Common Sense Media Review
By Erin Bell
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Edgier sequel still rocks the third time out.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 11+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Play
Parent and Kid Reviews
Based on 6 parent reviews
Based on 25 kid reviews
Kids say that this game is regarded as one of the best in the series, with a solid track list and addictive gameplay, making it fun for older kids and teens. However, many reviews express concerns about its thematic elements, such as inappropriate lyrics and graphic imagery, which some believe make it unsuitable for younger players.
- addictive gameplay
- solid track list
- inappropriate themes
- mixed age appropriateness
- parental concerns
Summarized with AI
What's It About?
GUITAR HERO III: LEGENDS OF ROCK is the first truly cross-platform Guitar Hero, with versions for PlayStation 2, PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, and the Wii. Using a special guitar controller, you play along to a song by pressing the neck and \"strum\" buttons in time to the music. The career mode now features a beefed-up story that follows your band's rise to fame: You start out playing backyard parties and dive clubs and move up to shooting music videos and headlining sold-out venues overseas. The money earned from playing gigs can be spent on new characters, outfits, songs, videos, and guitars including Gibson's iconic Les Paul, SG, and Flying V (thanks to an in-game endorsement by the guitar maker).
Is It Any Good?
A music game is only as good as its song list, and Guitar Hero III delivers a steady stream of guitar-driven classics from the likes of Metallica, Black Sabbath, Santana, Stevie Ray Vaughan, Rage Against the Machine, and the Smashing Pumpkins for a total of 42 songs. Guitar Hero III features a new co-op mode that lets a second person play along to the same song on a rhythm guitar or bass, and the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 versions support the ability to jam with friends online. Boss songs, where you must out-duel another character on the guitar to continue, are another new addition.
Guitar Hero III features four levels of difficulty ranging from Easy to Expert, which means that both music game veterans and guitar newbies can rock out comfortably. If players have guitar controllers from previous games, they can buy the game only for $49.99 (PS2) or $59.99 (Xbox 360). Bundles that include a wireless controller cost $89.99 (PS2 or Wii) and $99.99 (Xbox 360 and PS3).
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about product placement. Did you notice the name-brand rock equipment? Would you look for those products in a store? How about the Pontiac truck? How do these products benefit from this type of advertising? Why do you think they're targeting kids? Did you enjoy "battling" other characters or would you have preferred that the game was only about playing songs?
Game Details
- Platforms : Xbox 360 , PlayStation 3 , Nintendo Wii , PlayStation 2
- Available online? : Available online
- Publisher : Activision
- Release date : October 28, 2007
- Genre : Music & Dance
- ESRB rating :
- Last updated : October 9, 2025
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