Ubisoft’s Jam Sessions 2 in stores this week

Ubisoft has released Jam Sessions 2 for the Nintendo DS and DSi at retailers across the U.S. Jam Sessions 2 is a guitar game developed by Plato that attempts to make improving your guitar skills fun and rewarding.

Each song in the game play mode serves a different role in advancing players’ guitar skills and songwriting abilities. By progressing through the songbook, players can learn techniques that will help them play the guitar and write songs. Armed with their new skills, players can then play, create and share their original music with others.

Jam Sessions 2 is rated E10+ by the ESRB and has an MSRP of $29.99.

Jam Sessions 2 announced

Ubisoft plans on releasing a follow-up to Sessions under the clever title Jam Sessions 2. The DS and DSi game is scheduled for release in Fall 2009 in North America, and is being developed by Plato. The follow-up to this guitar game puts an emphasis on using each song to play a different role in advancing players’ guitar skills and songwriting abilities.

By progressing through the songbook, players learn techniques that will help them play the guitar and write songs. With these skills, players can learn to play, create and share their own original music with others.

If you want to be the next Jonas Brother, you need a flat iron, but if you want to be the next Carlos Santana, then this game might help.

Rockin’ Pretty rocks to retail

Aksys Games has release Rockin’ Pretty, a music simulation game developed exclusively for Nintendo DS. Developed by Arc System Works, players will test their music-rhythm skills to the beats of hard rock, choosing from four instruments such as the guitar, bass, drums, or keyboard.

Rockin’ Pretty utilizes the stylus to tap or strum to play the music of Rockin Pretty. With Players will have to also takes the girls through various performance venues and gain star power. Using the stars collected from each level, players will be able to unlock new outfits, hairstyles, and instruments.

Rockin’ Pretty has been rated “E” For Everyone by the ESRB. More information about Aksys Games can be found at www.aksysgames.com.

The Beatles: Rock Band Announced and Dated

Last year, when MTV Games, Harmonix, and Apple Corps announced that they had reached a licensing agreement for use of the library of music from The Beatles, fans everywhere started salivating over the possibility of hitting Rock Band’s virtual stage with John, Paul, George, and Ringo. That possibility was immediately shot down, with the involved parties specifically stating that the new game would NOT be an expansion to the Rock Band line. Fret not, rock game gods, it seems like SOMEONE was stretching the truth.

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Court Tosses Gibson Lawsuit Against Activision

The US District Court for the Central District of California has ruled against Gibson, according to Engadget. The lawsuit filed against Activision alleged that the guitar controller used with Guitar Hero infringed on an obscure Gibson patent on “simulating a musical performance.” The court sided with Activision, saying that Guitar Hero instruments are more like toys and therefore don’t infringe on Gibson’s patent. Further the patent only covers analog audio output signals - not MIDI or other types of audio output.

Since the decision was kind of broad it is doubtful that Gibson would be able to peruse its case against Harmonix, which it filed at about the same time as it did with its lawsuit against Activision. this is a good thing, because there are plenty of other companies it could have sued — like Disney — had it prevailed.