Rock On! It is announced...

"Rock Band Confirmed for Wii".

That's the caption for the brief article written by Shawn White over at a personal fav site of mine, The Wiire. I read this and just had to gather more evidence. I visit about every other day to update myself on our recent acquisition of a Wii. Love it. Read my review from earlier.

At this point, details are little, but it's appears as March get's closer, we'll have more news about it. I can only imagine the possibilities with the fully wireless Wiimote, guitars, drums, and mic. Whoo!

Now for those of you that don't know, Rock Band THE music game. If you are a Guitar Hero star, then this game will make you legendary. It's that good and more. A brief and quick intro.

The game (as I type this, I refer to the current 360 and PS3 versions) comes in a fairly large package, think double VCR box. In this comes the game, the current standard five-buttoned guitar, microphone, and a simplistic looking drum kit consisting of four head and a bass pedal.
I had the opportunity to play Rock Band over the holidays and it was quite an experience.

I had the chance to play with my two brothers and my second to youngest sister. I started off on the drums. A humbling experience to anyone without coordination, I fancy myself able to handle the challenge. Without intending to sound redundant, very humbling. My face hurt smiling so much. A raucous laughter broke through the house as my siblings would jam out with lighting accurate notes mixed with attrocious miskeys and warbled vocals.

Trying again, I took up the mic and this ended up being my forte. For whatever reason, I could really get into belting out song after song. My siblings and mother alike derived joy simply by watching me play out my Jon Bon Jovi fantasies of 1988 (Can you remember walking down the street singing "Shot through the heart, and your to blame; you give love a bad name!", eh Kris?). While the songs I knew presented little challenge, the songs I sort of knew but always mis-sang were more difficult, even amidst the karaoke-scrolling lyrics. There's even a meter to gauge your tone/key. It's rare that I've found a game to be so interactive, challenging, and simply fun for all that are simply present. Each player can even choose his/her own level to participate without messing up too often.

Playing with a group was my only opportunity, so I can only comment on group play. A friend chided me, "It can't be that fun alone." Perhaps not, but any game is more fun with a friend. Why would this be different? In fact, it's been argued that the drum portion, when set to Expert, would mimic that of an actual rock band's drummer. Not identical, but quite similar. The transition would be easily made.

I can't wait. You'll get a somewhat biased, but completely honest review here when it comes out. Rare do I say I'll buy it when it comes out, but this is one where I'll preorder and have it on Day

1.

Need more, check out G4's really informative article at The Feed.

Wii Rocked My House

Christmas was pretty good this year.

• The boy and I received a Wii this year. Yes, it was more for him, but he and I get joy out of it together. So here's the review/synopsis/ whatever you want to call it. If you don't want to read anymore, then scroll down.

• First, let's talk about aesthitics. Now, I know that many would argue about it being white, but they will get over it. It's quite elegent, in a sublte and simplified way. You can set it up vertically (as in the pic) or horizontally (as I usually do when on the go). Clean and simple, that's something that appeals to me. When you have a message, a blue light will glow indicating that (very nice, I have to get more messages in teh future); otherwise, no blue light. The controlls are again simple and clean. Everything pretty much fits intuitively in your hand. My son's hands are a bit smaller, but this isn't too bad really. Perhaps the only thing that I don't like (a small niggle...) is on the stand, there are two half-circles that reach out on the sides (you can't see them in the pic, but they are there). I think that this would limit some of the places you may want to put the Wii, but at the same time, if it were without them two things would happen: 1) the stand would be less stable (a bad thing); and, 2) you would probably put the Wii in areas that wouldn't allow it to breathe well enough to avoid overheating.

• Now, let's talk about graphics and gameplay. Actually, let's clear the air now about graphics. As many may well be aware of, the Wii lacks on the graphics side of the gaming console war. It will not display in HD, does not support 1080p. Done, that's it, do not pass go, do not collect $200. It's been established...And, yet people continue to bring this up. Obviously, it's not a priority for my son or me, so it doesn't bother us. If you are bothered by what many call "last-gen graphics), then purchase an XBox 360 or a Playstation 3. Both are great systems and support the higher definition graphics. But this isn't about those two. The Wii shines in regards to innovative gameplay. Yadda yadda yadda (Thank you, Elaine Benes!); I'm sure taht we've all heard this speil, but you haven't played Madden until you actually throw a football to the endzone via a frozen rope or literally thrown a stiff arm and broken two tackles for that pivotal first down. There are a great many games that require you to perform through specific movements to acomplish a task. For example, the included game Wii Sports is perhaps one of best to illustrate this. Bowling is perhaps my favorite on their (and this coming from a golf freak!) and your timing, force, and spin all must correlate in order to throw that deliberate strike. Simply put: the Wii actually enables you to experience that game in a manner that paralells virtual reality. When you move, so does your charcter; when you swing, so does your character. Is it perfect? Not yet. But in my twenty-five years of gaming (started with the Magavox Odyssey) this console really innovated and brought back the attention to game play. You can't help but pain your cheeks from all the smiling that occurs when you play. Don't even bring up group or party game play. It's truly a lollapalooza of the gaming consoles right now.

• Costs and value are next, because that's all I've got left to say about it (at least for now). Is it worth it? Well, I've listed below costs from amazon.com (prices current 01-14-07) for comparison purposes.

• Nintendo Wii + Second Controller + Second Nunchuck + Madden 08 = $360.00 (nearest USD)
• XBox 360 (20GB w/HDMI) + Controller + Madden 08 = $441.97 USD
• Sony Playstation 3 (40GB) + Six-Axis Controller + Madden 08 = $493.97 USD

• I guess it comes down to your particular lifestyle and priorities. When I came into my own (emancipated, not "mommy and daddy" buying me stuff), I had a PSOne and loved it...until it was stolen from my house. Bastards...oh, okay. Anyway, cost has ALWAYS been an issue. I believe that anyone who says otherwise isn't living in the real world (teenagers, this could very well be you) or have too much money to blow (again, this may very well be overprivileged teens). Cost is real world and for me, if it costs too much, it ain't worth it. Period. Now, sometimes cost is up there and you have to save. Value is perceived in the beholder. I'm a married father of two. I'm a public servant. With a mortgage. And a golf habit (I'm jonesing now...). I don't have the luxury, nay the privilege of dropping five bills on video games (plus another bill on taxes alone). If you're lifestyle permits you this oppportunity, then by all means. But do you get your money's worth? I can't comment on that, as I believe the other systems have their merits. 360 has arguable one of the best libraries (especially if you like shooters; Forza Motorsport would take care of my fix in so many ways). PS3 is so righteous in so many ways: expanding library and Blu-Ray (This benefit alone is the one reason I contemplate purchasing one within the next eighteen months).

• But in the end, I didn't settle for the Wii; I chose it. I liked the library, the interface, the extra benefits (online slowly coming along, internet browsing, messaging, actual activity beyond button pushing). My wife, who is without a doubt, the most non-gamer out there, can play most of these games without reading or having the attuned skills of typical gamers. And, she can have fun doing it.

• Isn't that the whole purpose of this?