Konami certainly knows a thing or two about rhythm and music since they brought us Dance Dance Revolution, but having released two excellent karaoke games the Karaoke Revolution titles are quickly becoming the ultimate PS2 party game.  With Karaoke Revolution Volume 3 the series strays from the one-at-a-time formula for actual duets where each singer can use his or her own microphone.  Now this is what I call a true karaoke party game.

The Karaoke Revolution games have always mixed some classic pop standards with today’s recognizable tunes and Volume 3 isn’t any different.  The song list is filled with thirty-seven different tunes from various musical genres.  The recordings themselves are true to the original tunes so they’ll be instantly recognizable and if you already know some of the tunes by heart, it won’t be hard to know when to come in and how to hit those high and low notes when they’re required.  The question is do you have the vocal talents to be in-synch with the music?  Unless you’re a professional singer, the answer should be no, but that’s okay because this is what makes the game so fun in the first place.

There are five different game modes filled for single and multiplayer games.  Quick Play simply allows you to get right to the singing while Single Player allows you to play through Showtime (the game’s Career mode) and Medley (which allows players to come up with their own medley of songs).  Multiplayer Mode - fit for up to eight players - comes complete with Medley, Arcade (take turns singing to see who earns the most points) and Karaoke Competition (there’s no scoring, each contestant votes for the best singer).  The new mode, Duets, allows you to sing songs that require a second voice and thanks to the fact that you can hook up two USB microphones or USB headsets you don’t have to share the microphone.  Duets Mode has Duets (basically a co-op mode), Sing-Off (players sing alternating phrases in a direct competition) and Knockout (who sings the same song better?).  There’s even a Training Mode that allows you to practice a song or half of the song.

Showtime, the game’s main single-player mode, is the best way to stretch your vocal cords before sharing the game with a group of friends.  You’ll be able to chose from up to twenty-two different character models (both male and female) and later unlock neat outfits for them.  Dressed in unusual costumes (Dwayne wears scuba gear and there’s Ishani who wears a whole Hawaiian outfit complete with a grass skirt), the singers start in the garage of your home and advance to much bigger venues such as an appearance in a popular record store.  You’ll be given a choice of four songs and you’ll perform them, but here’s the catch, instead of an American Idol-styled competition where three individuals judge your singing, it’s the audience that determines your ability to carry a tune (there‘s a Crowd Meter that has a Poor, OK, Good and Great setting.  They roar with applause when you get the phrases right and boo you something awful when you hit really sour ones.  In fact, they’re great at letting you know how your performance is doing and are thus the perfect judges (take that Simon, Randy and Paula).

The game places you in the venue with the lyrics scrolling in the bottom of the screen.  You’ll also notice a bar and a phrase meter just above the words and it’s not until you start singing that a musical staff appears.  Your goal is to keep the musical staff strictly within the bar and this can only be done by the pitch of your voice.  If you’re singing “New York, New York,” for example, you’ll have to hit that long note at the end of the song in true Frank Sinatra fashion if you want to earn points and keep the crowd happy.  Hit the notes just right and you’ll get a Crowd Boost that will send the Crowd Meter needle all the way up to Great. Pull off three “Good” or “Great” settings and you’ll earn a Combo that increases your points.  Do badly and the song will abruptly stop.  Finish the song and they’ll tally up the score to see if you earn a Gold or Platinum record.

The song list is plentiful and you’re bound to find a song that you’ll at least know the chorus to.  You’ll find The Jackson Five’s “ABC” to The Mamas and the Papas “California Dreamin’” while also bringing new music like Dido’s “Thank You” and Hoobastank’s “The Reason.”  You’ll have a hard time not wanting to sing the classics like Wilson Pickets’ “In The Midnight Hour” or The Righteous Brothers’ “Unchained Melodies.”  The inclusion of a Duets Mode has also brought us tunes like “I’ve Got You Babe” and “Under Pressure.”

I’ve played the game using a USB headset (a Logitech headset that came packaged with SOCOM) and a USB microphone (Logitech’s USB Karaoke Microphone) and while both were perfectly capable of bringing out your voice I found the microphone far better.  For those using an USB headset the mic must be directly over your mouth for the best results.  Yet if you want the ultimate karaoke experience, nothing beats the microphone.

Visually, the game’s graphics are smooth and filled with wonderful detail.  The venues are filled with various little details aside from the crowds that sway their hands, clap and nod to the music.  The various character models you can chose from are fun to watch and so are the flashing lights of the combo or Crowd Boost.  It’s not bad, really.  The music is performed much like the original and the backing vocal is great to sing along to if you’re not certain about how to sing a phrase.  The instrumentals are great and the sounds of the audience liking your performance really do give you a great feeling and a sense that you really are being judged. 

Karaoke Revolution Volume 3 is a perfect addition to the series and one that is even more delightful thanks to the ability to sing duets.  There are plenty of great songs and a good variety of them that should appeal to everyone and the modes will certainly keep your vocal cords busy.  This is a great party game and fans of karaoke games will not go wrong with this one.  Buy this one and share it with a large group of friends.

Gameplay: 8.7
With dozens of game modes, plus the much appreciate Duets multiplayer modes, this has party game written all over it.  The best part of this is that you can use two USB microphones or headsets for the duets, although I highly recommend you stick with a microphone (particularly Logitech’s USB Karaoke Microphone).

Graphics: 8.0
The funny character models look great as they bring your voice to life and the various venues are both wonderfully colorful and filled with a lively crowd.  The flashy effects that appear when you’re singing are great.

Sound: 10
An abundant compilation of recreated tunes from yesteryear and today is a great way to assure every gamers can recognize them.  You’re assured to know five or six of these tunes since they cover everything from “Twist and Shout” to “Oops! . . . I Did It Again.”  The audience is great at pumping you up or telling you how awful you sound by their negative reactions.

Difficulty: Hard
While the Judging Level can be changed to be more forgiving, some songs require you to hit those high notes just right.  Songs like “Killing Me Softly” and the Freddy Mercury parts in “Under Pressure.”  If you really want to test your vocal skills try the ultimate sing-off mode, Medley Mode.

Concept: 8.7
You’re judged by the way you hit the notes just right and how well you stay in-synch with the instrumentals--it’s brilliant!  The song list might not be bursting at the seams with songs but there are enough here to satisfy those that like the classics (Michael Jackson‘s “Beat it“) and the new stuff (“If I Ain’t Got You” by Alicia Keys).

Multiplayer: 9.0
A true party game in every sense, the first two Karaoke Revolution titles were fun enough to have you passing the microphone from friend to friend (up to eight of them, if you want).  Yet the third volume places an emphasis on duets . . . enough that you can plug in two mics or headsets and sing along to songs that were meant to be sung with a partner (e.g. the David Bowie and Freddie Mercury collaboration Under Pressure).  Facing off against a friend or two in the Knockout or Sing-Off Modes is a great way to prove who sings better.

Overall: 8.7
Take a bow, Konami, Karaoke Revolution Volume 3 is yet another stellar offering and one seriously fun party game.  With a wonderful assortment of tunes, characters, settings and the ability to use two separate headsets or microphones for duets, you will certainly find plenty to enjoy here.  If you love to sing or hear your friends mangle pop hits, do buy this one right away.