Jam with this Rock solid game
At this point, suffice to say that I was waiting for a crucial update that would transform my experience of Guitar Hero World Tour on the PlayStation 3 (PS3) into the best ever. For those not familiar with the music game phenomenon, it all began in 2005 when a game designer created a guitar peripheral with colored buttons. A player taps the buttons and hits a strum bar like the strings of a guitar) whenever the corresponding green, red, yellow and blue colors appear on screen. Soon, a drum set and microphone were added. Throw in a bunch of rowdy friends and you get a blast of a jam session - right at home. Guitar Hero World Tour is the first in the successful Guitar Hero franchise to have the band play and it deserves an encore. The new gem is the five-pad drum kit with a step pedal that acts as a kick drum. Split into three drum pads and two elevated cymbals, the device packs a bigger punch than its competition, Rock Band.

Rock Band first came out last year and its sequel Rock Band 2 in September 2008, but I dare say that Guitar Hero World Tour's five-pad drum set pounds better than Rock Band 2's four-pad drums. Aside from the stronger feedback when tapped with the drum sticks, the cymbals tipped the ante with its closer sense of realism to a real drum kit. Guitarists will have no problem picking up Guitar Hero World Tour, with the 84 original master tracks (as opposed to covers) that come with the game. As a bonus, you can also design cover tracks using the music creator portion of the game. However, as musical genius is not in my DNA, I took the shortcut and downloaded several free songs composed and uploaded by other players. Despite my love for Guitar Hero World Tour though, it has a few flaws.

Take the guitar's new touchpad on which you slide your fingers on the fret bar as an example. Since it's difficult to distinguish the color by feel, using it during fast songs was impossible. Next, the step pad: Given that it is a standalone unit that is not attached to the main drum set, it shifts out of place after several steps on it. Annoying. For the band mode, where up to four players can jam together, Rock Band has the upper hand. In Guitar Hero World Tour, there are no individual performance displays to indicate how well each player is doing nor the individual bonus star power being accumulated. Gameplay is also static: Rock Band's wild drum and guitar solo portions are missing and, without them, Guitar Hero World Tour is but a notch better than by-the-book instructional video.

And unlike Rock Band, there is no way to save your friends who are failing a song. So if they die, the band gets booed off the stage. Plus, there is no downloadable content for the PS3 version. While both developers decided that the game instruments would be compatible across the games, PS3 users had to wait till November for a software update that made Guitar Hero World Tour drums work with Rock Band 2. All Guitar Hero World Tour instruments now work wonderfully with Rock Band 2. When Guitar Hero World Tour drums are used on Rock and 2, one cymbal is rendered useless, but gameplay remains intact. To be sure, the debate as to which game has the upper hand will continue ad nauseum. However, for my money, you cannot go wrong with Guitar Hero World Tour.

Guitar Hero World Tour
It is innovative, easy to pick up and extremely fun. Whether you are a singer wannabe noise-producing drummer or finger twisting guitarist, Guitar Hero World Tour allows you to explore your musical inclinations. The five-pad drums deliver a solid experience and are built to withstand mindless beatings while the new guitar includes a touch pad that allows players to slide their fingers across the fret board with ease. Mastering them is another task in itself though. A variety of songs from acts like Nirvana, Michael Jackson and No Doubt, among many others, ensure the longevity of the game. When you include the multiplayer mode, especially with friends and family, this game will definitely beat the best karaoke system around.

Full Track List
311 - �Beautiful Disaster
30 Seconds To Mars - The Kill
Airbourne - Too Much Too Young
The Allman Brothers Band - �Ramblin' Man
Anouk - �Good God
The Answer - �Never Too Late
At The Drive-In - One Armed Scissor
Beastie Boys - �No Sleep Till Brooklyn
Beatsteaks - Hail to the Freaks
Billy Idol - �Rebel Yell
Black Label Society - Stillborn
Black Rebel Motorcycle Club - Weapon of Choice
blink-182 - Dammit
Blondie - �One Way or Another
Bob Seger & The Silver Bullet Band - Hollywood Nights
Bon Jovi - Livin on A Prayer
Bullet For My Valentine - Scream Aim Fire
Coldplay - Shiver
Creedence Clearwater Revival - Up Around The Bend
The Cult - Love Removal Machine
Dinosaur Jr. - Feel The Pain
The Doors - Love Me Two Times
Dream Theater - Pull Me Under
The Eagles - Hotel California
The Enemy - Aggro
Filter - Hey Man, Nice Shot
Fleetwood Mac - Go Your Own Way
Foo Fighters - Everlong
The Guess Who - American Woman
Hush Puppies - You're Gonna Say Yeah!
Interpol - Obstacle 1
Jane's Addiction - Mountain Song
Jimi Hendrix - Purple Haze (Live)
Jimi Hendrix - The Wind Cries Mary
Jimmy Eat World - The Middle
Joe Satriani - Satch Boogie
Kent - Vinternoll2
Korn - Freak On A Leash
Lacuna Coil - Our Truth
Lenny Kravitz - Are You Gonna Go My Way
Linkin Park - What I've Done
The Living End - Prisoner of Society
Los Lobos - La Bamba
Lost Prophets - Rooftops (A Liberation Broadcast)
Lynyrd Skynyrd - Sweet Home Alabama (Live)
Mars Volta - L'Via L'Viaquez
MC5 fs Wayne Kramer - Kick Out The Jams
Metallica - Trapped Under Ice
Michael Jackson - Beat It
Modest Mouse - Float On
Motörhead - Overkill
Muse - Assassin
Negramaro - Nuvole e Lenzuola
Nirvana - About a Girl (Unplugged)
No Doubt - Spiderwebs
NOFX - Soul Doubt
Oasis - Some Might Say
Ozzy Osbourne - Crazy Train
Ozzy Osbourne - Mr. Crowley
Paramore - Misery Business
Pat Benatar - Heartbreaker
R.E.M. - The One I Love
Radio Futura - Escuela De Calor
Rise Against - Re-Education Through Labor
Sex Pistols - Pretty Vacant
Silversun Pickups - Lazy Eye
Smashing Pumpkins - Today
Steely Dan - Do It Again
Steve Miller Band - The Joker
Sting - Demolition Man (Live)
The Stone Roses - Love Spreads
Stuck In The Sound - Toy Boy
Sublime - Santeria
Survivor - Eye of the Tiger
System of a Down - B.Y.O.B.
Ted Nugent - �Stranglehold
Ted Nugent�fs Original Guitar Duel Recording
Tokio Hotel - Monsoon
Tool - Parabola
Tool - Schism
Tool - Vicarious
Trust - Antisocial
Van Halen - Hot For Teacher�h
Willie Nelson - On The Road Again
Wings - Band on the Run
Zakk Wylde�fs Original Guitar Duel Recording

10/10