Bubba, the starfish, is dead. Long live the anorexic tweens that dominate Boogie SuperStar – the new EA “casual” title aimed at young-ish girls who long to shake their underage booties and karaoke to their hearts’ content.
Boogie SuperStar is all about moving in rhythm to dance moves or singing karaoke on-pitch (but not both at once). The set-up is you make an avatar (skinny boy or skinny girl) who then gets scouted to attend superstar school. From there you dance or sing your way through competitions set to more than 40 girl-centric songs like “Bleeding Love” while you collect points for style and moves. The idea is to max out all the stats, unlock all the outfits and become the all-time SuperStar, despite Judge Vicki’s attempts to sabotage you.
I’m all about having games for girls; and I totally get that there is a demographic out there who likes stuff like Imagine: Babies and doesn’t feel the least bit insulted when people sneer at the Wii as a “girl’s console.” But do we really need to “empower” preteen girls with games designed to embarrass them?
Except there’s not much to tell. Yet.
Just yesterday it was announced that Epic Games would be joining EA as one of two new partners along with Grasshopper Manufacture (of Suda 51 fame).
I got some face time with Michael Capps, President of Epic Games, to see how the little independent studio that could feels about going with a Big Scary Publisher – especially one like EA that’s got a reputation for ruthlessness with smaller development houses.
“The EA five years ago is not the same EA they are now. We wouldn’t have partnered with them five years ago,” Capps counters – shooting a furtive look at the EA handler at the interview. He scratches the back of his neck and removes a square of tape. “From the [stage]microphone,” he says.
Sure, I believe him. He’s not going all Manchurian Candidate on me.
