The Onion: Sousaphone Hero not catching on

by Justin McElroy { Aug 1st 2007 at 4:27PM }

Sad news today for fans of Sousaphone Hero, that shining hope for lovers of video games and the great marches of the late 19th and early 20th centuries. According to satire site The Onion, the game has sold only 52 copies in its first week of release. Boy, are our faces red, especially considering we've been touting the game's promise, despite its striking resemblance to Japanese favorite SousaphoneFreaks.

The publication does make some good points though, especially the one about the game costing $345, a price that was intimidating even with the pack-in spats that could sense the player's marching steps. We also understand the complaints about the 100-pound controller. Perhaps the saddest news in all of this though is that the low numbers have lead to the cancellation of Cymbal Hero, Glockenspiel Hero and Steam Calliope Hero. For lovers of oom-pah music, it would seem, the forecast is sis-boom-bad.

Tags: activision, guitarhero, parody, theonion

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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

32_Footsteps @ Aug 1st 2007 4:35PM

You know, I bet it would have sold much better if it wasn't such a pain to activate Band Geek Power.

Crono @ Aug 1st 2007 4:44PM

Welcome back. We missed you.

Anam @ Aug 1st 2007 4:36PM

I love The Onion. They just need to have new stories more often...

eldee @ Aug 1st 2007 4:37PM

okay that was funny.

samfish @ Aug 1st 2007 4:44PM

As long as they don't cancel Flute Hero Rocks Band Camp, I'll be happy.

Lono_Lives @ Aug 1st 2007 4:48PM

They totally aped this article from sarcasticgamer.com

Way to steal from other websites Onion!!!

link: http://www.sarcasticgamer.com/2007/07/fw-article-one.html

baby sea tuna @ Aug 2nd 2007 9:36AM

Yeah, and way for the Sarcastic Gamer article to go for the easy jokes and still manage not to be even remotely funny.

Brad Lee @ Aug 2nd 2007 11:31AM

I agree. I read both articles and the sarcastic gamer didn't get so much as a giggle out of me, while The Onion was actually really funny.

Humorous writing is much more difficult than you'd think. But The Onion is consistently funny. I especially love their horoscopes.

Megaqwerty @ Aug 1st 2007 4:50PM

Man, they canceled Glockenspiel Hero? I love my metallophones!

Hirsbrunner @ Aug 1st 2007 4:54PM

I would absolutely buy and play Sousaphone Hero! I've been a tuba player for many years.

That mock-up's not too bad. The bell is way too small, although I don't imagine it makes much of a difference.

They make four-valve Sousaphones, too. More buttons means more fun!

darkelf @ Aug 1st 2007 5:37PM

What a shame I was waiting for Sousaphone Hero II Marching Band Legends.

Jake @ Aug 1st 2007 5:06PM

Joke's about a year late, Onion.

Sloar @ Aug 1st 2007 5:11PM

Canceled because of low numbers? They sold one per PS3!

It was just too easy. Kinda like saying:

Well of course nobody's playing it. It's kinda hard to play on a bricked 360!

REUYL @ Aug 1st 2007 8:13PM

*rimshot*

WiNG @ Aug 1st 2007 5:24PM

lol I still like the Joystiq comment a couple days back about making "Sitar Hero"

also I wouldn't call it a ripoff I mean, the idea for other instruments as jokes is pretty intuitive

also I don't think that just cuz this game takes place in africa that it's racist