Guitar Hero: On Tour Reviews

• Fantastically Fun for All Ages

  
  By A3V6Z4RCDGRC44 on 2008-07-04
  Guitar Hero On Tour brings the fun of Guitar Hero strumming to the Nintendo DS. I am really amazed at what they packed into this small handheld unit, even with its few quirks.
  
  The game comes with a four-button attachment that lets you push the buttons, much as on the guitar controller for the larger consoles. The unit is made for the DS Lite, and tells you to unscrew parts if you have a regular DS. To test this, we tracked down a small screwdriver (a normal one won't fit) and unscrewed the screws. Then one of the screws wouldn't screw back in on the regular connector. After some fiddling I finally had to tape that screw down in place to get it to work. Not a great sign.
  
  On to gameplay. It's a little awkward to hold your hand around the DS unit and get your fingers onto the buttons. One of the very first screens that appears is a warning about hand cramps - to only play for short periods of time! Hah, how many gamers do that? I see a LOT of cramped hands in the future for this game. If your hand isn't JUST the right size, it will be too long, too short, too fat, too thin for this setup. They could have included various foam inserts or something to help out.
  
  On to gameplay. There are five venues with five songs apiece, and four difficulty levels. I whipped through easy in a few hours, no problems. I then popped into the free-play mode to test out songs on the harder levels. I only started running into any trouble once I hit expert. Now, I've been playing all the other games for quite some time, so I'm well versed with button pushing. I imagine newbies will find the easy levels challenging. Those of you who are Guitar Hero fans, though, know that you'll have to wade through a fair amount of non-challenging gameplay to get up to the more fun levels.
  
  The songs? Here you go: Do what you want, All the small things, Spiderwebs, Are you gonna be my girl, We're not gonna take it, All star, Breed, Jesse's Girl, Hit me with your bst shot, This love, Heaven, Helicopter, China grove, Rock and roll all nite, What I want, Jet airliner, Black magic woman, Stray cat strut, La grange, Youth gone wild, I don't wanna stop, Anna molly, Knock me down, Pride and joy, I know a little.
  
  What's funny about these games is how different people love and hate different songs. Some people might say "I really hate playing XXX and YYY!!" while someone else would say "The only reason I play is to sing along with XXX and YYY!" So they have to do their best to balance the songs out. For example, I really love La Grange, Stray Cat Strut, Pride and Joy and This Love. That's just me. I'm sure other people hate those songs :) Something for everyone!
  
  Ironically in most guitar hero games it's the fingering I have to work on in the hard songs - but here the strumming was killing me. I never have problems strumming!! Getting the little pick to "strum" on the screen would always either miss the right screen area or hit the main screen when I was trying to tag the star power area. I didn't feel like screaming at the mic to activate the star power (which is muffled under your hand).
  
  Also, the DS unit is moving wildly while you're strumming unless you hold it down against something - in my case I held it against my stomach. Anything solid will do.
  
  The DS speakers are a bit tinny, but it sounds much better through headphones. Invest in a good pair to enjoy the music. Not Bose stereo quality sound, but it's still quite fun.
  
  It's also quite intuitive. I sprang the Kiss song on my boyfriend who is a guitar player and had played the console games, but had never seen this DS version before. I didn't give him any instructions at all. He didn't blink an eye and played right through the song with almost a perfect score, figuring out immediately how to play and strum. The only thing he didn't get was activating the star power - he was shaking the DS unit :)
  
  Highly recommended for pretty much anyone. The gameplay is easy to figure out, the songs are fun, and you can take it anywhere. Yes, the console versions are better with the full guitar, and the larger song lists, and better sound quality - but remember, this is specifically portable. For a portable version I don't know that they really could have gotten much better. Better grip options is pretty much all I can come up with as a suggestion for next time.
  
  
  

• Finally! A way to get your fix no matter where you are!

  
  By A388ZDFVK72VCA on 2008-06-23
  The Guitar Hero series has been selling in mass quantities for years now, captivating gamers and non-gamers alike. It's intuitive and addictive gameplay has always been its stongest feature. Who hasn't spent at least some part of their lives wishing they were a rock star? Guitar Hero gives everyone the opportunity to live out their rock 'n' roll fantasies in the comfort of their own living rooms. With Guitar Hero On Tour, Activision is branching out into the handheld market with a unique experience that still maintains the look and feel of the console versions of the series. The result is something that has a few quirks and inconveniences, but still manages to please even the most die hard Guitar Hero fan.
  
  Of course, the most intriguing part of Guitar Hero On Tour is the newly-designed guitar grip, a clever peripheral that recreates the feel of the Guitar Hero fret buttons in a relatively compact package. The peripheral plugs into the GBA slot of your Nintendo DS and has a strap that allows you to strap in while playing. The fret buttons themselves are about half the size of your standard Guitar Hero controller, and Red Octane and Vicarious Visions have smartly chosen to shrink the number of buttons down from 5 to 4. Because of the relatively small size of the bottons, it can be tough to get your fingers to hit the buttons that you want them to sometimes. My fingers are in no way fat, yet I still find that I could hit two buttons with one finger easily. A lot of missed notes ensue if I don't stay on my game.
  
  In addition to this complaint, I've also had a tough time getting used to the grip. My hands are slighly larger than normal and try as I might, I just can't find a "normal" way to hold the grip that doesn't result in a painful hand cramp. Personally, I've started playing with a 1-inch rubber ball in my palm to complement the natural curviture of my hand. I've also learned that if I don't have the bottom of the DS pressed up against my abdomen, that my accuracy drops due to furious shaking of the DS that can occur when tackling a particularly rockin' part of a song. It's definitely not the most convenient way to play a video game, but I've learned to make it work. On a positive note, Guitar Hero On Tour also comes with a special pick-shaped stylus that works perfectly. I literally could not imagine playing this game with a regular DS stylus.
  
  The song list on the game is not my favorite collection of tunes, but for the casual crowd that the Ninendo DS seems to attract, I can see how it would be a smart move for the developers. The better tracks on the game include "Anna Molly" by Incubus, "Helicopter" by Bloc Party, and Stevie Ray Vaughn's "Pride and Joy." The balance things out (or cater to the casual folks), there's also Smash Mouth's "Rock Star" and Blink 182's "All the Small Things." It's not a terrible collection of songs by any means, but not nearly as challenging as its console brethren. Of course, this is also probably related to the guitar grip, which limits your ability to "rock out" as fluidly as you would normally. In addition, the songs have been compressed to fit them all on the DS cartridge. That results in less than stellar sound quality obviously, and headphones don't really fix the problem at all. Still, with 25 songs (most of them master tracks, most of them unique to this version of Guitar Hero), there's not a whole lot to complain about with the songs.
  
  Looking at Vicarious Visions' past games, I was a little skeptical of how the development team could do with the Guitar Hero franchise on a handheld. But they have far surpassed my expectations with this game! Over a year of development, testing, and tweaking have resulted in a handheld game that truly does feel like Guitar Hero! All the staple features of the game are there: career mode, the shop, quickplay, and co-op multiplayer via local wireless. This version also introduces the guitar duel feature which is similar to battle mode on Guitar Hero 3. Players can play in this mode against the CPU or against other players using local wireless connection. Unfortunately, there is no option for online play, but that's not entirely surprising considering the lag problems with Nintendo's Wif-Fi Connect service.
  
  The strumming motion that players are required to make over the DS touch screen feels entirely natural, and really adds a new level of excitement to the franchise. To whammy, players simply hold out the note with the fret keys and move the pick back and forth over the screen. I've run into the problem a few times where the note will end in mid-whammy, which then turns my fast whammy into a frantic strum and a whole lot of missed notes. A small oversight, but players should be able to adapt and correct themselves in no time! I was also a bit disappointed that the game doesn't come with its own standard-sized DS box, only a small case about the size of the cartridge itself. Considering how often I lose things, and how small the cartridge is, this can't bode well.
  
  But for the most part, Guitar Hero On Tour is still a fun handheld version of an incredibly addictive game. The console versions of Guitar Hero focus on recreating the feel of playing a guitar. This version focuses more on recreating the feel of playing Guitar Hero, rather than the guitar. There is a bit of a learning curve, even for seasoned Gutar Heroes. Personally, I hopped right into Expert and was able to get 4 or 5 star scores by the the 5th song or so. There are a few hurdles to jump over, and a few quirks to deal with, but Guitar Hero On Tour is a great way to get your Guitar Hero fix no matter where you are! For me, it was totally worth the purchase!
  
  7 out of 10 Stars
  
  

• DS GH brings innovation to the strum action and battle system

  
  By A34W59GPOUKU8L on 2008-06-25
  Track List
  ALL STAR
  ALL THE SMALL THINGS
  ANNA MOLLY
  ARE YOU GONNA BE MY GIRL?
  BLACK MAGIC WOMAN
  BREED
  CHINA GROVE
  DO WHAT YOU WANT
  HEAVEN
  HELICOPTER
  HIT ME W/ YOUR BEST SHOT
  I DON'T WANNA STOP
  I KNOW A LITTLE
  JESSIES GIRL
  JET AIRLINER
  KNOCK ME DOWN
  YOUTH GONE WILD
  WHAT I WANT
  WERE NOT GONNA TAKE IT
  THIS LOVE
  STRAY CAT STRUT
  SPIDERWEBS
  LA GRANGE
  PRIDE AND JOY
  ROCK N ROLL ALL NITE
  The adapter for the DS PHAT works great possibly better as it goes deeper into the gameboy slot than the LITE adapter piece, I have noticed when using the strap that it is possible to dislodge the handpiece if you have it on tightly. I have better luck just putting my hand over the strap and way less hand cramping with this method. The song list is what it is with some choice cuts and some that we have had before and some we could do without, you be the judge of which ones could go.
  On Tour for the DS really shines in its battle/duel mode for every song, where you have 12 different tricks to pull on your opponent. One of which involves blowing out a fire through the mic, and another which has you signing a fans tshirt. The touch screen pick action is also a welcome addition as it really feels like picking at notes, more so than the traditional rhythm bar of GH guitars. Even the touch screen whammy bar controls great, as do the standard hammer ons and pull offs. The mic driven star power is very responsive even with the phats mic in an awkward place under the pick hand (just turn up the sensitivity). On Tour DS is a welcome addititon to the GH franchise one that adds more than a few new tunes and characters with its touch screen use and battle system. My only complaint is the rehashed songs but at least they are some of the better ones from III.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  

• A Pessimest's Perspective

  
  By A16NNL6TW5IMEL on 2008-06-23
  As a fan of Guitar Hero I and II (notice I left III off), I was curious how the handheld version would play. My initial decision was to not buy the game, but a coupon from BestBuy and egging from my 8 year old son was enough to take a chance. My main concern was the difficulty in setting up, using the fret buttons and strumming using the touch screen. I watched a few non-Activision videos on YouTube which made the game play look reasonable. After buying the game, it was a good decision. My son had the game out of the box and without any help was strumming away before we got home. In fact, he is having such fun with it, that I was only able to get it away from him for one song (I hit 94% of the notes).
  
  With regard to complaints of sound quality, the DS is not meant to have great sound. If you want better sound, put in earphones which makes the sound better and the game more enjoyable for those trying to watch TV or read. The graphic are exceptional. The only down side is the number of songs available. In total there are 25, so I cannot comment on the replay factor of this game. My guess, is GH:On Tour II will be out soon enough. Enjoy!
  
  

• Rock Out Loud, DS!!!!

  
  By A3W4D8XOGLWUN5 on 2008-06-22
  There is no doubt about the fact that music games have been dominating the video game industry lately. With the success of seeing Guitar Hero and Rock Band bring new ways we play our favorite systems like the Playstation 3 and with the recent attempt of bringing Rock Band to the Nintendo Wii, gamers are eagerly ambitious on jamming to their favorite songs and being Rock Gods. But, with the handheld systems like the Nintendo DS and PSP, gamers have been left out of the cold, on jamming to their favorite songs on the go. Now, that is about to change graciously for Nintendo DS fans young and old, who can now say, we are just like our Rock Gods.
  
  Guitar Hero: On Tour is the first handheld edition of Activision's great Rock game, this time it is on the Nintendo DS. The DS game is the most expensive handheld of the DS history. The game, includes a very special controller which allows you to jam to 20 classic Rock & Roll tracks, that range from guilty pleasures, all the way to Rock Classics. The song list includes songs that have mostly been featured from previous Guitar Hero games, as well as Rock Band as too. The track list come includes classic songs like Kiss's Rock and Roll All Night, Jet's Are You Gonna Be My Girl, and the Gwen Stefani hit when she was a part of No Doubt with Spiderwebs, to party songs like Smash Mouth's All Star and Blink 182's All The Small Things. The collection doesn't stand out to seperate itself, from the other music games, but brings in a good introduction to the classic Rock songs to the DS.
  
  The control also works very well, by bringing in a new element of gameplay, by adding a guitar add-on controller that connects into the Game Boy Advance slot of the DS. The control is a bit different to master, but is easy to get used to. You can play with different modes like VS. mode, by going head-to head with others. You can also battle in on tour mode, which allows you to play your way to the top. The game takes full advantage of the DS as well by allowing you to use your microphone to yell out Rock On, to activate your Star Power, and to put out your guitar from burning flames. Also you have to strum your way using a very special guitar-shaped stylus that looks like a guitar pick that helps take full advantage of the DS gameplay. The new modes also work well including a new dueling Guitar Mode, which allows you and annother gamer to jam into a duet to your favorite tracks.
  
  While all the excitement has been more about the fact that Guitar Hero: On Tour is the game itself, there are a couple of disadvantages to the game, that doesn't amke it completely stand away from the home consoles that've made Guitar Hero stand out. The first is that that there is a lack of online gaming. Here, unfortunately you cannot compete agaiunst any wannabe Rock Gods online, as we've seen well with the Nintendo Wii on Guitar Hero III, which lacks in gameplay, also is that the game also suffers from downloading music from the internet that matches it from the home console counterparts. The second problem is that the game also lacks a creative mode where you can design your players in any way or form you choose.
  
  Still, with all of the disadvantages, Guitar Hero: On Tour still works as a unique and well-rendered introduction to the Nintendo DS that is great for anyone who is a hard core fan of playing the guitar, or anyone who wants to be a rock legend. While the hype has been much more around, Rock Band for the Wii and the upcoming Guitar Hero: Aerosmith edition, this still works well as a great challenge that redefines what we've seen in music games for the home consoles, and bring in a new way to jam to your favorites that makes it better than playing an Air Guitar anyday of the week.
  
  Graphics: B-
  
  Sound: B+
  
  Control: B 1/2+
  
  Fun & Enjoyment: C+ for solo players; B- for multiplayer
  
  Overall: B-
  
  
• Great, with some flaws
  By A3FNO4GCBRYAUD on 2008-06-23
  For those who have never played Guitar Hero before, this game is a pretty good replication of it. You have four fret buttons (as opposed to the normal five buttons) which each represent a different note to play on your guitar. With your pick, you can strum the note (on the touch screen display) you've chosen with the fret buttons. Do this correctly multiple times, and you can play a song. Fail, and well, you fail the song. The play is identical to that of any Guitar Hero game, or even the competing Rock Band.
  
  The biggest difference in this game versus all the other Guitar Heroes (and Rock Band) is in how you interact with your 'guitar'. Rather than having a physical guitar controller, you have instead a Gameboy Advance Pack, which plugs into the accompanying slot on the DS. This pack has your four fret buttons, and a hand strap to keep your hand from slipping. Or so they say.
  
  Out of the box, the pack will plug directly into a Nintendo DS Lite. Having bought the original DS when it came out, I was rather annoyed at the fact that I had to unscrew the DS lite adapter, and attach the 'classic' DS adapter. And here I thought the Gameboy Advance cartridges were all the same size.
  
  This cartridge is where most of the flaws of the game come into play. The fret buttons themselves are so small and so close together that even an expert Guitar Hero player will have difficulty getting used to it. Having played on expert level, I felt like playing this game was a lot like roller skating down a well greased bowling alley. I don't see this as a major problem, though, since I enjoy the challenge and that "newbie" feeling of playing Guitar Hero for the first time. But it can be quite frustrating.
  
  Another major flaw stemming from the "cartridge" is that there's nothing to secure the cart in the slot. While playing through some particularly difficult solos, you might find yourself staring at a red screen of "death", that says you were "rocking out too hard", and you need to turn off the DS and plug the cartridge back in. This is a major nuisance on those tough songs when you finally do well through the solo, but end up having to redo it anyway.
  
  The third major flaw with the game comes from the strap. My hands must be quite unique, because my pinkie is shorter than all my other fingers. When my hand was strapped in, my fingers were just barely on the buttons. All in all, I hadmaybe 1/4 of an inch clearance between my fingers and the buttons, except my pinkie finger, which has none and barely touches the blue button at all. This is quite annoying, if only for the fact that, instead of moving the whole finger, you're limited to moving only the last knuckle or so. It's even worse in fast sections, when you need more leverage, and can even become painful (achy and sore) after just a few minutes of play. While you can adjust the strap to your liking, I found that the "recommended" way to play is really the best, and the tighter your hand is secured, the less likely you are to hit wrong buttons.
  
  The last minor issue is that a number of songs from this version can be played on other versions of Guitar Hero (and Rock Band). Although not an issue for people new to the genre, it is a bit of a let down, to buy a game with 25 songs, 9 of which you've already played. Fortunately, the notes aren't the same, so the songs feel and play different.
  
  Even despite the numerous flaws for "adult" sized hands, cartridge/strap design, and similar songs, the game is fun and addicting, just like all other versions of the game, and definitely a good buy for people who already own a DS. If you don't, I wouldn't recommend buying it just for this game until you try it out first, just due to the issues I've had so far.
  
  
• What should have been.
  By A3RBLLA21ZNGCV on 2008-06-26
  It was a great idea, however the track list is small and includes songs we've seen before. The least they could have done if including songs they're used before is to throw us some GH1 songs we haven't played in a while. Even the new songs aren't a huge draw for me, so if you like the songs on it your mileage may vary.
  The controller is a great idea but I find the buttons too close, so I have to squeeze my fingers over the buttons. Playing the game was fairly uncomfortable. I hardly have big hands, I would hate to see someone like that try this game.
  Even with these problems I had the game wasn't too challenging to pick up and play. While I'm hardly good- In GH3 I sometimes struggle on Expert, I had no problem beating songs on expert here. I suppose they pulled the difficulty down to make up for 4 buttons on a portable system, but I think it came down a bit too much.
  
  
  
• The Pessimists Optimist!
  By A2QDUUNJ7P0Y7S on 2008-06-29
  C'mon folks, it's not perfect, but given what we have to work with, this game is awesome! I'm a big guy with big hands and fingers and I have no problems hitting the notes up to the medium level. It gets a little more interesting after that, but I have the same issues with the regular sized GH game. So it's more my skill level than a flaw in the design of the game.
  Stop complaining and have fun with it, after all isn't that why we use the DS in the first place?
  
  
• nice thought, bad result
  By A8RLZEBUZCYX3 on 2008-07-06
  I was looking into this game for a long time and when i decided to buy it, I was pretty disappointed with it. first of, if YOU HAVE AN ORIGINAL DS you have to unscrew 2 bolts to switch the part that goes in the GBA slot. the bolts are a pain to unscrew and are nearly impossible to screw back in, then comes the gameplay, the graphics are great for the system, but there are only 25 songs. some from previous GH games. to activate star power you have to blow/say something in the mic which means leaning over to the touch pad and blowing into it or stretching a finger to press a or b which pretty uch means you'll miss a couple notes. the grip is uncomfortable and will hurt wrist I would not recommend buying this if you are right handed
  
  
• Thank You!!!!!
  By A3IYQ8Y1WBDAL1 on 2008-06-22
  I have waited so long and its here. This game is truly amazing the best ever. The games graphics sounds and game play make it guitar hero.
  
  
• A Rockin' Good Time!
  By A1VGZ7WQTBN5RG on 2008-06-22
  This game is GREAT. A must have for Guitar Hero fans. The gameplay is the same but the interface is very creative (Strumming on the touch screen, yelling ROCK OUT! at your DS to activate Star Power).
  
  The song selection is good and the sound quality is pretty good too considering how small the DS is.
  
  
• Small Hands
  By A1WMQT8WBEA46U on 2008-07-07
  Love the game....one thing though.....if your left handed like me the game is hard to hold and the buttons are so close together it would take midget hands to play it right.
  Very uncomfortable.
  
  
• It works... but not always.
  By AXKJI57FKQ6YN on 2008-09-09
  Let it never be said that developer Vicarious Visions lacks innovation and ambition: These folks have often tried to push the limit of portable hardware, first with Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 2 on the Gameboy Advance and then in trying to craft a 60-frames-per-second 3D graphics engine for Spider Man 2 DS on the handheld's launch day.
  
  With the new guitar grip, Vicarious Visions has made the unthinkable happen. Guitar Hero: On Tour IS Guitar Hero on your DS. It's not some cut-down version where you play it with your thumbs, like on a mobile phone, or with the face buttons and d-pad. It's Guitar Hero, in the flesh, with one hand curled up as if its fingers were getting ready to dance across a fretboard, and your other hand ready to pick and strum at a moment's notice.
  
  There are problems, sadly. The issues with this game are largely mechanical, as opposed to with the content. The guitar grip is prone to slipping out of the Gameboy Advance slot during intense play, forcing players to reboot the entire system. It's also quite unwieldy -- and even more prone to slipping out -- for those with large hands. It takes longer to get to a comfortable angle with this peripheral, since your hand is tied down by the unit's strap.
  
  Furthermore, though the strumming "feels" somewhat like strumming thanks to the pick-shaped stylus, the touch screen lacks the tactile "click" feel that comes from either flipping the strum bar on the console versions or actually picking a real string. It's easy to pick at the wrong area when you're not looking, causing alt-strummers to gape in disbelief as they mysteriously miss a series of eighth-notes because their first touch didn't take.
  
  These are two large problems that are severe enough to hamper the fluidity of the gameplay. It is in this sense that the game doesn't always "work." Neither of these problems are necessarily anyone's "fault", instead being due to the nature of the hardware, but surely improvements can be made for the next go round. (How about an anchoring mechanism to keep the grip in place, and less finnicky strumming code?)
  
  The other gripe you might have is hand cramps. Holding your hand in this new awkward position will definitely introduce some pain, and while "omg hand cramp" is a flippant complaint often used by Nintendo DS detractors, it actually does hold true here.
  
  If you can tolerate these issues, then Guitar Hero: On Tour can be just as fun as the console versions if you come in expecting lower-quality sound files and a reduced tracklist. Hammering a tricky solo flat-out works here, and is just as satisfying to your fingers as it is on the console guitars. Shouting at the mic (I prefer clearing my throat) is a serviceable way of activating star power for the score junkie in you, and even though you don't quite feel like you're playing a fake guitar, you still feel like you're pulling off some mean feats when you play on Expert.
  
  All told, Guitar Hero: On Tour is a viable option if you really want Guitar Hero in the car. It plays and feels enough like its console cousin, and is a commendable effort by the developer. Its mechanical issues simply cannot be ignored, however, and you need to be ready to handle them if you're going to plug in.
  
  
• Surpassed my expectations
  By A38NFCWM0Q1FH8 on 2008-06-23
  I got this today along with the limited edition DS.
  
  I was going to get the game for my son but, since I use his DS so much I figured I might as well get my own.
  
  I am a mediocre GH III player on the Wii (I love the game - just not a lot of free time), so that may or may not be why I enjoy the game so much.
  
  After a quick tutorial, I was playing GH On Tour this afternoon.
  
  So far I've played 5 songs on Easy. It was a lot of fun. I like the songs and the sound quality is as good as can be reasonably expected.
  
  
• Wow
  By AX4EHNHXO91S9 on 2008-07-07
  Thought it was going to suck. didn't expect much of it at all, but its awsome!!!love it! tottally addicted to it now :] hopefully they will create some new games with different songs so that we can vary a little.
  
  
• Fun Game...even without a guitar!
  By A1FKVRWVRVDO2B on 2008-07-13
  I was worried this game would be difficult to play without a guitar, but the developers came up with a fun way of playing it. I wish there were more songs...I made it through all of them in a day or two, and many of the songs are duplicates of ones on other platforms.
  
  We had a screen protector for our DS that significantly interfered with game play that had to be removed. After removal, the game play was great!
  
  
• Same game with unexcusable annoyances
  By A249E9X3R26TGG on 2008-07-13
  This game has the same addicting gameplay that you'd expect from guitar hero but there are some major problems with it. First of all, the game is very short. Only 25 songs, it took less than 24 hours from purchasing it beat it on expert and I only failed about 10 times throughout the entire career. Not only that but there are at least 5 repeats from Guitar Hero III. Also, If you beat Guitar Hero III on expert you will find this game to be extremely easy,and that the only challenging part is because of a technical flaw and not technical skill, considering a touch screen isn't as reliable as a strum bar and the buttons are too small. Second, the buttons are really small and the positioning is extremely uncomfortable. My fingers hurt after just 2 songs the first time I played, it also hurt my wrist after a little while longer. For people who complain about pain and the possibilities of carpal tunnel from playing other Guitar Hero's, they're not even going to want to touch this one. It's bad. Oh, yeah and as a musician (though I believe even a casual listener could tell) it sounds like total crap, even with head phones on. Beyond all this it's still addictive, but it doesn't make it worth buying it full price. Heroins addictive too, what keeps you from buying that, its drawbacks. There is some innovation here though. The guitar duels are pretty fun and there is 12 or 13 different attacks if i'm not mistaken. When a string is broken you move the string from the bridge up the neck of the guitar with the stylus, your guitar can get set on fire and you blow on the mic to put it out. When your attacked with amp overload, the sound actually drops out. If you are truly an addict to this game, though unhealthy, that'd be the only way I could suggest this to you, even then, you probably won't like it as much. Either try it, buy it in a year when it's like 20 dollars used, or skip it altogether.
  
  
• A good addition to the Guitar Hero games.
  By A21BVL7PKG9BX8 on 2008-06-23
  Guitar Hero On Tour is a good addition to the Guitar Hero games. It took me a couple of songs to get used to the controls. It was very different at first strumming at the touch screen, but now that I've done it through 20 songs, it seems very natural. I can usually only play about 5 songs in one sitting because my hand that holds the DS and the fret buttons will get cramps in it. I've tried holding it a few different ways to make it more comfortable but I still need to try some more. The songs are fun and keep you going right on from modern music to music from the 70's. I really think they did a good job in picking the songs as I believe there will be a little something for everybody on this game. Many songs have been on previous versions of Guitar Hero and or Rock Band, but there are some new ones in there. I have seen in another review that this version of Guitar Hero lacks some of the features that console versions do...while that is true, it is difficult to compare something you hold in your hand and take with you to something you have to stand in your home and play. If you are a fan of the Guitar Hero games, you are going to like this version too. If you are new to the games, this is a nice introduction. I'm very happy with Guitar Hero On Tour and look forward to seeing just how difficult Expert will be with only 4 buttons (on Medium now).
  
  
• A bit short, but a lot of fun
  By A17APFJ8J84HRH on 2008-07-08
  When I first heard of a DS installment of Guitar Hero, I was, at the same time, excited and puzzled. I do not own any new major console, so the only times I've played Guitar was at family/friend's houses. With that being said, I was looking forward to Guitar Hero On Tour for the DS.
  
  To cut to the chase in order to discuss the pro's and con's of the game, I DO enjoy Guitar Hero On Tour. The game is fun, and the different levels do provide me with some sort of a challenge, despite the uniformity of the game. The levels may prove to be a challenge for even the most skilled GH player of the console versions, due to the downsizing of the "guitar" into a handheld form. This game is very enjoyable and very fun, a give or take a few flaws (which I will soon discuss), I am satisfied with the purchase.
  
  Now onto the con's: After a while, your wrist/hand will hurt! Of course the design of the game for the DS will not be perfect; how can a life-size guitar game be duplicated into a handheld system?!?! It was a nice try, but I do not recommend lenghty gaming sessions, even if you are on the verge of a level completion, which is my next gripe over GH On Tour. The box cover says there are "25" monster tracks, which seems like a lot at first glance. It is NOT! The game is easy to complete if on easy/medium levels, so moving onto more difficult levels could prove to be tedious for some gamers. I am disappointed at how quickly the game passes by, especially considering the price of the game. The "short" aspect of GH devalues the game, IMO.
  
  In addition to the design flaw and length, the music isn't that great. Sure, they do feature some classic songs like "China Grove" and "We're Not Gonna Take It," but other selections were not to appealing. Mind you, I don't dislike these artists, but I couldn't grasp Los Lonely Boys, Smash Mouth, or Daughtry fitting into this game. Maybe it's the songs, but some artists were less fun to play than others. However, they DO feature some decent contemporary selections, like Bloc Party's "Helicopter" (my favorite song to play) and Blink 182's "All The Small Things."
  
  Pro's: This game, like I said before, IS pretty fun. Despite its flaws in design, length, and song selection, I do look forward to playing. I like how the DS' features were fully utilized, including the touch screen and mic. The graphics are good, the sound is a bit fuzzy at times but pretty crisp. I also appreciate that the game included the Original DS "adapter." I don't have a Lite, so being able to play on my OG DS was a nice feeling. It may not be a very lengthy game, nor cleverly accomplished (the "Duel" mode isn't much fun), but it is straightforward, easy to pick up & play. I expected the game to be more complicated, but instead it was much simpler than I anticipated.
  
  For what it's worth, I feel this game is worth the $[...] price tag ([...]). It's a worthwhile investment in terms of DS games, despite its hefty cost. While the re-play value may be low, this is a game for all ages, one that any gamer, experienced or inexperienced, can play, and most probably, have a good time at that.
  
  
• Give me back 2 weeks of my life
  By A11IHV8N5A8IC7 on 2008-07-31
  I don't play video games that often. I used to be obessed when I was a kid. I probably know more about Mortal Kombat than you and everyone you know. (up to part 3) I was home and played the regular version of Guitar Hero, and didn't like it. Bought this one for a friend to play on my DS. Loved it. Played it nonstop for two weeks. Thought about it when I wasn't playing it. The same way people think about Tetris and how it would be perfect if such and such bricks fell. (am I alone on this) The game is great, song list is great. And the level of difficulty is perfect. I beat easy through hard. Got 1/4 the way through expert and said out loud. This is impossible, it's for BEEP'IN experts. But, it is still fun to pick up and take 15 minutes with.
  
  
• mother of many
  By A397TEM4R9J27Q on 2008-09-06
  I bought this game for my 1o year old son. He loves it and plays it all the time. I have other children and they all ask for a turn. Their ages age 10-15 and they all play it is nice to see this. Also, I love to hear them say "rock"
  
  
• Guitar Hero On Fire!!!
  By AW9P3VHXZDV5J on 2008-06-22
  This game is Awesome, the songs are all great! and the touch screen pick action is great and easy.
  
  pros.
  Easy to use and assemble
  comes with Original DS adapter kit(easy to install)
  Adjustable strap
  
  cons.
  small buttons
  guitar grip slides out kinda easily
  
  
• Did You Wonder if it Was Even Possible?
  By A2N6G85NURH91D on 2008-06-23
  Guitar Hero: On Tour- 4.5 Stars (rounds up to 5)
  Wow. When this game was announced last fall, many speculations were running through my mind, wondering if it was even possible. IT WAS. The team's work payed off with GH:OT, making it as close as physically possible to the console versions. Between the great graphics, awesome sound, best (and largest) song selection for DS, and near perfect controls, for $50, you can't go wrong with this purchase.
  Considering the maximum gamecard capacity, this game is packed to the rim with features, unlockables, modes, and tracks. Guitar duels are a riot (especialy in multiplayer), career mode is short, but sweet, and just the controls themselves are fun. Although many may ridecule the song selections, I rather enjoy nearly every song (yes, even 'All Star').
  Unfortunately, it does have a couple of annoying setbacks. As enjoyable as the Guitar Grip may be, when into a Guitar Hero frenzy, your hand, fingers, and wrist will cramp unforgivably, forcing you to rest. Also, after playing a song or two, the guitar grip seems to start to gradually slip out of my DS (the same goes for your pick during a long song). And as much as the team has already given to us, and expansion slot for extra songs would have been nice.Perhaps we'll see these fixed for the FALL edition of GHDS.
  And yet, despite these gripes, I just LOVE this game. When it come to the Music/Rythm genre on the DS, no other game can top this one. Yet.
  
  
  
• Nice game!
  By A198XBE8FO1F on 2008-07-04
  I just got my guitar hero on tour. At first I wasnt very used to the small buttons and everything. after a short time practice, I picked things up. I played like 4 or 5 hours. I unlocked all the songs on easy mood. Now I'm playing medium mode and battles. It was a lot fun!I absolutely love it.
  But yeah, it causes pain on the wrist if play for a long time. So take a little break once in a while.:)
  
  
• I lovers this game :D
  By AX2126FF1JUT6 on 2008-07-05
  I just got this game a few days ago, and although its a bit tricky to get the hang of at first, i got used to it pretty quickly. It is extremely fun and addicting. I love the fact that i can take it anywhere!! I do wisht they had more songs, but with the song selection they do have, i love a lot of them. I definatly reccomend this game to guitar hero lovers everywhere!!
  
  
• Not quite there
  By A2CDUW88YE2O1Q on 2008-07-21
  Kinda painful on the wrist and fingers, very limited soundtrack. I think they should have put a little more thought into it.
  
  
• Thank Goodness it Finally Travels!!
  By A3Q24YDPBJSFT0 on 2008-07-23
  My 6 year old son has been a Guitar Hero junkie since it first came out. Everywhere we went he wanted to take it along even if we were going someplace that did not have a TV to plug his playstation into. When I saw Guitar Hero was coming out for the DS I was so excited I had to preorder on Amazon! He loves Guitar Hero DS and it goes everywhere with us. I could not have purchased a better gift for him to travel with!
  
  
• Guitar Hero for Nintendo DS
  By A2VURJ4917VS83 on 2008-07-28
  Fun, fun, fun!
  
  Own the Nintendo Wii Guitar Hero III and my daughter wanted the DS version so she could take it with her when we are away from home.
  
  Love it! Very easy to use. Had some Amazon bucks to use and the item had free shipping which made it very affordable for a DS game.Guitar Hero: On Tour
  
  
  
  
• Excellent Choice
  By A118K5X5MEBUER on 2008-07-28
  This was purchased as a gift for my 12 yr. old grandson.
  Needless to say he was thrilled with it and tells me he
  enjoys it every day.
  
  
  
• Good Game, But The Little Things Take It...
  By A3TXUQ0QR76A0H on 2008-08-10
  I was really hesistant to buy this game, personally. A Guitar Hero on the DS seems, I don't know, out of place. I played it (rented), and I loved it! It's really good, to tell you the truth, but there are a few hangups.
  
  the Guitar grip peripheal doesn't fit that well into the DS. It slides out at points and just kind of feels unnatural. The strumming is unresponsive and the whammy system could cause extra notes to be strummed towards the end of the sustained note. The song list does seem to lean to newer songs, but there is a lot of older songs that Guitar Hero devotees will like. I say that if you are a die hard guitar hero nut, go get this. If not, just wait untill Guitar Hero: World Tour for some new freshness.
  
  

• Nintendo DS Lite Cobalt / Black
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