The juggernaut "Guitar Hero" cannot be stopped -- not by a change of developer, not by a world where "Slow Ride" is more kitsch than some serious rock. In fact, bring on your "Barracuda" and "Rock You Like a Hurricane" -- OK, maybe not that one -- and I will slay them all with my button-fretted ax. But thank metal that the soundtrack for "Guitar Hero III" is much better than "II's"; there is always room for improvement, but then again, tastes are so subjective. For every stinker from the likes Poison, Pat Benatar and Disturbed -- yeah, I said it -- there's a solid track, like "Holiday in Cambodia" by the Dead Kennedys, "Paint It Black" by, duh, the Rolling Stones and the finger-bending "Raining Blood" by Slayer. And the difficulty is back for shredders who crave pain -- especially on expert level. Dare to take on Dragonforce's "Through Fire and Flames" in a quest for YouTube bragging rights. The gameplay sticks with the same formula for this installment: Hit the buttons on the guitar-shaped controller's fret board to correspond with the buttons on the screen. New, however, is the co-op career mode -- there are six songs you can unlock only in this mode, so you'd better start making friends -- the Battle Power feature and ... drum roll, please ... online play -- finally! Quick matches, ranked matches, but no co-op. Too bad. The Battle Power comes into play in boss battles and co-op. Instead of Star Power, which boosts your points, think "Mario Kart"-style power-ups that sabotage your opponent: broken strings, overloaded amps, tweaked-out whammy bars. It's an interesting feature that doesn't feel fleshed out. One person easily can dominate a rival if he or she strikes first. That Activision lured Tom Morello (Rage Against the Machine) and Slash (Guns N' Roses) to compose alternating tracks for their boss battles is astounding. And, Activision even got the Sex Pistols to re-record "Anarchy in the U.K." -- thus reigniting the seminal punk band's passion to perform -- and acquired more original recordings, rather than relying on covers of spotty quality. The graphics, however, are only slightly better than the last title's, but still no create-a-character. Plus, advertising intruded upon the scenery. Not just for music-related items, but for Pontiac and Axe Body Spray. What's one thing a rock band doesn't want to do• Sell out. Make a note of that, Activision. To my utter disappointment, my wireless controller sputtered out on me during the second song. I've read numerous complaints on message boards, so I know I'm not alone on this one. Instead of registering the note fully, it makes that plink sound for a missed note. Wouldn't you know it, as soon as I plugged in my wired guitar controller, problem solved. But as far as the franchise's appeal goes, "III" keeps a steady beat. Hopefully, though, the next installment will change its tune a bit. The interface is getting stale, and longtime fans might get bored if the song remains the same. Wii will rock you "Legends of Rock" is the first "Guitar Hero" game for a Nintendo console, and Wii owners are in for a treat. The Gibson Les Paul guitar controller has a white faceplate exclusive for the Wii, with the Wiimote attaching to the guitar. The Wiimote's speaker plays sour notes when you mess up and rumbles when you tilt the guitar to activate Star Power. Unlike most online Wii games, the Wi-Fi Connection multiplayer works perfectly, with many modes for competitive jamming online. Wannabe rock stars can create a profile at GuitarHero.com . The game updates your personalized page with the songs you've played, your stats and achievements. But it's a bummer that the Wii isn't capable of downloading new songs. In the graphics department, the Wii can't outdo the PS3 and 360, but the series always has been about how it plays, not how it looks -- which happens to be the Wii's mantra. It's a perfect fit for Nintendo's quirky console. -- Mike Eacobacci Additional Information:

'Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock'

Rating: B Developer: Neversoft Publisher: RedOctane Platform: Xbox 360 (also PS3, Wii, PS2) Genre: Rhythm ESRB: Teen Retail: $89.99 (includes game, wireless guitar controller)

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