Kids’ Small Gift

Guitar Hero (1 or 2)

If you’re not sure about upgrading your kids’ video game system (for, at the very least, about $300), and they already own Sony’s Playstation 2, there’s a peripheral we’re sure both you and your kids will adore. It’s RedOctane’s Guitar Hero, and it’s neither just a game nor a just a toy. Instead, Guitar Hero is a little of both, and the best part of picking it up this holiday season is that the game (if we can call it that) promises to get your kids up off that darn couch.

Guitar

So, what’s so special about it?

Older gamers will remember Nintendo’s famed Duck Hunt, which had kids blasting the flying critters with a sleek (if not realistic) orange pistol. Perhaps because nowadays shooting birds out of the sky isn’t considered politically correct, (even if Grand Theft Auto is), the virtual pistol has yet to make a comeback. However, new to the scene is Guitar Hero, which replaces the NES' neon handgun with a sleek black and white arcade instrument.

Besides the fact that it simply looks awesome, the guitar in question is only part of the equation. On the other end is the game supporting it, and together the two might be the most fun your kids will have with their Playstation 2.

What’s to it? The guitar itself features five colored buttons, all of which must be pressed when displayed on screen. Players strum along with a flipper, which essentially acts as the guitar’s virtual chords. Included in the game are some of the finest song covers in rock history, including hits from yesterday’s big bands (like Deep Purple and David Bowie) to more recent stars (such as Sum 41 and Audioslave). The combination of classic and new rock will have both you and your kids taking turns with the game and its ultra-cool controller. And hey, it sounds a whole lot better than air guitar.

Some of the songs you can strum along to in each version of Guitar Hero

Guitar Hero 1

  • "I Love Rock & Roll" - Joan Jett & The Blackhearts
  • "Smoke on the Water" - Deep Purple
  • "More than a Feeling" - Boston
  • "Take Me Out" - Franz Ferdinand
  • "Sharp Dressed Man" - ZZ Top
  • "Stellar" - Incubus
  • "Fat Lip" - Sum 41
  • "Cochise" - Audioslave

Guitar Hero 2

  • "Heart-Shaped Box" - Nirvana
  • "Message in a Bottle" - The Police
  • "You Really Got Me" - Van Halen
  • "Monkey Wrench" - Foo Fighters
  • "Cherry Pie" - Warrant
  • "Girlfriend" - Matthew Sweet
  • "Crazy on You" - Heart
  • "Free Bird" - Lynyrd Skynrd

There are two renditions of Guitar Hero currently available for Playstation 2. The original Guitar Hero arguably contains a better list of songs, although the second version ramps up the difficulty a bit and also offers cooperative play. That means kids can take turns playing electric and bass guitar, working together in their own virtual band. Both games feature head-to-head jam sessions.

Guitar Hero

Ok, it rocks. How much does it cost?

You can package Guitar Hero 1 or 2, with the accompanying arcade instrument, for about $100. The games alone run about $60 and the guitars - in case you want to buy a second for another player - cost $40. That’s pretty reasonable considering the quality of the game and the revolutionary "controller".

Note: Guitar Hero was recently announced for Xbox 360release, but will not ship until an undetermined date in 2007.

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