The lucky bastards over at [ IGN ] recently got to play with the newest version of Guitar Hero. Did I mention that they are lucky bastards, oh yeah… ok, and while we are all still dreading the day that our living rooms are completely filled with plastic instruments, the new GH4 guitar has got some additions that will make even the most die-hard Rockband fan consider getting both.
According to their review :
“The biggest addition to the new guitar is the touch pad located on the neck. While playing a song, this touch sensitive strip allows you to alter notes during sustains by sliding up and down the strip (giving more freedom and options than what you had before with just a whammy bar). It can also be used for tapping to play notes, particularly awesome if you want to mimic a slap bass. The real power of the touch pad comes in the music creator.”
I feel like jumping up and down like a gleeful 14 year old … ok, I am actually doing that, but can you really blame me.
The back/select button has been more tightly integrated into the bridge of the guitar and makes it easier to use to go into overdrive, and makes the overall look and feel of the guitar more realistic. The guitar is also bigger which will also help that feeling of realism.
Like I have said in earlier posts, the guiatar is also wireless, and has changeable face plates.
Activision, I know you are reading, so listen carefully. Dump the Aerosmith crap, and get this game released.. I want it… I WANT NOW!!
The first 3rd party instruments for Rock Band are going to be available for purchase starting June 22nd. [ Mad Catz ] was given official approval from Harmonix to become the officially licensed 3rd party manufacturer of instrument controllers for Rock Band, and it looks like their wired Bass controller for the Xbox 360 is the first out of the gate.
The wired bass will be available on June 22, for the Xbox 360, and will be priced at $69.99. The bass will include the Mad Catz dual-strummer which is basically a split strum bar that allows the player to use to fingers to strum up and down simultaneously, which should help to get some of the faster solo sections down better.
Complete list of features for the bass:
- Licensed Fender Precision bass styling
- Custom finishes for enhanced realism
- Comfortable thumb rest
- Whammy effect via volume knob
- Split strum bar for fast finger action
- Oversized tuning keys
- Durable plastic construction
- Wired USB connectivity
A wireless version for the Xbox 360
Mad Catz also offers a wired mic, that integrates the controller buttons as well, and for me, this is huge. Having to use a separate controller to navigate during game play was always a little annoying, especially if you are singing and playing an instrument at the same time. Apparently this is already available for the Xbox 360, but shipments are still forthcoming. The street price for this gem is $59.99.
Here are the mic features:
- Built-in controller - easy navigation through all in game menus
- High quality soft-touch finish
- High profile pop / wind screen
- Convenient lock/unlock button
- Wired USB connection
The Rockband guitar has always kind of annoyed me, so much so that I actually went out and bought the wireless Gibson guitar to use for Rockband instead of the official one. However, if you are looking for a more unique guitar to use in your band, Mad Catz has that solution too.
Fender has officially licensed this guitar and it is a replica of the Telecaster, and looks pretty awesome. So far, this is only available to Xbox 360 users, and will come at a price of $79.99 and it is wired. Hopefully a wireless version will be avialable soon, but nothing official has been said about that.
Guitar feature list:
- Licensed Fender Telecaster styling
- Perfectly scaled with high detail
- Built for speed - new, improved strum bar and quick response fret buttons
- Programmable strum
- Telecaster Bridge Plate used for Whammy
- Smooth Hot-Rod Red finish
Finally, the best for last.
Mad Catz has created two different drum kits that truly make Rockband a better experience. The first is a portable drum kit. It will be available on the 15th of July, and will run $49.99.
It touts a small form factor, and quiet pads and will allow you to take your band on the road much easier then you currently can. I am very excited about this, as my nephews constantly have me loading up the band kit in my car to go over to their house to play. The portable kit also features foam tipped drum sticks to assist with the noise dampening.
A little more exciting is the actual Premium Wired drum kit. The kit is based on authentic electronic drum kits, and has an added high hat, with a usable foot pedal, and a crash cymbal. The drum heads can be adjusted up and down and swiveled.
The drums will be available on August 15th and will be a on the higher end price wise at $149.99.
This set of equipment is a very very solid addition to the Rockband game, and may even make it less worthwhile to move over to Guitar Hero : World Tour, since these additions address a lot of the upgrades that GH4 is touting.
More rumors are being leaked about the upcoming GH4 release. This time, they center around the price of the game, and the bundle of equipment.
GH: World Tour Super Bundle
- Xbox360 - $189.99
- PS3 - $189.99
- Wii - $189.99
- PS2 – $179.99
GH: World Tour Guitar Bundle
- Xbox360 - $99.99
- PS3 - $99.99
- Wii - $99.99
- PS2 – $89.99
GH: World Tour Software Sku
- Xbox360 - $59.99
- PS3 - $59.99
- Wii - $49.99
- PS2 – $49.99
This is all pretty standard pricing and similar to the Rockband bundles, but at least we don’t need to worry about steep increases in the price.
Ultimately, this game could suffer from the fact that many of us have invested time and space into the Rockband series of instruments, and both companies will suffer if they don’t come to an agreement and standardize their equipment.