Game Description

*NSYNC Get to the Show has players taking on the role of the pop band's personal assistant. Players participate in a series of four time-sensitive mini-games to ensure the group safely arrives to their concert. Multiple rounds must be completed to advance, with each fulfilled request contributing to an overall fan rating.

"Limo Race" involves driving the band around from a top-down view of the city. Each member has a specific stop to make before players can reach their final destination. "Hotel Havoc" consists of eliminating noise from a 3x3 group of windows. Players quickly alternate between silencing objects and putting awakened band members back to sleep.

Hamburger ingredients continuously fall from the top of the screen in "Burger Craze." Players catch toppings to match each singer's personal preferences by moving a plate left and right. "Let's Warm Up" is a hacky sack competition with band members forming a circle. Played from a top-down perspective, the game involves passing the hacky sack to each of the five artists without it dropping.

As a special bonus for helping the band, players will be able to control the final concert. Dance steps, music, and lighting can be changed during the performance to make it more memorable. Get to the Show features three difficulty settings and battery backup that automatically saves progress at the end of each game. ~ Scott Alan Marriott, All Game Guide

Review: Enjoyment

Fans have the opportunity to pick their favorite star of the band, who will be their primary liaison through cut-scenes with text. The ability to enter your name gives it a personal touch. ~ Scott Alan Marriott, All Game Guide

Production Credits

Company 1: Infogrames Interactive

Senior Producer: Stacy Allyn Hendrickson

Product Manager: Melanee Hannock

Executive Producer: Eric Hayashi

Senior Product Manager: Sue Bulson

QA Certification Lead: Tanya Royer

Test Lead: Eric Alberson

Assistant Lead: Tom Andrade

Tester: Tien Nguyen

Tester: Melanie Joy Hay

Tester: Adrian Morales

Company 2: Stunt Puppy Entertainment

Senior Designer: Gano Haine

Art Director: Denise Roberts McKee

Technical Director: Nicky Robinson

Executive Producer: Jenean Hoffman

Senior Artist: Frankie Powell

Sound Production: Will Davis

Assistant Technical Director: Robert Hoffman

System Developer: Roger W. Amidon

System Developer: Robert E. Heitman

Company 3: Nuvo Studios

President: Dale Crowley

Designer: Maurice Molyneux

Lead Programmer: Gregory Sabatini

Programmer: Jay Brown

Project Manager: Susan Manley

Executive Producer: Marc Finkle ~ Scott Alan Marriott, All Game Guide

Review: Overall

*NSYNC's first and presumably final game on the 8-bit color handheld is a passable collection of four mini-games that will keep fans busy during those arduous car rides to and from the boy band's concerts. Kudos to developer Stunt Puppy Interactive for not including obvious choices, like "Help Mousse JC's Hair," "Color-Coordinate Justin's Outfit," or "Mix and Match Goatees with Chris and Joey."

Knowledge of the band is not essential to play this game, but being able to distinguish their faces from other people helps; the most entertaining activity involves quickly deciding whether an image is a member of the band or just an average citizen. It's similar to Hogan's Alley, but instead of shooting thugs, you're "quieting" noisy hotel patrons and objects like television sets and phones.

The first game is the weakest of the four, as it involves driving a rather large white limo on a rather close view of the street. There's no way of knowing precisely where to stop for the errands, because you can't see far ahead of your vehicle. Time is spent watching the bottom of the screen for arrows and reading signs that say "Stop Ahead." Fortunately, the rest of the games are more interactive.

The other two activities are fun, addictive diversions that will entertain younger audiences. As in the hotel game, both involve hand-eye coordination and a sense of timing, whether it's guiding a character left and right to catch rapidly falling food items, or kicking a hacky sack around without letting it fall to the ground. The arcade-style games are hardly original, but they are playable and fun, which is often overlooked in similar collections.

While there should be more games included on the cartridge, it gets points for finding a way to incorporate the stars instead of just having them appear on the title screen, like so many other licensed games. Get to the Show may not be quite what fans were hoping for in the group's first release, but it satisfies the requirements of a portable title by offering easy-to-play games that, like some of the band's songs, are best enjoyed in small doses. ~ Scott Alan Marriott, All Game Guide

Review: Graphics

The graphics are basic, but colorful and easy to discern. ~ Scott Alan Marriott, All Game Guide

Review: Sound

Surprisingly enough, there are no *NSYNC tunes in the game. Sound effects are standard for the system. ~ Scott Alan Marriott, All Game Guide

Review: Replay Value

While there are three difficulty levels, older audiences will be able to advance through the different games quickly. The title is geared toward younger players, and the games lend themselves to repeated play. ~ Scott Alan Marriott, All Game Guide

Review: Documentation

The color manual explains each activity and the requirements needed to become a "true fan." ~ Scott Alan Marriott, All Game Guide