Rock Band 3 adds keyboard and Pro mode that turns instruments into nearly-real simulators, especially the real Pro Squier guitar. Sixty-three base setlist tracks with David Bowie, Doors, Queen and more. Three-part vocal harmony modes, persistent profile. On Wii, lighter features vs HD but the rhythm essence remains. Series peak, mixing party fun and real musical depth.
Your verdict
Category
Rhythm4 players12+
Description
Music game by Harmonix and MTV Games/EA, Europe October 2010. Players perform songs with guitars, bass, drums, keyboard and microphone on virtual stages. Over 80 new songs including Rolling Stones, Bob Dylan and Lynyrd Skynyrd hits, new pro keyboard and enriched solo career modes. The most musically complete Rock Band with the keyboard addition.
Rock Band 3 review
4/5
Art direction
★★★★★
"Striking"
MAX
Music
★★★★★
"Legendary"
1/5
Story
★★★★★
"Anecdotal"
A true interactive jukebox, the game puts dozens of rock hits in players' hands to perform as a band, guitar, bass, drums and vocals together. The eclectic selection, from classics to modern hits, turns every session into an improvised concert. This convivial musical generosity remains the beating heart of the experience.
Gameplay
"Excellent"
Fun
"From the very first seconds"
Pushing the musical experience further with the keyboard and Pro mode, which brings the game closer to the real instrument: this ambitious entry enriches the four-player concert without losing any of its conviviality. Feeling the parts lock in and finishing a track in harmony stays a rare collective glee. More complete and deeper, a peak of the music game to savour in a group, beginner and expert alike.
Addictiveness
"Obsessive"
Locking your notes on guitar, drums, keyboard or vocals across a sprawling setlist nudges the whole band toward "just one more track." Pro mode, the career and assorted challenges rekindle the urge to genuinely improve on a real instrument. The bulky gear can put people off, but the teaching ambition and the sheer joy of playing together keep a lasting, infectious grip.
Difficulty
"Balanced"
Lifespan
"Massive"
Plugging in guitar, bass, drums, mic and now keyboard opens a setlist built to be devoured over the long haul, between the eighty-plus fresh tracks and the re-imported legacy of earlier games. Climbing the difficulties up to Pro mode, taming the real keyboard, polishing the enriched solo careers and chasing flawless runs on classics by the Rolling Stones or Bob Dylan keep players hooked for dozens of hours. That musical richness, the series' most complete, makes it a benchmark fans still reinstall.
A culmination of the series from Harmonix, Rock Band 3 enriches the band formula by adding keyboards and above all a Pro mode that brings the game closer to genuine instrumental learning, with a real fretted guitar in support. The richness of the tracklist, the depth of the modes and the collective fun make it the genre's peak. The dependency on numerous peripherals and the end of online support weigh on it. A landmark title for music lovers and fans of demanding rhythm gaming among friends.
