Disney Announces Ultimate Band

Disney Interactive Studios has announced Ultimate Band, a new music-based game for the Nintendo Wii and DS that will let players live the life of an aspiring rock star from the family garage to the world's biggest venues.

The game will combine current hits with all-time classics from some of the biggest names in rock, pop, alternative, emo and the indie scene. The game makes use of the Wii Remote and Nunchuk to give players control of guitars, bass, drums or vocals, and will feature unlockable songs, venues and accessories that can be used to customize characters. The DS version of the game will also have a built-in recording studio, letting players create their own original tracks with the DS stylus, and DGamer support for secure multiplayer action.

"Ultimate Band invites kids, tweens and teens to join in the jam session," said Craig Relyea, Disney Interactive's senior vice president of global marketing. "And whether they choose guitar, drums, bass or front man, members don't need to buy costly, single-function peripherals to play their way through Ultimate Band's deep song list, dynamic venues and customizable characters. The Wii Remote and DS stylus are the only tools they'll need to reach rock stardom in Ultimate Band."

David Hill of music consultants Radial Music, which worked with Disney on the project, added, "Radial worked closely with Disney to compile the perfect song list for Ultimate Band. With iconic songs from every decade since the 60s, these games feature music for everyone."

Ultimate Band for the Wii and DS is being developed by Fall Line Studio and is currently set for a Christmas 2008 release.