McNutt Against the Music

I absolutely love me some Guitar Hero. For those who’ve never played, Guitar Hero is a series of rhythm video games where the goal is to press buttons on a controller timed with the song playing on your TV. What makes GH infinitely more awesome than any rhythm game that came before is a) the songs are recognizable rock hits, and b) the game is played with a guitar-shaped controller that approximates the real thing. Unfortunately, since I didn’t own a PS2, I’ve only been able to partake in the game at the Wii/Guitar Hero get-togethers that some friends and I hold every now and then.

Thankfully, that’s all about to change with Guitar Hero III, which is being released this Fall on the PS2, PS3, Xbox 360 and (yay) the Nintendo Wii. Despite losing the game’s original developer Harmonix to EA (where they’re putting out an ambitious-but-possibly-too-ambitious project called Rock Band later this year), publisher RedOctane seems to be taking all the right steps in improving a ridiculously successful formula. How, you ask?

* wireless guitars (Gibson Les Paul for the next-gen systems, Kramer for the PS2) with removable and customizable faceplates
* online multiplayer
* a new multiplayer action-inspired battle mode
* boss battles

And best of all is the eleven songs announced thus far. Not only are there some spectcularly awesome classics on the list, but the majority of them are the original master recordings instead of the covers that dominated the first two GH games. Check out the list:

* Paint It Black (by The Rolling Stones)
* Cherub Rock (by Smashing Pumpkins)
* Sabotage (by Beastie Boys)
* The Metal (by Tenacious D)
* My Name is Jonas (by Weezer)
* Knights of Cydonia (by Muse)
* Rock And Roll All Nite (as made famous by Kiss)
* School’s Out (as made famous by Alice Cooper)
* Slow Ride (as made famous by Fog Hat)
* Cult of Personality (by Living Colour)
* Barracuda (as made famous by Heart)

Excited yet? Seriously, if the rest of the songs are half as good as those ones, we’re in for easily the best Guitar Hero yet. Anyone got any picks for songs they want to see make the cut? (And no, Zeppelin doesn’t count – have you any idea how strict Page is with letting other people use his stuff? Not gonna happen.)