Imagine Fashion Party

Shallow themes of fame, fashion, and commercialism aside, Imagine Fashion Party had potential to be a fun romp for style-loving girls. The mini-games that make up each episode of the game show have some neat ideas. Players cut out fabric patterns by aiming the Wii remote at the screen and following cut lines, push pins into dummies by thrusting the remote toward the screen, trim off straggly bits of hair by moving the remote pointer along dotted lines, and apply mascara by holding the remote on its side and tilting it like a brush.

Problem is, these controls are unreliable and frustrating. The software often fails to pick up obvious movements, forcing players to repeat the same motion over again -- probably more hurriedly and less accurately as they to beat a dwindling clock. It doesn't help that play instructions often lack clarity, leaving the player to fumble with the remote until she figures out the proper technique. Making matters worse, some segments, such as the catwalk, are long, repetitive, and bland (one can't help but wonder what sort of fashion show would have models walking down runways over and over again wearing the same clothes, doing the same moves, and strutting to the same song). Imagine Fashion Party has a decent concept at its core, but it needed more time on the drawing board.