Konami Europe has announced it is to release "Karaoke Stage 2" for PlayStation 2 in March 2006, with the original game's singing elements hugely expanded via a number of innovative gameplay additions.

"Karaoke Stage 2" retains the core gameplay elements of its predecessor, but now includes duets and a unique 'Sing and Dance' mode that is compatible with dance mats used in Konami's companion Dancing Stage series. Selecting a character from the extended roster now available, players are invited to pursue a singing career by crooning into a special microphone along to a series of well-known, licensed tracks.

Starting in small venues and making their way to huge arenas, a clever rating system judges how well the player can pitch and hold a note and their timing. An onscreen crowd then reacts accordingly, with anything over 'Good' met with adulation, while bum notes and 'Poor' ratings see the fickle crowd desert in droves. Karaoke Stage 2's song-list comprises 50 new tracks, covering all aspects of the sing-along spectrum.

New solo tracks include 'Drive', 'Fly' and 'Crazy in Love', while the new game also benefits from an all-new duet mode. Songs such as 'The Time of My Life' and 'Endless Love' are designed to challenge the co-operation and voices of two singers via two compatible microphones, with the ratings bars reacting to the different voices during the songs.

Also new to "Karaoke Stage 2" is an all-new 'Song and Dance' mode. Using both the microphone and a dance mat controller, players are charged with both hitting the high notes and performing a pre-determined routine in a game mode that will sort the stars of stages from the hapless wannabes! A series of new sub-games designed around the player's vocal range have also been added to the mix.