7.9

Singstar the Wiggles

Now it's time for PS3 owners to experience Singstar the Wiggles which is just in time for Christmas. As opposed to the PS2 version which contained 18 tracks, the PS3 version contains 26 and supports high definition which is a treat in itself. So with that said boys and girls... and parents, it's time to reintroduce you to the Wiggles in Singstar the Wiggles!

Just like the PS2 game, as soon as we put the game in, we were treated to a very Wiggles orientated interface that has been designed with children in mind. At its core, Singstar the Wiggles is your standard Singstar karaoke type game for the PS3 which requires the player to match their words (pitch, timing and rhythm) with the words displayed on the screen. Younger gamers may have some trouble reading some of the words so you might need to keep that in mind.

However in relation to The Wiggles, the beauty of this Singstar game is that many children already know many of these popular songs that grace this title, so even those who have trouble reading will have no difficulty in picking up a microphone and start singing immediately. Just be warned that you may need to wipe off the slobber from the mics!

Apart from the user friendly interface, the star of Singstar the Wiggles are the 26 songs included in this release with favourites such as Hot Potato, The Shimmie Shake and my favourite (blush) Wake up Jeff! To compliment these songs, the player is treated to a variety of fun Wiggles videos which consist of Anthony Field, Jeff Fatt, Sam Moran, Murray Cook and even the original Yellow Wiggle, Greg Page. Want more colour? It's your as the player is also treated to Dorothy the Dinosaur and Captain Feathersword. There is even a Christmas song included called Go Santa Go... great timing.

Even though most children are not a fan of edutainment, a little aspect of this genre exists in Singstar the Wiggles because children can link words to the song which in turn assists with their reading. And then you have the parents or even older children or young adults who have grown up with the Wiggles, makes this title (don’t laugh), the perfect party game. Thankfully we tested this game with some of our younger relatives and their friends and needless to say, it became like second nature for them. They navigated the game quite easily, chose their tracks and even sung together.

Although younger gamers may have some difficulties in keeping up with the beat but fortunately the game is quite lenient if they miss a word or hum part of the song which still gets them through. In terms of other Singstar releases for children, like Disney, there are no real changes to the core mechanics but what made this so entertaining were the songs which are extremely memorable.

Get to the point hey? Ok, you probably want to know what tracks are included in this game and I must admit that the developers have done a pretty impressive job to ensure that there is a great variety. Well my fine readers, Singstar the Wiggles include the following 26-wiggly tracks; 

Graphically, Singstar the Wiggles looks great on the PS3 with vibrant colours, sharp images and awesome videos to watch. Unlike the PS2 version which had a dated feel, the PS3 version is far superior, thanks to its HD support. Whether it's the Wiggles themselves, Dorothy the Dinosaur, Captain Feathersword or any of the characters, it looks great on the PS3.

At the end of the day, even though this game has been designed for the younger gamer, some adults will also get a kick out of this as it's brilliantly entertaining. I’m surprised no one has thought of this idea before. It may not offer much in terms of gameplay changes (none at all really) to the Singstar franchise but as a concept, it works, especially with the high quality songs and track listing.

Recommended!