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DJ Shadow says he's a DJ Hero 2 DJ, too
Anyone that invested in last year's mix-master sim, DJ Hero, is already familiar with DJ Shadow. Not only did he provide some of the game's freshest cuts, he was featured as a playable character. With creepy glowing eyes. And a hood. And a hat, which we found to be a tad redundant. In a recent interview with Radio One, Mr. Shadow commented on his work on DJ Hero, saying, "It was interesting, I'm actually working on the next one as well. But yeah, it was a trip." That's the second artist to confirm his contributions to the follow-up, which is schedueld for release later this year. Activision has still to name the sequel and provide any official list of mixers. May we suggest you get some DJ Tanner in the house? [Via VG247]
DJ Hero price scratched down to $50 at Toys 'R Us
If you skipped out on last year's crossfading, record-scratching simulator DJ Hero due to its once-outlandish price, you're running out of excuses to not pick it up. Toys 'R Us recently knocked the price of the 360, Wii and PS3 (but puzzlingly, not the PS2) versions of the game down to a scant $49.99 -- a significant decrease from its launch price of $120. Still wondering whether the game's worth your hard-earned Grantpaper? That's a decision you have to make on your own -- though, wait! Dizzee Rascal is here to help! Oh, and so's Chuck Brown! And look, it's Daft Punk! How nice of them to aid you with your soul-searching.
Standalone DJ Hero turntables w/ poster now available
DJ Hero turntable controllers are now available in standalone versions to scratch on all major consoles... wait, that sounds wrong. The peripheral is currently listed on retailer Amazon for $60, which is $20 off the Wii game bundle, and $40 off the PS3 and Xbox 360 versions. The second peripheral can be used for several different modes the game supports. The first 100,000 standalone units also include a Shepard Fairey poster (pictured), featuring the game's cast of DJs. If you're a hardcore fan of the turntable series, chances are you've already picked up a second controller by now and traded the extra copy into Gamestop. For the rest of us, with DJ Hero 2 somewhere out there, we'd be more apt to wait and see if there's an updated controller with the sequel.
Activision scouting for future DJ Heroes
[Image] Dear Activision's Bobby Kotick, So, I heard through the DJ grapevine that you're looking for new talent for the next DJ Hero game. I'd like to submit my own name into the running: That is to say, the name of Willups "Mellow Jam" Dupree. See, the corporate bigwigs who designed the last game said they tried to incorporate every type of disc-jockeying around. Tell me, then -- how did they manage to completely overlook my area of expertise, and arguably the type of DJ that people are most commonly exposed to: Wedding Entertainers? Sure, we don't do -- what do the kids call them? -- mash-ups. Still, it's just as hard to play the right songs in the right order. You think you can just play "YMCA," then hit 'em with an "Electric Slide," then tie the whole thing together with an "(I've Had) The Time of My Life?" That's bush league, man. With Mellow Jam's experienced hand on the rudder, you'd know to never chase an interactive dance song with another interactive dance song -- especially not before busting out the Dirty Dancing soundtrack. Give me a ring if you don't want to miss out on this important facet of the DJ lifestyle. Or if anyone you know is getting married soon. -- Willups "Mellow Jam" Dupree
Behind the turntables of DJ Hero
There's a temptation to lump DJ Hero in with Guitar Hero, but as the name would suggest, that's only half right. Develop recently spoke with Dan Neil at FreeStyleGames and he detailed some of the unique challenges and considerations that creating a song for the game involved. Sure, the team liked that they could tweak songs on the fly to suit their needs (a luxury not afforded to Guitar Hero, which must slavishly adhere to master recordings), but that also meant that artists were a little more hesitant to sign away their babies for some turntable jockey to play around with. As word got around though, Neil said, stars like the Black Eye Peas started to pile on. How's that for a cautionary tale about success, huh? The bigger you get, the more likely you are to attract the attention of the Black Eyed Peas.
DJ Guetta references work on DJ Hero 2
Back in September, we heard the initial reports claiming Activision and FreeStyleGames had already begun work on the sequel to DJ Hero. These reports were corroborated by a recent article by Kelowna.com, in which DJ David Guetta, a contributor to the soundtrack of the first mixmaster simulator, mentioned that he'd been working on "the No. 2 version" of the game. We're assuming he's talking about a sequel, and not about the tone of graphite that's so popular amongst pencil manufacturers. It only makes sense that a second game using the costly, rotating peripheral would be in the works. What would really be shocking is some kind of lid-unscrewing sim. Or a Lazy Suzan puzzle game! [Via Destructoid]
GuitarHeroStore scratches DJ Hero price down to $79
If you've been desperately wanting to live the luxurious life of a virtual DJ, but lack the finances required to do so, fret no longer -- GuitarHeroStore has temporarily knocked the price of the Wii, PS3 and 360 versions of DJ Hero down to $79, and the PS2 version of the game to $64. That even includes free shipping, which is good, since plastic turntables probably cost more than your average parcel to transport cross-country. Make sure you enter in the coupon code "DJHPP1" while checking out in order to access the offer. Otherwise, you'll end up paying full price for the game, losing out on $20 you could've spend on other disc jockey accessories. Like oversized headphones! Or LED-infused robot helmets. [Via SlickDeals]
Standalone DJ Hero controllers now available for $70
If you've been sitting around on your fat stacks of cash, waiting to pick up an extra DJ Hero controller then now is the time, friend. Activision sent along a press release stating that the turntable controllers are now in stock at the Guitar Hero Store for $70 a pop, $40 cheaper than the regular, game-packing bundle. With a weak showing on October's NPD charts and UK retailers slashing prices, we can't say we fully understand Activision's decision to charge so much for the turntables. From our vantage point, it looks like this: if Activision came down on the price a bit, more people would buy a second controller and have their friends try the game. Then, maybe those people would go out and buy their own set-up. Isn't that a novel idea?
Spend your scratch on New DJ Hero DLC
A DLC three-pack of tracks by French DJ David Guetta is available today for DJ Hero across PS3, Xbox 360 and Wii. The original works "When Love Takes Over" featuring Kelly Rowland, "Sexy Chick" featuring Akon, and "On The Dancefloor" featuring will.i.am and apl.de.ap make up the mash-up pack, which goes for 640 ($8) and $7.99 on Xbox Live Marketplace and PlayStation Store, respectively (the tracks are not offered for purchase separately). Each track is sold separately for Wii at 300 Wii Points ($3) apiece. Also out today for Wii are the two tracks from last month's Extended Mix Pack 01: "All Of Me" by 50 Cent featuring Mary J. Blige vs. "Radio Ga Ga" by Queen, and "DARE" by Gorillaz vs. "Can't Truss It" performed by Public Enemy. Those will set living room DJs back 300 Wii Points, as well. The knowledge that your DJ Hero controller is a million times cooler than the Tony Hawk Ride board is, as always, priceless.
First DJ Hero DLC mix pack today; David Guetta pack dated Nov. 24
Activision and FreeStyleGames aren't wasting any time in expanding DJ Hero's already fairly expansive 93-mix-long track list. The "Extended Mix Pack 01" DLC will be added to the Xbox Live Marketplace and PlayStation Store today and includes the following two mixes for 480 and $5.99, respectively (and not sold separately): "All Of Me" by 50 Cent featuring Mary J. Blige vs. "Radio Ga Ga" by Queen "DARE" by Gorillaz vs. "Can't Truss It" Performed by Public Enemy In a recent interview with IGN, FreeStyleGames' Chris Lee explained that the $3-per-track price can be attributed to the extra work and licensing required to synthesize the two songs in each mix. The Extended Mix mash-ups will be making their way to Wii sometime in late November -- around the same time the game's second DLC bundle, the "David Guetta Mix Pack," is scheduled for release on PSN and XBLM. That pack, which is slated for November 24, incorporates three of Guetta's songs: "When Love Takes Over," "On The Dance Floor," and "Sexy Bitch," which was presumably written about us. Rawr.
Review: DJ Hero
digg_url = 'http://digg.com/gaming_news/DJ_Hero_is_fresh_by_every_conceivable_definition_of_the_word'; DJ Hero could end up being the most divisive video game ever created. It flies proudly in the face of certain qualities I've come to expect of the casual-aimed rhythm genre -- qualities such as accessibility, recognizability and general ease of play. Activision's latest possesses none of these characteristics: It's got a sheer learning curve, it exclusively features music that has been mashed into an indistinguishable pulp, and it's easily the most difficult peripheral-based rhythm game I've ever played. (Dance Dance Revolution notwithstanding, of course. These legs just weren't made to flail.) Everyone who plays DJ Hero will either hate it to its core, eject the disc and toss in a more familiar musical standby, or, if they possess a certain collection of odd inclinations, they'll fall wildly in love with it. I fall into the latter group, though the small assembly of friends I recently had try their hands at the game fell firmly into the former. Yes, those people aren't writing this review, but I thought it important to note their existence. For my part, I found DJ Hero to be fresh by every conceivable definition of the word. %Gallery-64592%
Guitar Hero co-founder expects DJ Hero to have slower initial sales
It's rare that we hear anything but doe-eyed optimism from publishers of yet-to-be-released games -- however, Activision's Kai Huang, co-creator of the Guitar Hero franchise, recently voiced some fairly realistic expectations for the upcoming disc-spinning rhythm title, DJ Hero. "We're expecting this to be the type of game that may come out of the gate a little bit slower, but continue to grow over time," Huang explained during a speech at the PLAY Digital Media Conference in Berkeley. Huang mentioned that while overall sales will be bolstered by the Hero part of the game's moniker, the DJ portion may scare potential players off -- causing Activision to focus on in-store demos to push the product on passersby. If we were unenlightened of DJ Hero's existence, we'd probably be snared by the siren call of the demo unit's mash-up of "Hollaback Girl" and "Give it to Me." Curse you, Stefani/James! [Via VG247]
Activision wisely promotes DJ Hero with Daft Punk
If Activision really wants to reach the widest possible audience with DJ Hero, TV commercials are probably the best way to expedite that process. If said TV commercials happen to feature Daft Punk's wonderfully catchy "Around the World," even better.After the break, see one TV ad starring a digital version of Daft Punk (though, since the band is ostensibly robotic, what's the difference?) and another featuring both a clip of Justice vs. Public Enemy, and an improbably shiny DJ Hero controller. And if you like those, Activision continues to upload preview clips of in-game songs to its YouTube channel.
DJ Hero intro video destroys the world with beats
Activision has sent out the intro cinematic for DJ Hero, and we can't help but think of Brütal Legend set in a hip-hop / club universe. A world filled with monstrous record needles and gigantic subwoofers. A place where DJs -- and truck drivers, apparently -- are kings, battling it out for rhythmic supremacy. We're not sure if the actual gameplay experience of twirling plastic records and tapping buttons will evoke the same feelings -- the signs are good so far -- but the intro video certainly has us pumped. You'd best check it yourself, lest you wreck yourself.
DJ Hero Renegade Edition's Jay-Z, Eminem compilations detailed
When you get home with your gigantic DJ Hero Renegade Edition box, make sure to get everything out of it. We know the temptation to just unfold the case/table thing and start playing the game with that kind of irresistible-looking novelty controller will be overwhelming, but if you turn the package over and shake it, exclusive greatest-hits CDs from Jay-Z and Eminem will fall out.Rolling Stone got the full list of tracks on both sets. Jay-Z's disc sticks exclusively to past hits, but Eminem's includes a brand-new song, "Taking My Ball." That's right, the "unreleased tracks" mentioned on the box is really unreleased track. And it'll premiere on Eminem's Sirius radio station over a week before the game comes out, so it's more like no unreleased tracks.After the break, as a reminder, we've included the full list of the songs in the actual game.%Gallery-68978%[Via Kotaku, This is 50]
Play DJ Hero at GameStop this Sunday
Activision has announced that GameStop will be hosting a special DJ Hero demo event this Sunday, October 11. The event is taking place at all United States GameStop locations from 10:00am to 6:00pm, and will give gamers the chance to try out the game a full three weeks in advance. Gamers will also have the opportunity to win prizes, including a trip to meet Eminem and see him perform in New Orleans. Naturally, a few copies of the game and some Xbox 360s will be up for grabs as well. Oh, and before you go, be sure to get a quick primer on the game by reading our recent hands-on impressions. After all, you wouldn't want to embarrass yourself in front of the whole mall. See the full prize details after the break.
DJ Hero mashes up Europe on October 30
During GamesCom, Activision said that DJ Hero would come to Europe in "late October." The good news is that the publisher didn't pick the very last day in October to release the game ... though it's awfully close. Today, Activision told Eurogamer that all versions of DJ Hero will be out in the UK and mainland Europe on October 30. The previously-announced price of £109.99 (roughly €120) still stands, meaning that gamers may have to sell off some of their record collections to get the game and turntable deck. Of course, with many of DJing's biggest stars repping Europe, the territory is a key -- and potentially profitable -- market for Activsion.%Gallery-70460%
DJ Hero turntables won't be compatible with any other game
Due to the obvious differences between the respective turntable peripherals for DJ Hero and Scratch: The Ultimate DJ, this may not come as much of a shock to you: In a recent interview with Destructoid, FreeStyleGames' Jaime Jackson shot down the idea of Hero's peripheral being compatible with other DJ titles. "If someone needed to use our controller, then they would basically have to rip our game off," Jackson noted. In other words, if you're looking to tap into all the DJ-centric rhythm offerings available in the future, you're going to be adding a few more feet to that ever-growing mound of fake instruments in your den. At least there will be a bit of variation towards the peak, eh? %Gallery-64266%
Hands-on: DJ Hero
As anyone who's ever seen me tickle the colorful neck of a Guitar Hero guitar or keep impeccable time upon a Rock Band drum kit will attest, I've got a knack for rhythm games. I've never placed my hands on a peripheral that I wasn't immediately able to mentally deconstruct and use to its fullest rockin' potential [I'm only allowing this catastrophic failure of modesty because it's true. - Ed]. My first few minutes with the Xbox 360 version of DJ Hero, however, initially left me flummoxed. That's not to say the turntable peripheral therein is poorly designed or difficult to use. No, my inability to pick up and expertly play Activision's newest bundle of musical joy is due to the fact that for the average rhythm genre veteran, DJ Hero is a horse of an entirely different color. %Gallery-64592%
DJ Hero: The Scratch Perverts and DJ Yoda contributing songs, ridiculous names
Activision today announced a number of DJs who will be contributing mash-ups to its upcoming game, DJ Hero. As if to play right into our expectations of a DJ-themed game, M.I.A.'s "Paper Planes" has finally made it into the track list (it took so long!) by way of The Scratch Perverts mixing Eric B. and Rakim's "Eric B. is President" with it. Also revealed was DJ Yoda, who will be mashing up two tracks for the game. In case that news wasn't exciting enough for you, we've got six (!!) more gameplay videos of the game, five of which can be found after the break. That brings our grand total of gameplay videos of DJ Hero in the month of August to 13. Clearly, the marketing push leading up to October's tentative release date has begun in earnest. Maybe we can have a solid, official release date now?%Gallery-64592%
