Band Hero is a music rhythm game developed by Neversoft Entertainment and published by Activision in 2009 for PlayStation 2, PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, Wii, and Nintendo DS. A spinoff of the Guitar Hero series, it shares its structural foundation with Guitar Hero 5, supporting full band play across lead guitar, bass guitar, drums, and vocals. Players can drop in or out mid-session and switch instruments or difficulty levels during songs. The console versions use instrument-shaped controllers, while the Nintendo DS version is compatible with the Guitar Grip from the Guitar Hero: On Tour series or a new Drum Skin packaged with the game. Virtual avatars of Taylor Swift, Adam Levine, and the members of No Doubt appear in the game. The setlist consists of 65 pop rock tracks oriented toward mainstream radio hits. Critics offered mixed assessments, generally viewing it as a pop-focused companion to Guitar Hero 5 but questioning its value relative to that title's larger song library.
