Fantasia: Music Evolved

© 2014 Disney Consumer Products and Interactive Media
$60, Xbox One, Xbox 360
Teaches: music, rhythm, gross motor development, coordination
CTR Rating: 94%
Editor's Choice

CTR Review

Harmonix, the creators of Rock Band, Dance Central and Guitar Hero, have done it again -- this time with a collaboration with Walt Disney. First a bit of history. The music rhythm game genre initially gained credibility with Dance Dance Revolution (2001). You may recall taking off your shoes to step on those vinyl dance pads. Then Nintendo's motion sensing Wii Remotes (2006) made it possible to interact on-screen dancers with body movements, and this, in turn paved the way for a new generation of motion based rhythm games — no pad or accessories needed. In 2010, Microsoft's Kinect shook the genre, with the first camera-based system. Now your body was the controller. But the Kinect interface was finicky. Today (2014) both the Sony PS4 and the Xbox One systems come with much more powerful camera based motion detection, creating a new opportunity for smart designers. Fantasia: Music Evolved is one result. This is the first game we've seen that can detect close/far movements -- difference between a punch forward and back, and wave or swipe from side to side. The experience is best described as letting you become a DJ with your body movements, and it's surprisingly accurate. In the story, you enter an interactive fantasy-land inspired from Walt Disney's Fantasia (1940). You are selected by sorcerer Yen Sid to learn special movements, by way of carefully designed tutorials. We liked how the tutorials feel supportive -- there are no boos or negative messages. The music is mixed up and generally wonderful, with 25 selections that include Bach's Toccata and Fugue in D Minor (played by the London Symphony Orchestra), selections by Bruno Mars and Queen. The mix of quality music and accurate body tracking make this title noteworthy for raising the bar in rhythm games. You won't be disappointed. The game is rated E10+ (suggestive lyrics) and costs $60 for Xbox One, $50 for Kinect for Xbox 360. See the preview from E3 2013 at http://youtu.be/UX2NG2lyuT0.