There’s a New ‘Guitar Hero’ in Town, and It’ll Let You Play Slipknot, Ghost, Mastodon, and More
· Vice
If you loved Guitar Hero or Rock Band, you’re probably going to love Stage Tour. The new rhythm game from the creators of Guitar Hero is billed as the original’s spiritual successor. But whether it compares to the long-running franchises will mostly come down to gameplay and the soundtrack.
So far, about 45 tracks have been announced. Stage Tour allegedly boasts a soundtrack of about 90 songs, including some old Guitar Hero and Rock Band favorites. But the list also includes some recent rock hits and more contemporary fare. Alongside Metallica, Def Leppard, and Mötley Crüe, of course.
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Looking through the soundtrack so far, there seems to be a little something for all tastes. For the classics, there’s The Clash, The Cure, Duran Duran, The Rolling Stones, Extreme, Jeff Buckley, Genesis, and ZZ Top. There’s also something for heavy metal fans with Metallica, Ghost, Mammoth, Megadeth, Mastodon, Beast in Black, and Slipknot.
However, the list also includes some fun contemporary artists for surprising variety. Babymetal & Electric Callboy, Bad Omens, Castle Rat, Good Kid, Honey Revenge, The Paradox, Olivia Rodrigo, and The Long Faces are just a few. Additionally, there’s Avril Lavigne, Weezer, Fall Out Boy, Paramore, Ed Sheeran, Bring Me the Horizon, Muse, Radiohead, Rise Against, Smash Mouth, Static-X, Walk the Moon, Spacehog, and Wheatus.
‘Guitar Hero’ Successor Follows Traditional Gameplay With Updated Controllers and Soundtrack
Longtime Guitar Hero and Rock Band players should already be familiar with a couple of these songs. Stage Tour also features ZZ Top’s “Sharp Dressed Man”, which appeared on the first Guitar Hero game. Additionally, those who were into Rock Band will be ace at Red Hot Chili Peppers “Dani California” on Stage Tour.
Alongside a soundtrack that seems to offer a cross-generational music experience, the new game is also upgrading the controllers. Stage Tour has three new controller designs, with the base controller modeled on the PS2-style Guitar Hero II guitar. According to reports from Metal Injection, the designs include an Oxblood Gibson Les Paul, a Midnight Blue Gibson SG, and a Gibson Explorer.
Sounds like some pretty fancy stuff. But what else would you expect as the 20th anniversary of Guitar Hero II looms? The new Gibson Explorer controller is actually a white lightning bolt shape in homage to the original controller designed for the game.
Stage Tour reportedly follows the traditional gameplay. It offers lead guitar, bass, drums, vocals, and keyboards on four difficulty settings. However, there’s an extra “expert plus” setting for the drums, perfect for when you really want to show off.
And with an official release date of December 10, 2026, it’ll arrive just in time to liven up all those boring family gatherings.
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