Guitar Hero Expands Horizons

This past Christmas, most gamers wanted a Nintendo Wii. The little white console was in serious demand, and that meant it rarely made its way to that cozy little place nestled under the Christmas tree. The next best thing was surely Electronic Arts' Rock Band, the game simulating the life of a grungy, coke-sniffing rock star.

Like the Wii, Rock Band was also tough to get your hands on. Launched first for the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3, it offered a nice runner-up prize for those gamers unable to find Nintendo's console. It was also a great little gift for the hardcore gamer -- and there are many -- completely uninterested in Nintendo's 'kiddy' approach.

Given Rock Band's success, it's only natural that the previous rock fan favorite, Guitar Hero, would expand its horizons beyond the strings. According to recent reports, makers of Guitar Hero Activision will be adding drums, a bass guitar, and microphone when the next edition ships sometime this fall.

Guitar Hero World Tour will allow two bands (each consisting of four rockers) to compete online. Most innovative may be Activision's promise that it will allow players to compose and then rock out to their own music. (Source: gannett.com)

For those who want to perform the usual cover tunes, Guitar Hero World Tour will for the first time feature music by The Eagles, Linkin Park, and Sublime. Van Halen has also been listed. Unlike past Guitar Hero titles, Activision promises that each and every track will be an original (unlike those previous cover acts, such as the horrendous Guitar Hero 2 rendition of Rage Against the Machine's "Killing in the Name").

The announcement by Activision now shifts pressure back to EA and MTV, the creative forces behind Rock Band. "What's 'Rock Band' going to do now, add a flute and banjo?" asked industry analyst Mike Hickey. (Source: reuters.com)

The answer is fairly obvious: I gotta have more cowbell!