As a 33 year-old father, in one respect I am definitely not the target market for Disney Sing It: Pop Hits, which seems like a game tailor-made for a 9 year old girl’s slumber party. On the other hand, as someone who could be father of that nine year old, I guess I would be the one making the purchase. Such is my internal conflict in playing this game, a game that is no way intended for me, and yet I find myself enjoying. That, and the fact that I am completely tone deaf.

Disney Sing It: Pop Hits features all the latest tween sensations, including Disney staples like Miley Cyrus, the Jonas Brothers, Demi Lovato, Vanessa Hudgens, plus pop acts including One Republic, Colbie Caillat and Coldplay. In total, there are 30 songs to perform, with the odds being the girls who will be playing this game already know every word. I have a confession to make though, in the spirit of complete honesty. When I looked through the song list, I only recognized maybe a half dozen songs. But again, this isn’t meant for me.

Using the game’s onscreen indicators, you try to match your vocal pitch to the melody and lyrics, scoring points for hitting the right pitch over multiple notes. It’s intentionally simple in style, but the challenge can be ramped up by changing the difficulty. Having little to no musical talent, I opted for easy and dove into the world of pre-teen pop music. And I’d stunned to admit, I had fun.

One possible flaw that I discovered in playing the game though, is that matching the pitch is not the same thing as matching the key. Because I rocked one million points on Miley’s The Climb using several different keys, none of which were the one the song is written in. But I had a great time doing it, so perhaps it’s not a flaw, but a good thing to avoid crushing the hopes and dreams of a generation of little girls (and game reviewers). But in general, the better you can imitate the original singer, the better you will do, in whatever key you choose to do it in. Even A flat minor.

While you are belting out each of these pop tunes, the song’s video plays in the background, which is certainly better than generic cartoon pop singers or graphics. Oddly though, given that two of the three consoles are capable of HD video, the videos are in standard definition, and as a result, don’t look as clean and crisp as they could or should. While that may be fine on the non-HD Wii and PS2, it shouldn’t be acceptable on the much more capable PS3 at this point, especially with the available storage on a Blu-Ray disc.

Disney Sing It: Pop Hits lets one or more singers play. For one player, it’s essentially just singing along, but its in multiplayer where the real meat of this game is (and hence the slumber party recommendation). Utilizing one or two microphones, you can perform solos, duets or have competing duets, all aiming to record the highest score on each song. My personal favorite is You’re On Your Own, in which you aren’t given the lyrics or pitch marks, and left to fend for yourself. Needless to say, I did not fare well, but it was a fun challenge.

Disney Sing It: Pop Hits can be bought on its own, or bundled with a USB microphone, made by Logitech. It’s solid and well build, and provides good audio quality. For duets, you can pass the microphone back and forth, or plug in a second USB mic. SingStar or previous Sing It microphones are recommended, however I was able to get by with the microphone from the previously-reviewed Storybook Workshop, so it may come down to trial and error, and luck.

Another nice and entertaining feature is the game’s webcam compatibility. Rather than having the video in the background as you sing along, you can use your cam to put yourself on the TV. Unfortunately, using your camera means you can’t plug in a second microphone on most consoles. Not having a launch PS3 with extra USB slots, I can’t confirm whether that option exists or not, but on my more recent double USB slot PS3, it’s a choice of a second mic or a camera. The game does not allow you to record your videos though, so footage of the previously mentioned rocking of The Climb will never be seen again. Thankfully.

In addition to the regular singing modes, there’s also a pro mode, featuring interactive lessons and skill training to improve your singing skills. Since most entries in the rhythm genre don’t relate directly to the real world, it’s nice to see Sing It provide some real education content for aspiring young singers. I don’t imagine it compares to actual vocal training, but for basic techniques and skills, it looks to be a real asset. And as a parent, you can feel good about buying your kids a game that has  an educational component.

On the downside, while Disney Sing It: Pop Hits features 30 hit songs, there is no capability to purchase additional songs, like most of its competitors in the rhythm game genre. Perhaps the attention span of the average tween is enough that 30 songs will suffice, or perhaps by next year’s release none of these performers will be cool anymore, but if you like the ability to add new songs to your experience, you won’t find that option here.

All told, Disney Sing it: Pop Hits is a solid package with an easy to use presentation and nice extras, but the limited number of songs and the very specific target audience make this a game that will go over huge at slumber parties, but not most other places. It can’t replace the Rock Band or Guitar Hero in your collection, but those games don’t feature the same tween-friendly lineup, so there’s definitely a place for this game as well. And who knows? You may even feel compelled to pick up the mic when your girls are sleeping over at someone else’s house.

A review copy was provided to GamerPops.