Playing the guitar can be empowering, it can be therapeutic and most of all, it can be fun.
Creating music for others is something that has gone on for generations, often speaking to people in ways words cannot. Sadly, the ability to play the guitar well is not something everyone possesses. That doesn’t stop fans of guitar music though, as they search out other ways to be like their heroes, whether that is Bob Dylan, Jimi Hendrix or the local busker on the subway who never made it big, but still tugs on the heartstrings.
The best way for non-guitar players to find solace and sanctuary is on a mobile device or through computer games. Recent history is littered with examples of guitar games giving people the chance to be just like their heroes. Who could forget Guitar Hero on the PlayStation and Xbox, which even came with a guitar-shaped controller to allow you to rock out in your living room? The imagery and themes from playing in a band have contributed to other successful games. Cheeky Bingo has a couple of titles dedicated to rock music, namely Monsters of Rock and Elvis the King Lives, which play on the rock star themes. Bands such as Aerosmith and Kiss have leant their branding to games too, eager to impress a new generation of gamers into becoming fans.
Games on mobiles are incredibly popular now and that seems to be a good outlet for guitar fans to further indulge in their favorite hobby without an actual guitar. Mobile platforms already provide a great resource for learning and developing your skills, but they can also deliver a fun experience for guitar fans on the go, as you’ll see in the titles below.
Rock Life: Guitar Legend
Being a great guitarist is as much about timing as rhythm and many of the games featuring guitars use timing as their basis, usually timing button presses with on-screen prompts. That’s the core mechanic behind Rock Life: Guitar Legend, which plays very much like the older Guitar Hero games.
You can start your own band, invite other friends to play and compete with gamers from around the world for the best scores. One of the most exciting features is the ability to collect hundreds of exclusive guitars and customize them too.
Guitar Band Battle
Guitar Band Battle is a free multiplayer game that also draws on Guitar Hero for its inspiration. It delivers a strong career mode in which you start as a garage band, build your members and evolve into a rock n roll hero. Those with a passion for the instruments themselves will not be disappointed either; you can buy replicas of Fender, Kramer, Gibson and Epiphone to customize throughout your experience.
Guitar Flash 3
Guitar Flash uses a font remarkably like Guitar Hero, perhaps to further strengthen the feeling of nostalgia for the classic title. It has got an easy to use interface which fans of the series will love, and a good selection of songs to play too.
Users have cited it as a great way to improve finger dexterity and coordination, so perhaps the title can even help you become a better real-life player.
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