Other meanings of Guitar Hero World Tour
Video Games
Guitar Hero World Tour is a 2008 rhythm game developed by Neversoft and published by Activision. It is the fourth main installment in the Guitar Hero series and the first to feature a full band experience, including guitar, bass, drums, and vocals. The game was released for multiple platforms and became one of the best-selling games of 2008, known for its expanded gameplay, music creation tools, and online multiplayer.
Guitar Hero World Tour introduced a full band mode, allowing up to four players to perform on lead guitar, bass guitar, drums, and vocals. The drum controller featured velocity-sensitive pads and a kick pedal, while the microphone supported pitch detection for singing. The game also added a music studio mode, where players could create and share their own songs, a feature that was later expanded in future titles. The setlist included over 80 songs, ranging from classic rock to modern hits, with master recordings from artists such as The Who, Jimi Hendrix, and Linkin Park.
Neversoft, known for the Tony Hawk's Pro Skater series, took over development from Harmonix, who had moved on to create Rock Band. The game was released in October 2008 for PlayStation 2, PlayStation 3, Wii, and Xbox 360, with a Microsoft Windows version following in 2009. The Wii version was developed by Vicarious Visions and lacked some online features. The game was a commercial success, selling over 3 million copies in the United States by the end of 2008, and was praised for its improved graphics and the new instruments, though some critics noted the drum controller's build quality issues.
Guitar Hero World Tour received generally positive reviews, with critics praising the expanded band gameplay and the music studio mode, but some criticized the lack of innovation compared to Rock Band. The game's online multiplayer allowed cross-platform play between PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360, a notable feature at the time. The music creation tools were a precursor to later user-generated content systems in games like LittleBigPlanet and Minecraft. The game's success helped solidify the rhythm game boom of the late 2000s, though the genre would soon decline due to market saturation.
One of the lesser-known features is the 'GHMix' mode, which allowed players to create and share songs online, with a dedicated community that continued to produce content for years. The game also included a hidden 'Expert' difficulty for drums that required a second kick pedal, a rarity in the series. The PlayStation 2 version had a reduced setlist and lacked online play, making it a distinct experience. Additionally, the game's soundtrack included a cover of 'The Joker' by the Steve Miller Band, which was a last-minute addition. The game's development was marked by a legal dispute with Harmonix over patent infringement, which was settled out of court.
Guitar Hero World Tour is often credited with popularizing the full-band rhythm game genre, but its legacy is also tied to the oversaturation that led to the genre's decline.
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