With Rock Band and Guitar Hero 3 already stealing center stage in the band-game “genre,” Disney’s hoping to provide a bit of an opening act for casual gamers. Disney Interactive today unveiled Ultimate Band for the Nintendo Wii and DS.
Unlike Rock Band and Guitar Hero 3, Ultimate Band will require no peripherals. Instead, players will be able to build their own band or jam alone using the Wii controllers and the DS stylus.
Ultimate Band for Wii allows players to advance through a music career from playing in a neighborhood garage to performing in front of an international audience. Using the Wii Remote and Nunchuk, fans can play the drums, bass guitar, lead guitar or even take on the role of the front man. Players can also create and customize characters that reflect their own unique personalities and attributes. Along the way, players will unlock new songs, venues and accessories that can be used to customize their band members.
On the flip side, Ultimate Band for Nintendo DS will be a rhythm-based music game with a built-in recording studio. Players can jam to current and classic songs using the drums, lead guitar, bass guitar or rhythm guitar. Gamers can also create their own original songs using the DS touchscreen and stylus to lay down tracks for each instrument and apply mixing effects.
Ultimate Band for Nintendo DS will also include “DGamer” functionality, which will allow players to engage with others in a secure online community via their DS (Wi-Fi or ad hoc) or computer.
Working with London-based music consultants Radial Music, Disney is working on a song lineup that combines familiar classics with modern hits, with songs ranging from classic rock to top-40 singles. However, Disney didn’t reveal which songs are on tap. Instead, they just said they’re “working with some of the very biggest names in rock, alternative, popular, emo and indie rock music.”
Ultimate Band is slated for release during the 2008 holiday season on both the Wii and the DS.
