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Dance Central – One Step At a Time

January 12, 2011January 31, 2011 Deborah Chantson Dance Central, DLC, harmonix, Kinect, Microsoft, music game, review, rhythym game, Xbox 3608 Comments

While the gyms are full and too many people are jiggling around in too little clothing, I’ve become a basement gamer. A dancing basement gamer.

Dance Central has only recently become a tool for fitness in my household. It started out as the coolest novelty, a well-intentioned weight loss method, then loads of fun as a party game. So ironically, hubby and I would just be watching everyone else sweat, while we sat and haphazardly reminded ourselves to play later.

We didn’t.

Talking Rock Band 3 at the PS3 Holiday Event

October 12, 2010October 14, 2010 Doug Groves Cam Curran, DLC, event, harmonix, interview, Microsoft, MIDI, MTV Games, Nintendo, Playstation, pro guitar, pro mode, PS3, Rock Band 3, Sony, Wii, Xbox 3601 Comment

MTV Games and Harmonix were showing off Rock Band 3 at the recent PS3 Holiday Event held at the Sony Centre for the Performing Arts, and we talked with Cam Curran of MTV Games to find out what we could expect from the game when it’s released Oct 26th.

Kinect for Xbox 360: on display in Toronto and soon Montreal

September 27, 2010September 29, 2010 Doug Groves BigPark, Dance Central, Good Science, harmonix, Kinect, Kinect Adventures, Kinect Sports, Kinectimals, Microsoft, Montreal, Rare, Toronto, Ubisoft, Xbox 360, Your Shape: Fitness Evolved7 Comments

If you’ve been hearing about Microsoft’s Kinect for the Xbox 360, but haven’t yet had a chance to see it in person, you can get an early hands on right now, as long as you’re in Toronto. To help promote the launch of the full body interface, Microsoft has leased a storefront and filled 2 storeys with Kinectified Xbox 360s, to give the public a chance to go hands on, as it were. Covering 2 floors, there’s a variety of playable demos, including Kinect Sports from Rare, Your Shape: Fitness…

At X’10 – Rock Band 3, keyboard and up to seven players

August 25, 2010September 20, 2010 Doug Groves All Instruments Mode, harmonix, keyboards, Marc Nesbitt, Microsoft, MTV Games, PS3, Rock Band 3, x10, Xbox 3602 Comments

The keyboard isn’t the only thing new about the latest iteration of Rock Band, as it also rolls in the harmonies introduced with the Beatles version. At Microsoft’s X’10, we had a chance to talk with Marc Nesbitt, Senior Producer of MTV Games about some of the features and philosophy in bringing Rock Band 3 to market. Harmonix also found a way around the 4 player maximum on the console. By enabling an “All Instruments Mode”, up to 7 people can play at once (4 instruments, up to 3 singers). …

Rock Band 3: Rock Out with your Natural Talent Out

June 17, 2010June 17, 2010 Danny X DS, harmonix, MIDI, Playstation, PS3, RB3, rock band, Rock Band 3, Squier Stratocaster, Wii, Xbox 3601 Comment

Remember when Rock Band first arrived on the scene? It, along with the venerable classic Guitar Hero, proved that it is possible to get up off the couch and interact with a game in a way that no Wiimote could ever hope to deliver. And the world lost its friggin’ mind. Suddenly people who had no interest in gaming had a way to channel their inner rock star without feeling like some pimply-faced teen or the pressure to be Teh Pwnerer; it was just a fun piece of kit that…

Rock Band 3 brings keytar and ‘Pro’ mode

June 10, 2010 Doug Groves Fender, harmonix, keyboards, keytar, Mad Catz, PS3, rhythm game, Rock Band 3, Squier Stratocaster, Xbox 3604 Comments

A week before E3, it looks like it’s official. Rock Band 3 will be bringing both the keytar and a Pro mode, courtesy of a story on USA Today. Though the new keytar is being called a piano peripheral, when you have a 2 octave keyboard, with a handle so that you can play it standing up, it’s a keytar, and don’t let anyone tell you different! Seeing the play mechanic in action is actually quite interesting, as once you start playing at the Hard setting, you’re basically playing the…

Rock Band 3 brings keytar, 80’s cheese to the mix

May 26, 2010May 27, 2010 Doug Groves demo, Green Day Rock Band, harmonix, keyboard, rhythm, rock band, Rock Band 3, teaser, Xbox Live2 Comments

Green Day fans who downloaded the 2 song demo of Green Day: Rock Band got the first nugget of a hint that keyboards keytars would be coming to Rock Band 3. At the end of the demo, the RB3 image splashed onscreen, that included the four classic instruments as well as an icon for keyboard. The microphone icon was also changed to show three mics, which suggests that Harmonix is going to be bringing, er, harmonics, to the third installment of the rhythm game, though that’s less of surprise since…

Eric Cartman and Lady Gaga – together?

March 9, 2010March 10, 2010 Doug Groves Christopher Walken, Eric Cartman, harmonix, Lady Gaga, Poker Face, rock band, South Park2 Comments

As anyone who plays Rock Band knows, Harmonix has consistently put out new tracks every week for over two years, and have branched out into other musical genres. This may be the first time in it’s history that both an original artist and cover have seen the same track released simultaneously though. Lady Gaga makes her debut on Rock Band March 16th, with a track pack that includes “Poker Face”. At the same time, for those who like a little irony in their Rock Band list, you’ll be able to…

Beatles Go Digital

March 5, 2009April 17, 2009 Doug Groves Beatles, harmonix, rock band2 Comments

One of the great rock and roll hold outs in the digital age has been The Beatles. Rumours of the Fab Four hitting the mp3 stores surface every year like clockwork. Surprisingly, all the speculation has been wrong. Finally, Harmonix looks to be on track to be the first to get the Fab Four online, as long as you want to play along, that is. September 9th, 2009 is the scheduled release date of an unknown number of Beatles tracks (albums?) for the popular music game Rock Band. Along with…