Guitar Hero 3 Rocks Out This Week, Adding Online Play and Battle Mode

Very soon, legions of guitar fans will “Suck My Kiss” or “Talk Dirty to Me.” The gaming sensation Guitar Hero 3 is now available, allowing rock lovers to replicate classic solos from Guns n’ Roses, Poison and Metallica. Digital Journal — You’ve heard about it, if you haven’t done it yourself: Fingers tap a guitar fret-board while the screen explains what notes to hit and when. Heavy metal blares from TV speakers as the player headbangs along with the rock riffs, aiming to be — what else? — a guitar hero. Now the second sequel to the PlayStation classic is available this week, and experts predict Guitar Hero 3: Legends of Rock will be as successful as its predecessor, which has sold 3 million copies to date. But what’s new this time? Available for Xbox 360, Nintendo Wii and PlayStation 3, Guitar Hero 3 polishes the rock experience by letting players use wireless guitar controllers, as well as introducing online play for compatible platforms. Also, a competitive mode allows players to duel each other, but with a twist: a player can break a rival’s guitar string, for instance, or bump up his opponent’s difficulty settings.

Guitar Hero 3 includes 71 playable songs, such as “Welcome to the Jungle” by Guns n’ Roses, “Suck My Kiss” by Red Hot Chili Peppers, “Talk Dirty to Me” by Poison, “Bulls on Parade” by Rage Against the Machine and “Pride and Joy” by Stevie Ray Vaughan. A Reuters report foresees impressive sales for the Activision game:

The simExchange, an online prediction market for video games, expects Guitar Hero 3 will sell 285 000 copies in its first four days, and nearly 2.3 million copies in total.

For a compendium of online reviews of GH3, go here.