All Star Cheerleader on the Wii is the closest thing to Bring It On in videogame form that you’re ever likely to find. It will come as no surprise that the man behind the moves is none other than celebrity choreographer Tony Gonzalez who worked on the film and has helped to add some authenticity to this title.

I can’t say I’m a huge fan of the sport although I will admit to having purchased the Bring It On DVD as one of my life’s ambitions was to see both Kirsten Dunst and Eliza Dushku in cheerleader outfits. You’re probably wondering why I described Cheerleading as a sport and it’s purely down to the fact that those on the inside like to label the activity as such and, being an outsider to their pompom shaking rituals, I’m happy to go along with this.

When All Star Cheerleader was delivered to my door I already had a game-plan in mind which consisted of looking at the game through the eyes of a child and reviewing the title accordingly. This seemed like a solid plan but as it turned out there were two major stumbling blocks. Firstly, I couldn’t find a single child let alone convince them to allow me the use of their eyes. Secondly, and more importantly, I didn’t count on my competitive nature kicking in with a sudden ambition to lead cheers like no-one else had ever led them before.

The graphic are sufficient although they could certainly do with a bit of polish while the animations are of a pretty high standard considering the game makes use of motion captured cheerleader routines. I’m sure the selection of music in this game will appeal to young children although I happen to believe that the Jonas brothers have been sent to earth to test the patience of anyone who appreciates good music. Having said that, the music on offer is very reminiscent of the type of thing you’d find in Bring It On so if that’s the experience you’re aiming for then this will be right up your street.

To all the manly men out there who’d instantly turn their nose up at this type of thing in order to prove how masculine they are – it’s not as though you’re being asked to wear your hair up in bunches and don a cheerleader outfit. If you manage to put your club down long enough to give this game an opportunity there’s a good chance you’ll find yourself chasing those trophies.

Let’s face it, assuming they haven’t change much since I was at school, young girls are going to love this game and I’m sure they’ll dedicate plenty of time to making shapes. Once I got beyond the fact that this is clearly aimed at a female audience I managed to relax and discover that this can be an enjoyable game which offers a surprising amount of value especially considering its budget price tag. Save the cheerleader – save the world – play this game.

8/10

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