Want to keep your wee ones active? You could do worse than this Dance Central–alike featuring helium-voiced covers of 30 Chipmunk-ified pop songs. Alvin and company bring plenty of charm while simple dance moves and a forgiving scorekeeper ensure your dancing tykes are having good times.

The fun factor largely boils down to two key elements: your age and your tolerance for the Chipmunks’ shrill voices. Each song cycles through only a handful of moves, offering young players a very manageable learning curve. Stick to the beat and you’ll fill up your Munk Power meter, which triggers a freestyle mode where you can bust out your own moves while the Kinect mic makes you sound like a Chipmunk.

The central story mode follows December’s movie with players unlocking successive sets of songs and stages. Free play and same-screen co-op modes round out the package, with all content generously unlocked from the start. Between the kid-friendly dance-a-thon and the Chipmunk singing, Chipwrecked is equal parts adorable and grating. Your young ones will have a blast getting down with Alvin and his pals while you can at least take solace in the easy Gamerscore boost.

PUBLISHER: Majesco Entertainment  •  DEVELOPER: Behaviour Interactive  •  ESRB: Everyone 10+  •  MULTIPLAYER: 2 on same screen  •  ACHIEVEMENTS: Windfall  •  COST: $40

On Xbox 360 (Kinect Required)

+ Very simple Dance Central wannabe offers fun for kids.

+ Big Gamerscore rewards are easily nabbed.

– You’ll have to endure 30 Chipmunk-ified pop songs (“Beat It,” “La Bamba,” “It’s Tricky,” and so on) to get those Achievements.

– Why isn’t this game packaged with earplugs for parents?

7.0