Just Dance 4 is the fourth main game in the dancing series where players are rated for their ability to mimic dance routines to popular songs. On the Xbox 360 platform movement is tracked through the Kinect peripheral. For other platforms, such as the PlayStation 3, movement is tracked using different methods. The gameplay involves mimicking dance routines to popular songs, with players being rated on their performance. The difficulty levels have been removed compared to previous versions of the game, and certain features such as quick dances and custom routine creation have also been axed. However, new features have been added, including dance quests, where players earn mojo points by completing missions for a single song.
The game offers various modes, including battle mode and dance mash-up mode. The sweat mode has been developed into a fitness-like program with a focus on calorie counting, and other game modes include autodance, which records gameplay and creates a video. For the Wii U version, the puppet master mode allows players to manipulate visuals, playlists, and moves using the GamePad for up to four other players.
The base game contains about 50 tracks, with additional songs offered as DLC. Some of the included artists are Christina Aguilera, Justin Bieber, Carly Rae Jepsen, Rihanna, Jessie J, Flo Rida, Carrie Underwood, Elvis Presley, Ricky Martin, Nelly Furtado, Rick Astley, Britney Spears, and Skrillex.