Strategy & Sim Video Games

Based on the series of music compilations in which children cover hit songs, Kidz Bop Dance Party! The Video Game is designed to be a family friendly title that lets children get in on the fun of karaoke-style rhythm games such as Lips and SingStar. Young gamers can join characters Dana and Valerie as they sing along to 24 different songs made popular by artists such as Lady Gaga, Michael Jackson, and Miley Cyrus. All of the songs are sung by children and have family friendly lyrics, and players can earn points to go shopping for new costumes, hairstyles, and accessories. Special dance modes let two kids get in on the action, and all the dancing is controlled entirely via Wii Remote, so no dance mats are required. ~ Christopher Brown, All Game Guide

Grease is the word, is the time, is the place, and is now in your Wii, courtesy of 505 Games. The hit Paramount Pictures film serves as the inspiration for this collection of mini-games, which will have you singing, dancing, and racing with the Wii Remote, USB microphones, and the optional Wii Balance Board. Sixteen songs are included, with mini-games that have you performing the hand jive hop, racing down Thunder Road, and attending the Rydell High graduation carnival. Up to eight players are supported by the game as part of two competing teams: the T-Birds and Pink Ladies. ~ Scott Alan Marriott, All Game Guide

Created exclusively for Wii, Gold's Gym Dance Workout uses the motion-sensitive Wii Remote and Nunchuk controllers -- and optionally, the Wii Balance Board -- to monitor player performance in a series of aerobic workout routines. Some of the software's virtual exercise activities are based on real-life and extreme sports, such as karate, rowing, and even bull riding and kangaroo boxing. Users can enter data based on their physical statistics, and the software will track the approximate number of calories burned, as well as their exercise history, time played, and changes to their body-mass index reading. A built-in virtual training coach can gradually increase the intensity of the workouts based on the player's improved performance. Central to the program are circuit routines, which string together dance exercises into a continuous work-out lasting up to 30 minutes. Gold's Gym Dance Workout supports two players at once, allowing the user to work out with a friend. ~ T.J. Deci, All Game Guide

Disney Sing It: Family Hits is a karaoke video game featuring 30 songs from Disney films and shows. Players sing along as music videos and movie footage, including scenes from The Jungle Book, The Little Mermaid, The Lion King, Toy Story, and Cars, play full-screen in the background. Up to eight may play at once, passing the microphone around to take turns. The game's "Encore" mode allows players to record their performances and play them back, just as they were sung or with special audio effects added to the voice track. Actress and singer Anika Noni Rose, who played Tiana in The Princess and the Frog, hosts a section of special training exercises to help players warm up their vocal chords. Disney Sing It: Family Hits requires a Wii-compatible microphone for play. ~ T.J. Deci, All Game Guide

City Builder combines the meandering puzzle gameplay of Pipe Mania with the construction simulation of SimCity to offer gamers more than 20 hours of light-hearted action. Players begin by placing road puzzle pieces to complete a path from one side of a grid to another, and then they do the same with sections of underground pipe and power lines, with the ultimate goal of creating increasingly larger cities. Gamers travel to five different continents as they continue to build towns, but the construction is never as simple as it may seem, because players must deal with obstacles such as mole-men, aliens, and archaeological digs, all while racing against the clock. ~ Christopher Brown, All Game Guide

Becoming a prima ballerina is the objective in this casual simulation game from Deep Silver. Featuring licensed apparel from Repetto, Let's Play Ballerina has youngsters dressing up a 12-year-old ballerina and customizing her makeup and hair before embarking on a series of dance- and music-related activities. Set within an instructional academy and an opera house, the game will help children learn the proper balance and movement required for various ballet steps. Six authentic ballets can be performed using the Wii Remote and optional Wii Balance Board. Also included are quizzes to reinforce key concepts associated with the classical dance style. ~ Scott Alan Marriott, All Game Guide

Designed to be friendly to younger gamers, Kid Adventures: Sky Captain challenges players to become the ace of Gloster Island in 40 exciting aerial missions. The action comes in a variety of forms, as gamers can join races, shoot targets, herd cattle, and find hidden pirate treasures in and around three different islands. There are seven different vehicles to pilot, including a gyrocopter, a jet plane, and a UFO, and players can join a friend for co-op flying or four different "Versus" modes, including races and aerial battles. ~ Christopher Brown, All Game Guide

Wii owners who happen to be fans of dancing and musicals can take their off-Broadway dreams to the next level as they dance and sing to the songs from hit musicals in Dance on Broadway. Up to four players can use their Wii Remote to perform original choreography to songs from such long-running Broadway shows as Fame, Hairspray, Hair, and Little Shop of Horrors, and the tracklist includes such hits as "Aquarius," "We're in the Money," and "Luck Be a Lady." ~ All Game Guide

Let's Play Garden is a light-hearted strategy game, in the management-sim style of FarmVille or Harvest Moon, with many action-oriented mini-game challenges. From a third-person perspective, players take charge of their own customizable garden plots, clearing the land, planning a layout, and choosing the placement of plants and other features. Players can obtain new equipment, plants, and decorative items by playing the themed mini-games, many of which resemble familiar fairground challenges such as whack-a-mole and target practice. The game is broken into seasons, and players must reach a certain level of success in one season in order to move onto the next. Additional activities, including multiplayer mini-games, become unlocked as the garden receives new features, and as players advance through the seasons. ~ T.J. Deci, All Game Guide

The influential punk-pop rock band Green Day goes interactive, with a dedicated release in MTV Games' successful play-along franchise. The game features the band's three core members, Billie Joe Armstrong, Mike Dirnt, and Tré Cool, in virtual form, on stage at various venues important to the trio's storied career history. As in earlier editions of Rock Band, players can jam with the instrument of their choice, and the Green Day edition supports three-part vocal harmonies specific to the band's music. There are 47 playable Green Day songs on the disc, including "American Idiot," "Brain Stew/Jaded," "Boulevard of Broken Dreams," "Hitchin' a Ride," and "Wake Me Up When September Ends." ~ T.J. Deci, All Game Guide