DJ Hero Stand Alone Software

by ACTIVISION

Product Features

• The ability to battle your friends or jam together at home or online with two turntables or one turntable and a Guitar Hero guitar controller.
• Game bundle including software for Wii and the exclusive DJ Hero turntable/mixer controller that allows players to scratch and mix their way to hero status.
• Variety of unique musical content featuring in the form of 80+ DJ mixes pulled from multiple genres including Hip Hop and Dance music fused with Rock, Pop and R&B.
• Variety of multiplayer co-op and competitive modes including DJ vs. DJ, DJ + DJ and DJ + Guitar.
• Engaging and easy to pick-up rhythm based gameplay in the Guitar Hero tradition.

Product Details

• Shipping: This item is also available for shipping to select countries outside the U.S.
• ASIN: B0028ZNX7M
• Product Dimensions: 11 x 18.3 x 3.8 inches ; 4.5 pounds
• Media: Video Game
• Release Date: October 27, 2009
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (46 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #4,174 in Video Games (See Top 100 in Video Games)
  • #23 in Video Games > Wii > Rhythm > Musical Instruments

Product Description

Platform: Nintendo Wii | Edition: Bundle with Turntable

Amazon.com Hands-On Review

Although the Guitar Hero series has only been around since 2005, the gobs of exposure--or perhaps over exposure--that it has received has fueled an understandable amount of skepticism among many gamers regarding the future of the overall franchise. After all, once a music game has conquered single player, two-player, artist-specific, full band multiplayer and handheld action, where does it go? Answer: into the DJ booth with DJ Hero. Recently I was able to spend some time with a Xbox 360 demo of the game that has been making the rounds, and here is what I came away with. Challenge yourself with realistic DJ gameplay mechanics and multiple point multipliers. View larger. Put your old Guitar Hero axe to work in DJ and Guitar mode. View larger. Go head-to-head against a friend in DJ vs. DJ mode. View larger. Action in DJ Hero revolves around a Guitar Hero style note highway which streams color coated prompts toward the player, in the role of DJ, who input these via the bundled game-specific wireless turntable/mixer controller. The turntable portion of the controller is made up of a realistic platter that spins all the way around in both directions when pushed by the player and has familiar green, red and blue buttons attached on top. The mixer half has a sliding three-position fader bar, a button used to activate star power like "Euphoria" gameplay sections which temporarily double point multipliers, an effects knob and a hidden control panel containing your console's standard navigational buttons. Gameplay takes you through pre matched, two-jam tracks, with the green and blue buttons oriented on the left and right edges of the note highway and on the platter representing these, and the red button in the middle providing a spot to add samples, which can be changed at various times in the game with the effects knob. Players must perform three main types of DJ actions when prompted by the note highway: taps, which are beat matching actions requiring the pushing of buttons on the platter; fader bar moves indicating either a selection of one of the two tracks during the jam, or a mix of the two; and scratching, which entails selecting one of the two tracks on the platter and moving the turntable quickly up and down. In addition, players can activate Euphoria strategically, as success throughout sections of a track fills the Euphoria meter at the left, and shoot for the additional bonus of a Rewind, given for perfection in certain sections, and allowing the player to replay that same section again for additional points. It's interesting how this latest release in the series parallels the historical deconstructive trend in actual pop music, which saw Hip-hop, Electronica, House, and other musical genres rise through the use of DJ sampling and mixing techniques, but does this mean that DJ Hero will enjoy as much success and be as good a play experience as some of the Hero games that came before it? Only time will tell, but after a few hours breaking it down on the DJ deck myself, it seems to me that the game has a major thing going against it, and an equally important positive thing going for it that together will probably decide this for most players. The negative is that the controller used is a bit more difficult to operate than any used in earlier games, except perhaps the drums of Guitar Hero World Tour, while the positive is that the overall gameplay is as fun and infectious as any seen in the series. To be clear, the controller issues alluded to are by no means a deal breaker. More than anything else, what the vast majority of players will be challenged by in the DJ Hero controller is their unfamiliarity with a DJ deck. As popular as DJ influenced music is in reality, not too many fans per capita have had hands-on experience with the tools of the trade, unlike the legions of Guitar Hero fans, purchasing in their millions, who are at least somewhat familiar with how a guitar, drum and microphone work. Another inconvenience related to the controller is its fairly cramped layout, with both sections residing right next to each other and no apparent way to create space between the two pieces without disconnecting them. This is enhanced by the fact that in many cases the controller may be more easily worked from a high platform in front of the standing player, potentially making this lack of space even more of a problem. But as with any new controller type, muscle memory will kick in with practice and players become more comfortable with the basic DJ mechanics of the game. There are also some simple hints doled out by the in-game tutorials that should be heeded, like when scratching make sure to let go at the end of each scratch, and anchor your hand to the turntable deck with your thumb to avoid spinning the platter too wildly. Also, the two pieces of the controller can be swapped to allow for left-handed play, and thankfully DJ Hero's development team recognized that discouraged players are not a good thing and did away with the familiar Guitar Hero scenario of AI audiences booing a player off the stage. If you are screwing up they will still let you know, but at least players will always get the experience of finishing. At the end of each set you are rated at 1-5 stars, where the more stars you get the more tracks are unlocked and DJ gear is made available to you. The gradual organization of the game's four play settings also help you build confidence by introducing more advanced skills as you progress. In Easy, players primarily use tapping and a simplified form of scratching. The Medium setting adds fader bar functionality. Play on the Hard level requires precise directional scratching, where you must scratch in the same direction as the note highway. The assumption is that Expert level bumps things up even farther, although this level was not available with the demo played. Finally, as part of the fun built into the game, players can expect various ways to play and experience the game. These include a variety of gameplay modes including single player, a head-to-head multiplayer DJ vs. DJ mode where two players work their way through the same track for the best possible point total, the multiplayer Guitar and DJ mode which is compatible with all Guitar Hero guitars made for the same platform, and Party Mode where scoring is turned off and you can just listen to the 80+ unique mixes by big name DJs included in the game. And as with all games in the Guitar Hero series players can expect some pretty deep character customization options to be made available as their skills rise. Taken together does all this equate to a quality music gameplay experience? Well, what I've seen is pretty solid, so if you are a fan of both Guitar Hero type gameplay and DJ music and culture, I'd say you almost certainly will not be disappointed. Also, with its new controller, as well as different and in many places, challenging gameplay, if you are more interested in DJ Hero as a departure from series' very well-worn gameplay mold, you will probably be equally happy. Tom Milnes, Amazon.com/games freelance contributor

Product Description

Be the life of the party! The makers of Guitar Hero introduce an entirely fresh and innovative way to experience your favorite music. With DJ Hero you will be the life of the party as you spin and scratch more than 100 songs into unique mixes. Get ready for a whole new phenomenon in music.

See all Product Description

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

37 of 41 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Deciding between DJH for Wii, Xbox, PS3?, December 19, 2009

By 

Paul Chin "Pacchin" - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

= Fun:5.0 out of 5 stars 

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Wii DJ Hero Bundle with Turntable (Video Game)

I own a PS3, Xbox 360, and a Wii and I have decided to go with the Wii version and don't regret it one bit.

Biggest advantage is power consumption. The PS3 and Xbox 360 is going to use around 180-200 watts of power during gameplay while the Wii sips on only 18 watts. That translates to spending ten times more for electricity if you were to play on the PS3 or Xbox 360 (not counting your TV, A/V system etc).

Second advantage the Wii has is the controller, turntable in this case. Like the guitar hero games for wii, all you have to do is plug in your Wii controller into the slot in the turntable and you're instantly connected. This way you don't have to buy extra batteries and you have no issues syncing your controller to the system.

Last advantage is the built in WiFi for the Wii. I don't have a wireless adapter for the xbox 360 nor an ethernet cable long enough to attach it to my router. Knowing that I might eventually purchase tracks online or play against friends, I had to go with the system that has wifi connectivity.

Disadvantages to the Wii version? The graphics of people dancing on the screen aren't as nice as it is on the PS3 or Xbox 360. Doesn't really matter to me though, the spinning record on the screen that you follow for the beats is still looks as clear as any other system.

Of course if you want to play against your friends online and they have the PS3 or xbox 360 version then that could also play a factor. Online play for the Wii isn't as refined as it is on xbox live but at least it's free.

The game itself though is just awesome. I loved it so much that I got through all the tracks in a day so I really wish they had more. The crossfader will annoy you at first because it's difficult to click it back to the neutral position but you will develop muscle memory for this and I think it adds a somewhat enjoyable challenge to the game. Also it doesn't actually have to click into the center spot to register as center on the screen so don't waste your effort on trying to get it back to exactly on the center. You can undershoot it but never overshoot it or else it might register as the direction you're moving it in.

In case you were wondering, the difference between this and the more expensive Renegade version is that the Renegade comes with a case that turns into a stand for the turntable along with a sleeker black finish on the turntable and an Eminem Jay-Z CD which isn't playable in the game.

But please, do yourself and the environment a favor by buying the Wii version of this and other games whenever possible. Save the Xbox 360 and PS3 for games like Call of Duty, Forza Motorsport, or Gran Turismo.

16 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A great way to enjoy a get together even more, November 17, 2009

By 

Ralvek (United Kingdom) - See all my reviews

= Fun:5.0 out of 5 stars 

This review is from: Wii DJ Hero Bundle with Turntable (Video Game)

I bought this bundle the other day and the first time I tried it, I played for over 2 hours, alone. Of course that was after my son and daughter were done with it, they were on it for 2 hours. The mixes are nothing short of excellent. The tutorials are both great and fun to get your feet wet in the game. Also I find it easier to scratch with the buttons on the "outside" of the turntable instead of the "inside" with my right hand used for the turntable. Trying to hold the Blue button with your ring finger with the buttons on the "inside" and scratch at the same time is a bit awkward due to the slight weight of the turntable. I prefer scratching using my index finger on the Blue button. But that's just me. Also, keep those greasy foods away! HAHA! Even sweaty fingers alone will make it a bit harder to keep the buttons pressed as you scratch on the turntable.

Pros:
- Hours and hours of fun.
- Mixes are great, whether you just listen to them in party mode or playing along.
- All ages will enjoy this game, either watching or trying it.
- Very easy learning curve.
- Varying levels of difficulty keeps everyone hooked on the game.

Cons:
- Only 1 turntable. I know, this is getting picky, but that is all I can say that is a downside to the bundle.

12 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars crazy fun, November 3, 2009

By 

Cory Edgington "butlerbulldog05" (indianapolis, in) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

= Fun:5.0 out of 5 stars 

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Wii DJ Hero Bundle with Turntable (Video Game)

i just got this game yesterday and had a few friends over to play. its so much fun, we played all night! i'm going to get another turntable as soon as they are sold seperate from the game. if you like music, this is the best music from activision thus far!

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