You gotta hand it to Activision, it really seems committed to bringing its wildly popular Guitar Hero franchise to every platform imaginable. After, what, maybe a good year of speculation and fake peripheral mock-ups, Activision has officially announced (IE, emailed me a press release) that it’ll be bringing Guitar Hero: On Tour to the Nintendo DS this summer.
In development at Vicarious Visions, the game promises songs by Nirvana, OK Go, and No Doubt, though here’s to hoping it’s not the same Nirvana, OK Go, and No Doubt songs we’ve already played in Guitar Hero and/or Rock Band. There will be local co-op play, as well as a guitar duel mode that will feature some DS-specific attacks. The examples given include using the microphone to extinguish malfunctioning pyrotechnics and using the stylus to autograph a fan’s t-shirt in the middle of the set. I know a lot of people weren’t fans of the whole power-up concept in Guitar Hero III, but I dunno, these actually sound pretty clever.
There will be six playable characters, two of which will be brand-new for On Tour, as well as five unlockable new venues, but the real pearl in this story is that the game will come packed-in with the Guitar Hero Grip. I’m definitely eager to try this crazy contraption out for myself, though at first glance it looks kind of awkward to hold, and I’m pretty sure that holding a DS really close to my face and scribbling on the screen in a rhythmic fashion won’t evoke the same rock-star fantasies provided by past entries. On the upside, it looks like lefties should be able to just flip the DS over and rock out.
Can Guitar Hero: The Ride at Six Flags be too far behind? The whole thing kind of just makes me think of Coupon: The Movie.
76 Comments
No thanks. If I wanted Guitar Hero I would buy it for a console not a hand held. I don’t really like Guitar Hero as it is. It’s a waste of time if you play real guitar.
thats so awesome. i know some people will hate but that could be sweet.
http://www.jimandthem.com
3rd comment XD looks pretty good. That would fit into the normal ds too right?
I agree with Nintenbot’s statement about playing real guitar. Rock Band however is a ton of fun because of the vocals and party game aspect.
Well, after seeing that “sliding” peripheral and that joystick peripheral, nothing surprises me anymore. Looks pretty uncomfortable to hold (especially for my fat DS), but I’ll definitely get it.
Hooray! Because you’ll look completely sane playing this on a bus or in the office break room!
Well…there were no OK Go or Nirvana songs in GHIII. The OK Go song is in the trailer (Do What You Want, which is good but still no Invincible), and the only real fear with Nirvana is that it’ll be Heart-Shaped Box again. It’s probably not going to be off Nevermind since that’s in Rock Band so heavily, so who knows.
I am excited for this. It looks like the best possible way you could bring Guitar Hero to a portable. And until Harmonix figures out a way to plug a tiny drum pad with a tiny foot pedal into a DS and makes Rock Band On Tour, this is all I’ve got.
“Rock Band however is a ton of fun because of the vocals and party game aspect.”
True that Andrew.
Meh. Looks like a cheap piece of shit.
Yeah, this is not going to be annoying to carry around. You are not going to look like a total idiot playing this game. And finally, its going to be uncomfortable as all hell.
This is a cash grab and all signs are pointing at prolly pretty bad.
Idunno…this looks like a potential downfall for the series. I’ll be honest and admit I haven’t played Guitar Hero III yet; but Activision needs to take it easy before they jump the shark way too fast.
I caught the story on Kotaku last night and I freaked out. I can’t wait!
I don’t know about this, I’m still in the completely behind the times “I’d rather play my real guitar” boat.
It’s not a terrible idea really. But I have the sneaky suspicious that this game will see a lot of songs from the previous Guitar Heroes.
Eww, I never thought about holding that thing so that you can see the screen while still somewhat making it feel like playing the guitar. Not gonna be possible. I just thought of how those rad kids were playing it in the little commercial they sent out. But, yeah, playing like that will not be possible.
I don’t know about this. I was wondering what the attachment would look like after I heard about this. I guess this is one I’m going to have to see and try before really deciding on.
I wonder how they are going to try to do this on the PSP?
This looks interesting, but this series is definitely getting out of control. It’ll probably only get worse from here.
I always regret buying Guitar Hero games. I have 1-3 but I never learn my lesson. I thought GHIII on the 360 would have been different because of the DLC…but it wasnt much better in my mind. I will TRY to stay away from Guitar Hero DS. The controls look clunky and those kids in the promotion video just scare me….
lol at Clue VCR Mystery Game…I have my 80’s copy sitting on my closet shelf right now! I think a youtubing is in order.
That’s kind of a neat perif, but music games now require vocals, 3 friends and some brews. Otherwise, I’m just not that interested.
Coupon the Movie was hilarious. I can braely type I am still laughing.
While I don’t think I would really want to play this all the time, especially over the console versions and Rock Band, the Guitar Hero grip peripheral looks fucking crazy enough for me to want to try it out. It was still an odd decision to bring this over to the DS in the first place, though.
Guitar Hero CCG or bust, baby.
No orange button? Really?
unlike Coupon: The Movie,I probably won’t play the shit out of this game
Looks like fun….Hope they can pull it off.
uhhh, WTF it only has 4 fret buttons . . . how do you strum? Activate starpower? What a waste of time.
Wow does that look awkward as all hell….
humm..I don’t know..that Guitar Hero Grip doesn’t seem to fit right on the ds. Maybe is just me but, based on that image, that doesn’t feel right. It feels uncomfortable to be enjoyed. Hope Activision knows what is doing..
I think I’ll pass. I’m a huge fan of the series but that just looks very awkward.
Activision is just going to milk this series till you grow to despise it.
this could just work, sure hope it does
Kind of an odd little add-on. How in the world would you hold it comfortably? Still, I can’t wait to try it!
Haha, I wonder if my hand will allow me to play it
GH will loose its meaning soon, me thinks
I assume you basically hold it sideways while pressing the note buttons with your thumb. I don’t know how you would play two notes at once though.
The part about signing autographs WHILE YOUR PLAYING sounds strange but i geuss they gotta find some way to use the stylus in the game.
Guitar Hero: Game & Watch, summer of ‘09.
Confirmed.
I’m really impressed with the peripheral they’ve come up for this. It should be a ton of fun and easy to use.
Jedted: I posted a link to the video of a commercial where they show them playing the game here –> http://buttonsmashing.blogsome.com/ You can search for it elsewhere instead if you wish. I don’t remember the original link. Its long and foreign but there is a link to it there if you were so inclined. I would PM you so as not to be slammed for spamming…but I can’t.
I had little to no interest in a Guitar Hero DS game until I saw that amazing contraption. But if you think that’s crazy just wait until RockBand DS comes out: http://www.iknowhowitis.com/wp-content/uploads/2007/12/onemanbandaxl.jpg
When I saw that pic of the DS, I laughed, think it was a fake. Then I read it was really coming out. I laughed even harder.. What a joke. >_>
they have gone over board!
Sweet! Let’s just keep on abusing what was once a good series with more and more milking of it for more and more money that people will OF COURSE spend on it because they are suckers, for what is, at most, a mediocre game at best at this point!
Oh, and, so, you play the DS, and watch the world in front of you, or you play with your thumbs…? Sorry, this is truly sad.
I give them credit for cleverness. I would’ve thought it was impossible to put Guitar Hero on the DS, but that attachment looks like it would actually work, and probably pretty effectively.
However, I also would’ve thought putting Guitar Hero on the DS is a silly idea, and I still do. I play my DS when I’m getting an oil change, or with my GF when we’re waiting for a table at a restaurant, or on an airplate, etc. I’m not busting out Guitar Hero in any of those situations.
-Dante
http://www.gamestache.com/
awesome possum
I never was a fan of Guitar Hero… I got the 3rd one for 360 and it was the worst mistake of my life
In all honesty, whats the point? Isn’t the entire point of Guitar Hero the Guitar controller? Without that I feel this game just wont feel quite right.
Sigh . . . I’m a Guitar Hero whore. There’s no way I’ll be able to NOT buy this. Do you really have to strum with the stylus though? That will be teeeeerrrrrible!! Possibly. Why not just go the extra mile and have another couple inches added on to that funky peripheral so we can have a strum bar? Or let us use the D-pad? Or just have no strumming and compensate with hard note patterns? Whatever, I’m still buying it.
awww man, i emailed you guys about this before this post went up (even asking bout the lefty thing) does this mean my email won’t be read out?
My biggest worry is the orientation of the buttons. Think about playing GH with the guitar: the buttons line-up with the buttons on the screen. The green button is furthest to the left, as is the green button on-screen. On the DS, the green button is still furthest to the left on the screen, but now it’s furthest upwards on the controller.
I don’t believe there were Nirvana songs in GH III. I could be wrong, but… Yeah, I’m not. I guess Ryan is thinking of Rock Band (however, he is right about No Doubt in GH III).
Imagine the looks you’ll get if you play it at a mall or on the bus… It kind of like doing the air guitar.
Well that just looks like it is going to be hella crazy, I don’t really know if I am up for hard rocking on my DS.
Ha I think I’ll stick with my 360 guitar hero, but it sounds like a cool concept for ds owners. Your right though it does look awkward to hold
Photoshop better.
ATTN MR. DAVIS:
Nirvana was not represented in Guitar Hero III. They had a cover (Heart-Shaped Box) in Guitar Hero II, though.
I just saw a shitty LCD Tiger Electronics type game of Guitar Hero at Wal-Mart. It oddly looked similar to this, but it was in a plastic micro guitar shaped DS wannabe.
People shit on EA at the mere mention of those two letters spoken together, but Activision has really taken strides in the past 6 months to earn the dubious honor of “Biggest Pimp of Game Franchises”. They’ll line up Guitar Hero and Call of Duty and let a fucking train rape them nonstop until they die of embarrassment. Not since Medal of Honor has a series been so blatantly whored out.
Pitfall cries in shame.
6 characters?
When will activison learn that all we want is to make OUR OWN CHARACTERS?
It’s not that hard, why do they keep throwing Axel macho guy and that stupid pink haired emo girl at us?
That’s a neat looking little guitar device.
Not something I’d purchase though.
That’s so crazy! It’ll be interesting to see how well it works.
At the same time I think that they should try to move on. Try new *hero things, or something.
This looks like Activision is just trying to milk the brand for all it’s worth. I think it looks pretty bad but all probably get it just to that crazy grip thing.
Were is the PSP section?
I am interested!
Dude, that looks waaaay more like Accordion Hero than anything else. But I don’t care. Call of Duty 4 is the last good Call of Duty, and Guitar Hero III will be the last good Guitar Hero. Seriously, if Activision could defile those licenses anymore than they already have, I’ll just die. Honestly, Guitar Hero: Aerosmith and Call of Duty 5 being set in WWII again? What the hell!?
When I first saw the teaser trailer for this last week, http://kotaku.com/369971/the-guitar-hero-on-tour-teaser-trailer
I seriously thought it was a parody. Not that it really matters, Guitar Hero is really a joke compared to Rock Band. I dont think Activision is making such a terrible business move by milking the Guitar Hero license for all its worth. They know that its days are numbered.
I dunno, I’m being very sceptical about this. I’m not surprised about Activision wanting to bring it to the handheld market but I don’t know whether it will be as enjoyable as playing it on a fully fledged console with guitar.
I can’t compare with Rock Band, because us Brits are missing out on it. Dang.
could work if you only have one hand
or are very small
looks tight
and fiderly
This looks f***ing amazing. I would say I won’t buy it, but who am I kidding?
I hope it doesn’t break my ds.
I can see it now… me playing this minding my own business in a public place and someone that cares for me beatch slapping it out of my hands for my own betterment.
Yeah, it’s completely unnecessary and whorish in a comfortable way, but by God I must own it.
I’m just waiting for Guitar Hero: How to Milk a Franchise Until Nobody Gives a Crap.
Oh, people will buy Guitar Hero games no matter how milked the franchise becomes. I personally felt that GHIII was utterly forgettable, but it still sold like crazy.
Wow… Imagine playing that in Public.
You’d look like a douche…
I’m waiting for the 8-track version.
looks cool to me, i held my ds lite sideways like in the pic and it was rather comfey, i do hope there is a strap on the back that will tighten to your had so you womt drop your ds when playing loads of notes.
i wish i could edit the typos in my last post lol
I don’t think with my large hands, I could accurately tap the little buttons on that add-on.
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