Hey there! I have Zumba Party? I bought Zumba Core for Christmas as a gift to myself and I love it. I enjoyed the other Zumba DVD but find the Zumba Core is much harder. I love it because you gain levels and new songs are added. I think the other one does something similar but I am finding that this one is for me. I dont have a good time to get to a real Zumba Class lately so I pop this one every afternoon. I love the fact that it warms you up and then cools you down. I have been doing this now for five days in a row. I choose different routines to work each time to make it different. So I like both very much and there isnt a muscle that hasnt been touched! I go for the hour routines! You can also add me too if you like. I find it really fun to have someone to compare sore muscles with! Have a great day! Pris

Does Zumba Core still have the same type of dancing and music as Zumba 2?

I've got both (on Wii) as well. As far as I can tell you don't unlock any songs on the Wii version.
Out of the 2 I think I prefer Zumba 2. I quite like how Core works with the layout and goals and unlocking videos etc but I struggle to pick up some of the new routines whereas I picked up the '2' ones fairly quickly. They seem more complex to work out - not always bad but hard if the tough ones happen when the camera is panning about!
I also like how '2' is less 'americanised' and has more latin music then Core. I'm not a big fan of several of the styles in Core (far too much variation as well) and think it could do with more of the samba/salsa/etc. That said, espeically with some of the songs I seem to feel it more in my abs/arms the next day with Core.
It's fun to flail around at home trying to do it - so long as no-one sees my whale trapped on a beach trying to get back into water impression.

I now have all 3 (just bought game 2 last week).

Here are my opinions:

Zumba Wii 1 (aka Join the Party):
Overall: This is fantastic if it's your first game or exposure to Zumba.
Visually: The graphics are older because it is an older game.
Music: A lot of fun songs that I did not know before; a few that I really like now
Extras: There isn't much in the way of extra features.
Scoring: You can cheat the scores by bouncing up and down (or shaking the Wiimote).
Learning Curve: A- ....it's hard to tell what the instructors are doing sometimes, due to the vague graphics, but the moves themselves are mostly simple once you figure it out.

Zumba Wii 2:
Overall: Definite step up from Zumba1, and step back from Core. Incorporates more core and leg toning moves than game 1.
Visually: The graphics are definitely improved over Zumba 1
Music: More unfamiliar songs. I don't have any that I particularly like yet.
Extras: Progress, calories. Introduces the cues - little shadow windows telling you what comes next...which help a lot IMO
Scoring: Less easy to cheat the scores. Still seems more based on movement than accuracy
Learning Curve: B+....a lot of moves familiar from the first game, a lot of repetition throughout the songs.

Zumba Wii 3 (aka Core):
Overall: My favorite of the 3. Has a couple songs that are pretty much entirely standing ab exercises, and all songs involve leg lifts, side squats, kicks, etc, which work your core.
Visually: The graphics are greatly improved. You can tell who is who.
Music: Some popular songs you might already know plus some zumba-specific ones. More than just Latin beats. My fave soundtrack so far.
Extras: Progress, calories, goals. Uses the cues even better. Extra content you unlock, which are little interview segments with the instructors
Scoring: Seems more accuracy based (even though Wii can't score your arm movements, it does seem to somehow help when I do the arms right??)
Learning Curve: B....a lot of now-familiar moves and patterns (L-R-L-L, R-L-R-R), but with new twists. New moves as well, including Bollywood and even ballet.