Rhythm games have taken the world by storm, and following the success of the Guitar Hero franchise, Harmonix has upped the ante by adding drums and vocals to the mix, making the game a mix of Guitar Hero, Donkey Konga, and Singstar, all combined into one big game.

If you already have Rock Band for the PS2, PS3, or XBox 360, all of which came out last fall, there's not much new to see in the Wii version, and the graphics are worse. If you really want to see the new extras, rent it. If you have a 360 or PS3, buy Rock Band for one of those, since it has a lot more features on those platforms.

But for those who haven't played Rock Band yet, you're in for a treat. You and up to 3 other players can work through several modes, both cooperative and competitive, to "play" a song as a band. One person grabs a guitar (you can have 2 guitars, 1 as lead and 1 as bass, but only 1's included, so you'll have to buy a 2nd guitar controller to play 4-player), another sits down at the drums, and another picks up the USB microphone. All instruments use the Wii's USB port with an included 4-port hub, and the only time you need a Wiimote is to navigate if your instrument is the microphone, since the mic has no controls on it to navigate menus. Play follows the same control as other music games, hitting notes as they run down a track or singing on key, being judged on pitch, not lyric accuracy.

The guitar varies from the Guitar Hero guitars in that it has an extra set of fret buttons to use during guitar solos, although I found it easier to stick with the standard frets during those times so I can keep my fingers on the frets and not have to find my place in mid-song. (This would be easier were the fret buttons slightly raised.) It also includes control buttons on the face below the whammy bar, but I find myself constantly bumping the + button, pausing the game and throwing off everyone's rhythm, but I have large hands and long fingers---you may or may not have this problem. It also has a switch to change the sound of the guitar slightly, but when concentrating on the notes, I couldn't really notice a significant difference most of the time. This guitar also feels cheaper than the Guitar Hero guitar.

The drum set has a variable height stand for players of all ages, but that said, the drums are probably the most difficult instrument to play. My 10-year-old handled the guitar well and can sing fine, but she got frustrated with the drums and had to be "saved" repeatedly. Given the size of the set, an option to fold it smaller would be nice for storage.

The game's manual is not all that helpful, but the Tutorial modes nicely explain not only the basics, but some advanced tips.

Modes

Single Player includes options to play individual songs just for fun (like the rest isn't?) or Tour Mode, where songs get increasingly difficult to play, but this allows you to unlock more to play in other modes.

Where Rock Band really steps up over other games is the multiplayer. Suddenly, your family or group of friends has become a band, and together, you take that combination of instruments and skills on the road with new challenges.

Quickplay Mode

Choose 1 song for the "band" to play. This is a good mode for parents looking to play songs with kid-appropriate lyrics.

Band Tour Mode

This is the "story" mode, progressing the entire "band" from easy songs to difficult.

Tug of War & Score Duel

These two 2-player modes set players against each other using the same instrument. It sounds like a good idea and the one competitive aspect of the game besides competing for placement on the high score board, but since the game only includes 1 of each instrument, you can't play either mode out of the box. You have to buy an additional peripheral to play these 2 modes, and no, the Guitar Hero guitar won't work with Rock Band.

Extras

The Wii version includes a collection of short "making of" videos. "The Harmonix Story" gives a brief and not-too-informative look into the formation of the company, lacking details like the fact that Harmonix developed the original Guitar Hero. Ironically, one of the videos discusses how The Who is the definitive band and needs to be included in the game, but they're not included in the game!

Other Notes on the Staff

The Wii version of Rock Band's biggest downfall is the lack of downloadable content. While this may save you money, the option to spend an extra $2 to play your favorite song is missing, which limits the extended replay value of the game. Guitar Hero III has 73 songs on the disc, but Rock Band for Wii only includes 63, although that's 5 more than the other platforms. Harmonix plans to solve this problem with Track Packs, and Harmonix has confirmed that they plan to release several of these. Vol. 1 is due July 15 and will include 20 songs at $30. This is a $10 savings over downloads, but you'll not likely enjoy every song there, so check out the list before you buy. (The Track Packs will work as standalone games, and you won't be able to play a combination of songs from multiple discs.)

Rock Band fails most compared to Guitar Hero in the character development. While it has a tour mode, it lacks the unlockable characters, guitars, and other extras, so you won't find yourself identifying with the characters onscreen like you might during Guitar Hero. I wish they could've licensed the actual music videos like Singstar, but the animations are as good as any with nothing noteworthy but nothing bad either.

Note that this game is rated "T" for language and some suggestive clothing on some of the characters. Lyrics actually become an issue when your children will be singing them, but the game has plenty of family-friendly tracks. If you want to play some songs without the singing, you can always just play guitar and drums with it. You'll still hear the lyrics, but they're not as loud and generally difficult to understand while playing.

Those issues aside, Rock Band is in many ways the quintessential family game, especially for ages around 10 and up. The family plays together, each adding something different so that the end result is greater than the sum of the individual parts. It gives a great sense of camaraderie and teamwork.

If you're buying Rock Band for a single person, yourself included, it's a decent game and fun, but you're better off just picking up Guitar Hero. It's cheaper and excels at the single player mode. But if you have a family with the slightest interest in music, you can't go wrong with this game. It's a bit pricey, but you're getting a handful of unique controllers that would cost more if bought separately, and for sheer family fun, it's worth the price, especially if you have kids about 10 or older who enjoy music. If you don't, or they're too young, buy it for yourself and your spouse.

Songs with Lyrics Appropriate for All Ages

The following songs should be appropriate for even the most conservative parents, and those concerned about lyrics may want to print this out and stick it in the game case to keep handy. Of course, every parent and every child is different, so google any song you're not sure about to see the lyrics for yourself.

Initially available in multiplayer:

• "29 Fingers" by The Konks
• "Blitzkrieg Bop" by the Ramones
• "Maps" by Yeah Yeah Yeahs
• "Pleasure" by Bang Camaro
• "Should I Stay or Should I Go" by The Clash
• "Time We Had" by Mother Hips
• "Wanted Dead or Alive" by Bon Jovi
• "I Think I'm Paranoid" by Garbage (slight innuendo)

Unlockables:

• "(Don't Fear) The Reaper" by Blue Öyster Cult
• "Ballroom Blitz" by Sweet
• "Can't Let Go" by Death of the Cool
• "Cherub Rock" by Smashing Pumpkins
• "Dani California" by Red Hot Chili Peppers
• "Dead On Arrival" by Fall Out Boy
• "Dirty Little Secret" by the All-American Rejects
• "Don't Look Back in Anger" by Oasis
• "Foreplay/Long Time" by Boston (Prelude title notwithstanding)
• "Go With The Flow" by Queens Of The Stone Age
• "Green Grass And High Tides" by The Outlaws
• "Learn To Fly" by Foo Fighters
• "Outside" by Tribe
• "Paranoid" by Black Sabbath
• "Reptilia" by The Strokes
• "Rockaway Beach" by the Ramones
• "Tom Sawyer" by Rush
• "Wave Of Mutilation" by Pixies
• "When You Were Young" by The Killers
• "Won't Get Fooled Again" by The Who
• "Are You Gonna Be My Girl" by Jet (some innuendo)
• "I Get By" by Honest Bob and the Factory-to-Dealer Incentives (some innuendo)
• "Roam" by The B-52's (subtle innuendo)