Put Your Hands Up Here Comes My DJ!

In an industry that has been said to be over saturated with peripherals for rhythm games do we really need a plastic turntable? People that don’t enjoy the gentle musings of Children of Bodom and Metallica would have to say: Yes!

Activision and FreeStyleGame’s DJ Hero is a game that still has you making coloured circles disappear much like previous Guitar Hero games but adds in the new functionality of scratching and cross-fader manipulation. Does DJ Hero have the replay value and fun factor to have it stand beside Guitar Hero though? In the words of Flava Flav, “CHECK THIS OUT!”

The Controller

DJ Hero’s controller consists of a spinning record with three buttons on it, a cross-fader that has slight resistance/click in the middle, an effects knob, an euphoria button (DJ Hero’s star power), and of course the standard native system controls shielded by a hinged compartment.

The controller works great from the hours I’ve put into it,  though I think that the effects knob and the euphoria button should be swapped as I find my hand knocks the cross-fader around while twisting. The disc itself spins very easily, sometimes on complicated scratching sections this can be bothersome as the buttons sometimes slip away from me. Being a right handed guitar hero player, complicated button patterns can be quite daunting as the hand positioning is awkward at first and having to press and scratch with my strumming hand can be quite tiresome.

You cannot play this game without the turntable peripheral which forces the $130.00 package on you. Or, if you are an Eminem/Jay-Z fan, the $230.00 package for The Renegade Edition.

Gameplay

DJ Hero’s learning curve is interesting. You cannot start the game without playing the tutorial which ensures the player knows the basics of the game. The only way to bypass the tutorial is with the unlock all code which disables all achievements. After the tutorial narrated by Grandmaster Flash you get to play 3 of the easiest songs in the game. The next tier however is significantly more difficult, I still haven’t gotten 5*s on some of those songs and it only gets harder from there.

DJ Hero compensates for this increased level of difficulty by making the game all about getting points, there is no way to fail (you can only fail yourself). Once you unlock later set lists such as The Scratch Perverts or Daft Punk’s Record Bag you’ll understand why.

DJ Hero’s set up is fairly simple and when watching a video of it you might find it appears to be very easy compare to the 5 lanes in Guitar Hero you’ve come to know.

The green track (left) represents record one, The red track (middle) are your samples, and blue (right) is record two. Using the cross-fader you have 3 positions you can be in: Left, Middle, and Right. On earlier difficulties scratching is non-dependent on what direction you move but on Expert not following the pattern of up or down will cause you to break combo.

Some things that set aside DJ Hero’s gameplay mechanics from Guitar Hero’s is the new concept of rewinding. Rewinds occur when you reach a 60 note streak and allow you to go back to a section of the song you’ve already played. How far you go back depends on how fast you spin the turntable backwards (as far as I can tell). Rewinds should be used as soon as you get them as you cannot store more than one.

The second feature of DJ Hero is the effects knob which can be used on sections with an orange bridge over the track. The faster you twist the knob, the more points you get. If you are familiar with the club scene you might like to slowly twist the knob for an interesting effect reminiscent of a real mixer setup with less points awarded.

Euphoria works like the star power in guitar hero however you can activate it after only one phrase is collected. Activating Euphoria auto-cross-fades allowing you to focus on button taps and scratching. However, if euphoria runs out and your cross-fader is not aligned properly you will break combo instantly.

While providing a challenge, DJ Hero’s game play is quite fun!

Who would’ve thought that scratching a complicated section would feel as cool as hitting a crazy solo in Guitar Hero!

Graphics

DJ Hero is a game about the club scene, so it features scantily clad female dancers, flashing lights, and of course DJs!

The Graphics are good for what they are, which is essentially Guitar Hero 5 but in the Club. Though, I doubt you will be paying attention to them much given the fact you’ll be concentrated on looking at the notes. One thing that could be improved is sometimes the DJ on screen doesn’t exactly do what you are doing with your peripheral. Maybe DJ Hero 2?

One thing to note however. is the great job they did on the Celebrity DJs. DJ AM (RIP), DJ Shadow, Z-Trip, and yes even Daft Punk all look fantastic.

Sound

This game sounds great! Even artists I previously hated (Black Eyed Peas, The Killers) have mixes I enjoy.

I especially enjoy playing the mixes involving KRS-One’s Jack of Spades and Daft Punk. It also should be mentioned that I have never been a fan of Jay-Z yet I keep coming back to his set list for more.

One downside however is the lack of electronica/dance music but the David Guetta DLC pack coming out on Tuesday (November 24th, 2009) will fix that.

DJ Hero boasts 93 original mixes so there is bound to be something you’ll like!

Multiplayer

Here is the downside of DJ Hero.

In my opinion it is a very anti-social game, when it comes to actually playing. While the Guitar/DJ Mixes can be enjoyable there are only 10 of them and the scroll speed difference seems to make playing them quite tiresome. This could however be corrected with the Hyperdeck code which for some reason nobody can figure out.

Online Multiplayer is a total wash since there is no ranked matches or indication of any reason to try to win against people besides an achievement/trophy.

One amazing thing though about online is that your score achieved in a pro face off match is transferred to your career- a feature that should definitely show up in future Guitar Hero games.

Given the fact there is no stand-alone turntable available I see no real reason to even consider playing anything but the single player campaign in this game- maybe a future DJ Hero game will address this.

The Interface

One thing that has to be said about DJ Hero, is the whole set up of  “Make a Setlist” is very confusing at first. You have to add mixes to play a setlist with the blue button rather than with green as we’d come to expect. As well there is no way to sort the setlist by title. You can only sort by mix author, intensity, high score, and stars needed. This makes finding one song out of 93 quite annoying. Also DJ Hero erases your lower scores even if they were on a higher difficulty than the one you achieved a higher one on.

Your best way of going about making a set list is going to quick list rather than using the “Custom DJ Set list 1/2″

Final Thoughts

DJ Hero is off to slow start much like the original Guitar Hero. Nobody would have thought a game where you play plastic guitar would get as big as it is now, yet many people scoff at the idea that anyone would want to play DJ Hero.

I say to you, try the game before you dismiss it! It’s one of the most refreshing, unique, and difficult titles North American rhythm gaming has ever seen.

DJ Hero is also a game that can be as difficult as the mix authors want it to be, they don’t need to depend on whether a band has a guitarist that can shred for hours for the song to be difficult- and if the final songs are any indication of what FreeStyleGames/Activision can come up with, expert players should be very scared for what’s to come.

Gameplay: 4.5/5

Graphics: 4.5/5

Sound: 5/5

Replay: 4.5/5

Codes for DJ Hero

DJHero.com

Related posts:

1. Guitar Hero Smash Hits and Guitar Hero on Tour Modern Hits in Stores Now
2. Guitar Hero 5 Brings Even More Versatility, Obsession to Fans
3. Game Review: Guitar Hero: Decades

Read more at andPOP. andPOP - POP Culture with Substance

The event was packed with tons of PS3 games

SONY HOLIDAY PRESS EVENT 09: A casual analysis.

Ahsan  says:
So then,  let’s talk about the Sony holiday press event

April  says:
You really don’t care about my well being do you? >. < anyways, What did you think?

Ahsan says:
Where do I begin,  I loved the fact that the entire event was held in such an inconspicuous place and just felt like a modern art gallery.

April  says:
I know! It looked like an empty building and right on the upper floor was the event. Like some secret organization having a meeting or something!!!

sony makes some nice scarves

Ahsan   says:
hahaha true say!!!!!
I loved the ps3 scarves we received.
Check it I got a photo of it

April:
Yeah, I know, We walked in at the same time ;p

Ahsan says:
OMG the hors d’oeuvres

April says:
I ate so much >.< but I`m happy ;p
Loving the scarves <3 I wore mine the moment the event was over.

April was on box number 2..

Ahsan says:
Well I might go ahead and sell mine online. Nah, I`m just kidding
but enough about that, let`s talk about what we saw.

April  says:
I`m still dizzy from all the games we saw there! I saw Avatar, Aliens vs Predator, Tekken 6, Assassins Creed II, Heavy Rain, God of war 3, did I get all of them?

Ahsan. says:
You forgot Where the Wild Things Are, Dj Hero, Guitar hero 5, MAG, Mod Nation racers, Army of two, the New Dead to Rights, Need For Speed Shift, another Sonic game, Tony Hawk ride, the new Katamari
In other words A LOT of games. A LOT

April  says:

YEAH!

Ahsan  says:
Something that I’ll mention right off the bat is what was mysteriously missing from the show floor. Firstly we didn’t get a chance to see Modern Warfare 2.

April says:
And let’s not forget Gran Turismo 5. I honestly thought that would be there or at the very  least some video footage.

Ahsan says:
So very true, I had another gripe about not seeing the PSPgo fully playable, I mean the main rep had it, you just had to schedule a personal time with him in order to see it.

April says:
Yeah, it was pretty difficult to see the hand held. There were no displays, so it wasn’t like we could just reach into his pocket and grab the go to test it out >.<
So were there any sports games at the event?

Ahsan says:
Yes Tony Hawk’s Ride was in full display at Activision’s corner.

April says:
I thought I saw you in the distance trying to balance on something, tell me how was the game?

Ahsan says:
Oh Tony Hawk ride was awesome. ThepPeripheral made it as if you were actually balancing on a skateboard, the game even had a casual mode for those of us who can’t steer with proper precision. With a different take on how they used to approach their skateboarding games, I believe this year they may have set themselves apart from the competition. Despite its hefty price tag, the unit was really sturdy and we got to see a real skateboard legend show us the ropes.

Our legendary Skateboarder tries out Tony Hawks Ride, before going underground

April says:
Oh, it’s Jooooosh!!!! = D lols! Speaking about the stuff of legends, who brought the beat down in Tekken 6? which looked gorgeous and seemed to have the largest roster ever seen in Tekken history.

Tekken 6 looked amazing..despite the fact that I kept losing

Ahsan says:
Indeed! The backgrounds were gorgeous and fully animated, tons of stuff was going on. And according to the reps everything in the game is fully unlockable and if there should be any new downloadable content rest assure it will be free.
As for you bringing the pain in Tekken 6, my controller was messing up. It`s not over yet!

April says:
Okay, whatever you say. Was it sort of like how your drums were busted in Band Hero?

Ahsan says:
Whoa there! Ever wonder if it had something to do with your singing? Band Hero was certainly was fun.

April says:
Thank god for Taylor Swift, as long as they keep Hanna Montana away from any music game I`m happy.

Ahsan. says:
Alright changing gears let’s talk about the high points of the show,
run down your top three games of the event.

April says:
That’s easy as pie
my top three have to be:

King of kings?

Assassins Creed II, Just because there’s so much more freedom than in the first one. The inner history nerd in me really is in love<3 with the historical aspect of the game. First the Crusades now the Renaissance how can I not get excited? Throw in Leonardo Da Vinci into the whole shenanigan and I’m ecstatic. Plus he’s an assassin, a darker aspect of history. It was a time where modern ideas were being born and control was being established. So he`s pretty much a ninja like Ryu Hayabusa lol!

the second
has got to be Uncharted 2: Among thieves

I grew up watching movies like Indiana Jones and I played games like Tomb raider. This is pretty much the best of both worlds! I really loved the interaction between the characters. The dialogue really made me laugh.  While the jungle scenery was so lush that it made me want to just hop on a plane and find that forest!  Explore the land, find treasure and literally become the female Nathan Drake.

My number three without a doubt would be Heavy Rain.

It’s no peaches and cream type of game. But the story line is really mesmerizing. The way it plays even reminds me of Shenmue. Which was one of the best games on the Dreamcast. The interaction like asking questions and looking at objects left me thinking of Ryo Hazuki lol. (Please bring him back!)  This also being a story driven game has many puzzles to solve which made the inner Sherlock Holmes in me want to figure out what in the world was happening.

Ahsan says:
Fan boy alert.. I didn’t know Shenmue was so dear to you

Deciphering Heavy Rains controls

April  says:
First of all I’m a girl and besides Shenmue was an amazing game. Seeing elements of it in this game really made me smile.

Ahsan says:
But  didn’t you find Heavy Rains controls a little archaic? I felt like it was akin to the old tank style controls of resident evil. Also, I wonder how deep this game can actually get since majority of it is spent on story elements and human interactions.. Where is the gameplay at?

April says:
I  hate to admit it but the controls were a bit hard to get used to. I wish that it was easier to move the character from one area to another. As for the gameplay,  it’s all in the interaction, for example when the character is scared it’s really difficult to choose the decision you want because the predominant emotion of the character at that moment was fear.

Ahsan . says:
Ok,  so you mean to tell me that the character interactive moments yielded multiple results? That’s pretty cool.
Moving to your other choice-Assasins creed 2. I did love all the gameplay reveals thanks to the in depth demo we had our hands on.

April says:
>.<  AGREED

Ahsan says:
Having factions work for you, looking for good prices on items, and not drowning is a huge plus.

ACII builds upon the original distraction.(MGS4 pictured above)

April says:
Like the courtesans! You can hire a group of woman to distract the guards which will allow you to pass in an area without being detected. No wonder Kojima-san loved this game! LOL it’s like those books you planted to distract the guards in Metal Gear.

Ahsan says:
Ubi was carefully listening to all the feedback from the first game and its clearly evident in the sequel. Heck the lead creative designer who walked us through the demo was kind enough to inform us that they’ve even managed to cut down on the amount of annoying beggars.

April:
To me it’s a perfect example of pivotal game play improved by careful feedback.
Sooooo, how about you?  What was your top three??
What games made your list?

Ahsan says:
Top three games of the show are: Aliens vs Predator-Rebellion’s pre alpha build was visceral, vicious and seemed like a true successor to the pc version. For a pre alpha build it had some amazing gamplay elements, like the predator leap that sort of solves first person platform problem.
Next on the list is Uncharted 2 for its jaw dropping locations and excellent presentation. Last up I pick God of War 3 with its impressive visuals and insane battles. I honestly could not believe these games were running on a ps3.

April says:
Yeah? Why?

Ahsan says:
Uncharted 2 in particular takes a tried and true formula and adds some small tweaks that create a more streamlined experience. Uncharted 2 is already lighting up high review scores and having some hands on time with it certainly illustrates why.

what happens next is complimented by buckets of blood and gore

GOW 3 was the most primeval experience, I HAVE EVER SEEN. This game was brutal and I loved every moment of it. Combos were easy to pull of and you had some insane encounters throughout the demo. Remember when David Jaffe was quoted as calling the game a literal painting come to life; he was spot on. The third title in the series is definitely the best.

April says:
This was so sick, it was so brutal and gory yo! I’m so stoked for this game.

Ahsan says:
I know, I just said that lol but same!! March 2010 can’t come soon enough.

April says:
We saw a lot of good games but what about the other side of the puddle? What didn’t deliver?

Ahsan says:
It’s rather sad but I was disappointed with Army of Two and its lack of co op display thus crippling the morality system that has been hyped up. Instead we got a closed combat area showcased to us with a warzone surrounding it.
I found the new Dead to Rights not compelling enough to play but that’s just me, it seemed like the game was out of place. It wasn’t visually interesting nor did the gameplay seem to be an evolution of the series. What about you?

April says:
Weeeeelllllll…….

EA

Ahsan:
Well???

April says:
Avatar was what disappointed. It has so much potential but it just didn’t cut it for me. Graphically, they need to bring up their A game to the plate. What also kinda bugged me was that we weren’t given the opportunity to actually play the game ourselves. It was pretty much like watching a demo on the computer screen.

Ahsan says:
Yea, I mean the game is supposed to utilize a 3D Tv and uses Farcry 2s Dunia engine but it’s far from looking remotely close to Farcry 2. There was tons of geometry but having no hands on really hurt

April says:
* Imitates Randy Jackson* KEEPIN’ IT REAL DAWG!

Dj hero brought out the Urban DJ in all of us.

Ahsan says:
Yea, yea brrrrrrrrrrrrrrr bap bap

April says:
=P

Ahsan says:
Alright so this was our first press event and the kids these days wont read anything till it has some sort of rating or grade on it. So then give a grade to this press event.

April says:
B+ It was amazing but there’s always room for improvement.

Ahsan says:
Indeed, I’m with you on that. B plus some big hitters were missing but for the most part we had some pleasant surprises like a robust build of Assassins Creed 2 and Aliens vs Predator. So stay tuned for our pick of the show and a detailed discussion of what we learned.

Assassin Creed II - We just couldn't get enough of it

April says:
*Hand raises up* I call Assassins Creed 2!! haha called it  ;p

Ahsan Khan. says:
VERY WELL.
Till then our loyal readers stay tuned.

Related posts:

1. Virgin Fest 2009 Day 2
2. SONY E3 Press Conference Wrap up
3. Miley Cyrus Performs For Law Firm’s Holiday Event

Read more at andPOP. andPOP - POP Culture with Substance

Get an exclusive track from Eminem "Take My Ball" with DJ Hero: Renegade Edition on October 27th!

Activision has revealed the track lists for both Jay-Z and Eminem’s albums that come with DJ Hero: Renegade Edition next week.

Jay-Z with possibly his first “best of” compilation he’s ever had features a hit song from each of his 11 studio albums and additionally his contribution to the Notorious soundtrack, the film chronicling the life of Notorious BIG.

The Eminem CD is much more interesting as it features rarities and an all new unreleased track called “Taking My Ball,” which is only available through purchasing the DJ Hero: Renegade Edition.

“The tracks we put on this disc are mostly overlooked or rarer favorites of mine from all different parts of my career,” said Eminem. “I also put a brand new, unheard song on there so even the biggest fan has something new.”
Of course as we mentioned previously the CDs aren’t the only perk of handing over the extra money for this special edition of DJ Hero, the full package boasts a premium controller in gold and black and a carrying case which converts to a stand for optimal fake plastic DJing.

Strange how the song “Renegade” isn’t included though- dontcha think?

Jay-Z’s track list:

Ain’t No N***a – Jay-Z Featuring Foxy Brown
Where I’m From – Jay-Z
Hard Knock Life (Ghetto Anthem) – Jay-Z
Jigga My N***a – Ruff Ryders Featuring Jay-Z
I Just Wanna Love U (Give it 2 Me) – Jay-Z
Izzo (H.O.V.A.) – Jay-Z
03′ Bonnie & Clyde – Jay-Z Featuring Beyoncé Knowles
Dirt Off Your Shoulder – Jay-Z
Show Me What You Got – Jay-Z
Roc Boys (And the Winner Is)… – Jay-Z
Brooklyn Go Hard – Jay-Z Featuring Santigold
D.O.A. (Death of Auto Tune) – Jay-Z

Eminem’s track list:

Taking My Ball – Eminem
Say Goodbye to Hollywood – Eminem
Soldier – Eminem
The Re-Up – Eminem & 50 Cent
Rabbit Run – Eminem
Get U Mad – Eminem
Bad Guys Always Die – Dr. Dre & Eminem
Public Enemy No. 1 – Eminem
Say What You Say – Eminem Featuring Dr. Dre
Lose Yourself – Eminem
Hey Lady – Obie Trice Featuring Eminem
One Shot 2 Shot – Eminem Featuring D-12

http://www.djhero.com

Related posts:

1. Eminem Provides a Deeper Look into Relapse 2
2. Dj Hero Demo now available in Gamestop
3. Guitar Hero and Activision Unveil DJ Hero Renegade Edition!

Read more at andPOP. andPOP - POP Culture with Substance

Move aside, guitar, there’s a new Hero taking over the video game world: the turntable.

Video game creator Activision has released the much-anticipated massive set list for the DJ Hero video game, which comes out on Oct. 27, according to CHARTattack.

The game features 93 exclusive mixes by some of the industry’s top DJs, including Cut Chemist, DJ Shadow, and the late DJ AM. On the game these DJs slice up songs by artists such as Daft Punk, The Killers, Jay-Z, Public Enemies, and the Beastie Boys.

DJ Hero aims to expand on the technology used in video games such as Guitar Hero and Rock Band. The game will use a turntable controller to help immerse players into DJ culture. It will give aspiring DJs the chance to learn DJ techniques including sampling, crossfading, and scratching.

DJ Hero is being marketed as a game to be played in groups. Activision is hoping the game will do for house parties what Guitar Hero did for guitars. Unlike other games of its kind, DJ Hero actively encourages players put their own artistic input onto the tracks, as there is room for creative expression on all mixes.

The Renegade Edition of the game, featuring Eminem and Jay-Z, includes a copy of the game, a premium controller, and a hard-shell turntable carrying case that converts to a performance-ready DJ stand. The special edition also contains an exclusive Eminem and Jay-Z two-CD pack including some new and unreleased material.

Here is the full DJ Hero set list:

2Pac – “All Eyez On Me” vs. The Aranbee Pop Orchestra — “Bittersweet Symphony (Instrumental)”
50 Cent – “Disco Inferno” vs. David Bowie — “Let’s Dance”
50 Cent – “Disco Inferno” vs. InDeep — “Last Night A DJ Saved My Life”
Afrika Bambaataa – “Zulu Nation Throwdown” vs. Freedom Express — “Get Down”
Beastie Boys – “Here’s A Little Somethin’ For Ya” vs. DJ Shadow — “The Number Song (2009 Version)” (Produced and mixed by DJ Shadow)
Beastie Boys – “Intergalactic” vs. Blondie — “Rapture”
Beastie Boys – “Lee Majors Come Again” vs. Daft Punk — “Da Funk” (Produced and mixed by Cut Chemist)
Beck – “Where It’s At” vs. DJ Shadow — “Six Days (Remix ft. Mos Def)”
Bell Biv DeVoe — “Poison” Beat Juggle
Bell Biv DeVoe – “Poison” vs. Beastie Boys — “Intergalactic” (Produced and mixed by DJ AM)
Bell Biv DeVoe – “Poison” vs. Cameo — “Word Up!”
Benny Benassi – “Satisfaction” vs. Tiësto — “Elements Of Life”
Billy Squier – “The Big Beat” vs. N.E.R.D. — “Lapdance” (DJ-Guitar mix)
Black Eyed Peas – “Boom Boom Pow” vs. Benny Benassi — “Satisfaction”
Bobby “Blue” Bland – “Ain’t No Love In The Heart Of The City” vs. 2Pac — “How Do You Want It”
Bobby “Blue” Bland – “Ain’t No Love In The Heart Of The City” vs. Connie Price & The Keystones — “Fuzz And Them”
Boogie Down Productions – “Jack Of Spades” vs. David Bowie — “Let’s Dance” (Produced and mixed by DJ Shadow)
Chuck Brown & The Soul Searchers — “Bustin’ Loose” vs. The Zombies — “Time Of The Season” (Produced and mixed by DJ Shadow)
Chuck Brown & The Soul Searchers —”Bustin’ Loose” vs. Young MC — “Bust A Move”
Common – “Universal Mind Control (U.M.C.)” vs. Masta Ace — “Jeep A** Gutter (Aaron LaCrate & Debonair Samir RMX)” (Produced and mixed by The Scratch Perverts)
Cypress Hill – “Insane In The Brain” vs. Classics IV — “Spooky”
Cypress Hill – “Insane In The Brain” vs. David Axelrod — “The Edge”
Daft Punk – “Around The World” vs. Young MC — “Bust A Move”
Daft Punk – “Da Funk” vs. N.A.S.A. — “Strange Enough ft. Karen O, ODB & Fatlip”
Daft Punk — “Megamix 1″
Daft Punk — “Megamix 2″
Daft Punk — “Robot Rock” vs. Hashim – “Al Naafyish (The Soul)” (Produced and mixed by The Scratch Perverts)
Daft Punk — “Robot Rock” vs. Queen – “We Will Rock You”
Daft Punk — “Short Circuit” vs. Boogie Down Productions – “Jack Of Spades”
Daft Punk — “Technologic” vs. Gary Numan – “Cars”
Daft Punk — “Television Rules the Nation” vs. No Doubt – “Hella Good”
David Axelrod — “The Edge” vs. Eric B. & Rakim – “Eric B. Is President”
Dizzee Rascal — “Fix Up, Look Sharp” vs. DJ Shadow – “Organ Donor (Extended Overhaul)”
Dizzee Rascal — “Fix Up, Look Sharp” vs. Justice – “Genesis”
DJ Shadow — “Six Days (Remix ft. Mos Def)” vs. D-Code – “Annie’s Horn”
Eminem — “My Name Is” vs. Beck – “Loser”
Fedde Le Grand — “Put Your Hands Up For Detroit” vs. Sandy Rivera and David Penn — “I Can’t Stop (David Penn Remix)”
Foo Fighters — “Monkey Wrench” vs. Beastie Boys — “Sabotage” (DJ-Guitar mix)
Foreigner — “Juke Box Hero” vs. DJ Z-Trip ft. Murs — “DJ Hero” (Produced and mixed by DJ Z-Trip)
Foreigner — “Juke Box Hero” vs. DJ Z-Trip ft. Murs — “DJ Hero” (DJ-Guitar mix, produced and mixed by DJ Z-Trip)
Gang Starr — “Just To Get A Rep” vs. Mobb Deep — “Shook Ones, Pt 2″ (Produced and mixed by J. Period)
Gorillaz — “Feel Good Inc.” vs. Blondie — “Atomic”
Grandmaster Flash’s — “Boom” vs. “Tap” (Produced and mixed by Grandmaster Flash)
Grandmaster Flash, DJ Kool, DJ Demo — “Here Comes My DJ” vs. Gary Numan – “Cars” (Produced and mixed by Grandmaster Flash)
Gwen Stefani — “Hollaback Girl” vs. Gorillaz – “Feel Good Inc.”
Gwen Stefani — “Hollaback Girl” vs. InDeep “Last Night A DJ Saved My Life” (Produced and mixed by DJ AM)
Gwen Stefani — “Hollaback Girl” vs. Rick James — “Give It To Me”
Herbie Hancock — “Rockit” Beat Juggle
Herbie Hancock – “Rockit” vs. N.E.R.D. – “Lapdance” (Produced and mixed by Grandmaster Flash)
InDeep — “Last Night A DJ Saved My Life” vs. Cameo — “Word Up!”
Jackson 5 — “I Want You Back” vs. Gang Starr — “Just To Get A Rep” (Produced and mixed by DJ Yoda)
Jackson 5 — “I Want You Back” vs. Third Eye Blind — “Semi-Charmed Life” (DJ-Guitar mix)
Jackson 5 — “I Want You Back” vs. Third Eye Blind — “Semi-Charmed Life”
JAY-Z feat. Pharrell — “Change Clothes” vs. 2Pac — “All Eyez on Me”
JAY-Z — “Izzo (H.O.V.A.)” vs. Eminem — “My Name Is”
JAY-Z — “Izzo (H.O.V.A.)” vs. Jackson 5 — “I Want You Back”
JAY-Z — “Excuse Me Miss” vs. Rick James — “Give It To Me”
Jean Knight — “Mr. Big Stuff” vs. Masta Ace — “Born To Roll”
Jurassic 5 — “Jayou” vs. Billy Squier — “The Big Beat”
Jurassic 5 — “Jayou” vs. Herbie Hancock — “Rockit”
Kid Cudi — “Day ‘N’ Nite” vs. Black Eyed Peas — “Boom Boom Pow”
Kool Moe Dee — “How Ya Like Me Now” vs. Reel 2 Real featuring The Mad Stuntman — “I Like To Move It”
Little Richard — “Tutti Frutti” vs. Shlomo — “Beats” (Produced and mixed by DJ Yoda)
M.I.A. — “Paper Planes” vs. Eric B. & Rakim — “Eric B. Is President” (Produced and mixed by The Scratch Perverts)
M.I.A. — “Paper Planes” vs. Wale — “Lookin’ At Me”
Marvin Gaye — “I Heard It Through The Grapevine” vs. David Bowie — “Let’s Dance”
Marvin Gaye — “I Heard It Through The Grapevine” vs. Gorillaz — “Feel Good Inc.”
Motörhead — “Ace Of Spades” vs. Noisia — “Groundhog” (DJ—Guitar mix)
N.A.S.A. — “Strange Enough ft. Karen O, ODB & Fatlip” vs. Isaac Hayes — “Theme From Shaft”
Noisia — “Groundhog” Beat Juggle (Produced and mixed by The Scratch Perverts)
Paul van Dyk — “Nothing But You” vs. Sandy Rivera and David Penn — “I Can’t Stop (David Penn Remix)”
Public Enemy — “Shut ‘Em Down” vs. Beck — “Where It’s At”
Public Enemy ft. Zakk Wylde — “Bring The Noise 20XX” vs. Justice — “Genesis” (Produced and mixed by DJ Z—Trip)
Public Enemy featuring Zakk Wylde — “Bring The Noise 20XX” (DJ—Guitar mix)
Q—Tip — “Good Thang” vs. Billy Squier — “The Big Beat” (Produced and mixed by J. Period)
Queen — “Another One Bites The Dust” vs. Beastie Boys — “Brass Monkey” (Produced and mixed by DJ Z—Trip)
Queen — “Another One Bites The Dust” vs. Daft Punk — “Da Funk”
Rihanna — “Disturbia” vs. Kid Sister — “Control”
Rihanna — “Disturbia” vs. The Killers — “Somebody Told Me” (DJ—Guitar mix)
Rihanna — “Disturbia” vs. The Trammps — “Disco Inferno”
Shlomo — “Beats” vs. Billy Squier — “The Big Beat”
Street Sweeper Social Club — “Fight! Smash! Win!” vs. Beastie Boys — “Intergalactic” (DJ—Guitar mix)
Tears For Fears — “Shout” vs. DJ Shadow — “Six Days (Remix ft. Mos Def)”
Tears For Fears — “Shout” vs. Eric B. & Rakim — “Eric B. Is President” (Produced and mixed by DJ Jazzy Jeff)
Tears For Fears — “Shout” vs. Eric Prydz — “Pjanoo”
The Aranbee Pop Orchestra — “Bittersweet Symphony (Instrumental)” vs. LL Cool J — “Rock The Bells” (Produced and mixed by DJ Jazzy Jeff)
The Scratch Perverts Beats and Pieces (Produced and mixed by The Scratch Perverts)
The Killers — “Somebody Told Me” vs. Eric Prydz — “Pjanoo”
Vanilla Ice — “Ice Ice Baby” vs. MC Hammer — “U Can’t Touch This”
Vanilla Ice — “Ice Ice Baby” vs. Paula Abdul — “Straight Up”
Wale — “Lookin’ At Me” vs. Black Eyed Peas ft. Tippa Irie — “Hey Mama”
Weezer — “Beverly Hills” vs. Evidence, The Alchemist, Aceyalone, Rakaa & 88 Keys — “Fresh Rhymes And Videotape” (DJ—Guitar mix)
Wild Cherry — “Play That Funky Music” vs. Gang Starr — “Just To Get A Rep” (DJ— Guitar mix)

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If you’re a fan of plastic instruments but can’t get into wearing spiked bracelets and headbanging to Children of Bodom perhaps the forthcoming DJ Hero will be more akin to your tastes. DJ Hero which is released in October 2009 for PlayStation 3, PS2, Xbox 360 and the Nintendo Wii will finally tap into the giant market of people that don’t enjoy Guitar Driven music such as  hip-hop, R&B, pop, rock and electronica.

DJ Hero delivers them all with over 100 individual songs, highlighted in over 80 unique never-before-released mixes.

Now chances are if you are interested in DJ Hero you are most likely a fan of two of the biggest names in hip-hop, Eminem and Dr. Dre, well boy does DJ Hero have something for you!

Presenting the DJ Hero Renegade Edition!

DJ Hero Renegade Edition includes:

*    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 unreleased tracks
and collectible case designed by artist Shepard Fairey

Unfortunately no “Chronic” is included though- maybe DJ Hero 2 featuring Snoop Dogg- hizzle.

http://djhero.com

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DJ Jazzy Jeff joins the in game character list (DJ Shadow, DJ Z-Trip, DJ AM and the Grandmaster Flash) for fake plastic DJs to use this fall in DJ Hero.

With the addition of DJ Jazzy Jeff comes new track list additions such as: Tears for Fears “Shout” vs. Eric B. & Rakim “Eric B. Is President” and LL Cool J “Rock the Bells” vs. The Aranbee Pop Symphony Orchestra “Bittersweet Symphony.”

“I am very, very excited DJ culture is finally getting its due.  To have a song in DJ Hero is a dream come true; to be a character someone can pick up the controller and select you and play is probably the biggest thing to happen to me in my career,” said DJ Jazzy Jeff.  “Music is so much a part of everyone’s life, DJ Hero is going to appeal to almost everybody.”

That’s all well and good  but when can I play “The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air Theme” in one of these games?

For more information on DJ Jazzy Jeff, please visit djjazzyjeff.com.

http://djhero.com

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Big news for fans of Grandmaster Flash! Turns out his likeliness and music will be part of the upcoming game!

He not only will be the tutorial teacher but Freestyle Games have taken two of his tracks and remixed them.

And for all of us who dont know about Grandmaster Flash. Check out his track The Message… pretty good stuff.

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Activision Blizzard is now in the midst of making dreams come true once again, well virtually that is.

If you wanted to always be a rock star, shredding the guitar, they gave you “Guitar Hero”.

If you wanted to always have the epic band, with the added vocals, bass and drums, they gave you “Rock Band”.

Now, if you wanted to always be a DJ, mixing the beats and the controlling the flow of the party, and Activision Blizzard will soon be giving you “DJ Hero”.

Gaming blog Kotaku, reported the original details on Friday concerning the new Activision Blizzard music title.

The newest project from Activision Blizzard, involves a music rhythm game, that will let gamers scratch to the beat of popular mash-ups with a laptop turntable peripheral.

According to MTV News, the game’s mash-up mechanics are a great feature for the game, but result in a huge dilemma for licensing when dealing with all the music labels.

“DJ Hero”, which has been in development for about two years, is expected to hit store shelves next summer, and will also likely include the ability to use Guitar Hero guitars for versus mode face-offs.

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