Kotaku
Activision today officially announced Guitar Hero: On Tour for the DS, dropping a few more details about the portable rhythm game.
On Tour will use a pick-stylus and touch screen strings for strumming and that fancy Guitar Hero Guitar Grip for fretting. The game will include a local wireless co-op mode and a Guitar Duel battle mode with battle items unique to the DS. Some examples include forcing a player to blow into the microphone to put out pyrotechnics gone wrong and being forces to autograph the touch screen to stave off crazed fans in the middle of a set.
The game will have five new unlockable venues. You can customize the game a touch by changing the color of your guitar and picking outfits for your guitarist. The DS version will come with six characters, two of which are new to this version. The rated E 10+ game is due out this summer.
Hit the jump for the full release, complete with quotes!!!
Guitar Hero(R): On Tour Explodes onto Nintendo DS This Summer
New Game Introduces Revolutionary Guitar Hero(TM) Guitar Grip(TM) Peripheral for Anytime, Anywhere Guitar Hero(R) Gameplay
SANTA MONICA, Calif., Mar 20, 2008 (BUSINESS WIRE) — For the first time, handheld gamers will have the freedom to unleash their inner rock star anywhere, anytime with Activision, Inc.'s (Nasdaq: ATVI) upcoming Guitar Hero(R): On Tour for Nintendo DS(TM). The game will deliver a unique Guitar Hero(R) experience by challenging handheld gamers to rock out and prove their shredding skills on the most diverse set list of master tracks ever offered in a Guitar Hero game, including classic rock, alternative and pop favorites such as Nirvana, OK Go and No Doubt.
The game will be packaged with a revolutionary Guitar Hero(TM) Guitar Grip(TM) peripheral that fits snugly into the DS and a unique Guitar Hero pick-stylus that brings a new dimension to handheld gaming and the core gameplay that defines Guitar Hero. Guitar Hero: On Tour has been designed specifically for the DS platform and will offer the DS audience an all-new compelling music experience.
"We are continuing to introduce new and exciting ways to bring music to audiences with Guitar Hero," said Dusty Welch, head of publishing for Activision/RedOctane. "The Guitar Hero Guitar Grip redefines how games can be played on handheld systems and the integration of the microphone and touch screen gameplay on the DS, further illustrates Guitar Hero's leadership in delivering the most unique and creative quality hardware and software on the market."
"We're designing Guitar Hero: On Tour from the ground up to take full advantage of the DS platform by integrating signature gameplay with fresh new content and DS specific features," said Karthik Bala, CEO of Vicarious Visions. "We've taken all of our learnings on the DS platform to date and pushed it to the limits to create a truly innovative Guitar Hero experience."
Guitar Hero: On Tour continues to build on the franchise's signature easy-to-play, yet difficult to master addictive gameplay, and now lets players take their experience on the road wherever they go. Players use the Guitar Hero pick-stylus on the touch screen to strum their favorite tunes and create their rock 'n' roll legacy in career mode.
Fans can also join together to play co-op mode using a local wireless network, or battle each other in a Guitar Duel using new Battle Items unique to the DS platform. For example, players must blow into the microphone to extinguish a pyrotechnics effects gone wrong, or use the touch screen to autograph a crazed fan's shirt in the middle of their set.
Featuring five unlockable new venues, the game lets players personalize their experience by choosing the color of their axe of choice, selecting to play as one of six characters - two of which are all new and exclusive to Guitar Hero: On Tour - and outfitting their guitarist in numerous styles.
Guitar Hero: On Tour is being developed by Vicarious Visions for the Nintendo DS. The game is rated "E 10+" (Everyone 10 and older) by the ESRB and is scheduled for release this summer. For more information, visit www.guitarheroontour.com.
Comments
I really want to know how much this is going to cost me. I was thinking around 50-60.
Further proof that Activision is running that franchise into the ground. Yay for Rock Band and Harmonix.
"put out pyrotechnics gone wrong"
Um, am I the only one who though of the Great White concert tragedy? I have to question this part of the game.
@shintobreak: How is this further proof? I'm looking forward to this game, and I love Rock Band.
Wow, just wow. This is either going to be awesomely sweet or bitterly painful when it comes out. :P I doubt they will have and DLC of any sort but it MUST have Wi-Fi no ifs, ands, or buts about that.
So... will the songs be the same as in gh3?
I won't be purchasing this but the accessory looks rather amusing and certainly an unexpected approach to the game in my opinion.
To piggy back off an earlier comment...
If only Great White had blown really really hard, all 185 fans of theirs would still be alive.
[/sick sarcasm]
I'm quite exited for this game however. I'm a sucker for GH, as is the wife. And the grip is a pretty rad idea.
I suppose we'll have to wait for reviews now!
does anyone else besides me think that looks incredibly uncomfortable? i mean is guitar hero on DS really that neccesary?
not sure id play this in public...making the "on the go" feature pointless....
bah, what the hell.
So we use are right hand for both strumming and the fret buttons? The placement of the "Guitar Grip" is confusing and questionable. This really does look more like Accordion Hero. They should have given us a mini guitar-shaped controller or something similar.
All I want to know is cost. That can't be cheap.
@SageofAnacostia: it has a "strap on" so you dont have to hold the DS
@Luis: My sentiments exactly! You would think that a development studio putting such a big focus on music would be more careful about thing like this.
@shintobreak: Why is it that everyone assumes that EA and Harmonix aren't going to run the Rock Band franchise into the ground? Besides, the 80s version of GH was Harmonix's fault anyway.
@Luis: hopefully it'll be a bit more tasteful like, say, the bassist's eyebrows catching on fire.
that control setup still looks like it will suck.
Price?
I hate blowing into the mic...or having to shout. And why does one have to yell to activate SP on a guitar? Though I suppose you can't have a button or anything considering your free hand is going to be busy strumming.
I LOVE the concept of GH on the go. But I don't think the layout is very practical. One hand is holding the Guitar/Game while the other has to cross over to stum. I'm trying to imagine it just sitting here and it's not working.
Also: it's rated E10+?! What kind of music can you get in an E10 game? Weren't GH and RB both Teen?
I think this is actually looking alright, but I've got to wonder how many song there'll be and if they'll be any good.
@Luis: Well, you can't always immediately jump to the worst possible example. Crappy lighting, deflated set pieces and bad pyrotechnics are "budget basement"-level traditions. There are plenty of times where a rocker or trashcan or whatever lighting on fire has been done for the sake of comedy. If the aim is to make the other guy's performance go wrong then that's as good a way as any.
@c-lin' Fanboy: It's probably the fact that so far all we see at "Rock Band" is DLC while we keep hearing about things like band specific game discs over at GH. I did say "so far", we'll just have to wait and see how things turn out, but for the foreseeable future it doesn't look like Activision plans on reigning in the new versions.
the main question that needs to be answered is "is this going to work on the original DSes or is this adapter lite-only?"
How do you play that if you are left handed?
Looks playable, right? Okay, mime holding your hand in that position. Now keep it there for a couple hours.
"the integration of the microphone and touch screen gameplay on the DS, further illustrates Guitar Hero's leadership in delivering the most unique and creative quality hardware and software on the market..."
Yes. Because GH:OT will be the first game to ever have people scribbling randomly across the touch screen while yelling/blowing into the microphone.
The Guitar Grip (note the caps as it's a trademark now), is clever...and MIGHT actually be useable. But let's not get ahead of ourselves here Activision. Kthx.
@Luis: Oh god, I'm surprised that you didn't reference 9/11 in your post. I assume you've never been in a band, because whenever you use pyro, something goes wrong, and rarely in the scope of the Great White incident.
@c-lin' Fanboy: going to? it has already happened.
I'm not going to buy this, I just want to find out what songs are available.
The video on IGN yesterday actually made it look somewhat playable, although I still think Guitar Hero without the plastic guitar is like Portal without the portals. Will wait and see how it goes, anyway, as Ouendan shows that rythym games can work in a portable format.
The audio will be low quality and the songs will all be kid friendly. Have to appeal to the DS market.
@sanctusmortis: its not [www.redoctane.com] 50.00
@c-lin' Fanboy: Activision sees Guitar Hero as something to be put out as many times a year as possible. Look at how bad this looks and look at Guitar Hero: Aerosmith and tell me that they're making products worth buying.
They did this before with Tony Hawk.
Sure, EA does this with Madden, but at least Harmonix and MTVGames have more input into what goes on.
@c-lin' Fanboy: RB has been out for around 18 weeks now and we've only gotten DLC and discussions of an expansion (backwards DLC compatible) down the road in 2008 at some point.
Meanwhile, Activison took over GH in time for the 3rd game...and already has plans for three games this year (two artist expansions and the full 4th title) + the DS version.
Not to mention the Carabiner. *shudders* Saw one of those in a Target for $10. Just couldn't bring myself to buy it.
@LVP: Lefties will play it the same way they'd play Guitar Hero. Set it to lefty mode and flip the ds the other way. The screens will rotate 180 and you'll be holding it the exact same way...just in the other hand. The only difference this time is the your pointer will be hitting blue instead of green. But that will be reflected in the screen.
It's actually an interesting problem for people such as myself. I write left handed, but do everything else (except drum in Rock Band) right handed. So for me the natural position for holding a stylus is the left hand. Yet it's my left hand that's been fretting all these years of Guitar Hero.
So I'm just as concerned about a lefty mode as you are.
DS carts only really go up to about 150 MB-ish.(last i checked) So I'm left to guess that this will feature 5- 10 songs??? Maybe more if there are no vocals. Then there's always Midi...
I need at least a FEW songs! And cost!
Wait, why are there only 4 fret buttons?
@blizzardjesus: In the IGN preview, they mention it'll have around twenty songs.
To me that doesn't seem enough to be worth buying given that the console versions have more than twice that.
@WildWon:
To piggyback on your piggyback:
If only Great White had blown really really hard...
I was under the impression that Great White did blow really hard, and that's why they were playing in shitty bars.
It looks like something a Chinese company would make: Blatantly and badly ripping off the original product. Looks pretty bad, in my opinion.
@blizzardjesus:
Everything about that was wrong. Everything.
@Parsifal: I don't see how band specific discs are any worse than DLC. If you look at the average cost of DLC you would be looking at paying more than $60 for the amount of songs that are on the discs, you don't have to wait for the download to complete, and you don't fill up your hard drive. Also, you can't download a new controller. I need at least one more GH to come out as a bundle so I have two PS3 controllers. We also haven't seen any pricing yet for the new artist specific games. For all we know, it could be cheaper. I doubt it would be more expensive. Especially since this is something that Aerosmith wanted to do rather than it being Activision hunting them down.
When are we going to see the track list?
I'm thinking that this game will be a turn-off for most of the hardcore gamers, but will be a huge seller amongst the casual DS gamers... I even got a little excited when seeing that promo/commercial... (just a little). Activision does it again...
@liposome:
You hold the DS with the fretting hand so shifting positions would be nigh impossible.
@TRT-X: *cough*cough*
Wow. Took Activision what, three games to screw up the series?
Bravo, you bastards. Bravo.
@BenKenobi88: 50.00
I am actually excited about this game even though I never really played a Guitar Hero game before.
And concerning Great White reference, see here:[en.wikipedia.org]
Alright, now it's getting a little ridiculous. They've already got you scratching the hell out of your screen in order to play, and now to add more gimmicks we're blowing out fires and signing autographs. I'm sorry, with the Aerosmith game and now this, I'm done buying Guitar Hero.
@c-lin' Fanboy: how is it their fault that they were doing what they were told to do? they didn't have creative reigns over the franchise, red octane did. red octane told them what they wanted and how much budget they had and harmonix delivered what was asked. are you really that dense?
@LVP: you probably turn the DS on it's other side, just like Brain Age.
If this thing fits flush on the Lite does that mean that there will be a seperate version for all us people who either prefer the phat or can't afford a Lite? It sure appears to be flush.
@AgainstOne: It was a half hearted effort in order to get out of their contract. It had nothing to do with Activision telling Harmonix what to do and everything to do with them not caring about what crap they put out as long as they could be done with their contract.
@blizzardjesus:
The sound quality I wouldn't worry about too much, if you've ever played ouendan 2 that game had 19 songs of pretty decent sound quality, plus they could always use the gba slot to put extra memory for more songs and such, on the other hand it's being ported by Vicarious Visions whom did a terrible job on the guitar hero 3 port.
Guitar pick/stylus? Does it work on a real guitar? Pics! I need pics!
@c-lin' Fanboy: proof please? don't make allegations for which you have no substance.
@Amsterdaam - KEEP SMILING: Great White vs. 9/11. Okay? Good comparison, I guess.
Yeah, I've been in many bands. I got to be in GH1, 2, Rock the 80s, GH3 AND Rock Band. And nothing ever went wrong with the pyros.
@c-lin' Fanboy:
I'll take DLC over "expansion" disks anyway, since I'd rather have one "master" framework of a game, with all the songs I have available at one time, rather than having to switch disks & games all the time.
@AgainstOne: You mean like you did? Even the newest GameInformer mentions the 80s version being a half hearted way of Harmonix fulfilling a contract.
Really, all the people who complain about Guitar Hero are only complaining because they have to have something to complain about. The fact that Rock Band exists doesn't change the gameplay of GH. It is still the same game. No matter what Activision does, though, everyone complains. If they would do like Rock Band and release a lot of DLC, people would complain that the content costs too much. If they release multiple versions, people complain that they are milking the franchise. If they don't do anything, people will complain that they are ignoring fans. If they add drums and a mic, people will complain that they are copying Rock Bank. Hell, people even find ways to complain about