Joystiq http://www.joystiq.com Joystiq http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/http://www.joystiq.com/media/feedlogo.gif Joystiq http://www.joystiq.com en-us Copyright 2013 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/<![CDATA[Guitar Hero III demo disc online, magically works on any 360]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2007/10/18/guitar-hero-iii-demo-disc-online-magically-works-on-any-360/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/10/18/guitar-hero-iii-demo-disc-online-magically-works-on-any-360/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/10/18/guitar-hero-iii-demo-disc-online-magically-works-on-any-360/#commentsFiled under: ,

We're but simple bloggers, unfamiliar with the illicit, seedy underbelly of pirating video games, so we won't pretend to understand how all of this works. What we do know is that the demo for Guitar Hero III - which came bundled in with Tony Hawk Proving Ground and the December issue of OXM - isn't on the Xbox Live Marketplace but if you burn this magical disc you can play it on your regular old 360. No soldering, no flashing ROMs, or any of that other stuff we're vaguely familiar with from peeking around inappropriate internet sites. Just burn and shred. Now that we've got your attention, here's the track list for the curious amongst you.

JoystiqGuitar Hero III demo disc online, magically works on any 360 originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 18 Oct 2007 17:26:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>ActivisionGH3GuitarHero2NeversoftRedOctaneXbox-360Thu, 18 Oct 2007 17:26:00 EST<![CDATA[Guitar Hero II DLC goes multi-platinum]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2007/09/11/guitar-hero-ii-dlc-goes-multi-platinum/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/09/11/guitar-hero-ii-dlc-goes-multi-platinum/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/09/11/guitar-hero-ii-dlc-goes-multi-platinum/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Apparently some of you are not sufficiently outraged at paying $6.25 for three new Guitar Hero II songs. Activision announced today that 2 million individual tracks have been downloaded via over 650,000 downloadable Xbox Live packs. The number includes 50,000 downloads for the recent My Chemical Romance pack in its first week of availability and 300,000 sales for the three original Guitar Hero packs through early July.

Activision also used the opportunity to talk up the impending release of Guitar Hero 3 and its "vast array of downloadable content including songs from some of the most popular European bands." Do we smell an ABBA song pack in the works? We can only hope and pray.

JoystiqGuitar Hero II DLC goes multi-platinum originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 11 Sep 2007 15:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>ActivisionGH2GuitarHero2Xbox LiveXbox-360XboxLiveTue, 11 Sep 2007 15:57:00 EST<![CDATA[World Series of Video Games to air on CBS]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2007/06/01/world-series-of-video-games-to-air-on-cbs/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/06/01/world-series-of-video-games-to-air-on-cbs/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/06/01/world-series-of-video-games-to-air-on-cbs/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,


Because you can't spell "boredom stricken" without CBS. Thanks to that venerable network, you'll be able to watch gamers from across the globe play Quake 4, Guitar Hero 2, Fight Night Round 3 and World of Warcraft from the comfort of your couch in ... Video Game ARMAGEDDON! No, it's the World Series of Video Games. But we can dream, right? The tournaments start filming soon and will air on four weekend days this year, the first being July 29. The play-by-play will be done by Greg Amsinger, who two of you may know is returning after calling the WSVG Finals on College Sports Television.

We jest, but we'll probably end up checking it out. But we make no promises that we won't remember after five minutes that video games are fun to play and be forced to abandon the WSVG for more interactive pursuits. If you'd like to have your five minutes of fame, more information is available on the WSVG Web site, though it seems to be having some troubles at the moment.

JoystiqWorld Series of Video Games to air on CBS originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 01 Jun 2007 08:10:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>cbsguitarhero2quake4thewizardworldofwarcraftwsvgFri, 01 Jun 2007 08:10:00 EST<![CDATA[Joystiq Review: Pelican PS2 to PS3 controller adapter]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2007/05/11/review-pelican-ps2-to-ps3-controller-adapter/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/05/11/review-pelican-ps2-to-ps3-controller-adapter/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/05/11/review-pelican-ps2-to-ps3-controller-adapter/#commentsFiled under: , ,

The whole point of backward compatibility for most PS3 owners is being able to get rid of that PS2 in the old entertainment center. Yet many PS3 owners have had to keep their PS2 units hooked up for a few reasons, namely:
  1. Support for our old memory card saves.
  2. Support for rumbling controllers.
  3. Support for the Guitar Hero controller.
The first problem is solved by an official Sony adapter which you can buy for $15, use once, and then throw away, we suppose. The second problem is solved by the recent firmware update 1.7, which added rumble support for old controllers hooked up via any number of USB to PlayStation controller adapters. Yet the third and most important problem remained -- if you want to play Guitar Hero, you need to keep a PS2 handy. Pelican's new controller adapter promises to fix this final problem, but the execution is less than perfect.

Continue reading Joystiq Review: Pelican PS2 to PS3 controller adapter

JoystiqJoystiq Review: Pelican PS2 to PS3 controller adapter originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 11 May 2007 11:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>adaptercontrollerconverterforce feedbackForceFeedbackguitar heroguitar hero 2GuitarHeroGuitarHero2pelicanPS2PS3rumbleFri, 11 May 2007 11:28:00 EST<![CDATA[Thank you, Pelican PS2 to PS3 adapter]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2007/05/10/thank-you-pelican-ps2-to-ps3-adapter/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/05/10/thank-you-pelican-ps2-to-ps3-adapter/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/05/10/thank-you-pelican-ps2-to-ps3-adapter/#commentsFiled under: ,

If you were unfortunate enough to sell your PS2 before reading about the failed attempts to play the original Guitar Hero on PS3, you aren't alone. In fact, upon first hearing the news of this little gadget, you probably jumped up for extreme joy and knocked yourself out on a low-hanging ceiling fan. Jeesh, be more careful! Now, we've all been patiently awaiting this very product since it was known to be in the works since November. Thanks to Pelican and their beautiful PS2 to PS3 adapting magic, we can finally rejoice, hold our original Guitar Hero controllers high, and rock ourselves out silly.

See, some of us actually made the tragic mistake of assuming everything would be fine, without bothering to physically check adapters or reading any news about incompatibility. And so, with rage-like Hulk powers, we may very well have smashed everything in our living rooms when we realized the horrible, staggering truth. While most of our audience was probably savvy enough to avoid this type of disastrous end, we were stubbornly unwilling to part with this cherished product that literally, brought us tears of joy. Yes, tears of joy. Game on, beautiful rock stars of the gaming world. Game on.

[Via Joystiq]

JoystiqThank you, Pelican PS2 to PS3 adapter originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 10 May 2007 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>adaptorguitar heroguitar hero 2GuitarHeroGuitarHero2Pelicanps2 controllerPs2ControllerThu, 10 May 2007 13:00:00 EST<![CDATA[First tracks from Guitar Hero: Rocks the 80's revealed]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2007/05/10/first-tracks-from-guitar-hero-rocks-the-80s-revealed/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/05/10/first-tracks-from-guitar-hero-rocks-the-80s-revealed/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/05/10/first-tracks-from-guitar-hero-rocks-the-80s-revealed/#commentsFiled under: , ,

An alarming abundance of outrageous attitudes? Check. Enormous shoulder pads and poor color coordination? Check. Extravagantly large hair and excessively shiny accessories? Check. With this Summer's upcoming Guitar Hero expansion, Rocks the 80's, publisher Activision is dangerously close to delivering their first Japanese RPG. Thankfully, Opposable Thumbs reminds us that it's all about the music and lists the first seven tracks from the game's 30-strong list.
  • I Wanna Rock (by Twisted Sister)
  • I Ran (by Flock of Seagulls)
  • Round and Round (as made famous by Ratt)
  • I Want Candy (as made famous by Bow Wow Wow)
  • Metal Health (as made famous by Quiet Riot)
  • Holy Diver (as made famous by Dio)
  • Heat Of The Moment (as made famous by Asia)
Given the lack of the "as made famous" bit, it seems original recordings are provided by everybody's favorite contorted siblings and maritime birds. Curiously, Opposable Thumbs notes that Guitar Hero: Rocks the 80's will be "exclusive" to the PlayStation 2. Does that imply exclusivity for the in-store version, with the Xbox 360 receiving the expansion in downloadable form? Why would Activision limit the game's reach? After all, the pricing of Guitar Hero's online tracks makes it pretty clear that the publisher enjoys making money.

[Thanks, Jess]

JoystiqFirst tracks from Guitar Hero: Rocks the 80's revealed originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 10 May 2007 11:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>ActivisionGuitar HeroGuitar Hero 2Guitar Hero IIGuitarHeroGuitarHero2GuitarHeroIiNeversoftPS2Red OctaneRedOctaneThu, 10 May 2007 11:01:00 EST<![CDATA[RedOctane promises new Guitar Hero every year]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2007/04/17/redoctane-promises-new-guitar-hero-every-year/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/04/17/redoctane-promises-new-guitar-hero-every-year/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/04/17/redoctane-promises-new-guitar-hero-every-year/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,


Tina Turner be damned, you're getting a new Guitar Hero game every year. In a Eurogamer interview, RedOctane co-founder and president, Kai Huang, reveals that every guitar freak's favorite franchise will soon have something in common with large men tossing balls and slamming into each other. "I think that fans can definitely expect that we're going to have one major release a year," says Kai. Following that, the peripheral manufacturer plans to "release update packs and content packs so there's more songs."

And what about the controversial pricing of already released song packs? The pricing's "competitive," says Huang, though his comment may have been slightly garbled due to the degradation of interplanetary transmissions. "We've done a lot of evaluation on the pricing and the costs for each of the songs and how they work for each of the packs, and we think that they're priced competitively, but certainly we listen to the fans and we take that feedback, and if that's something we'll need to evaluate we'll do that."

An annual release of Guitar Hero is hardly something we'd consider to be terrible news, but one caveat certainly needs to be heard -- not many franchises keep their sparkle on a yearly release schedule. Even fellow music maniac, Dance Dance Revolution, has taken a few bad steps in its rapid-fire career. We cringe at the thought of seeing a great franchise doing a power slide... down a set of stairs.

JoystiqRedOctane promises new Guitar Hero every year originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 17 Apr 2007 20:17:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>ActivisionDSGuitar HeroGuitar Hero 2Guitar Hero 3Guitar Hero IIGuitar Hero IIIGuitarHeroGuitarHero2GuitarHero3GuitarHeroIiGuitarHeroIiiMusicPS2PS3RedOctaneWiiXbox-360Tue, 17 Apr 2007 20:17:00 EST<![CDATA[Red Octane 'looking into' Guitar Hero II patch problems]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2007/04/16/red-octane-looking-into-guitar-hero-ii-patch-problems/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/04/16/red-octane-looking-into-guitar-hero-ii-patch-problems/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/04/16/red-octane-looking-into-guitar-hero-ii-patch-problems/#commentsFiled under: ,


"We're aware of the problem and we're looking into it." So says RedOctane in response to complaints of a Guitar Hero II patch leaving Xbox 360s paralyzed by the dreaded red ring of death. A string of users have posted their tales of woe on the official Xbox forums, noting post-patch game freezes, startup glitches and eventual system lockups. The patch was initially issued to correct unresponsive whammy bars in some guitar controllers.

Though Red Octane doesn't divulge to Eurogamer just exactly what "we're looking into it" entails, there's little hope that a further software patch could repair completely inoperative consoles. There's also no direct evidence to suggest that the patch itself is causing the Xbox 360 hardware to malfunction. The operating system might be fooled into thinking there is, however, which isn't much better than a physical malfunction. This occurrence is awfully similar to what transpires whenever a new Xbox 360 game is released -- is software causing a new problem, or is it letting you know that you had a rotten system to begin with?

We'll let you know as soon as RedOctane or Microsoft comment further.

JoystiqRed Octane 'looking into' Guitar Hero II patch problems originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 16 Apr 2007 21:54:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Guitar HeroGuitar Hero 2Guitar Hero IIGuitarHeroGuitarHero2GuitarHeroIiHarmonixMicrosoftMusicPatchRedOctaneRockXbox-360Mon, 16 Apr 2007 21:54:00 EST<![CDATA[GHII problems software based, patch inbound]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2007/04/13/ghii-problems-software-based-patch-inbound/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/04/13/ghii-problems-software-based-patch-inbound/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/04/13/ghii-problems-software-based-patch-inbound/#commentsFiled under: ,


Guitar Hero II, we've been writing about it nonstop since it was released. It was the major topic of our most recent Fancast. The song packs have outraged us. The game itself, however, is basically pure gaming gold. At least, it's gold so long as you have a functional guitar. Our own David Dreger, for example, has a broken whammy bar. Or does he? According to a recent statement from Activision, it looks like the whammy bar issue may actually stem from software, not hardware. Activision and Red Octane's support pages note that the issue is caused by an element of Guitar Hero II that was added to "ensure accurate scoring". In other words, it was placed there to prevent cheating. Activision plans to release a patch that should rectify the issue within the coming weeks. So, if you were planning on fixing that guitar yourself, you may want to wait for the patch. After all, if you fix your guitar, and then Activision patches the game, you may wind up with the same problem all over again.

JoystiqGHII problems software based, patch inbound originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 13 Apr 2007 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>activisiongh 2Gh2ghiiguitar heroguitar hero 2guitar hero iiGuitarHeroGuitarHero2GuitarHeroIiharmonixred octaneRedOctaneFri, 13 Apr 2007 12:00:00 EST<![CDATA[First wave of Guitar Hero II songs rock Marketplace]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2007/04/11/first-wave-of-guitar-hero-ii-songs-rock-marketplace/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/04/11/first-wave-of-guitar-hero-ii-songs-rock-marketplace/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/04/11/first-wave-of-guitar-hero-ii-songs-rock-marketplace/#commentsFiled under: , ,


3 sets of 3 songs from the original Guitar Hero have landed on Xbox Live Marketplace for GHII. Track Pack 1 has Ozzy's "Bark at the Moon", "Ace of Spades" by Motörhead, and The Exies' "Hey You". Pack numero dos is rockin' "Killer Queen" by Queen, The Donnas' "Take it Off", and "Frankenstein" by The Edward Winter Group. Finally, the third Pack gives you "Higher Ground" by Red Hot Chili Peppers, Incubus' "Stellar", and "Infected" by Bad Religion.

Note that all of these songs are covers and not master tracks, like they were before. Each pack weighs in a 500 MS points. That means, at this price point, to get all 47 of the original Guitar Hero tracks, it would cost you roughly 7,850 MS Points or $98.09 USD. So, will you be picking up any of these packs, if so, which one?

JoystiqFirst wave of Guitar Hero II songs rock Marketplace originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 11 Apr 2007 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>G H 2G H IIGH2GHIiGuitar Hero 2Guitar Hero IIGuitarHero2GuitarHeroIiMarketplaceRed OctaneRedOctaneXbox Live MarketplaceXboxLiveMarketplaceWed, 11 Apr 2007 10:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Guitar Hero II song packs now Live, pricey]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2007/04/11/guitar-hero-ii-song-packs-now-live-pricey/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/04/11/guitar-hero-ii-song-packs-now-live-pricey/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/04/11/guitar-hero-ii-song-packs-now-live-pricey/#commentsFiled under: , ,

guitar hero
Good news: Just a week after the release of Guitar Hero II on the 360, a handful of songs from the original Guitar Hero have now become available as DLC on Xbox Live. Crappy news: You can pick up one of the three-song packs for the low, low price of ... $6.25! Hold on, we just choked on our picks.

In exchange for 500 points you can get one of the following three clusters, for just over $2 per song:
  • Pack 1: "Bark at the Moon," "Hey You," "Ace of Spades"
  • Pack 2: "Killer Queen," "Take it Off," "Frankenstein"
  • Pack 3: "Higher Ground," "Infected," "Stellar"
Is that a fair price for songs that were released in 2005 and have already been played by a hojillion PS2 Guitar Hero fans? Or is that just the highest possible dollar figure that could be charged without causing people to involuntarily throw up on themselves? By this standard, the 48 songs of GH (selling for $40 new on PS2) would cost you just under $100 on Live. We'd make a joke that this a great way to repay people for selling them broken guitars, but we already know that it's Microsoft's hand on the insanity-dispensing Live pricing gun.

JoystiqGuitar Hero II song packs now Live, pricey originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 11 Apr 2007 09:03:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>guitarheroguitarhero2pointspricingxboxliveWed, 11 Apr 2007 09:03:00 EST<![CDATA[Guitar Hero III60 encore this fall]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2007/04/10/guitar-hero-iii60-encore-this-fall/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/04/10/guitar-hero-iii60-encore-this-fall/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/04/10/guitar-hero-iii60-encore-this-fall/#commentsFiled under: ,

RedOctane's Support Center has an interesting tidbit of information regarding the next installment of Guitar Hero, and it's release schedule. The PS2, PS3, Wii, and Xbox 360 can expect to be rocking out to a new set of songs to unlock in Guitar Hero III this Fall (for North America). This also will be Neversoft's first shot at the game, so it will interesting to see what direction they take the series, and if the pedal jack will be used or not. Do you think that this is too soon for the next game? Or is it justified as the PS2 release was back in November?

[Via QJ.net]

JoystiqGuitar Hero III60 encore this fall originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 10 Apr 2007 11:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>ActivisionG H 3G H IIIGHIiiGuitar HeroGuitar Hero 2Guitar Hero 3Guitar Hero IIGuitar Hero IIIGuitarHeroGuitarHero2GuitarHero3GuitarHeroIiGuitarHeroIiiNever softNeverSoftRed OctaneRedOctaneTue, 10 Apr 2007 11:45:00 EST<![CDATA[GHII guitar works on Windows, Frets on Fire]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2007/04/06/ghii-guitar-works-on-windows-frets-on-fire/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/04/06/ghii-guitar-works-on-windows-frets-on-fire/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/04/06/ghii-guitar-works-on-windows-frets-on-fire/#commentsFiled under: ,


As if Guitar Hero II wasn't enough on its own, it seems the X-plorer guitar does even more than expected. Our overlords and fellow slaves of rock at Joystiq have discovered that the X-plorer guitar controller that ships with the Xbox 360 version of Guitar Hero II works flawlessly with Windows. The device reportedly works in both Windows XP and Vista. The fret buttons correspond to buttons 1 through 5, back and start control 7 and 8, the D-pad and strummer control the Point of View Hat, the whammy bar controls X rotation, star power controls Y rotation and the Z-axis moves as you move the guitar.

With some control configuration, the peeps at Joystiq even managed to get the guitar up and running with the freeware PC Guitar Hero clone, Frets on Fire. Getting the guitar to control a guitar game is interesting, but we're not satisfied. No, we won't be satisfied until we're pulling off headshots with our guitar. Even better, we'd like to see someone rig a music program to use the guitar as an actual instrument. Maybe someone could whip something up with Game Studio Express. Anyone care to take up the challenge?

[Via Joystiq]

JoystiqGHII guitar works on Windows, Frets on Fire originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 06 Apr 2007 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>gh 2gh iiGh2GhIiguitar hero 2guitar hero iiGuitarHero2GuitarHeroIiharmonixred octaneRedOctaneFri, 06 Apr 2007 18:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Guitar Hero II Rocks out today]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2007/04/03/guitar-hero-ii-rocks-out-today/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/04/03/guitar-hero-ii-rocks-out-today/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/04/03/guitar-hero-ii-rocks-out-today/#commentsFiled under: ,

We've waited for months for this day, and lo, it has arrived. Guitar Hero II is out and ready to allow you to jam to the likes of Aerosmith, KISS, Alice Cooper, Stone Temple Pilots, and even shed a tear for My Chemical Romance. Packed with 74 songs and downloadable content available in the coming weeks, this spring is starting off with a bang. So here at Fanboy Towers, only two Fanbloggers have the intention of getting the game, half of which are able to pick it up today, and we'll let you take the wild guess who's who in that situation.

But the situation we want to know is whether any of you, dear readers, are planning on busting out the tunes today. Who here is going to rock out and grab GHII today? How about later?

JoystiqGuitar Hero II Rocks out today originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 03 Apr 2007 09:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>ActivisionG H 2G H IIGH2GHIiGuitar Hero 2Guitar Hero IIGuitarHero2GuitarHeroIiHarmonixRed OctaneRedOctaneTue, 03 Apr 2007 09:45:00 EST<![CDATA[Instruction Manual confirms pedal for Guitar Hero's future]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2007/04/02/instruction-manual-confirms-pedal-for-guitar-heros-future/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/04/02/instruction-manual-confirms-pedal-for-guitar-heros-future/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/04/02/instruction-manual-confirms-pedal-for-guitar-heros-future/#commentsFiled under: ,


When you get your hands on a copy of Guitar Hero II, tomorrow, you'll find in the instruction manual the answer to the question which many inquisitive gamers have been pondering: What's that port on the bottom of the axe for? While it's been rumored for an effects pedal since the first shots showing it were released, it can now be confirmed. The manual explicitly states three things, first that it's for an effects pedal. Secondly, it will, naturally, be sold separately, and finally, that the feature is currently unavailable. We'll probably see it get use in the next iteration of Guitar Hero's series. Would you welcome some footwork when rocking out?

JoystiqInstruction Manual confirms pedal for Guitar Hero's future originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 02 Apr 2007 09:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>ActivisionG H 2G H IIGH2GHIiGibson X-plorerGibson XplorerGibsonX-plorerGibsonXplorerGuitar Hero 2Guitar Hero IIGuitarHero2GuitarHeroIiHarmonixRed OctaneRedOctaneX-plorerXplorerMon, 02 Apr 2007 09:45:00 EST<![CDATA[Guitar Hero Effects Pedal confirmed in 360 instructions]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2007/03/31/guitar-hero-effects-pedal-confirmed-in-360-instructions/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/03/31/guitar-hero-effects-pedal-confirmed-in-360-instructions/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/03/31/guitar-hero-effects-pedal-confirmed-in-360-instructions/#commentsFiled under: ,


Praise be to the Circuit City's and Wal-Mart's of the world as Guitar Hero II for the Xbox 360 has arrived a few, scant days early on Mount Joystiq. What? You actually go to a game store to buy your games? You should probably stop doing that. After shredding it up like only nerds with tiny, plastic toy guitars can, we actually took a look at the instruction manual, curious as to any information regarding the mystery port found at the base of the X-Plorer.

The gods of rock shined upon us as it is now clearly labeled the Effects Pedal port, as seen above. Opposite the page is an explanation of all the buttons and gadgets found on the guitar, including an explanation of the Effects Pedal port. How dost thou rocketh mighty ports of pedals?

(Feature currently not available.)

Rockin'! Now that we know for sure that it's for some sort of effects pedal, we curl up into the fetal position. We've been scorned in the past by these sorts of shenanigans. We're looking at you, Konami! We still want our Beatmania III pedal!

(Update - Because everyone is insane and paranoid about April Fools, we've included some actual pictures of the manual in question behind the cut. We even threw in some Mudkip because we heard that you like him so much.)

Continue reading Guitar Hero Effects Pedal confirmed in 360 instructions

JoystiqGuitar Hero Effects Pedal confirmed in 360 instructions originally appeared on Joystiq on Sat, 31 Mar 2007 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>guitarheroguitarhero2redoctaneXbox-360Sat, 31 Mar 2007 16:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Guitar Hero II tourney in Florida April 7th]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2007/03/20/guitar-hero-ii-tourney-in-florida-april-7th/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/03/20/guitar-hero-ii-tourney-in-florida-april-7th/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/03/20/guitar-hero-ii-tourney-in-florida-april-7th/#commentsFiled under: ,

With Guitar Hero II mere weeks away from release, competitions were bound to start to get planned. GameHQ is holding a tournament on April 7th, sponsored by Red Octane. The catch, of course, is that it takes place in Deland, Florida at the Sunshine Bowling Center. Festivities start at 7:00 pm and there are unspecified prizes to be given to true rockers. We do like the name of the group, though: G.H.O.U.L., the Guitar Hero Organized Underground League. So, if you live in that region of America's wang, are you going to see what all the fuss is about? If so, will you start practicing now on the PS2's version, or wait until you pick it up for 360?

JoystiqGuitar Hero II tourney in Florida April 7th originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 20 Mar 2007 01:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>G H 2G H IIGH2GHIiGuitar Hero 2Guitar Hero IIGuitarHero2GuitarHeroIiRed OctaneRedOctaneTournamentTue, 20 Mar 2007 01:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Guitar Hero II hits UK on Good Friday]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2007/03/19/guitar-hero-ii-hits-uk-on-good-friday/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/03/19/guitar-hero-ii-hits-uk-on-good-friday/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/03/19/guitar-hero-ii-hits-uk-on-good-friday/#commentsFiled under: ,

So on Friday, or maybe it was Thursday, we told you that Guitar Hero II was releasing on April 3rd in North America. Well, fortunately the blokes over in the UK won't have to wait too much longer after the fact to get their grubby hands on a guitar controller. According to Eurogamer, Activision US also announced that the UK should have Guitar Hero II hit store shelves on April 6th, Good Friday. Hopefully there will some stores open for business to sell it to eager gamers looking to rock out on the long weekend.

[Via QJ.net]

JoystiqGuitar Hero II hits UK on Good Friday originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 19 Mar 2007 10:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>ActivisionG H 2G H IIGH2GHIiGuitar Hero 2Guitar Hero IIGuitarHero2GuitarHeroIiHarmonixRed OctaneRedOctaneMon, 19 Mar 2007 10:15:00 EST<![CDATA[Guitar Hero II rocks 360 on April 3rd]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2007/03/16/guitar-hero-ii-rocks-360-on-april-3rd/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/03/16/guitar-hero-ii-rocks-360-on-april-3rd/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/03/16/guitar-hero-ii-rocks-360-on-april-3rd/#commentsFiled under:

Screw Guitar Hero II demo stations! Why waste time with a puny demo station when you can bag the real thing in just two weeks? That's right, Activision has officially announced that Guitar Hero II will release on April 3rd. Wait a minute, that sounds awfully familiar. Oh, that's because we reported it two months ago, booyah!

At any rate, in just over two weeks, budding 360 rockers will finally get to lay down some righteous chops with the best of them. The 360 version of GHII features the all new X-plorer guitar, updated graphics, and 10 exclusive new songs. Not only that, but Red Octane already has a ton of downloadable content in the pipeline.

So, 360 fanboys, we ask you: are you ready to RAWK?!

[Via Joystiq]

JoystiqGuitar Hero II rocks 360 on April 3rd originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 16 Mar 2007 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>activisiongh 2Gh2ghiiguitar heroguitar hero 2guitar hero iiGuitarHeroGuitarHero2GuitarHeroIiharmonixred octaneRedOctaneFri, 16 Mar 2007 17:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Badges of Honour back at Blockbuster]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2007/03/09/badges-of-honour-back-at-blockbuster/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/03/09/badges-of-honour-back-at-blockbuster/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/03/09/badges-of-honour-back-at-blockbuster/#commentsFiled under: , , ,


For you fellow Canadian fanboys out there, Blockbuster Video is carrying the "Badges of Honour". For a toonie, you can get your hands on one of five limited edition badges, from GRAW 2, to Guitar Hero II to Halo 3. Proceeds are going to be donated to the Children's Miracle Network, so its definitely for a good cause. They will only be available until Sunday, April 1st, 2007, so next time you're renting something over at Blockbuster, pick up a couple badges to help show gamers care.

[Thanks, DjDATZ]

JoystiqBadges of Honour back at Blockbuster originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 09 Mar 2007 15:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>BadgeBadge of HonorBadge of HonourBadgeOfHonorBadgeOfHonourBadgesBadges of HonorBadges of HonourBadgesOfHonorBadgesOfHonourBlock BusterBlock Buster VideoBlockBusterBlockBusterVideoCanadaG H 2G H IIG R A W 2GH2GHIiGRAW2Guitar Hero 2Guitar Hero IIGuitarHero2GuitarHeroIiXbox CanadaXboxCanadaFri, 09 Mar 2007 15:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Halo 2 Theme on Guitar Hero II? Schweet]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2007/02/26/halo-2-theme-on-guitar-hero-ii-schweet/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/02/26/halo-2-theme-on-guitar-hero-ii-schweet/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/02/26/halo-2-theme-on-guitar-hero-ii-schweet/#commentsFiled under: , ,

OXM's exclusive article and review combo of Guitar Hero II in their March issue had an interesting tidbit on an exclusive song. Apprarently, the Xbox 360 version will get a little spartan nostalgia as they get to rock out to the Mjolnir Mix of the Halo 2 theme. In terms of the song itself, it sounds like a lot of fun, as the guitar is very distinctive. Honestly, who wouldn't want to play the Halo 2 theme?

Still, when we read the magazine's article prior to coming across this news, we didn't see any mention of the song, but perhaps we overlooked it in a sidebar or something. So, until we double check our issue of OXM, or a Fanboy reader confirms it, we're going to classify this as a rumor. No word if it is going to be available on the disc off the bat or through a download off of Xbox Live Marketplace. We're going to look into this as soon as we can. Let's say this is true, how do you feel about the Halo's theme showing up in other games?

[Via GameStooge]

JoystiqHalo 2 Theme on Guitar Hero II? Schweet originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 26 Feb 2007 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>G H 2G H IIGH2Guitar Hero 2Guitar Hero IIGuitarHero2GuitarHeroIiHalo 2Halo2Mjolnir MixMjolnirMixMon, 26 Feb 2007 18:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Video: Guitar Hero II DLC Details and More?]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2007/02/22/video-guitar-hero-ii-dlc-details-and-more/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/02/22/video-guitar-hero-ii-dlc-details-and-more/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/02/22/video-guitar-hero-ii-dlc-details-and-more/#commentsFiled under: , , ,


GameTrailers sat down with Bryan Lam of Red Octane to talk about Guitar Hero II, and he touches on a lot of the latest topics regarding the title. He brings up the amount of downloadable content they're bringing, the availability of the original Guitar Hero songs on Marketplace, wireless guitar controllers, Neversoft taking the helm for the next game, and even implementing online co-op in the future. All in all it's a very interesting sheds light on many things that are on gamer's minds about GH II. It's also available in HD if you're into that resolution.

JoystiqVideo: Guitar Hero II DLC Details and More? originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 22 Feb 2007 17:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Downloadable ContentDownloadableContentG H 2GH IIGH2GhIiGuitar Hero 2Guitar Hero IIGuitarHero2GuitarHeroIiHarmonixRed OctaneRedOctaneThu, 22 Feb 2007 17:45:00 EST<![CDATA[GH II wireless guitar arriving "hopefully rather shortly"]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2007/02/15/gh-ii-wireless-guitar-arriving-hopefully-rather-shortly/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/02/15/gh-ii-wireless-guitar-arriving-hopefully-rather-shortly/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/02/15/gh-ii-wireless-guitar-arriving-hopefully-rather-shortly/#commentsFiled under: , ,


Associate Producer for Guitar Hero II, Ted Lange, was asked a few questions by IGN Australia. They touched on downloadable content as well as the exclusive tracks and even licensing issues with other bands. The main thing that caught our attention was Ted's thoughts on a wireless guitar. He said that he hopes they'll be able to provide a wireless solution rather shortly to fans, which is definitely a good thing. Hopefully this indicates that their talks with Microsoft about bringing this to the market is making significant progress. After getting Guitar Hero II with its wired guitar, would you buy a second one if it was wireless, and for how much?

JoystiqGH II wireless guitar arriving "hopefully rather shortly" originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 15 Feb 2007 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>ActivisionG H 2G H I IGH2GHIIGuitar Hero 2Guitar Hero IIGuitarHero2GuitarHeroIiHarmonixRed OctaneRedOctaneThu, 15 Feb 2007 13:00:00 EST<![CDATA["Dead!"ly Master Track Goodness Video]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2007/02/12/dead-ly-master-track-goodness-video/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/02/12/dead-ly-master-track-goodness-video/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/02/12/dead-ly-master-track-goodness-video/#commentsFiled under: , ,

On Friday, IGN added another one of Guitar Hero II's Xbox 360 exclusive songs to their video page. It is, of course, none other than My Chemical Romance's "Dead!". It, alongside "Possum Kingdom", are the only "Master Tracks" of the new songs included. This is definitely a good thing, as Gerard Way's distinctive vocals would be hard to reproduce by the cover artists used. The video is pretty good, and available in High Definition for IGN Insiders, showing how difficult the Expert rendition of the song is. For the purists out there, it seems the complete lyrics are intact (2:50 in the video, 2:40 in the song). In any case, everyone here at Fanboy Towers is pining for this game and can't wait for its release. This video, along with the others available on the same page, makes the wait all the more difficult. Are you guys ready to rock out?

Joystiq"Dead!"ly Master Track Goodness Video originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 12 Feb 2007 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>ActivisionGH 2GH IIGh2GhIiGuitar Hero 2Guitar Hero IIGuitarHero2GuitarHeroIiHarmonixM C RMCRMy Chemical RomanceMyChemicalRomanceRed OctaneRedOctaneMon, 12 Feb 2007 11:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Did RedOctane confirm GHII's release date?]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2007/01/25/did-redoctane-confirm-ghiis-release-date/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/01/25/did-redoctane-confirm-ghiis-release-date/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/01/25/did-redoctane-confirm-ghiis-release-date/#commentsFiled under: ,


RedOctane, developer of Guitar Hero II, posted a pre-order for the game's Xbox 360 version on their corporate store. Look closely though, because they listed an April 3rd ship date for the Guitar Hero II bundle. This has to mean something, because this isn't Gamestop or Toys R Us listing a release date. This is the developer's official online store listing the release date. This has to be accurate, unless RedOctane is just as clueless to the release date of their game as the rest of us. And as an added bonus you'll get a free gig bag when you preorder the game directly from them. Can you say rock on to an April release?

[Thanks, Tig]

JoystiqDid RedOctane confirm GHII's release date? originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 25 Jan 2007 07:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>guitar heroguitar hero 2guitar hero iiGuitarHeroGuitarHero2GuitarHeroIired octaneRedOctaneThu, 25 Jan 2007 07:30:00 EST<![CDATA[First Guitar Hero II impressions [update 1]]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2007/01/21/first-guitar-hereo-ii-impressions/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/01/21/first-guitar-hereo-ii-impressions/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/01/21/first-guitar-hereo-ii-impressions/#commentsFiled under: ,


Those lucky guys over at GamePro got their hands on a preview of Guitar Hero II and came away impressed. They were in love with the high definition graphics, polished 3D models, pretty lighting, and enhanced audio capabilities of the 360 ... it just adds to the whole rockstar environment. They also felt that the Xbox Live Marketplace is going to add a lot of longevity to the game, because you can download new songs and content. Overall, GamePro enjoyed themselves and said that the Xbox 360 version is the crème de le crème of the Guitar Hero series, take that PS2! They've posted a few new never before seen screenshots of the menu and Live leadboards, go check them out after the jump.

Update 1: Please be patient, we're just learning how to spell "hero".

[Thanks, Jonah]

JoystiqFirst Guitar Hero II impressions [update 1] originally appeared on Joystiq on Sun, 21 Jan 2007 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Last week an employee at EB Games wrote in telling us that Guitar Hero II for the Xbox 360 was available for preorder and was going to cost us $89.99. There was no preorder page online at the time, so we couldn't confirm the price. But now the page is up and you can preorder Guitar Hero II online at EB Games and check out the song tracks too! Head over there to reserve your $89.99 copy and read through the track listings. See guys, our readers are the best tippers on the net and you doubted them? For shame! Complete track listing after the break and preordering info after the jump.

[Thanks, to everyone who sent this in]

Continue reading It's true, Guitar Hero II price and tracks confirmed

JoystiqIt's true, Guitar Hero II price and tracks confirmed originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 18 Jan 2007 01:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>guitar hero 2guitar hero iiGuitarHero2GuitarHeroIired octaneRedOctaneThu, 18 Jan 2007 01:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Guitar Hero II for preorder, $89.99]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2007/01/14/guitar-hero-ii-for-preorder-89-99/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/01/14/guitar-hero-ii-for-preorder-89-99/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/01/14/guitar-hero-ii-for-preorder-89-99/#commentsFiled under: ,

Mark, an employee at his local EB Games, sent us a tip that the Xbox 360 version of Guitar Hero II is now available to preorder at their stores. He also mentioned that the full price of the game, including guitar, will be $89.99. Currently, there is no page up on either Gamestop.com or EBgames.com to preorder the bundle, so we can't actually confirm the price. If anyone is heading to Gamestop or EB Games in the near future please ask about Guitar Hero II and how much you can preorder it for. We're an army, a fanboy army, who hungers for knowledge!

[Thanks, Mark Z.]

JoystiqGuitar Hero II for preorder, $89.99 originally appeared on Joystiq on Sun, 14 Jan 2007 00:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>guitar hero 2guitar hero iiGuitarHero2GuitarHeroIired octaneRedOctaneSun, 14 Jan 2007 00:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Learn to rock and achieve in GHII]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2007/01/11/learn-to-rock-and-achieve-in-ghii/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/01/11/learn-to-rock-and-achieve-in-ghii/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/01/11/learn-to-rock-and-achieve-in-ghii/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Today, Xbox 360 Achievements posted every last achievement for RedOctane's Guitar Hero II. And there's a lot of 'em. Our favorites have to be the Extra Credit Award, Long Road Ahead Award, and for all those rockers who don't give a damn about their fans, the Rock Snob Award. We cannot stress enough how much we enjoy achievements that are spread out in a game making you take in everything it has to offer. Don't you just love well thought out achievements?

[Thanks, DaKing240]

JoystiqLearn to rock and achieve in GHII originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 11 Jan 2007 17:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Game Informer has posted a pretty straightforward preview of the Xbox 360's version of Guitar Hero II, listing the ten exclusive tracks and some of the achievements waiting to be unlocked (both lists after the break). Things get a little more interesting, however, when the focus shifts to a mysterious port situated on the X-plorer controller.

"While RedOctane wouldn't elaborate on that port's function other than saying it will be 'gnarly,' it's the same port that's used to connect the pedals to the base station on Microsoft's steering wheel. Let's just call that a coincidence for now..." The folks at BBPS stomp the subtlety out of the article and venture that distortion pedals might be due for the next Guitar Hero installment. We don't use the word much, but that really does sound gnarly.

[Via BBPS]

Continue reading Guitar Hero: distortion pedals on the way?

JoystiqGuitar Hero: distortion pedals on the way? originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 09 Jan 2007 16:25:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>ActivisionGH2Guitar HeroGuitar Hero 2Guitar Hero IIGuitarHeroGuitarHero2GuitarHeroIiRed OctaneRedOctaneX-plorerXbox-360Tue, 09 Jan 2007 16:25:00 EST<![CDATA[Guitar Hero II box and bundle pics]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2007/01/05/guitar-hero-ii-box-and-bundle-pics/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/01/05/guitar-hero-ii-box-and-bundle-pics/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/01/05/guitar-hero-ii-box-and-bundle-pics/#commentsFiled under:


RedOctane released some pictures of both the box art and bundle for their upcoming 360 game Guitar Hero II. Not only does the white guitar look sexy, but the promise of additional songs and downloadable content ... we love you RedOctane. Even with the release of these pictures there is still no firm release date set. We're ready for the release though, already bought the purple hair dye, tight leather pants, and Super-X hold hair gel ... let's rock!

JoystiqGuitar Hero II box and bundle pics originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 05 Jan 2007 00:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>guitar hero 2guitar hero iiGuitarHero2GuitarHeroIired octaneRedOctaneFri, 05 Jan 2007 00:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Japanese hardware sales, 30 October - 5 November: Stream-of-consciousness edition]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2006/11/10/japanese-hardware-sales-30-october-5-november-stream-of-cons/http://www.joystiq.com/2006/11/10/japanese-hardware-sales-30-october-5-november-stream-of-cons/http://www.joystiq.com/2006/11/10/japanese-hardware-sales-30-october-5-november-stream-of-cons/#commentsHmm...Without further ado, I present the inner workings of my iron-clad genius:

well yet another week of hardware sales, I wonder if my post will beat ludwig's, I dunno, we were talking about it earlier and his idea was good as hell, but of course i'd never admit it, damn south africans. when do they even get the wii? i guess probably not for awhile, sucks to be him, but he DID order phoenix wright 2, i wonder if he got it yet, i wanna wait for the american version because of all the typos in the game, why do those bother me so much, oh well, ive plenty of play, guitar hero 2 hasn't even left my tv screen in like days, my roommates are out there right now playing tonight i'm gonna rock you tonight, i really like that song, but man freebird is just too cool, i need to practice it...oh, and not to mention final fantasy 12, or okami which i still havent beaten, or tales of the abyss which I havent even OPENED, or final fantasy V advance, and FFIII in a few days, and yoshi's island 2 and oh yeah those four more games i'm picking up for the wii (twilight princess is 70+ hours?) DAMN YOU VIDEO GAMES my grades are spiraling out of control...well, not really, i got a 97 on my digital design test, take THAT schwartz, wait no one wants to hear about my academic life, well whatever. hell YES battlestar tonight, though i have to set the torrent for it since i'm going to an mc chris concert, which means i better finish this damn post and get on with it. peace out.

- DS Lite: 113,09745,584 (28.73%)
- PSP: 23,725 2,183 (8.43%)
- PS2: 21,832 850 (3.89%)
- Xbox 360: 6,580 5,015 (320.45%)
- GBA SP: 1,443415 (22.34%)
- Game Boy Micro: 1,299 52 (3.85%)
- Gamecube: 6473 (0.47%)
- DS Phat: 373259 (227.19%)
- GBA: 205 (33.3%)
- Xbox: 07 (100.00%)

[Source: Media Create]

JoystiqJapanese hardware sales, 30 October - 5 November: Stream-of-consciousness edition originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 10 Nov 2006 19:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>ChartConsciousnessEditionFinal FantasyFinalFantasyGuitar Hero 2GuitarHero2HardwareJapanSalesStreamFri, 10 Nov 2006 19:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Guitar Hero 2 experts are already better than you]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2006/11/06/guitar-hero-2-experts-are-already-better-than-you/http://www.joystiq.com/2006/11/06/guitar-hero-2-experts-are-already-better-than-you/http://www.joystiq.com/2006/11/06/guitar-hero-2-experts-are-already-better-than-you/#commentsFiled under: ,


You might think that today's release of Guitar Hero 2 marks the official start of the race to master the game's new songs. But that would be naive. The real battle for Guitar Hero perfection started when the demo was released to the general public in Official Playstation Magazine issue 110. In honor of the official release of the game, we've scrounged up some highly-variable-quality videos showing off some people who are already on their way to true Guitar Heroism.

Continue reading Guitar Hero 2 experts are already better than you

JoystiqGuitar Hero 2 experts are already better than you originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 06 Nov 2006 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Quick impressions and thoughts on some other noteworthy games shown on the X06 show floor.
  • Guitar Hero II (360): Not playable, but demo'ed continuously by two rock gods with the stamina of heavyweight boxers (see picture). They confirmed that the final Xbox 360 guitar controller would look like a Gibson Explorer but refused to comment on wireless capabilities or the intriguing D-pad on the base. Game itself looked nice in hi-rez, but graphics lagged a bit with the music at this early stage.
  • Viva Piñata: Playable tutorial walks you through building a house, attracting new piñatas and making baby eggs. Rare demo with ten hours of progress showed a thriving garden brimming with life and fully accessorized piñatas. Hired helpers prevent the game from becoming a micromanagement chore. Looks like it could be a hit with the Pokemon set.
  • Forza Motorosport 2: Game had major frame rate issues, making it very difficult to play and/or judge. PR handlers say it's 60 percent complete... that last 40 will be an uphill battle.
  • Halo 2 (PC): Game played great with the mouse and keyboard, and looked great on the decked out Dell Dimension 9150 with large widescreen monitor. Other than that, it's still Halo. Map editor was not available for demo.
  • Crackdown: Grand Theft Auto meets Hulk: Ultimate Destruction in a mess of a game with rough graphics, sloppy controls and an awful camera system. Needs serious work to be a worthy contender.
That about does it for X06 posts from Barcelona. Sorry if I didn't cover your favorite game, but there wasn't enough time to do justice to everything available on the show floor. If there's anything you're still wondering about that wasn't covered in our X06 posts, I'll do my best to answer specific questions in the below comment thread in the coming days.

JoystiqX06: ...and the rest originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 28 Sep 2006 22:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Action-SandboxCrackdownForza Motorsport 2ForzaMotorsport2Guitar Hero 2Guitar Hero IIGuitarHero2GuitarHeroIiMicrosoftPCRealtime-WorldsRiot-ActViva PinataVivaPinataX06Xbox-360Thu, 28 Sep 2006 22:15:00 EST<![CDATA[A confirmed Guitar Hero 2 song lineup]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2006/09/03/the-confirmed-guitar-hero-2-song-lineup/http://www.joystiq.com/2006/09/03/the-confirmed-guitar-hero-2-song-lineup/http://www.joystiq.com/2006/09/03/the-confirmed-guitar-hero-2-song-lineup/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,


Confirmed in the October issue of EGM, here's the list everyone has been curious about ever since they first got their rockin' fingers on the original's colorful plastic frets. Take a look at the Guitar Hero 2 song list and tell us your personal favorites:
  • Nirvana; "Heart-Shaped Box"
  • Primus (original recording); "John the Fisherman"
  • Stone Temple Pilots; "Trippin' on a Hole in a Paper Heart"
  • Anthrax; "Madhouse"
  • Motley Crue; "Shout at the Devil"
  • The Police; "Message in a Bottle"
  • The Pretenders; Tattooed Love Boys"
  • Spinal Tap; "Tonight I'm Gonna Rock You Tonight"
  • Heart; "Crazy on You"
  • Allman Brothers Band; "Jessica"
  • Lynyrd Skynrd; "Freebird"
  • Avenged Sevenfold; "Beast and the Harlot"
  • Dick Dale; "Misirlou"
  • Lamb of God; "Laid to Rest"
  • Alice in Chains; "Them Bones"
  • Reverend Horton Heat; "Psychobilly Freakout"
  • Black Sabbath; "War Pigs"
  • KISS; "Strutter"
  • Butthole Surfers; "Who Was in My Room Last Night?"
  • Van Halen; "You Really Got Me"
  • Guns N' Roses; "Sweet Child O'Mine"
  • The Rolling Stones; "Can You Hear Me Knocking?"
  • Rush; "YYZ"
(The bands I can't wait to mimic: Nirvana, STP, Skynrd, Black Sabbath and GnR. Rock on Joystiqers!)

JoystiqA confirmed Guitar Hero 2 song lineup originally appeared on Joystiq on Sun, 03 Sep 2006 22:06:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Guitar HeroGuitar Hero 2GuitarHeroGuitarHero2PS2Sun, 03 Sep 2006 22:06:00 EST<![CDATA[Rock out with Guitar Hero tournaments]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2006/08/25/rock-out-with-guitar-hero-tournaments/http://www.joystiq.com/2006/08/25/rock-out-with-guitar-hero-tournaments/http://www.joystiq.com/2006/08/25/rock-out-with-guitar-hero-tournaments/#commentsFiled under: ,

Last month, RedOctane teased visitors to the Guitar Hero MySpace page with a graphic cryptically promoting something called G.H.O.U.L. Earlier this week, they revealed the project as the Guitar Hero Organized Underground League, a set of sponsored tournaments where you provide the organization and promotion and RedOctane provides the banners and prizes.

We were totally stoked about this, until we saw that RedOctane is only taking "a limited amount of sponsorships" for the time being. But why should that stop you? Here's a quick checklist of things we recommend to have on hand for your own rocking Guitar Hero party/tournament:
  • PS2, Guitar Hero, two guitar controllers (consider investing in wireless)
  • A good speaker system (crank it to 11!)
  • Plenty of alcohol (or grape juice, if you're under 21 *cough*)
  • Non-greasy finger food (don't want any slippery frets)
  • Atmosphere (Disco ball, strobe light, smoke machine, etc.)
  • Costumes (fake wigs, top hats, mascara, etc.)
  • Plenty of floor space (for tricks/excessive rocking)
  • How to Play Air Guitar (to peruse in between rounds)
  • Plenty of beginner and expert players (for two tourney brackets)
  • Massive whiteboard/poster board (to display results)
Anything to add, Joystiqers?

JoystiqRock out with Guitar Hero tournaments originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 25 Aug 2006 11:25:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>GHguitar heroguitar hero 2GuitarHeroGuitarHero2PS2tournamentFri, 25 Aug 2006 11:25:00 EST<![CDATA[Preview of new Guitar Hero II co-op mode]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2006/05/08/preview-of-new-guitar-hero-ii-co-op-mode/http://www.joystiq.com/2006/05/08/preview-of-new-guitar-hero-ii-co-op-mode/http://www.joystiq.com/2006/05/08/preview-of-new-guitar-hero-ii-co-op-mode/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Screenshot of new Guitar Hero II co-op mode
In case you missed it on Friday, IGN posted a pre-E3 hands-on preview of Guitar Hero II's new co-op mode. It's a departure from the first game's multiplayer mode in that the two players have to depend on each other a lot more to pass each song and thereby make beautiful music together.

While the old multiplayer option will still be around in the sequel, the new mode mixes distinct lead guitar and bass or rhythm parts where each player affects the other in various ways, whether by failing if either performance slips (as in DDR), sharing the same Rock Meter (with mistakes from either player resetting the score multiplier), and needing to both go vertical at the same time to activate the shared Star Power. Thankfully, different difficulty levels can be assigned to each player.

The Joystiq team out in L.A. will probably find something to do until they get their sweaty paws on a guitar controller or two on the E3 show floor (maybe one of those wacky press conferences will help pass the time), but we're sure the wait to try the latest build of this rockin' series will be worth it. The seven songs available at E3 are listed below.

[Thanks, murph]

Continue reading Preview of new Guitar Hero II co-op mode

JoystiqPreview of new Guitar Hero II co-op mode originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 08 May 2006 15:21:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>activatebassbass guitarBassGuitarco-opco-op modeCo-opModecontrollercooperativecooperative modeCooperativeModeDDRdependdifficultydifficulty leveldifficulty levelsDifficultyLevelDifficultyLevelsE3e32006failfailsguitarguitar controllerGuitar HeroGuitar Hero 2Guitar Hero IIguitar peripheralGuitarControllerGuitarHeroGuitarHero2GuitarHeroIiGuitarPeripheralhands-onL.A.LAleadlead guitarLeadGuitarlevellevelsLos AngelesLosAngelesmodemultiplayermultipliermusicnew modeNewModeoptionpasspassesperformanceperipheralplayerplayerspreviewPS2rhythm guitarRhythmGuitarRockRock Meterrockinrockin'RockMetersequelsharesharedshowshow floorShowFloorslipssongsongsStar PowerStar Power MeterStarPowerStarPowerMetertriggerMon, 08 May 2006 15:21:00 EST