August 29th 2012 6:00 am PT

Arcade: Rock Band Blitz

Content: Rock Band Blitz
Price: 1200 Microsoft Points
Availability: Check availability in your Xbox LIVE region
Dash Text: (Online Interactions Not Rated by the ESRB) Rock Band Blitz brings the excitement of a full band into your hands, transforming classic Rock Band gameplay into an addictive single player controller-based experience – no instruments needed! Compete with your friends on over 20 amazing new tracks, which are also instantly playable in Rock Band 3. Or add your own favorite music: Rock Band Blitz is compatible with the 3,500+ songs in the Rock Band library. With an endless combination of power-ups, instrument multipliers and more, Rock Band Blitz makes every song a replayable rock explosion! Not compatible with instrument controllers/Rock Band Pro upgrades. Online Interactions and Music Downloads Not Rated by the ESRB.

Add the game trial to your Xbox 360 download queue

Arcade, Marketplace By Larry Hryb, Xbox LIVE's Major Nelson

permalink: http://majornelson.com/2012/08/29/arcade-rock-band-blitz/

Hugoku

Finally! Instant buy!
Can’t wait to get home to play this.
mcmax3000

I’ve been lucky enough to be playing this since Friday, and I can’t recommend it enough. It is easily one of the most addicting games I have ever played on XBLA.
- The Dukenator
  
  So its true you can use the past Rock Band music library in Rock Band Blitz?
  - mcmax3000
    
    Absolutely. You can use any song that works in Rock Band 3, except for the songs on the RB3 disc, since those can’t be exported to your hard drive.
    - The Dukenator
      
      The game says you can play RBB songs in RB3.
      - mcmax3000
        
        Correct. You can play Blitz songs in RB3.
Russell Gorall

I have been playing this for about ten days, and it is terrible. Stay away.
- mcmax3000
  
  Care to elaborate since you apparently have so much experience with the game so far?
  - Lee Rayson
    
    By his gamertag he aint even played it…. im sure he has played it though right!!!
    - mcmax3000
      
      I figured that was likely the case, hence why I called him on it.
      - Lee Rayson
        
        Yeah, im sure he played it on another gamertag though.
        I find Larry blog is full of people that put down a game they claiming to have played but haven’t just means future all opinions of these people become void imo
        check your xbox forums PM when you have time
      - mcmax3000
        
        The internet in general is full of that. It’s far from exclusive to this blog.
        
        I have nothing in my Xbox Forums PM box at the moment.
      - RockMSockMNY
        
        This guy in particular
      - Lee Rayson
        
        Slandering me, proof on that? any proof i made comments on games i do not own or not played?
        My gamertag is DarkGin87 go look through my games and see if ive ever made a comment about a game i aint played
      - RockMSockMNY
        
        Huh? I was agreeing with you–”this guy” wasn’t referring to you.
      - Lee Rayson
        
        My mistake too much sugar yesterday
  - Russell Gorall
    
    We both haven’t played it early. Get it? It is the Internet, you say weird stuff to get cred then call out people who just did what you did.
    - mcmax3000
      
      I got a copy last Friday. Check out my Gamercard on the Xbox site if you don’t believe me, not that I really care all that much if you do or not.
      - Russell Gorall
        
        You seem to care a lot. Cheers.
      - mcmax3000
        
        Nah, was just bored waiting to head to PAX this morning,
      - Russell Gorall
        
        The Internet.
      - http://twitter.com/GreenMistt Miller
        
        Shameless plug is shameless.
- Fabian
  
  I’m confused if you have been playing it for ten days and say its terrible, why keep playing it?
http://www.facebook.com/chris.grub.5 Chris Grub

Will try demo.
thehoz

It says no instrument needed….can an instrument be used if you have them?
- Hugoku
  
  No. While it may look similar, it’s not really based on a 5 color lane button-scheme gameplay as regular Rock Band.
  This is played with the sticks and the shoulder buttons which are absent in the instrument controllers.
  - The Dukenator
    
    While you could play the other RBs with a standard controller, its best to be played with the instruments.
    
    Rock Band Blitz only uses the standard controllers to play.
    - http://Youtube.com/sideslick1024 Sideslick1024
      
      The other RBs all required controllers.
      
      Guitar Hero 1-Aerosmith were able to be played with a standard controller, but those were the only ones.
      - The Dukenator
        
        Yes, but its more fun with the instrument controller.
        
        At least, Rocksmith came out and let you use a real guitar for once.
      - http://Youtube.com/sideslick1024 Sideslick1024
        
        I’m saying that the other Rock Band games cannot be played using just a standard controller. Players need either a microphone (in addition to a standard controller), or a guitar, drum, or keyboard controller.
        
        I agree that rhythm gaming is always better with an instrument controller. That’s pretty much an established fact.
        
        Rocksmith is awesome, even for those who have some experience. I had been taking a break from guitar and it helped me out, getting back into practicing.
        
        I’ve had it since Christmas, and need to play it a bit more often. I’m getting rusty =(
      - The Dukenator
        
        I bought a Stratocaster 4 years ago. Never got around to actually piaying, but Rocksmith might help me play.
        
        Besides, could you do string skipping in rhythm games?
      - http://Youtube.com/sideslick1024 Sideslick1024
        
        I know I can skip strings on my 2007 Spalted Maple Telecaster Custom!
http://www.facebook.com/people/Dane-Miller/500337604 Dane Miller

Already purchased ready to play when i get home =D
SKFU

Be even faster than Major Nelson and check out upcoming & hidden Xbox Live content with SKFU’s XBLM Browser : http://streetskaterfu.blogspot.com/2012/08/update-skfus-xblm-browser-130.html
- http://twitter.com/Navarin Buster Wolf
  
  Or just use XBLDB.
Captiosus

Is it like FreQuency and Amplitude? Ok, have to pick up the demo to find out. If it is, I’m buying it without fail.
- Spokker
  
  The 350 megs does not cover the soundtrack. The soundtrack is a separate download. And the size of the game does not matter.
Matt S

I had hopes for this because I loved Frequency and Amplitude. But this game is terrible. The diffrent button setup is stupid and the games just seems flawed for some reason compared to Frequency. Meh.
- Ganon255
  
  I’m not real big on the controls, I would have prefered a little more complexity. The game is addictive however, and is easily worth the money, regardless.
- Hugoku
  
  What i (briefly) played yesterday, I liked.
  Still not sure I love it though. Need to play with it more, unlock some power-ups and get some competition from my friend list.
  
  Also, probably need to try a different control scheme. Don’t feel too comfortable with the default setting.
- Spokker
  
  Going from Frequency/Amplitude to Rock Band Blitz is like going from Morrowind to Oblivion. Dumbed down to be sure, but still fun. This is just the way the industry is now.
Socal71

As a musician, I actually like this better than Guitar Hero or Rock Band. It is far more accurate to what and how the notes should be played (especially in the metal songs). The other games never got that part right. My only complaint is the price of the songs. I get they are mastered and layered but $2 for each track is a little too much.

I definitely recommend it though.

Does anyone know if tracks from other Rock Band games area playable with this game? I don’t own the other Rock Band games and I’d rather not spend $50 for 40 songs, when I could spend $24.95 and get 80.

Thanks
- Hugoku
  
  You could get RB1 used on the cheap (or better yet, borrowed), and pay $5 for the license fee. Bam, you get 55 songs.
  You can do it for RB2 as well, but would you need to get a *brand new* copy since it uses a one-time code for the license. Unless you get lucky and come across with a used copy with an unused code. And you need a copy of RB3 (you could rent it). This yields 70 songs.
  Same deal with RB: Green Day (44 tracks) and the AC-DC Track Pack (18 tracks).
  Finally, you can get the Rock Band Free 01 pack which contains the HMX band songs from RB2.
  - Socal71
    
    Thanks Hugoku, I really appreciate the info and will do just that!
  - http://Youtube.com/sideslick1024 Sideslick1024
    
    I have all of those but one…
    
    WHY CAN”T I FIND A NEW COPY OF LEGO ROCK BAND!!!???
    
    *Falls on knees and makes stereotypical “Why god?” pose with arms spread*
  - http://twitter.com/dlchief58 Michael Burden
    
    Rock Band 3 disc songs are not playable in Blitz as they are not stored on the hard drive as DLC and there is no export code yet for that game. All the DLC will work, just not the disc songs. And the Blitz songs are playable in Rock Band 3 at no additional cost nor any need to export.
    - Hugoku
      
      Well, I guess the point is that if you want to import the RB2 songs to play in Blitz, you really need to get an RB3 copy (not new, just get a hold of one).
      There is no way to import the songs other than through the RB3 options menu.
kingcrusher

There were four songs off the list I REALLY wanted to play on RB3, so to me it’s like getting a decent game with a few awesome songs. It’s not a bad game, just not great. The inclusion of Iron Maiden was the clincher.

August 29th 2012 6:00 am PT

Arcade: Rock Band Blitz

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