Activision's Band Hero hits stores today. The game from the makers of Guitar Hero is available for the Wii, Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, PlayStation 2 and Nintendo DSLite. Players can create a band using any combination of multiple guitarists, bassists, drummers and vocalists. Each band can have up to four lead singers. Players can also use the karaoke-style Sing-Along mode. Stars including Taylor Swift and Maroon 5's Adam Levine make appearances in Band Hero as playable characters. You can watch a video about how Taylor Swift was digitized for Band Herohere.
"Band Hero takes the critically acclaimed Guitar Hero 5 game features to new heights and delivers the most popular artists into your living room," said Dan Rosensweig, president and chief executive officer of Guitar Hero. "As our first E10+ rated console game, Band Hero will become the new soundtrack to family game night."
The games features songs from artists and bands including Taylor Swift, No Doubt, Lily Allen, The All-American Rejects and Jackson 5. Destructoid notes that Styx "Mr. Roboto" is on the song list. A complete song list can be found here on Amazon.com's product page and on the Band Hero website. Players can also import select songs from Guitar Hero 5, Guitar Hero Smash Hits and Guitar Hero World Tour.
The new Band Hero commercial features Taylor Swift singing while Travis Barker, Pete Wentz and Rivers Cuomo rock out to Taylor Swift's song "Love Story." You can watch the making of for the commercial below.
DJ Hero his stores today. The game for the Xbox 360, Wii, PlayStation 3 lets you put your DJ skills to the test. The game is based on the same concept as Guitar Hero. The game features tracks from Rihanna, The Killers, Marvin Gaye, Daft Punk, Queen, Black Eyed Peas and more. The game features mixes by DJ AM, Cut Chemist, Grandmaster Flash, DJ Jazzy Jeff, J. Period, DJ Shadow, DJ Z-Trip and more. You can see an interview with Daft Pun here and an interview with Z-Trip here.
Ther DJ Hero Renegade Edition wihich includes special edition hardware and a limited edition CD collaboration between Jay-Z and Eminem. The Renegade Edition also includes the premium Renegade turntable controller and hardshell turntable carrying case. The DJ Hero Bundle with Turntable retails for $119.99 and the DJ Hero Renegade Edition retails for $199.99.
Sony and Netflix announced that they are joining forces to make movies and TV episodes from Netflix available to be streamed instantly to TVs via the PlayStation 3. Netflix expects to begin streaming via the PS3 system next month at no additional cost to Netflix members in the United States who have a PS3 system. The PS3 system's installed base has reached close to 9 million units in the United States, and Netflix recently reported 11.1 million U.S. subscribers as of September 30.
It's good news for PS3 gamers but it isn't new in the gaming world. Wired notes that Netflix has been available for the Xbox 360 gaming console for nearly a year.
DJ Z-Trip is one of several DJs featured in the upcoming DJ video game called DJ Hero. Z-Trip thought he was going to have to put on a special suit and move in front of a green screen but he says they were able to create his likeness using 360 degree photographs. Z-Trip says looking at himself in the video game is "the most surreal thing in the world." The game can be purchased with the Renegade turntable pictured above. It comes out October 27th. Take a look:
This HSN host needs to be more careful. He was trying to play tennis on the Wii with a tennis racket attachment when the racket came off and went flying into the flatscreen tv. It looks like the tv was damaged. The attachment is part of a cheap pack that contains a plastic golf club, baseball bat and tennis racket that attach to the wiimote. You certainly don't need these attachments to play the Wii and based on this video it looks like they can fly off pretty easily. Take a look:
Sales of video games finally pulled out of a six month losing streak in September. The L.A. Timesreports that game sales climbed 5% in September over the previous year. The games leading the charge were a mix of sports, adventure and music games. Here are the top ten titles sold in September according to data from the NPD Group.
Gizmodo reports that a large new Wii accessory called Cyberbike is slated for a January release in Europe. The pricing is not yet known. Gizmodo says Cyberbike is bundled with a "lame treehugger game." Wired and Kotaku agree that the game itself does not sound very exciting. Wired says you save the planet by "cleaning up pollution by flying your bike over things." Yes, that sounds rather dull but it still sounds more exciting than having no game at all while you ride your stationary bike. The concept here seems to be to make exercise more enjoyable not to create a better game than Halo.
Even if this version of the idea doesn't work there is something exciting about connecting exercise equipment to video game consoles. If a quality bike, rowing machine or stairmaster was developed that could connect to one of the game consoles then a variety of games could be developed for it. Microsoft's upcoming Project Natal device will let you use your body as the controller so there is a lot of potential for gaming fitness with that concept as well.
Cosplay is when players dress up as their favorite video game characters or as anime characters. There were many people playing dress up at the Tokyo Game Show. Take a look at some of the detailed costumes. You can also look at some cosplay photo galleries here, here and here.
Varietyreports that the Weinstein Co. has teamed with Atari to create a Project Runway video game for the Wii. Players will compete as aspiring fashion designers in different challenges. Players can even become the model and strut down the runway using the Wii Balance Board. The Wii Balance Board is a controller used with the Wii Fit games.
The game will largely follow of the format of the TV show, with players competing as aspiring fashion designers and presented with different challenges as they create designs and outfit models with hair, makeup and accessories. Players can then become the model and strut their creations down the runway using the Wii Balance Board or take on the role of a fashion photographer and document their designs.
Co-chairman Harvey Weinstein said the game will allow fans to "participate in the program they love by using this new medium as a tool to explore their creativity."
It sounds somewhat like a fashion version of the popular Rock Band and Guitar Hero games. Those game franchises are very popular. A Project Runway game sounds like it will be more complex than the music games but the developers will just have to make it work. Variety says Heidi Klum and Tim Gunn are expected to have input in the video game.
Hasbro and Google have partnered for Monopoly City Streets, a version of Monopoly that is played using Google Maps. The Daily Newsreports that players start the game with 3 million Monopoly dollars in the bank.
Players start the free game with three million Monopoly dollars and can buy Downing Street for $231,000, while Pennsylvania Avenue in Washington, where the White House stands, costs $2 million.
Rent is paid automatically each day, from $50,000 for a house to $100 million for a skyscraper.
Hasbro said: 'It's a chance to escape the harsh reality of recession and enjoy building up an empire.'
The game is free but you do have to log in to play the game.
Nintendo's Wii Fit Plus game will be released this weekend. Wii Fit Plus includes six training modes including yoga, strength training, balance games, and aerobics. The software comes with over 60 exercises and activities designed to help improve body balance and fitness. You can find out more on the
The Wii Fit Plus game costs $19.99 and the balance board retails for $99.99. You can find reviews of the game here, here, here and here. Wii Fit Plus website can be found here.
The game even includes added pet support. You can create an avatar for your dog called a Mii and keep track of your pet's weight along with your own. The Wii's Wii Balance Board controller acts as a scale. Take a look:
CNN's Dr. Sanjay Gupta talks about Nintendo's brain games and other health games. Dr. Gupta says Nintendo's Wii Fit games have been found to help people suffering from Parkinson's disease. Take a look:
Engadget reports that there will indeed be a price drop on the Nintendo Wii. A price cut was expected after Sony lowered its Sony PlayStation 3 price. However, a recent statement by Nintendo made the Wii price cut unclear. Now the word is the price drop will occur this month, September 27th.
The rumors were true, and Nintendo's knight in shining armor is finally about to see its first-ever price drop. For nearly three years now, the console has sold briskly at $249.99, but beginning on September 27th at Best Buy (and everywhere else, naturally), the happy-go-lucky machine will be offered for just $199.99.
A 20% price drop is significant and it will help Nintendo make sure the Wii is once again the hottest selling console this holiday season.
A Nintendo spokesperson toldCVG that Nintendo is denying rumors that they plan to cut of the Wii game console from its current price of $249.
On the US price cut rumours and possibility of a Wii reduction in Europe, a Nintendo spokesperson said: "We currently have no plans to cut the price of Wii. Current talk of price cuts is rumour and speculation.
"This is rumour and speculation as Nintendo have made no announcements on price. Furthermore this is most likely retailer led much in the same way retailers in the UK offer price promotions on our products."
Kotaku recently leaked a brochure that shows Toys "R" Us selling the Wii for $199. Analysts have also speculated that Nintendo would cut the price of the Wii following Sony's reduction of the PlayStation 3 price from $399 to $299.
Microsoft and Activision have launched a limited edition Xbox 360 console for the game Modern Warfare 2. The console features an exclusive design inspired by the epic thriller, a 250GB hard drive, two Xbox 360 Wireless Controllers, an Xbox 360 Headset and a standard edition copy of Modern Warfare 2. The retail price for the bundle is $399.99 (USD). Modern Warfare 2 is rated "M" (Mature - Blood, Drug Reference, Intense Violence and Language) by the ESRB. The game and special console go on sale November 10th but pre-orders begin at U.S. retailers this week.
"It's the highest compliment to the team and our fans to have a special themed Xbox 360 console," said Vince Zampella, CEO of Infinity Ward. "The precision and detail that's been put into the console captures the intensity and feel of 'Modern Warfare 2.' We can't wait for our community and fans around the world to see for themselves on Nov. 10."
Variety 
Nintendo's Wii Fit Plus game will be released this weekend. Wii Fit Plus includes six training modes including yoga, strength training, balance games, and aerobics. The software comes with over 60 exercises and activities designed to help improve body balance and fitness. You can find out more on the
Engadget 
A Nintendo spokesperson 
