If the $120 price tag that initially accompanied DJ Hero as it made its way to market in late October of last year seemed a bit steep to you (and apparently, you weren’t alone) then you may be interested to hear that you can get the Xbox 360 bundle for $59 from JR.com.

The kit includes the game with “80+ DJ mixes” and the turntable controller. JR.com claims that you’re saving $100 off the previous price of $159.97, to which I suggest that JR.com should “stop frontin’.” That’s a thing, right? Frontin’? Trying to sell a $120 game at $160 is frontin’.

DJ Hero Bundle – Xbox 360 [JR.com via dealnews]

The rumor: Activision is looking to bring DJ Hero to mobile devices. You can assume the iPhone would be among the platforms supported. The facts: DJ Hero didn’t do too well, but Activision put a hell of a lot of money into it, so it wants to make as much of that back as possible.

Kotaku, which is essentially my home page (Drudge Report is, actually), says that Glu Mobile will be handling the port. They’ve made a lot of games over the years.

Also of note, Tiesto may well be in the game. That’s good news in the year 2005. The world needs a mash-up of “Nyana” and “November Rain“.

There will be a DJ Hero 2. Yes, I realize that saying that—Activision will make a sequel to one of its games—is akin to saying earthquakes are bad, or that candy is delicious, but there you have it. The sequel was confirmed as part of a contest.

The deal is that Activision is giving musicians at the MIDEM 2010 show a chance to appear in “a future installment of DJ Hero.” If your song is picked, then it’ll be in the next version of the game. This really isn’t too hard to follow.

So, DJ Hero 2: bank on it.

The original game didn’t do too well, either commercially or critically, so it is something of a surprise to see Activision give it another shot. Then again, this is Activision we’re talking about here, and Lord knows how much money it sunk into the game’s development and marketing. So, release another game that’s technologically the same as its predecessor (read: much smaller development costs), and just market the hell out of it. If the numbers work, the numbers work. Light cigars with $100 bills, et cetera.

What could be a problem for Activision is that I’m pretty sure music games have peaked in popularity. (Is it safe to say Rock Band was the genre’s highest point, commercially and critically?) So if Activision keeps throwing money down this hole (music games), it might find that it’s not working out like it had planned.

In other words, Activision has squeezed all the money out of this genre, as was expected from Day One. Time to find a new cash cow.

What will the investors say?

Amazon is unloading Activision’s new-ish DJ Hero package for $85 across all current-generation systems – that’s down from $100+ elsewhere.

The bundle is also available on PlayStation 2, although it’s priced at $98.99. That’s “whack” as most popular DJ’s might say. That’s a thing, right? Whack? The standard bundle includes the DJ Hero game with over 100 songs and the turntable controller.

DJ Hero Bundle with Turntable [Amazon via dealnews]

Here’s comes another DJ Hero story. Activision called the game’s launch “successful” at a conference call yesterday, saying that the game represents a “first step toward diversifying beyond rock” and into other genres, like hip hop and electronic music. In other words, the game’s soft sales aren’t necessarily a cause for alarm (if you were ever concerned in the first place).

We’ve already discussed why the game didn’t exactly fly off the shelf: it’s too expensive; people may be burned out on the music game genre; DJing doesn’t appeal to people the way that rock does; and so on. Activision did address one issue, and said that the game’s marketing campaign had only begun in earnest during the World Series. People can’t play a game they don’t know exists.

Activision had better hope that “people may be burned out on the music game genre” isn’t the case if it truly intends for DJ Hero to be a “first step” in branching out to other genres.

And of these genres, which ones have any chance at all of success in the U.S.? You can assume hip hop has the best shot, given its popularity, while electronic music is nowhere near as popular here as it is in Europe.

So yeah, Activision isn’t too concerned right now with DJ Hero‘s performance. Baby steps.

While there’s no hard numbers, an analyst over at Capital Markets has called the sales of DJ Hero “modest.” Usually you want phrases like “brisk pace” and “exceeding expectations” when you release big ticket games like DJ Hero, but it doesn’t seem to be happening here.

You already know why: the game is too expensive. It’s asking a lot of consumers to spend at least $120 on a video game ($200 for the special edition), the genre of which may be played out, when the economy still hasn’t picked up for the average person yet.

Or maybe the DJ culture isn’t as attractive as the whole rock and roll culture?

It should be noted that the game isn’t necessarily bad, with our own Greg Kumparak saying it “doesn’t suck horribly.” High praise from the big man.

I also don’t recall seeing a big marketing campaign behind the game. Maybe people just don’t know enough about it?

Whatever the reason, the game isn’t quite a huge hit.

Today’s a pretty big day in gaming, ladies and gents. You’ve got DJ Hero, Tekken 6, and Forza Motorsport 3 all coming out today. (Incidentally, I’ll have like a mini FM3 “review” tomorrow, and we may have some fun Tekken news this week to share—stay tuned!) So I decided to go around some of the big gaming sites, and take select quotes, completely out of context, and share them with y’all here. Let’s go~!

Let’s start with FM3, since it’s the game I’ve actually played.

From Edge:

How often can you reinvent the wheel? It’s a question videogame developers are more qualified than most to answer. Year after year, driving titles strive to overtake each other for the lead in a continually evolving genre. It’s an interminable race, although one that in recent times has felt like it’s approaching its closing stages… Where does the genre go from here? With no one looking particularly threatening in its slipstream, Turn 10 [the game's developer] has time to decide.

From IGN:

Sony’s Gran Turismo may still sit in the pole position among racing sims for many, but Microsoft is making a hard charge with Forza Motorsport 3… Simply put, Forza 3 is one of the best racers ever made… I felt Forza 2 was lifeless and without spirit. That is not an issue with Forza 3. This is a game that showcases speed and beauty. The cars are sexy, the tracks look great, and the game runs at a smooth 60 frames per second. The lighting isn’t always perfect — you can often see shadows dancing around the car in some odd ways — and a few times textures didn’t load on the track. Despite these issues, Forza 3 is one hot looking game.

From 1UP:

Forza 3 upholds the franchise’s tradition of excellence, but also plays it a little too safe; it irons out the previous game’s clunky interface and sports a minor visual upgrade, but the gameplay feels strikingly similar to its predecessor. Still, Forza 3 is a very good racing sim in a handsome package that can proudly proclaim itself as the best and most polished currently available, but it’s the excellent integration and extent of its online features that make it a stand out game. Driving, tuning and creating within a living community breathes essential life to a game genre that can occasionally be a bit too stuffy for its own good.

So, surprise, it looks like FM3 is good. Again, I’ll have my take on the game here tomorrow. Not that you care

Next, Tekken 6. Remember: we may have some exciting Tekken-related news here later this week, so keep your eyes peeled!

From IGN:

Following in a long line of arcade fighters, Tekken 6 continues the one-on-one, 3D tradition with the franchise’s biggest roster yet, and some nice gameplay refinements… The real problem comes from the game’s load times, which are poor all around. Not only is there a frustrating amount of loading before an online match (while the two players sync up) but there’s some unusual loading peppered throughout the entire Tekken 6 experience. Even selecting a fighter off the character select screen takes a fair amount of time, as the character models pop into existence after a hefty delay. This issue is present on both the PS3 and 360 versions, even after the PS3 version’s optional install of more than four GB. These awkward load times, while disappointing, are still tolerable and won’t spoil Tekken 6. I just wish we could have seen the game perform a little better… Tekken 6 has a lot to offer, including a massive roster, refined gameplay, plenty of modes, online multiplayer and an absurd amount of character customization options…With that said, Tekken fans will certainly gobble it up and I think gamers unfamiliar with the franchise should give it a shot. The unique mix of an easy-to-use interface with intensely deep strategies is definitely worth checking out.

That’s the only “big” review I could find. If you guys find more, I’ll add ‘em later, such is the POWER of the Internet.

And lastly, DJ Hero.

From IGN:

Because this is a new type of music game, there’s a lot to explain, but let’s get this out of the way first: DJ Hero is fantastic. It’s one of the best games I’ve played this year and one of the best music games I’ve ever played… In an overcrowded genre of music games, DJ Hero resides at the very top with the best of ‘em… But DJ Hero is already the most exciting music game around and is guaranteed to get the party started. To paraphrase Run DMC: gosh darn that DJ made my day.

From Nerdworld, Peter Ha’s new gig at Time:

What’s unique to DJH is the soundtrack that you won’t be able to find anywhere else. You’re not fingering your way through another ho-hum track from yesteryear. Each track was exclusively mixed for DJH. Where else would you hear the Gorillaz x Blondie, Daft Punk x Queen or The Jackson 5 x Third Eye Blind? For the record: I hate Third Eye Blind, but the music is broad and appeals to just about anyone… As far as peripherals go, the turntable appears to be of high quality. The case and telescoping legs that come with the Renegade Edition surpassed my high expectations. There’s the off chance that you might inadvertently break or knock off the effects dial or cross fader, but it never crossed my mind while playing.

Again, I couldn’t find any more DJ Hero reviews. Is today a holiday or something? Because if it is I’m out of here!

So, yeah, just some random comments.

Update Added Time.com’s review of the game.

]]> http://techcrunch.com/2009/10/27/big-day-in-gaming-october-27th-edition-forza-motorsport-3-tekken-6-dj-hero/feed/ 0 ndeleon oct27 http://techcrunch.com/2009/10/27/in-case-you-missed-it-dj-hero-is-available-today/ http://techcrunch.com/2009/10/27/in-case-you-missed-it-dj-hero-is-available-today/#comments Tue, 27 Oct 2009 14:30:00 +0000 Contributor http://www.crunchgear.com/2009/10/27/in-case-you-missed-it-dj-hero-is-available-today/ DJ Hero, depending on your console and whether or not you want the special “Renegade Edition.”]]>

Yes, you can leave work early today. No need to ask your boss, he/she is okay with it.

If you haven’t had your fill of music rhythm games by now or you watched with a furrowed brow as guitar-based game after guitar-based game flooded the market, your giant headphones covering only one of your ears and held in place by your own shoulder just like your favorite DJs, then you’ll want to scrounge up between $100 and $200 for Activision’s DJ Hero, depending on your console and whether or not you want the special “Renegade Edition.”

Pricing is as follows:

• DJ Hero with Turntable Controller for PS2: $100
• DJ Hero with Turntable Controller for PS3, Xbox 360, Wii: $120
• DJ Hero Renegade Edition for PS3, Xbox 360, Wii: $200

The “Renegade Edition” includes “premium Renegade turntable controller, case, stand and exclusive DJ Hero Renegade 2-CD pack from Jay-Z and EMINEM.”

Available today all over the place. Full press release below:

DJ HERO™ – THE MOST-ANTICIPATED NEW MUSIC GAME OF THE YEAR – SPINS ONTO STORE SHELVES NATIONWIDE

DJ Hero Renegade Edition Features Premium Renegade Turntable Controller, Case, Stand and Exclusive DJ Hero Renegade 2-CD pack from JAY-Z and EMINEM

93 Exclusive Original Mixes from World Renowned DJ’s Bring Unprecedented Variety of Music Spanning Hip Hop, Rock, Pop, Dance and R&B to the Music Game Genre

SANTA MONICA, CA – October 27, 2009 /PRNewswire/ — The party has started with the most anticipated music game of the year, as DJ Hero^™ is now available at retail stores nationwide, Activision Publishing Inc. (Nasdaq: ATVI) today announced. DJ Hero invites audiences of all kinds to the party, bringing living room legends to the main stage with the newest innovation in music gaming with an exclusive 93-mix track list, created by a host of legendary DJs uniquely blending almost every genre of music including hip hop, rock, pop, R&B and dance. Featuring electrifying gameplay that incorporates the fundamentals of DJing in a fun and accessible format, and booming tracks from Rihanna to The Killers; Marvin Gaye to Daft Punk; Queen to the Black Eyed Peas, DJ Hero provides consumers an opportunity to interact and listen to music unlike ever before. Heightening the euphoric experience, the DJ Hero Renegade Edition delivers exclusive special edition hardware and a limited edition CD collaboration between two cultural icons – JAY-Z, the most successful solo recording artist of all time and hip hop legend, EMINEM – introducing unreleased material from EMINEM and JAY-Z’s first ever “best of” compilation.

The game has already received global accolades:

“DJ Hero is an impressive piece of work…” with “…infectiously inventive mash-ups.” –Entertainment Weekly

“One of the best games I’ve played this year” with “the best soundtrack for any music game, ever” and “You’re going to want to have DJ Hero on hand for your next party.” – 9/10 – IGN.com Editors’ Choice Award. – IGN.com

“The best music game of the year and a leap forward for the genre.” – 92/100 – GamesMaster Magazine

“DJ Hero allows a player to get lost in a DJ universe, creating a genuine experience,” said JAY-Z. “It’s a perfect way to expose hip hop as all encompassing of every musical genre and how the DJ combines everything to make great music.”

“I think that the cool thing about DJ Hero is that the music is actually part of the gameplay,” said EMINEM. “You get a chance to experience what it’s like to be a DJ and scratch up different songs of mine in really great mixes.”

“When artists with the global appeal and cultural significance like JAY-Z and EMINEM come together you know it’s something groundbreaking,” said Dan Rosensweig, President and CEO of Guitar Hero. “DJ Hero pushes the boundaries of music and gaming with original music mixes and innovative game play that put the power of the DJ and the artistry of hip hop music into the hands of consumers around the world.”

Expanding upon the revolutionary easy to pick up/challenging to master gameplay mechanics developed and refined in Guitar Hero®, DJ Hero delivers an all-new interactive music experience that allows players to start the party and not only experience, but to hear music in an all-new way. Featuring mixes created by DJ AM, Cut Chemist, Grandmaster Flash, DJ Jazzy Jeff, J. Period, DJ Shadow, DJ Z-Trip and more, spinning over 100 individual songs, highlighted in 93 unique never-before-released mixes that blend genres of music, including hip-hop, pop, rock and dance, DJ Hero delivers the most diverse and international collection of music ever assembled in a music game by incorporating anthems from legendary artists. Created exclusively for DJ Hero, the turntable controller immerses fans into the DJ culture and a sea of music as they utilize and master various DJ techniques including scratching, crossfading and sampling, while leaving room for creative expression with a variety of effects and player chosen samples and scratches, transforming a face in the crowd into the life of the party.

The DJ Hero Renegade Edition includes a copy of the game, a premium Renegade turntable controller, hardshell turntable carrying case that converts to a performance-ready DJ stand, and an exclusive JAY-Z and EMINEM 2-CD pack featuring “best of” and new, unreleased material.

Available now, DJ Hero was developed by FreeStyleGames for the Xbox 360® video game and entertainment system from Microsoft, the PLAYSTATION®3 and PlayStation®2 computer entertainment systems and the Wii^™ system from Nintendo. The game is rated “T” (Teen – Mild Suggestive Themes, Lyrics) by the ESRB. For more information about DJ Hero, please visit djhero.com, facebook.com/djhero and twitter.com/djhero.

]]> http://techcrunch.com/2009/10/27/in-case-you-missed-it-dj-hero-is-available-today/feed/ 0 tcbucket 40706-hi-DJ_Hero http://techcrunch.com/2009/10/26/oh-dear-analyst-slashes-dj-hero-sales-expectations-by-50-percent/ http://techcrunch.com/2009/10/26/oh-dear-analyst-slashes-dj-hero-sales-expectations-by-50-percent/#comments Mon, 26 Oct 2009 22:30:09 +0000 Nicholas Deleon http://www.crunchgear.com/?p=120517 DJ Hero, where “interesting” means “potentially bad news.” One of those fancy analyst types, someone at Cowen and Company, has slashed sales expectations by a little more than 50 percent. That's nothing to brush aside if you're Activision.]]>

Interesting note regarding DJ Hero, where “interesting” means “potentially bad news.” One of those fancy analyst types, someone at Cowen and Company, has slashed sales expectations by a little more than 50 percent. That’s nothing to brush aside if you’re Activision.

Here’s the juicy part of the report:

On DJ Hero, despite some recent positive comments from company management about pre-orders, we remain very cautious about the title’s prospects at launch,” he noted. “A survey of online retailers indicates a demand profile that is well below what we would have expected to see just a few days before launch for a title that was destined to be a big (or even modest) hit. As a result, we are reducing our estimate for DJ Hero Q4 US unit sales from 1.6 million to 600,000, and we are reducing our first year estimate from 2.5 million to 950,000

Someone at Kotaku wrote, “It seems the turntables have turned on Activision,” which legitimately made me laugh.

Look, for a time I was into that whole DJ scene, and still am to an extent. That’s why I wrote what I wrote: that the barrier to entry to becoming a competent DJ, what with today’s software, is a lot lower than it is to becoming a competent guitarist. Plus, DJing is a little more niche than guitaring; who didn’t want to play the guitar growing up?

Now, the analyst isn’t saying that DJ Hero won’t sell at all, just that, based on the early hype, and the Hero brand name, it he and his company initially expected it to do better.

Or, if you want to be a cynic, you can blame Activision for burning through all these music games in such a short period of time that people are either A) tired of them or B) they’ve played enough if them, and don’t need to play any more.

In any event, the game comes out tomorrow for $120 with turntable. (Maybe the price has something to do with it, too?)

via Kotaku

Pic, of course, via Penny-Arcade

]]> http://techcrunch.com/2009/10/26/oh-dear-analyst-slashes-dj-hero-sales-expectations-by-50-percent/feed/ 0 ndeleon penny http://techcrunch.com/2009/10/06/dj-hero-track-list-100-songs-93-mash-ups/ http://techcrunch.com/2009/10/06/dj-hero-track-list-100-songs-93-mash-ups/#comments Tue, 06 Oct 2009 16:00:00 +0000 Contributor http://www.crunchgear.com/2009/10/06/dj-hero-track-list-100-songs-93-mash-ups/  

Here you go – the official list of mash-ups that’ll appear in DJ Hero when it becomes available on October 27th. These are apparently all original, not-available-anywhere-else mixes.

· 2Pac – “All Eyez On Me” vs. The Aranbee Pop Orchestra – “Bittersweet Symphony (Instrumental)”
· 50 Cent – “Disco Inferno” vs. David Bowie – “Let’s Dance”
· 50 Cent – “Disco Inferno” vs. InDeep – “Last Night A DJ Saved My Life”
· Afrika Bambaataa – “Zulu Nation Throwdown” vs. Freedom Express – “Get Down”
· Beastie Boys – “Here’s A Little Somethin’ For Ya” vs. DJ Shadow – “The Number Song (2009 Version)” (Produced and mixed by DJ Shadow)
· Beastie Boys – “Intergalactic” vs. Blondie – “Rapture”
· Beastie Boys – “Lee Majors Come Again” vs. Daft Punk – “Da Funk” (Produced and mixed by Cut Chemist)
· Beck – “Where It’s At” vs. DJ Shadow – “Six Days (Remix ft. Mos Def)”
· Bell Biv DeVoe – “Poison” Beat Juggle
· Bell Biv DeVoe – “Poison” vs. Beastie Boys – “Intergalactic” (Produced and mixed by DJ AM)
· Bell Biv DeVoe – “Poison” vs. Cameo – “Word Up!”
· Benny Benassi – “Satisfaction” vs. Tiësto – “Elements Of Life”
· Billy Squier – “The Big Beat” vs. N.E.R.D. – “Lapdance” (DJ-Guitar mix)
· Black Eyed Peas – “Boom Boom Pow” vs. Benny Benassi – “Satisfaction”
· Bobby “Blue” Bland – “Ain’t No Love In The Heart Of The City” vs. 2Pac – “How Do You Want It”
· Bobby “Blue” Bland – “Ain’t No Love In The Heart Of The City” vs. Connie Price & The Keystones – “Fuzz And Them”
· Boogie Down Productions – “Jack Of Spades” vs. David Bowie – “Let’s Dance” (Produced and mixed by DJ Shadow)
· Chuck Brown & The Soul Searchers – “Bustin’ Loose” vs. The Zombies – “Time Of The Season” (Produced and mixed by DJ Shadow)
· Chuck Brown & The Soul Searchers – “Bustin’ Loose” vs. Young MC – “Bust A Move”
· Common – “Universal Mind Control (U.M.C.)” vs. Masta Ace – “Jeep A** Gutter (Aaron LaCrate & Debonair Samir RMX)” (Produced and mixed by The Scratch Perverts)
· Cypress Hill – “Insane In The Brain” vs. Classics IV – “Spooky”
· Cypress Hill – “Insane In The Brain” vs. David Axelrod – “The Edge”
· Daft Punk – “Around The World” vs. Young MC – “Bust A Move”
· Daft Punk – “Da Funk” vs. N.A.S.A. – “Strange Enough ft. Karen O, ODB & Fatlip”
· Daft Punk – “Megamix 1″
· Daft Punk – “Megamix 2″
· Daft Punk – “Robot Rock” vs. Hashim – “Al Naafyish (The Soul)” (Produced and mixed by The Scratch Perverts)
· Daft Punk – “Robot Rock” vs. Queen – “We Will Rock You”
· Daft Punk – “Short Circuit” vs. Boogie Down Productions – “Jack Of Spades”
· Daft Punk – “Technologic” vs. Gary Numan – “Cars”
· Daft Punk – “Television Rules the Nation” vs. No Doubt – “Hella Good”
· David Axelrod – “The Edge” vs. Eric B. & Rakim – “Eric B. Is President”
· Dizzee Rascal – “Fix Up, Look Sharp” vs. DJ Shadow – “Organ Donor (Extended Overhaul)”
· Dizzee Rascal – “Fix Up, Look Sharp” vs. Justice – “Genesis”
· DJ Shadow – “Six Days (Remix ft. Mos Def)” vs. D-Code – “Annie’s Horn”
· Eminem – “My Name Is” vs. Beck – “Loser”
· Fedde Le Grand – “Put Your Hands Up For Detroit” vs. Sandy Rivera and David Penn – “I Can’t Stop (David Penn Remix)”
· Foo Fighters – “Monkey Wrench” vs. Beastie Boys – “Sabotage” (DJ-Guitar mix)
· Foreigner – “Juke Box Hero” vs. DJ Z-Trip ft. Murs – “DJ Hero” (Produced and mixed by DJ Z-Trip)
· Foreigner – “Juke Box Hero” vs. DJ Z-Trip ft. Murs – “DJ Hero” (DJ-Guitar mix, produced and mixed by DJ Z-Trip)
· Gang Starr – “Just To Get A Rep” vs. Mobb Deep – “Shook Ones, Pt 2″ (Produced and mixed by J. Period)
· Gorillaz – “Feel Good Inc.” vs. Blondie – “Atomic”
· Grandmaster Flash’s – “Boom” vs. “Tap” (Produced and mixed by Grandmaster Flash)
· Grandmaster Flash, DJ Kool, DJ Demo – “Here Comes My DJ” vs. Gary Numan – “Cars” (Produced and mixed by Grandmaster Flash)
· Gwen Stefani – “Hollaback Girl” vs. Gorillaz – “Feel Good Inc.”
· Gwen Stefani – “Hollaback Girl” vs. InDeep “Last Night A DJ Saved My Life” (Produced and mixed by DJ AM)
· Gwen Stefani – “Hollaback Girl” vs. Rick James – “Give It To Me”
· Herbie Hancock – “Rockit” Beat Juggle
· Herbie Hancock – “Rockit” vs. N.E.R.D. – “Lapdance” (Produced and mixed by Grandmaster Flash)
· InDeep – “Last Night A DJ Saved My Life” vs. Cameo – “Word Up!”
· Jackson 5 – “I Want You Back” vs. Gang Starr – “Just To Get A Rep” (Produced and mixed by DJ Yoda)
· Jackson 5 – “I Want You Back” vs. Third Eye Blind – “Semi-Charmed Life” (DJ-Guitar mix)
· Jackson 5 – “I Want You Back” vs. Third Eye Blind – “Semi-Charmed Life”
· JAY-Z feat. Pharrell – “Change Clothes” vs. 2Pac – “All Eyez on Me”
· JAY-Z – “Izzo (H.O.V.A.)” vs. Eminem – “My Name Is”
· JAY-Z – “Izzo (H.O.V.A.)” vs. Jackson 5 – “I Want You Back”
· JAY-Z – “Excuse Me Miss” vs. Rick James – “Give It To Me”
· Jean Knight – “Mr. Big Stuff” vs. Masta Ace – “Born To Roll”
· Jurassic 5 – “Jayou” vs. Billy Squier – “The Big Beat”
· Jurassic 5 – “Jayou” vs. Herbie Hancock – “Rockit”
· Kid Cudi – “Day ‘N’ Nite” vs. Black Eyed Peas – “Boom Boom Pow”
· Kool Moe Dee – “How Ya Like Me Now” vs. Reel 2 Real featuring The Mad Stuntman – “I Like To Move It”
· Little Richard – “Tutti Frutti” vs. Shlomo – “Beats” (Produced and mixed by DJ Yoda)
· M.I.A. – “Paper Planes” vs. Eric B. & Rakim – “Eric B. Is President” (Produced and mixed by The Scratch Perverts)
· M.I.A. – “Paper Planes” vs. Wale – “Lookin’ At Me”
· Marvin Gaye – “I Heard It Through The Grapevine” vs. David Bowie – “Let’s Dance”
· Marvin Gaye – “I Heard It Through The Grapevine” vs. Gorillaz – “Feel Good Inc.”
· Motörhead – “Ace Of Spades” vs. Noisia – “Groundhog” (DJ-Guitar mix)
· N.A.S.A. – “Strange Enough ft. Karen O, ODB & Fatlip” vs. Isaac Hayes – “Theme From Shaft”
· Noisia – “Groundhog” Beat Juggle (Produced and mixed by The Scratch Perverts)
· Paul van Dyk – “Nothing But You” vs. Sandy Rivera and David Penn – “I Can’t Stop (David Penn Remix)”
· Public Enemy – “Shut ‘Em Down” vs. Beck – “Where It’s At”
· Public Enemy ft. Zakk Wylde – “Bring The Noise 20XX” vs. Justice – “Genesis” (Produced and mixed by DJ Z-Trip)
· Public Enemy featuring Zakk Wylde – “Bring The Noise 20XX” (DJ-Guitar mix)
· Q-Tip – “Good Thang” vs. Billy Squier – “The Big Beat” (Produced and mixed by J. Period)
· Queen – “Another One Bites The Dust” vs. Beastie Boys – “Brass Monkey” (Produced and mixed by DJ Z-Trip)
· Queen – “Another One Bites The Dust” vs. Daft Punk – “Da Funk”
· Rihanna – “Disturbia” vs. Kid Sister – “Control”
· Rihanna – “Disturbia” vs. The Killers – “Somebody Told Me” (DJ-Guitar mix)
· Rihanna – “Disturbia” vs. The Trammps – “Disco Inferno”
· Shlomo – “Beats” vs. Billy Squier – “The Big Beat”
· Street Sweeper Social Club – “Fight! Smash! Win!” vs. Beastie Boys – “Intergalactic” (DJ-Guitar mix)
· Tears For Fears – “Shout” vs. DJ Shadow – “Six Days (Remix ft. Mos Def)”
· Tears For Fears – “Shout” vs. Eric B. & Rakim – “Eric B. Is President” (Produced and mixed by DJ Jazzy Jeff)
· Tears For Fears – “Shout” vs. Eric Prydz – “Pjanoo”
· The Aranbee Pop Orchestra – “Bittersweet Symphony (Instrumental)” vs. LL Cool J – “Rock The Bells” (Produced and mixed by DJ Jazzy Jeff)
· The Scratch Perverts Beats and Pieces (Produced and mixed by The Scratch Perverts)
· The Killers – “Somebody Told Me” vs. Eric Prydz – “Pjanoo”
· Vanilla Ice – “Ice Ice Baby” vs. MC Hammer – “U Can’t Touch This”
· Vanilla Ice – “Ice Ice Baby” vs. Paula Abdul – “Straight Up”
· Wale – “Lookin’ At Me” vs. Black Eyed Peas ft. Tippa Irie – “Hey Mama”
· Weezer – “Beverly Hills” vs. Evidence, The Alchemist, Aceyalone, Rakaa & 88 Keys – “Fresh Rhymes And Videotape” (DJ-Guitar mix)
· Wild Cherry -
“Play That Funky Music” vs. Gang Starr – “Just To Get A Rep” (DJ-Guitar mix)

Some pretty sweet mixes in there if you’re into this sort of thing. The DJ Hero YouTube page has a handful of them in quick 30-second bites as well.

[via Kotaku]

]]> http://techcrunch.com/2009/10/06/dj-hero-track-list-100-songs-93-mash-ups/feed/ 0 tcbucket DJ Hero http://techcrunch.com/2009/09/30/no-you-cant-use-the-dj-hero-turntable-on-any-other-game/ http://techcrunch.com/2009/09/30/no-you-cant-use-the-dj-hero-turntable-on-any-other-game/#comments Wed, 30 Sep 2009 19:30:40 +0000 Nicholas Deleon http://www.crunchgear.com/?p=115435 DJ Hero fans. Anyhow, it looks like you won't be able to use the turntable controller on any other video game. Why you'd want to use the turntable when playing, say, Street Fighter IV, I don't know.]]>

Bad news, sports fans. Well, to be specific, DJ Hero fans. Anyhow, it looks like you won’t be able to use the turntable controller on any other video game. Why you’d want to use the turntable when playing, say, Street Fighter IV, I don’t know.

This is really only applicable if you had planned to buy DJ Hero, then buy Scratch: The Ultimate DJ without its turntable. One of the DJ Hero devs told Destructoid that any game that could use the turntable would necessarily be a ripoff.

Yes, because Rock Band and Guitar Hero are two totally different games…

But yeah, the turntable only works on DJ Hero. You don’t send me flowers!

]]> http://techcrunch.com/2009/09/30/no-you-cant-use-the-dj-hero-turntable-on-any-other-game/feed/ 0 ndeleon djheroro http://techcrunch.com/2009/07/31/dj-hero-renegade-edition-shipping-1027-for-200/ http://techcrunch.com/2009/07/31/dj-hero-renegade-edition-shipping-1027-for-200/#comments Fri, 31 Jul 2009 15:00:28 +0000 Peter Ha http://www.crunchgear.com/?p=104161

Dang. I now know to put aside $200 for the Renegade Edition. Pre-order DJ Hero for all three major consoles and get it in time for Halloween.

Xbox edition [Gamestop]
PS3 edition [Gamestop]
Wii edition [Gamestop]

]]> http://techcrunch.com/2009/07/31/dj-hero-renegade-edition-shipping-1027-for-200/feed/ 0 peter-ha picture-71 http://techcrunch.com/2009/07/29/dj-hero-renegade-edition-unveiled/ http://techcrunch.com/2009/07/29/dj-hero-renegade-edition-unveiled/#comments Wed, 29 Jul 2009 23:20:23 +0000 Peter Ha http://www.crunchgear.com/?p=103827

Ooh la la. I guess I know what I’m saving up for later this year. While we’ve known about a special edition Eminem and Jay-Z DJ Hero for some time, it wasn’t until this morning that we finally got to see what it would actually look.

In fact, during a private a demo of the game a few weeks back I actually saw (and played) one of the custom made white turntables that RedOctane made for Puff Daddy’s annual White party in the Hamptons. But that doesn’t hold a candle to the Renegade Edition. Just look at it! It even includes a hardshell case that doubles as a DJ stand. Em and Hov have compiled a two-CD pack with unreleased tracks as well.

Due out in October for an undisclosed amount, but we’d guess that it will be around $200 (hopefully less) based on the standard edition’s $120 price point.

[PSGallery=9m6klge02h]

via StreetLevel

]]> http://techcrunch.com/2009/07/29/dj-hero-renegade-edition-unveiled/feed/ 0 peter-ha djhrenegadeedition_turntable-lg http://techcrunch.com/2009/07/01/overpay-britannia-dj-hero-for-180-in-the-uk-but-only-120-in-the-us/ http://techcrunch.com/2009/07/01/overpay-britannia-dj-hero-for-180-in-the-uk-but-only-120-in-the-us/#comments Wed, 01 Jul 2009 17:30:47 +0000 Nicholas Deleon http://www.crunchgear.com/?p=98314 DJ Hero? The latest news or rumors or whatever you want to call it is that UK retailer ShopTo was apparently told by Activision that the MSRP of the game will be £107.99, or just shy of $180. That includes the turntable, of course.]]>

How much would you be willing to pay for DJ Hero? The latest news or rumors or whatever you want to cal it is that UK retailer ShopTo was apparently told by Activision that the MSRP of the game will be £107.99, or just shy of $180. That includes the turntable, of course.

But that’s what the Brits can expect to pay—they always overpay. The latest listing on GameStop shows the game, with turntable, available here for only $120.

Again, at that price, you’d almost be better off buying a cheap-o turntable and becoming a real DJ.

]]> http://techcrunch.com/2009/07/01/overpay-britannia-dj-hero-for-180-in-the-uk-but-only-120-in-the-us/feed/ 0 ndeleon djheroprice http://techcrunch.com/2009/06/18/amazon-lists-dj-hero-for-119-including-turntable/ http://techcrunch.com/2009/06/18/amazon-lists-dj-hero-for-119-including-turntable/#comments Thu, 18 Jun 2009 15:30:23 +0000 Nicholas Deleon http://www.crunchgear.com/?p=96074 DJ Hero, of which I'm still deeply skeptical of, listed for $119.99. That includes the game and turntable.]]>

I’m not sure how much faith we should put in these numbers, but here we go. Amazon has DJ Hero, of which I’m still deeply skeptical of, listed for $119.99. That includes the game and turntable.

In related news, Band Hero has been listed on Play.com for £149.99. That’s for the PS2 and Wii. The game is described as “featur[ing] Top 40 hits aimed at family audiences, and includ[ing] the full band play style of Guitar Hero World Tour.”

Again, these prices could well change, but it’s the best we’ve got so far.

Both games should be out this October.

Flickr

]]> http://techcrunch.com/2009/06/18/amazon-lists-dj-hero-for-119-including-turntable/feed/ 0 ndeleon djprice http://techcrunch.com/2009/05/29/on-second-thought-dj-hero-is-sorta-silly/ http://techcrunch.com/2009/05/29/on-second-thought-dj-hero-is-sorta-silly/#comments Fri, 29 May 2009 18:30:26 +0000 Nicholas Deleon http://www.crunchgear.com/?p=92438 DJ Hero appealed to me. As a fan of house and related genres—Renaissance The Master Series Part 13, mixed by Hernán Cattáneo, just hit the Internet—I was looking forward to playing the role of a big haired animated DJ. But then I realized: what a minute, actually DJing isn't that hard at all! Why bother playing a DJ video game when you can actually DJ?]]>

I know that, in the beginning, the idea of DJ Hero appealed to me. As a fan of house and related genres—Renaissance The Master Series Part 13, mixed by Hernán Cattáneo, just hit the Internet—I was looking forward to playing the role of a big haired animated DJ. But then I realized: what a minute, actually DJing isn’t that hard at all! Why bother playing a DJ video game when you can actually DJ?

It’s a similar argument to the one often used to belittle Guitar Hero: why bother playing on a plastic guitar when you can learn to play the guitar for real? Well, hot shot, because playing the guitar is hard; playing the guitar competently is harder still! But DJing? With technology today, it’s never been easier to pretend your Carl Cox or Jojo Flores.

Here’s what you need to be a DJ in 2009: a MacBook, preferably one with a lot of stickers on it; a pair of over-the-ear headphones (as much as for looks as it is an actual tool); some sort of mixing software that you can pirate in five second, like M-Audio’s Torq or Traktor; and, if you want to impress your friends, a mixing device, like this cheap one from M-Audio. Bam! You’re a DJ.

Of course, having this type of low budget setup won’t get you onto the cover of BPM Magazine, otherwise every guy named Joey or Nicky or Tony from Bergan County would be interviewed. But the fact is, DJing—beat matching, blending songs, etc.—really isn’t that hard to do. Yeah, there’s a skill (again, otherwise our friends from Bergen County would all be superstars) to it, but it’s awfully easy to trick your friends into thinking you actually have a talent. I say this having created plenty of “sets” in Torq and Traktor over the past two years.

I guess what I’m trying to say is that the barrier to entry to becoming a DJ is a lot less than it is to becoming a competent guitar player—there’s less of a “need” for DJ Hero than Guitar Hero. Will the game still be fun? Sure, probably. But I think you’d have just as much fun, if not more, actually DJing, even with a hastily put together, low budget setup.

That’s all.

]]> http://techcrunch.com/2009/05/29/on-second-thought-dj-hero-is-sorta-silly/feed/ 0 ndeleon djhero3 http://techcrunch.com/2009/05/29/video-the-e3-dj-hero-trailer/ http://techcrunch.com/2009/05/29/video-the-e3-dj-hero-trailer/#comments Fri, 29 May 2009 12:17:48 +0000 Matt Burns http://www.crunchgear.com/?p=92326 faux music games. You've seen the DJ controller. Now it's time to see the E3 trailer of DJ Hero which proves one is the loneliest number.]]> “http://www.gametrailers.com/remote_wrap.php?mid=49792

You’ve played other faux music games. You’ve seen the DJ controller. Now it’s time to see the E3 trailer of DJ Hero which proves one is the loneliest number.

]]> http://techcrunch.com/2009/05/29/video-the-e3-dj-hero-trailer/feed/ 0 mjburnsy http://techcrunch.com/2009/05/07/dj-hero-controller-makes-an-appearance/ http://techcrunch.com/2009/05/07/dj-hero-controller-makes-an-appearance/#comments Thu, 07 May 2009 13:40:06 +0000 Contributor http://www.crunchgear.com/?p=88430 DJ Hero game. And wouldn't you know it, it's a turntable with buttons on it. Now we wait for Harmonix to release DJ Band with a dual-turntable setup at which point Activision will respond with DJ Hero World Tour with its own dual-turntable setup.]]>

Presenting the controller for Activision’s upcoming DJ Hero game. And wouldn’t you know it, it’s a turntable with buttons on it. Now we wait for Harmonix to release DJ Band with a dual-turntable setup at which point Activision will respond with DJ Hero World Tour with its own dual-turntable setup.

Two images were posted to a Twitter account called “djhero” and, according to Kotaku, the images were later confirmed by an Activision press release. Here’s the second one:

DJ Hero will be available later this year, although no exact date has been set.

[via Kotaku]

]]> http://techcrunch.com/2009/05/07/dj-hero-controller-makes-an-appearance/feed/ 0 tcbucket 7908232 7908287 http://techcrunch.com/2009/04/16/gamestop-the-arbiter-of-the-video-game-industry-would-like-to-see-some-price-cuts/ http://techcrunch.com/2009/04/16/gamestop-the-arbiter-of-the-video-game-industry-would-like-to-see-some-price-cuts/#comments Thu, 16 Apr 2009 18:40:52 +0000 Nicholas Deleon http://www.crunchgear.com/?p=84801

Since when the does video game industry bow to what GameStop thinks? Your guess is as good as mine, but the company’s CEO Dan DeMatto, wants Sony and Nintendo to cut the price of the PS3 and Wii, respectively. That’s all well and good—who wouldn’t want to see the PS3 at $199?—but why should GameStop be the kingmaker?

Anyway, Mr. DeMatto gave a lengthy interview to CNBC, where he pontificated on everything under the sun. To recap:

• He wants price cuts for the above-mentioned systems. Fair enough.

• He thinks the new Call of Duty will be one of the best selling games of the year.

• He sees “excitement” surrounding DJ Hero. My prediction regarding that game: either it will bomb terribly (because all of 10 Americans know who Deadmau5, Radio Slave and Skylark are); or it will make DJing and producing huge in this country. Everyone going to the Sullivan Room in New York will be all, “Bah, I can so that.”

• The Beatles: Rock Band will also do well. Fair enough.

• He thinks there will be a “key property” from Nintendo by the end of the year—Zelda, maybe?

So yeah, that’s what GameStop thinks. One of these days we’ll do a whole “What’s the deal with GameStop?” post(s).

]]> http://techcrunch.com/2009/04/16/gamestop-the-arbiter-of-the-video-game-industry-would-like-to-see-some-price-cuts/feed/ 0 ndeleon gamestopp http://techcrunch.com/2009/03/23/activisions-dj-hero-web-site-is-now-live-but-dont-expect-too-much-information/ http://techcrunch.com/2009/03/23/activisions-dj-hero-web-site-is-now-live-but-dont-expect-too-much-information/#comments Mon, 23 Mar 2009 18:20:19 +0000 Nicholas Deleon http://www.crunchgear.com/?p=80175 DJ Hero has now gone live. There's, like, zero information on the site as yet, except for a “sign up to be the first to know” sign-up button.]]>

Heads up, wannabes. The Web site for Activision’s upcoming game DJ Hero has now gone live. There’s, like, zero information on the site as yet, except for a “sign up to be the first to know” button.

You may recall that Activision confirmed the development of the game a few months ago. The company is looking to capitalize on the success of Guitar Hero, a game I think is beginning to lose its luster. How long till a publisher announces Hip-Hop Hero?

Anyway, here’s a video of the Chemical Brothers tearing up Trafalgar Square. They’re good DJs, or at least they were for a while there.

]]> http://techcrunch.com/2009/03/23/activisions-dj-hero-web-site-is-now-live-but-dont-expect-too-much-information/feed/ 0 ndeleon djherosite