Music Monday: SongPop Review

 
Title: SongPop
Format: iOS
Developer: Fresh Planet

Description:
Think you know music? Put it to the test in the song trivia game SongPop. Players go head to head identifying the titles or artists from song clips. The more you play, the more songs you unlock—everything from standard genres of rock, pop, and rap to more specialized lists such as Ultimate 90s, industrial, and TV themes.

My Thoughts:
I’ve been playing this game for over two months and I’m completely addicted. A round only takes a couple minutes, perfect for sneaking in between activities, while waiting for something, or during TV commercials.
With most challenge games I’ve played, my friends or I get bored with them. SongPop, however, gives plenty to keep you playing. First, mastery of playlists takes quite a long time. Each time you earn a star, more songs are unlocked. Second, even if you lose, you earn a coin—winners get three. With those coins, you are able to purchase new genre playlists. Third, you can start matches with random players. So if your friends ditch out, you can still play.


I love that the playlist options aren’t only super mainstream options. I listen to a wide variety of music. When it’s only radio songs, I get bored. SongPop has lists for specific decades going all the way back to the 1950s, electronic and dance music, new wave, industrial, and tons more. Every so often there are free promotion playlists. For example, there was a free Pitch Perfect playlist when the film was released to theaters.

While I love the game, there have been a few annoyances. Sometimes the load times are long, and occasionally it will almost freeze on a load screen. Usually, I turn the screen off and come back a few minutes later. That works 90% of those situations. In the early days of my SongPop exploits, the music would infrequently not play while the challenge was in progress. Clearly, that makes it impossible. However, that hasn’t happened in ages—I assume one of the updates. Lastly, it will sometimes take two or three presses for the game to realize I’m hitting the button. It doesn’t happen all the time, but when it does, it can be the difference between winning and losing.

Despite the flaws, I am so addicted. If you haven’t checked it out yet, it’s free on the App Store. Do it. See if you get addicted too.

Find SongPop online:
Website | Facebook | Twitter | App Store | Google Play

App Review: Smule Magic Piano

Title: Smule Magic Piano
Format: iOS
Developer: Smule, inc

Description:
Ever wished you could play the piano? Well Smule’s got you covered. With Magic Piano, users can play songs by tapping the on-screen lights. Choose anything from Beethoven’s Für Elise, to Coldplay’s Clocks, to the Legend of Zelda themes song. User’s can also share their renditions with the Magic Piano community, as well as listen to those of other user’s.

My Thoughts:
Like Guitar Hero and Rock Band, Magic Piano simplifies a musical instrument for us who are less musically inclined. In this app, as long as you are somewhat in rhythm and in the vicinity of the dot, you’re doing fine. And even the dot proximity can be turned off so that you can hit anywhere on the screen.

I find the experience rather relaxing. I enjoy rhythm and music games, and my usual fair are much more difficult. So I can zone out while I play this and still unlock achievements.

However, I have run into a couple glitches. About every other time the achievement/goal box pops up, it doesn’t go away and the close box button doesn’t work. The only way I found to get rid of it is to close the program. The other has to do with not counting songs towards an achievement. That being said, the app has been out for less than a month on the iPhone.

Some great things: a weekly free song, ability to earn “Smoola” (the in-game currency) through simple tasks, like watching an ad, and Solo mode, where you can create your own freestyle music.

Overall, a very entertaining app for music lovers. I recommend it, with the cautionary statement towards glitches, but I’ll assume those will be taken care of with updates.

Now, enjoy Smule’s video of a small rodent playing Magic Piano on the iPhone against a cat on the iPad.

Find Smule online:
Website | Facebook | Twitter | Youtube | Google+

What do you think of Smule’s Magic Piano? Or Buddy vs. Penny? Tell me in the comments below.