A teaser site for the Japanese release was launched on December 9, 2008 featuring new gameplay footage from the game.

Konami promises an entirely new soundtrack featuring music from the "last four decades", more innovative Wii Remote and Nunchuk support, four-player multiplayer and brand new gameplay modes.

Hottest Party 2 features a difficulty range that allows both new players and seasoned dancers to enjoy the game.

Chris Watters of GameSpot felt the training modes would be useful for newer players to learn the game's fundamentals,[17] and while IGN's Lucas M. Thomas noted that Hottest Party 2 was not "drastically different" from the previous version (continuing a model of releasing yearly installments with greater emphasis on new content rather than making larger changes to the game), he still felt the game remained just as accessible to new players as earlier entries in the franchise, and sarcastically commented that the ability to have Mii heads on realistic bodies as dancers "doesn't look disturbing at all.

"[18] 1UP.com gave Hottest Party 2 a "B" rating, concluding that the game "succeeds in several areas where last year's version fell short."

Specific praise went to its use of full choreography for the on-screen characters rather than randomized moves, and to its soundtrack contained fewer "generic" songs than the previous game.

[19] WorthPlaying.com's Jesse Littlefield gave the game a 6.6/10, complimenting some of the additions to gameplay and Wii Remote support.

However, the stages and characters were dubbed "poorly detailed" and the covered songs were declared to be "sub-standard", although the Konami Originals were considered the "better half" of the soundtrack.