Parents' Guide to SongPop 3 - Guess The Song

The game's premise has promise -- facing off against challengers in timed matches to try to identify the most song samples correctly, but its focus on money sours the experience. An opponent picks a playlist, then you, in theory, would be able to pick one for your turn in SongPop 3 - Guess The Song. Players are asked to identify song titles or artists during rounds. There are a number of musical options to choose from, including songs from the '70s, alternative bands, and more general topics such as "One Hit Wonders." Major artists, such as Justin Bieber and Billie Eilish, are also featured.

In reality, though, the game doesn't provide many options unless you're willing to spend some money. For the first three levels, you're stuck with the initial playlist you chose when you started the game -- and have to hear the same songs over and over, which is neither challenging nor fun. Even though you're told you can pick a playlist for each turn once you pass the third level, you're forced to watch an ad to select any of the lists, and there doesn't seem to be a default playlist you can use for free. Players also come across a number of pushes to buy things, like trying to collect Premium rewards that instead take you to a page that encourages you to sign up for a $9.99 monthly subscription – which can freeze and be difficult to exit. The app includes a number of nudges to get a subscription, and several aspects of the game are monetized. Ads are generally shown way too frequently throughout the experience -- after essentially every round. The song selections can also be a bit iffy. Some of the samples include the song name -- which makes guessing a little too easy -- and some contain adult-oriented references, including swears, that parents may not be thrilled for younger kids to hear. Unless SongPop 3 - Guess The Song adds more free elements -- or better guidance to access playlists without watching ads, you may want to sing a different tune and skip it.