Mosts gadgets are inherently better when made smaller, lighter, and sleeker. Cell phones, laptops, Nintendo DS Lites, Porsche Boxsters -- all cool because they're small. Does the same hold true for RedOctane's cash cow and claim to fame? We'll find out, since Guitar Hero III seems to be making its way to the DS.

"We are working on that," says Charles Huang, co-founder of RedOctane, in a recent CNet interview. "We're exploring a lot of things. We're hoping to really bring the experience to the DS and to do some very, very different approaches." 

Well, there you have it. Guitar Hero III DS is coming, and Huang is confident that "[it] will play probably unlike any other DS game that has come out."  Even better, Huang realizes the importance of the guitar peripheral --

And by holding the guitar peripheral in your hand, you take that experience off the screen and into your hands, and really, into your living room ... I think part of the success of Guitar Hero was to bring it offscreen and put it in your hands and really make you feel as if you're part of that experience and the illusion --

and hopes to bring a similar experience to the DS. As of now, a DS guitar peripheral is an "intriguing option", the existence of which is contingent on how it fits in with how people usually play the DS. For example, it wouldn't do to rock (with your crotch?) out on your daily commute, now would it?

[Gratitude and Internets to Hushgush for the image!] 

I, for one, can find nothing to complain about. Sure, Activision may be milking one of their most successful franchises for everything its worth, but I can't fault them for that. On the other hand, they seem to be covering all of the conceptual bases to make sure that GHIII DS is a legitimate experience.

While a handheld GHIII is certainly interesting news, it's only a small part of a larger, equally interesting interview. Check out the whole thing for Huang's thoughts on why Guitar Hero was successful, RedOctane's relationship with Microsoft, Les Paul vs. Gibson, and the complexities of supporting Harmonix's Rock Band with Guitar Hero peripherals.