This album has to be Queen's most transitional album. There is less heavy metal style guitar (as featured on Queen, Queen II and Sheer Heart Attack) and even less campiness (which was featured on A Night at the Opera, A Day at the Races and Jazz). On the liner notes, they admit that they used synthesizer "for the 1st time" (for the 1st 6 albums, they proudly boasted that synthesizers were not used at all). They even looked different with the shorter haircuts (sans Brian, whose long curly locks remained unshorned). But I digress. On with the review.

4 of the songs were written and performed for a mini tour called the "Crazy Little Tour." One of them, an uncharacteristic rockabilly tune "Crazy Little Thing Called Love," which lead singer Freddie Mercury wrote. This gave them a big hit in the 1980's. 2 of the songs are sensitive ballads written by versatile guitarist Brian May, "Sail Away Sweet Sister" (Brian sings lead on this, with Freddie singing on the bridge) and the powerful "Save Me" (a minour hit in the UK). Drummer Roger Taylor penned "Coming Soon," which sounds a lot like the Cars (he was the band's true classic rock fan).

The rest of the album was recorded in the 1980's. Around the same time, Queen was preparing the Flash Gordon soundtrack (that's another review). The Game opens with Freddie's "Play the Game," which captures Queen's "classic" sound and features an interesting synthesizer intro (a minour hit for them). Bass player John Deacon had his biggest hit with the funky "Another One Bites the Dust" (he admits it was originally going to be a cowboy song, but for some reason changed it). Other songs include the heavy "Dragon Attack" (written by Brian, "Slow down, don't take no prisoners!"), John's catchy poprock "I Need Your Lovin' Tonight" ("No, I'll never look back in anger...") Freddie's bluesy "Don't Try Suicide" (a tongue in cheek message song- "Don't try suicide, nobody's worth it... nobody cares... you're just gonna hate it!") and "Rock It (Prime Jive)" written and sung by Roger, with help from Freddie at the intro (it sounds a mix between Led Zeppelin and early Sammy Hagar).

I'm giving this 5 stars for the album. I'm not counting the throwaway remix of "Dragon Attack" (instead, they should have included "A Human Body," which was one of their B-sides). Skip that, it'll only leave you wondering why Brian approved of it. Just enjoy the classic sounds of a crazy little band called Queen.

This is one of Queen's best albums and a definite improvement from their last two albums. Contained here are Queen's two biggest U.S. hits - Crazy Little Thing Called Love and Another One Bites The Dust. From start to finish this album is great with some minor exceptions.

Play The Game - 9/10 nice opener and classic Freddie song

Dragon Attack - 9/10 each band member has their own solo in this one. great rocker

Another One Bites The Dust - 9/10 not my personal favorite but it was Queen's biggest single ever

Need Your Loving Tonight - 8/10 nice setup for the next track

Crazy Little Thing Called Love - 10/10 featuring Freddie on guitar for the first time. great song

Rock It (Prime Jive) - 8/10 duet by Roger and Freddie. good up-tempo song

Don't Try Suicide - 7/10 the only exception to the greatness that is The Game. I agree with another review. good lyrics not great music

Sail Away Sweet Sister - 10/10 a Brian May gem. Sung by both Freddie and Brian, this song is a masterpiece

Coming Soon - 7/10 sort of filler but still kinda fun

Save Me - 10/10 fantastic ballad to close this awesome album.

overall rating: 87/100 one of Queen's best albums. I recommend Innuendo, The Miracle, A Night At The Opera, and The Works also if you want to get some of Queen's other fine albums

"The Game," an early 80's release by rock and roll royalty Queen reveals quite a few sides of the band, but all of those sides are sprinkled with a perfect layer of ironically combined subject matter and all-out classic rock-n-roll. For instance, there are the obligatory ballads, both rough and playfully gentle, expressing life and romance ('Save Me,' 'Crazy Little Thing Called Love,' and the unexplainable but truly wonderful 'Don't Try Suicide'). Then, there are the high schooler's anthems (their biggest hit 'Another One Bites the Dust,' and the grand 'Play the Game'), as Queen were always the anthem perfectors of their day. And there are also the head-scratchers, like the poignant 'Sail Away Sister (The Sister I Never Had)' and 'Dragon Attack.'

"The Game" reveals a peak point of Queen's horizons, and while it doesn't stray very far from the sound they were famous for at that time, it gives fans a slight preview of some of their other 80's material, while not giving away too much.

It's hard to argue with success.

The Game was Queen's first no. 1 album in the US, and it's easy to see why. The Game is definitely Queen's first pop album, yet it proves that 'commercial' isn't necessarily a dirty word. In fact, The Game, which is truly straight-out mainstream directed at an audience as large as possible, is at least as, if not more enjoyable and fulfilling than News of the World or Jazz, definitely better albums but ones that can't decide whether they want to be pop, hard rock or progressive. On 'The Game' Queen went very deliberately for a somewhat lower common denominator, and in the process created one of the most perfect pop-rock albums ever made.

So naturally, The Game lacks the depth of Queen's first five albums, as well as the edge and power New of the World had. But how can you argue with songs like 'Another One Bites the Dust' and 'Crazy Little Thing Called Love'? In fact, how can you argue with any track on this album? There are no symphonic epics here - each track is designed to create a very specific mood, and does so seamlessly. Whether it's the straight out rock, heavy bass hard rock of 'Dragon Attack' (and Queen's rhythm section gets to shine here more than ever before, if only slightly at the expense of guitar god Brian May, showing that they can deliver the goods too), the gorgeous ballad that is 'Sail Away Sweet Sister', the perfect pop of 'Play The Game' (a precursor to some latter day hits like 'The Miracle' and 'One Vision'), the light-hearted rockabilly of 'Crazy Little Thing Called Love', or the delicious dark funk of 'Another One Bites The Dust' - The Game is an album that keeps a slight smile on your face throughout the entire thirty five minutes of it. There is no new Bohemian Rhapsody here, but every track - even the forgettable ones, like 'Coming Soon' and 'Don't Try Suicide' - deliver. They may not stick in your mind long, but they're a kick to listen to, and always bear repeated listening.

One track in particular deserves special praise. 'Save Me', written by Brian May and sang blissfully by Mr. Mercury, is one of the best songs Brian had ever written, and even if it's only ankle deep - lyrically as well as musically - it's one of the most perfect songs Queen had ever pulled out of their sleeve. Basically just the kind of verse-chorus-verse-guitar solo kind of pop-rock tune Queen wouldn't have been caught dead recording in 1974-5, 'Save Me' is so extraordinarily beautiful and builds up to it emotional climax so flawlessly, with a catchy and heartfelt chorus and a fantastic guitar solo like only Brian could pull (not to mention a GORGEOUS video that never quite got the airplay it deserved), it's utterly irresistible. Sure, it has nothing new or groundbreaking to offer - Queen used everything they already knew how to do and did a million times before, and put it to use: perfect use.

So there's no need to complain about The Game being commercial; Queen knew just what they were doing. The Game is not an experiment like A Night At the Opera or Queen II, it's an album by a veteran and mature band that is in complete control of their music and their sound. Sadly, Queen would soon fall into dullness and boredom, from which they'll escape only shortly before Freddie's untimely death in 1991; but The Game is a perfect midpoint between 70s Queen and 80s Queen, clearly two completely different bands. The Game is a fun album that is always worth having on your shelf, and it's a great introduction to the band, as well - play it to your rock-shy friend, and then once he's eased into it and his defenses are down, hit him on the head with Sheer Heart Attack.

This album is another great effort from Queen. In 1980 when this was released, the new (at the time) Charleston Coliseum was to announce the opening act for the arena. I can't tell you how excited and surprised I was when they announced it would be Queen! I waited in line from early morning and purchased tickets for the show. I ended up on the third row and counted the days until the concert. The show opened with the incredible "Play The Game" by Freddie, and was followed by "Dragon Attack" as it is on the album. I personally love "Dragon Attack". The guitar just wails and screams on this one, and I don't know why several reviewers said they didn't like that track. "Another One Bite The Dust" was a huge hit in the U.S. and abroad, but was never one of my favorites. It is great because it is Queen, but seems to be designed to hook the begrudging American fans. "Need Your Loving Tonight" is a fun rocker to sing along with. Freddie's "Crazy Little Thing Called Love" is a familiar hit with an early Elvis sound. "Rock It" is a fast paced song with Taylor on lead vocals. "Don't Try Suicide" is a catchy sort of song that is classically Freddie. Brian May is a master of ballad type tunes that mystify you. "Sail Away Sweet Sister" is a perfect example and a wonderful song. Next up is "Coming Soon" that is not the most instantly likeable song on here, but after a few listens the soaring vocals at the end will prove it is classic Queen. The final encore for the Charleston concert was the incredible "Save Me". It is the final song on this album too, and is one of the best songs ever by Queen. The lyrics and emotion are the stuff of legend.