Guitar Hero may be dead, but our love for music games hasn’t perished just yet. So for those of you looking for a fun and FREE alternative to Rock Band and Guitar Hero, iRok2 is a great choice. This free online music game even manages to one-up its predecessors by offering a massive catalogue of music. It manages to pull this off by piggy backing off of YouTube’s music video library. Essentially, iRok2 brings together the best of Guitar Hero, YouTube, Last.fm and Facebook in to a free online based game.

iRok2 is also the first rhythm music game to offer tracks for an unlimited number of songs, synchronize gameplay to YouTube video, provide a browser-based plugin supporting almost all Guitar Hero and Rock Band guitars, give gamers the opportunity to produce new tracks in minutes with one click, and support artists by allowing gamers to sponsor the bands they like most. iRok2 is available in beta.

As we all know the Rock Band catalog is enormous. Between All the different Rock Band releases along with DLC, Lego Rock Band and even Green Day games, finding song lists can be  next to impossible, especially since the songs available to players have gone above 2,000 already. Well Rock Band has just revamped their site and they have finally made it easier than ever to search through all the songs by source, decade, rating, and instrument combo. So if you are looking up the track listing for Rock Band 3, it’s very easy to find the exact song list. And who knows, maybe you’ll come across some gems you didn’t know was available to you. And don’t forget to check out our Rock Band 3 review. 

Throw everything you know about Rock Band out the window, because there is a newer and more badass version in town – Rock Band 3.

When Rock Band 2 launched in the fall of 2008 – it was a welcome improvement over the prior version. It came with a much larger song-list, and improved graphics, yet its menu navigation still needed a bit of tightening up. Still that alone didn’t prevent us from having a blast playing it. Two years later Rock Band 3 delivers in spades. All areas of the game have been vastly improved and perfected. If you ever thought Rock Band stood in the shadows of Guitar Hero – it no longer does and pushes that bully right to the ground.

Rock Band 3 opens up very differently than previous versions, this time instead of a rock band playing on a van, you find yourself watching random people getting out of cars, running around dirty streets holding instruments trying to make it to their next gig – at what appears to be a throwback to the good old days of CBGB, all while ‘Break on Through’ by the Doors plays in the background. However the band is not playing inside, but on the roof. The biggest change here is that the people running around aren’t computer generated but they are infact real people! This rightaway sets the tone for the game and how this isn’t just about wannabe musicians and their plastic instruments anymore. This is a game for the authentic musician too.

Taking design cues from its recent standalone releases like the Beatles and Green Day. The characters are now more smoother and richer than ever. You can see details like cheek bones, clothing, height, and weight in even more detail than before. The cut scenes are rich in detail and actually display a cohesive story that shows a practically destitute band whom is aiming for mega-stardom. While playing through songs, the scenes are reminiscent of both Green Day and the Beatles games, offering sometimes trippy sequences during gameplay that can often distract you at times. You will find yourself playing everything from dive bars to arenas by the end of the game.

There are plenty of ways to enjoy Rock Band 3. You can follow the career mode which lets you pick a logo for the band as well as a name. The name I chose seemed to be so unique that I unlocked an achievement. However, I will save myself from public embarrassment by not telling you what it is now. Then you can customize your character to your heart’s delight. Once again, the details here are amazing and you can contour your face so that anyone playing in Rock Band together will not look alike. In career mode you will stick with the same band until the end – that’s if you play the entire section of the game in one sitting. If you come back to the game at a later time, you will be lumped with new band mates, but you will still all play together forever – or until you shut your console off. Each one of your band mates has names: The more unique ones are Party Foul Floyd, Miss Dee Campbell, or Mothership Q. There are 20 characters in all that can be modified or used the way they are.

Career mode also entails 40 different challenges that encompass Subway Road Challenge, Van Road Challenge, Bus Road Challenge, and Final Road Challenge. Within those challenges you will see you and your band traveling to different locales and playing setlists that cover all different genres and decades as well as the ability to select your own tunes to play.

During Career Mode you can always check in on your stats to see how far you have come along or how many more fans you need to progress to the next challenge. There is a meter displayed on the top of the screen next to your logo that will show you how many more fans you will need to proceed to the next level. You will not be able to unlock other Career modes if you don’t collect enough fans. That means hitting more bars and clubs till you get enough to move on.

So lets say you want to just show off your skills quickly with your Rock Band 3 catalog. Quickplay is still very much intact. You can create a setlist and have at it for a quick and fun good time. The Xbox Live feature is also very much here and improved as well. Got friends hanging out in the Xbox Live Lobby – you can get them to join your band or vice versa. You can also start a Road Challenge from the band’s bulletin board and play the best one with your friends from the U.S. to the U.K. However you will all have to be a card carrying Xbox Live member for you to take advantage of this feature. So get ready to spend some money.

Gameplay is really where Rock Band 3 shines. Players can now jump in and out on various instruments during game play. There is no more going back to the menu screen to have them sign-in. So if you have someone who just walked through your door, and they want to play drums -  They can join any active challenge by jumping in and hitting the cymbals. Also, the songs seem more intuitive than ever. If you played Lady Gaga’s Just Dance on Rock Band 2 – it won’t look the same on Rock Band 3. This is the same for pretty much all of the songs. The targets seemed to have moved and become a tad more difficult even on Medium. I didn’t even attempt the Hard mode yet. Also, you’ll get a few surprise orange targets in medium this time around – which you’d never experience previous versions. However there is always the no-fail option that will keep you alive if you choose to play that way. Overdrive is also still intact and better than ever. When activated, a countdown of how much overdrive time you have left while playing streaks will be displayed.

Yes, streaks – ‘Streaks’ are collected in addition to stars, but they are shaped like spades. The max number of stars and streaks you can collect are 10. When you end a set, the stars turn into streaks and are added to your bank that unlocks goodies and other unique content that you use with your band or character during the game.

So what could make Rock Band 3 anymore trippy than what I already discussed – How about the addition of the Keyboard? Yes, playing Songs like “Here We Go Again” from White Snake will make you yearn for AquaNet and conjure up images of Tawny Kitaen writhering on a car. Believe me, it wasn’t easy getting the hang of this new instrument. Just like it wasn’t easy the first time around for the drums, but I nailed that. The keyboard may resemble the real thing but it isn’t exactly. Again its all about hitting targets but his time you will need three fingers on one hand or two to create chord combinations on white and black keys. However this only adds to the over all enjoyment of the game and you quickly realize how many songs actually use a keyboard in their songs…not just guitars and drums. The keyboard now represents the synthesizer on many a track however songs liks John Lennon’s Imagine will make tickling the ivories even more intense feeling.

Some other instruments that will be introduced into the fold that will take Rock Band 3 to new heights, is the Rock Band 3 Mad Catz Wireless Fender Mustang PRO-Guitar Controller and Rock Band 3 Mad Catz Wireless PRO-Cymbals Expansion Kit Pro. They will unleash the kind of feeling that will not only personify the quality of the game but also unleash true musician skills. You will be able to play real-life chords and notes, albeit in a video game, but still the sensation of you playing a typical rhythm game will be almost non-existent. When I attempted to play the Pro Guitar – I’m not a guitarist by any means and I completely flunked out – however I got no calluses because the fretboard consists of thin plastic buttons. However when I handed it over to a real guitarist – they were like this is no toy! This is the real deal. He made like the wind and pounded through World Turning by Fleetwood Mac doing his best Lindsey Buckingham impression. Harmonix has also teamed with Fender to create the Rock Band 3 Squier by Fender Stratocaster Guitar Controller, a full-sized, six-string electric guitar that also functions as a game controller that will be compatible with Rock Band 3 Pro Mode. The Rock Band 3 Squier Stratocaster will be available in early 2011.

Conclusion:

Rock Band 3 has taken the rhythm game genre and turned it on its ear. They have improved the overall graphics, gameplay, career mode, and cut scenes. The addition of the Keyboard just shows how this video game franchise has been able to grow and change over time. Rock Band 3 continues to reign as the ultimate party game. Just throw in some bad singers, mix in a few beers, and I’m sure you will trash your home as any full-bloodied rock star would. As long as Harmonix and MTV keep new songs flowing that especially take advantage of the new pro instruments strengths, then many won’t be putting this down till Rock Band 4 is released.

Pricing for Rock Band 3 is as follows:
• Rock Band 3 for Xbox 360 / PlayStation 3 system: US MSRP $59.99,
• Rock Band 3 for Wii: US MSRP $59.99,
• Rock Band 3 for Nintendo DS: US MSRP $29.99,
• Rock Band 3 and Keyboard Bundle for Xbox 360: US MSRP $129.99,
• Rock Band 3 and Keyboard Bundle for Wii: US MSRP $129.99
• Rock Band 3 Mad Catz Wireless Keyboard for Xbox 360, PlayStation 3 system and Wii: US MSRP $79.99
• Rock Band 3 Mad Catz Wireless Fender Mustang PRO-Guitar Controller for Xbox 360, PlayStation 3 and Wii: US MSRP $149.99
• Rock Band 3 Mad Catz Wireless PRO-Cymbals Expansion Kit– Universal: US MSRP $39.99
• Rock Band 3 Mad Catz MIDI PRO-Adapter for Xbox 360, PlayStation 3 system and Wii: US MSRP $39.99

Check out our other post for the complete Rock Band 3 Song List.

The Good: Better than ever graphics, menu controls, gameplay, and intuitiveness. The keyboard kicks it up a notch as well as the addition of the Pro instruments. This isn’t the Rock Band of yore for the kiddies.

The Bad: Replay value could drop after awhile once the initial thrill wears off. New instruments are pricey.

There are also other  exciting enhancements with the other new controllers too. Rock Band 3′s Squier by Fender Stratocaster Guitar Controller is a new real guitar/controller hybrid that is a fully functional, full-sized, six-string electric guitar that also works as a game controller. It uses technology built into the neck and fingerboard of the guitar to track finger positions in real time. Players can unplug from the fun of Rock Band 3 and plug directly into an amp to rock.

Besides the peripherals that have been added, Rock Band 3 has gotten a face lift with polished graphics, new menus, along with key moments with vignettes that take you from dive bars to arenas and beyond. The game will ship with 83 songs spanning all different genres and decades of music. Customizations of rockers are still essential in the game and these avatars are more profound throughout the gameplay experience then ever before. Overall, with this latest version of Rock Band – Harmonix seems to be not only providing you with a much more improved rhythm game experience, but they’re also training you to be a real rocker outside of the game too.

Rock Band 3 will launch October 26th for the Xbox 360, Playstation 3, Wii, Nintendo DS.

Announced Rock Band 3 Tracks:

Is Rock Band and Guitar Hero no longer challenging enough for you? Has playing rhythm games made you consider learning how to play a real guitar? If so, Power Gig might just be the ticket for you. Set to be released in October, Power Gig: Rise of the Sixstring is not the same kind of rhythm game you’re used too. Yes, you get to play in a band with cool tracks, rock a guitar and drums, and even sing, but this time the experience is more intense. For starters, the guitar works as a real guitar with strings and the game features a more advanced gameplay mode that will let you play the game with the actual guitar strings.

Outside of the game, you can even plug the guitar into a real amp and use it to play your own music. If that concept seems familiar, it’s because the You Rock guitar works like that too. However, the Power Gig guitar is meatier and larger. After all, the people who designed it are from First Act, a company that makes music instruments. And besides for being able to use the drums and guitar for the Power Gig: Rise of the Sixstring game, the devices are also compatible with rock Band and Guitar Hero games. But what also really stands out about this set of hardware is the drums. These drums are a lot more compact than what you get with the competition, and they’re totally quiet. That is because instead of hitting the base of the drums, you just need to hit the area on top of them – in the air. That might seem odd at first, but if you’re living in a New York City apartment with thin walls, it’s a god-send. What further drives the game’s uniqueness is that the game also has a story mode, so that you’re not just playing tracks, but really experiencing an adventure.

Artists like Kid Rock and Dave Matthews have already signed on to promote Power Gig with exclusive tracks. As a matter of fact, Power Gig’s library of tracks will be devoid of any dubs – instead you’ll only have real artists singing their own music – which is really the way it should be. Power Gig: Rise of the Sixstring will retail for $59.99 for the game alone and will be available for Xbox 360 and PS3. A bundle with the guitar included will cost $179.99. That is more costly than Guitar Hero’s or Rock Band’s guitar + game kit, but with Power Gig, you’re getting a real guitar. There will also be larger sized guitars available on Power Gig’s web site, for those who want guitars that are the same size as the real thing. The complete Band Kit will retail for $229.99. All kits available for preorder now.

Update 06/11/2010: We’ve been told that pricing for the Rock Controller is a VERY affordable $99.

Rock Controller Key Benefits:
• Advanced game controlling features for existing and future guitar/music video games
• Support for all major music video game titles on computers and gaming consoles
• Based on proven and patented technology from Starr Labs Inc’s 20 years of experience
• Full 14 fret color-keyed touch sensitive fingerboard for real guitar playing
• Positive action fingerboard buttons with great tactile feel
• Full MIDI and USB functionality for advanced game and music performance
• Looks and feels like a real musical instrument (because it IS!)
• Perfect for learning to play guitar and advanced MIDI control
• Motion sensor (accelerometer functions)
• Easy and intuitive playability, fun to use!

When the game first opens there is no Paul in a car driving and Ringo on the top of it screaming at the top of his lungs while beating the drums like previous versions of the game (with different characters obviously), no it’s the most beautiful video trailer to a game I have seen in a very long time. You are introduced to the Beatles though their meager beginnings performing in Liverpool to Beatlemania to the trippy late 60’s which eventually lead to the end at Abbey Road. You see the band pass by older and younger versions of themselves along with screaming fans chasing after them. The finale of the intro is the most beautifully high on LSD visual experience to watch without being physically high. Elephants, penguins, and other whimsical characters dancing and walking along as the Beatles look down upon it. Welcome to Beatles Rock Band.

I didn’t get a chance to review the game with the special addition Beatles Rickenbacker 325 and Gretsch Duo Jet guitars, but honestly you don’t need them, unless you want to really complete the time warp. This version of Rock Band is different just from pushing the Start button. You are introduced to fluid menu screens with rich graphics that would give Guitar Hero a run for its money. No visual detail was spared. You can enjoy a Quickplay or Story Mode. I opted for Story Mode. Once you get started it asks you to calibrate your instruments and TV because some may experience a delay if not calibrated correctly. Once you get passed that, you are taken to a loading screen of the Cavern club where it all began. Fans screaming – the Beatles looking as innocent as ever. I was hoping for some black leather duds, but no just clean-cut suits. You start out with 4 songs: Twist and Shout, Boys, Do You Want to Know a Secret, and I Saw Her Standing There. The one thing you will notice in these earlier years of the Beatles is just like their songs – the notes are simple to play as well. The notes are bigger too – thank god! No eye strain here. The Beatles also like their chord notes. Not too much time passes by without having to hold down on average two buttons at a time and then quickly switching to press down another  chord combo.

The Beatles themselves look like caricatures of themselves but done in a respectful way. Paul still has that baby face look, Ringo is well Ringo, George looks the most realistic, and then John. Yes, John, my most favorite Beatle and lead singer and guitarist on the majority of the Beatles catalog, and yet I didn’t feel like I saw enough of him. No – who did I see more? George! Yes George – he gets an extreme amount of screen time that he didn’t get in real life and I wonder if that’s because his son Dhani modeled for his likeness in the game. Even Paul and his big cheeks didn’t get as much upfront camera time as George. I Love George too, but in my opinion it was a little too much. All the Beatles sing their respective songs and harmonize when necessary. If you are a true Beatle fan you will appreciate the fine details of the imagery used when certain songs play as they borrow directly from various Beatles movies like Yellow Submarine and Magical Mystery Tour.

There are 45 songs to play through and depending on how well you do – 5 stars will unlock pictures and awards to other goodies buried in the game. Once you are finished up at the Cavern Club you have hit it big time and on your way to Ed Sullivan, Shea Staduim, Budokan, Abbey Road (three sets are played here), Rooftop Concert and then finally an Encore. The song list is extensive but personally my fave years are at Abbey Road during there high as a kites days. The guitar riffs become much more enjoyable to play and the keys are broken up and not incessant chord combos repeating. You almost don’t want to play so that  you can soak in the beautifully done video sequences as the song is played. As a matter of fact, it becomes especially distracting on certain songs like “I’m the Walrus” and “Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds,” but I guess that is the point. You can’t really fail while playing this game since there is a “No Fail Mode,” But even so you just don’t want to. You sing along and tap your feet and for a few hours you are a Beatle.

Of course the crux of the game is the three part harmony which playing as a group is probably harder than playing all the instruments together as a whole. You don’t realize till then, how John’s voice and even George’s chained so frequently as the years have gone on and some of those notes are just impossible to hit without enduring a sore throat. But we tried as we might and even if it made my dog and rabbits cover their ears as we hit the notes hard, and did we hit them hard.

Conclusion:

You will not be disappointed with Rock Band Beatles, in fact you will be encouraged to keep on playing even after you beat all 45 songs in a day. With more content to come and features that can only be unlocked if you get a crew together to play it, because you need the massive points, it will only encourage your friends and family to Come Together. The Beatles: Rock Band retails for $59.99. If you want the Beatlesesque instruments I suggest just getting  The Beatles: Rock Band Limited Edition which retails for $249.99 which is basically all you will need to become a full fledged Beatle.

The Good: Excellent graphics, re-mastered songs, never before seen unlocked goodies and you get to be a Beatle for several hours – What more could you want?

The Bad: Less George, more John. The background imagery can actually be a bit distracting during some songs.

Till Rock Band Beatles makes its way into our home we need something else to do this summer, and both Rock Band, MTV and Pepsi are delivering it. “Drink up and Rock” a special promotion that will give away thousands of Rock Band DLC music and games. Gamers will be able to win prizes and the best band will actually win themselves a 2009 MTV Moonman.  “Entrants can choose a song from the official competition list – available at www.RockBand.com/Pepsi and start making their Rock Band music video right now. Music video submissions can be uploaded to www.PepsiRockBand.com where bands and fans will be able to enter, view, rate and vote on their favorite Rock Band music videos.  To jump start the promotion, MTV Games is giving hardcore fans, those that upload a music video on the first day of the promotion (June 2 before 6pm EDT), the opportunity to win a trip to Los Angles the very next day to be the house band at the Rock Band booth at E3. Fans must register separately on June 2 to be entered for the chance to win this prize at www.RockBand.com/Pepsi. ” This special promotion starts June 2nd through the MTV Music Awards. You can also go to PepsiRockBand.com and enter the code under the specially marked bottles of soda and you will automatically be entered to win. Both MTV and Pepsi will be giving away hourly Special Edition bundles and DLC content each day. Once the contest ends fans will be able to take to web and vote for their favorite video…whoever wins will get a chance to walk the red carpet and collect their Moonman. The best part is, you didn’t have to go to rehab or show the world your lack of wearing panties. Good Luck!

Tired of Rock Band or Guitar Hero’s drum kit… but you’re ready for a more realistic experience but you still want to jam along to great tunes. The AWOWO LDP110 Electronic Drum Set features an integrated MP3 player, eight trigger pads, 2 drum pedals, output cables and even a set of sticks to give you all you need right out of the box. The package also includes an AC adapter, and DVD demo disk. It’s also lightweight and compact and doesn’t have any colored drum heads… are you sure you can handle this?? For music rhythm game enthusiasts, this is like graduating to high school from middle school. The Awowo Live Drum Pro Electronic Drum Set retails for $144 at Newegg.

The HexoLight 3000 Sound Activated LED Lighting System is the perfect compliment for any hardcore Guitar Hero enthusiast because who doesn’t love a good lightshow when playing plastic instruments? This lighting system takes the game to new levels with its pulsating colors that pulsate to the beat of the music from the game. It comes with 3 pods of color: red, yellow, and blue lights in an octagonal shape. You can customize different shapes and configurations, the threshold of the sound, and you can control the speed of the flash. The best part is when the drums and guitars are put away, the HexoLight 3000 will work with your iPod or any other audio source resulting in the same neat effects.

Ultra Back-Up USB Flash Drive- Back up at the touch of a button with no software installation needed, it lives up to the name of a “flash” drive.  Security is a foremost highlight with the ability to protect your data to limit unwanted access with password protection and strong AES hardware encryption. Available in 3 capacities from 8GB, 16GB, 32GB and 64GB.

Both products will be available soon online at Sandisk.