Wii Karaoke U coming to European eShop next month

Joysound's free karaoke app for Wii U is coming to the European eShop in early October.

Wii Karaoke U will have 1,500 songs available when it launches on October 4. Although the client is free, to "fully enjoy" the app you need to purchase tickets, kind of like renting a Japanese karaoke box.

A one hour ticket will cost £1.79; 24 hours will set you back £4.49; and true enthusiasts can save by grabbing a 30 day ticket for £13.49. Tickets are sold through the eShop via an in-game menu. A free one hour ticket is included with the app.

Announced for Japanese release in July, Wii Karaoke U utilises the Game Pad's microphones; the tablet also serves as the catalogue browser. Your Mii takes centre stage, and the environment can be customised to your liking.

Intended for beginners and veterans alike, Joysound's app has three scoring modes; one judges your performance with a score out of 100, while another gives a detailed breakdown of melody, timing, smoothness, technique, vibrato and glissando. The third is for online leaderboards. There's also a Karaoke Battle mode for two teams of up to five members each can compete for supremacy.