Pop star diva Britney Spears returns to the music scene with a self-titled album that features both familiar and new sounds. While Live at Rome Olympic Stadium doesn't feature any new tracks from Muse, it does offer a live concert experience. Mario in 3D? It's here, and it's rocking the format for Wii fans. Britney Jean, Britney Spears (RCA) There was much hype with the release of Spears’s eighth album, Britney Jean. In fact, the 36-minute album had to be released early to iTunes by her label since it was leaked online. After the comeback success of Femme Fatale, this album has been billed as her most personal—a tribute to her longtime fans. While some of her tracks reflect this, most of the music is futuristic and robot sounding. Her distinctive and sensuous Mississippi southern twang is overshadowed by the pounding electronic dance sound produced by David Guetta and wil.i.am. While not Spears’s most inspiring, Britney Jean has a lot to offer, sure to please fans of catchy Euro-dance music. Spears fans will also enjoy some of the slower tracks like “Passenger,” cowritten by Katy Perry, and “Chillin' with You,” a powerful duet with sister Jamie Lynn that reflects a softer more intimate style. Check out “Work B**ch,” “Perfume,” and “It Should Be Easy.”—Geena G., grade 11, Floral Park (NY) Memorial High School Live at Rome Olympic Stadium, Muse (Warner) Alternative rock band Muse’s live album is made up of 13 tracks from the concert in Rome, and for diehard fans, there is also a DVD. The DVD has additional material from the concert,and adds the visual component that gives it the full effect. Matt Bellamy’s vocals are spot on and at times are even better than the studio version of the song. The excitement of a live concert is captured with the expert mixing of the audience and the band. The selection of tracks is awesome and all will please Muse fans. While there is now a wait for the next album release for some truly new material, this live concert version is sure to satisfy. Tracks to check out are “Supermassive Black Hole,” “Panic System,” “Hysteria,” and “Knights of Cydonia.”—Uma N., grade 11, Floral Park (NY) Memorial High School Super Mario 3D World (Nintendo) Rating: E for Everyone. Platform: Wii U. For the first time, a game has been released that can be played on a 2D level or a 3D level, and both are an awesome experience. The storyline has the villain Bowser persecuting Sprixies and attempting to conquer their Kingdom. It is up to Mario, Luigi, Princess Peach, and some Toad friends to the rescue the Sprixies. As a single player experience, there is an enormous amount of content in the quest. There is Chainlink Charge in World 3 as well as the Mount Must Dash, the Searchlight Sneak, and Hands on Hall. The Cat Suit is another new feature—the two brothers can morph into feline form with abilities to pounce and scale walls. In the multiplayer aspect you can play with four characters of different abilities and can work cooperatively or competitively. There are so many extras here that enhance play, such as the stamps on Miiverse, Ghost Mii characters, puzzle stages on Captain Toad’s world map, mystery boxes, and Mini Boss stages. Even the soundtrack makes a statement, blending retro Mario tracks along with completely new ones. Any Mario fan will thoroughly enjoy the creativity of Super Mario 3D World regardless of their gaming preference. Definitely a must!—Ameer K., grade 9, Floral Park (NY) Memorial High School