We Sing Rock! (Wii) Review

We Sing Rock! continues the previous good done by the series in the past, providing a simple, straightforward approach to singing games. It’s as easy as plugging in a microphone and jabbering along, making sure to match the pitch and tempo displayed on screen along with the lyrics. 40 rock anthems -- though the term is used quite loosely -- make up the package, all unlocked from the start so players can pick up the mic and dive in instantly. Whether you want to go Rollin’ with Limp Bizkit, prove you’re The Best to Tina Turner or Poison the ears of everybody around you, there’s enough variety to keep a wide range of people happy here.

Positioned mainly as a party game, up to four singers can take part in We Sing Rock! simultaneously, if enough microphones and a USB hub are owned. Tons of multiplayer modes are available to sort out the crooners from the catastrophic, from standard versus affairs to group battles. Those who desire more of a challenge can take on Blind mode, which will drop music and lyrics at random while expecting the singing to continue, or Expert trims away the helpful pitch bars and lyrics for the truly confident.

If only one mic is available, however, don’t despair. Multiplayer fun can still be had by alternating singer in Pass the Mic, and there are always solo modes to entertain those who don’t mind serenading their televisions. Lurking alongside the anticipated music, though, are a collection of 30 singing lessons designed to drag your vocal chords through the entire range of the Solfege scale. Dedicate yourself to the cause and maybe, just maybe, We Sing Rock! has potential to actually improve note and transition accuracy here. If background music is all that’s wanted, a jukebox can be set off to play songs and music videos without any need for further interaction.

There’s a tidy interface on the front of We Sing Rock! that lets a number of details be swapped around quickly. There are three difficulties for each track, and players can choose to attempt the full length version of a song or a cut down edition. There’s also the chance to remove recorded vocals so that only the backing track can be heard, karaoke-style. This comes across messily, unfortunately, with the voices not so much removed as apparently turned down in an equaliser. Ghostly words from the original artists still seep through -- some songs affected worse than others -- which negates the point of such a function.