 " I Wanna Go " received generally positive reviews from music critics . A reviewer for Samesame.com.au called " I Wanna Go " Spears ' best song since " Toxic " , and added that " I ’ d go so far as to say that it is probably the best song that she has ever recorded . [ ... ] How the decision was made that ' Hold It Against Me ' would be a better first single over this is baffling . " Parker Bruce of the Washington Square News stated that the song functions as " a sort of formal declaration and mission statement " for Femme Fatale , saying that " It is not an innovative song , but it is fantastically effective and endlessly enticing with its liberating , toss @-@ your @-@ cares @-@ away , dance @-@ like @-@ a @-@ complete – and @-@ utter @-@ fool cathartic chorus , repeated words and typically saucy Britney lyrics . " The Daily Collegian writer Hannah Rishel said " I Wanna Go " would have been " another good lead single " , while The Washington Times 's Andrew Leahey said that along with " Till the World Ends " , they are " bass @-@ heavy tributes to club culture . " 
