The Beatles: Rock Band is a music video game developed by Harmonix Music Systems, published by MTV Games and distributed by Electronic Arts. It is the third major console release in the Rock Band music video game series and, like other games in the series, it allows players to simulate the playing of rock music by using controllers shaped like musical instruments. The game consists of 45 songs by the British rock group The Beatles spanning their career, along with virtual depictions of the band members performing the songs. Future downloadable content for the game will feature additional songs and full albums from The Beatles, such as the entirety of Abbey Road (1969) shortly after the game's release.
The game was released internationally on 9 September 2009, coinciding with the release of the new, remastered CD versions of The Beatles' albums. The game is shipped as a bundle with themed instrument controllers and as a standalone game for which all existing Rock Band and compatible music game accessories can be used. The game incorporates many of the gameplay features of the Rock Band series; however, it is not an expansion pack for the Rock Band series, and content for it and other Rock Band titles will not be cross-compatible; Harmonix co-founder Alex Rigopulos describes the game as "... a new, full game title production built from the ground up."
The game was developed with the blessing and critical input of Apple Corps, including former Beatles members Sir Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr. George Harrison's son Dhani championed the game's creation and helped to bridge discussion between Harmonix and Apple Corps, while Giles Martin, son of The Beatles' music producer George Martin, was able to assure high-fidelity audio from songs recorded on older media to integrate properly with Rock Band's gameplay. The Beatles: Rock Band features virtual representations of the popular quartet and their ten-year career as a band. Gameplay mechanics differ slightly from previous Rock Band games, namely the addition of a three-part vocal harmony system.
The Beatles: Rock Band has been highly praised by the press, being considered one of the best music video games to date. Reviewers expect The Beatles: Rock Band to spur new interest in the group and cross-generational appeal. The audio and visuals, particularly the Dreamscapes, were noted as highlights of the game. Many critics felt that the game would benefit from more songs and that experienced players will not find the game very challenging.
Before I start this review, I'd like to state (for the record) that I'm a pretty big Beatles fan. I'm also a big fan of the "Guitar Hero" and "Rock Band" series of games. With that said, I have to admit that I really enjoyed this game. I bought the "limited edition" bundle that comes with the Hofner Bass Guitar, Drums, Mic, and Mic stand. It also comes with some collector's Beatles postcards. Hardware: All of the instruments … more
My son managed to get enough money for his birthday to get this package. It is an inordinate price but for that price a large group of people are entertained for hours on end. The package includes the guitar, drums and mike to allow three people to play. If you already have an existing guitar you are in a position to add a fourth player and the games begin. The game itself is pretty good, standard rock band fare with the great improvement of the music … more
Playing Beatles Rock Band makes me hate myself...even more than regular Rock Band does. I grew up on Beatles music and could listen to it day and night. I L-O-V-E it. When this game was released we seriously thought about buying it, but decided on a trial rental first. So very glad. There's something rather particular to the voices of each of the Beattles that makes the average non-singer fan (such as myself) … more
Before I start this review, I'd like to state (for the record) that I'm a pretty big Beatles fan. I'm also a big fan of the "Guitar Hero" and "Rock Band" series of games. With that said, I have to admit that I really enjoyed this game. I bought the "limited edition" bundle that comes with the Hofner Bass Guitar, Drums, Mic, and Mic stand. It also comes with some collector's Beatles postcards. Hardware: All of the instruments that came with this bundle seems to … more
Before I start this review, I'd like to state (for the record) that I'm a pretty big Beatles fan. I'm also a big fan of the "Guitar Hero" and "Rock Band" series of games. With that said, I have to admit that I really enjoyed this game. I bought the "limited edition" bundle that comes with the Hofner Bass Guitar, Drums, Mic, and Mic stand. It also comes with some collector's Beatles postcards. Hardware: All of the instruments that came with this bundle seems to … more
Before I start this review, I'd like to state (for the record) that I'm a pretty big Beatles fan. I'm also a big fan of the "Guitar Hero" and "Rock Band" series of games. With that said, I have to admit that I really enjoyed this game. I bought the "limited edition" bundle that comes with the Hofner Bass Guitar, Drums, Mic, and Mic stand. It also comes with some collector's Beatles postcards. Hardware: All of the instruments that came with this bundle seems to … more