In the late 2000’s, music games were all of the rage. With the introduction of Guitar Hero, people were fascinated; players could jam along to their favorite songs without having to learn the real guitar notes. It was a trend gone wild, and the market was filled with sequels and add-ons.

Later, Rock Band  jumped on the bandwagon — but with a twist. Rock Band introduced more than just guitar, but bass, drums and vocals. This triggered a competition, with the Rock Band and Guitar Hero fighting for the superior title. Near the end of its hay day, Guitar Hero created games for numerous bands, but by then, the cash cow it was milking had died out. The demise of music games brought about the end of Guitar Hero and Rock Band.

In 2011, a new game emerged from the ashes of the old: Rocksmith, a game that brought a new idea to the formula. Gamers could plug a real guitar into their game console, offering them the opportunity to learn and play guitar in an entertaining and interactive way. Also riding the waves of the new generation of music games, BandFuse: Rock Legends utilizes the ability to plug in your guitar into your console.

Consumers now wonder if they should invest into the new music game arrival. If the buyer is interested in playing by himself or herself and taking the time to learn guitar, then Rocksmith or BandFuse is the way to go. However, if he or she would rather partake in an exciting co-op experience similar to that of older games, they should stay away.

Let’s take a moment to discuss why. If you want to play Rocksmith or BandFuse, you obviously need a guitar. Whether or not you already have one, you will or will have already spent at least $500 for a decent guitar. Then, take into account the extra $70 or $80 spent on the game; that is already over the price range for an average teenage consumer. Frankly, these newer games are designed to teach you how to play. As far as the gaming industry is concerned, music games are finished.