As in previous installments, players must mimic the routine of an on-screen dancer to a chosen song, scoring points based on their accuracy.

[2] Selected songs now feature "On Stage" modes—routines in which one player dances in a lead role while others perform as backup dancers.

The "AutoDance" is feature allows users to record footage of their gameplay, which can then be uploaded to the Just Dance website or shared on social networks.

IGN praised Just Dance 2014's continued focus on being a casual party game in comparison to the more sophisticated nature of Dance Central, acknowledging its "accessible, silly, and endearingly creative" routines, the "On Stage" routines providing "a stage for particularly ostentatious dancers to shine" that "[brims] with sexual tension, an essential element of any classic party game from Truth or Dare to Twister", and increasing production values over previous installments, but also noting that its soundtrack was skewed more towards recent music.

It was also noted that the World Dance Floor mode could help players who cannot decide on a song due to the game's large soundtrack.

It’s wildly silly, creative and colourful, relying on daft, characterful choreography and to evoke a party atmosphere that puts everyone at ease.