Karaoke Stage Preview(PS2)

Take the mike and be judged on your singing performance - Karaoke Stage is as simple and as brilliant as just that. A USB-microphone is used to play Karaoke Stage, and it offers the would-be star an extensive catalogue of tracks that spans rock, classic ballads, pop and R'n'B.

Recent hits from the likes of Avril Lavigne, REM and Barenaked Ladies, are all here for you to sing along to. What's especially cool for Europe is the PAL version boasts a number of tracks not seen in the US release. If your parents are gonna get involved, there are karaoke stalwarts such as 'Wind Beneath my Wings' and 'Girls Just Want to Have Fun.' Probably grandma will be best at everything, so give her the tough ones to chew!

It's thanks to Konami's Proprietary voice-recognition software that Karaoke Stage is able to judge a singer's rhythm and pitch while you sing along. Performances are ranked at the end of every song, but in addition to this there is also an audience who you must impress. If your performance really sucks, don't be surprised to see the audience up and leave!

You're saved some embarrassment by an on-screen alter ego, who borrows your voice in order to dance and sing for the crowd. As he or she does so, the lyrics to each song and the length of each note are detailed at the bottom of the screen for you to follow.

To top it all off there's a brilliant 'Showtime' mode, which follows the player's singing career as they begin in grimy clubs and chase pop superstardom.

• Sing your favorite tunes while Karaoke Stage judges you
• Fun-orientated sing-along that anyone can enjoy
• Perform your way to the ultimate concert venue in Showtime Mode
• Choose from a list of hits from the 70's, 80's, 90's and today!
• Utilises the Sony USB headset microphone for PlayStation®2
• For 1 to 8 players
• Voice recognition sensitive to pitch and ryhthm
• Songs from Avril Lavigne, REM and Barenaked Ladies
• UK version features exclusive tracks