The Deluxe Experience allows you to customize an avatar to use, learn moves, choreograph dances and unlock new items. You can explore venues from tours and videos and gain followers as you sing and dance your way through the Peas back catalogue.
The avatar customization was similar to the Sims games and the kids enjoyed jazzing up the look of their character, changing hair and eye colour, clothing and body type. You can have fun trying to recreate yourself. The avatars of the band are really spot on and well animated. Will I.Am is uncanningly good in pixelated form!
The music and routines are great for fans of the Black Eyed Peas. The dance moves are very authentic, and very fast and furious. Multi-player jump in allows friends to join you at any time, ideal when playing with a houseful of kids all eager to take part. Coaches can teach you the moves step by step or you can throw yourself straight into the full routine. Songs are rated with a difficulty level starting at casual and going up to skilled. You can chose which song you want to perform, learn the moves, then perform with the Peas.
One feature is the Choreo-Maker mode where you can choreograph your own dance routine to challenge your friends. You can also share them on XBox Live.
There is quite a lot of navigation required between the screens which took a little getting used to, but as you can just choose to dance, bypassing all the fiddly bits, it allows you to play a more casual game. That was the mode we used mostly as it is easier to dip in and out of the game and just enjoy the dancing. You can work up quite a sweat with the Peas!
The soundtrack is amazing, it's surprising just how many Black Eyed Pea songs you know! The imagery is stunning with the Peas beautifully reproduced in avatar form dancing in the club and concert venues. The dance moves are really funky and give you a real workout. It is an impressive game with quite a ground breaking format.
However, I think I'll leave this game to my energetic, dance mad daughters. It was just a bit too intense for me and my lack of rhythm! It is however an absolute must for any dance game fans who love the Black Eyed Peas. Having a game based solely on one artist/band is a good idea as it focuses on a favourite performer, their style and their music. You know exactly what you'll be getting and be familiar with the track list. It is a great way to celebrate your favourite performers. I look forward to more titles in this genre...how about The Take That Experience!! Something a little more sedate for us older groovers and shakers!
The Black Eyed Peas Experience is available for XBox and Wii.