But this DVD game has much more promise. First, it's published by Screenlife, the makers of the hit DVD game Scene It? and a company with a strong track record. Second, it includes more than 1,000 clips and images from previous seasons of American Idol.
The DVD game is hosted by Ryan Seacrest; judges Simon Cowell, Randy Jackson and Paula Abdul also make appearances.
Six types of gameplay are featured: Spotlight, Front and Center, Destiny, Phone Poll, Showdown, and Elimination. Based on a partial review copy available at Toy Fair, Spotlight challenges players to sing along to various songs, perform a dance routine, and answer trivia questions; while Destiny is a random category that either earns or costs you performance stars. The other categories were not playable on my pre-release review copy.
At least some of the game is completely random, such as the judges' reactions to vocal performances. So the best players won't always win the most performance stars (which is the goal of the game). But this isn't designed to be a strategy game; it's a party game for the millions of fans of American Idol. In that light, it hits the target and deserves to be a hit game.
Promoting the game at the American International Toy Fair were William Hung, the best-known and best-loved performer ever to fail miserably in Idol auditions, and Diana DeGarmo, the runner-up from season three who is currently performing in the musical "Hairspray" on Broadway.
Included in the box are: a DVD with more than 1,000 clips and images, the game board, 4 player tokens, 16 talent cards, 4 category reference cards, an 8-sided die, 60 performance stars, an echo chamber microphone (which amplifies your voice with no batteries required), and the game rules.
American Idol All-Star Challenge DVD Game sells for $30 to $35. It's recommended for 2 to 4 players or teams, ages 8 and up.
