guitar-hero-metallica posts (Subscribe to this feed)

Swag Saturday: Guitar Hero triple pack and bass pedal

by Richard Mitchell { Sep 26th 2009 at 7:00PM }

It's time for Swag Saturday once again, and this week's prize is a doozy. Up for grabs we have not one, not two, but three Guitar Hero games. We've got Xbox 360 copies of Guitar Hero: Metallica, Guitar Hero: Smash Hits and Guitar Hero 5, all for the low, low price of nothing (and all released this year, if you can believe it). And, as if that weren't enough, we're throwing in an extra bass pedal (with splitter cable) too. For your chance to rock with the best of them, follow these simple directions:

Leave a comment telling us about your favorite rock and roll moment.
You must be 18 years or older and a resident of the US or Canada (excluding Quebec, due to a domestic dispute)
Limit 1 entry per person per day
This entry period ends at 8:31PM ET on Monday, September 28
At that time, we'll randomly select one winner to receive Guitar Hero: Metallica ($60 ARV), Guitar Hero: Smash Hits ($60 ARV), Guitar Hero 5 ($60 ARV), and a bass pedal game peripheral ($35 ARV)
For a list of complete rules, click here

How Metallica helped sell Paul McCartney on The Beatles: Rock Band

by Justin McElroy { Sep 7th 2009 at 9:00AM }

If you come down with a chronic case of Beatlemania on Sept. 9, you could have someone unlikely to thank for it: Metallica. Speaking with The Guardian, Paul McCartney describes how Harmonix first started pitching him on the product way back in 2007, using Metallica (presumably one of the band's songs running in an earlier Guitar Hero title) as an example of what could be done with The Beatles: Rock Band.

There were "a couple of grown-ups standing looking very foolish with these little plastic guitars playing to a screen", McCartney says. "And we're going, 'Yeah, all right... It just looks like a really bad band.' They said: 'We really can do a great one with the Beatles, and we'll show you.' So Ringo and I got a bit intrigued."

So, when McCartney says they looked like a really bad band ... is he talking about the people playing or the guys on the screen? Because, yes.

Pick up Metallica/Smash Hits Guitar Hero bundle for cheap

by Justin McElroy { Jul 8th 2009 at 6:57PM }

Yet another crazy music game fire sale from RedOctane today: For $49.99 on PS2, $59.99 on Wii or $69.99 on PS3 or 360, you can pick up a two-pack of Guitar Hero: Metallica and Guitar Hero: Smash Hits.

As an added bonus, you'll also get a free Guitar Hero World Tour shirt. Now, you should by no means wear this in public, but if you need to work on your car or play the Super Sloppy Double Dare home game, it's a nice perk.

Xbox 360 wireless mic sold separately this fall for $50

by Ben Gilbert { Jun 23rd 2009 at 12:30PM }

We're having a hard time wrapping our heads around this one, so do us a favor and bear with us while we put our heads down and power through. Microsoft is releasing a wireless microphone this fall meant to be used with "your favorite Xbox 360 music games," a list that includes: Lips, Guitar Hero: Metallica, Rock Band 2, Disney Sing It: High School Musical 3: Senior Year, Lips: Number One Hits, and The Beatles: Rock Band.

We know, we know -- you're asking yourself, "Why would Microsoft release more peripherals? Just to add extra confusion to the Joystiq instrument compatibility matrix?" According to Microsoft, the mics are meant to assist in your living room rockstar efforts, and will retail this fall for an "estimated retail price" of $50. Meanwhile, the promise of Lips mics working in Rock Band 2 has yet to arrive and an asterisk in Microsoft's press release from earlier today indicates that these new mics won't work either without a title update. Does that mean we'll finally see the allowance of Lips' mics in RB2 when these new mics ship in the fall?

Guitar Hero: Metallica faceplate bundle will be Europe exclusive

by Jem Alexander { May 11th 2009 at 7:30PM }

Activision Blizzard has announced that European territories will be receiving an exclusive "Solo Guitar Game" bundle when Guitar Hero: Metallica launches on May 22 (May 29 in the UK). The bundle will contain a copy of the game, a wireless guitar controller and the exclusive faceplate which you can see in the image to the right.

By now, ardent followers of the rhythm genre should have more peripherals than they can count, but it doesn't end there. With four new games having just been announced, there'll be plenty more plastic instruments -- and DJ decks -- where that came from.

Guitar Hero: Metallica supports Lips mic, Rock Band 2 patch 'this summer'

by James Ransom-Wiley { Apr 3rd 2009 at 12:59PM }

Microsoft has issued a plea to new and future purchasers of Guitar Hero: Metallica for Xbox 360 to also please, please, PLEASE buy its Lips karaoke game -- for the microphones. Didn't you know? The metal music game features built-in support for those uh-huh-they-do-sparkle mics. Neversoft, the current Guitar Hero developer, initially confirmed this compatibility -- which isn't coming to World Tour -- on its Twitter feed last month, but the posting has since been removed. Nevertheless, Guitar Hero: Metallica is the first music game to support the much praised, wireless Lips peripheral, which has been unsuccessfully bundled with a mediocre singing game.

Additionally, Microsoft has tentatively dated that long-ago-promised Rock Band 2 patch for "this summer" and suggested that additional titles supporting its mic will be available later this year. When, surely, we'll be able to purchase a standalone Lips mic. Pretty please?

Guitar Hero: Metallica ads ditch Heidi Klum for college basketball coaches

by David Hinkle { Mar 30th 2009 at 5:30PM }

According to an Activision Blizzard press release, we won't be seeing more Heidi Klum in ads for upcoming Guitar Hero: Metallica, as the company has revealed a new advertising campaign focusing on college basketball coaches. In an attempt to capitalize on all of this March Madness hoopla, the new ad features four famous college basketball coaches (from left to right: Roy Williams, Rick Pitino, Bob Knight, and Mike "Coach K" Krzyzewski) and their "surprise encounter" with Metallica. As you can tell from the image above, the new ad will continue the Risky Business theme, but includes a surprise ending where we see all all four coaches walking home through the snow, uphill, with no shoes on. Watch it for yourself after the break.

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PSA: Guitar Hero: Metallica melting faces, store shelves today [update]

by Griffin McElroy { Mar 29th 2009 at 2:00PM }

We thought we'd pass along a courteous reminder from Activision informing the gaming community that Guitar Hero: Metallica began rocking store shelves today. If you haven't found current full-band simulators to be punishing enough, Metallica promises to deliver with an "Expert +" mode, double kick pedals, and guitar solos capable of turning even the sturdiest fingers into tiny puddles of red goo. If you've got $59.99 lying around (or $49.99 for the Wii version, $39.99 for the PS2), you can simulate "riding the lightning"* with unparalleled accuracy.

*Warning: Riding lightning can lead to unintended health consequences in the groin region, including serious unsightly burns and impotence. Consult your doctor before deciding to mount any arcs of electricity.

Update: The PS2 version isn't actually dropping until Sunday, May 24 -- meaning Activision is effectively tainting two of 2009's Sabbath days with a touch of unholy metal.

Behind the scenes with Guitar Hero: Metallica

by Xav de Matos { Mar 25th 2009 at 11:05AM }

On March 29, Metallica thrashes into Guitar Hero ... axes blazing behind more than two decades of rock. Or for the less dramatic, Guitar Hero: Metallica is totally coming out soon. Ever wonder what goes into developing a game, starring one of the world's most famous bands? Three new "Behind the Scenes" trailers with interviews and capture session footage with James Hetfield, Lars Ulrich, Kirk Hammett and Robert Trujillo cover that very topic.

Watch as the band rocks in mo-cap gear (video above), discuss the opportunity to introduce a new generation to their music and finally becoming rock stars after all these years (videos after the break).

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GH Metallica demo on XBLM, nothing else matters

by Richard Mitchell { Mar 20th 2009 at 11:54AM }

Ladies and gentlemen, girls and boys, get your plastic instruments ready: A demo for Guitar Hero: Metallica is now available on Xbox Live Marketplace. The demo allows you to rock out on bass, drums, guitar and vocals.

Undoubtedly the most exciting Guitar Hero release since the last Guitar Hero release -- but not nearly as exciting as the next Guitar Hero release -- Guitar Hero: Metallica is one seriously heavy metal game. It seems pretty heavy anyway, considering the demo weighs in at over one gig. Queue it up for download by clicking here.

[Via Major Nelson]

Joystiq impressions: Guitar Hero: Metallica

by Randy Nelson { Mar 13th 2009 at 2:00PM }

Imagine if Guitar Hero: World Tour featured a song selection consisting mostly of songs by Metallica, contained trivia about Metallica and let you play as video game-ified likenesses of Metallica. That is Guitar Hero: Metallica. Is it fun? Sure. Is it for non-fans? Eh, maybe. Is there anything remotely new about it apart from the fact that it's totally, completely, fully and thoroughly Metallica? Yes.

In a move to make the game more party-friendly than GHWT from the get-go, Neversoft has thoughtfully unlocked every song on the disc in Quick Play mode; playing through career mode is mainly about unlocking items and the overall Metallica "experience." Which, as we found, starts out by having you play a couple of songs by the metal legends then becoming so inspired that you start your own band (who you play the games non-Metallica songs as).

Gallery: Guitar Hero: Matallica

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Trophies: Guitar Hero Metallica

by Andrew Yoon { Feb 18th 2009 at 7:49PM }

The World Tour expands to Metallica's greatest hits. Sing, drum and strum your way to these Trophies.

View Trophy List | Visit Trophy Portal

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Guitar Hero: Metallica box art 'mispellz' Lynyrd Skynyrd

by Dustin Burg { Feb 18th 2009 at 2:12PM }

Take a look at this close-up of the recently released Guitar Hero: Metallica box art. Note the highlighted name "Lynyrd Skynrd," located in the top left. The band's name is clearly misspelled. The correct spelling is "Lynyrd Skynyrd" -- duh.

Some conspiracists might insist that the error is intentional, enforced by Metallica (take note: "Metallica" is spelled correctly), which secretly despises Skynyrd's musical success and demanded humiliation in the form of a misspelling. Seriously? No, that can't be it. Chalk up this mistake to poor proofing. (On a side note: we're petitioning to have "Lynyrd Skynyrd" introduced into the Scripps National Spelling Bee -- it's a tough one!)

[Via playgirlz]

Motorhead's Lemmy playable in Guitar Hero: Metallica

by David Hinkle { Feb 13th 2009 at 5:28PM }

Upcoming Guitar Hero: Metallica will feature the likeness of Motörhead frontman, Lemmy, as a playable character, continuing the franchise's tradition of including celebrities in-game. "It's great to be in Guitar Hero with all these famous people and I'm really pleased to be in it with Metallica," Lemmy said. Well, we can say we're glad you're in it, too!

With Guitar Hero: Metallica featuring a variety of non-Metallica tracks (as well as some of the classic Metallica tunes), and now Lemmy, it's going to be hard to ignore this when it hits retail in North America on March 29.

Activision reveals other pre-order bonuses for Guitar Hero: Metallica

by Griffin McElroy { Feb 13th 2009 at 1:00AM }

The pre-order bonuses for Guitar Hero: Metallica run the gamut of usefulness when dealing with down payment freebies -- the first (and unquestionably most desirable) of these bonuses we already knew about: Dropping a paper Lincoln on the title at GameStop will net you an extra drum pedal with which to face the game's most punishing percussion solos. A bit further down on the Scale of Practicality is the pre-order bonus for Hollywood Video and GameCrazy: A pair of Guitar Hero: Metallica drumsticks. Not an amazing gift, but it sure beats a keychain.

On the complete opposite side of the aforementioned scale is the gift that Best Buy patrons will bring home: Tattoo sleeves. We can only imagine that they're talking about those fake slip-on things that make it look like you've swapped appendages with Tommy Lee, and not, you know, actual tattoos. We assume that particular consumer electronics retailer has some policy prohibiting in-store decorative body modification.