DJ Hero Stand Alone Software

by ACTIVISION

Product Features

• DJ Hero Renegade Edition Includes the following items -
• DJ Hero Game
• Renegade Turntable Controller featuring premium metal controls and finish
• Hardshell Turntable Carrying Case that converts to performance-ready DJ stand
• Exclusive Jay-Z and Eminem 2-CD pack featuring collectible case designed by artist Shepard Fairey

Product Details

• Shipping: This item is also available for shipping to select countries outside the U.S.
• ASIN: B002BHZC44
• Product Dimensions: 16 x 8 x 31 inches ; 24 pounds
• Media: Video Game
• Release Date: October 27, 2009
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (20 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #12,120 in Video Games (See Top 100 in Video Games)
  • #41 in Video Games > Wii > Rhythm > Musical Instruments

Product Description

Platform: Nintendo Wii | Edition: Renegade Edition

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

Activision DJ HERO Renegade Edition 96031 PC Games

See all Product Description

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars DJ Hero Renegade, January 25, 2010

By 

HMR (Moorpark, CA) - See all my reviews

= Fun:5.0 out of 5 stars 

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Wii DJ Hero Renegade Edition Featuring Jay-Z and Eminem (Video Game)

Great game!!! Shipped almost like the next day! We were trying to decide if we wanted to just buy the regular DJ hero or the renegade edition. I am glad we paid the little extra for the Renegade edition, as it comes with a nice case that doubles as the stand. EVERYONE at my house uses this game standing... and have a blast! The game has great music!

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Greatest Christmas Gift Ever., February 1, 2010

By 

Marie M. - See all my reviews

= Fun:5.0 out of 5 stars 

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Wii DJ Hero Renegade Edition Featuring Jay-Z and Eminem (Video Game)

Greatest Christmas Gift Ever. At least that's what my brother said to all of his friends after I gave this to him Christmas Eve. The music is awesome and it was definitely worth the extra cash to get the "renegade edition." The hard case that turns into a table it great and very sturdy. I like that the height is adjustable too. The turntables aren't hard to use and it gets easier the more you use them. The CD that came with it was decent. It would have been better if it came with a CD of the music from the game though. All in all, my brother loves it and I can't wait to hook up my guitar from "guitar hero" so we can jam together.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Sweet!!, January 5, 2010

By 

Annette (Washington, DC) - See all my reviews

= Fun:5.0 out of 5 stars 

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Wii DJ Hero Renegade Edition Featuring Jay-Z and Eminem (Video Game)

Got it for my husband. He loves it and it's completely awesome and I am an awesome wife for getting it. I think it's MUCH better looking than the regular DJ Hero, but I don't know if it's worth a $100 price difference (I got it on a lightening deal, so it was a lot less). I don't think it's worth more than a $50 price difference from the regular version, personally.

*Update* I reduced it to 4 stars after playing on it for a while because the legs aren't as sturdy as I originally thought (they didn't break or anything, just wobbly) and the door for the Wiimote got messed up. Only grown (sober) adults have played on this thing, so it was not roughed up at all. I also think the upgrade from the regular DJ Hero to be worth more like $30-40 versus the originally $50 that I said. All in all, still a very fun game, but the quality of the parts could have been a lot better. I wouldn't have minded paying the extra $100 if I was getting a product that was $100 better.

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