Beatle Mania

At the E3 gaming conference this June Rock Band unveiled it’s “The Beatles: Rock Band” to rave reviews. The game won’t be available until September, but it sounds like it will be worth the wait.

It doesn’t just have to be a new set of songs with this game, but a new look with a new base, guitar, and drum controller. The drums look the most exciting with add on cymbals and a classic Ringo Ludwig design. The other instruments are also modeled after those used the Beatles. You can play anything from “I Want to Hold Your Hand” to “Day Tripper” and loads more. The venues are all Beatles inspired as well; The Ed Sullivan Theater, Abbey Road, and Shea Stadium (to name a few). Even without the upgraded instruments the game sounds like an excellent add on to any pre existing band set.

Guitar Hero for the preschool set

Parent Hacks has an interesting discussion going on about how to help your little ones join in the fun with Guitar Hero and Rock Band (1 & 2). While you are jamming away, your preschooler or toddler can join in with extra guitars for older game versions or by using the program’s “no-fail” mode. I didn’t even know such a thing existed.

Instead of getting frustrated and booed off the stage when they miss notes, they can play till their little hearts content. Apparently, you have to use a “cheat code”  (one parent reveals the cheat) to access that mode in Guitar Hero. Only Rock Band 2 has it for the other game, not the original version.

What’s your trick for letting the littlest ones join in on the video game fun?