Is The Beatles: Rock Band a Game Changer for Families?
If, somehow, you hadn't already heard of the game Rock Band, The Beatles: Rock Band, releasing September 9, 2009 (at which time our review will be live), will change all that.
Pony up the $250 required for the full version with all of the instruments (or, if you already own the instruments, "just" $60 for the game), and your kids (and you) will be able to play guitar and drums and sing in three-part harmony to songs that never go out of fashion.
Will this be ideal family entertainment? You bet. But there's more going on here than meets the eye: The addition of The Beatles on the gaming bandwagon underscores the phenomenon that's changing the way that our kids experience music. Gone are the days of sitting and listening to a CD (do kids even know what CDs are anymore?). The merging of the gaming and music industries has elevated music to an interactive and participatory experience.
The introduction of the Nintendo Wii brought things to the next level by putting the player in the game. With its balance board, sporting games, and Wii Fit, idle playing is a thing of the past -- and interacting the way of the immediate future. If kids today were given an Atari, they would likely ask you, "so you just sat there and pressed that button? No dancing? No singing? No action?" Now that The Beatles' music is part of it, a barrier seems to have been lifted, bridging the generational divide between how parents approach media and how kids do.
And now for even more good news. Whether you've already invested in a game console or are still trying to decide whether you should, games like The Beatles: Rock Band and Wii Sports and Wii Sports Resort offer you a choice of good games to play with your family. The game console is a technology marvel that doesn't just belong to kids anymore. Interactive family games let us see the positive aspects of participatory digital entertainment. As the field keeps widening and the games keep improving, you'll find yourself getting to make more appealing decisions than just whether or not it's OK to buy M- or T-rated games. Yeah, yeah, yeah!
How can you choose great family games?
Something for everyone. Choose games that allow different skill levels to play together, like Mario Kart Wii.
Know your ratings. The ESRB ratings on games aren't skill levels, they're age ratings for the appropriateness of the games' content. E games are OK for everyone. Check Common Sense reviews for details so you really know what to expect.
Wait until dark. If you have kids of several different ages at home, let older kids play their T-rated games after the little ones have gone to bed, and stick to E-rated games when the family plays together.
Balance is key. Mom likes Rock Band, Dad likes World of Warcraft, one kid likes puzzles, and the other likes sports. Make use of game rental services, like GameFly, or swap with friends to keep costs (and complaints) down.
If, somehow, you hadn't already heard of the game Rock Band, The Beatles: Rock Band, releasing September 9, 2009 (at which time our review will be live), will change all that.
Pony up the $250 required for the full version with all of the instruments (or, if you already own the instruments, "just" $60 for the game), and your kids (and you) will be able to play guitar and drums and sing in three-part harmony to songs that never go out of fashion.
Will this be ideal family entertainment? You bet. But there's more going on here than meets the eye: The addition of The Beatles on the gaming bandwagon underscores the phenomenon that's changing the way that our kids experience music. Gone are the days of sitting and listening to a CD (do kids even know what CDs are anymore?). The merging of the gaming and music industries has elevated music to an interactive and participatory experience.
The introduction of the Nintendo Wii brought things to the next level by putting the player in the game. With its balance board, sporting games, and Wii Fit, idle playing is a thing of the past -- and interacting the way of the immediate future. If kids today were given an Atari, they would likely ask you, "so you just sat there and pressed that button? No dancing? No singing? No action?" Now that The Beatles' music is part of it, a barrier seems to have been lifted, bridging the generational divide between how parents approach media and how kids do.
And now for even more good news. Whether you've already invested in a game console or are still trying to decide whether you should, games like The Beatles: Rock Band and Wii Sports and Wii Sports Resort offer you a choice of good games to play with your family. The game console is a technology marvel that doesn't just belong to kids anymore. Interactive family games let us see the positive aspects of participatory digital entertainment. As the field keeps widening and the games keep improving, you'll find yourself getting to make more appealing decisions than just whether or not it's OK to buy M- or T-rated games. Yeah, yeah, yeah!
How can you choose great family games?
Something for everyone. Choose games that allow different skill levels to play together, like Mario Kart Wii.
Know your ratings. The ESRB ratings on games aren't skill levels, they're age ratings for the appropriateness of the games' content. E games are OK for everyone. Check Common Sense reviews for details so you really know what to expect.
Wait until dark. If you have kids of several different ages at home, let older kids play their T-rated games after the little ones have gone to bed, and stick to E-rated games when the family plays together.
Balance is key. Mom likes Rock Band, Dad likes World of Warcraft, one kid likes puzzles, and the other likes sports. Make use of game rental services, like GameFly, or swap with friends to keep costs (and complaints) down.
At my age I feel it's a bit late to try and learn a new instrument and be great at it. Rock Band makes me feel like I'm learning. I actually chose the game as my party theme for my birthday this year and it was a blast!
Whatever happened to actually learning to play the songs on the REAL guitar (drums, flute, singing, whatever)?? You act as if Rock Band is starting something completely revolutionary -- it isn't. This practice, playing songs you know, has been around forever. Rock Band is a cheap imitation to real playing, and any parent that condones it is sentencing their kid to a life of WoW and RuneScape.
Kid's reading this; Rock Band isn't what CSM is making it out to be. It's lane, and if you pick up a real guitar just once, I guarantee you'll never go back to video games. Try it out.
I've played The Beatles Rock Band several times and can't wait until my kids (8 and 5) can play it. They're already big Rock Band fans, and I love that it gets them interested in music they might otherwise ignore as just being their parents' music. So I'm sure they're going to have an appreciation for the Beatles that they wouldn't have had otherwise, because of this game.
I think the game looks great, but that's garbage about kids being confused if a game doesn't have some gimmicky "waggle" control..."sitting and pressing buttons" can be MUCH more fun than playing some poorly-made Wii game that's only draw is "look, you can control me by mindlessly waggling around a little stick!". As long as the kids get exercise...because the Wii is no substitution for real outdoor activity. Don't get me wrong...I don't hate the Wii. Resort, Corruption, Twilight Princess and even Boom Blox are all great fun...but I'm sick of parents regarding the Wii as some sort of Holy Grail of video games.
Our family has really enjoyed the Wii Sports games, especially the bowling. Mario Kart has also been good, but a little difficult for the younger ones. I would love to get the Beatles Rock Band; I think I could actually sound OK singing those tunes since I know them pretty well!
I got to play a demo of Beatles:Rock Band today and quite enjoyed it. in my opinion, the graphics are a noticeably better than the graphic in Rock Band.
My Dad introduced me to the Beatles. They have been my favorite band in history! When I heard rumors about this game, I was excited, and nervous that it may not be true. But it was!!!!! Love The BEatles, and I can't wait to play this game with my dad on the Wii!
I can't wait for this game! =)
How true this is!!! I never liked video games and I never owned a system or even planned on owning a system. I let my kids play at friend's houses when we visit. UNTIL......I found out Rock Band: The Beatles was coming out.
My husband and I LOVE The Beatles and I was always proud that my kids knew Beatles songs from infancy. I had to have this game. I now own a Wii and am looking forward to 9-9-09.
And it is very true that you will play together! Which I can not say for any other video game system. The Wii lets all of us play fun, non-violent games together. My son loves it because I am involved in something he enjoys. We have rules we adhere to, so I am not upset about video games monopolizing anyone's time. We play on the weekends only, and only if all chores or anything else expected is done.
Talk about bringing different generations together!!!!!
im the first one to comment yea