Guitar Hero World Tour is the fourth major release in the Guitar Hero series of music video games, a series that has sold over 24 million units and earned more than $1.6 billion in retail sales.[1] [2] The game was released in October 2008 for the PlayStation 2, PlayStation 3, Wii, and Xbox 360 game consoles in North America, and a month later for PAL regions. It was released in Europe and on a limited basis in North America for the Microsoft Windows and Apple Macintosh platforms.[3] [4] The game was developed by Neversoft, with assistance from Vicarious Visions and Budcat Creations for the Wii and PlayStation 2 versions, respectively, and distributed by RedOctane and Activision. Guitar Hero World Tour, like the other games in the Guitar Hero series, focuses on the use of special game controllers to mimic musical tracks from popular rock songs that date from the 1960s to contemporary hits. While previous versions of the series have only used a guitar-based controller for lead and bass guitar tracks, World Tour adds in drums and vocals, allowing up to four players to create a virtual band. For each instrument, the player scores points by matching controller actions with note gems on the game screen to avoid a bad performance that may end the song prematurely. In addition to the on-disk songs, the PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, and Wii versions support the ability to obtain new songs through downloadable content. A new music creation system also allows users on the same systems to gain new user-created songs through the game's "GHTunes" service.
The game disc contains 86 songs, all of which are master recordings—a first for the Guitar Hero series.[5] In the single player and multiplayer band (Career Mode) modes, songs are distributed into various "gigs" that contain between 3 and 6 songs each; gigs may also contain a boss battle (for the single player guitar career) and encores that are revealed once all the other songs in the gig are completed. These gigs are arranged approximately based on the difficulty of the songs in that gig for the selected instrument or band, with more difficult songs appearing in later gigs. The player or band must complete easier gigs before the more difficult gigs are available. Once a player or band has access to a song via any instrument or band Career mode, that song can be played in Quickplay mode or any of the other competitive modes in the game. The set list has been described as containing well-known songs by "an impressive collection of artists" such as Van Halen, Jimi Hendrix, Joe Satriani, and Tool,[6] [7] as well as a considerable number of tracks from European bands.below with the year they were recorded (based on the in-game description), song title, and artist, and the placement of the song in the band career mode. 38 out of the 86 songs are exportable to both Guitar Hero 5 and Band Hero for a small fee, with music licensing limiting which songs can be exported.[8] [9] [10]
In addition to custom songs, players of the Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, and Wii versions could download new licensed songs for the game. However, on March 31, 2014, Activision removed this content from being downloadable and there is no evidence it will become available again.
This was the first game in the Guitar Hero series to support download functionality on the Wii.[11] Wii users can store downloaded songs on either the Wii's internal memory or on an SD Card in a "Rock Archive".[12] When playing tracks stored on an SD Card, each song is automatically copied to a 200-memory block "content cache" on the Wii's flash memory for play and then deleted after the song is finished.[13] Some downloadable content was not available for the Wii due to technical or licensing issues[14] until November 24, 2009. Except for the Jimi Hendrix songs, the downloadable content is forward-compatible with Guitar Hero 5, Band Hero and , automatically updated to include new features found in those games.[15]
Downloadable songs were available for individual purchase on PlayStation 3, Wii and Xbox 360, with a limited number of songs available free of charge. Also, users could purchase track packs of three songs. The Jimi Hendrix Track Pack was originally only available for download as a track pack and not as individual songs, but Activision announced that in March the Wii would receive the Hendrix pack as downloadable singles. These songs have since been released with the second Jimi Hendrix Track Pack.
| Year | Song title | Artist | Genre | Pack name | Release date | Forward compatible with GH5/BH | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2008 | "That Was Just Your Life" | Metal | Death Magnetic[16] [17] | ||||
| 2008 | Metal | Death Magnetic | |||||
| 2008 | "Broken, Beat & Scarred" | Metal | Death Magnetic | ||||
| 2008 | Metal | Death Magnetic | |||||
| 2008 | "All Nightmare Long" | Metal | Death Magnetic | ||||
| 2008 | "Cyanide" | Metal | Death Magnetic | ||||
| 2008 | Metal | Death Magnetic | |||||
| 2008 | Metal | Death Magnetic | |||||
| 2008 | "Suicide & Redemption J.H." | Metal | Death Magnetic | ||||
| 2008 | "Suicide & Redemption K.H." | Metal | Death Magnetic | ||||
| 2008 | "My Apocalypse" | Metal | Death Magnetic | ||||
| 1976 | "Rock and Roll Band" | Classic Rock | Classic Rock Track Pack[18] [19] | ||||
| 1978 | "Hot Blooded" | Classic Rock | Classic Rock Track Pack | ||||
| 1981 | "Jessie's Girl" | Pop Rock | Classic Rock Track Pack | ||||
| 1992 | "No Rain" | Alternative | Single | ||||
| 2008 | "Ted Nugent Guitar Duel" (Co-Op) | Rock | Boss Battle Track Pack | ||||
| 2008 | "Zakk Wylde Guitar Duel" (Co-Op) | Rock | Boss Battle Track Pack | ||||
| 2008 | "Anything" | An Endless Sporadic | Prog Rock | Neversoft Track Pack | |||
| 2008 | "Electro Rock" | Sworn | Electronic | Neversoft Track Pack | |||
| 2008 | "Horse to Water" | Alternative | R.E.M. Track Pack[20] | ||||
| 2008 | "Man-Sized Wreath" | Alternative | R.E.M. Track Pack | ||||
| 2008 | "Supernatural Superserious" | Alternative | R.E.M. Track Pack | ||||
| 2008 | "Bag It Up" | Rock | Oasis Track Pack[21] | ||||
| 2008 | "Waiting for the Rapture" | Rock | Oasis Track Pack | ||||
| 2008 | Rock | Oasis Track Pack | |||||
| 2007 | "Another Way to Die" | Blues Rock | Single[22] | ||||
| 1967 | "If 6 Was 9" | Classic Rock | [23] | ||||
| 1967 | "Little Wing" | Classic Rock | |||||
| 1969 | "Fire (Live at Woodstock)" | Classic Rock | |||||
| 2006 | "Salute Your Solution" | Blues Rock | |||||
| 2008 | "Hold Up" | Blues Rock | |||||
| 2008 | "Consoler of the Lonely" | Blues Rock | |||||
| 2004 | "Mr. Brightside" | Alternative | [24] | ||||
| 2008 | "Losing Touch" | Alternative | |||||
| 2008 | "Human" | Alternative | |||||
| 2008 | "G.L.O.W." | Alternative | [25] [26] | ||||
| 1996 | "1979" | Alternative | |||||
| 1999 | Alternative | ||||||
| 2002 | "You Know You're Right" | Grunge | Nirvana Track Pack[27] | ||||
| 1990 | "Sliver" | Grunge | Nirvana Track Pack | ||||
| 1989 | "Negative Creep" | Grunge | Nirvana Track Pack | ||||
| 2006 | "'54, '74, '90, 2010" | Pop Rock | European Track Pack 01[28] | ||||
| 2007 | "Dis-Moi" | Rock | European Track Pack 01 | ||||
| 2008 | "Mama Maè" | Rock | European Track Pack 01 | ||||
| 2007 | "Frail Grasp on the Big Picture" | Rock | Eagles Track Pack | ||||
| 1976 | "Life in the Fast Lane" | Classic Rock | Eagles Track Pack | ||||
| 1975 | "One of These Nights" | Classic Rock | Eagles Track Pack | ||||
| 2007 | "Jimi" | Surf Rock | Reggae Rock Track Pack | ||||
| 2006 | "Your Face" | Surf Rock | Reggae Rock Track Pack | ||||
| 2004 | "Sacrifice" | Surf Rock | Reggae Rock Track Pack | ||||
| 2008 | "Use Me" | Hard Rock | Hard Rock Track Pack | ||||
| 2003 | "Because of You" | Hard Rock | Hard Rock Track Pack | ||||
| 2008 | "Light It Up" | Hard Rock | Hard Rock Track Pack | ||||
| 2008 | "Degenerated" | Hard Rock | European Track Pack 02[29] | ||||
| 2006 | "Por la Boca Vive el Pez" | Blues Rock | European Track Pack 02 | ||||
| 2007 | "Johnny" | Pop Rock | European Track Pack 02 | ||||
| 2006 | "Me and My Gang" | Country | Country Rock Track Pack | ||||
| 2007 | "Ticks" | Country | Country Rock Track Pack | ||||
| 2005 | "Hillbilly Deluxe (song)" | Country | Country Rock Track Pack | ||||
| 1999 | "What's My Age Again?" | Pop Punk | Travis Barker Track Pack | ||||
| 2006 | "Lycanthrope" | Pop Punk | Travis Barker Track Pack | ||||
| 2008 | "Low" (Travis Barker Remix) | Hip-Hop | Travis Barker Track Pack | ||||
| 1995 | "Tomorrow" | Alternative | Australian Rock Track Pack | ||||
| 2006 | "Dimension" | Hard Rock | Australian Rock Track Pack | ||||
| 2002 | "Outtathaway!" | Indie Rock | Australian Rock Track Pack | ||||
| 1975 | "Born to Run" | Classic Rock | Bruce Springsteen Pack[30] | ||||
| 2008 | "My Lucky Day" | Rock | Bruce Springsteen Pack | ||||
| 2008 | "The Turning" | Rock | Dig Out Your Soul[31] | ||||
| 2008 | "I'm Outta Time" | Rock | Dig Out Your Soul | ||||
| 2008 | "(Get Off Your) High Horse Lady" | Rock | Dig Out Your Soul | ||||
| 2008 | "Falling Down" | Rock | Dig Out Your Soul | ||||
| 2008 | "To Be Where There's Life" | Rock | Dig Out Your Soul | ||||
| 2008 | "Ain't Got Nothin'" | Rock | Dig Out Your Soul | ||||
| 2008 | Rock | Dig Out Your Soul | |||||
| 2008 | "Soldier On" | Rock | Dig Out Your Soul | ||||
| 1969 | "Commotion" | Southern Rock | Southern Rock Track Pack[32] | ||||
| 2008 | "Black Betty" | Southern Rock | Southern Rock Track Pack | ||||
| 2008 | "Gimme All Your Lovin'" | Blues Rock | Southern Rock Track Pack | ||||
| 2001 | "New Slang" | Indie Rock | Acoustic Track Pack[33] | ||||
| 1999 | "Drive" | Surf Rock | Acoustic Track Pack | ||||
| 2004 | "Wonderwall" | Indie Rock | Acoustic Track Pack | ||||
| 1973 | "Jet" | Classic Rock | Wings Track Pack | ||||
| 1972 | "Hi Hi Hi" | Classic Rock | Wings Track Pack | ||||
| 1974 | "Junior's Farm" | Classic Rock | Wings Track Pack | ||||
| 1978 | "Old Time Rock and Roll" | Classic Rock | Bob Seger Track Pack | ||||
| 1980 | "Her Strut" | Classic Rock | Bob Seger Track Pack | ||||
| 2008 | "Get Out of Denver" | Classic Rock | Bob Seger Track Pack | ||||
| 2007 | "Break It Out" | Pop Rock | European Track Pack 03 | ||||
| 2003 | "In the Shadows" | Pop Rock | European Track Pack 03 | ||||
| 1986 | "C'est Comme Ça" | Alternative | European Track Pack 03 | ||||
| 2009 | "Death Blossoms" | Punk | Rise Against Track Pack[34] | ||||
| 2008 | "Audience of One" | Modern Rock | Rise Against Track Pack | ||||
| 2006 | "Ready to Fall" | Modern Rock | Rise Against Track Pack | ||||
| 2008 | "What Have You Done" | Nu Metal | European Track Pack 04 | ||||
| 1988 | "Hier kommt Alex" | Punk | European Track Pack 04 | ||||
| 2008 | "Carolina" (Live) | Rock | European Track Pack 04 | ||||
| 1971 | "Freedom" | Classic Rock | [35] | ||||
| 1971 | "Angel" | Classic Rock | |||||
| 1969 | "Foxy Lady" (Live at Woodstock) | Classic Rock | |||||
| 1977 | "We Are the Champions" | Classic Rock | |||||
| 1978 | "Fat Bottomed Girls" | Classic Rock | |||||
| 2008 | "C-lebrity" | Hard Rock | |||||
| 2008 | "The James Bond Theme" | Hard Rock | Single | ||||
| 2008 | "Debaser" | Alternative | Pixies Track Pack[36] | ||||
| 2008 | "Monkey Gone to Heaven" | Alternative | Pixies Track Pack | ||||
| 2008 | "The Sad Punk" | Alternative | Pixies Track Pack | ||||
| 2008 | "Panic Switch" | Indie Rock | Silversun Pickups Track Pack | ||||
| 2008 | "It's Nice to Know You Work Alone" | Indie Rock | Silversun Pickups Track Pack | ||||
| 2008 | "Well Thought Out Twinkles" | Indie Rock | Silversun Pickups Track Pack | ||||
| 1975 | "Black Friday" | Classic Rock | Steely Dan Track Pack | ||||
| 1976 | "Kid Charlemagne" | Classic Rock | Steely Dan Track Pack | ||||
| 1973 | "Bodhisattva" | Classic Rock | Steely Dan Track Pack | ||||
| 2008 | "Jailbait" | Metal | Motörhead Track Pack | ||||
| 2008 | "Love Me Like a Reptile" | Metal | Motörhead Track Pack | ||||
| 2008 | "Iron Fist" | Metal | Motörhead Track Pack | ||||
| 1993 | "Very Ape" | Grunge | Nirvana Track Pack 02 | ||||
| 1993 | "Sappy" | Grunge | Nirvana Track Pack 02 | ||||
| 1991 | "Stay Away" | Grunge | Nirvana Track Pack 02 | ||||
| 2008 | "On Broken Glass" | Metal | Ferret/Metal Blade Track Pack[37] | ||||
| 2008 | "Dez Moines" | Metal | Ferret/Metal Blade Track Pack | ||||
| 2008 | "Grave of Opportunity" | Metal | Ferret/Metal Blade Track Pack | ||||
| 2008 | "So What" | Pop Rock | Pop Rock Track Pack | ||||
| 2008 | "Stop and Stare" | Pop Rock | Pop Rock Track Pack | ||||
| 2008 | "Everything's Magic" | Pop Rock | Pop Rock Track Pack | ||||
| 2008 | "Disconnected" | Metal | European Track Pack 05 | ||||
| 2008 | "Oh Yeah!" | Rock | European Track Pack 05 | ||||
| 2008 | "Look Good in Leather" | Rock | European Track Pack 05 | ||||
| 2008 | "The Touch" | Pop Rock | Single[38] | ||||
| 2008 | "Guitar Hero On Tour: Modern Hits Theme" | S.U.P.R.A.H.U.M.A.N. - ProtoShredanoid | Rock | Single[39] | |||
| 2008 | "The Bitter End" | Alternative | European Track Pack 06[40] | ||||
| 2008 | "Cadillac Solitario" (Live) | Loquillo y Trogloditas | Rock | European Track Pack 06 | |||
| 2008 | "Adrenalina" | Pop Punk | European Track Pack 06 | ||||
| 2008 | "Number with No Name" | Rock | Ben Harper Track Pack[41] | ||||
| 2008 | "Shimmer & Shine" | Rock | Ben Harper Track Pack | ||||
| 2008 | "Fly One Time" | Rock | Ben Harper Track Pack | ||||
| 2008 | "Sample in a Jar" (Live) | Prog Rock | Phish Live Track Pack | ||||
| 2008 | "Down with Disease" (Live) | Prog Rock | Phish Live Track Pack | ||||
| 2008 | "Chalk Dust Torture" (Live) | Prog Rock | Phish Live Track Pack | ||||
| 2004 | "21st Century (Digital Boy)" | Punk | Epitaph Punk-O-Rama Track Pack[42] | ||||
| 1991 | "Linoleum" | Punk | Epitaph Punk-O-Rama Track Pack | ||||
| 1995 | "Ruby Soho" | Punk | Epitaph Punk-O-Rama Track Pack | ||||
| 2008 | "NJ Legion Iced Tea" | Post-Hardcore/Pop-Punk | Victory Track Pack[43] | ||||
| 2008 | "Bomb the World" | Rock | Victory Track Pack | ||||
| 2008 | "I Am the Arsonist" | Alternative | Victory Track Pack | ||||
| 2008 | "Anything 'Cept the Truth" | Rock | Eagles of Death Metal Track Pack | ||||
| 2008 | "Cherry Cola" | Rock | Eagles of Death Metal Track Pack | ||||
| 2008 | "I Only Want You" | Rock | Eagles of Death Metal Track Pack | ||||
| 2008 | "All the World Is Mad" | Alternative | Vagrant Records Track Pack | ||||
| 2008 | "Young Cardinals" | Alternative | Vagrant Records Track Pack | ||||
| 2008 | "The Martyr" | Pop Punk | Vagrant Records Track Pack | ||||
| 2008 | "Bloodmeat" | Nu Metal | Knuckle Sandwich Track Pack | ||||
| 2008 | "I'm Shipping Up to Boston" | Punk | Knuckle Sandwich Track Pack | ||||
| 2008 | "New Wave" | Pop Punk | Knuckle Sandwich Track Pack | ||||
| 2008 | "Camel's Night Out" | Rock | Single[44] | ||||
| 2008 | "The Silence Is Deafening" | Awaken | Rock | Activision Music Track Pack | |||
| 2008 | "Nothing All the Time" | H Is Orange | Rock | Activision Music Track Pack | |||
| 2008 | "I'll Never Know" | Rock | Activision Music Track Pack | ||||
| 2008 | "Dueling Banjos" | Blues Rock | Single |