Strategy & Sim Video Games

One of Activision's most successful franchises joins forces with one of rock's most enduring bands in Guitar Hero: Aerosmith. The series, known for making gamers feel like rock stars, first put real rock stars into games with the inclusion of guitar gods Slash and Tom Morello as boss characters in Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock, but Guitar Hero: Aerosmith lets players follow the legendary Boston-based quintet's ascension from the tiny Nipmuc High School auditorium to center stage at the Super Bowl XXXV halftime show.

More of a healthy, Aerosmith-themed expansion of Guitar Hero III than a completely new entry in the series, Guitar Hero: Aerosmith nevertheless offers more than 40 new rock songs to which gamers can shred. The track list is heavy with Aerosmith classics like "Dream On," "Sweet Emotion," and "Rag Doll," but the game also features songs from groups that have influenced or toured with the band, including Mott the Hoople, New York Dolls, and The Black Crowes.

Gamers can begin as familiar characters from Guitar Hero III like Axel Steel and Midori, but eventually they'll be able to jam as guitarists Joe Perry and Tom Hamilton. New outfits become available as players progress through the six venues, and for the first time in the series, all five members of the group will be on stage at once. Lead singer Steven Tyler spent a month shooting motion capture video, while Perry, Hamilton, and Brad Whitford shred on dozens of real guitars from their personal collection, all of which can be unlocked.

Though Guitar Hero: Aerosmith features standard issue rhythm-based gameplay, the single-player difficulty level has attenuated, and gamers are only confronted by one boss battle. Co-op career mode has been removed, but gamers can still go head-to-head or unlock songs cooperatively in the regular career mode. ~ Christopher Brown, All Game Guide

Sony Europe's SingStar series returns to North American PS2s, turning the console into a karaoke machine stocked with hit songs from the decade that saw the country embrace the sing-it-yourself trend in the first place. In SingStar games, players sing along with famous songs into a microphone, as a timing graphic moves across the screen and the lyrics appear below. Software analyzes their voices to judge their accuracy in timing and pitch.

The software allows for solo performances as well as duets, when two microphones are connected. The selection of songs and styles is nearly as varied as the Top 40 charts of the era; highlights include the B-52's "Love Shack," Baby Got Back" from Sir Mix A Lot, and "Wannabe" from the Spice Girls, as well as selections from All Saints, M.C. Hammer, Nirvana, Radiohead, R.E.M., and Seal. A total of 30 songs are available, each with its original music video. Players with an EyeToy (or other USB camera) can choose to display themselves on screen instead. ~ T.J. Deci, All Game Guide

Aspiring duelists can exhibit some derring-do in this card competition based on the popular Cartoon Network show. In Yu-Gi-Oh! GX: The Beginning of Destiny players take on the role of a young transfer student who has come to the Duel Academy just as students are frantically seeking partners for the newly announced Tag Duel Tournament. Gamers must take on the Academy's best duelists to earn trust and friendship in order to land the perfect partner for the Tournament. The game features more than 2,400 cards, as well as unique duel characters that only appear in the PSP game Yu-Gi-Oh! GX Tag Force 2. Players can also connect to GX Tag Force 2 to obtain new cards, and each copy of The Beginning of Destiny comes with three special edition trading cards. ~ Christopher Brown, All Game Guide

The most ambitious peripheral-driven game at the time of its release, Rock Band encourages aspiring musicians to drum, strum, or hum to classic and current rock songs instead of being limited to one specific part. Developer Harmonix Music Systems, who created both the acclaimed Guitar Hero and Karaoke Revolution franchises, expands the rhythm genre by introducing a four-player cooperative title featuring four distinct roles: drums, lead guitar, bass guitar, and vocals. To support this endeavor, Rock Band offers a custom designed drum kit, microphone, and guitar peripheral, all of which can be purchased separately or together with the "special edition" bundle.

Fans of the developer's previous hits will feel right at home with Rock Band, as the underlying engine incorporates many of the same ideas. To "play" the sound with your selected peripheral, you must hit the right color-coordinated notes in time to the music. The singing aspect is identical to the one used in Karaoke Revolution, where your voice's pitch and phrasing is scored on how close you croon to the selected track. The PlayStation 2 version is missing a few features found in both the Xbox 360 and PS3 games. Players cannot create custom rockers, for example, and the World Tour mode simply offers a track list instead of multiple venues. While 45 licensed songs are included, Rock Band on PlayStation 2 does not support online downloads for additional content. ~ Scott Alan Marriott, All Game Guide

Helium-pitched prodigies Alvin and the Chipmunks set out to prove their musical mastery in this rhythm game inspired by 2007's live action film starring Jason Lee. Alvin, Simon, and Theodore dream of performing at the "Rockathonapalooza," but first the trio must test their chops at school proms, forest arenas, and other smaller-scale venues. As in most titles in the genre, the action involves tapping buttons as scrolling symbols pass over a fixed target.

Perfect timing results in higher scores and the potential to earn combo bonuses. The licensed soundtrack offers 40 songs, including chipmunk renditions of such hits as "All the Small Things," "It's Tricky," "Heartbreak Hotel," "All Star," "Shiny Happy People," "Stand," and "Slow Ride." Alvin and the Chipmunks is startup publisher Brash Entertainment's first video game in a planned portfolio of movie-themed projects. ~ Scott Alan Marriott, All Game Guide

European developer Cauldron's follow-up to The History Channel Presents: Civil War -- A Nation Divided trades bayonets for sub-machine guns in Battle for the Pacific. This first-person shooter has players fighting alongside a close-knit squad in some of the most intense battles fought in World War II's Eastern Front. From Henderson Field to Mount Suribachi, players will advance through thick jungles, across volcanic islands, and past fortified caves to complete objectives. Documentary videos preface each mission, offering detailed statistics, battle footage, and other enlightening information. Authentic mission types include recapturing airfields, repelling enemy assaults, embarking on search-and-destroy operations, and more. Among the weapons available to players are sub-machine guns, sniper rifles, pistols, and grenades. ~ Scott Alan Marriott, All Game Guide

Inspired by such hits as Konami's Dance Dance Revolution, Activision's Dancing with the Stars offers 36 licensed songs and optional support for dance mat peripherals. Based on ABC's weekly dance competition, Dancing with the Stars features nine previous celebrity contestants, including Emmitt Smith, Stacy Keibler, Mario Lopez, and Joey Lawrence. The couples must perform the cha-cha, tango, mambo, samba, rumba, foxtrot, waltz, and other dances.

Players will follow each routine by moving their feet (or the controller) in the same directions as the arrows displayed on screen. After the performance, the television show's three judges will offer their critique. Featured songs include "Put Your Records On," "I Like the Way You Move," "She's a Lady," "These Boots Were Made for Walking," and "The Final Countdown." In addition to the single-player game, two-player support is available in both head-to-head and duet modes. ~ Scott Alan Marriott, All Game Guide

The Guitar Hero series offers its biggest lineup of songs to date with Legends of Rock, the first game developed outside of Harmonix. Fans of the finger-fiddling franchise will rock out to over 70 tracks, many of which use master recordings from the original artists. The core play mechanics are nearly identical to previous iterations, with players using a guitar-shaped controller to quickly match colored notes as they cascade down the screen. By keeping up with the song, hitting the right chords at the right time, and strumming to the beat, players will rack up points and advance to more challenging tunes.

Once again players can embark on a career, earning money to unlock new characters, guitars, songs, and other surprises while competing in an assortment of colorful venues. For the first time, players will test their technique against real-life guitar gods. Rock stars Slash, Tom Morello, and others will confront players at various points, where the object is to drain their "rock meter" by outperforming them at their own songs. Players can also directly challenge a nearby friend. Completing tricky "star power" riffs earns players random power-ups to use against rivals at any time.

Player-sabotaging power-ups include doubling the number of onscreen notes, switching control to left-handed play, and more. Non-competitive types will appreciate the career co-op mode, allowing two guitarists to work together through each song list. Among the featured tracks are "Paint It Black," "Cherub Rock," "Slow Ride," "Barracuda," "Rock and Roll All Nite," and "Sabotage." Guitar Hero III for PlayStation 2 is available as a standalone purchase or as part of a bundle including a black, wireless guitar controller patterned after the Gibson Kramer. ~ Scott Alan Marriott, All Game Guide

Players are invited to step into their own High School Musical by performing hits from High School Musical, High School Musical 2 , and other Disney artists. Gamers must learn choreography for each act and perform their favorite songs as a duo or solo act. ~ Gracie Leach, All Game Guide

The Sims franchise embarks on an island-themed adventure with The Sims 2: Castaway. Players can create one to six characters, customizing their appearance, personality type, occupation, and more before setting sail, getting caught in a storm, and becoming shipwrecked on an uncharted island. After awakening on a deserted beach, your character (or party) must attempt to survive and eventually explore three adjacent islands. Specific goals to complete are documented in books strewn across beaches, jungles, caves, mountains, and other areas. Tasks range from making fires and acquiring tools to building structures and finding lost treasure.

Along the way characters will learn new skills and gradually change in appearance. If not properly cared for, characters can lose weight, wear out clothes, grow scraggly beards, and more. While the bulk of play involves gathering resources needed for survival, including fruits, shells, plants, wood, chickens, and other items, characters are encouraged to learn more about the islands and their inhabitants by venturing out into the unknown. Dangers include wild pigs, storms, starvation, and other surprises. Offering a more open-ended design than in previous Sims games on consoles, Castaway grants players the freedom to either live on the island or to escape to the familiarity and comforts of modern civilization. ~ Scott Alan Marriott, All Game Guide