Parents' Guide to Loud on Planet X

This rhythm-action title feels like it ends almost before it begins, but it's plenty of fun during the two hours it lasts. Players will get a feel for its rhythmic action before the first song is over, but as the game progresses, they'll learn there's more to it than quick reflexes and a good sense of musical timing. Since you can only launch attacks in time with the music, songs with slower rhythms mean you can launch fewer attacks, so nearly every shot has to count. And since some aliens require as many as five hits to destroy, players will sometimes need to hit them only a couple of times to stun them in place, then switch focus to aliens getting close to speakers in other lanes. It can get pretty hectic. A small selection of randomly generated rechargeable abilities -- such as a smoke machine and a strobe light -- provide players additional options when things start to get tricky.

But while the rhythmic action is fun, the real star of the game is its playlist. A few of the tracks may be familiar to some players, such as Tegan and Sarah's "Closer" and Metric's "Breathing Underwater," but the majority will represent new discoveries for most kids. And while these may be indie acts, that doesn't mean their music isn't catchy. Players are sure to walk away from the game with songs such as Purity Ring's "Bodyache" and Austra's "Lose It" stuck in their heads. It'd be nice if Loud on Planet X had a bit more meat around the bone to keep players coming back, but it's relatively inexpensive and will introduce kids to great music.