The latest issue of EGM reveals the next step for Red Octane, the developers behind every geek's rock and roll dream machine Guitar Hero. Apparently during the new year, they will be releasing an expansion pack of sorts to their beloved Guitar Hero II in the form of Guitar Hero: '80s Edition. The news overwhelmed many of EGM's readers with joy for at least a minute or two until they realized they weren't alive during the 80s and their parents probably don't want them touching "the damn Hi-Fi".
The game, will, of course, be a huge hit regardless of what they do with it, but we would like to suggest a few steps to ensure that the newest member of the Guitar Hero franchise can be considered the Randy Rhoads of rhythm games.
Hit the jump for our suggestions.
Red Octane, if you're reading this, you should probably start taking notes. This is the kind of gold that you can't get from focus groups or peyote hallucinations (unless you're Burroughs or Wilson, but I think they're both dead).
No Kip Winger. If I have to hear his goddamn psuedo-Jesus-rock music coming out of my speaker system I will smash the damn guitar. Not in some kind of angst-filled-Nirvana-aping-Hendrix post song orgy of destruction either, I'll probably just back over it with my car.
Themed Mini Games. You want me to feel like a rockstar from the 80s? Then I damn well better be able to snort lines of ants with Ozzy and subsequently get banned from Texas for pissing on the Alamo. If you can include a
dongle for me to e-pee into, I'd be devoted to you guys for life.
Grrl Rock. Chicks are rad, okay? The Go-Gos made a
celebrity sex tape before that kind of thing was chic and I think that alone should get them included in the game. Plus, back in the 80s
Joan Jett was a fox. I want to remember her as she was then, not as the
whithered corn husk she has metamorphosed into.
Satan. The 80s were the decade that propelled Tammy Faye Bakker into the limelight and she was the embodiment of a reaction to the twin evils of rock and roll and a
countrywide surplus of eye shadow. We could definitely have done without her, but rock wouldn't have been the same without His Dark Holiness. (Double points if you can get Dave Grohl to guest star as Ol' Scratch himself.)
Obscurity. If you want to win points with the Vice-magazine-reading, American-Spirit-smoking, Momus-eyepatch-wearing hipsters of today, you need to go "unknown". I wanna hear The Cars, sure, but I also wanna see some Slint and Andrew Wood on there as well.
Dragonforce. Yeah, I know they weren't around in the 80s, but do you have any idea how much of a fucking crime it is that they aren't in any of these games? They are the
definition of shred and while it would lead to a few lawsuits when kids' hands start bursting into flames, I am prepared to make out with each member of your development team if you make it happen. In a totally masculine way, though.
That's all I've got. What about you guys? What do you wanna see from this game? Hell, were any of you guys even alive in the 80s?
The 80's sucked...
Srlsy Cold war amiright?
Yes! That cover is better than KISS's original.
I vote for Midnight Oil: Beds are Burning.
I agree with all that except for the "i hated the 80s"
i'd love to see some michael jackson in there!!! :D great bass parts (though admittedly too boring for this game)
or actually i'd love any game that involves a lot of the who!
Also - Quiet Riot - Come On Feel the Noise. Or the original, whatever.
Def Leppard. YES.
@thisisami: Good call on Michael Jackson, especially Beat It, no way that song is boring especially as you shred Eddie's legendary guitar solo.
Also, dragonforce suck nuts(live at least) and all those people saying 80's music is bad suck also.
Guns N Roses "Sweet Child of Mine" -- that definitive, opening guitar riff alone makes it one for the game.
Quiet Riot - "Cum on feel the noise"
Queen - "Stone Cold Crazy" (Okay, that's 1974 but it still rocks)
There are others, of course, but these are the only ones that I can think of until I wake up...
And those who say that the 80s sucked are either clueless or taking chemical substances that they shouldn't be taking. :P Watch what you say about the 80s or I'll tie you to a f**king chair and make you listen to Dexy's Midnight Runner's "Come on Eileen" 24 hours a day. You'll be begging for mercy before the first play is done.
ding, try again
Well, Guitar Hero has been one of the main reasons why I've wanted to get a PS2. Shows that I don't have one. ;)
My comments on whomever busts on the 80s still stands. >:)
Maiden
Metallica
Megadeth
Anthrax
Slayer
Testament
Overkill
Exodus
Suicidal
Nuclear Assault
Death Angel
Morbid Angel
Venom
Motorhead
Ozzy and Randy
How about some Merciful Fate?
There's your playlist right there. Now get the licensing!
Blind Guardian
Danzig
That's all I can think of off the top of my head.
I think they need to come to me to license Guitar Hero: Mentally Challenging Edition and I'll give them an awesome line-up.
Talking Heads
Anything/everything from AC/DC
Quiet Riot fer sur.
Kings X (didn't really get popular until the 90's tho. actually didn't really get popular.)
Van Halen 1984 (any song)
The Replacements
The Smiths
REM maybe?
Scorpions
Judas Priest
Ratt
more Crüe
Twisted Sister
Devo
The B-52's
Mr. Bungle
Ohio Players
Bootsy Collins
Cinderella
But, I agree: Keep Kip Winger and his shockingly white teeth out of the game!
I like your list. I'd throw in Echo & the Bunnymen & Blue Oyster Cult too.
seriously there are alot of good 80's rock artists listed above especially by djomg and Bon Jovi needs on too.