Ingenious Product! This game loads of fun!!!

I never considered myself to be much of a gamer until my friend introduced me to "Rock Band." I immediately fell in love with it, and bought a PS2 system and the game. I did some reading up about Rock Band, and was looking forward to getting myself a copy of that game as well.

Initially, I was told that the PS2 allowed for on-line play with these two games. I later found out that this is not the case. For on-line play, either an xbox or a PS3 system is needed. At first, I thought that the lack of on-line play would not be that big of a deal. But after hearing friends and co-workers talk about how much fun it was to play each other on-line, I finally took the plunge and bought a PS3 system. PS3 systems are not cheap, but the added features are certainly nice to have, and my friends were right; on-line gameplay is a BLAST!!!

Both games, Guitar Hero and Rock Band are fun to play. For any of you who have never seen these games in action, do a search for them on YOUTUBE and you will find all sorts of clips of people playing these games, you can kind of get a feel for what they look like and how they're played.

I enjoy both games, my favorite being Rock Band, which is what I'll focus this review on.

The box that Rox Band comes in (bundled version) is large, but not extremely heavy. It comes with a USB microphone, a Wireless Guitar with a receiver that plugs into a usb port, and it comes with a drumkit. The mic and drumkit have generous, long usb cables, and the kick pedal plugs into the drum kit.

The mic has the same weight, looks, and feel of a professional microphone. It does not have a built-in on/off switch, but neither do a lot of professional mics.

The game does not include a mic stand, but mic stands are relatively inexpensive. You can get one at Radio Shack or Musician's Friend. I recommend getting a boom attatchment as well. That way you can position your mic above the drums or guitar and you can play and sing at the same time. I also recommend getting one of those clip/pinch-style microphone clips for your mic stand instead of the convential adaptor. They're better quality, and are easier to use.

Rock Band comes with a wireless guitar, along with a wireless receiver that plugs into a usb port on the playstation. I had difficulties at first, trying to get the guitar to work because I didn't know I needed to "pair" it to the system. Turns out, the little red blinking LED light on the receiver is actually a button that you must press to get the equipment to pair. Who'd have guessed? It looks like nothing more than a red blinking light. I had no idea it was actually a button I needed to press.

I like the look and feel of the guitar. I also like the added features, such as the toggle switch that allows you to select how the guitar will sound. This guitar appears to be slightly larger than the one that comes with Guitar Hero, and in my opnion, has a nicer look and feel. The guitar doesn't seem to work very well with Guitar Hero, however, and I have to remember to change guitars when I change games. Also, the wireless guitar that comes with GH3 for the playstion 3 does not appear to work with Rock Band. Apparently the developers of both games are trying to negotiate an agreement and will hopefully come up with a fix regarding the compatability issues between the two products.

The drum kit consists of 4 adequately-sized pads that attach to an adjustable stand. You can adjust the height, but you cannot adjust the angle of the drums. The kick pedal can be slid to the left or right, and also has a position for short or tall people. Some have said that they experience latency when playing the drums. The work-around for some, has been to disable digital audio playback. I've not experienced this problem myself.

The drum kit comes with real drumsticks. Now if you have a very curious cat, you may need to kick her out of the room before you start playing. Otherwise, if she's anything like mine, she'll try to snatch the drumsticks from you while you're trying to play the drums! Seems like the harder I play, the more determined and provoked that puddy tat becomes. Poor puddy almost got bonked on the noggin a few times! I literally have to hide my drumsticks from the cat when I'm not playing Rock Band. Otherwise she'll snatch them from off the top of the drum pads and run off with them. Who says this game is only for kids? Cats love it too!)

You will probably get the best enjoyment out of this game when you invite your friends or family over to play it with you. It allows up to four participants; one person can play the guitar, another person can attempt to sing, while a third plays the drums. If you add another guitar, a fourth person can play the bass.

If you don't have others locally who can play along with you, this is where the on-line play feature is fantastic. You can create your own charactor; his/her name, body style, hair style, attitude, and clothing! Then, you can go on-line, select one of your charactors, and search for players who will join you randomly. There is also the option to invite specific users to participate. One thing I've noticed during on-line play is sometimes you can be kept waiting a while for all 3 remote participates to show up; particularly your singer. I guess nobody wants to sing? (Not that I blame them! I can't sing either!)

Regarding singing, this game has a nice little voice recognition program. It will tell you if you're singing too sharp or too flat, if you've held the note too long or cut it off short. This game is absolutely hilarious when your singer is tone deaf and/or is not familiar with the song. Maybe the reason it sometimes takes a while for a remote player to consent to singing is because they were like me, and initially thought that perhaps others on the internet could hear how badly they sing. You can relax, because the singer's voice does not go across the internet. This is probably a good thing, although I think it would be a cool feature if we COULD hear how well, or how horrible other users could sing, and could switch the voic over internet on or off.

If you don't wish to wait for all 3 remote participants to show up, you can cancell the search for players options, and continue your jam session with whoever decided to join you. You meet some interesting charactors. Some of the names, looks, etc are hilarious. It is an absolute blast!

Think this game is just for kids and teenagers? Think again! There is a large number of adults who absolutely LOVE this game! This is something that the whole family could sit down together and play. Great opportunity for parents to spend some quality, fun time with their kids.

Some have commented that the game is a bit pricey. (Actually it's the game consoles themselves; xboxes, playstations, etc. are pricey!) The game itself (bundled version with instruments) runs about $160 or so, depending on where you buy it. Yes, I thought the price was a bit high at first, however after having tried the game, I think it was money well-spent. It has helped my friends and family create some priceless memories. Definately worth it.