Band Hero Coming to DS

While I might not be the biggest fan of Activision's approach to bringing Guitar Hero to the DS, the On Tour games have apparently sold like gangbusters, so they must be doing something right. It's an approach that is now being taken to its logical conclusion with the newly announced Band Hero for the DS. While the Band Hero name on other platforms mostly seems to suggest a more family-friendly playlist and aesthetic than a regular Guitar Hero game, it will also bring significant new gameplay options to the DS. In addition to the screen-strumming guitar gameplay that has been the staple of three Guitar Hero: On Tour games so far, Band Hero will also feature support for vocals and drums, with the percussion gameplay necessitating the new drum grip seen below.

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As far as I can tell, the drum grip, unlike the guitar grip, doesn't actually introduce any new functionality. Furthermore, Activision's press release specifically names the DS Lite in its press release for Band Hero, suggesting that original DS and DSi owners will be left out in the cold, a move that just seems, well, kinda crappy. I can appreciate the attempt to cram as much rhythm action into the DS as possible, but the idea of singing into my DS sounds even more socially awkward than your usual karaoke. Still, if the DS is your sole gaming platform, and bands like blink-182, Avril Lavigne, The Killers, KT Tunstall, and Fall Out Boy are appealing to you, Band Hero might just be the ticket.
 
UPDATE: I sent an email to Activision concerning Band Hero's focus on the DS Lite specifically, and received this response from the game's executive producer, David Nathanielsz:

For Band Hero DS we chose to focus our development efforts on the primary DS platform, where millions of fans have already embraced the handheld innovation we brought to the Guitar Hero On Tour games. The new Drum Grip does not require the use of DS Lite’s expansion port.  The grip itself slips over the DS Lite replacing the directional arrows and buttons with 4 drum pad buttons that allow for a more natural, responsive and enjoyable play experience.  While we will continue to innovate the portable music game experience and we are very excited about the emerging technologies available with the DSi, Band Hero is not compatible with DSi at this time.

Band Hero for the DS will be available this November.
 
UPDATE #2: Some actual gameplay screenshots. Whee!

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