SingStar Pop
© 2007 Sony Computer Entertainment America
Want to exercise your singing voice? Here's a solution, for either one or two players. This follow-up to SingStar Rocks (www.us.playstation.com/SingStar/) takes the typical Karaoke experience up a notch, with smart features that include the ability to evaluate the pitch of your voice. There's also an online component where you can post high scores, download music or compete against as many as eight players. We did not test the online component. The single disk contains 38 songs, each with an MTV-style video. Artists include Alicia Keys, Britney Spears, Cyndi Lauper (Girls Just Wanna Have Fun), U2, Rihanna, the All-American Rejects (Move Along), The Clash, and Panic at the Disco. As you would expect from the lyrics of the songs and suggestive videos, not all the content is appropriate for children, hence the E10+ rating. As with the previous version of SingStar, players can perform a solo or try the Cooperative Duet Mode, One-On-One Battle Mode or the team-based Pass-the-Mic Mode. After any song, you can replay your performance. Other features include the ability to incorporate your own image into the video (if you have an optional EyeToy) and some cool vocal mixing tools that can modify your voice. The $30 price does not include a microphone; however, there is a $50 bundle that includes two well-designed microphones that plug into one USB adapter, leaving a port free for your EyeToy. The game uses the same visual feedback system used by Karaoke Revolution (Konami), making this a very strong musical experience. If you're looking for a solid singing game, SingStar is certainly worth consideration, especially if you have a duet partner around.
$30, PlayStation 2
Teaches: music, pitch, language experience (reading lyrics), rhythm, singing
CTR Rating: 92%