Rock Band 3

There’s a reason people don’t learn instruments after entering adulthood: it’s frustrating. Hitting dead notes, forgetting chords and picking the wrong string creates a sort of self-loathing that few can ignore and overcome. The announcement of Pro Mode for Rock Band 3 made many non-musically gifted, music lovers giddy, because it lets players learn songs note-by-note on advanced instruments (25-key keyboard, a 17-fret/102 button guitar, or a drum kit with additional cymbals). None of this would matter if it didn’t work, but Harmonix Music Systems has crafted the most polished software and hardware to meet the rhythm music genre yet.

The hardware is where the real investment is being made in this package, going as high as $300 on release, Pro Guitar and keyboard – this isn’t even mentioning the yet-to-be-released Fender Mustang guitar. However, the Pro Guitar and Keyboard have Midi output which should make you feel a little less guilty about your investment. The Pro Guitar’s 102 buttons seems robust but all it takes is one broken button to sour the entire experience. After sliding down the neck and hammering notes for hours, your fingers will be taking a lot more damage than the instruments.

Nothing has gone overlooked in the game’s presentation and design. Everything from creating your dream rock outfit, learning a song you love section-by-section (including indicated finger placement) and a great soundtrack (from The White Stripes to The Smiths) makes Rock Band 3 one of the best experiences you’ll have with games last generation. Even setting up and switching controllers/instruments has become a breeze in this iteration.

Learning guitar in Rock Band 3 is much like losing weight in Wii Fit Plus. It’s not an exact replica of physically doing the act away from the TV, but it makes something so intimidating into something immediately fun and rewarding.