[Wii] Where to start for Rock Band/Guitar Hero newb

[Moat_Man]

My family has a Wii and we are interested in buying one of the musical play-along games. I am the type of person that would start with Guitar Hero (the original game) and then get GHII then III, etc. However, with the proliferation of games, the addition of drums and mic (which we want) with Rock Band and Guitar Hero World Tour, I am not sure what a logical starting point should be.

Is the consensus to start with Rock Band II and then just buy tracks? Does Rock Band II come with all the controllers to start? (Guitar, Drums, Mic) What is this special edition I've heard about? Your help is appreciated.

[EddieA]

My family has a Wii and we are interested in buying one of the musical play-along games. I am the type of person that would start with Guitar Hero (the original game) and then get GHII then III, etc. However, with the proliferation of games, the addition of drums and mic (which we want) with Rock Band and Guitar Hero World Tour, I am not sure what a logical starting point should be.

Is the consensus to start with Rock Band II and then just buy tracks? Does Rock Band II come with all the controllers to start? (Guitar, Drums, Mic) What is this special edition I've heard about? Your help is appreciated.

First, check the compatibility matrix to see which controllers work with which games.  While the Guitar Hero : World Tour guitar and drums work with Rock Band 2, the reverse is not true.  If you plan to get both RB2 and GH:WT, it's best to buy the full set for GH:WT and then the RB2 game by itself.

[Mithridates]

My family has a Wii and we are interested in buying one of the musical play-along games. I am the type of person that would start with Guitar Hero (the original game) and then get GHII then III, etc. However, with the proliferation of games, the addition of drums and mic (which we want) with Rock Band and Guitar Hero World Tour, I am not sure what a logical starting point should be.

Is the consensus to start with Rock Band II and then just buy tracks? Does Rock Band II come with all the controllers to start? (Guitar, Drums, Mic) What is this special edition I've heard about? Your help is appreciated.

I would recommend Rock Band 2 Special Edition which would include all the instruments.  Then, rent or borrow a Rock Band 1 disc and you can import all those songs(except for a couple) to your hard drive for 400 MS points.  You'll be all set for about a billion hours of fun!

Edit:  I am thinking 360.  I am not sure if you can do all that on the Wii.

[sgoldj]

DISCLAIMER: I AM IN THE MINORITY ON THIS ONE.

Now that the statement is over: I decided to go for World Tour and then pick up Rock Band 2.  I did it for the compatability issue so that I can use the instruments on both games.

Best advice I've heard: Check the available tracks and get the game that has the songs you want to play.

[Godzilla Blitz]

I'm with Mithridates on this one. Get Rock Band 2 Special Edition. Buy a separate second guitar if you need a fourth controller.

Not sure how you add songs on the Wii, but just the core RB2 game has plenty of songs to keep you busy for a long time. If you like the game and keep playing, you can add tracks later. Adding the Rock Band 1 songs first is usually a cheap option, but I don't know how it works on the Wii.

[Creepy_Smell]

I recently got RB2 for WII and am digging it. Strangely it was the wife who wanted it the most. Picked up a 2nd guitar since she hogs it, though I enjoy the drums a lot too. We both seem to like the RB2 songs and now that the wii has DLC its even better (I've only dl'd a few of the free songs so far).

Not sure how Guitar hero stuff is as we got RB2 since we liked playing a friend's RB1. One thing I don't like about GH is that you have to stick a wii controller in the guitars which looks silly to me (Sillier than me playing plastic fake guitars on a wii for either game   ). I do like that GH is compatible with RB stuff but for whatever reason still like RB stuff more.

RB has enough songs I and the wife like to both stay entertained.

Anyone you know with either one or even just one? Or just try playing or watching both at a store or online along with checking out the song lists.

[raydude]

Not sure how Guitar hero stuff is as we got RB2 since we liked playing a friend's RB1. One thing I don't like about GH is that you have to stick a wii controller in the guitars which looks silly to me (Sillier than me playing plastic fake guitars on a wii for either game   ). I do like that GH is compatible with RB stuff but for whatever reason still like RB stuff more.

This. The nice thing about Rock Band on the Wii is that, should you decide to get another RB guitar (so you can have bass and guitar playing together) you are not forced to buy an extra wii controller. Especially if you're already happy with the number of wii controllers that you have now, and an extra one would just be wasted on you.

[Misguided]

First things first, the bad news: you can't import the RB1 songs into RB2 on the Wii, unfortunately.

I bought GHWT for my son for Christmas this past December. We had an absolutely impossible time calibrating the game and playing the drums on it just never felt good at all. Frankly, it never felt like actually playing the drums. Then I picked up a copy of RB2 and while we've seen the end credits  of RB2 we haven't put the GHWT disc in the Wii since. I don't know, it's hard to explain, but GHWT feels more like playing a game and less like you're playing the music to me. I'd heard many other people say that before I got interested in it myself, and I never really believed it. Now I do.

Now I'm just waiting for the Ion drum rocker and the Fender bass to come out on the Wii 

[wonderpug]

First things first, the bad news: you can't import the RB1 songs into RB2, unfortunately*.

*on the Wii

[Misguided]

First things first, the bad news: you can't import the RB1 songs into RB2, unfortunately*.

*on the Wii

Yup, fixed. Thanks. The same is true for the track packs. 

[CeeKay]

I'd recommend Rock Band 2, especially since it has the 'No Fail' mode which comes in handy when playing with people who never played a musical game before.

[msteelers]

I'm going to say get Rock Band 1 if you are new to the genre. I think it will be the easiest to learn how to play, at least when you are playing by yourself. To learn guitar and drums, I just do the single player game. You get all the easy songs first, and then each tier throws something new at you. I don't think this feature is available in RB2, as everything is all about the band aspect of the game.

Guitar Hero I would stay away from. There's so much crap going on the screen that it is really easy to get distracted. Plus the screen shakes if you hit a wrong note, and it can become very distracting.

[Chaz]

RB2 lets you go into tour and play challenges on each instrument.  These are short setlists of songs that are tied together into an instrument (guitar, bass, etc) or theme (alternative, punk), and you play them in ascending difficulty.  You can quit and save your progress mid-challenge.  It basically does what solo tour did in RB1, except that each instrument's challenges are specific to that instrument, so you'll only be playing songs that have a good part for your current instrument (in the instrument-specific challenges).

[Moat_Man]

This is great info. Thanks everyone. I have another question. Does it make sense to get RB 1 special edition (with the instruments) and then just by RB2 (game only)? From everyone's comments it appears the "game" would be separate (and you can't combine the tracks, boo!) but I could at least use the instruments from RB1.

The alternative is to just get RB2 special edition which a few of you have said should last "a long time". Plus I can download songs from the Wii store.

[Mithridates]

This is great info. Thanks everyone. I have another question. Does it make sense to get RB 1 special edition (with the instruments) and then just by RB2 (game only)? From everyone's comments it appears the "game" would be separate (and you can't combine the tracks, boo!) but I could at least use the instruments from RB1.

The alternative is to just get RB2 special edition which a few of you have said should last "a long time". Plus I can download songs from the Wii store.

On the 360, the drums that come with RB2 are superior to the RB1 drums.  Plus it supports the cymbal add ons (which I love).  The guitar is better too.  So I would do the reverse...get RB2 and then add RB1 later if you want more songs.  This is on the 360 though, I'm not sure if its all the same on the Wii.

[Chaz]

Same on Wii.  The RB2 instruments are a definite improvement over the RB1 instruments.

[Moat_Man]

I went with RB2. Moat_Man wails on the lead guitar, Moat_Boy beats the drums, and Moat_Girl screams on vocals. Just have to add another guitar so Moat_Woman can play the bass.

Thanks to everyone. I know where to come for console advice.

[Chaz]

I went with RB2. Moat_Man wails on the lead guitar, Moat_Boy beats the drums, and Moat_Girl screams on vocals. Just have to add another guitar so Moat_Woman can play the bass.

Thanks to everyone. I know where to come for console advice.

Hooray! Don't forget to check the DLC store.  Daddy needs a new pair of shoes! 

[Moat_Man]

Doh! I went to play tonight with my son and the guitar wouldn't sync. I coudn't for the life of me get it to work. As soon as you power on the guitar the four blue lights all blink at the same time.
Push sync button on dongle, no dice
Turn off guitar, turn on, no dice
Change batteries, no dice
Unplug everything, just have guitar dongle plugged in, no dice
Have Rock Band on at the join screen, no dice
Make sure Wii controllers are off, no dice

Those four blue lights flashing are taunting me, haunting me!

If anyone has any other suggestions I'm all ears.

[warning]

Not sure about the Wii version as I have the 360.

But I will say I downloaded the Iron Maiden track pack last night and hoo-boy is it fun!  And challenging!!

[Knightshade Dragon]

I'll let my numbers speak for themselves:

Rock Band Review - 88%
Rock Band 2 - 93%
Guitar Hero World Tour - 83%
Guitar Hero Metallica = 89%

They are getting better, but RB is still more 'fun'.   That said, the Smash Hits title was truly a smash hit at the party we just held to review it.  I'm not helping your decision any, I'm just offering info.

[Moat_Man]

Took my guitar controller back to the store and they replaced it no questions asked.

I played the drums a bit last night. Lots of fun. I just need to unlock more songs. Thanks again for your help everyone.

[Knightshade Dragon]

Took my guitar controller back to the store and they replaced it no questions asked.

I played the drums a bit last night. Lots of fun. I just need to unlock more songs. Thanks again for your help everyone.

Red Yellow Blue, Red, Red, Blue Blue, Red, Yellow, Blue.   all unlocked.