Plot: What’s it about?
If you like dance games, but wish the music was more…high pitched, then prepare to be dazzled. Alvin and the Chipmunks: Chipwrecked lets you groove to 30 popular tunes, all performed by those lovable chipmunks. The track list is filled with fun, pop rock that is perfect for younger players to rock out with. Chipwrecked if of course targeted at those younger players, so the entire experience is designed around that audience. The game plays out like most dance games on Kinect, you’ll need to match the moves shown on screen. If you’re on beat and your gestures are accurate, then you score more points, simple concept. Chipwrecked is much more generous with the scoring window than most games however. This lets players focus on having fun, as they have longer to react and their movements are less scrutinized. You still need to be within reasonable range of the dance routines, but Chipwrecked is more about fun than criticism of your technique.
You can just dance it out to various songs if you want to, but there is also a story mode here. The campaign tasks you to perform a block of songs, then the story advances, then you dance again, so on and so forth. After each block of songs is completed, the story unfolds via some narration. I was kind of let down to find that the story is just still images with some voice-overs, but that’s a minor issue in a game of this kind. After all, the main attraction is just kicking out the jams and having fun, not watching extended cut scenes and exposition. You’re able to dance co-op as well, which is a nice inclusion. A dance game is fun by yourself, but even more fun with a friend to outshine on the dance floor. You can cash in your score rewards to outfit your chipmunk with new clothes and items as well, which younger players should appreciate. Alvin and the Chipmunks: Chipwrecked isn’t going to dethrone Dance Central, but it offers a relaxed, brisk dance experience. So for younger players or those who just can’t get enough time on the dance floor, Chipwrecked is recommended.
Video: How does it look?
As you’d expect, the visual design is bright and vivid, reflecting the cartoon style of the license. The colors are bold and vibrant, which suits the tropical design elements quite well. The stages look good too, with solid detail and more attention to the smaller touches than I anticipated. The character designs are spot on, showing the same look for the chipmunks as the recent feature films. The visuals here needed to be colorful and fun, which is what we’ve been given.
Audio: How does it sound?
The sound design is rock solid, which is good since this game is driven by the music. If you dislike the high pitched vocals of the chipmunks, then this game isn’t going to convert your tastes. All of the songs are performed in that chipmunk style, for better or for worse. The music sounds great here, which makes it all the easier to dance to. The other audio elements are less crucial, but the entire sound design is well crafted.
Supplements: What are the extras?
N/A
