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Dad finds son smoking pot, attacks his weak point for massive damage
When eBay seller k_lid found his fifteen-year-old son Isaac smoking marijuana on the patio with two of his "delinquent friends," he did what any respectable parent would do: he calmly removed his son's copy of Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock from beneath the Christmas tree, and put it up for sale on eBay, complete with a lengthy description about why it was being auctioned.With the listing underway, all that was left to do was show the auction page to Isaac, who apparently "was not amused" by the sight of his number one Christmas present going on sale. Funny, that.But kudos to k_lid, we say. That's a pretty calculating, imaginative punishment, and there's nothing wrong with a bit of tough love. Didn't do us any harm. Apart from the panic attacks. And the nightmares. And the endless twitching.[Thanks, Chris!]
Activision to fix Guitar Hero sound issues with new disc
People who bought the Wii version of Guitar Hero III have been (justifiably) annoyed by the lack of stereo and surround sound in Activision's popular music game. However, Wii owners can at least take some comfort in knowing that the problem will soon be fixed.Activision's customer support has replied to many irate users with an email stating that re-mastered discs should be available by early 2008. This means that customers who buy the game after the re-mastered version is available should get the fixed copies, while those who already own the game can get replacement discs at no charge.The last time we announced a disc swap for a glitched Wii game, many of you expressed your desires to have a simple downloadable patch instead. While we agree that a patch would be more convenient, we're still glad that there will be a fix available in the near future.[Thanks, Langst!]
Guitar Hero III PC/Mac hybrid done, shipping out Dec. 10
You Mac gamers out there (we know, we know, "both of you") will be pleased to learn that the briefly delayed Guitar Hero III will be shipping to retailers on December 10, so you should be able to snag a copy in time for [insert gift-giving holiday of choice here]. The $80 PC/Mac hybrid disc (that's called a twofer where we're from) is bundled with the USB-based X-plorer guitar and will even include cross-platform multiplayer between the two at times warring platforms. Now how about a showdown between John Hodgman and Justin Long?
Wireless GHIII guitars to be sold separately at some point in the future
You know what's better than rocking out in Guitar Hero? Rocking out wirelessly. Those of you who've purchased Guitar Hero III for the Wii, though, have sadly been forced to rock without wires by you lonesome (in person), unless you know someone (or know a guy who knows a guy) that also has a GHIII Wii bundle.But, depending on how you interpret the vague term of "early 2008," you won't have to wait too long before being able to buy an official standalone wireless guitar in the U.S. We weren't given any more details on the matter, but we suppose that's better than being told nothing.[Via press release]
Guitar Hero: it shreds, and, yes, it blends
Quick, before some pretentious post-postmodern indie band rips the idea and integrates it into their set: check out the video after the break of the will it blend dude sticking a Gibson X-Plorer's fender into one of their machines. Yeah, we're total suckers for the Guitar Hero games, and we love to see Guitar destruction as much as the next rock fiend, so you can probably guess the result.[Via Joystiq]
GHIII gets the Halo theme tomorrow (free)
Not a hacked version either. No, this is the real thing. Starting tomorrow, Halo fans can download the Mjolnir mix of their favorite theme song, as originally played by Steve Vai. As if that news weren't good enough, we can also confirm that the track will be free. That's 0 MS Points, no money required, zip, zilch, naught, etc. So there you have it, folks, a free Halo treat on Thanksgiving day. Pass the gravy.Now all we need is Master Chief as an unlockable rocker.
Rock Band rejects PS3's Guitar Hero controller
Irritating instrument exclusion news now, with IGN revealing unpleasant information to those eager to start a fake band in presence of the PlayStation 3. The article notes that the PS3's Guitar Hero III controller, the Les Paul, does not currently function with Rock Band. The Red Octane peripheral is recognized as a controller and works for menu selections, but it does not register as an instrument. Well, that certainly sticks it to the man... where the man is Harmonix's touting of Rock Band as a music "platform."Giving the developer the benefit of the doubt, one could speculate that this inconsistency will be dealt with in a downloadable patch. After all, the Xbox 360's Les Paul works just fine with the Xbox 360 variant of Rock Band -- this lack of peripheral support would only be rendered worse if it wasn't even consistent across systems. With no standalone Rock Band instruments available until 2008, the only way of completing the PS3 experience as things stand would be to purchase the $180 bundle again (as if finding one wasn't hard enough). Between your best friends and Harmonix, someone's gonna have to do you a favor. We'll let you know when we hear more.[Thanks, M@]
October NPD: Wii, DS dethrone Xbox 360
After the NPD group's short-lived hesitation in providing monthly US console sales data spawned many an unhappy emoticon, it comes as a great relief to present October's magnificent results. This is especially true considering that all platforms have ducked out of last month's Halo effect and returned to their familiar positions -- the Wii and DS are back on top and the PlayStation 3 is, well, you know. GameDaily notes that the industry once again saw over $1 billion dollars leaving wallets at uncanny speeds, placing total sales for the year (through October) at $10.5 billion. At the same time last year, the amount had "just" reached $7 billion. Nintendo Wii: 519K (5 million total) Nintendo DS: 458K (13.6 million total) Microsoft Xbox 360: 366K (7.1 million total) Sony PSP: 286K (8.8 million total) Sony PlayStation 2: 184K (39.4 million total) Sony PlayStation 3: 121K (1.9 million total)
Guitar Hero III PC/Mac hybrid 'later this year'
While it may seem like everyone and their roadie already picked up a copy of Guitar Hero III earlier this month – what with $115 million in sales in the first week alone – Red Octane and Activision aren't even through with their brutal march towards total platform saturation. Though the peripheral-laden DS version is still undated, the PC version was released on Tuesday; unfortunately, the Mac version – now revealed to be a magical PC/Mac hybrid disc – won't be available until "later this year" according to Aspyr, the developer porting the game.When asked what will happen to the current PC-only SKU when the hybrid variant is unleashed, Aspyr told Joystiq "the hybrid PC/Mac version will eventually replace the PC-only SKU." Aspyr is aiming to have that version on shelves this year (we assume bundled with the PC version's wired X-plorer guitar and priced at the same $79.99) but we also worry the veteran Mac developers have their hands full with their just announced Xbox 360 port of Supreme Commander.
Wireless Guitar Hero 3 controller functions with PC version
First, the good news! The Xbox 360's sleek, wireless Gibson Les Paul controller that made its debut with Guitar Hero III has been confirmed by the wonderful folks at Shacknews to be fully compatible with the upcoming PC version of Activision's rhythmic rocker. It's not "officially" supported by develo-porter Aspyr, mind you, but you'll find it works just fine for setting those frets on fire -- all you need is the Xbox 360 Wireless Gaming Receiver.The bad news (don't be shocked, we alluded to this in the first paragraph!) is that Guitar Hero III's PC variant, which releases November 12th, already comes packaged with a guitar, namely the Gibson X-plorer which accompanied Guitar Hero II on the Xbox 360. It's uglier, it's wired and simply won't let you play the game from ridiculous and impractical distances! It seems the Gibson Les Paul is only a worthwhile option if you desire a second controller or if you can track down a standalone version of the game. Can't you help out with this, Steam?
PSN Thursday: (Motor)storming through Uncharted territories
You've heard us talking about Uncharted: Drake's Fortune before, both in positive and less-than-positive lights. Now you'll get to decide for yourself. As planned, the demo for this PlayStation 3-exclusive title is heading to the PS Network today, along with a demo of College Hoops 2K8.Additionally, Sony is giving Motorstorm fanatics some more content. The Devil's Weekend add-on ($5.99) includes a new track (Devil's Crossing), five new vehicles with three styles apiece, and The Devil's Weekend festival with nine new races. For Guitar Hero III, the Foo Fighters and Velvet Revolver packs that were previously announced for Xbox Live will also be available on the PS3 for $6.25 apiece. An assortment of game videos and movie trailers, a new wallpaper featuring Call of Duty 4 is available for free, as well as three new themes (Classy Pink, Pixel and Nature) to spice up your new firmware update. More details after the break.Update: Sony notes on the PlayStation blog that the Uncharted demo will only work on American PS3 systems due to a bug. The demo is still undergoing localization and will see official release in other territories at a later date. [Via PS3 Fanboy]
Wii owners are rocking Guitar Hero III online
If you've got time between jamming out to Metallica's "One" and Slayer's "Raining Blood," then you you might be interested in knowing that Guitar Hero III is quite the popular game with Wii owners. Never saw it coming, eh? Well, the game enjoyed 622,580 connections on Nintendo's Wi-Fi Connect service during the week ending November 4th, coming in second only to Pokemon Diamond & Pearl, which had 1,455,526 connections.Are you one of those 622,580 folks who took the game online?
Guitar Hero III makes $115 million in first week
Piggybacking on the information that Activision is going to have a record quarter and Guitar Hero III may be in short supply this holiday, Activision released some financial numbers that show how popular their game is. Activision says that GHIII sold over $115 million in its first week, making it the best launch in the company's history.Activision believes they'll continue to do well against EA and MTV's Rock Band due to their "unparalleled number of music tracks, a highly competitive price point and the only game in its genre available worldwide." Although, much like the console war, we're thinking the music genre showdown between Rock Band and Guitar Hero won't be answered until years from now -- and there's always the possibility of peaceful coexistence.
Metareview: Guitar Hero III (Xbox 360, PS2, PS3, Wii)
The battle of the fake bands is about to commence, with Activision's instrument protagonist series swinging the first ax. Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock seems to have struck a chord with most reviewers, prompting them to praise its track list and resort to awful music puns (see: above) to convey their satisfaction. Boss battles and some strumming sequences raise a few eyebrows, but at least Neversoft manages to handle the third entry in the franchise without drawing out Brett Ratner references. What say you to that, Rock Band? 1UP (90/100): "There's really not a whole lot to 'get' about Guitar Hero, but whatever there is, you absolutely have to get it right. If the song selection stinks, or if the note layouts are boring or don't make musical sense, or if the strum/fret timing is off...then the whole game suffers for it. These are the three critical components, and Neversoft absolutely nailed them. In fact, aside from a few misguided artistic choices and a new 'boss battle' feature, the developer transition would be virtually invisible to anyone who wasn't keeping up with the news. They 'got' Guitar Hero, and they got it good." Games Radar (80/100): "It's hard to argue with Guitar Hero III's place in the series canon. By going real with the songs, next-gen with the graphics and online with the gameplay, it leaves the wishlist relatively barren. At the same time, it's not delivering us much new on the gameplay front, and in fact lags a bit in terms of smart strumming mechanics. Neversoft would do well to remember that the game doesn't play itself, and we need to be challenged/satisfied with how and what we shred." Gamespot (80/100): "Sure, the difficulty can be vexing, but the game never loses that sense of 'just one more song' addictiveness, even at the height of its challenge level. Once you start playing, you'll be hooked for hours at a time, both online and off. It might ultimately just be more Guitar Hero, but that's hardly a bad thing--in fact, it's a great thing." %Gallery-4675%
Rockers report Guitar Hero III Dolby Pro Logic II is missing
var digg_url = 'http://digg.com/nintendo_wii/Wii_version_of_Guitar_Hero_3_has_faulty_Dolby_Pro_Logic_II'; Wii owners likely heralded the coming of Guitar Hero III as a momentous event that demanded calendars be marked off and days away from work be cleared with bosses, where spiked leather bracelets were removed from hidden drawers and proudly displayed on wrists. It is likely a time when turning the volume up to 10 isn't enough. But, many might have found that the experience has been tainted by the lack of Dolby Pro Logic II.News first burst on the scene thanks to users over at the official forums for Guitar Hero, where the title's lack of compatibility with Dolby Pro Logic II was reported by several Wii owners. The official response from tech support has been "We are looking in to right now. The time frame is still unknown at the moment we are still looking in to the problem."Any of you out there experiencing the same issues? Care to chime in on any other issues with the game?[Thanks, Langst!]
Consumer check: Make sure Wal-Mart's Guitar Hero 3 bundle is one you want
As many prepare to rock with Guitar Hero III today, we've received a few tips about consumers accidentally getting wired Xbox 360 controllers at Wal-Mart instead of the much ballyhooed wireless guitars. According to Wal-Mart's website, they are currently carrying several bundles of Guitar Hero III -- including ones with a wired x-plorer guitar for Xbox 360 (pictured) and SG controller for PS2. Target also has a similar bundle currently. The only reason we haven't started our voodoo to punish Activision and Red Octane for this trickery is that there actually is a price adjustment for these bundles. The Xbox 360 bundle and PS2 wired bundles are both $10 less than their wireless counterparts.The basic thing to do in this situation is to make sure you go to the store and read the box. If they don't have the one you want, it's your right as a free consumer to go shopping someplace else. We've been informed that some Wal-Marts only have one version of the bundle -- it may not be fair, but all we can do is let you know to check the box before you buy. Oh, but if they are selling the wired bundles for the same price as the wireless ones, then we'll call our voodoo priestess and start the incantations.[Thanks Nick and everyone else who sent this in]
Guitar Hero III's wireless guitar battery pack costs you more moolah
For all the innovation that the "new-gen" of consoles have brought us, there's one thing that will apparently never change: ridiculously over-priced accessories. Giving the wireless Guitar Hero III controller a feature it should have had from the get go is the $19.99 single recharge kit, which removes the need to use and dispose of single-use batteries. This continues on from the precedent that Microsoft set with its wireless controller, which only comes bundled with a case to stick a couple of AA batteries inside. You can grudgingly pick up this necessary but over-priced accessory on October 31st from Red Octane's store.
Fanpoll: Rock Band Vs. Guitar Hero III
It's time for another Fanpoll kiddies. This week we take on one of gaming's most pressing questions: Rock Band or Guitar Hero III? Neither of these games are available just yet, but they're both right around the corner. We're sure many of our readers (pssst ... that's you!) already have at least some idea of which one they desire more. As such, we ask that you follow your heart and place your vote accordingly. Once you place your vote, feel free to explain your reasoning in the comments. Also, you'll find the results of last week's Fanpoll, skate Vs. Tony Hawk's Underground, after the break. Which do you plan to buy, Rock Band or Guitar Hero III? Rock Band Guitar Hero III I'm getting both I'll wait for the reviews, thank you very much Neither
Guitar Hero III demo disc online, magically works on any 360
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. "Hit Me with Your Best Shot" – Pat Benetar "Lay Down" – Priestess "Even Flow" – Pearl Jam "Rock You Like a Hurricane" – Scorpions "The Metal" by Tenacious D
Guitar Hero III's wireless PS3 guitar rocking a dongle
The wireless Guitar Hero III guitars for PlayStation 3 will not work seemlessly with the console's Bluetooth technology, instead requiring a dongle that plugs into the USB ports. On the plus side, as noted by Wired's Chris Kohler, is that the dongles are modeled after guitar picks. Much more appealing than a boring, black brick.Rock Band's wireless PS3 guitar also showed up recently in an FCC filing with a mysterious (albeit less attractive) dongle solution, which presumably will ship with the final product. Maybe by then, however, the Harmonix Red Octane gang will pretty their dongle up.
