Rock Band
© 2007 Harmonix Music Systems, Inc.
See also Rock Band 3 (released Fall 2010). Update June 10, 2008. The Wii edition of Rock Band shipped June 23, 2008. The core gameplay is the same and there are no motion-related controls. Differences include a white drum set that must be hard wired to the powered USB expander, that plugs into the Wii. The guitar is wireless, and is different that the Wii Guitar Hero guitar (it has no relationship to the Wii), connecting to a dongle (a small receiver) that also plugs into the USB expander. The gameplay is pretty much identical to the other versions, although five additional songs have been added to the library (Roxanne, Dirty Little Secret, Don't Look Back in Anger, Rockaway Beach and Rome). The following review ran in our December '07 issue: A great cooperative play opportunity for kids and adults alike, this four-player game combines the elements of Guitar Hero and Karaoke Revolution. Each player gets their own instrument -- vocals, bass, drums and guitar -- so they can play together in a simulated live rock concert. (Note that only one guitar is included in the $170 price. See below for more information regarding peripherals and compatibility.) In the game, you try to keep up with the flow of notes, on a color-coded fret board, drum set or stream of lyrics, each shown in one of four areas of the screen. The singer matches the words and pitch of the song in order to score points. The computer listens to each note, and if it passes inspection, the player earns more points; a process first developed by two graduate students in the MIT media lab. The reward, of course, is what any musician craves: thousands of screaming fans. Bad notes can result in you "failing out," although the other band members can carry the tune in order to finish. However, if one player is knocked out three times, the instrument fades away until the next song. The song list contains 58 licensed songs, 13 of which can be unlocked with good scores. Artists include The Who, David Bowie, Blue Oyster Cult, The Ramones, Rush, Bon Jovi, Nirvana, Stone Temple Pilots, Weezer, Foo Fighters, Metallica, The Hives, The Strokes, and Queens of the Stone Age. Some songs are simulations, but most are built on the original musical tracks, so it really feels like you're standing in the middle of a recording studio, playing with the master tracks. The Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 versions allow for internet game play as well as the ability to download more songs, including complete albums. (Prices range from $.99 to $2.99 per track; more for complete albums. See www.rockband.com for complete information.) The Wii and PS2 version do not support this online feature. The 'special edition' includes game software, drums (with sticks but no stool), microphone and one Fender Stratocaster guitar peripheral (wireless for PS3 and PS2; wired for Xbox 360). This means in order to have four-person gameplay, you need to have another guitar. Stand-alone Rock Band instruments won't be available for individual purchase until January 2008, but you might be in luck if you happen to own a previous version of Guitar Hero. According to Harmonix, "Rock Band is designed to work with the open-controller standards of the Xbox 360 and PlayStation platforms, and should therefore work with third-party controllers that are also based on those standards." However, there are compatibility issues with the PS3 Guitar Hero III Les Paul guitar controller not working with the PS3 version of Rock Band. Harmonix is reportedly working on a patch. It is also important to note that controllers are specific to the console they were designed for. Therefore, you can't use any type of Xbox 360 controller (including guitars) on a PS3 or PS2 or Wii -- or vice versa. So what other guitar peripherals will work for the bass part? If you're an Xbox 360 owner, both the wired X-Plorer Guitar Hero II guitar and the Guitar Hero III Les Paul guitar (as well as other unspecified third-party Xbox 360 guitar peripherals) will work. Likewise, the PS2 Guitar Hero II will work on PS2 Rock Band, as well as on the PS2 version of Guitar Hero III. The Rock Band Stratocaster guitar is the same for the PS2 and PS3, and therefore will work on both systems. The Wii version uses its own wireless guitars (Note: If you later upgrade to a PS3, your PS2 Rock Band Stratocaster guitar will work on the PS3, but the PS2 Guitar Hero guitars will not.) This leaves PS3 owners out of luck until Harmonix issues a patch. Or you can wait until 2008 to buy a second Stratocaster guitar. In addition, the PS3 Rock Band Stratocaster is not compatible with PS3 Guitar Hero III. Other peripheral notes: Rock Band also supports two microphones for head-to-head competition. However, in full band play, you can only have one singer. Harmonix notes that Rock Band works with the current USB collection of headsets and mics. A plug adapter is available for the Xbox 360 allowing you to plug in a three-prong Xbox 360 headset into the drum or guitar if needed. A USB port hub is included with the Xbox 360 and PS2 versions, but not the PS3 version, so if you have the smaller 40GB PS3 console, you will need to get a hub to connect all the peripherals. The PS2 version was released on December 18 for $160. The game is also available for purchase individually ($60), so if you have a compatible guitar controller and mic, you could play vocals, lead guitar or bass guitar. A good sound system, large TV, and cooperative neighbors (perhaps with ear plugs) are also good ideas. Hands down, this is a very fun party game for anyone 10 and up. More information can be found at www.rockband.com.
$1703, PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, PlayStation 2, Wii
Teaches: cooperative learning, timing, rock music, timing, temporal relations, fine motor skills, pitch, rhythm
CTR Rating: 92.5%