I am instantly attracted to anything with a microphone. Not being able to carry a tune has never stopped me from singing, so there was no hesitation loading Boogie Superstar into my Wii and getting started. You begin by creating a profile and entering the “dressing room” where you choose clothing, hair styles and shoes. The clothing is pretty risque for a game aimed more at kids than adults, but in reality is no different than playing with a Barbie (even though the options to choose from are more Harajuku Girl than Doctor Barbie).  It is at this point that it becomes clear this game is being marketed towards girls, especially those who are part of the generation that have grown up watching shows such as “American Idol.” The outfits are outrageous and fun, but definitely more for the young female gamers.
The next step is the Academy where you learn the dance moves. These are all upper body motions like pointing out, then in, and rotating hand over hand. As a tween’ or younger, this would not have phased me, but as an adult, this was an upper body workout to the extreme. The Academy is a good preparation for what to expect during the dancing portion of the game, so I recommend you give it a try before starting the competition, just make sure that there is plenty of room between you and any person or object that may be within arms reach.
Next, you begin the competition. The scene mimics “American Idol,” from the stage and lighting to the quirky host. The only difference, and this may be a big one for the younger players, is that the characters don’t speak English and are understood only by subtitles. So a lot of reading is required. However, this part can be skipped over. Since the game is pretty self explanatory, you won’t be missing much if you do. The next step is to pick the three challenges you compete in. You have the choice to sing solo, sing with a partner, dance or dance with a partner. The songs are either provided by random or you can select off a list of fun pop by anyone from Kanye West to Katy Perry. The graphics are what to be expected of a Wii game nothing outstanding but definitely a lot of fun and the characters at times do remind me of Bratz dolls. After each round of singing into the microphone or dancing with your Wii remote, you are judged by Simon Cowell and Paula Abdul-like characters. Some of their comments can be pretty harsh, but definitely laughable.
With Rock Band and Guitar Hero all the rage it only seems fitting that a rhythm game would be created that focuses on singing and dancing and for youngsters yet. The playlist is awesome even if the songs are not done by the original artists but the music is current and even still playing on the radio! The fact is with this game, it is just as much fun to mess things up and be silly than play it straight, so in the end the final score didn’t matter. Whether it’s a 27 year old man howling Leona Lewis and attempting dance moves or a 10 year old rapping, the whole concept is a lot of fun and comes highly recommended. The only thing that could be a sticking point is the price. Boogie Superstar does include a microphone which means the price of the game is bit on the high side at $59.99, which for those who have X-Box 360’s or PS3’s is not a big deal at all. However, Wii games tend to be cheaper at $49.99 or $39.99. It’s not a huge price difference in the grand scheme of things and if it keeps the family entertained for hours than I’m sure that is money well spent already.
The Good: Great playlist and lots of fun singing and dancing. Will keep the kiddies entertained for hours.
The Bad: The price could scare some folks away. Would have liked to hear the original artists.
