I know what you're thinking, but Ubisoft's Jam Sessions for the DS isn't just a Guitar Hero rip off. It's more like what would happen if Guitar Hero and *Electroplankton had a baby. And isn't that just an interesting little mental picture? Moving on!
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Jam Sessions uses audio digitally mastered from a real acoustic guitar, and will allow players to play along with tracks from "the hottest artists of today and yesterday" (ugh), or just play whatever tune strikes their fancy. There will also be a tutorial mode that will teach the musically impaired (that'd be me) how to play guitar like a pro, or at least not look like a complete chump.
Where Jam Sessions trumps Electroplankton is in its ability to record and playback your play session, though you'll probably just end up with a few strums and some wank yelling "Freebird!"
__UBISOFT ANNOUNCES JAM SESSIONSTM GUITAR TITLE FOR NINTENDO DSTM__A Diverse Music Experience for Everyone: You Actually Play Music!
____Today
Ubisoft, one of the world’s largest video game publishers, announced that Jam Sessions™ – a groundbreaking music title exclusively for the
Nintendo DS™ system in which players actually strum a guitar via the
Touch Screen to make music – will launch in EMEA territories this summer.
“Jam Sessions is an amazing title with limitless potential to entertain and engage a wide audience of people who love music, guitar and singing,” said John Parks, EMEA Marketing Director.
“Basically, it’s a guitar in your pocket but that’s just the beginning.
It’s a chance for people who have never thought of themselves as
‘musically inclined’ to jump right in and play through entire songs, compose their own music and sing along with friends.”
Players will rock out, or smoothly strum, on the lower screen of the Nintendo
DS system, producing an authentic sound digitally remastered from an actual acoustic guitar. The simple interface will guide players into the various easy-to-play modes which include: Performance Mode, allowing users to sing and play along both yesterday and today’s hottest artists; Free-Play Mode, where people can play anything they chose; and Tutorial Mode where novice musicians will learn to play guitar without paying for lessons.
One of the most compelling features is the ability to record what you play and play it back, therefore making Jam Sessions virtual notepad for players to write, play and save their original music anytime, anywhere. The portability of the DS system makes Jam Sessions a complete concert-on-the-go entertainment system, perfect for parties and other social gatherings –
simply hook up some external speakers via the headphone jack and you’re a rock star!
