Ubisoft officially announced Jam Sessions today. It's a new DS take on the Guitar Hero phenomenon, in which players twang along to a variety of hit tunes via the touchscreen. As the press release expounds:
"Players will rock out, or smoothly strum, on the lower screen of the Nintendo DS system, producing an authentic sound digitally remastered from an actual acoustic guitar. The simple interface will guide players into the various easy-to-play modes which include: Performance Mode, allowing users to sing and play along both yesterday and today's hottest artists; Free-Play Mode, where people can play anything they chose; and Tutorial Mode where novice musicians will learn to play guitar without paying for lessons."
I've spoken to a few people who've played this and they assure me it's a nice, natural system, the free play mode offering a more open, creative experience than the rigidly didactic Guitar Hero. Ubisoft want you to think of Jam Sessions as "a complete concert-on-the-go entertainment system, perfect for parties and other social gatherings." I'm not quite sure how most party-goers will react to someone pulling a DS from their pocket amid the snogging couples and bashing out a rendition of Don't Fear The Reaper. Sounds fun, though.
I can't help but be reminded of this...
