Guitar Hero Versus Rock Bank, Family Style

In a market that has become over saturated with with video games that rely on plastic guitars and drums as peripherals, two new "family friendly" games are being thrown in to the mix.

First up: Band Hero. What's the difference between Guitar Hero and Band Hero, you ask? Band Hero an all-ages, family friendly, entry in to the genre of rocking out with fake instruments while gaming. This game will be rated E10+ and will feature Top 40 hits. No track list has been released or leaked yet. Look for this release later in the year.

Next up: LEGO Rock Band. This seems to be Harmonix's answer to Band Hero. This game will use the existing Rock Band and Guitar hero instruments but will feature customizable LEGO avatars and family friendly songs such as:

• Blur: "Song 2"
• Carl Douglas: "Kung Fu Fighting"
• Europe: "The Final Countdown"
• Good Charlotte: "Boys and Girls"
• Pink: "So What"

This concept may sound ridiculous to those not familiar with the popularity of the LEGO franchise. LEGO already has a hold on the kiddie video game market through their Batman, Star Wars, and Indiana Jones games. Add to that the fact that the toys remain incredibly popular, and this game seems to be a marketing goldmine. Look for this to be released around the Christmas holiday 2009.


And while we are on the subject of the Rock Band and Guitar Hero franchises, don't forget the following upcoming releases:

• Guitar Hero 5
• DJ Hero (featuring a turntable controller and song mashups)
• Guitar Hero: Greatest Hits
• Guitar Hero: Van Halen
• The Beatles: Rock Band

Tweet