Hannah Montana: Music Jam (Disney - DS)
Release Date: October 30, 2007
Same Time As: Barbie Island Princess (DS), The Cheetah Girls: Pop Star Sensations (DS), Bratz: 4 Real (DS), High School Musical: Makin' the Cut (DS), Zoey 101: Field Trip Fiasco (DS)
Why it should succeed: Shockingly, you don't have to be a giggly school girl to dig Hannah Montana: Music Jam. In fact, you may actually enjoy it more if you're not.
Imagine Rock Band and the Garage Band software rolled together, then magically miniaturized onto your Nintendo DS. That's Music Jam. Not only can you play along with default songs by tapping your stylus, you can enter a free play mode and start creating your own sound. Rhythm, bass and drums are all customizable. Best of all? Gathering four players and jamming together wirelessly as if you're a real band.
We know it's hard to believe, but trust us. Hidden beneath the slumber party surface is a real, honest-to-goodness game. A possibly great one at that.
Why it probably won't: Same deal as Zack & Wiki. Would you want to carry this up to the counter of your local electronics store? Would you even be brave enough to pick it up? Unlikely. And remember - if you want to try the game's best feature, you'll have to convince three of your friends to do the same thing.
Tweens might not snatch this up, either. Based on the frightening lineup of princess power titles we've discovered, that demographic may have even more holiday choices than us.
