f you've always wanted to get together with your friends and make music that sounds like a marching band falling down an escalator, Nintendo has something just for you. Wii Music lets players pick one of more than 50 virtual instruments and play along with predetermined tunes.

We played through a few performances, and we're still not exactly sure if what we did was fun. First, we jammed along to "Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star." Our ensemble consisted of a toy piano, human beat box and sax. As we moved our controllers to approximate really playing the appropriate instrument, Wii Music produced a variety of notes. Even when we kept up with the tempo it sounded pretty terrible. Perhaps it was our choice of instrumentation.

Learning from that mistake, we next played the Super Mario Bros. theme song on rock drums, taiko drums and vibraphone. While it made a different sort of noise, it still was eerily similar to what you'd hear in an elementary school band's practice room. Maybe it sounds better when you stick to appropriate instruments. If Nintendo's all-star show at their press conference was any indication, though, that's debatable.

At least it gives musically inclined families something to play together in a noncompetitive way. Even junior can contribute to the racket.