SingStar ABBA Review

SingStar ABBA is somewhat of an oddity in the series on the PS3. First off, it's strange to see a game released dedicated to a single group. SingStar features extensive online support that includes a large music catalog, so it's surprising to see that ABBA fans can't buy any of the group's songs online and that they're only available on this game disc. On the other hand, if SingStar ABBA is supposed to attract people new to SingStar, why is it the only version of the game that is not available bundled with the microphones required to play the game. If you already own SingStar you're forced to buy the game again to get access to songs that should have been made available online in the first place. If you don't own SingStar, then you're forced to buy two SingStar games so that you can get the microphones needed to play SingStar ABBA. I can only guess that this is an attempt to take advantage of the popularity of Mama Mia and squeeze extra money out of those enamored with the musical and movie.

If you're new to SingStar, you'll want to check out our review of the original game. SingStar ABBA is identical in every way except for the all-ABBA track list. Going all ABBA means that this version of SingStar is not as universal a party game as the original. There are hardly any male vocal tracks and most guys will feel a little odd singing the female parts, not just because of the range, but also because the lyrics are pretty feminine. Even the ladies may find that they are singing only a handful of the available songs on the disc. To fill up the disc, Sony had to dig deep into the ABBA catalog, going beyond the big and even second tier hits. Check out the song list for yourself and see how many songs you recognize:

  • Chiquitita
  • Dancing Queen
  • Does Your Mother Know
  • Fernando
  • Gimme! Gimme! Gimme! (A Man after Midnight)
  • Happy New Year
  • Head Over Heals
  • I Do I Do I Do I Do I Do
  • Knowing Me Knowing You
  • Mamma Mia
  • Money Money Money
  • One of Us
  • Ring Ring
  • SOS
  • Summer Night City
  • Super Trouper
  • Take a Chance on Me
  • Thank You for the Music
  • The Day Before You Came
  • The Name Of The Game
  • The Winner Takes It All
  • Under Attack
  • Voulez Vous
  • Waterloo
  • When All Is Said and Done

The ABBA songs should really have been released through SingStar's online music store, or perhaps as a discount bundle with the microphones included and an abbreviated track list with just the group's recognizable songs. As it stands, ABBA fans will need to part with a lot of money just to sing along with their favorite group. And the cost per track is very high for those who will only want to sing through a half dozen of the group's greatest hits.

In The End, This Game Hath Been Rated: 64%. Where are the mics? Why wasn't this released through SingStar's music store?

 

Final Rating: 64% - Where are the mics? Why wasn't this released through SingStar's music store?

 

Note: A review code for this game was provided by the publisher.