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KARAOKE REVOLUTION: REVIEW

When you first hear of Karaoke Revolution it can make you a little skeptical. It was one of the front-runners of the performance game boom and setting a standard. All in all, it's pretty entertaining. I was skeptical at first. I didn't think it would be the kind of game I enjoyed but I was very wrong.

Karaoke Revolution starts you off with a handful of original characters that you sing through on a virtual stage, complete with a microphone. You sift through a list of songs, choose your poison, and start it up.

At the bottom of the screen is an area with lines that slide by at the beat of the song, shifting up and down depending on what note you should hit next. A crowd gauge above that lets you know how your audience is enjoying your performance and beneath that area the lyrics float by in tempo. This is your lifeline. The game itself detects the pitch and tempo of your voice, so it knows if you're singing too slow, too fast, or even off-key. The songs are separated into pieces, or phrases, with a meter that fills up from red to green depending on how well you sing each phrase. You get more points for getting the meter in the green area and if you get more than one green in a row you create a combo which earns you even more points. Another good (or bad depending on your standpoint) thing about the pitch recognition of the game is that actual words aren't detected, only the notes are. So, if you're having a little trouble following the lyrics you can always just hum and manage to get by. It puts a little less stress on the player and allows you to finish a song even if you don't know the words that well.

Your virtual character struts about to the music, putting on moves for your watchers and, being a music-oriented game, most times you can't help but bop around a little yourself. It's especially exciting when you're singing a song you love.

The music varies enough to keep it interesting so that you can shift between a soul-fueled song like 'Chain of Fools' or even rock your way through 'You Really Got Me'. Duets are also possible but only in the later versions.

Also, an incentive for higher scores and completing each level of difficulty is that you can eventually unlock even more songs like 'Ladies' Night' and 'Smooth Criminal', characters, and even outfits.

All of this is enough to keep you preoccupied and thoroughly entertained for hours. If that isn't enough you can always go out and buy Karaoke Revolution 2, 3, or the two special versions dedicated to country music and American Idol.

Karaoke Revolution is definitely a game that anyone can enjoy, whether you be a gamer, a karaoke fan, or just your Average Joe on the street. Also, it can be played by people of all ages. It's a fun way to pass the time and celebrate with friends and, for karaoke enthusiasts, it's definitely a way to enjoy how fun singing really is.

Learn more about this author, Mooky.
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