Music games are among the most popular video games around right now and they are available on virtually all gaming systems form consoles to the PC. Mobile phone users that like to play games while on the go can also get into the action with a new Guitar Hero game.
Guitar Hero World Tour mobile is available now on all major carriers nationwide and will be debuting for the Android platform in January. The game offers real-time multiplayer gaming capabilities for players no matter what network their handheld device operates on.
The game offer 15 MP3 quality tracks that gamers can play on the guitar or drums. New bonus songs will be added to the set list monthly and will be available for multiplayer gaming. The set list for the game includes Lenny Kravitz, Blondie, Skynyrd, Sublime, No Doubt, Oasis and more.
The first Guitar Hero: World Tour feedback is coming in, after the game was officially released yesterday, and it’s a mixed bag. Some gamers are reporting poor drum synchronization when playing in band mode, with problems calibrating the drum response to the rest of the instruments. There are also some sporadic claims of poor quality control, with some of the drum pads failing to recognize hits.
While the game allows for recalibration of the drum sync in the options, even running through that process several times can leave their response lagging. The other performance aspects - vocals and guitars - are apparently unaffected.
GH Studio has also come in for some criticism, for not allowing vocal tracks to be recorded along with guitar and drum tracks. It’s unclear whether this is a copyright or a technology issue, or a combination of both.
Here’s something for those who like to paint their faces while playing Rock Band and Guitar Hero, after a healthy argument over the merits of belonging to the KISS army. Even if you aren’t a KISS fan, this is a badass Rock Band and Guitar Hero compatible replica of Gene Simmons’ signature bass. It also features a bi-directional strum bar, ultra-responsive fret buttons, an analog whammy bar for $80. It will be released on Halloween. Demon boots and outlandishly long tongue clip-on not included.
Wayne Coyne of the Flaming Lips has built imself an awesome looking Guitar Hero guitar mod that marries a Korg Kaoss pad, working GH controller and a white Gibson double-neck guitar. He’s even using this beast to film an 8-second spot for NBC. Okay, so why did he create it? Because of those damn kids. “there’s a lot of kids out there that think this is actually how you play guitar now — that you just press a series of four or five buttons and and sort of different sort of sequences and it makes every sound that the guitar can make,”
You can check out a video here. The Kaoss pad is used to control a synth tone that can be modulated by the five colored neck buttons. No word on whether he’s using it on tour or not, but it will be playing the three-note NBC chime in a promo spot. Pretty cool.
If you’re a Guitar Hero or Rock Band diehard, then this is an accessory you just can’t live without. I mean, look at it! The Gene Simmons Axe Guitar is in the shape of a battle axe and just screams awesome.
This guitar controller features all sorts of cool additions like an analog whammy bar and super responsive frets. But most of all, this thing is cool looking and isn’t that the whole point? And I guess it makes fake guitar-playing easier, too.
The Gene Simmons Axe Guitar works with both Guitar Hero and Rock Band, making it the perfect accompaniment for those of you that are equal-opportunity rock-outers. It seems to be an official Simmons product. So, if you love Kiss and rock games, this is the perfect accessory.
Faux rockers have waited long and hard for this day. At long last, Activision’s next installment of the Guitar Hero franchise is officially available. With Activision’s formal announcement, you’ll be able to pick one up and once again rock out. There’s a few different bundles that range from the game alone which will cost $49.99 to $59.99, the game and guitar together will be $89.99 to $99.99 and the band kit will run you $179.99 to $189.99. Since most of you already rock a plastic Axe, it will be a choice between the first and the last.
We’ve been hearing about it for so long, it’s almost a surprise that it hasn’t already been released. Still, today’s the day and Activision have announced that the much-anticipated Guitar Hero: World Tour has hit shelves. New instruments, new online and offline play modes and, of course, new tracks add up to what will probably be a key holiday must-have. Not only is Guitar Hero: World Tour itself available, but bundle sets including the new wireless instruments.
The emphasis is much more on collaborative play than using a single guitar now, hence the new instruments. The guitar itself has been updated, with a touch-sensitive slide on the neck and microphone, while a new drum set features three drum pads, two raised cymbal pads and a bass kick pedal. Activision are claiming a realistic bounce-back while drumming thanks to specially selected rubber; most parents would be happier with a headphone socket.
Guitar Hero: World tour is available in PS3, PS2, Xbox 360 and Wii versions, each with slightly different gameplay and music tweaking options. However each can record new tracks using the wireless instrument controllers, sharing them through the online GHTunes service. The game itself is priced between $49.99 and $59.99, platform depending, while there are also bundles with the new guitar controller ($89.99 to $99.99) and the full band kit ($179.99 to $189.99).
Press Release:
Activision’s Highly Anticipated Guitar Hero(R) World Tour Takes Center Stage on Retail Shelves Nationwide
Cooperative Band Experience, All-New Controllers Including Guitar, Drums and Microphone, Robust 86-Song On-Disc Set List, In-Game Celebrity Appearances and Innovative Music Studio Combine for Unprecedented Music and Gaming Experience
Over 20 Tracks From Artists Such As Metallica, R.E.M. and Oasis Available As Downloadable Content for All Next-Gen Consoles - including Wii - During First Month
Living-room legends are
now free to jump on stage and rock as Activision Publishing, Inc.’s
(Nasdaq: ATVI) Guitar Hero(R) World Tour, shreds, drums and wails onto
retail shelves nationwide. Transforming music gaming by expanding Guitar
Hero’s(R) signature guitar gameplay into a cooperative band experience,
Guitar Hero World Tour combines state-of-the-art wireless controllers in
new online* and offline gameplay modes and a Music Studio feature that lets
you compose, record, edit and share your own rock and roll anthems. Guitar
Hero World Tour is the most complete music game to-date with 86 on-disc
tracks from music legends such as The Eagles, Van Halen, Metallica, Michael
Jackson and The Doors and featuring in-game appearances by world famous
artists like Ozzy Osbourne, Billy Corgan and Travis Barker.
“Only Guitar Hero World Tour has the star power and brand recognition
to bring family and friends together to rock this fall,” said Dusty Welch,
Head of Publishing for RedOctane. “With a massive on-disc set list and a
host of downloadable content on the way, new high-quality controllers,
including the drum kit controller and a redesigned guitar controller;
multiple online and offline gameplay modes, plus the groundbreaking Music
Studio music creator and GHTunes(SM), a revolutionary user-generated music
hub, Guitar Hero has again set the standard in the music-based videogame
genre.”
Guitar Hero World Tour delivers more ways to play than ever before.
Virtual musicians can live out their rock and roll fantasies by playing
either a single instrument, or any combination of instruments within the
game, in addition to the full band experience. In addition to all of the
online gameplay modes from Guitar Hero(R) III: Legends of Rock, Guitar Hero
World Tour introduces Battle of the Bands mode which allows eight players
to join online and challenge each other band-to-band to determine who is
the best of the best. In the Band modes, up to four players can jam
together, online or off, as they progress through the game, and in
single-player Career Mode, players can jam on any of the instruments
in-game utilizing the controllers in branching venue progression enabling
them to rock out in the order of their choice.
The game’s innovative new Music Studio lets players express their
musical creativity by giving them access to a full complement of tools to
create digital music from scratch, utilizing all of the controllers, and
then play their compositions in the game. Music creators can also share
their recordings with their friends online through GHTunes(SM) where other
gamers can download their unique compositions and play an endless supply of
unique creations.
The Wii(TM) version of Guitar Hero World Tour features the exclusive
Mii(TM) Freestyle mode, an intuitive gameplay mechanic that connects
players to music in a whole new way by incorporating their Mii and engaging
players with the freedom to create their own groove.
In addition to a newly designed more responsive guitar controller which
features a touch-sensitive slide on the neck and microphone, Guitar Hero
World Tour delivers a genuine drumming experience by utilizing a realistic
drum controller. Featuring three drum pads, two raised cymbal pads and a
bass kick pedal, the drum kit controller combines larger and quieter,
velocity-sensitive drum heads with soft rubber construction to deliver that
certain bounce back when struck with a drum stick that drummers are used to
and is easy to set up, move, break down and store.
Guitar Hero World Tour is now available for the Xbox 360(R) video game
and entertainment system from Microsoft and PLAYSTATION(R)3 computer
entertainment system. The Wii(TM) home video game system from Nintendo
version is developed by Vicarious Visions. The PlayStation(R)2 computer
entertainment system version is developed by Budcat. The game is rated “T”
for Teen by the ESRB. For more information on Guitar Hero World Tour,
please visit worldtour.guitarhero.com.
Music games are among the most popular video games around right now and they are available on virtually all gaming systems form consoles to the PC. Mobile phone users that like to play games while on the go can also get into the action with a new Guitar Hero game.
Here’s something for those who like to paint their faces while playing Rock Band and Guitar Hero, after a healthy argument over the merits of belonging to the KISS army. Even if you aren’t a KISS fan, this is a badass Rock Band and Guitar Hero compatible replica of Gene Simmons’ signature bass. It also features a bi-directional strum bar, ultra-responsive fret buttons, an analog whammy bar for $80. It will be released on Halloween. Demon boots and outlandishly long tongue clip-on not included.
Wayne Coyne of the Flaming Lips has built imself an awesome looking Guitar Hero guitar mod that marries a Korg Kaoss pad, working GH controller and a white Gibson double-neck guitar. He’s even using this beast to film an 8-second spot for NBC. Okay, so why did he create it? Because of those damn kids. “there’s a lot of kids out there that think this is actually how you play guitar now — that you just press a series of four or five buttons and and sort of different sort of sequences and it makes every sound that the guitar can make,” 
Faux rockers have waited long and hard for this day. At long last, Activision’s next installment of the Guitar Hero franchise is officially available. With Activision’s formal announcement, you’ll be able to pick one up and once again rock out. There’s a few different bundles that range from the game alone which will cost $49.99 to $59.99, the game and guitar together will be $89.99 to $99.99 and the band kit will run you $179.99 to $189.99. Since most of you already rock a plastic Axe, it will be a choice between the first and the last.
