Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock (Xbox 360, 2007)

Make no mistake. This is the most exciting and compelling release yet in the franchise that made music games a household experience. With more original recordings in place for many of the great songs in rock, Guitar Hero III delivers an incredible song list, even if more casual listeners may not recognize every tune that comes their way. New modes of play add some cool new variety to the mix. Vibrant and colorful visuals leap off the screen, drawing players even more into the rock star fantasy. Only a few confounding choices as to the handling of unlockable music and party-style gameplay keep this from rocketing into the heights of guitar nirvana.