Disney Interactive Studio’s karaoke franchise expands its jukebox repertoire to include chart-topping Radio Disney artists.
STORY:
The third installment in Disney’s sing-along set includes the requisite number of Mouse House artists (Miley Cyrus, Vanessa Hudgens, The Jonas Brothers) but makes room for musicians Radio Disney and Disney Channel fans will support: Coldplay, Taylor Swift and One Republic, to name a few.
GAME PLAY:
Disney Interactive sent a Wii version of the game for review – it’s also playable on Playstation 3 and PS2. Graphics aren’t an issue, as the 30 songs included on the set are accompanied by official music videos.
The singing charts mirror most other karaoke games, or the singing aspect of the “Rock Band” and “Guitar Hero: World Tour” franchises. A color bar placed at the bottom of the screen provides both the words to the song and the level to which you’re meant to sing. Climb the scales for higher notes and descend for lower-octave ranges. The “Pop Hits” game instantly rewards with “Good” and “Nice Try” messages, allowing you to correct your pitch mid-song.
Improvement is also the key to the upgraded “Sing It Pro” option, a tutorial hosted by “Sonny With a Chance” star Tiffany Thornton. And new features on the game include an “Encore” option for song playback and an improved scoring system that measures your accuracy.
Aside from the game, we can only comment on the microphone. With only one mic included in the kit, players waiting for their chance to shine on a Taylor Swift tune will have to pull a Kanye and grab that baton. Speaking of the microphone, the one included with “Pop Hits” gives up a lot of noise – echoes and thumps as the instrument is passed between hands or the chord swings against it. It doesn’t count against your score (as far as I could tell), but it is a little distracting before and after a video is played.
CONCLUSION:
As Disney’s “Sing It” franchise continues grow, so, too, should its fan base. It’s always a lot of fun letting your inner Miley climb out from the shadows, and the addition of new artists could lure non-Disney supporters to the mix.
OVERALL GRADE: B
EM Review by
Sean O’Connell
Originally Posted 11.2.09