Alvin and the Chipmunks: Chipwrecked

UPC: 096427017516

Platform: Wii

Publisher: Majesco Entertainment

Developer: Behaviour Interactive

Category: Simulation

Style(s): Dancing Sim

Synopsis: Based on the 2011 feature film, Chipwrecked presents Alvin, Simon, and Theodore with a high-seas serving of chaotic hijinks and harmonic choreography. Joined by the Chippettes -- Brittany, Jeanette, and Eleanor -- the boys bust their best moves to more than two dozen familiar pop hits, all performed Chipmunk style. Following the footsteps of their favorite character, players master rhythm-based, whole-body routines. The better they can keep to the beat, the higher the score. Accurate dancing fills a "Munk Power" meter to unlock over-the-top finishing moves. ~ T.J. Deci, All Game Guide

Package Contents: 12-page Instruction Manual

Controls: Joystick/Gamepad

Traditionally, the quickest way to deliver a movie tie-in was to shoehorn the license into a conventional platform game or beat-'em-up, for better or worse (mostly for worse). While this still holds true for modern systems like the Wii, there are now more options for quick and easy tie-ins. One such easily exploited genre is the dance or rhythm game popularized by Ubisoft's Just Dance series. Alvin and the Chipmunks: Chipwrecked closely follows this format, which actually makes some sense given the musical nature of the tiny trio. In Chipwrecked, children will be able to move and groove to high-pitched versions of 30 songs they have most likely never heard, from amp;"It's Tricky" and amp;"Beat It" to amp;"Karma Chameleon" and amp;"Love Shack." Youngsters can choose which of the three Chipmunks (or Chipettes) to use as the lead dancer, and then it's simply a matter of going through each song in order to earn a high score based on how well players follow the performances. The story mode adds still-image cut-scenes in between the four main environments in the game while free play lets you play any of the songs in order. There's also a co-op mode, but it's misnamed. You can't play simultaneously, and your goal is to earn a higher score than your opponent after alternating turns. As in games like Just Dance, the gameplay involves following a series of motions represented by icons just below the characters. At the end of the song, you'll receive a star rating based on the number of points you've earned, allowing you to unlock new outfits and accessories to personalize your chipmunk. Unlike Just Dance, the routines often repeat the same basic moves and don't at all seem to be designed to fit the songs. The accuracy and response times are also surprisingly poor for such basic moves. Judged strictly as a game, Chipwrecked is below average, a cheaply designed title that offers little incentive for older dance title fans to keep playing for longer than a single session. As entertainment for children, however, it fares slightly better, particularly in a party setting, where everyone is simply content to dance along with their favorite chipmunks and listen to their distinctive take on popular music. Chipwrecked is less a game and more of a dance video, though children won't likely care. ~ Scott Alan Marriott, All Game Guide

the game requires Joystick/Gamepad.