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Battle of the Bands Review for the Nintendo Wii

Battle of the Bands Review for the Nintendo Wii

There were plenty of good rhythm games released in the years prior to the arrival of genre juggernauts Guitar Hero and Rock Band, but it seems they’ve all been eclipsed by the runaway popularity of the fake instrument peripheral craze. As the new kid on the block, Battle of the Bands tries to buck the trend bring some fresh ideas to the table by embracing the use of wildly imaginative cover tunes and taking the concept of musical rivalry a bit further than most. It’s a funny game that unfortunately doesn’t fully deliver on an interesting premise.

Battle of the Bands screenshot

It’s difficult to follow hot on the heels of a series of stellar music games that have all but ensured future console rhythm-based titles will seem gimpy in comparison if they aren’t played with some sort of large plastic mock-instrument. I actually enjoy the fact Battle of the Bands can be played solely with the Wii Remote. It’s too bad the controls end up being more of a hindrance than a benefit. The game is not particularly difficult to pick up and learn; it’s just nowhere nearly as satisfying as its competition. That’s not to say it isn’t at least somewhat amusing. The game earns high marks in the style and goofiness categories, even if the gameplay is shallow.

You’ll pick from 11 different fictional prefab bands – goths, punks, hillbillies, undead, rappers, demons, etc. – and plow through a string of competitions playing against other wacky groups. The specific band you pick to play as will determine your default musical style throughout the game. Each of the 30 tunes featured in Battle of the Bands is recorded in five different musical styles including rock, Latin, hip hop, country, and marching band. Every bout features two bands playing the same tune in a completely different musical style. The version of the song you’ll hear at any given time will shift back and forth, depending on who’s hitting the notes more accurately and dealing heftier damage. It’s basically a rock-and-roll tug-of-war with the added entertainment of flamethrower guitars, explosive bombardments, and sprays of bullets.

Battle of the Bands screenshot

Gameplay itself is handled with a limited range of basic motions with the Wii Remote. Players will gesture left, right or down to hit beats with the corresponding directional arrows in time to the music. Stabbing motions come into play to launch some attacks, while minor and heavy shaking maneuvers are also utilized. A temporary force field can be erected with the B button to deflect incoming attacks from your opponents. You’ll have the option to switch between three different attacks in a song. Each is launched after the requisite string of beats is hit. Additionally, every so often in mid-song the dueling bands will face-off by taking turns launching strings of attacks and blocking incoming volleys. The hectic gameplay soon becomes old-hat, and it won’t take long before the six motions become dull.

Initially, it seems odd the game hounds you to take a break after every single level. Aside from being completely irritating (the time in-between songs could have been far better utilized), the purpose of such warnings soon becomes crystal clear. Those who are resilient enough to clock in past the one-to-two hour mark of Wii Remote waggling will feel the burn caused by extended play.

Battle of the Bands screenshot

Battle of the Bands will give players a couple solid hours worth of solo entertainment before the fun begins to ebb. The game is essentially made with multiplayer in mind, and playing against a friend will stretch the rocking action out further than the single-player game. It’s also nice to have someone to share the laughs with because the game tosses some truly ridiculous musical combinations and goofy antics at you. The basic controls are particularly useful in this regard, since it’s more likely you’ll have two Wii Remotes handy than two Guitar Hero peripherals at any given time.

Battle of the Bands screenshot

The absence of any substantive story further lends to Battle of the Bands’ party-game vibe. There’s plenty of rocking to be had in the solo adventure mode, but you’ll find little in the way of a decent plot. Brief banter between rival bands prior to musical combat is good for a chuckle or two. Unfortunately, that’s about as deep as any character interactions get. They’ll either be rocking or blowing the socks of their musical rivals as they work their way up the ranks towards an eventual orchestral boss battle with Mr. Hong, the game’s protagonist.

With the likes of Def Leppard, L.L. Cool J, Tenacious D, AFI, Soundgarden, and many more, the 30 licensed cover tracks in Battle of the Bands offer a decent variety of tunes for all manner of discerning tastes. The unusual mash-up combinations between the five different styles makes for some hilarious moments. Listening to the Ramones’ Blitzkrieg Bop in alternating marching band and ranchero renditions, for example, is a blast.

Conveniently, all of the songs can be accessed from the start in the multiplayer mode, but this sort of takes the wind out of the solo experience. Even if you’re playing on your own, you can skip right to the multiplayer game against the A.I. for some hand-picked throw-down matches. Overall, the features are a tad on the skimpy side, but the addition of a music player that allows you to play any song in the game and switch between the five different musical styles in real-time is brilliant.

Battle of the Bands wraps a neat idea in a novel presentation. It’s a quirky game that’s best enjoyed in short bursts with a friend. The challenge and gameplay will feel weak over the long run for those who’ve been spoiled by expert-level sessions of Guitar Hero and Rock Band, although rhythm game novices should find it a good entry point into the genre.

RATING OUT OF 5 RATING DESCRIPTION 4.0 Graphics
Stylish, cartoonish visuals are entertaining and well thought out. The band animations and shenanigans are excellent. 3.4 Control
Simple Wii Remote controls are good for beginners, but they aren’t tight or varied enough to keep the pros satisfied in the long run. 4.2 Music / Sound FX / Voice Acting
A wide musical selection. The covers are sometimes hilarious, and the transition between playing a song in one style or another is seamless. 3.3

Play Value
It won’t take long to plow through the game. It’s then reduced to a novelty to whip out during parties.

3.7 Overall Rating – Good
Not an average. See Rating legend above for a final score breakdown.

Game Features:

  • Battle of the Bands: Prove your favorite music genre is better than the opponents’.
  • Weaponized Instruments: Battle to the top of the charts with an array of artillery and attack styles.
  • Intense Rhythm Action: Feel the rhythm by swinging the Wii Remote in sync with different music melodies.
  • Innovative Music Switching: Explore chart-toppers mashing up in different genres.
  • Versus mode: Heads-on battles perfect for social and party game setting.
  • Adventure mode: Compete with bands of other genres one by one all the way to the Big Boss battle.
  • Music player: Blast out all 150 songs.

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