N-Zone reveals the first look at Guitar Hero On Tour for the DS:

http://www.videogameszone.de/?article_i … e=2&mag=23

Thoughts?  The attachment looks neat, if nothing else.  It'll be interesting to see what they charge for the package, but I'll wait on impressions and song selection before deciding to bite.

Ugh... it's Guitar Hero minus the guitar! Me thinks it'll be as much fun as playing a light-gun game without the gun! I'm going to have to pass...

However this might be a good thread to ask: Does Guitar Hero I&II work with the PS3? (not just the games, but the guitars). I've heard they don't, which is most unfortunate, but perhaps there's an adapter or something. At any rate, if anyone has first hand experience in this matter I'd be interested to hear.

cheers,

-avatar!

I think this kind of misses the point.  The fun of Guitar Hero is that you're holding a guitar (or reasonable fascimile thereof).  Without the full guitar, why bother?  Other gripes: strumming the screen looks lame, the DS Lite has awful speakers, and what of regular DS owners, will there be two versions of the peripheral (as in the interent browser)?  Plus, the trailer is absolutely awful, not that that matters, but it's very cringe-worthy.

Lame!

AFAIK, on the PS3 GH I and II will not work.

This game should not appear on the DS because of the interface.  The DS does not mimic a guitar very well and does reduce the immersion factor involved with the console version of the game.

When I first saw the topic I thought a bunch of emo kids were going to tour with their plastic guitars and copies of GH3.  "What's wrong with the world?!?"

FAIL.

I agree with the general sentiment. No way this should be made for a portable.

Oh, come on, I still think it's a better idea than DDR for Game Boy Color. The trailer is pretty cringe worthy, though.

I think it would almost have to be.

The other day I said to myself, "Self, this is gonna be great!". I wanted to punch myself for saying that.

Wow, this near-unanimous vote of disapproval is surprising.  It's obvious the DS version isn't going to stack up to the real thing (and by "real thing," I mean the console versions of Guitar Hero, not a real guitar), but I don't think it's necessarily fair to draw the comparison.  Taken on its own accord - a rhythm-action music game that's taking advantage of the medium's unique interface - there's the possibility that this thing could really work.  Plus, I admit that having Guitar Hero in portable form and on-the-go is a very alluring idea to me.

The thing about Guitar Hero that works so well is that the GH controller mimics an actual guitar, so playing the game mimics rockin' out, natch. Having a portable game that comes with a sorta-fret-button-mess accessory for the DS that carries the same name and premise as the console titles is a recipe for disaster, and since they're using the name and premise of the game since it is being marketed it as a Guitar Hero on the go it's more than fair to draw comparisons between the console and DS iterations of the game.

Watch that trailer and look at the way you need to hold the DS like a book and strum the right screen while you play. Pick up a DS, hold it book-style and then picture it being lopsided and heavy because of the add-on. Now try to strum the right screen (keeping in mind that your fingers are going to be wrapped around the unit), then move your left fingers as if you had the add-on attached, try keep the DS balanced without straining your wrist... and then picture more weight on the right hand side of the unit because of the add-on. You want to talk about handcramps? My left hand gets sore after a while holding the DS on its side, and that's without the tacky fret accessory. And it's obvious that I shouldn't have to really mention the DS sound output compared to CD-quality tracks from the console versions of GH.

Uncomfortably playing low(er) sound quality versions of covers of songs on my lopsided DS with an accessory that has smaller buttons that requires me to cross my wrists and use a stylus to "strum" the "guitar" is not appealing to me at all. Imagine songs on expert that require lots of notes being hit and precision while strumming; either they'll have to dumb them down for the DS or it's going to be a nightmare trying to play because of the setup. Either way is a terrible idea. I am surprised that you are surprised by the negative responses. It's obvious that GH DS is just a gimmick that's trying to cash in on a popular trend. I would gladly put money down on this game getting poor reviews based on the things I just mentioned (not to mention any possible and probable problems with the game itself).

This is Activision trying to cash in on the franchise, and there is a good chance it is going to bomb.  I think Harmonix would have avoided the DS for the reasons the majority here have mentioned.

*Shrug* Guitar Hero to me is something you put up on the big screen with people watching you screw up every couple seconds. I'm pretty meh about a portable version. I just don't see this catching on at all (for that matter, I don't see GH: Aerosmith catching on or maintaining any of the series' momentum).

It would have been better if they made Amplitude/Frequency for the DS.  It wouldn't require a ridiculous add-on, and they could have easily made use of the stylus, especially during the free-styles.

A number of new previews came out for On Tour today.

Vooks:
http://www.vooks.net/modules.php?module … e&id=12776

IGN:
http://ds.ign.com/articles/866/866458p1.html

GameLife:
http://blog.wired.com/games/2008/04/nin … .html#more

Says Kohler:
"Guitar Hero? In my Nintendo DS? It's more likely than you think. While this portable version of the guitar game series won't make you feel like a rocker, it replicates enough of the buttons-and-strumming gameplay to make it worth picking up even if (or especially if) you play the originals religiously.

The controller snaps on to the DS Lite or DS Phat (there's an attachment for both) and lets you grip the whole contraption with your left or right hand. Your index fingers hit the buttons, and you strum on the touch screen.

You don't move your fingers up and down, but the game's developers at Vicarious Visions promise that the patterns will be sufficiently complicated as to provide an expert-level challenge. For my money, this is the best thing to happen to the Guitar Hero brand in a long time: After having massive amounts of mindshare and dollars sucked away by Rock Band, On Tour is a breath of fresh air and a much-needed innovation for the series."

And, a picture of the North America retail packaging:
http://www.gamestop.com/Catalog/Product … t_id=70808

The "won't make you feel like a rocker" will be a factor in this not selling as well as the console versions.  If you can't air guitar, then I think only the hardcore gamers will play.  This is like DDR all over again, in reverse.

The first snippets of the set were revealed recently. Apparently this game is being catered toward fourteen year old girls. Man, Daughtry is just so cute!

Oof...Can we PLEASE just get "We're Not Gonna Take It" in GH IV and forget about this thing?

Ack...

New trailer/product introduction.  It's so bad, it's good:

http://www.gametrailers.com/player/user … 22607.html

No. No, no way. Nope. There is no good to be found there whatsoever.  None! That video is the epitome of everything that is wrong with this game and its marketing and its target audience.

Whatta pill.  Know what you need to do?  You need to "Rock out~!"

If that doesn't work, you need to wiggle, wiggle, wiggle, wiggle.

No, I think I'd rather just ignore this thread along with any future news about GH On Tour and the inevitable thesis writeup after its release.

Like I said.  Whatta pill.  A bitter, bitter pill.

Oh Angela, why do you have to be "so dead ahead?"

Why?  Because there's a hole inside my boat, and I need to stay afloat.... while I suffer.

LOL.

Okay, but can I ask you a serious question? I read what you write about games and movies and I am somewhat troubled by the fact I can't recall a time where you've came out and said something "totally blows" or "completely sucks." Nothing against you personally, but sometimes when I'm looking for an opinion I just want someone to cut to the chase and say yay or nay.

If you could give me an example of something you absolutely abhor without telling me why it would really make my day.

Moving past the boat thing... I actually think this looks like fun. It's a game. And it looks fun. My only one concern would be the number and quality of tracks a DS cart could hold.

Sure.  The SingStar games.  Shit don't come packaged anymore blatantly than those.

.... Hey, that DID feel pretty good. ;)

Of course, the thesis-based versions are available for perusal, here and here.

Here's a video of how GH is going to work on the DS: http://www.5min.com/Video/How-Guitar-He … S-23324544

Gonna have to side with Zane on this one.  Now, you all know I like me some cheese, no doubt, but this is not good cheese.  This is bad, food-stamp buying government cheese.  I also think it's a little insulting since it basically insinuates that the DS is for little kids who might actually think this ad is cool.