Although Rock Band is sweet, SingStar is our number one choice for video game karaoke. Over the years, Sony's done a masterful job delivering a very enjoyable singing experience bolstered by excellent technology and most importantly, killer song lists. Now the fun arrives on PlayStation 3 May 20, and we can't wait to grab our microphones and carry a tune.

SingStar PS3 has two great things going for it, starting with its impressive soundtrack. You get 30 songs on the disc, a lineup that includes Amy Winehouse (Back to Black), David Bowie (Let's Dance), The Ramones (I Wanna Be Sedated), U2 (Beautiful Day) and Weezer (Buddy Holly), among others. That alone is pretty sweet, but what's even more impressive is the SingStore, an online store that lets you purchase new songs, each of which cost $1.49. And we're not talking about three songs a week. Sony hopes to roll out 25-50 songs every month. This allows you to create your ultimate song list, but Sony takes it a step further with remote play. Using your PSP, you can trigger downloads from the SingStore and have your list read to go before the party starts.

What's also hot about the songs are the music videos. You're not staring at some 3-D characters performing (ala Rock Band). Instead, you get the actual artists, and some of these videos run in high definition.

The next cool feature is My SingStar Online. This is your personal profile page that features your personal information (what you choose to share) and images and videos of your performances, all captured with the PlayStation Eye camera. Sony basically wants everyone to record themselves looking ridiculous and upload the footage for the world to see. Considering how nasty people get online, let's hope the company has someone monitoring this stuff.

At this point, community support is our only concern. PS3 sales are on the rise, but judging by the empty online lobbies, it appears most consumers are playing games solo or just using their systems as a Blu-ray player. If that's the case, then SingStar could be a ghost town. But it's not like we need to watch goofball clips to have a great time. It's still all about inviting some friends over and getting crazy.

With cool online features an a gigantic song list, SingStar PS3 could become the ultimate karaoke experience. Get ready to rock the mic May 20, and look for our jammin' review in the near future.

Related Links

SingStar Game Guide