Finally, the legendary Guitar Hero series made its way to Nintendo, and for Wii owners, it arrived in spectacular fashion with Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock. Many consider this installment to be a high point in the franchise, and for good reason. Let’s dive into why Guitar Hero 3 on the Wii became, and arguably remains, a definitive rhythm game experience.
A Killer Soundtrack: Original Master Recordings and Guitar Legends
One of the most impactful aspects of Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock is its phenomenal soundtrack. Activision went all out to secure over 70 tracks, the vast majority being original master recordings. This wasn’t just covers or sound-alikes; players were treated to the real deal from an incredible array of artists spanning four decades of rock history. Imagine shredding along to iconic songs from The Rolling Stones, feeling the raw power of Metallica, or the anthemic energy of Rage Against the Machine. The game boasts a truly diverse and impressive setlist, featuring bands like Aerosmith, AFI, The Killers, Muse, and many more, ensuring there’s something for almost every rock fan’s taste.
But the star power doesn’t stop there. Guitar Hero 3 elevated its legendary status by incorporating actual guitar heroes into the game. Slash and Tom Morello, genuine icons of rock guitar, lent their immense talents to the project. They didn’t just license songs; they recorded brand new music specifically for Guitar Hero III, adding an unparalleled level of authenticity and excitement for guitar enthusiasts. Adding to the game’s rock pedigree, the franchise even managed to reunite the Sex Pistols, who re-recorded “Anarchy in the U.K.” for the game after a surprising discovery that the original master recording had been lost. This dedication to musical authenticity makes the track list of Guitar Hero 3: Legends of Rock truly exceptional.
Beyond the main setlist, Guitar Hero 3 also features a selection of bonus tracks that are surprisingly strong. These aren’t just throwaway songs; many are genuinely enjoyable and introduce players to new artists and genres. Notably, the bonus tracks include a diverse collection of international music from countries like Spain, Germany, and France, broadening musical horizons within the game. Whether you’re exploring the main career mode or delving into the bonus songs, you’re highly likely to discover new favorites and expand your musical appreciation.
Battle Mode: A Game-Changer for Multiplayer Mayhem
While Neversoft took the reins from Harmonix for Guitar Hero III (with Vicarious Visions handling the Wii port), they brought significant innovation to the formula, most notably with the introduction of Battle Mode. Previous Guitar Hero multiplayer modes were largely parallel experiences, where players competed for score but didn’t directly interact. Battle Mode revolutionized this by injecting direct competition into head-to-head gameplay.
By successfully completing specifically marked sequences within the song’s note chart, players earn attack power-ups. These power-ups can then be unleashed on your opponent, temporarily disrupting their gameplay by disabling parts or even the entirety of their note chart. This addition dramatically “spices things up” in multiplayer matches, turning them into strategic and often hilarious battles of skill and sabotage. While matches can be intense and sometimes short-lived if you land a few well-timed attacks, Battle Mode injects a thrilling competitive edge that was previously absent in the series.
The brilliance of Battle Mode extends beyond dedicated multiplayer sessions, as it’s seamlessly integrated into the career mode. Throughout the eight tiers of songs in career mode, players will face guitar battles against boss characters. Adding to the game’s legendary status, two of these bosses are none other than Slash and Tom Morello themselves. The original music they recorded for Guitar Hero 3 isn’t just featured in the setlist; it’s specifically designed for these epic boss battles. Facing off against these guitar icons, with their unique music blazing, creates unforgettable “rock star” moments within the career mode. The experience is so captivating that even repeated attempts to conquer these challenging battles are enjoyable simply to experience the intensity and unique music created for these encounters. Many players find themselves wishing for even more boss battles within the career mode to extend these thrilling moments.
Difficulty Curve: Challenging for Veterans, Accessible for Newcomers
Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock subtly shifted the difficulty balance, offering a more nuanced experience for players of all skill levels. For experienced Guitar Hero veterans, particularly those tackling the expert difficulty, the game presents a significant ramp-up in challenge, especially towards the later stages of the career mode. Reaching the final tiers on expert requires substantial practice and dedication to master the complex note charts. Even seasoned players might find themselves “stonewalled” by certain songs, requiring considerable effort to progress and achieve the coveted five-star ratings.
This increased difficulty for expert players stems from a design philosophy that aimed to capture a more authentic “real guitar” feel within the songs. Many tracks feature relentless barrages of three-button chords and complex patterns that demand precise finger positioning and strumming techniques, mirroring the challenges of playing real guitar. While this heightened difficulty can be demanding, it also contributes to a more rewarding and immersive experience, allowing players to appreciate the skill and dexterity of real guitarists. Conquering these challenging sections provides a genuine sense of accomplishment.
Conversely, Guitar Hero III also made strides in accessibility for newer players or those looking to advance beyond the easier difficulty settings. The game relaxed the timing windows for hammer-ons and pull-offs, making basic solos and faster passages significantly easier to execute. Additionally, notes that can be played without strumming are visually clearer and more distinct within the note highway. The game also feels more forgiving with rapid strumming sections, making it easier to maintain combo streaks through fast note sequences. These adjustments make Guitar Hero 3 more welcoming to players progressing from easy and medium difficulties, encouraging them to explore more challenging songs and techniques.
However, these changes to note timing and tolerance introduced a subtle quirk that could occasionally frustrate long-time Guitar Hero players. Some players, particularly veterans of the first two games, reported instances of “phantom strums” – missing notes despite being certain of hitting them correctly. This phenomenon, while not game-breaking, could be noticeable, especially when aiming for perfect runs or high scores. It seems Neversoft slightly tightened the window for regular note hits, which, combined with the more lenient hammer-on/pull-off timing, became perceptible to experienced players accustomed to the previous games’ timing. While these occasional missed notes are minor in the grand scheme of a song, they could be a slight annoyance for perfectionists.
Online Play and Community Features: Rocking with Friends and Strangers
The online component of Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock on Wii is a major highlight, significantly expanding the game’s replayability and social aspects. The Wii Wi-Fi Connect integration allows players to easily jump into online matches against friends and strangers in all of the game’s multiplayer modes. A convenient feature is the ability to remain logged into Nintendo WFC while playing single-player career mode, allowing friends to send game invites seamlessly. While Nintendo’s friend code system remains somewhat cumbersome, the in-game integration makes connecting with friends for online sessions relatively straightforward.
For those seeking competition beyond their friend list, Guitar Hero 3 offers stranger matches, allowing players to connect with random opponents online. The game provides filtering options to narrow down searches based on game type and difficulty level, ensuring you’re matched with players of similar skill. This makes for consistently competitive and engaging online matches, with many games coming down to the wire. The thrill of close online battles adds another layer of excitement to the Guitar Hero experience.
One minor drawback of the online system is the lack of in-game communication or friend-adding features for stranger matches. While player profiles are displayed, there’s no way to directly interact or connect with players you encounter in random matches. This limitation can be frustrating when you have particularly memorable or close matches with opponents you’d like to play again.
Extending beyond the in-game online features, the Guitar Hero community website at the time was a significant asset. It unified online leaderboards and tournaments across all platforms (including PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360), fostering a larger sense of community. Players could compare high scores with players on other consoles and participate in cross-platform tournaments, although direct cross-play wasn’t possible. Activision regularly hosted weekly tournaments with varying difficulty levels and even prizes, incentivizing competitive play.
Beyond tournaments, the website allowed players to create or join “tour groups,” essentially online communities within the Guitar Hero ecosystem. These groups provided a platform for players to track each other’s progress, share achievements, and foster a sense of camaraderie. The Guitar Hero website significantly enhanced the online experience, adding depth and encouraging players to improve their skills and connect with fellow guitar enthusiasts.
Audio Issue: Mono Output – A Minor Setback?
One technical flaw in the Wii version of Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock is its audio output. Despite being advertised as supporting Dolby Pro Logic II, the game unfortunately outputs audio in monaural, not even true stereo. This means that instead of distinct left and right channel audio, players hear a mirrored mono soundtrack even with stereo speaker setups. For a music-based game, this is a significant technical oversight and a departure from expected audio quality.
Surprisingly, despite this audio limitation, the overall enjoyment of Guitar Hero 3 on Wii remains remarkably undiminished. While audiophiles and those particularly sensitive to audio fidelity might notice the lack of stereo separation, the quality of the master recordings themselves and the sheer fun of the gameplay often overshadow this technical issue. Many players, including the original reviewer, didn’t even realize there was an audio problem until it was pointed out. The immersive gameplay and fantastic soundtrack are so engaging that the mono output becomes a surprisingly minor concern for many.
Legends of Rock: A Must-Own Wii Title
Guitar Hero 3: Legends of Rock is undeniably a standout title for the Nintendo Wii. Despite the noted audio issue, which is a technical misstep, the game’s strengths far outweigh this flaw. The incredible tracklist featuring original master recordings and guitar legends, the innovative and competitive Battle Mode, robust online multiplayer, and engaging community features combine to create an exceptional rhythm game experience.
For Wii owners, Guitar Hero 3: Legends of Rock is easily a “must-own” game. The audio issue, while present, doesn’t detract significantly from the overall awesomeness and addictive nature of the game. It’s a testament to the strength of the Guitar Hero formula and the quality of this particular installment that even with a mono soundtrack, it remains an incredibly fun and engaging experience. Hopefully, Activision addressed this audio issue in later revisions or offered a patch for existing copies, but even without a fix, Guitar Hero 3: Legends of Rock on Wii delivers an unforgettable rocking experience.
