Karaoke Revolution

$60, PlayStation 2

Teaches: music, singing, language, pitch, rhythm

CTR Review

From the makers of Dance Dance Revolution (CSR, 3/02) comes another innovative use of the PlayStation. Plug a special USB microphone into your PS2, start the CD, and you have a unique Karaoke experience that both children and adults can use. Note that one headset microphone is included in the box for the price of $60, or you can buy the software alone for $40 and get your own Logitech microphone. We tried both, and they work fine. The Konami headset microphone has an earpiece that makes it easier to hear your own voice, however. Clearly the most amazing and fun feature is the ability for you to actually visualize, in real time, the pitch of your voice. It's sort of like biofeedback. In other words, as the music flows by, the tones of the melody flow by, from right to left on the bottom of the screen, in the form of lines. The pitch of your voice, as heard through the microphone, controls a cursor that moves up or down the staff. When the cursor hits the note, you earn points. So you're directly rewarded for staying on pitch -- which results in your singing a bit like a robot. It's sort of like trying to stay in the wake of a boat, that is steered by the melody of the song. The better you sing, the better the gig you can perform at, and the louder the crowd cheers. Content is sung by the original artists and includes 36 popular songs like Billie Jean, Like a Virgin, Celebration, Girls Just Want to Have Fun, and Red, Red Wine. Note that some of the lyrics are suggestive (e.g., Like a Virgin), but not extreme. The bottom line? This is an outstanding way to turn your Playstation 2 into a Karaoke machine, and a means for children to learn to control the pitch of their voice. Note -- Volume 2 (Fall 2004) 35 new songs, in the same format, again with a broad spectrum of music (including Heartbreak Hotel).