del.icio.us
Digg It!
E-Mail to a Friend
Printable Version
Comments
To complement our pending gift guide in the November/December issue of HispanicBusiness Magazine, we'll also be running online reviews of gifts we couldn't fit into the issue. I had a chance to test Band Hero, a game for XBox, Playstation, and Wii
A few weeks ago, I told you about our experience with the cool new DJ Hero game, in which a turntable-shaped controller allows a user to be a virtual Grandmaster Flash in a game of cool beats and crazy skill.
Band Hero, another game from the makers of Guitar Hero, is a game in a very similar vein, except that your controllers are faux guitars, drum kits, and, help us all, microphones. Part karaoke, part button intense masher, and all musical fun, the games musical tracks range from time-tested chart toppers, like 'American Pie' and the Jackson 5's 'ABC,' to new hits from the likes of No Doubt and Taylor Swift.
Activision has its formula down; my take on Band Hero is almost identical to our take on DJ Hero. Anybody can jump on instantly and have fun (my 3-year-old even joined in on "beginner" level and made it through a few songs, as did his grandfather). Like DJ Hero, initial gameplay is easy enough that you'll quickly unlock a few cool things. And, again, advanced play is very, very challenging.
I think this is a little better for party gaming than DJ Hero, as more people can play at once with the kit. The standard package includes guitar, mic, drum set; an additional guitar can be purchased for a full band (one guitar is bass, one is lead). For the near $200 the full package will cost you, I think it's well worth it if you have several interested family members or are a frequent host to parties or friends.
