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You know the name, you know the game and you know how much it rocks. Rock Band not only changed the landscape of music-based party gaming, it has acted as much needed therapy for many a poor and lonely rocker whose dreams of wealth, fame and groupie action have been snuffed out by the ultimate buzz-killer, reality. For Wii owners out there looking for a chance to ease their own rock-stardom depression, you are in luck, because Rock Band has come to town.

Whoooooo Are You?

The quick and dirty rundown for Rock Band is that you and three friends create virtual rock versions of yourselves, pick an instrument (guitar, bass, drums or vocals), play set after blistering set for ever increasing crowds on your way to becoming the greatest band the world has ever seen. The good news for Wii owners is that the core of that experience (playing sweet, sweet music together) is still very much intact and is as enjoyable and rewarding as ever. The bad news is that the character creator, online play, downloadable content and city-by-city world tour didn't make it on the bus.

And while we're on the topic of the shortcomings of the Wii version, we might as well get the technical issues out of the way. Not surprisingly, Rock Band on the Wii is not nearly as sharp, vibrant or visually stimulating as the Xbox 360 or PS3 versions. Also, the audio will crackle or stutter if there is too much happening on screen, but this doesn't happen enough to every be a serious issue. The concert scenes that play during each performance have a very grainy quality to them as well, and the general poor video quality makes picking up notes (specifically hammer-ons and pull-offs) a bit more difficult than it should be. All in all, the game doesn't look great, but it still plays beautifully, and that's where the game still kills.

Rock Wii All Night Long

When you and your band-mates take the stage, it's all about synchronicity and cohesion. Your band cannot succeed if all of the parts aren't working harmoniously, and all it takes is one person to bring down the entire group. If someone does tank during a song, however, and your band finds itself on the brink of Altamont 2, teammates have the chance to revive them using Overdrive (just another form of Star Power from GH), which players accumulate by successfully hitting a series of powered-up notes. Overdrive also allows you to rack up higher and higher scores, especially when all band members use it simultaneously.

In terms of peripherals, the game sports the same equipment as other console versions: guitar, drums and microphone. While the wireless guitar and mic are identical to those found on other consoles, the white, Wii drums come equipped with softer, springier pads, which are not only quieter but are a bit more responsive as well. The special edition version of the game comes with a guitar, drum kit and sticks, microphone and a USB hub (which you will need if you plan on playing the game with three other people).

Song wise, the game includes 63 titles to choose from, five more than the original batch released with other console versions. There are also more than a dozen bonus tracks that can be unlocked as well. The song selection covers a variety of genres and styles, and even though some of the selections will have rock snobs smashing their guitars in an elitist rage ("All American Rejects next to the Who and David Bowie?! Disgraceful!"), you will rarely, if ever, be anything less than thoroughly entertained.

As you move through each batch of songs, you will be pushed to play faster, longer and generally just rock a whole lot more. Even though the game is far more forgiving than other Guitar Hero installments, your fingers will still need to be on their toes if you want to finish the game on the harder difficulty settings.

I Want To Rock... Band

The game's single-player and multiplayer modes consist of two main options, Quick Play and Tour. On the multiplayer side, there is also Tug of War (where you and a friend attempt to sway the crowd by outperforming each other on a single song) and Score Duel (which is just a head-to-head, high score competition on a single song). Quick Play lets you perform any of the songs you have unlocked over the course of the game. There is also a tutorial and practice mode for those new to the game or those looking to hone their skills before gambling with their dignity on stage.

The Tour modes are identical in both the single-player and multiplayer, except that in multiplayer you can play with up to three friends. Instead of traveling from city to city, acquiring fans, money and gear like the 360 and PS3 versions, here you are given a set of songs (ala Guitar Hero), which are divided up into acts, that must be completed before you can move on to the next batch of songs. Since you can't pick your characters or where you perform, the virtual concert aspect of the game has been reduced to ugly, pre-rendered videos inhabited by generic character models that are just there to reflect the style of music being performed. Emo songs are performed by skinny guys wearing skin-tight black and white striped sweaters, while lumberjacky front-men in flannel shirts will belt out Southern Rock tunes. Again, the lack of a deep world tour mode and character creator would be devastating if the gameplay wasn’t up to par with other versions of the game.

This One Doesn't Go to 11

It is sort of a bummer not having that extra ounce of immersion that comes from seeing your personalized character kicking a tasty jam on stage or purchasing new guitars and outfits with money earned from a good night's rocking, and not having access to new songs every week means you will be stuck with the same set of songs until expansion packs are released. However, if you have never played Rock Band before, and you need to get your rock fix while you wait for the online-supported Guitar Hero World Tour, then these bells and whistles will quickly fade from your mind the moment you and your friends find your groove on a classic tune.

Review by: Jake Gaskill