By Ned Jordan

The SingStar series of games continues to thrive on the PS2, one of the latest of which is SingStar Legends. Each release of the game has left the gameplay itself untouched, essentially using each new release as a substitute for the lack of support for downloadable content on the PS2. This is not really a bad thing, because the core gameplay certainly does what it does well enough - provide a fun way for friends at a party to enjoy a little video karaoke. It's more of an issue with us game reviewers, who dread having to come up with six or more ways to describe the gameplay each time a new iteration in the series is released. Well, I finally give up. I will from now on take the easy way out and direct those new to the series to my review for SingStar Pop where you'll be able to learn everything you want to know about how the game works. In this review I'll focus specifically on what SingStar Legends brings to the party, and that begins and ends with the song list:

Barry White - "You're The First, The Last, My Everything"
Biz Markie - "Just A Friend"
Black Sabbath - "Paranoid"
Bonnie Tyler - "Total Eclipse Of The Heart"
David Bowie - "Life On Mars?"
Dusty Springfield - "Son Of A Preacher Man"
Ella Fitzgerald and Louis Armstrong - "Let's Call The Whole Thing Off"
Elton John - "I'm Still Standing"
Elvis Presley - "Blue Suede Shoes"
Grateful Dead - "Touch Of Grey"
James Brown - "I Got You (I Feel Good)"
John Lennon - "Imagine"
Johnny Cash - "Ring Of Fire"
Joy Division - "Love Will Tear Us Apart"
Madonna - "Papa Don't Preach"
Marvin Gaye - "What's Goin On?"
Michael McDonald - "I Keep Forgettin' (Every Time You're Near)"
Nirvana - "Smells Like Teen Spirit"
Patsy Cline - "Crazy"
Ray Charles - "Hit The Road Jack"
Sam Cooke - "Wonderful World"
The Jackson 5 - "I Want You Back"
The Monkees - "Daydream Believer"
The Police - "Roxanne"
The Righteous Brothers - "Unchained Melody"
The Rolling Stones - "Sympathy For The Devil"
The Smiths - "This Charming Man"
Tina Turner - "What's Love Got To Do With It?"
Tom Jones - "What's New Pussycat?"
Whitney Houston - "I'm Your Baby Tonight"

I haven't been a big fan in the past of the SingStar games that try to provide a little something for everyone, because ultimately no one is happy with more than a track or two from the disc.  The problem with those collections, though, has been that they concentrated on current tracks in a variety of genres, and, well, if you love alternative rock odds are you really don't care for pop.  This collection draws from a variety of genres as well, but what it does better than its predecessors is that it draws music from the last six decades.  Even if you're not a fan of 50s music, chances are you can still have fun singing "Blue Suede Shoes" or "Ring of Fire".  And you have to be a total (insert your favorite genre here) not to be able to cut loose to "What's New Pussycat?" or revel in the pop cheesiness of "Total Eclipse of the Heart".  This is a party disc through and through, and should be added to the collection of those who enjoy playing SingStar whenever they have a group of friends come over - or for the private enjoyment of those who want to sing "Daydream Believer" but don't want their friends to see them...

In The End, This Game Hath Been Rated: 80%. SingStar Legends is probably the best party disc entry in the series.