2008 Woodie Awards
Video games rock campus residences
Courtney J. Whitaker and Gregory Brand, Jr.
Contributing Reporter and A&C Editor
Issue date: 1/28/08 Section: Arts & Culture
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Guitar Hero and Guitar Hero II are games for the PlayStation II and Xbox 360 gaming consoles that use a guitar-shaped controller to play a variety of music from as early as the 1960s to the present as color-coded notes scroll towards the player.
Until the emergence of the Rock Band game, fans of the guitar were the only fiends set to benefit. With the newer of the two games, that fact has changed. Featuring a microphone, and a set of computerized drums, up to four players can team up and form their own band.
"I was already a fan of (Guitar Hero III) but Rock Band is on a whole (new) level," said Ontario Beasley, a freshman undecided major from Chicago. "I plan on buying my own so me and my friends can all play."
The guitar has a trigger for strumming the notes and five colored buttons to act as frets for the scrolling notes. Players have to use both hands to achieve successful results in playing classic guitar songs and solos. The games also feature different settings, which include easy to expert in difficulty and modes of play that go from practicing to career.
The Guitar Hero series became a cultural phenomenon with the release of its first game in 2005. Its release marked a landmark for videogamers and music lovers alike. It had combined two seemingly unrelated pastimes and yielded a hugely popular result. To date it has spawned the "expansion" title Guitar Hero
Encore: Rocks the 80s along with Guitar Hero II, Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock and Rock Band.
"I believe Guitar Hero is an excellent game," said Cordaire Green, a sophomore business major from Memphis. "This game enables me to listen and play along with the popular rock songs. I love it, it helps me pass time in a very exciting way."
Band students are also fans of the game. The music and rhythms have to match up at the right moment. Some band students feel that since the game ties into music that the game could be beneficial.
"This game can make you a better musician," said Calvin Burkes, a sophomore music major from Memphis. "You can start off as nothing on the game, but with time and practice you can become a successful rock star.
"I advise all musicians to at least play this game once and decide
whether it will help you with your music career," Burkes continued.
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