Is Guitar Hero better on Wii or Playstation?

December 5, 2007 1:30 PM

Ok, another guitar video game question in about a week. BUT, could someone please tell me if Guitar Hero is more fun on Wii versus Playstation 2 (I have both systems). I can't believe I have not tried this game before and would like to purchase it once for the best system. Thanks!
posted by skepticallypleased to sports, hobbies, & recreation (18 comments total)

Well, I have the Wii version, and I think there are some plusses and minuses.

From what I've seen, graphically, the PS2 is a bit better. However, this really only matters as a spectator, because when you play, obviously, you don't really look at what's going on in the background - you focus on the notes - and the notes are pretty easy to do right.

Also, the Wii controller is wireless, and uses the Wiimote as a sort of 'plugin' to provide information back to the Wii. It also uses the Wiimote for power - so there's no need to supply batteries for both the Wiimote *AND* the guitar.

I'm not sure if the PS2 uses a wired or wireless controller, but this is certainly something to look at.

Also worth considering - I don't think either the PS2 *or* the Wii offer downloadable content - this may not really matter to you, as Microsoft's downloadable content is notoriously expensive....
posted by kbanas at 1:34 PM on December 5, 2007

The Wii version has online play, rumble, and sound from the wii-mote speaker, but a nasty bug means you have to play in mono until it's fixed (somehow).
posted by designbot at 1:38 PM on December 5, 2007

I haven't played guitar hero for wii, but I have played it plenty on PS2 and I can't imagine it being any better.
posted by amsterdam63 at 1:41 PM on December 5, 2007

I second PS2...the Wii may have better graphics, but you can't pay attention to them when you're playing the game. I've played all 4 on the PS2 and they have held my interest longer than any game in a long time. (except the 80's one..that one was lame) hehe
posted by AltReality at 1:46 PM on December 5, 2007

Wireless controllers for the PS2 do exist, but obviously they require separate batteries.

PS2 version also has extra controllers for sale by themselves, while the Wii currently doesn't. That's kind of a big deal for now, until they decide to release extra Wii guitar controllers.
posted by DMan at 1:50 PM on December 5, 2007

I've played it on both, but on different TVs in different states of sobriety. I've also played some of GH2 on PS2. You'll undoubtedly get a better answer from someone who actually owns both systems instead of someone who mooches off her friends occasionally, but until then:

I feel like the Wii version is a little bit harder to hit the notes on, though I don't know if that's a function of the game, the controller, or the huge-ass TV I've played on (or if I'm just not as good as I thought I was, or if 3 is just a bit harder than 2). It's probably the TV.

The rumble is nice, and I feel like it's easier to activate star power with the Wii.

Those are both tiny tiny differences though, and I'm probably just imagining it.

I just talked to a friend who owns the Wii and has played a bunch on PS2 -- he says they're the same. The rumble is a little distracting, but not enough to matter. The sound out of the remote is nice, but can be too loud if he's got the TV volume lower. He says neither of those things would be enough to affect most people's opinions.

So it might come down the controller situation. The Wii guitar is wireless, and the included PS2 guitar is wired. There are available wireless PS2 guitars, but they're a little smaller and less comfortable to use (to me, anyway). However, the Wii guitar is *only* bundled with the game for now, so if you want two guitars straight off (and it does make the game a lot more fun when you have friends over), you need to buy two copies of the game. (Dman beat me to it on preview.) Apparently, according to that friend, the standalone controller is due out "early 2008".

So, if it were me, I'd note that there's no real difference in game play, you can get a second controller for PS2, AND you can play the other 3 GHs (1, 2, and 80s) on the PS2 with the same guitars...and PS2 would win.
posted by natabat at 2:02 PM on December 5, 2007

if you're talking guitar hero 3, then both the wii and ps2 are wireless. i have the ps2 version, and my neighbor has the wii one. i find the gameplay and graphics nearly identical, although i find the wiimote speaker a bit distracting. the rumble is nice though.

one big difference is that at some point you will probably be able to download more songs for the wii (i think it's expected next year sometime) and you will almost certainly not be able to for the ps2. something to consider.

also, extra guitars for the ps2 are $60 which is too much money in my opinion. but they will probably similar for the wii when they become available anyway.
posted by christy at 2:09 PM on December 5, 2007

With ps2 guitar(s), you could pick up the older games used for cheap and play through them as well.
posted by utsutsu at 2:18 PM on December 5, 2007

Wii is terrible IMHO. The speaker is in the guitar, and it's really distracting.
posted by unknowncommand at 3:07 PM on December 5, 2007

From what I read this morning, the wii version will have downloadable content early next year.
posted by jjb at 3:32 PM on December 5, 2007

I prefer the PS2 version, mainly because I can play all the guitar hero games on it.
posted by pantsrobot at 3:43 PM on December 5, 2007

As someone who now owns six different Guitar Hero guitars (and a Rock Band guitar), I'd say good luck to you in your quest to only purchase the game once. :)

My advice would be to look at the song lists and decide that way. PS2 has Guitar Hero 1, 2, Rocks the 80s, and 3, and easily found spare guitars. The Wii has Guitar Hero 3 and possible future downloads, but you can't get a second guitar without buying the game again.

Just to be a contrarian, let me throw this into the mix: I like the 360 version of Guitar Hero best, and I like Rock Band even better than Guitar Hero... cooler guitar (with effects, even), character customization, and group play that is simply amazing. If I didn't already have a 360, I would have bought one to play this game.
posted by MegoSteve at 3:48 PM on December 5, 2007

Thanks for the responses.....I think I'll wait on the Wii and see where it's going in terms of downloadable stuff. And, MegoSteve, why o why did you throw that into the works?! That last line is a pretty damn good endorsement of justifying a purchase of an XBox 360....I'm already thinking of telling my wife it's a way to get HD-DVD....:) Seriously, though, I have to be a grown up and see how I like the Wii. I wonder if they could ever get games like this type to actually use real guitars and help people learn how to play......
posted by skepticallypleased at 5:03 PM on December 5, 2007

Err I meant PS2..... Xbox is at least $340 to get started....ok....not going to do it.
posted by skepticallypleased at 5:06 PM on December 5, 2007

I essentially did buy my XBOX360 as a uni-tasker of sorts, just for Guitar Hero 2, with the promise of GH3 and Rock Band on the horizon at the time. Given the sheer quantity that we've played the darn thing since we got it, it's been a fantastically good deal from a cost-per-unit-entertainment standpoint. :)

Anyhow: in terms of how gameplay and the like operates here and now, it's pretty much a push between the PS2 and the Wii at this point as best I can tell. Were I the sort of person who played by myself a lot, I'd probably skew towards the Wii by a shade for the reasons outlined above: there's at least a non-zero chance that the Wii will have downloadable content someday, while the odds are fantastically lower on the PS2. Were I the sort of person who valued cooperative play and did not have a Wii-guitar-bearing friend on hand, I'd skew towards the PS2 version: there are a scrillion different standalone controllers freely available for the PS2 version of the game.
posted by youhas at 6:27 PM on December 5, 2007

I've played GH2 on PS2, and have GH3 on Wii.

The Wii guitar is better. It feels more solid, it's wireless, and I like the rumble and hearing the bum notes come from the guitar instead of the screen.

They've announced that downloadables are planned for Wii, but no timetable yet. No such announcement for PS2.

I don't notice the Wii mono sound issue, but if you're an audiophile you might.

Also, if anyone wants to exchange friend codes, mefimail me.
posted by robcorr at 7:29 PM on December 5, 2007

One minus on the Wii is that GH3 is real tough to find in stores right now.... (But hey, you can buy it for an extra $50 on craigslist! Grrrr...)
posted by inigo2 at 7:52 PM on December 5, 2007

I prefer playstation.
posted by SEO Catfish at 10:49 AM on March 6, 2008