Back in Grade 8, I remember playing drum and guitar games at the arcade, thinking - wouldn't it be cool if you could play them together... like a rock band?


Ten years later, Harmonix did me one better by bringing the experience to the home console.

As one of the more grandiose ventures in recent gaming history (ie. battle-mech cockpit simulator), Rock Band is like literally setting up an arcade in your house. The game obviously benefits from the success of its predecessor, Guitar Hero, but I doubt even Harmonix could have predicted the success of this franchise. Beyond the sales of the hefty game package, Rock Band's downloadable content has also made a mint for Harmonix, and its very, very happy parent, Viacom.

Speaking of DLCs, a lot of buzz followed Motley Crue's decision to release a new song through Rock Band, and whether this was a sign of things to come. With over 2.5 million songs sold through the game, it's not crazy to think that other bands (especially indie bands) will see this new medium as an opportunity for sales and exposure. It's pretty amazing when you think about it - a videogame actualy has the potential to become an entirely new market for the music industry.

Still, like any other videogame, Rock Band isn't for everyone. It does, however, have much more universal appeal than anything else on the market, especially when you consider the wide range of songs that are available.

For myself, it's a great way to relieve some stress and enjoy some good music at the same time. And no, I haven't learned anything about actually playing the guitar. But at the same time, I doubt I could master a real guitar within a week (aka Expert Mode!).

If IRON MAN is indicative of what we can expect from other upcoming blockbusters, then this will be a very good summer to go to the movies.