Although guitar heroics often take the lead in modern popular music, rock & roll has always been a group activity, and Activision's Band Hero aims to gets the whole crew into the act. As its title proclaims, the continuation of the genre-founding Guitar Hero series sets center stage for the whole band -- drummers and vocalists as well as lead and bass guitarists -- and is designed to let gamers play along with contemporary and classic rock and pop songs, using their favorite instruments in their own style. The game ships with a "Drum Grip" peripheral, which plugs into the Game Boy cartridge accessory slot of the Nintendo DS (and which is not compatible with the newer DSi model of the handheld). The action-buttoned grip is similar to the device included with the special DS edition of Guitar Hero: On Tour, but is designed to allow for drum kit simulation as well as virtual fret board work. Vocals are picked up by the handheld's built in microphone. To keep the focus on fun, Band Hero offers "No Fail" gameplay modes, allowing players to open up and express themselves, without worrying about keeping up with progressions or scoring points. Guitar Hero's more familiar, challenging modes of play are available in Band Hero as well, and the game features "Stage Stunt" mini-games, which can boost a good performance over the top or drag it down into mediocrity, depending on the player's success. The Nintendo DS edition of Band Hero includes 30 popular songs from a diverse selection of pop and rock recording artists, such as Avril Levine, Fall Out Boy, Foo Fighters, No Doubt, Queen, The Rolling Stones, and Spin Doctors. In the spirit of playing together with the band, up to four DS players can jam together on the same songs, each playing a different part or all on the same instrument. DS Band Hero musicians who also play the Wii edition can unlock additional challenges and rewards on the console through a wireless connection between the two games