Sing Party

3 cert, Nintendo, Wii U ***

If you’re not a fan of off-key karaoke, run away – fast. Sing Party will be your idea of hell. But if music games are your thing, this Wii U karaoke-style game will bring out the competitive streak in you. The hook for Nintendo is the use of the GamePad. Obviously, in Sing mode you sing, you score points, you try to smash everyone else, and up to two people can sing. The GamePad can be used to mix audio, with sometimes hilariously bad results. Team mode allows you to take on a rival team. Party mode kind of loses this competitive aspect. You use the GamePad as a screen to display lyrics, and sing to your “audience”, who also have the choice to join in at key moments. No scores are kept, there’s very little progression to notch up; it’s complete karaoke. The track list is broad, from modern hits such as Carly Rae Jepsen’s Call Me Maybe to ’60s and ’70s gems such as Surfin’ USA, and you can download more. Casual gaming fun.