DJ Hero

DJ Hero
Developer(s)	FreeStyleGames
Publisher(s)	Activision
Platform(s)	PlayStation 2, PlayStation 3, Wii, Xbox 360
Release date(s)	NA October 27, 2009[1] AUS October 28, 2009 EU October 29, 2009
Genre(s)	Music video game, Rhythm game
Mode(s)	Single-player, multiplayer
Rating(s)	ESRB: T
Media	Blu-ray (PS3), DVD (PS2/Xbox 360), Wii Optical Disc (Wii)
Input methods	Turntable controller, Guitar controller

DJ Hero is a music video game developed by FreeStyleGames and published by Activision as a rhythm game similar to Guitar Hero. It was released on October 27, 2009 in North America and on October 29, 2009 in Europe. The game is based on turntablism and features 94 remixes of two different songs from a selection of over 100 different songs across numerous genres. To score points, the player must press buttons to activate accented beats, adjust their crossfade between the two songs, and "scratch" the turntable on the game's custom controller in time to marks that scroll on the screen to score points and perform well for the virtual crowd. The game features both a single player Career mode and cooperative and competitive multiplayer modes. The game also features a mode for selected songs for a DJ player to play alongside another player using a Guitar Hero guitar controller.

Many DJ and mix artists have contributed to the game both in the game's development, the creation of mixes, and in lending their images for playable avatars in the game; these including DJ Shadow, Z-Trip, DJ AM, Cut Chemist, J.Period, Grandmaster Flash, DJ Jazzy Jeff, Daft Punk, and Eminem.

Gameplay

DJ Hero presents the player with three tracks corresponding to the buttons on the turntable controller, along with features to insert beats or to adjust the crossfader. The game features avatars of several popular mix artists, including Daft Punk, shown here.

The "Renegade" edition of DJ Hero includes the turntable controller and a case that can be converted into a stand for the controller. The turntable controller includes a rotatable turntable and three "stream" buttons, a crossfader, effects dial, and Euphoria button.

DJ Hero primarily simulates turntablism, and features score attack gameplay similar to the Guitar Hero games. The controller consists of a wireless deck consisting of a movable turntable that supports 3 "stream" buttons, an effects dial, a crossfader, and a "Euphoria" button; a hidden panel contains additional controller buttons to interact with the gaming console outside of the game.^[2][3] A portion of the controller can be detached and reattached to adapt the unit for left-handed players.^[4] Notes travel in an arc across a spinning record on screen, and the player holds down one of the 3 stream buttons to play notes; two buttons reflect the two songs used in that particular mix, and the third represents samples to add to the mix which can be adjusted with the effects dial.^[3] The player must also constantly adjust the crossfader to match onscreen symbols.^[3] Certain tracks are shown on screen as a series of up or down arrow, representing scratching sections, requiring the player to turn the turntable in the direction of the arrows while holding down the button to score points.^[3] "Euphoria" is equivalent to Guitar Hero's Star Power, collected by successfully completing specific phrases in the song mix, and can be released by pressing the Euphoria button, doubling the player's current multiplier.^[3] There is also a "Rewind" meter that builds through consistent successful playing, and once full, allows the player to rewind the song to fix errors in their performance.^[3][4] The player must continue to perform well or their performance meter will drop and the music track will cut out. Failing the song is not possible, unlike the similar Guitar Hero franchise.^[3]

A single player career mode is available, as well both competitive and cooperative multiplayer modes ("DJ vs DJ"), playable locally or remotely. Ten songs have been specially mixed to also support gameplay with Guitar Hero and other compatible guitar controllers in a "DJ vs Guitar" mode.^[3][4] Players can also use a microphone for a non-scoring addition to the mix.^[3] A Jukebox mode allows the game to automatically play the songs with the ability for a player to jump in and play at any time.^[3]

Development

Activision had initially applied for a trademark on the name DJ Hero in early 2008, leading to speculation that Activision was making plans to compete against Konami's Beatmania series of music video games with their own DJ game as a possible spinoff of their popular Guitar Hero series.^[5]

FreeStyleGames, a small developer of music games, was employed to help produce localized downloadable content for Guitar Hero games and develop another yet-to-be announced music game.^[6] This game was later revealed to be DJ Hero.^[7][8] Activision CEO Robert Kotick confirmed the existence of DJ Hero in an interview with CNBC on January 20, 2009, revealing a release "later this year". ^[9]

Activision CFO Thomas Tippl stated that DJ Hero would be aimed at a broader audience than the Guitar Hero games primarily through the use of more contemporary music in its soundtrack.^[10] Producer Will Townsend stated they opted for a wide variety of music to "make sure that everybody has something in there that they want."^[3] DJ Hero has been designed as a party game and to make the player "the life of the party", and has been developed with many gameplay modes to put the player "in control of the music", according to Townsend.^[3]

DJ Shadow was brought in by Activision during November and December 2008, at least a year into the development into the game, to help select individual songs, help with creating the mixes, and provide additional input for the game, and will also be a playable DJ avatar in the game.^[11][12] He was able to identify old effects samples that were used in the past for scratching for the developers to include the game.^[11] To create the mixes, DJ Shadow first created a "dry version" of each mix which did not include any embellishments. DJ Shadow then proceeded to build off that to create the "wet version" with added effects that was used as the base for the gameplay's mixes.^[11] Artists Eminem and Jay-Z have also served as consultants for the game; a special edition of DJ Hero will be branded with their names, and include a limited edition of the controller, a music CD of their songs, a DJ stand, and a travel case for the units. This version was later titled "Renegade Edition."^[13] Jay-Z stated that he "[loved] the freedom" that the game gives him, and was able to work closely with Activision to put in new mixes that he envisioned, and considered the game "a DJ's universe", while Eminem believed DJ Hero was a game that he could "see [himself] actually playing".^[13] DJ's Z-Trip and DJ AM both created mixes for the game and will also be playable DJ's in the game; Z-Trip will also help demonstrate the game at the 2009 E3 Conference.^[14][15] Cut Chemist and J.Period will also be assisting in creating mixes for the game.^[12][16] Grandmaster Flash, DJ Jazzy Jeff, and Daft Punk have contributed remixes to the soundtrack and will also appear as playable avatars.^[17][18][19] In the case of Daft Punk, a special venue inspired by the group's Alive 2007 tour has been created by Freestyle games, which Tim Riley, Vice President for Music Affairs at Activision, stated "is the next best thing to being at a Daft Punk concert".^[20] David Guetta will also contribute three mixes that will be available as downloadable content for the game, and will be the game's spokesperson in Europe.^[21]

Neversoft's Brian Bright revealed that the use of Guitar Hero guitar controllers within DJ Hero arose when they tried to create mixes of guitar-heavy and rock tracks in the game; they felt something was missing in these mixes and added in the Guitar Hero-style of play alongside it.^[22] Bright has stated that, while too late for the planned release of Guitar Hero 5, they are looking towards future instrument controller interoperability, including use of the DJ Hero controller into gameplay for future Guitar Hero titles, or using drum controllers within DJ Hero.^[22]

Activision revealed a month before the game's release that it is actively seeking artists for downloadable content and a sequel to the game, One DJ in speculation to appear is DJ BJ, alter ego of Green Day frontman, Billie Joe Armstrong, including mixer DJ Qbert.^[23]

Legal conflicts

On April 15, 2009, the publishers of Scratch: The Ultimate DJ, Genius Products and Numark, sued against Scratch's developer, 7 Studios and Activision. The lawsuit contends that Activision purchased 7 Studios to both gain access to proprietary technology and to delay publication of the game so DJ Hero could come out first.^[24] The Los Angeles Superior Court in which the suit was filed did not grant the requested restraining order against Activision on DJ Hero. Activision states that Scratch was already delayed by as early as October 2008, before they made contact with 7 Studios, and their acquisition of the developers did not impede them from completing Scratch.^[25] However, on April 20, the court reversed its decision, awarding Genius and Numark a temporary restraining order, and ordered the "immediate return" of all of the material from 7 Studios from Activision,^[26] including all source code related to Scratch.^[27] 7 Studios subsequently filed a counter-suit against Genius Products, claiming that they engaged in "unlawful and unsavoury business practices" that limited 7 Studios from completing the game as planned.^[28]

Soundtrack

Over 100 individual songs based on master recordings have been licensed by Activision, composed into 93 DJ mixes by both participating internationally-known DJs and an in-house remix team; some mixes will feature the same song as both parts of the mix, as in turntablism.^[29][3] All mixes used in the soundtrack will be unique making their first appearance in this game.^[30] Such mix artists include DJ Shadow, DJ Z-Trip, DJ AM, PJ Rose and Daft Punk in addition to other mix artists listed below.^[3][31][32] Initial industry speculation stated that DJ Tiësto would be involved with the game, but this was eventually denied.^[33] Mix Master Mike of the Beastie Boys was reported to have signed an exclusivity deal with 7 Studios to appear in their game Scratch: The Ultimate DJ, meaning that he would also not appear on DJ Hero.^[32]

The individual songs themselves have been pulled from a large number of music genres, including pop, grunge, soul, R&B, techno, hip hop, and house.^{[3][10][34][35][36][37]} In addition to mixes using individual songs from both Eminem and Jay-Z, including Jay-Z's "Izzo (H.O.V.A.)" and "Dirt Off Your Shoulder".^[13] Eminem also stated that he will have additional songs included later in the year as downloadable content for the game.^[13] Universal Music Group is providing much of the content for the game.^[10][18][38]

Reception

Reviews

Reception
Aggregate scores
Aggregator	Score
GameRankings	88.4%[39]
Metacritic	85/100[40]
Review scores
Publication	Score
1UP.com	B[41]
Eurogamer	8/10[42]
Game Informer	9/10[43]
IGN	9/10 (US)[44] 9.3/10 (UK)[45] 7/10 (AU)[46]
Giant Bomb	[47]

DJ Hero has received positive reviews from the gaming press, who consider the title as a fresh restart of the music genre given the large number of titles based on guitar play. The turntable peripheral has been considered to be well designed to meet the gameplay, and the soundtrack, though with some questionable mixes and overuse of certain singles, was considered strong. Reviewers believed that the small faults in the present game can be easily fixed for potential sequels.^[48]

Time named DJ Hero one of the ten best video games of 2009, considering it "the new contender for best party game".^[49] It also won Best Soundtrack at the Spike Video Game Awards 2009.^[50]

Pre-release

Before DJ Hero's release, electronic music producer Paul Oakenfold endorsed the game, saying that he "loved it".^[51]

In the United Kingdom, several news outlets expressed surprise at the high recommended retail price of the game^[52][53], although Amazon.com and Play.com announced pre-order prices lower than those discussed in either article.

The DJ Hero controller appears in the video for Kid Cudi's "Make Her Say".^[54]

On August 28, 2009, DJ AM, a significant contributor to DJ Hero, was found dead in his apartment in New York City. His death did not affect the release of the game. Tim Riley, vice president of music affairs for Activision, stated that "We are deeply saddened by the loss of DJ AM. We hope that his work on the game will be a fitting tribute to his creative spirit and musical talent".^[55]

Sales

Prior to DJ Hero's release, game industry analysts had projected the title would sell 1.6 million units in its first fiscal quarter; however, after disappointing sales performances of Guitar Hero 5 and The Beatles: Rock Band in the month prior to DJ Hero's release, analysis had lowered that expectation to 600,000 units.^[56] NPD Group figures for the month of October reported only 123,000 units of the game were sold in the United States,^[57] below the 175,000 units projected by analysts.^[58] November sales in North America were estimated at 211,000 units.^[59]

Ars Technica, in considering the game as a "flop" in its present market due to these numbers, attributes the failure being due to four factors: the game was not suited for social play, the cost was prohibitive in the current market, the mixes in the game were relatively unknown despite the individual songs being well-known, and there was a lack of familiarity with how a turntable works for mixing compared with a guitar or drum kit.^[60]

See also

• Beatmania and Beatmania IIDX, DJ simulation games developed by Konami
• Scratch: The Ultimate DJ, a similar game by Bedlam Studios

References

External links

• Official DJ Hero website