Joystiq reports that Harmonix is diverting its resources away from Unplugged DLC and toward Rock Band Network deployment, downloadable content for the console versions of Rock Band and "unannounced future projects." That "future" may include more Rock Band Unplugged-tailored tracks, just don't count on a weekly refresh.

In the meantime, have you missed any of the already available tracks? Sounds like you'll have plenty of time to catch up if you did.

Rock Band Unplugged has no more 'planned' weekly DLC [Joystiq]

In order to properly play "Dead Leaves and the Dirty Ground," "Girl, You Have No Faith in Medicine," and "Icky Thump," the three White Stripes tunes making their way to the Rock Band Music Store next week, you will need a divorced spouse you are still on amazingly good terms with. If you are drumming, it'll be best if you've never had a lesson, and if you are playing the guitar you'd best own a mic stand. Otherwise the experience will be totally ruined.

If you can't handle those restrictions, you're probably better off playing The Damned's "Smash it Up (Part II)" or Kasabian's "Club Foot," the two other songs coming to the console versions of Rock Band next week, or No Doubt's "Excuse Me Mr." and the Dropkick Murphys' "I'm Shipping Up To Boston," this week's Rock Band Unplugged additions.

Available on Xbox 360 and Wii (Nov. 10) and PlayStation 3 system (Nov. 12):

• The Damned – "Smash It Up (Part II)" +
• Kasabian – "Club Foot" +
• The White Stripes – "Dead Leaves and the Dirty Ground" +
• The White Stripes – "Girl, You Have No Faith in Medicine" +
• The White Stripes – "Icky Thump"

Tracks available for Rock Band Unplugged (Nov. 12):

• No Doubt – "Excuse Me Mr."
• Dropkick Murphys – "I'm Shipping Up to Boston"

Rejoice, for there is more Tenacious D headed to Rock Band! Joining Rock Band 2's "Mater Exploder" next week is "Rock Your Socks," which was included in Rock Band Unplugged for the PSP, as well as "Tribute," the song that got many fans hooked on the musical stylings of Jack Black and Kyle Gass in the first place.

The two new Tenacious D tracks will hit the Rock Band Music Store for the Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, and Wii next week, along with a triple pack from Anvil, making their Rock Band debut with "666," "Metal on Metal," and "This is Thirteen," Dinosaur Jr. with "Pick Me Up" and "The Wagon," and "Hand Me Down World" and "No Time" by The Guess Who.

Check out the full list of next week's additions below!

Tracks available on Xbox 360 and Wii (Sept. 15) and PLAYSTATION 3 system (Sept. 17):
· Anvil – "666
· Anvil – "Metal on Metal"
· Anvil – "This is Thirteen"
· Dinosaur Jr. – "Pick Me Up"
· Dinosaur Jr. – "The Wagon"
· The Guess Who – "Hand Me Down World"
· The Guess Who – "No Time"
· Tenacious D – "Rock Your Socks"
· Tenacious D – "Tribute"

Tracks available for Rock Band Unplugged (Sept. 17):

+ Evanescense – "Bring Me To Life"
+ Spinal Tap – "Back From the Dead"

Cue excitement on my part as some of the Talking Heads songs I would actually like to play join the previously released "Psycho Killer" on the Rock Band Music Store for the Xbox 360 and the PlayStation 3. "Psycho Killer" is a fine song, but for me nothing says Talking Heads quite like "And She Was," "Once in a Lifetime," or "Take Me to the River." "Crosseyed & Painless" and "Girlfriend is Better" round out the Talking Heads Pack 01, available next week for $8.49 or 680 Microsoft points.

Additionally, tracks from Avenged Sevenfold, Oasis, The Jam, and Rage Against the Machine will also be included in next week's PS3 and 360 releases.

Scroll down for a full list of tracks coming to the Xbox 360, PS3, Wii, and PSP versions of Rock Band. Note that Wii songs marked with an asterisk are only $1, or half price, and paying $1.99 for a Rock Band Unplugged song still seems a little steep to me.

Tracks available on Xbox 360 (Sept. 1) and PLAYSTATION 3 system (Sept. 3):
· Avenged Sevenfold – "Bat Country"
· The Jam – "A Town Called Malice"
· The Jam – "Going Underground"
· Oasis – "Supersonic" (Live)
· Rage Against the Machine – "Guerilla Radio"
· Talking Heads – "And She Was"
· Talking Heads – "Crosseyed & Painless"
· Talking Heads – "Girlfriend is Better"
· Talking Heads – "Once in a Lifetime"
· Talking Heads – "Take Me to the River"

Additional tracks available for Wii (Aug. 25):
· Billy Idol – "Mony Mony"
· Billy Idol – "Rebel Yell"
· Fleetwood Mac – "Don't Stop"
· Fleetwood Mac – "World Turning"
· Jet – "She's a Genius"
· Tom Petty – "I Won't Back Down"
· Tom Petty – "Runnin' Down a Dream"
· Bare Naked Ladies – "Hanukkah Blessings" *
· Billy Squier – "Christmas is the Time" *
· Judas Priest – "(Take These) Chains"
· Judas Priest – "Bloodstone"
· Judas Priest – "Devil's Child"
· Judas Priest – "Fever"
· Judas Priest – "Pain & Pleasure"
· Judas Priest – "Riding on the Wind"
· Judas Priest – "Screaming for Vengeance"
· Judas Priest – "The Hellion/Electric Eye"
· Judas Priest – "You've Got Another Thing Comin'"
· Nikko – "Break My Heart" *
· Nikko – "Don't Tell Me" *
· Pretenders – "Blue Christmas" *
· Pretenders – "Precious"

Tracks available for Rock Band Unplugged (Sept. 3):
+ Franz Ferdinand – "Lucid Dreams"
+ Guns N' Roses – "Riad N' The Bedouins"

New additions from Blind Melon, Blur, and the Dropkick Murphys head to the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 version of Rock Band next week. Old additions from the Gorillaz and Red Hot Chili Peppers keep Wii owners of Rock Band 2 musically well fed. It's a long list, filled with variety, when you add in Rock Band Unplugged, which seems to be dealt the shortest straw once again.

The full list of tracks, most priced at two bucks, is after this.

Rock Band/Rock Band 2 (Xbox 360, PS3)

• Blind Melon - "No Rain"
• Blur - "There's No Other Way"
• Dropkick Murphys - "I'm Shipping Up to Boston"
• Eve 6 - "Inside Out"
• Foo Fighters - "All My Life"
• Foo Fighters - "I'll Stick Around"
• Foo Fighters - "Lonely as You"
• Kaiser Chiefs - "I Predict a Riot"

Rock Band 2 (Wii)

• Gorillaz - "Clint Eastwood"
• Gorillaz - "Feel Good Inc."
• Gorillaz - "Re-Hash"
• Janis Joplin - "Piece of My Heart"
• Jefferson Airplane - "White Rabbit"
• The Band - "Chest Fever (Live)"
• The Who - "Magic Bus (Live at Leeds)"
• Red Hot Chili Peppers - "Apache Rose Peacock"
• Red Hot Chili Peppers - "Blood Sugar Sex Magik"
• Red Hot Chili Peppers - "Breaking The Girl"
• Red Hot Chili Peppers - "Funky Monks"
• Red Hot Chili Peppers - "I Could Have Lied"
• Red Hot Chili Peppers - "If You Have to Ask"
• Red Hot Chili Peppers - "Mellowship Slinky in B Major"
• Red Hot Chili Peppers - "My Lovely Man"
• Red Hot Chili Peppers - "Naked in the Rain"
• Red Hot Chili Peppers - "Sir Psycho Sexy"
• Red Hot Chili Peppers - "Suck My Kiss"
• Red Hot Chili Peppers - "The Greeting Song"
• Red Hot Chili Peppers - "The Power of Equality"
• Red Hot Chili Peppers - "The Righteous & the Wicked"
• Red Hot Chili Peppers - "They're Red Hot"
• Red Hot Chili Peppers - "Under the Bridge"
• Megasus - "Megasus"
• Honest Bob and the Factory-to-Dealer Incentives - "Entangled"

Rock Band Unplugged (PSP)

• Pat Benatar - "Heart Breaker"
• Coheed and Cambria - "A Favor House Atlantic"

Up until now, the Gorillaz presence in music games has been limited to karaoke games and an appearance in the promising yet ultimately disappointing Battle of the Bands for the Nintendo Wii. Next week Harmonix fixes this, adding three of the virtual band's most beloved tracks to the Rock Band Music Store. "Feel Good Inc." and "Clint Eastwood" should please the hell out of just about everybody, with "Re-Hash" rounding out Gorillaz Pack 01.

The Gorillaz sound is tempered by a selection of four songs from classic rock greats. Janis Joplin's "Piece of my Heart" and Jefferson Airplane's "White Rabbit" give the girls and guys who like singing girl parts something to...sing about, while live versions of The Band's "Chest Fever" and The Who's "Magic Bus" will please fans of people cheering.

Other notable additions next week include two Iron Maiden additions to Rock Band Unplugged for the PSP - "The Number of the Beast" and "The Trooper", both songs perfect for causing a ruckus quietly by yourself on the Sony handheld.

Oh, and the Wii does a great deal of catching up as well. See for yourself:

Additional tracks available for Wii (Aug. 11):

Blink-182 "Dammit"
Blink-182 "Down"
Blink-182 "Feeling This"
Blink-182 "The Rock Show"
Damone "Out Here All Night"
Fratellis "Creeping Up the Backstairs"
Fratellis "Flathead"
Fratellis "Henrietta"
KISS "100,000 Years (LIVE)"
KISS "Deuce (LIVE)"
KISS "Parasite (LIVE)"
Lenny Kravitz "Are You Gonna Go My Way"
Lenny Kravitz "Freedom Train"
Lenny Kravitz "Let Love Rule"
Lenny Kravitz "Mr Cab Driver"
Pat Benatar "Hit Me With Your Best Shot"
Steve Miller Band "Space Cowboy"
Steve Miller Band "Take The Money & Run"
Steve Miller Band "The Joker"
Thin Lizzy "The Boys Are Back in Town (LIVE)"
Thin Lizzy "Cowboy Song (LIVE)"
Thin Lizzy "Jailbreak (LIVE)"
Weezer "My Name is Jonas"
Weezer "Pork & Beans"
Weezer "Undone – The Sweater Song"

Not only do we get the regular Friday update on what's new and forthcoming for the PS3 and Xbox 360 versions of Rock Band, we get the weekly Wii library catch up, and the latest additions to Rock Band Unplugged. Huzzah!

First out of the gate are new Rock Band and Rock Band 2 tracks, a triple shot of track packs from Judas Priest, Big Dipper and The Dead Weather. Sure, Jack White may find it "sad" that the kids are experiencing new music in music games, but apparently has no qualms about selling his band's music to Rock Band owners.

The Wii version of Rock Band 2 adds a slew of tracks from The Pixies, Spinal Tap, Foreigner and more. And Unplugged for the PSP gets a deuce from Radiohead and Killswitch Engage.

Platforms, release dates and prices are cataloged below.

Rock Band & Rock Band 2 (Xbox 360/PS3)
Available July 14/16 for $1.99 (160 Microsoft Points for Xbox 360) per track or $5.49 (440 Microsoft Points for Xbox 360) per track pack
Big Dipper "All Going Out Together"
Big Dipper "She's Fetching"
Big Dipper "Younger Bums"
Judas Priest "Dissident Aggressor (Live)"
Judas Priest "Eat Me Alive (Live)"
Judas Priest "Prophecy (Live)"
The Dead Weather "Hang You From the Heavens"
The Dead Weather "No Hassle Night"
The Dead Weather "Treat Me Like Your Mother"

Rock Band 2 (Wii)
Available July 14 for 200 Wii Points per track
Black Rebel Motorcycle Club "Weapon of Choice"
Dear and the Headlights "Sweet Talk"
The Devil Wears Prada "Hey John, What's Your Name Again?"
Evanescence "Bring Me to Life"
Evanescence "Call Me When You're Sober"
Foreigner "Blue Morning, Blue Day"
Foreigner "Feels Like the First Time"
Foreigner "Headknocker"
The Killers "Mr. Brightside"
The Killers "Smile Like You Mean It"
The Killers "Spaceman"
Maroon 5 "Little of Your Time"
Maroon 5 "Makes Me Wonder"
Maroon 5 "Wake Up Call"
The Pixies "Crackity Jones"
The Pixies "Dead"
The Pixies "Debaser"
The Pixies "Gouge Away"
The Pixies "Here Comes Your Man"
The Pixies "Hey"
The Pixies "I Bleed"
The Pixies "La La Love You"
The Pixies "Monkey Gone to Heaven"
The Pixies "Mr. Grieves"
The Pixies "No 13 Baby"
The Pixies "Silver"
The Pixies "Tame"
The Pixies "There Goes My Gun"
Spinal Tap "Back From the Dead"
Spinal Tap "Rock ‘n' Roll Nightmare"
Spinal Tap "Saucy Jack"
Spinal Tap "Warmer Than Hell"
Thrice "Image of the Invisible"

Rock Band Unplugged (PSP)
Available July 16 fpr $1.99 per track
Radiohead"My Iron Lung"
Killswitch Engage "My Curse"

I almost missed the inclusion of Jonathan Coulton's masterpiece in the list of new songs coming to the Rock Band Unplugged Music Store next week, mainly because they tucked it further down the list after the Dixie Chicks "Sin Wagon". My eyes read "Dixie Chicks" and tend to wander off. Luckily for us all I soldiered on, reading about the coming of The Pixies' "Here Comes Your Man", R.E.M.'s "Losing My Religion", and "Pride and Joy" from Stevie Ray Vaughan. And yes, GLaDOS, in all her glory. I never truly got tired of that song, and now I'll be able to perform it in my bathroom on a regular basis.

All of these tracks will be available on July 19th for $1.99 apiece, with the exception of "Still Alive", which pays you with delicious and moist baked goods.

The downloadable song grand total for Rock Band Unplugged rises from ten to fourteen today, with the introduction of four new songs for the single-player PlayStation Portable version of Harmonix's band game. Avenged Sevenfold's "Afterlife" , Dream Theater's "Constant Motion", Stone Temple Pilots' "Sex Type Thing", and Mötley Crüe's "Dr. Feelgood", who as we are all aware is the one who can make you feel alright.

Each of the four new tracks is available right now via Rock Band Unplugged's built-in Music Store for $1.99 apiece, the same as it ever was, only a little smaller and split up into bits.

There's no singing or plastic drum controller to smack in Rock Band Unplugged, as players use the PSP's default controls to beat match notes scrolling down the familiar note highway. In Unplugged, you don't just play one part, you play all parts. Players match notes for the bass, drums, vocals and guitar, switching between instrument tracks after successfully completing "phrases" for each part. The goal is to keep the whole group playing, perfecting your performance and becoming a rhythmically gifted virtual one-man band.

Rock Band Unplugged is a spiritual sequel to pre-Guitar Hero Harmonix creations Amplitude and Frequency, but with a more bankable name behind it. Does Unplugged deserve to share in the spotlight?

Loved
Perfect For The PSP: A peripheral-dependent, socially interactive game like Rock Band may seem like an odd fit for a portable platform without some gimmicky attachment add-on. But after playing Rock Band Unplugged, I'd argue it's actually the perfect portable implementation, taking advantage of the PSP's button layout, Wi-Fi capabilities and previous-generation caliber hardware specs. Portable gaming hardware is almost always a performance step backwards from its console counterparts, something Rock Band Unplugged makes up for with strong, beat matching gameplay.

Full Fledged World Tour: Unplugged's version of the band career spanning World Tour mode seen in previous Rock Band titles is just as capable as its forebears. There are songs to unlock, bizarre outfits to acquire for your avatar, even a little band management that one must deal with as you hire staff and secure transport. It's all pretty light stuff and can ultimately mean some song fatigue will set in as your band is forced to play some of the same songs over and over again, but at least it keeps things interesting.

Eclectic: The soundtrack lineup for Unplugged is a fascinating mix of songs that will have you jump from Siouxsie and the Banshees to Bon Jovi to the Jackson 5 in the same set list. It's a decidedly un-boring mix of tracks that can be expanded with Unplugged's in-game music store.

Like Amplitude, But Better: Rock Band Unplugged's gameplay is straight up Amplitude and Frequency, two PlayStation 2 rhythm games that went under-appreciated in their time. Only Unplugged is way better. Harmonix and Backbone Entertainment expand on the gameplay established by those two PS2 era games, refining the interface to make the chaos of track-switching more visually digestible, adding in all the design improvements made during the evolution from Guitar Hero to Rock Band 2.

Like Rock Band, But Portable: Most of the things that make Rock Band so much fun and personalized are present in Unplugged. That includes the carefully curated song selection, light on duds, and fun to play note charts. Character customization is deep, as are the available modes for quick play, practice and career modes. Best of all, you can actually hear the music clearly without the din of plastic instruments being whacked. Of course, it's missing one thing...

Customizable Button Layout: Any want you want it. That's the way we need it.

Hated
There's No Multiplayer: We're spoiled. And we have Wi-Fi. So there should be a multiplayer mode in Rock Band Unplugged, but there isn't. Four player co-op and head-to-head modes would be great, but no dice. Maybe in the sequel, since that's a great bullet point.

Double Dipping: There's no way to use the songs you might have purchased in Rock Band or Rock Band 2 on the PSP version, so you may have to buy some of these tunes a second time if you want to expand beyond the 40 or so tracks already included.

Rock Band Unplugged is a wonderful addition to the franchise, full of addictive gameplay and quality production values that doesn't dilute the brand. It's the kind of game that will go a long way to reinvigorating the PSP library, thanks to its incredibly strong design and potentially limitless music library. There are a few minor technical quibbles, including some annoying load times and autosave pauses, but the rest of the game is sound.

If you're at all interested in the Rock Band series or have enjoyed Harmonix's original PlayStation 2 rhythm game efforts, I can't think of a reason not to pick up Unplugged.

Rock Band Unplugged was developed by Backbone Entertainment and published by MTV Games for the PSP, releasing on June 9th. Retails for $39.99. Played through World Tour mode and tested Band Survival.

Confused by our reviews? Read our review FAQ.

Probably not the most fitting tribute, I'll concede, but I hope to make up for it by patriotically consuming large volumes of potato salad and barbecued meats. While doing so, I won't forget the men (and women) who died, who gave that right to me, to borrow from Lee Greenwood.

The only military service I see myself doing this weekend is appropriating a new American flag, learning how to properly dispose of the old one, so as not to incur Lincoln's Curse, and then by maybe playing some Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare.

Say, it's a free Team Fortress 2 weekend, which is also on sale via Steam right now. That might help you answer the question "What are you playing this weekend?"

This weekend's video reveal of the full track listing for Rock Band Unplugged for the PSP looks a little more legitimate today, as the official listing matches the unofficial listing exactly. To add a little freshness to what would have been a rather stale announcement, Harmonix has also detailed the first batch of downloadable content for Unplugged, available on June 9th to coincide with the launch of the full title.

The 10 downloadable tracks should be familiar to anyone who has kept track of Rock Band over the past couple of years. You've got Red Hot Chili Peppers' "Under the Bridge", Paramore's "CrushCrushCrush", Belly with "Feed the Tree", and seven other tracks we've played before. Just, not like this. Here's the full list:

30 Seconds to Mars - "The Kill"
Belly - "Feed the Tree"
Disturbed - "Inside the Fire"
Lynyrd Skynyrd - "Gimme Three Steps"
Muse - "Hysteria"
Mute Math - "Typical"
No Doubt - "Just a Girl"
Oasis - "Wonderwall"
Paramore - "Crushcrushcrush"
Red Hot Chili Peppers - "Under the Bridge"

They don't mention track pricing, but considering Harmonix doesn't have to worry about the same issues they would with a full Rock Band release we're hoping they fall on the cheaper side of things.

It looks like the official website for the game has expanded the list by a few, adding another five or so songs to the list of music coming on the game. On top of that, someone's posted what is supposed to be video captured from an early leak of the game showing the full setlist.

Here's where we stand:

1960s
The Who - Pinball Wizard

1970s
Jackson 5 - ABC
Jethro Tull - Aqualung
Boston - More Than a Feeling
Kansas - Carry on Wayward Son
Rush - The Trees (Vault Edition)
The Police - Message in a Bottle

1980s
Motorhead - Ace of Spades
Billy Idol - White Wedding
Bon Jovi - Livin' On a Prayer
Dead Kennedys - Holiday in Cambodia
Souxsie & The Banshees - The Killing Jar

1990s
Judas Priest - Painkiller
Lush - De-Luxe
Nirvana - Drain You
Pearl Jam - Alive
Alice in Chains - Would?
Social Distortion - I Was Wrong
The Smashing Pumpkins - Today
Soundgarden - Spoonman
Weezer - Buddy Holly
The Offspring - Come Out and Play
Foo Fighters - Everlong
Nine Inch Nails - The Perfect Drug
Blink 182 - What's My Age Again
Lit - My Own Worst Enemy
Mighty, Mighty Boss Tones - Where'd You Go?

2000s
3 Doors Down - Kryptonite
System of a Down - Chop Suey
Jimmy Eat World - The Middle
Tenacious D - Rock Your Socks
Audioslave - Gasoline
Lamb of God - Laid to Rest
Modest Mouse - Float On
The Killers - Mr. Brightside
AFI - Miss Murder
All- American Rejects - Move Along
Lacuna Coil - Our Truth
Queens of the Stone Age - 3's & 7's
Freezepop - Less Talk More Rockk
Black Tide - Show Me the Way

This is, of course, all still a rumor, and there's that 360 logo that, according to the poster, is a custom gameboot. But the list itself sounds like what we've seen before. [Thanks Mit]

We got a chance to go hands on with the PSP game at MTV's offices in Santa Monica, hoping that our Rock Band and Amplitude skills would transfer to the Sony platform's small screen. While an instrument-driven game may seem like an odd fit for the currently software-starved PSP, it feels like more of a natural complement to the library than one might think, thanks to Unplugged's strong gameplay.

Here's what we thought of Rock Band Unplugged.

What It Is
Rock Band Unplugged is the first portable entry in the Rock Band franchise, built for the PSP. If you've ever played Harmonix's Amplitude for the PlayStation 2, that's what Rock Band Unplugged is. If you haven't, Unplugged uses the PSP's D-pad and face buttons—specifically, up, left, triangle and circle—to match notes that scroll down the "highway," instead of dedicated instrument peripherals, with the PSP's L and R buttons allowing players to switch between vocal, guitar and drum tracks.

Harmonix has announced that Rock Band Unplugged will ship with 41 songs, 9 of which are PSP exclusive. New songs can be downloaded via Unplugged's in-game music store, which should be refreshed every couple weeks.

What We Saw
We watched Harmonix community man Alex Navarro work his way through the Jackson 5's "ABC", then through a quick tour of the game's announced modes. We played through two songs, The Police's "Message In A Bottle" and Alice In Chains' "Would?" both on Normal difficulty.

How Far Along It Is
The game looked mostly complete, despite the version we played not featuring the full 41 song strong track listing. We were played the game off of a PSP development kit, which was mostly stable. The game is due to ship June 9th in North America and Europe.

What Needs Improvement
No Multiplayer: There's really not much that Harmonix can do to add this, since it hasn't been announced, nor is it planned for Rock Band Unplugged. But the absence of multiplayer, something we've been spoiled by in the console versions and even the PlayStation 2 game Amplitude, is sorely missed.

Less Schlock, More Rock: Purely personal preference, but some of the PSP exclusive tracks are a little lacking. I'm singling out things like 3 Doors Down's "Kryptonite" and Blink 182's "What's My Age Again?" While the Unplugged tracklisting is more than balanced out by new Alice In Chains and classics from The Who and Boston, the currently announced selection doesn't overexcited. Having to double dip for the PSP version of each track is going to make Rock Band Unplugged investment a little tougher to justify.

What Should Stay The Same
More Pop, More Rock: Here's where I begin to contradict myself. The inclusion of "ABC" by The Jackson 5 is a great, unexpected addition. The return of Freezepop, this time in the core tracklisting of Unplugged, is also welcome. While personal tastes will obviously differ, the tracklisting does venture into the appreciably eclectic.

Same Great Rock Band Feel In The Amplitude Style: Amplitude was a hell of a lot of fun. So is Rock Band Unplugged, which builds upon the established gameplay so under-appreciated in Harmonix's previous rhythm-based console efforts. The aesthetics of Rock Band are kept intact, with a capable World Tour mode, customizable band mates, and great information design that makes understanding the four across note highway a breeze.

Customized Control Layouts: The default control scheme may just take some getting used to, but if you'd prefer a different button layout, you have the option. If going left and right on the D-pad, circle and square on the face buttons makes more sense, have at it.

Final Thoughts
While it may seem like Rock Band Unplugged is devoid of what makes the game so fun in the first place—the instrument simulation, the multiplayer modes—the PSP version feels like a very capable entry. It's not a common thing to see quality rhythm games on the PSP, outside of a handful of titles, so the addition of Rock Band to the platform is a good portion of the appeal. Fortunately, the game seems to stand on its own, even without the Rock Band brand attached to it. The potential for extended play through downloadable content will likely make the investment worthwhile, especially when you don't have anyone to play the fully-fledged version of Rock Band to play with.

I doubt they could have picked a better song to use to officially announce the release date for the PSP version of Rock Band. Even Kevin Smith agrees: Nothing brightens the day like the Jackson 5's "ABC". The fact that Rock Band Unplugged is pretty much a spruced-up version of the PlayStation 2 classic Amplitude - one of my favorite games for the system - makes the whole announcement that much sweeter.

Check out the new screens below, but I wouldn't pay too much attention to the character graphics. Now, more than ever, it's all about that fret board.

The first portable console Rock Band, Rock Band Unplugged tracks will be broken down into "phrases" which the player must beat-match perfectly to score multipliers and use the PSP's directional pad and buttons to play along with guitar, bass, drum and vocal tracks.

RB Unplugged features 40 master recording, including nine brand new tracks for the PSP version:

3 Doors Down - "Kryptonite"
AFI - "Miss Murder"
Alice in Chains - "Would?"
Audioslave - "Gasoline"
Black Tide - "Show Me the Way"
Blink 182 - "What's My Age Again"
Freezepop - "Less Talk More Rokk"
Jackson 5 - "ABC"
Tenacious D - "Rock Your Socks"

These tracks will eventually make their way to other platforms. Rock Bank Unplugged launches on June 9 in both North America and Europe. It will be priced at US$39.99 for North America. There's also a limited edition PSP bundle complete with Rock Band Unplugged branded PSP, the game, a voucher to download Paramount Pictures' School of Rock from the PlayStation Store and a 4GB Memory Stick PRO Duo. All yours for $199.99.

As you can see from the image below, there are 15 artists/songs specifically named, out of a promised 40+. And if most of them look familiar, that's because they are, as they're already available on the home console versions.

Shame. On the bright side, the PSP version will have its own in-game store where you can purchase downloadable content, which is something we figured Harmonix wouldn't bother with.

You can see the partial tracklist (taken from the back of the game's box art) below.

Rock Band: Unplugged [GameStop, via IGN]

First details on the recently announced Rock Band Unplugged from Primotech describe the peripheral-free game as a beat-matching rhythm title that uses the PSP's directional pad and buttons to play along with guitar, bass, drum and vocal tracks.

Like Amplitude and its predecessor Frequency, Rock Band Unplugged tracks will be broken down into "phrases" which the player must beat-match perfectly to score multipliers.

Guess Harmonix and company found a way around Sony's decision to deny us an Amplitude sequel, eh?

Primotech adds that, unlike Amplitude, there will be no online multiplayer mode. Shame about that. Perhaps Harmonix can work it into a future proper PlayStation 3 sequel?

Primotech Exclusive: EA Publishing Rock Band Unplugged for the PSP [Primotech]

Rock Band Unplugged will include Wi-Fi support and a "fully-featured in-game store" for downloadable content in the North American and Europeans markets.

This fall will see the release of MotorStorm Arctic Edge and LittleBigPlanet for the PSP. These titles will be built from the ground up for PSP:

LittleBigPlanet — Developed in conjunction with MediaMolecule, the critically acclaimed game LittleBigPlanet makes its way to the PSP, offering new SackBoy adventures with the same play, create, share experience for gamers on-the-go, in addition to brand new levels and environments specifically created for the platform.

MotorStorm Arctic Edge — Developed by the award-winning Bigbig Studios, the team behind the best-selling Pursuit Force series, MotorStorm Arctic Edge sees the music, the festival and the brutal off-road racing arrive in the breathtaking yet lethal and unpredictable setting of Alaska. The game is also expected to hit the PlayStation 2 platform in Fall of 2009. Check out the trailer and screens here.

Madden NFL 10 will enable NFL fans to build their own formations and plays from scratch on the PSP. Then, through connectivity with the PS3, the plays can be downloaded and perfected on the console. In addition, Madden NFL 10 will deliver a faster and more "PSP-friendly" gameplay experience to adapt to the PSP owner's lifestyle.

Tiger Woods PGA TOUR10 will allow gamers to experience the drama of major golf tournaments with revamped gameplay modes for on and offline play.

Square Enix's DISSIDIA FINAL FANTASY, which has sold 850,000 units since launching before the holidays in Japan, will make its way to North America this summer.

Ubisoft will also be dropping a line of Petz software on the PSP later this year. The Petz series allows young players to create and care for pets chosen from many different breeds of dogs, cats, horses, hamsters, dolphins, tigers and bunnies.

All we know about Assassin's Creed for the PSP is that Ubisoft will debut an exclusive installment of the franchise later this year and that there will be a new PlayStation Portable pack for the game.

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