Metareview: Guitar Hero: On Tour

Whether you plan to base your Guitar Hero: On Tour purchasing plans on the track list or reviews, you're likely to be confused. The reviews seem to be as schizophrenic as the compiled tracks themselves, with some outlets loving the game and others hating it.

IGN(90/100) thinks the game really works on Nintendo's handheld: "For the Nintendo DS version, you lose the full-sized guitar, but that's pretty much all you're losing because everything else, with the exception of a single fret button, has been placed in rather intuitive locations on the Nintendo DS thanks to a well-constructed peripheral and incredibly tight programming."

GameSpot(60/100) hated the peripheral, and believes that On Tour takes the fun out of Guitar Hero: "While the size of your hands is certainly a consideration, the attachment is functional at best. Given that the game actually begins with two screens that instruct you to keep your wrist straight, take frequent breaks to avoid cramping, try different play styles to find one that's comfortable, and even visit the game's Web site 'for more play comfort suggestions,' it's apparent that someone was aware that the game could present physical problems for people. It would have been nice to be able to play the game with some sort of alternate control scheme, but such an option isn't available."

GameSpy(70/100) was on the fence, finding both negative and redeeming qualities in Vicarious Visions' attempt: "The guitar peripheral doesn't work as well as we had hoped, something that could prove to be a major sticking point (after all, who wants to keep playing a game that hurts you?). Still, it's a solid entry in the franchise and gets points for innovation, so we're hopeful that this won't be the series' last foray into the handheld domain."