Title: Michael Jackson The Experience
Cost:’ $4.99
Platform: iPad: requires iOS 4.2 or later
When Michael Jackson The Experience came out for Xbox Kinect every teen in my library wanted to give it a whirl, but some were too shy to shake it in front of their peers. This excellent iPad app is a great alternative for teens who just aren’t comfortable doing their best rendition of “Thriller†in front of an audience. In this format, they can let their fingers do the dancing and save themselves some humiliation, all while taking part jamming out to MJ’s classic hits like “Beat It,†“Smooth Criminal,†“Blood on the Dance Floor, “and much more. Don’t see your favorite song included in the game? No worries, you can download other songs through the in-app purchase function.
The game functions by using your fingers to make a series of swipes across the screen, following the prompts for each impending dance move. When this happens, the Michael Jackson avatar comes to life and performs real Michael Jackson signature moves. Thankfully, the game is not sensitive to how large you make the signs or where on the screen you make them; just as long as you perform the correct “swipe motion,†your move will be properly executed. The animation and game graphics are amazing and will not let you down.
The price is a bit steep for teen audiences, but it sure beats $39.99, which is the cost of the game for Xbox. This game would be a great addition to any YA librarian’s game arsenal and would be so much fun to keep in mind for next year’s National Gaming Day.
