Electronic Arts has made bold moves into the “casual gamer” arena, but its latest newly announced game, Boogie SuperStar for the Wii, is making a decidedly riskier marketing move: focusing specifically on young girls.
Boogie SuperStar, which will ship for the Wii this October, is described by EA itself as being designed “for any girl who has ever dreamed of being a star. … Combining the hottest music hits from around the world with the coolest dance moves and total character customization, Boogie SuperStar provides girls the ultimate gaming experience: to sing and dance their way to superstardom.”
We’re no stranger to dance, singing and rhythm games, nor are many DailyGame readers. But to market the game specifically to girls seems narrow minded. After all, Boogie SuperStar will include fully customizable characters (male and female) and will feature tracks from Rihanna, Fergie, Katy Perry, Leona Lewis, Alicia Keys, Britney Spears — but also Maroon 5 and Kanye West, among other male groups.
Another 30 songs will be available on International versions of the game, allowing players to perform songs from local artists including Melissa M (France), Monrose (Germany), Finley (Italy) and Fito y Fitipaldis (Spain).
Yet EA insists this is a girl’s game.
Girls will have a blast belting their favorite tunes into the microphone, and performing real dance moves that are captured on screen using the Wii’s motion-sensing technology. The journey to stardom doesn’t have to be a solo. With two- and four-player modes, girls can play with their friends sing and dance with their friends or against them in fun competitions that show off their singing and dancing talent.
Players begin the game by customizing their character, choosing from millions of possible combinations to create a performer that is as unique as they are. They are then “discovered” and whisked away to an island where they learn what it takes to be a star. While on the island, players build their singing and dancing skills, performing in posh environments fit for a rising star, including a studio, a poolside stage, a breath-taking terrace, and a yacht. Once performance skills are perfected, girls are ready to perform for a panel of judges in the ultimate competition, the Boogie Star Show.
So, if you’ve got a girl and a Wii, apparently you should keep your eyes on this fall-releasing game. If you’ve got a boy…maybe not so much. At least, that’s what EA wants you to believe, apparently.