Microsoft confirms Lips for 360
Sing over your own music.
Flavour-of-the-month Welsh warbler Duffy joined Microsoft Games Studios boss Shane Kim on stage tonight for the unveiling of Lips, 360's answer to Sony's towering SingStar series.
The game is being developed by iNiS, the studio behind superb DS rhythm-action camp-a-thon Elite Beat Agents, and is down for a holiday 2008 release.
While the basic format looks notably SingStar-like at first glance, the wireless mics bundled with the game boast motion sensors that allow you to shake your arms about like Bez from the Happy Mondays, while pretending to play the tambourine.
They also have lights on them which react to your performance, and presumably go bonkers with delight if you're wearing a Burberry sweater or flicking your finger like Ali G and throwing bread at cars from an overpass.
One major feature is the ability to use your own music collection with the game - Kim mentioned being able to plug in your Zune or iPod while wailing over classic by Steps or Ronan Keating or Pat and Mick. Maybe that's just us.
To demonstrate, pint-sized chart-topper Duffy emerged and sang her hit song Mercy, before scuttling away with a cry of "Woo!" and thanking Kim for the "amazing pleasure". Kim also confirmed that her music would be in the game, fairly obviously.
We're hoping to go smackers-on with Lips later this week. Tom "Voice of an Angel" Bramwell is practicing already.