New note charts and master tracks are a nice addition, but this doesn't feel like a full price experience.

I suppose I shouldn't be surprised to see a "greatest hits" version of Guitar Hero at this point, but I was surprised to see the game come out hot on the heels of the very popular Metallica entry into the franchise. I guess we can't go a couple of months without a new GH on the shelf, but even if I'm starting to feel a little burned out by the series at this point, I can't argue that Guitar Hero: Smash Hits is a horrible game. In fact, it puts more effort forth than I originally suspected, and for fans of plastic instrument games, I think it might be worth checking out.

The game employs the use of tracks that have been featured in the original Guitar Hero, Guitar Hero 2, 3, Aerosmith, and Rock the 80's. There's a pretty good mix here, and if you've only been introduced to the series with part 3 or World Tour, then I imagine a lot of this is going to be new to you, especially considering that the first title and the 80's game were PS2 titles only. However, if you've been with the series from the start, like I have, it's a little hard to get excited about playing the same old stuff over again, but the developers for Smash Hits seem to already have taken that into consideration. Smash Hits features all new note charts for each song in the game, offering up some difficulty changes from the titles these songs were previously in, while keeping the easier tracks fresh but easy to get into. I actually find certain versions a little more difficult in this game than their predecessor, especially the final tier songs in Smash Hits, but on the flip side I bet a lot of established players will appreciate the difficulty boost.

Along with the note changes, the game features master tracks for every artist, thankfully getting rid of some of the more horrible covers the series had early on, like Nirvana's Heart Shaped Box. The addition of all master tracks actually improves the selection featured here, and I wouldn't mind seeing some DLC in the future that actually goes back and redoes the entire old library of tracks like this.

However, that's also part of my complaint with the game, why wasn't all of this just featured as DLC content? And why is this game retailing for full price? I suppose there's a fair amount of work done to retro-fit some of the material for the full band experience that this game supports, but at the same time a lot of these songs were released for a game that was intended as a solo guitar experience, or guitar and bass for the best scenario. Certain tracks don't lend themselves well to a drumming experience, and that goes double for singing along with Dragonforce and a few other bands. It's not something I enjoyed, and while I'm sure players would cry foul if the game didn't have band support, you've got to realize not all of these tracks are ideal for that experience. If this content had been pieced out, so I could have been able to pick and choose what I wanted instead of plopping down $60 for material I only have half an interest in, it would have been a better, and more appetizing strategy.

Still, the game doesn't emit content that you'll find in other Guitar Hero titles. All the multiplayer aspects are still here, battle, band etc., and you can play through the game with solo careers using all the instruments, or do a band career mode as well. There's the little story bits tossed in that the game picked up on with Guitar Hero 3, and the set list is thankfully unlocked from the beginning in Quick Play mode, but you'll still be unlocking tiers in Career. The game keeps track of stars for progress, and there are a hefty number of songs available to play. The game is on par graphically with other HD Guitar Hero titles, but I think the presentation is a little plain compared to the excellent work that was done on the Metallica release. I suppose this is because of a lack of focus on a particular element, but it feels like an odd stepping-stone between a big release.

There's not a whole lot I can say about the game, since it doesn't really add any new additions to gameplay or change anything up significantly, it really is just a re-mastering of old tracks with new note charts tossed in. I'm sure some of the hardcore players will be able to take the new note charts apart and tell you what works and what doesn't, but I still found everything fun to play, even though it's growing old for me at this point. I can't say I'd suggest running out and picking up a copy right away, as I think it's a bit much to ask full price for this release, but if you enjoy the series there's not going to be anything in this game that'll put you off. It's a good selection of songs from the previous games, and it's a great way to get reacquainted with a few old favorites.