Ah, good old karaoke! Roughly translated into English, the word “karaoke” means “loosening of office tie, overindulging in free office punch, jumping on top of boardroom table with microphone in-hand, basking under the splendor of the glitter ball, and subsequently ruining all your long-term career prospects at current company.”

Although the concept of karaoke is still the same as it was twenty years ago, the technology has enjoyed a facelift, and the previously associated anathema has made way for a much more open and receptive market. Lips is a return to the old ways of music party games, and is Microsoft’s unabashed riposte to Sony’s SingStar. The mechanisms of the game are still as simple as before: you grab a microphone and sing along to some of your favorite tunes ala karaoke style, only now with a sexy Xbox 360 in the place of a bulky karaoke system, and with a mouth-watering assortment of pop hits including Ace of Base “The Sign,” Leona Lewis “Bleeding Love,” and Beyonce “Irreplaceable.”

Continue reading El33tonline’s review of LIPS.

Lips fans rejoice! Microsoft has announced that new tracks will be available this July. Those singing sensations among us can look forward to new tracks arriving on Xbox Live Marketplace and the in-game Get Music Store including the likes of The Black Eyed Peas, P!ink and Sir Mix-a-Lot (who?).

For just 160 Microsoft Points each, you could soon find yourself crooning to Jesse McCartney’s ‘Just So You know’ or becoming a little bit more rowdy with The Black Eyed Pea’s ‘Hey Mama’ or P!nk’s ‘Get the Party Started.’ The P!nk song pack will be available on the 10th of July for 440 Microsoft Points.

Waste no more time in checking out the new songs below:

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Microsoft has unveiled a new Xbox 360 Wireless Microphone that will be available this fall for $49.99.

The Xbox 360 Wireless Microphone promises to deliver “high-quality voice reproduction technology and stylish interactive motion sensors and lights.”

Xbox 360 gamers will be able to enjoy the new mic with music games like Lips, Guitar Hero: Metallica and Rock Band 2 as well as new upcoming games including Lips: Number One Hits and The Beatles: Rock Band.

Source: Gamerscoreblog

Microsoft has announced that 15 new tunes will be available for the Xbox 360 exclusive singing party game Lips this May.

A New Edition song pack will be available on the 15th of May for 440 Microsoft Points. This pack will include ‘Mr Telephone Man,’ ‘If It Isn’t Love’ and ‘Cool it Now.’

New single songs will be available throughout the month for 160 Microsoft Points including ‘Chasing Cars’ by Snow Patrol, ‘Achy Breaky Heart’ by Billy Ray Cyrus and Good Charlotte’s ‘Dance Floor Anthem.’

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Microsoft dropped us a line this morning to let us know that Lips, the new singing game for the Xbox 360, has landed on South African shelves. The game will retail for R699.

Lips includes two wireless motion-sensitive microphones and sees players belting it out co-operatively or competing with friends in party games such as Vocal Fighters and Kiss.

The microphones feature interactive motion sensors and lights, responding to players actions with over 30 different performance-enhancing gestures. If you strike a pose or break it down you will be rewarded with bonus points, power bonuses and medals.

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“Calling all shower singers, wannabe rappers, pop princesses and bedroom belters,” the press release begins, “Lips, the highly anticipated singing party game exclusively on Xbox 360, will be hitting stores on 21st November 2008.”

Lips can be thought of as the Xbox 360’s version of Singstar, a karaoke game in which you get to sing along to your favourite songs of yesteryear. Lips, however, comes with two wireless, motion-sensitive microphones and has a feature allowing your friends to play percussion with regular Xbox 360 controllers.

Lips also features original music videos, lyrics and score for each of its forty songs, and you’ll also be able to download additional music from Xbox LIVE Marketplace once Lips is released. “It doesn’t stop there,” however, as you’ll be able to compete against friends and family, or work together in a co-operative mode, while yet another feature allows players to plug in their MP3 player and sing along to their own music collection.

“So if you feel like you want to ‘Bust A Move’ or simply want to ‘Boogie 2 Nite’,” the press release concludes, “then Lips is simply ‘Irreplaceable’ for a night of unbelievable entertainment in the comfort of your own home!” Well said, press release person. The full tracklist follows below:

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Lips is the ostensible competitor to Sony’s SingStar series, only Lips allows would-be singers to import DRM-free songs into the game to sing along with, while also featuring its own set of songs that come with the game or extra songs available as downloadable content.

Lips includes two motion-sensitive microphones that react to players’ movement and can also be used as percussion instruments, such as the tambourine. Extra players can join in with Xbox controllers which also control percussion instruments.

Lips will be available later this year on the Xbox 360, from developer iNiS, headed by Keiichi Yano, creator of Elite Beat Agents.