dre. Those cats raised me with their music. Life drives me to make music. To be honest, I’d probably be a depressed shell if I didn’t have music in my life. I probably wouldn’t even get up in the morning. Music is more than just therapy for me, it’s life blood. I can’t be without it. I can’t not make music.”
Shocked Laura is a group of developers from Harmonix, so this song is native to the game and is full of original sound bites and choreography.
Arthur Inasi (Creative Director for Dance Central/absolute musical genius) and I started off by hashing out references for the track,” explains Pardo. “Musically, we came to an agreement that we wanted something with a vintage edge but that felt modern and ‘now’ in some respects. So while there are nods to ’70s funk and electronic music, there’s slick risers and drum production commonly found in EDM and pop music. Major props to Arthur for helping refine the production.”
You can pick up Dance Central inside of the Oculus app store on your Oculus Rift, Rift S, or the Oculus Quest. Don’t miss out on the latest VR news and updates, check back at VRGear.com.
