Product Description
Utilizing the revolutionary Guitar Hero Guitar Grip peripheral that fits snugly into the Nintendo DS, and a unique Guitar Hero pick-stylus; Guitar Hero: On Tour brings a new dimension to handheld gaming and gives fans the ability to shred along with their favorite tunes with complete portability. It allows gamers to take the rock-solid Guitar Hero experience wherever they go. The soundtrack features the most diverse set list of master tracks ever offered in a Guitar Hero game, including classic rock, alternative and pop favorites. Fans can prove their shredding skills on the most diverse set list of master tracks ever offered on a Guitar Hero game, including classic rock, pop and alternative favorites such as Nirvana, OK Go and No Doubt
Product Details
- Brand: ACTIVISION
- Model: 400009415834
- Released on: 2008-06-22
- ESRB Rating: Everyone 10+
- Platform: Nintendo DS
- Dimensions: .40 pounds
Features
- Included is the 4-Button hardware peripheral which fits smoothly into the DS
- Shred to new tunes
- Choose from 4 different gameplay modes
- Rock out with six characters including two rockers that are exclusive to the DS version
- Pick from a vast collection of Gibson guitars and musical venues
Editorial Reviews
Amazon.com
Handheld gamers can now unleash their inner rock star with Guitar Hero: On Tour for Nintendo DS. You can enjoy the unique Guitar Hero experience and show off your shredding skills with a diverse set of tracks that encompass classic rock, alternative and pop hits. The game comes with the revolutionary Guitar Hero Guitar Grip that fits into the DS and brings new thrills to handheld gaming.
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Customer Reviews
Hurts the hands a bit....
You might want to watch out for hand cramping. But other than that small detail, this game ROCKS!! The grip is kinda slippy. When I opened the box, I expected to see a clamshell case for the actual game. Not so. All the game comes in is a small clear plastic case. NOT WHAT I PAID FOR!! There are a few songs that have been done Guitar Hero/Rock Band-wise, but there a some fresh tracks as well. Any Guitar Hero fan will love this game. Guitar Hero newbies will too!
Finally! A way to get your fix no matter where you are!
The Guitar Hero series has been selling in mass quantities for years now, captivating gamers and non-gamers alike. It's intuitive and addictive gameplay has always been its stongest feature. Who hasn't spent at least some part of their lives wishing they were a rock star? Guitar Hero gives everyone the opportunity to live out their rock 'n' roll fantasies in the comfort of their own living rooms. With Guitar Hero On Tour, Activision is branching out into the handheld market with a unique experience that still maintains the look and feel of the console versions of the series. The result is something that has a few quirks and inconveniences, but still manages to please even the most die hard Guitar Hero fan.
Of course, the most intriguing part of Guitar Hero On Tour is the newly-designed guitar grip, a clever peripheral that recreates the feel of the Guitar Hero fret buttons in a relatively compact package. The peripheral plugs into the GBA slot of your Nintendo DS and has a strap that allows you to strap in while playing. The fret buttons themselves are about half the size of your standard Guitar Hero controller, and Red Octane and Vicarious Visions have smartly chosen to shrink the number of buttons down from 5 to 4. Because of the relatively small size of the bottons, it can be tough to get your fingers to hit the buttons that you want them to sometimes. My fingers are in no way fat, yet I still find that I could hit two buttons with one finger easily. A lot of missed notes ensue if I don't stay on my game.
In addition to this complaint, I've also had a tough time getting used to the grip. My hands are slighly larger than normal and try as I might, I just can't find a "normal" way to hold the grip that doesn't result in a painful hand cramp. Personally, I've started playing with a 1-inch rubber ball in my palm to complement the natural curviture of my hand. I've also learned that if I don't have the bottom of the DS pressed up against my abdomen, that my accuracy drops due to furious shaking of the DS that can occur when tackling a particularly rockin' part of a song. It's definitely not the most convenient way to play a video game, but I've learned to make it work. On a positive note, Guitar Hero On Tour also comes with a special pick-shaped stylus that works perfectly. I literally could not imagine playing this game with a regular DS stylus.
The song list on the game is not my favorite collection of tunes, but for the casual crowd that the Ninendo DS seems to attract, I can see how it would be a smart move for the developers. The better tracks on the game include "Anna Molly" by Incubus, "Helicopter" by Bloc Party, and Stevie Ray Vaughn's "Pride and Joy." The balance things out (or cater to the casual folks), there's also Smash Mouth's "Rock Star" and Blink 182's "All the Small Things." It's not a terrible collection of songs by any means, but not nearly as challenging as its console brethren. Of course, this is also probably related to the guitar grip, which limits your ability to "rock out" as fluidly as you would normally. In addition, the songs have been compressed to fit them all on the DS cartridge. That results in less than stellar sound quality obviously, and headphones don't really fix the problem at all. Still, with 25 songs (most of them master tracks, most of them unique to this version of Guitar Hero), there's not a whole lot to complain about with the songs.
Looking at Vicarious Visions' past games, I was a little skeptical of how the development team could do with the Guitar Hero franchise on a handheld. But they have far surpassed my expectations with this game! Over a year of development, testing, and tweaking have resulted in a handheld game that truly does feel like Guitar Hero! All the staple features of the game are there: career mode, the shop, quickplay, and co-op multiplayer via local wireless. This version also introduces the guitar duel feature which is similar to battle mode on Guitar Hero 3. Players can play in this mode against the CPU or against other players using local wireless connection. Unfortunately, there is no option for online play, but that's not entirely surprising considering the lag problems with Nintendo's Wif-Fi Connect service.
The strumming motion that players are required to make over the DS touch screen feels entirely natural, and really adds a new level of excitement to the franchise. To whammy, players simply hold out the note with the fret keys and move the pick back and forth over the screen. I've run into the problem a few times where the note will end in mid-whammy, which then turns my fast whammy into a frantic strum and a whole lot of missed notes. A small oversight, but players should be able to adapt and correct themselves in no time! I was also a bit disappointed that the game doesn't come with its own standard-sized DS box, only a small case about the size of the cartridge itself. Considering how often I lose things, and how small the cartridge is, this can't bode well.
But for the most part, Guitar Hero On Tour is still a fun handheld version of an incredibly addictive game. The console versions of Guitar Hero focus on recreating the feel of playing a guitar. This version focuses more on recreating the feel of playing Guitar Hero, rather than the guitar. There is a bit of a learning curve, even for seasoned Gutar Heroes. Personally, I hopped right into Expert and was able to get 4 or 5 star scores by the the 5th song or so. There are a few hurdles to jump over, and a few quirks to deal with, but Guitar Hero On Tour is a great way to get your Guitar Hero fix no matter where you are! For me, it was totally worth the purchase!
7 out of 10 Stars
Did You Wonder if it Was Even Possible?
Guitar Hero: On Tour- 4.5 Stars (rounds up to 5)
Wow. When this game was announced last fall, many speculations were running through my mind, wondering if it was even possible. IT WAS. The team's work payed off with GH:OT, making it as close as physically possible to the console versions. Between the great graphics, awesome sound, best (and largest) song selection for DS, and near perfect controls, for $50, you can't go wrong with this purchase.
Considering the maximum gamecard capacity, this game is packed to the rim with features, unlockables, modes, and tracks. Guitar duels are a riot (especialy in multiplayer), career mode is short, but sweet, and just the controls themselves are fun. Although many may ridecule the song selections, I rather enjoy nearly every song (yes, even 'All Star').
Unfortunately, it does have a couple of annoying setbacks. As enjoyable as the Guitar Grip may be, when into a Guitar Hero frenzy, your hand, fingers, and wrist will cramp unforgivably, forcing you to rest. Also, after playing a song or two, the guitar grip seems to start to gradually slip out of my DS (the same goes for your pick during a long song). And as much as the team has already given to us, and expansion slot for extra songs would have been nice.Perhaps we'll see these fixed for the FALL edition of GHDS.
And yet, despite these gripes, I just LOVE this game. When it come to the Music/Rythm genre on the DS, no other game can top this one. Yet.
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