Lips pre-orders get eight free songs

By Robert Purchese Published 22 October, 2008

Out mid-November in the US.

US retailers Amazon and Gamestop are offering eight free songs to anyone who pre-orders Xbox 360 karaoke game Lips.

The Zune team will choose the songs, according to the Microsoft Gamerscore blog, and offer one new track each week for two months.

There's no word on a European initiative or regular DLC price, but we're seeing the game soon, so expect our thoughts and possible bundle/date confirmation in prompt fashion.

Lips is due out in the US on 14th November according to Amazon and 18th November according to GameStop (fight!), incidentally, and retails for USD 69.99 with the microphones.

The game is, of course, the Xbox 360's rather late answer to SingStar. Developed by iNiS (Gitaroo Man, Ouendan, Elite Beat Agents), the clever bit comes in being able to sing along to music on your console hard drive, iPod or Zune.

We're not sure how, but the correct lyrics pop up, the vocal levels are reduced, and the game even gives a rating at the end of the performance. Wizardry.

Lips also has sparkly, motion-sensitive microphones for friends to wave around while others sign, plus a persistent character element where players eventually level up.

Tom had a chance to sing along after Lips was unveiled at E3. Head over to his lips-on impressions of Lips to find out more.

Picture of Robert.

About Robert Purchese

Bertie is Eurogamer's Senior Staff Writer. When he's not hunting down news stories he's often found playing with his kids or gabbling about fantasy games and strange online worlds.

Read more articles from Robert by visiting the Robert Purchese archive page.

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Comments (16) Latest comment 3 years ago

Comments threads automatically close after 30 days, but please feel free to continue chatting on the forum!

  • Rpt81 #1 3 years ago

    The constant, specific mentions of iPod and Zune make me presume it has to be one of those models to read your songs. I guess I won't be able to just plug in my Walkman and have it read the tracks off there.

  • Penguinzoot #2 3 years ago

    My daughter and Mrs Penguin are very interested in this - especially the ability to sing along to your own songs. What with this and You're In the Movies, I can just picture Christmas afternoon now ;)
    Edited by 1 at 22/10/08 @ 16:56

  • Ninja_Tino #3 3 years ago

    Ohh if it works well this could be fun. I'm hoping '5 Years' works well!

  • Eighthours #4 3 years ago

    My one worry is that we're less than a month from launch and the "sing your own music library" thing hasn't been shown yet. Which makes me think it's going to be disappointing. Hope I'm wrong, though.
    Edited by 1 at 22/10/08 @ 17:04

  • Zomoniac #5 3 years ago

    The sing your own library thing won't work. On purpose. If it does, how on earth do they propose to sell any DLC?

  • seasidebaz #6 3 years ago

    /stealth "we all have girlfriends" thread

  • seasidebaz #7 3 years ago

    @zomoniac:

    Higher quality music with videos in the background and potentially no lyrics over the top, so it'll be like real karaoke. There's probably a bitrate cap on music imported from a player.

  • LazyDan #8 3 years ago

    Dreadful as in you didn't enjoy it, or dreadful as in you've played and enjoyed SingStar and don't rate this in comparison?

    If the latter, how so?


    EDIT: Oh boo, he deleted his post.
    Edited by 1 at 22/10/08 @ 17:24

  • miiiguel #9 3 years ago

    "What with this and You're In the Movies, I can just picture Christmas afternoon now"
    I pictured that in my family and is actually scary (as in bye; bye; 8 hours of Fallout 3 sessions...). Well. not really, I'm just being an ass...

  • rhancock1 #10 3 years ago

    on Amazon UK it has set a new release date for LIPS and YOU'RE IN THE MOVIES: 1st Dec
    It used to be later
    Edited by 1 at 22/10/08 @ 19:27

  • coojam #11 3 years ago

    I really hope this is good, SingStar is one of my key factors for buying a PS3 and Lips could help me save £300, still don't think You're In The Movies/Scene It are Buzz-killers though. My only worry with Lips is that they're over-complicating it. The joy of SingStar is in it's simplicity.

  • alexg #12 3 years ago

    Lips... heh heh... lips

  • Doctor_What #13 3 years ago

    @ Zomomiac: The DLC are the lyrics. You don't think they'd look up those lyics for free do you? Also, your musical tastes will then be analysed and sold on to the highest bidder. Cynical? Moi? It's what I'd do if I wanted to get the most money possible.

    So far it sounds like a gimmicky version of SingStar, when SingStar is already doing pretty much everything right. If the 'sing your own stuff' works properly then that could be a real benefit, but I remain unconvinced and it sounds like you'll need DRM'd music on your MP3 player to make it work. I avoid that stuff, so potentially none of my music will be usable. I very much look forward to hearing more about this because SingStar is a very firm favourite in my house.

  • SpaceMidget75 Verified Senior Software Developer, Minerva Computer Services #14 3 years ago

    It actually ONLY works with non-DRM stuff.

    The lyrics thing has now been postponed until sometime after release.

    If MS wanted to be really clever about this they could use the audio fingerprinting techniques that are becoming more viable recently to find the song you're playing and then download the lyrics.

    ....but they won't.

  • Moribundman #15 3 years ago

    I participated in some market research for this one, and I have to say they all seemed rather smug that it could basically allow you to "sing along with anything you want".

    Personally I just want to play Derek and Clive's "Jump" and receive an Xbox award for nailing it...

  • lambtron #16 3 years ago

    It's all aboard the complain train on this thread ;).