Karaoke Revolution Presents: American Idol review

Konami's Karaoke Revolution has been a wonderful hit four times over (we ignore the Country Music Television version the same way we ignore Rocky V). That said, the series was definitely in need of some flavor to make a new iteration more palatable. That flavor comes in the form of American Idol and it has made the game quite delicious.

Karaoke Revolution Presents American Idol takes the same formula of the other games and melds it with the ever popular show. You get to belt out some tunes (alone or with up to seven of your friends) while the game judges your rhythm and pitch. It's pretty much the same fun time the game has always offered, though the judging seems more lenient this time around. With a great variety of songs, plenty of characters to creates, and loads of goodies to unlock, this is a fun game for one and absolute blast for a party.

The American Idol embellishments are mostly a good thing. Randy Jackson and Simon Cowell add some merriment to the mix as they judge you after every performance. Their commentary does get old after a while, but you can skip it easily. The sets and music from the show will delight fans, though not nearly as much as the unlockable scenes and characters from the series. Sadly, Konami couldn't get the rights for Paula Abdul's likeness and voice. Instead you're treated to Laura (whose last name is Schmabdul…we think), who is a weak replacement. The American Idol trappings will appeal to the show's millions and millions of fans, but they're not so in your face that they'll irritate gamers that love Karaoke Revolution but hate the show.