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Mega $350 Xbox 360 holiday bundle at Sam's Club
If you're looking to get an Xbox 360 this holiday and aren't concerned about having the latest M-rated games, Sam's Club (Wal-Mart's warehouse retail chain) has a big ol' bundle available soon. Members will be able to purchase a 60GB Xbox 360, Lego Indiana Jones, Kung Fu Panda and Guitar Hero III (with wireless guitar) for $350. We contacted the company to double check that it wasn't a typo and, sure enough, we were told it was accurate. The bundle should start arriving in November-- there's no specific date for it being in stores, so call ahead.While we're talking Sam's Club, we've also been told all Guitar Hero III bundle prices have been reduced (we've placed details after the break). We were also informed that the store, along with Wal-Mart, will have a limited edition "dragon" controller (no picture currently available), bundled with a black headset, for $60. We'll keep an eye out for other deals as we approach the holidays.Update: Adjusted text for Lego Indy and Kung Fu Panda being offered with the standard system.
New Def Leppard single to hit GH3 before retail
We've known for a while that inclusion on a video game soundtrack can help drive music sales, but usually the song in question is actually available for sale when it appears in the game. Not so for Def Leppard's new single, "Nine Lives," which will premiere as a downloadable Guitar Hero III track before it's available at retail or other online services. No F-f-f-foolin'!The track, which comes as part of a Def Leppard pack along with classics "Rock of Ages" and "Photograph," will be available on April 24th in the U.S. and May 8th in the U.K. The album "Songs from the Sparkle Lounge" follows soon after on April 28 (digital download) and May 5 (physical disc)."I know from personal experience how much more you get into the music by playing the game," said Def Leppard Lead Singer Joe Elliott in a press release. "Guitar Hero is extremely popular with all kinds of music heads, which includes a lot of our fans - and we think releasing Nine Lives this way first is just fantastic!"[Via X3F]
Nyko ships PS3 Rock Band/GH III compatible guitar
Nyko is now shipping to retailers its Rock Band/Guitar Hero III compatible Front Man wireless guitar for PS3. The third party controller is $60, which is the same price some retailers charge for first party controllers.The Front Man guitar works up to 25 ft and allegedly gets 80 hours of play time, it also uses a "stomp box" to switch between the two rival rhythm games. It's great that the guitar is compatible with both games unlike the first party controllers, but isn't the whole point of a third party peripheral to be much less expensive than first party? Oh well, we had no complaints about the controller when we got some hands-on time with it at GDC. The Front Man seems like an alternative for those who need another ax quick and a first party controller isn't at the store .
Activision now a sponsor of Rock and Roll Hall of Fame
We imagine the deal went something like this:"So, you guys made Guitar Hero, huh? Sounds like a perfect match for the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.""Well, no actually. We just bought the name. Oh, and did I mention we're loaded!""Sold!"The end result of that (imaginary) exchange is that Activision looks to further embed itself in the annals of rock, as the company has announced that it has become a sponsor of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland. Specifically, Activision will be sponsoring the museum's exhibit featuring famous guitarists (surprise!), and also will sponsor the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Induction Cermony being held on March 10. Finally, Hall of Fame visitors will soon be able to play "the latest and greatest" version of Guitar Hero, Guitar Hero III (and presumably future iterations once they're released) on demo kiosks at the museum. At the rate Activision is going, the curators may soon find themselves displaying more versions of Guitar Hero than actual exhibits.[Via Press Release. Original image: Jason Pratt]
No Doubt about it, GHIII gets new track pack
A new track pack for Guitar Hero III has been released, and this time it's all about No Doubt. Yes, the same No Doubt featuring Gwen Stefani, the woman who stole Gavin Rossdale and crushed the dreams of thousands of women everywhere. The track pack includes the following songs for the price of 500 MS Points: "Don't Speak" "Sunday Morning" "Excuse Me Mr" Fans will be happy to know that all three songs are master tracks, so no one will have to suffer through someone attempting to sing like Gwen Stefani (really dodged a bullet there, seriously). So, when do we get a Bush track pack, hmmm?[Thanks, DeadPlasmaCell]
Rock out to the first vids of Guitar Hero III
Yup, these are videos of Guitar Hero III. Yup, they look pretty much like Guitar Hero II (and Guitar Hero I for that matter). Of course, no one really cares do they? It's Guitar Hero! With that said, there are some small differences worth noting. First of all, the character models look like they've received some new-gen love and are more detailed. The HUD has some slight graphical tweaks as well, though none of them seem to affect gameplay. The star power meter has been replaced with a series of light bulbs. As you fill the meter, more of them light up. They slowly fade out once star power is activated. In addition to displaying your current multiplier, the left side of the HUD now keeps track of how many notes you've hit consecutively. Frankly, we'd like the ability to turn that feature off, as it could add undue stress to achieving those perfect runs. You'll find another video embedded after the break. Check it out and tell us what you think.
A look at GHIII's wireless Les Paul guitar
The crew over at IGN received an exclusive look at Guitar Hero III's new guitar the Les Paul and walked away very impressed. One of the biggest improvements added to the Les Paul guitar controller is that it will feature wireless technology, which will be the first time Microsoft has allowed a third party peripheral maker to do so. They've also added removable faceplates, made the neck detachable, kept the same color fret buttons, and even added a third strap knob for even more customizability. It looks like GHIII's Les Paul guitar is shaping up to be one solid controller to rock out with. But fear not GHII owners, because your X-plorer guitar will work with GHIII and vice versa. How very convenient.
Online multiplayer coming to Guitar Hero III
Recently announced Guitar Hero III will be sporting something we wish Guitar Hero II would have included ... online multiplayer. In an interview with Red Octane president Kai Huang, Pro-G confirmed that GH III would indeed include an online component. So fanboys, does this mean that a rumored future GH II update to include online multiplayer will never see the light of day? Well, it doesn't sound overly promising seeing that they'll probably use "Super Duper Online Multiplayer" as a new feature and bullet point for their third installment. Oh well, we still love you GH II and will wait to see if you'll grace us with online play later this year.[Via Joystiq]
