You asked for it! Here's your first glimpse at the new features, songs, and instruments for Rock Band 3! This game has mind-blowing new modes and instruments - including Pro Mode and a keyboard peripheral! - and more music than any other music game. Let's get right into it:
New style of Rock Band 3 characters
Rock Band 3 will have an incredible 83-song setlist, as well as support for the over 1,500 existing Rock Band tracks (Rock Band and Rock Band 2 discs, DLC, track packs, AC/DC Live: Rock Band Track Pack, LEGO Rock Band, and Green Day: Rock Band). The setlist contains songs from some of the best bands from around the world, including bands that have never appeared in a music game! Don't think it stops there - the regular weekly DLC releases will continue after Rock Band 3's release.
Today we're announcing a handful of the 83 on-disc tracks for Rock Band 3, spanning five decades:
2000s:
- Metric - "Combat Baby"
- Rilo Kiley - "Portions for Foxes"
- Them Crooked Vultures - "Dead End Friends"
- The Vines - "Get Free"
- The White Stripes - "The Hardest Button to Button"
- Phoenix - "Lasso"
- Ida Maria - "Oh My God"
- Juanes - "Me Enamora"
- Jane's Addiction - "Been Caught Stealing"
- Stone Temple Pilots - "Plush"
- Smash Mouth - "Walkin' on the Sun"
- Spacehog - "In the Meantime"
- Dio - "Rainbow in the Dark"
- Huey Lewis and the News - "The Power of Love"
- Joan Jett - "I Love Rock and Roll"
- Night Ranger - "Sister Christian"
- Whitesnake - "Here I Go Again"
- The Cure - "Just Like Heaven"
- Ozzy Osbourne - "Crazy Train"
- Queen - "Bohemian Rhapsody"
- Jimi Hendrix - "Crosstown Traffic"
- The Doors - "Break On Through"
Rock Band 3 drummer
In addition to the plastic guitars, bass, drums, and vocals you're used to, now you can jam on a couple of new instruments. Play vocal harmonies with up to three players like you did in The Beatles: Rock Band. And for the first time ever you'll also be able to play using a keyboard peripheral! The band has gotten bigger - playing with all available instruments, you and six friends can all rock at the same time. Rock Band parties will never be the same.
Keyboards in Rock Band 3
- Pro Drums supports three expansion cymbals, with gameplay differentiation between toms and cymbals.
- Pro Keys features pitch-accurate keyboard performance across a two-octave range, displayed on an easy-to-read keyboard track.
- Pro Guitar features notated guitar and bass performances, available for play with either the new Fender Mustang PRO-Guitar simulated guitar controller from Mad Catz or the Rock Band 3 Squier by Fender Stratocaster Guitar real guitar/controller hybrid. The Rock Band 3 Squier Stratocaster is a fully functional, full-sized, six-string electric guitar that also functions as a game controller that Fender and Harmonix have teamed up to develop.
New Gameplay:
Party Mode: Get the party started faster and keep it going all night! Party Shuffle lets you start the game immediately, while persistent drop-in/drop-out lets players take turns (or take a break!) without interrupting the flow of play. You'll also be able to choose (or change!) your difficulty on any gameplay screen - including mid-song.
Rock Band 3 gameplay
Social Networking: Rock Band 3 adds social networking tools so you can interact with friends and fellow Rock Band rockers using Facebook, Twitter, and more.
If that's not enough Rock Band 3 info for you, check out the video below from USAToday.com and the accompanying article featuring quotes and information from Rock Band 3 team, including Lead Designer Dan Teasdale, Project Director Daniel Sussman, and Harmonix CEO and Co-Founder Alex Rigopulos.
And that's not all! Stay tuned over the next few weeks and months to get all the details on Rock Band 3, including the rest of the 83-song setlist, more details about Career Mode's goals and rewards, and just how awesome Pro Mode really is. Plus more behind-the-scenes info from the Rock Band 3 design team!
Find Rock Band 3 news how you want to by:
- Bookmarking the Rock Band 3 News page on RockBand.com
- Following @RockBand and Harmonix on Twitter
- Liking Rock Band and Harmonix on Facebook
- Subscribing to the official Harmonix Rock Band Podcast
- Subscribing to the official Harmonix Newsletter by visiting the homepage of RockBand.com and entering your email address