Pay $15 or forever hold your peace

Here's some housekeeping that will probably fall on deaf ears. Any committed Rock Band player took care of it long ago. Anyone who hasn't probably won't car?e enough to rush this through in the ?coming hours.

Alas, here goes anyway: It's the last day to export your Rock Band 3 songs into Rock Band 4/Rivals. The license expires on December 1, 2020.

For those who want make a last-second just-in-the-nick-of-time export, you'll need a copy of Rock Band 3 and $15. Harmonix's systems need to check that you're a "verified purchaser" of Rock Band 3 and then the export costs $15. The process is outlined on this very old? blog post. 

You had five years to push this through, but now you only have a few more hours. If this PSA helps anyone out, you're a procrastinator to the max. Get it done now though. Without the export, the only way to play Rock Band 3 games will be inside actual Rock Band 3. Your library deserves better.

On December 1st, the Rock Band 3 Export is expiring. We know it’s a bummer, but you still have time to purchase an export key.
If you have owned and played Rock Band 3 on the same console family or profile and want to export a bunch of rad songs to Rock Band 4 – act soon! pic.twitter.com/dy7Rit1oDx

— Rock Band (@RockBand) September 22, 2020

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Rock Band 4 dev hopes to support ALL your old - and new - peripherals

Where are all your old Guitar Hero and/or Rock Band guitars now, eh? Stuffed under the couch? Colle??cting dusting the basement? 

If you haven't thrown them away -- and I really, really hope yo?u haven??'t thrown them away -- there's good news for pretend rockers everywhere. 

In an interview with Business Insider UK, Rock Band 4 developer Harmonix has confirmed that the new game will support old peripherals... including all your old Guitar Hero guitars.

"We're planning to support everything that we can: That includes all of the old 'Rock Band' controllers, and all the old 'Guitar Hero' controllers," said project directo?r Da??niel Sussman. 

"Our position is really all abou??t respect for our consumers and for the money that they have spent to get into the game space in the first place. The?y spend a fortune on games: on consoles, on hardware, and we're sensitive to that."

"We play those games too. We buy all the same stuff. A world where you need to have three different guitars and two drum sets and all this st?uff is...we don't want to support that world."

As for compatibility for current-gen Guitar Hero tech? Although he "won't know for sur?e until [they] get one in the office", ??Sussman suggested that the? RB4 team would be happy to try and support new GH ??controllers, too.

This is incredible news for gamers who likely already have a plastic music tree stuffed with various guitars, a mic stand and two sets drums. And by gamers, I mean me -- my house is full of this stuff you guys.

The post Harmonix says ‘don’t throw away your old Guitar Hero controllers’ appeared first on Destructoid.

Hinting at something bigger?

In mid-January, Harmonix surprised everyone by breaking its radio silence on Rock Band with the first set of downloadable songs in almost two years. While it's not quite the return to weekly DLC, Harmonix looks to ?be back on the horse with the announcement of another set of playable tracks.

On February 17, "Back to the Shack" from Weezer and "Rize of the Fenix" from Tenacious D will grace the Rock Band library on Xbox 360 and PS3. Each so??ng will be sold for ??the usual price of $1.99.

As users in the Harmonix forums and Twitter noted, the songs have a thematic similarity in that they're both about a return to form after a long absence. If everyone's not seeing something that's not there, the songs could symbolize regular downloadable tracks again, or, more excit??ingly, the imminent reveal of a new Harmonix project.

If the latter proves true, early March might be a time-frame to keep tabs on. PAX East, Harmonix's hometown convention, takes place March 6-8 in Boston. Harmonix already has a history of unveiling new games around that show, as it did in 2012 with Rock Band Blitz.

??DLC Week of 2/17 ?- Singles from Tenacious D and Weezer! [Harmonix]

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Foo Fighters, Avenged Sevenfold, and Arctic Monkeys

Remember the days of yesteryear when a bevy of plastic instruments was a de facto part of your interior design? Well, if you so wish, that look could make a comeback, as Harmonix is adding to the Rock Band library for the first ti??me in almost two years.

Tomorrow, January 13, three songs will be available for purchase to play on Rock Band 3 on PS3, Xbox 360, and Wii: "R U Mine?" by Arctic Monkeys, "Shepherd of Fire" by Avenged Sevenfold, and "Something From Nothing" by Foo Fighters. The tracks will go for the standard $1.99 per song??; no discount track pack prici??ng was announced, as was usually customary.

Regarding the sudden reappearance of DLC, Harmonix's Nick Chester told Destructoid "We had an exciting opportunity to add new content to the already massive Rock Band library with a song from Arctic Monkeys -- a band that's never been in a Rock Band title before! -- as well as new music from fan favorites Avenged Sevenfold and Foo Fi??ghters. We couldn't pass it up. Also, we wanted to see if we could still do it. Turns out we can. It's sort of like riding a bike.

When asked for comment about the possibility?? of this becoming a regular event, the studio didn't want to divulge too much. Chester was predictably mum, simply saying "Regarding future DLC...let's not get ahead of ourselves!"

?Rock Band DLC Announcement: Arctic Monkeys, Avenged Sevenfold,?? and Foo Fighters [Harmonix]

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That sacred store plays the music one last time

As I have been lamenting, the regular DLC updates for Rock Band 3 are coming to an end next week, but it's going out with a bang. Don Mclean's classic 1971 ballad chronicling the disa??ppointments of counter-culture movements in the prior decade (and all-around good time sing-along tune), "American Pie," will conclude the historic 281-week run of content releases.

There's no better way to go out, in my opinion. "American Pie" releases to the Rock Band Music Stor??e for PS3 ($1.99), Xbox 360 (160 MSP) and Wii ($2.00) on April 2nd. Long live the Jester.

DON MCLEAN'S "AMERICAN PIE" COMES TO ROCK BAND [Rockband.com]

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That's really all you need to know

Three more songs are being added to the Rock Band Music Store next week and they're all special in their own way. "Jungle Boogie" by Kool & the Gang is the most important contribution to music of the bunch, but "Shout" by Tears for Fears isn't bad. Last (a?nd almost certainly least), we have "Diamond Eyes (Boom-Lay Boom-Lay Boom)" by Shinedown.

All three of these songs were released previously via Rock Band Blitz, which is the only way I was likely to have ever heard Shinedown and now it won't leave my mind. All night long it's "Boom-Lay Boom-Lay Boom, hrm hrmhmhm you need." I could play the song in Rock Band 3 and fill in the blank spots in the lyrics, but then I would know all the lyrics forever. It's one of those "Catch-22" situations.

Oh, and the songs cost $1.99 (160 MSP) each. "Jungle Boogie" also features Pro Guitar and Pro Bass upgrades f??or $0.99 (80 MSP). Boom-Lay Boom-Lay Boom.

The post Next week’s Rock Band DLC features ‘Jungle Boogie’ appeared first on Destructoid.

More music for your growing collection

Next week, the Rock Band Music Store will be adding a couple of classic 80's songs to the list of downloadable content. "Rosanna" from Toto will be availa?ble for purchase, along with Oingo Boingo's "Weird Science."

It surprises me that it took this long for Oingo Boingo to appear in the game, but "Weird Science" is as good an entry point as any. With the DLC winding down, hope this news would have given me for "Dead Man's Party" (or, if we want to totally ignore reason altogether, "Little Girls") has alre?ady been cr??ushed, so I guess I'll just take what I can get.

As ever, the tracks will run you $1.99 (or 160 MS Poi?nts) each and "Weird Science" also has Pro Guitar and Pro Bass upgrades for an additional $0.99 (80 MS Points).

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All-American Rejects, Blink-182 and Red Hot Chili Peppers for sale on their own

As we trundle toward the end of Rock Band 3 DLC as we know it, Harmonix is still working through adding the tracks produced for Rock Band Blitz to the storefront. Next week, you'll be able to snag "Always" from Blink-182, "Give It Away" by The Red Hot Chili Peppers, and "Kids in the Street" from All-American Rejects from your favorite platform's version of the Rock Band music store.

As always, tracks are available on Xbox 360, PS3 and Wii, and priced at $1.99 (160 Microsoft Points), while a Pro Guitar track for "?Give It Away" will run?? you an additional $0.99 (80 MSP).

[Image]

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Four more DLC tracks arriving next week

The end may be in sight for Rock Band's epic run of DLC, but it's not over quite yet and there are still a few more weeks of updates to look forward to. Next week will see the arrival of “Got You (Where I Want You),” by The Flys? and Queensrÿche’s "Silent Lucidity" is a pretty great addition. And then we have two tracks from Staind, "It's Been Awhile" and "So Far Away," songs which I would be ashamed to admit that I enjoy if shame were in my repertoi??re.

The tracks arrive in the Rock Band 3 Music Store on February 26 for Xbox 360, PS3 and Wii, with their usual pricing of $2 (160 MSP) per track. There's also a Pro Guitar upgrade availabl?e for "Got You (Where I Want You)" which is an additional $0.99 (80 MSP).

The post The Flys, Staind and Queensr??che en route to Rock Band appeared first on Destructoid.

6 Pack of Tracks get you Back in the Saddle, Jack

Boston's hometown heroes Aerosmith have a six-pack of tracks hitting Rock Band this coming Tuesday, January 29th. This is the first time the hard-rocking, blues-influenced band has graced the RB platform, and the first time they've been in a game since Revolution X (or, rather the second time, but we'd like to forget the cash-grab attempt of Guitar Hero: Aerosmith).

The track includes greatest hits such as "Walk This Way" and "Sweet Emotion" from the '75 album Toys in the Attic, "Back in the Saddle" from Rocks, and a live version of their hit, "Dream On." Rounding out the pack will be two tracks from the bands newest studio album, Music From Another Dimension!, "Legendary Child," and "Lover Alot."

As always, the tracks can be purchased separately at $1.99 a track on PSN and $2 on Wii (or 160 Microsoft points on XBL), or together as part of the "Greatest Dimension Pack" for $9.99, with "Sweet Emotion" and "Dream On (live)" getting Guitar?? and Bass pro-upgrades for a dollar more.

While I'm glad the track pack is coming out, I would have liked to have seen a wider span of tracks from each era of the band??'s career, not just the two albums from the 70s. What say you, music fans?

A Six-Pack of Aerosmith Hits Come to Rock Band  [RockBand.com]

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My DLC library is about to get closer to God

Harmonix has announced the next wave of songs being added to the Rock Band Music Store and there are some delightful tunes in there. As you may have surmised by the above video, Nine Inch Nails' "Closer" is on the way. We're also going to see The Allman Brothers Band ("Jessica"), a DragonFor?ce tune ("Cry Thunder"), some band named Crossfade that I've never heard of (??and their song, "Cold") and the only Modern English song I expect most anyone remembers ("I Melt with You").

Oh, and there's The Band, bringing "The Weight." My parents remember listening to The Band. My sole awareness of the act is a Slappy Squirell sketch from Animaniacs ripping off Abbott & Costello by combining Woodstock with "Who's On First?," The Band being a component to that joke. I wonder how the next generation ?w?ill remember them.

The new songs release on November 20 on PS3, Wi??i, and Xbox 360. As ever, tracks will run you $1.99 a piece (or 200 Wii Points or 160 Microsoft Points).

The post Rock Band DLC: NIN, DragonForce, Modern English appeared first on Destructoid.

Next week's downloadable content releases for Rock Band 3 have been ??revealed, bringing three never-before-playable bands into the mix. Tracks from Cracker, Florence + The Mac??hine, and Midnight Oil will release on the 5th of June (June 6 in Europe). Here's the list:

As ever, tracks are $1.99 (160 MSP or 200 Wii Points) with a Pro version upgrade available on Teen Angst for just $0.99 (80 MSP?/100 Wii) more.

I'm shamed to say that I don't really know any of these tracks and barely know Cracker apart from their 1993 single, "Low," which I remember as much for having Sandra Bernhardt in the music video as the expression, "junkie cosmonaut," which? will probably never leave me. Harmonix should get that one in ??there.

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When I first saw that Bullet For My Valentine was coming to Rock Band 3, I somehow managed to confuse them with My Bloody Valentine (alt-rock darlings from the very early 90's). But then I saw the tracklist and thought, "Wait, 'Tears Don't Fall' isn't by My Bloody Valentine." So, I looked up the music video and realized I was off. Like, not even close. Oh well, the video had 40M views, so I'm assuming there's at least a few people out there who love them. Here's the songs that are coming to Rock Band 3 on May 29th:

• Bullet For My Valentine – “Tears Don’t Fall”
• Bullet For My Valentine – “Scream Aim Fire”
• Bullet For My Valentine – “Your Betrayal”

As always, the pack will be 440 Microsoft Points, 550?? Wii Points, and $5.49 on PSN. Each individual track will cost you 160 Microsoft Points, 220 Wii Points, or $1.99 on PSN. "Your Betrayal" is available as a Pro Guitar or ??Bass upgrade for just a dollar more.

The post Bu??llet For My Valentine headed to Rock Band this Tuesday appeared first on Destructoid.

Time once again to get hype for some more Rock Band 3 downloadable content. Next week, two tracks from Men at Work will arrive in the Rock Band Music Store, "Overkill" and "Down Under." In addition, Carlos Santana's "Smooth" will be released which, besides having some rea?lly great guitar work, allows for the bonus opportunity to fantasize about being Rob Thomas when he was young and svelte.

These songs are all dropping on March 20?? (March ?21 for our Euro brethren) for PlayStation 3, Wii and Xbox 360. As usual, tracks will run you $1.99 (or 160 Microsoft Points) and a Pro upgrade is available for "Smooth" for another $0.99 (80 MSP). Another solid batch of songs that I will almost certainly be picking up.

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Rock Band 3 is now available on Xbox Live Games On Demand for Xbox 360. It's available right n?ow on Xbox Live for only $19.99, says Harmonix. That low entry price is so that you can buy a bunch of songs from the mountain of available choices to make your own playlists. New songs are added every week.

Super hardcore Rock Band 3 fans, it might be worth your $20 to get this digital download. Imagine never having to put the game disc in your Xbox 360 ever again. RB3 w?ill always be at the ready,? waiting for your single button press.

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Rock Band is about to grow its library of Rush songs ever so slightly, along with additions from Volbeat and Black Veil Brides. The new tracks drop this Tuesday, Decem??ber 13 for Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, and Wii.

• Rush - "Fly by Night"
• Rush - "Caravan"
• Rush - "The Spirit of Radio (Live)"
• Black Veil Brides - "Rebel Love Song"
• Volbeat - "A Warrior's Call"

The Rush three-pack is $5.49, or $1.99 per song when purchased individually; "Rebel Love Song" and "A Warrior's Call" are $0.99 a pop. Harmonix teased that more news about the prog?ressive rockers is coming before the year is over, so stay sharp.

The post Ro??ck Band DLC: ??Rush, Black Veil Brides, and Volbeat appeared first on Destructoid.

Every so often, a heavily requested artist comes to Rock Band and you just feel compelled to say "Good for you, guys." Harmonix has worked its magic to bring Stevie Wonder on board, with five downloadable tracks releasing November 15.

• "Superstition"
• "Higher Ground"
• "Living For the City"
• "Sir Duke"
• "I Wish"

Available individually ($1.99) or as a pack ($8.49), all of the songs support keyboard, harmonies, and Pro Drums in Rock Band 3. The last two -- "Sir Duke" and "I Wish" -- can optionally get the Pro? Guitar/Pro Bass upgrade for $0.99.

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I've always wondered why Cou??ntry music is called Country music. Saying the name twice in one sentence already makes it sound weird, but if you think about? it any more it completely stops making sense. See?

It does make sense that Harmonix would pump a bunch of country hits into the DLC offerings for Rock Band 3. Like it or not, Country is huge.  Artists Sugarland, Shania Twain, Reba Mcntire, Keith Urban, Lady Antebellum, Jason Aldean, Merle Haggard and more are included in the new offerings. A total of 21 songs will be available on November 8, and you can get the whole package for $19.99??. If that's too much Country for you, the offerings are divided into four packs that range from $5.49 to $10.99 in price. 

Yeehaw, ya'll.

“Going Country Pack 05”
o   Chely Wright – “Single White Female” (RB3 Version)
o   Laura Bell Bundy – “Giddy On Up” (RB3 Version)
o   Reba McEntire – “The Night the Lights Went Out in Georgia” (RB3 Version)
o   Shania Twain – “Party for Two (with Billy Currington)” (RB3 Version)
o   Sugarland – “Settlin’”? (RB3 Version)

“Going Country Pack 06”
o   Billy Currington – “That’s How Country Boys Roll” (RB3 Version)
o   Darryl Worley – “Awful, Beautiful Life” (RB3 Version)
o   Gary Allan – “Man of Me” (RB3 Version)
o   George Strait – “TWANG” (RB3 Version)
o   Johnny Cash – “Ring of Fire” (RB3 Version)
o   Justin Moore – &ldquo?;Backwoods” ?(RB3 Version)

“Going Country Pack 07”
o   Darius Rucker – “Alright” (RB3 Version)
o   Dierks Bentley – “Sideways” (RB3 Version) ^O
o   Keith Urban – “Kiss a Girl” (RB3 Version)
o   Lady Antebellum – “Perfect Day” (RB3 Version)
o   Luke Bryan – “Rain Is a Good Thing” (RB3 Version)
o   Merle Haggard – “Mama Tried” (RB3 Version) ^O
o   Trace Adkins – “Ride” (RB3 Version) ^X 

“Going Country Pack 08”
o   Dwight Yoakam – “Intentional Heartache” (RB3 Version)
o   Jason Aldean – “Crazy Town” (RB3 Version)
o   Rascal Flatts – “Summer Nights”?? (RB3 Version)

The post Rock Band 3: A bunch of Country music appeared first on Destructoid.

Oh no, you guys! The Mega64 boys are expanding into the world of music! They want us to spend money on sh*t that ought to be free! Sellouts! I declare them sellouts... which is what I would? say if their song wasn't the greatest track to ever be laid down in the studio.

Coming this Thursday to the Rock Band Network is a joint off of Mega64's latest DVD. It is called "My Name's Horatio (You Got Me, You Ain't Got Nobody Else, So Deal With It, and Love It)" -- the longest song title to ever appear in a Rock Band game. Even without listening t?o the song itself, ??the name alone should make you harder than the Petrified Forest.

The?? 99 cent download will only be available on the Xbox 360 initially, but if all of you behave like good little boys and girls, it may come to the PS3 as well. If you aren't good little boys and girls, what?ever. Horatio really doesn't give a f*ck.

MEGA64 IN ROCK BAND 3!! [YouTube]

_{[Disclaimer: Nick Chester, former Destructoid EIC, is currently employed by Harmonix at the time of this writing.]}

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Z??ombies? Darkness? You'd think Halloween was coming up or something.

Rob Zombie, White Zombie, and The Darkness will be available beginning October 25 in the Rock Band 3 Music Store. Set at the price of a??bout $2 a song, here's what will be added next week:

• The Darkness – "I Believe in a Thing Called Love" 
• Rob Zombie – "Living Dead Girl"
• White Zombie – "Thunder Kiss ‘65"
• White Zombie – "Super-Charger Heaven"

Whi?te Zombie's "Super-Charger Heaven" is also known as "Devilman" from its chorus chant. 

What are you getting?

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Grammy Award-winning sound-smiths Coldplay are finally making their way to the Rock Band Store. Guitar Hero fans may have been listening to the dulcet tones of Chris Martin's voice as they bang away on the??ir plastic fiddles for a couple years, but no??w it's Harmonix that is looking to cash in on the British pop rock sensation.  

The pack will be made up of five of their most popular songs -- "Yellow," "The ??Scientist," "Clocks," "Fix You," and "Viva La Vida." The pack also features a ?sixth track, "Every Teardrop is a Waterfall," the first single from their forthcoming album, which will be available later this month. 

Each song will be going for $1.99/160 MS Points/200 Wii Points?? a piece, or you can pick up the lot for $9.99/800 MS Points/1000 Wii Points. "Yellow" and "Clocks" can be up?graded for Pro Guitar/Pro Bass for an additional 99 cents. I'm sure my kid sister will be thrilled.

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Want to help Harmonix celebrate the release of the tenth anniversary of Slipknot's album Iowa? Set to coincide with the re-issue of Iowa this Tuesday, you can expect to find a single track from each of the band's four albums; those being Slipknot, Iowa, Vol. 3 (The Subliminal Messages) and finally All Hope is Gone.

You know, I lived in Iowa for a good amount of time and I've gotta say it's not too bad. It's bori?ng and there's not much to see at all, but hey, it's pretty peaceful. I really don't understand what makes these guy?s so angry and inspired enough to make a whole bunch of references to the state throughout their catalog. Anyway, full track list and details are below.

• Slipknot - "Wait and Bleed"
• Slipknot - "Left Behind"
• Slipknot - "Pulse of the Maggots"
• Slipknot - "Snuff"

The tracks will all be available as part of the Slipknot Pack 02 and will run you $6.99/560 MS Points/750 Wii Points. Individually you can pick them up for $1.99/160 MS Points/200 Wii?? Points. "Wait and Bleed" and "Snuff" can be upgraded to Pro Guitar and Pro Bass for just $0.99 a piece.

The post Rock Band DLC: Slipknot waits and bleeds appeared first on Destructoid.

Have to admit I'm a bit shocked that next week's Rock Band downloadable content will mark Incubus' first track pack. Up until this point, the only song by the group playable on the platform was "Dig," and that appeared on LEGO Rock Band. Incubus fans, your dreams are coming true!

The three-song pack will feature "Adolescents," "Pardon Me," and "Wish You Were Here." The full package will run you $5.49/440 MS Points/550 Wii Points. You can buy individual tracks for the usual $1.99/160 MS Points/200 MS Points. Impress the ladies (??and gents) with your ability to actually play "Pardon Me" on guitar/bass by upgrading to "Pro" for an additional 99 cents.

I don't really have much else to say about this, but I've got a pointless anecdote about Incubus' lead singer, Brandon Boyd. When I was in college, I did an interview with him for our college newspaper when they were in town in support of S.C.I.E.N.C.E., the band's second record. H?e invited me on their small tour bus and then offered me potato chips. I remember thinking, "What a nice guy." Also, ?"This dude is really, really high."

The post R??ock Band DLC: Were you wishing?? more Incubus were here? appeared first on Destructoid.

Remember that rumored Guitar Hero: Red Hot Chili Peppers? Who needs it? Soon there will be a total of 28 playable Chili Peppers song on Harmonix's Rock Band platform.

Eight more tracks are hitting the Rock Band store on August 30, with three of them -- "The Adventures of Rain Dance Maggie," "Monarch of Roses," and "Look Around" -- from the band's upcoming record, I'm With You.

The pack is rounded out by some Chili Peppers classics like "Scar Tissue" and "Californication." Of course, if those are your ideas of Chili Peppers classics, then you're probably 15 years younger than I am. The full track list a??nd ot?her details are below. Also, get off my lawn. 

• Red Hot Chili Peppers – “By the Way”
• Red Hot Chili Peppers – “Californication” X
• Red Hot Chili Peppers – “Look Around”
• Red Hot Chili Peppers – “Monarchy of Roses”
• Red Hot Chili Peppers – “Otherside” X
• Red Hot Chili Peppers – “Parallel Universe”
• Red Hot Chili Peppers – “Scar Tissue”
• Red Hot Chili Peppers – “The Adventures of Rain Dance Maggie”

It'll cost you $13.49/1080 MS Points/1350 Wii points for the full "I'm With the Chili ?Peppers Pack." Individual songs are $0.99/160 MS Points/200 Wii Points.? You can upgrade both "Californication" and "Otherside" to Pro Guitar/Bass for an additional 99 cents a piece. 

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[corgi head tilt]

Accessories company Mad Catz has entered into an agreement with Harmonix to re-release Rock Band 3 this holiday season. Last year's hit music game will come back this holiday as a b??undle, published by the company that actually made the Rock Band hardware. Weird! They're just kind of...taking over for EA, I guess.

Gamasutra says that the game will also be available with the Wireless Mustang Pro-Guitar Controller, allowing you to get dow?n with the pro-guitar content.

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Can anyone confirm that Soundgarden singer Chris Cornell is not immortal? Because I'm pretty positive that this guy doesn't age. G?uitarist Kim Thayil has always looked like he was 79-years-old, but the frontman himself looks pretty mu??ch as he did back in the 80s.

I'm starting to thi?nk that Cornell feeds on the life-force of his fans to stay young. Which is why the band is headed back out on tour this year: so he can feed.

To the point, though. Six Soundgarden tracks are coming to Rock Band next week, including bi??ts of music from all over th??e band's discography.

• “Blow Up the Outside World”
• “Burden in My Hand”
• “Fell on Black Days”
• “Outshined”X
• “Rusty Cage”
• “The Day I Tried to Live”

You can get t??he entir??e pack for $9.99/800 MS Points/1,000 Wii Points, or buy them individually for $1.99/160 MS Points/200 Wii Points. For an additional 99 cents, you can upgrade "Burden in My Hands" and "The Day I Tried To Live."

The song "Pretty Noose," which was previously?? released as DLC, can be upgraded for an additional 99 cents, as well.

[Image]

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Next week's Rock Band DLC is not only set to rock your face off, bu??t arm you with a bit of music trivia.

You're probably already familiar with Frankie Goes To Hollywood's 80s hit, "Relax." But did you know that the version included on the band's debut, Welcome to the Pleasuredome, was entitled "Relax (Come Fighting)," and is a different mix than one of the 301 remixes you may have also heard. Fans of reverberated kick drum and useless bar trivia, tak?e note ?here.

"Relax (Come Fighting)" is only one of the tracks being offered up next week on the Rock Band music store, along with a tune from Erasure ("A Little Respect"), and some P.O.D. tracks that kind of make me want to take the day off to play some Amplitude or go to church.

• Erasure – “A Little Respect”
• Frankie Goes to Hollywood – “Relax (Come Fighting)”
• P.O.D. – “Boom” X
• P.O.D. – “Youth of the Nation”

Tracks can be hit with your musical laser beams for $1.99/160 MS Points/200 Wii Points a piece??; you can upgrade "Boom" for Pro Guitar/Bass for an additional buck.

[Image]

The post Rock Band DLC: Erasure, Frankie Goes t??o Hollywood, P.O.D. appeared first on Destructoid.

Anyone know what's going on with the U.S. version of that show The Voice? I ask this because my wife and I saw a few episodes??, and while we mostly were disappointed by the talent, we had a good time talking about Cee Lo Green's arms. You see, they're short, like a dinosaur's or something.

I mention this Maroon 5's Adam Levine was a judge on the show, alongside Cee-Rex, and there are some Maroon 5 tracks coming to Rock Band next week. And some Puddle of Mudd, if you're into that ki??nd of thing. 

• Maroon 5 – “Misery”
• Maroon 5 – “This Love”X
• Maroon 5 – “Won’t Go Home Without You”
• Puddle of Mudd – “Blurry”
• Puddle of Mudd – “Control”
• Puddle of Mudd – “She Hates Me” X

You can buy those bands' three tracks as packs for 440 MS Points/550 Wii Points/$5.49. Or, y??ou can purchase the songs individually for the usual 160 MS Points/200 Wii Points/$1.99. Tracks marked with the "X" mean that a "Pro Upgrade" opportunity is in the house, which you can o for an addition 99 cents.

Bonus poorly-tossed-together visual for? those who've read this far:

The post Rock Band DLC: Maroon 5, Puddle of Mudd appeared first on Destructoid.

In short, it rocks

With 15 years of developing music games under its belt, saying that Harmonix Music Systems has some experience with the genre is a bit of an understatement. Launching into the spotlight with Guitar Hero in 2005, the Boston-based developer has spent yea?rs i??terating on and polishing that original design.

Five years later, the market is crowded with multi-instrument music titles; Harmonix's latest, Rock Band 3, is one of three hitting shelves this holiday. But the developer has always led the pack, including being the first to introduce full band play with its original Rock Band.

With its latest game, it's unmistakable -- Harmonix has no peer in this space. With its new additions and ingenious interface tweaks, Rock Band 3 is undeniably the finest?? and most refined music game ??the market has ever seen. 

With 15 years of developing music games under its belt, saying that Harmonix Music Systems has some experience with the genre is a bit of an understatement. Launching into the spotlight with Guitar Hero in 2005, the Boston-based developer has spent years iterating on and polishing that origina??l design. 

Five years later, the market is crowded with multi-instrument music titles; Harmonix’s latest, Rock Band 3, is one of three hitting shelves this holiday. But the developer has always led the pack, including being the first to introduce full band play with its original Rock Band.

With its latest game, it’s unmistakable -- Harmonix has no peer in this space. With its new additions and ingenious interface tweaks, Rock Band 3 is undeniably the fines??t and most refined music game the market has eve??r seen. 

Rock Band 3 (Xbox 360 [reviewed], PlayStation 3, Wii)
Developer: Harmonix Music Systems
Publisher: MTV Games / Electronic Arts
Price: Standalone - $59.99 (Xbox 360, PlayStation 3), $49.99 (Wii)

Rock Band 3 is kind of a big deal: a massive, multi-layered product that’??s more than it seems on the surface. But the game’s hot selling point -- the back-of-the-box bullet point that is going to make it stand out at retail -- is its support for all-new instruments, including keyboard and “pro” instruments. That’s the stuff you want to hear about, right? So let’s start there…

Long-rumored (and oft-requested), keyboards are now a part of the Rock Band experience, complete with a brand-new peripheral. This controller is closer to its real-life counterpart than any instrument peripheral before it, wi?th a full two-octave range of keys for in-game use. I??t’s lightweight but sturdy, and can be comfortably played with it sitting on your lap, attached to a strap “keytar”-style, or sitting on a keyboard stand (sold separately).

“Standard” key mode will be immediately familiar to anyone who has played a Rock Band game, the note highway consisting of five colored notes that corr??espond with five keys that ?sit on the upper range of the keyboard. Just like with guitar, notes drift towards the screen in varying patterns, correlating with the music; this includes everything from single notes to varying “chord types” that you’ll be become familiar with as you work your way through the game’s soundtrack. 

Speaking of the game’s soundtrack in relation to keys, it needs to be noted that not every track on the game disc has native key support. Of the game’s 83 songs, only 63 of them feature keyboards and associated charting. Of those 63, there are a number that feature keyboard or piano parts that aren’t especially riveting, either. Many of the bands keep them to a minimum, sometimes just for ?atmosphere or “character”; as you can expect, those songs aren’t particularly fun to play on the keys. 

Standing idly by while the song carries on with guitar, bass, vocal, and drum tracks, only to pop in a few times (and with a few notes) can be dull, to say the least. Sticking only to keyboards, you’ll find that songs start to repeat themselves fairly often, too. This will be remedied in the future, though, as Harmonix promises to continue to support the Rock Band platform with new music, much of which can and will place an emphasis on this new instrument. (Just earlier this week, a full track pack of Billy Joel’s music was announced; a number of tracks by The Doors will be made available alongside the launch of Rock Band 3 as well.) 

But on the songs that do make heavy use of keyboards (even if they’re not always particularly complicated parts), y??ou’ll find that it’s just as satisfying as using the standard guitar or drum peripheral. It helps that the keyboard can also be used to play either bass or guitar parts in songs that don’t support native keyboard charting, including tracks from previous games and downloadable content. (Hint: Search out those songs that charted synth, strings, or piano parts to guitar and bass instruments; might I suggest all of those Lady Gaga songs you downloaded while you thought no one was looking?) 

Once you’ve mastered those Expert keyboard parts (and good luck, because they certainly can get tough), it’s time to play a real instrument. Surprise: if you’ve got the keyboard peripheral, you’ve already got one -- all of the songs that support keyboards in Rock Band 3 also support “Pro” mode. This mode utilizes the familiar note highway with a twist, in that it displays all of the notes on the instrument (with parts of the lane shifting left or right, when necessary), asking you to play the actual notes (including chords) fro?m the song. In almost all ways, Pro mode is obviously more difficult than the standard mode, but certainly more fun and rewarding. 

Pro mode also extends itself to the guitar and bass tracks for all of the new songs on Rock Band 3, with the introduction of two new peripherals -- the “this is an actual guitar” string-based Fender Squier Stratocaster (which acts as a game controller and doubles as a real guitar) and the 102-button Fender Mustang. Pro mode?? for guitar works in a similar fashion to Pro keys, with numbered notes (which correspond with fret positions) coming down a six-string (or six-"lane") note highway. If you’re a guitar player, ??you’ll recognize it as being similar to standard (horizontal) tablature; it’s generally easy to understand, even for novices, who will likely be able to pick up the concept within minutes. 

Every drum track in the game, including all older tracks that you may have exported to your hard drive, also supports Pro mode. This mode makes use of cymbal attachments (up to three), and even features support for a hi-hat pedal if you choose to go that route. In addition to the standard four-pad-plus-bass-drum charting, the game overlays cymbal hits where appropriate. This charting, in theory, should mirror the same part you’d play on a real kit. For anyone who’s been playing Rock Band drums since the first game, this isn’t going to be a huge leap. While the Pro mode is certainly more complicated, you’ve already got those basics down. It’s interesting to see how the jump from the standard Rock Band kit to a full kit (for all in??tents and purposes)?? isn’t quite as large as you might expect. 

These ambitious Pro modes are a huge step for Harmonix and music gaming, essentially holding the player’s hand while they are guided through playing a song on a genuine instrument (or at least a close approximation of one). It’s a response to the “just play an instrument” cries, and truly seems like the culmination of everything Harmonix has always set out out to do: slowly introduce gamers to the “real world” of music. As a self-taught guitar player, something like Rock Band 3’s Pro guitar mode would have been welcome while I was holed up in my bedroom as a teenager trying to figure out the riffs to my f??avorite songs.

Make no mistake, playing these Pro modes isn’t going to be easy. Unlike the standard colored five-note charting, it’s unlikely many folks will be able to sight-read this stuff, especially on Expert levels; I found that learning and then anticipating the parts (rather than reading them on the fly) yielded the best results. So you’re going to fail or miss hundreds of notes. It’s going to require practice. It’s going to be frustrating; it’s going to require dedication and a lot of repetition. Yes, this is just like learning an instrument. Whether the hours that that requires can be considered “fun” is up for debate, and many will fail or get frustrated and give up, even with the great tools Harmonix has included in Rock Band 3. But as anyone who has mastered an i??nstrument (or even the simplest song) can tell you, the rewards ar??e worth the effort.

Even if you’ve got no ambitions to play a real instrument -- if the simple act of picking up a faux instrument and rocking out does it for you (and hey, that’s fine, too) -- Rock Band 3’s still got plenty to offer. Building on the core of its previous titles, Rock Band 3 has an exhaustive list of new features, although none of them particularly worthy of a bullet point on the back of the game’s retail box. Nonetheless, once you’ve started using them, ?you’ll wonder how you lived without them. ??;

Of particular note are the features tied in with your song library. The game’s new song sorting now allows you to filter out tracks from your library based on a number of factors including song length,? genre, difficulty, score, and more. You’ll also be able to rate songs (on a scale of one to five lighters), with the higher-ranking songs appearing more frequently in random setlists and the lower-ranking songs becoming more scarce. The game will even use that information to suggest downloadable content, which might be hell on your wallet, but can help keep casual players in the loop on new releases relevant to their interests.

Rock Band 3 also addresses many of the frustrations found in previous iterations of the series, including giving players the ability to drop in and drop out of songs at any time. In fact, every rocker gets his or her own menu using the game’s ?“overshell”; while navigating the menus, every player can quickly hop into their own menu and edit their options without disturbing other ?players signed in. It’s a small thing, but the result is fewer minutes futzing around with menus, and it’s especially useful when playing in large groups or a party setting. 

The game also?? features a new style of career progression that spans across aspects of the game. Instead of entering a? single career mode, you’ll be able to earn fans across all of the game’s modes by following a number of goals. Sort of like a mini-achievement system built into the game, you have access to a series of goals spanning all instruments, as well as general game objectives. It’s super easy (and super fun) to track them, giving even casual players an easy way to chart and plan their progress. As you accumulate fans (this can also be done by following the game’s more structured “Road Challenges”), you’ll progress your band to stardom, like in previous titles. You’ll start seeing them play in bigger venues, using nicer travel accommodations, being mobbed by fans, and more. 

Much of this will happen as you navigate menus, too, with your created characters and bands always engaging in some activity -- setting up for a show, relaxing at a bar -- between sets. This might seem small, but this is important to note, because you’re not going to be spending a lot of time staring at loading screens or static menus in Rock Band 3. There’s always something happening, the game is always moving, and you’re always engaged with your band. And here’s a big one: there are very few perceivable loading screens in Rock Band 3, whether you&r??squo;re playing gigs or simply selecting a song in quickplay. Just choose a song, and within moments, af??ter a seeing your band setting up for your gig (sure, it’s hiding a loading screen, but it’s super brief), you’re right into playing the track.

It’s odd that I’ve gotten this far into a review for a music game without directly addressing the on-disc soundtrack, right? There’s a good reason for that, and I think it has to do with the fact that -- up until this point -- there’s simply so much music available for what Harmonix has always referred to as a “platform.” By way of downloadable content and music export from some of its retail games (all of which, save for The Beatles: Rock Band, can be played in Rock Band 3), there are currently over 2,000 songs available to play. Sure, it’s unlikely you’re going to have them all, but your options for building your library have become so broad that addressing the 83 songs on the Rock Band 3 disc seems superfluous. (But I???’m about to do it anyhow...)

Of course, with every music game, you won’t be able to please everyone all of the time. At the very least, Harmonix continues its tradition of crafting a well-rounded setlist featuring parts that are fun to play across all of its instruments (some of my earlier gripes about the keyboard-specific songs notwithstanding). It’s likely you’ll find songs on the disc you could do without, but as the saying goes, one man’s trash is another man’s treasure. There’s also something to be said for Harmonix’s song selection process, which appears to come from a genuine passion for the music, versus selecting songs based on their marketability. Even if you don’t love? every track on the disc, the rea??sons for why each has its place here should be obvious to anyone with a musically open mind. 

All of my praise aside, if you’ve tired of the genre or never had any interest, it’s unlikely that Rock Band 3 is going to change that for you. If your interest is piqued because of the game’s new Pro modes -- and it should be -- be wary ?that it’s a consider?able investment in terms of both money, time, and effort. If you’re not prepared to put in the work, it might not be for you. 

For fans of the series and the music gaming genre, Rock Band 3 is a must-buy, simply because it’s unsurprisingly the best iteration in the series yet. It&rsquo?;s not only going to replace similar and competing games in your music library, but it makes them look downright dated in comparison.

It’s a game that’s so solid that Harmonix could continue to support the game with downloadable content for years to come, and fans would find little to complain about. If they’re already dreaming of a follow-up, they’ve got their work cut out for them, because Rock Band 3 seems about as close to perfect as yo?u’re going t??o get.

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