SingStar: 3 Open Source Clones Compared
Performous is a karaoke, band, and dance game that autodetects physical instrument/microphone hardware from SingStar, Guitar Hero, and Rock Band. UltraStar Deluxe is a fork of the original UltraStar adding party mode and theme support for local play with up to six players. UltraStar Play is built on Unity and is the only one of the three with an Android build and online multiplayer, alongside Steam Workshop support for custom content.
Comparison table
Availability
- Status
- Playable
- Platforms
- Linux, OSX, Windows
- Play in browser
- No
- Mobile
- No
Project health
- Development status
- Active
- Last updated
- 2d ago
- Stars
- 1,267
- Contributors
- 60
- License
- GPL-2.0
- Engine
- —
Compatibility
- Requires original assets
- NoNo original game assets required; players provide their own songs and can add custom content.
- Modding support
- YesTheme support allows customization and creation of themes.
- Multiplayer
- Local multiplayer
Availability
- Status
- Playable
- Platforms
- Windows, Linux, OSX
- Play in browser
- No
- Mobile
- No
Project health
- Development status
- Active
- Last updated
- 15d ago
- Stars
- 645
- Contributors
- 105
- License
- —
- Engine
- —
Compatibility
- Requires original assets
- NoOpen-source karaoke and band game that supports custom song formats, no original assets required.
- Modding support
- —
- Multiplayer
- Local
Availability
- Status
- Playable
- Platforms
- Linux, OSX, Windows, Android
- Play in browser
- YesPlay in Browser
- Mobile
- Android
Project health
- Development status
- Active
- Last updated
- today
- Stars
- 505
- Contributors
- 25
- License
- MIT
- Engine
- Unity
Compatibility
- Requires original assets
- NoNo original game assets required; players add their own songs in UltraStar or MIDI format.
- Modding support
- YesSupports Steam Workshop integration and can be extended with custom code to modify the game.
- Multiplayer
- Local multiplayer, Online
| Title | UltraStar Deluxe | Performous | UltraStar Play |
|---|---|---|---|
| Status | Playable | Playable | Playable |
| Platforms | Linux, OSX, Windows | Windows, Linux, OSX | Linux, OSX, Windows, Android |
| Play in browser | No | No | YesPlay in Browser |
| Mobile | No | No | Android |
| Project health | |||
| Development status | Active | Active | Active |
| Last updated | 2d ago | 15d ago | today |
| Stars | 1,267 | 645 | 505 |
| Contributors | 60 | 105 | 25 |
| License | GPL-2.0 | — | MIT |
| Engine | — | — | Unity |
| Compatibility | |||
| Requires original assets | NoNo original game assets required; players provide their own songs and can add custom content. | NoOpen-source karaoke and band game that supports custom song formats, no original assets required. | NoNo original game assets required; players add their own songs in UltraStar or MIDI format. |
| Modding support | YesTheme support allows customization and creation of themes. | — | YesSupports Steam Workshop integration and can be extended with custom code to modify the game. |
| Multiplayer | Local multiplayer | Local | Local multiplayer, Online |
Known limitations
- platform: macOS users may need to launch Performous from the Terminal and specifically run Performous.app/Contents/MacOS/Performous for microphones to work.
Frequently asked questions
Are the SingStar clones on this page open source?
Yes — every clone catalogued here is an open-source project. Availability, license, and development-status details for each one are listed in the comparison table above.
What license do these SingStar clones use?
UltraStar Deluxe (GPL-2.0); UltraStar Play (MIT).
Do I need to own the original SingStar to play these clones?
UltraStar Deluxe, Performous, and UltraStar Play run standalone, no original files needed.
Can I play any of these SingStar clones directly in a browser?
Yes — UltraStar Play has a browser-playable build linked in the comparison table above, no install required.
Which SingStar clone is the most actively maintained?
UltraStar Deluxe, Performous, and UltraStar Play are currently under active development, based on recent commit activity. See the "Development status" row above for every clone's current status.
See the full write-up for each clone, or go back to SingStar.