Guitar Hero: Van Halen hot for retail Dec. 22

[UPDATE] Activision confirms latest rhythm game spin-off will jump into stores just in time for Christmas, full setlist revealed.

Between Guitar Hero 5, DJ Hero, Band Hero, and Guitar Hero: Van Halen, the rest of 2009 will be crammed full of Activision rhythm games. With so many offerings in such a short window of time, the publisher wants to give its games as much room to breathe as possible.

Coming soon to a console near you.

Activision's rhythm game gauntlet kicks off with Guitar Hero 5's September 1 launch, and today the publisher told GameSpot it will end with the North American launch of Guitar Hero: Van Halen on December 22. The game is set for release on the Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, Wii, and PlayStation 2 and previously had only been given a "second half of 2009" launch window.

Like the Metallica and Aerosmith dedicated Guitar Hero games before it, Guitar Hero: Van Halen will feature 25 tracks from the hard rock group, as well as three playable solos by its famed guitarist, Eddie Van Halen. The game will also feature 19 other musical acts, including Queen, Weezer, Blink 182, The Offspring, and Queens of the Stone Age.

[UPDATE] The complete Guitar Hero: Van Halen on-disc set list follows below:

Van Halen tracks:
"Ain't Talkin Bout Love"
"And the Cradle Will Rock"
"Atomic Punk"
"Beautiful Girls"
"Cathedral" (solo)
"Dance the Night Away"
"Eruption" (solo)
"Everybody Wants Some"
"Feel Your Love Tonight"
"Hang 'Em High"
"Hear About it Later"
"Hot for Teacher"
"Ice Cream Man"
"I'm the One"
"Jamie's Cryin"
"Jump"
"Little Guitars"
"Loss of Control"
"Mean Street"
"Panama"
"Pretty Woman"
"Romeo Delight"
"Running with the Devil"
"So This is Love"
"Somebody Get Me a Doctor"
"Spanish Fly" (solo)
"Unchained"
"You Really Got Me"

Songs by other artists:
Alter Bridge - "Come to Life"
Billy Idol - "White Wedding"
blink-182 - "First Date"
Deep Purple - "Space Truckin"
Foo Fighters - "Best Of You"
Foreigner - "Double Vision"
Fountains of Wayne - "Stacy's Mom"
Jimmy Eat World - "Pain"
Judas Priest - "Painkiller"
Killswitch Engage - "The End of Heartache"
Lenny Kravitz - "Rock and Roll is Dead"
Queen - "I Want it All"
Queens of the Stone Age - "Sick, Sick, Sick"
Tenacious D - "Master Exploder"
The Clash - "Safe European Home"
The Offspring - "Pretty Fly For a White Guy"
Third Eye Blind - "Semi-Charmed Life"
Weezer - "Dope Nose"
Yellowcard - "The Takedown"

149 Comments

  • Trogeton

    Posted Sep 12, 2009 9:51 pm PT

    I just ordered GH 5 I rented it.. It's an AWESOME game.. but I just ordered it so I can have 2 excellent games for a great price. WHAT A SUPERB DEAL

  • Generic_Dude

    Posted Sep 4, 2009 7:25 am PT

    No "Little Dreamer"?

  • Raiden367

    Posted Aug 28, 2009 5:57 pm PT

    Killswitch engage sucks ass -.- most like new metal they screm into the mic and think theyr cool cus they copy the original metal artists like metallica and megadeth and slayer.

  • gnrslash415

    Posted Aug 25, 2009 7:30 pm PT

    OMFG First Aerosmith,then Metallica,and now Van Halen. What they need to make is Guitar Hero:Guns N' Roses

  • CJK_04

    Posted Aug 23, 2009 6:14 pm PT

    Anything Killswitch and im game.

  • MaverickSY

    Posted Aug 17, 2009 3:15 am PT

    this game has a really kick ass setlist!

  • Dynamo11

    Posted Aug 16, 2009 5:44 am PT

    Guitar Hero has f***ed up big time with this game! They had one chance to show Rock Band that they still meant business and have failed miserably, I think they even know that they failed if they are giving away free copies of it with GH5 (which is a good deal btw)

  • DS_fan5452

    Posted Aug 10, 2009 4:12 pm PT

    Alot of people don't get it. "Enough with the HERO games!" They say. But the thing is that Rockband and Guitar Hero have become the equivalent of buying mp3's or cd albums for ur game system. They are making it so there is a vast choice for people with different tastes. And you might say "they're just doing it for money." Well no s*** they didn't get in the business without there being great profit. If you don't like them so much then ignore them. How does it effect you. I mean really... "Oh no another game came out that I don't want to get. My life is ruined..." It doesn't make sense. So stop whining and chill out.

  • Markie75

    Posted Aug 10, 2009 2:53 pm PT

    Agree @ Bengino...
    They should prefer DLC will make MoneyVision..i mean Activision more ca$h that way.......

    But not denying Van Halen are an amazing band...
    I got Metallica all i need now is Rolling Stones or Pantera and i could die happy......

  • bengino

    Posted Aug 9, 2009 7:54 am PT

    i think some people are COMPLETELY missing the boat yet again.

    DLC IS THE WAY TO GO!

    What's the freakin' point of releasing 5 GH titles in one calendar year when you cannot play them on anything but THAT DISK? The average gamer will play a game until he beat it or until the "new" stuff comes out, and yet Rock Band decided to not make their freaking game obsolete by being constant with DLC and making the first game completely exportable (minus 3 song).

    As for the Beatles vs. VH... not even close, The Beatles are the bigger of these bands and it was NOT HMX's decision to make it a standalone game, Like i said in the Band Hero article, this along with everything BUT GH:5 should have gone the DLC route, but alas, Activision likes to take more and more from the average person by trying to entice them with a band specific title. Reminds me of GH: Rocks the 80's which has basically been the worst thing HMX has done since starting this thing in North America.

    (quick little history lesson for those not in the know.. Harmonix started Guitar Hero with 1, 2 and Rocks the 80's, sold the rights to the game to Activision which made 3 while they moved on to Rock Band. Rock Band has RB 1 & 2, The Beatles: Rock Band, RB:Unplugged and an upcoming Lego Rock Band title... i've lost count of how many GH titles there have been, i think 3 for the DS, Aerosmith, Metallica, Van Halen, Smash Hits, World Tour, Band Hero and DJ Hero... all that in about 3 years....)

  • -HaloHitman-

    Posted Aug 8, 2009 8:05 am PT

    Oh Yeah!

  • Harerazer

    Posted Aug 7, 2009 7:46 am PT

    I know it would obviously have to extend the Van Halen "story" of the game but I was really hoping for some David Lee songs (specifically the Skyscraper and Eat 'Em & Smile albums) with this. Also, why do these games repeat songs? With all of the songs in American and European music history (as a base) we get songs that are in both RB and GH games. Come On guys, give us something worth shelling out $60-200 for.

  • cloud_strife999

    Posted Aug 6, 2009 9:29 pm PT

    The Killswitch song is far from lame... You just do not appreciate good music. KSE is nothing like Van Halen. It is easy to dislike Halen... 90% of their songs are about sex... I probably won't buy, but if I would it would be for KSE,Tenacious D and a few of Van Halens's songs. The fact is also that guitar hero would still be just a guitar without rockband. Also as for lame song title listen before you post. Maybe you'd learn a thing or two. KSE unlike most modern metal like bands take time with their music and really test out new ideas.

  • golferdude

    Posted Aug 6, 2009 7:54 pm PT

    To wiiplay1, you sarcasm is retarded, considering DLC for this game would cost about 80 to 90 dollars, and just have the songs and thats it. I would rather pay 60 and get a compleatly new game, having new stages, new features, and being able to play the characters from Van Halen. I guess if you want to be a tool and spend 80 bucks on that many songs go ahead. And the beatles rockband will have some cool art but game wise will be the easiest music game ever created. I would rather play something thats actually hard, like having an actual drumset rather 4 circles that constantly change from symbals to toms. And for everyone who complains about 5 guitar heros in one year, dont buy them, I like that activision is giving me a choice on different games to buy.

  • tawagivercetti

    Posted Aug 6, 2009 6:52 pm PT

    this games gonna hurt my hands bad.....
    I'd buy it just for Master/Exploder by Tenacious D

    btw Queens of the Stone Age freakin' rock phoenixvenom

  • dieharder3x

    Posted Aug 6, 2009 4:01 pm PT

    To wolvklaw:
    You are a moron. The "sammy era" is atrocious.

    To KH-mixerx:
    The End of Heartache is easily the lamest song title and equally as lame Killswitch song, compared to others. And i do not understand how you could like anything with distorted guitars/guitar solos and "hate" VH.

  • Trogeton

    Posted Aug 6, 2009 3:51 pm PT

    I can tell you one thing.. when it comes to the guitar Van Halen OWNS beetles

  • KH-mixerX

    Posted Aug 6, 2009 3:20 pm PT

    Damn, it has KSE on there. I love KSE, but I hate Van Halen

  • wolvklaw

    Posted Aug 6, 2009 2:40 pm PT

    Sorry thats a horrible lineup, specially with nothing from the Sammy era. I'll pass, just like Aerosmith I will be hard pressed to pay even $10 bucks for this. Theres just nothing there. Not dissing Van Halen, but I don't like this lineup one bit.

  • wiiplay1

    Posted Aug 6, 2009 2:37 pm PT

    Great idea Activision. Because as opposed to making this DLC, how about you sell it retail instead? I mean DLC? Why on Earth would you want to use that? I mean, it's only more convenient, and it only usually costs less. That's it, right?

    By the way, that was sarcasm. In all serious, this is one reason I hate Guitar Hero. There are too many games in the series. Metallica, Aerosmith, and now this? Come on Activision, it's called Downloadable Content. Make use of this phenomena.

    Too bad they haven't gotten The Beatles yet.

  • raimgamer

    Posted Aug 6, 2009 1:31 pm PT

    Awesome. Van Halen is one of my favorite rock bands. I'm glad they got their spot soon.

  • DaSlyOne

    Posted Aug 6, 2009 1:28 pm PT

    Agreed condelirios. I mean, the original VH w/ DLR was great (my first concert was their 1984 tour). Yet the SH days, post-1984, was great too. I'm quite disappointed that they aren't including anything from 5150 and beyond. I was really looking forward to being able to use a power drill on my guitar for Poundcake from For Unlawful Carnal Knowledge.

  • Little_Socrates

    Posted Aug 6, 2009 1:24 pm PT

    This looks like a half-decent budget title. Better than Smash Hits, but way worse than Metallica. I'll pick it up when it's cheap.

  • condelirios

    Posted Aug 6, 2009 12:48 pm PT

    It should be re-named ... Guitar Hero: Van Halen : Pre-1984 Edition. VH made 5150, OU812, Balance...all #1 albums with several huge hits each which are NOT on the set list. If you can't include ALL of Van Halen..don't do the project. This would be like if Rock Band : The Beatles was released without any songs past released after 1964. So very lame.

  • starcher5150

    Posted Aug 6, 2009 12:30 pm PT

    No Hagar. This seems like half a game. They need 5150.

  • PhoenixVenom

    Posted Aug 6, 2009 12:23 pm PT

    and enough with the queens of the stone age songs already

  • PhoenixVenom

    Posted Aug 6, 2009 12:20 pm PT

    WOW! Amazingly Tremendously Horrible setlist. maybe this is a joke setlist and the real one will be revealed later on. there needs to be more songs without question. the van halen song choices are alright i guess. but the bonus songs are a joke the only song that intrests me there is the killswitch song

  • mylsd

    Posted Aug 6, 2009 11:46 am PT

    Wow a LOT of familiar extra songs for those of us with Rock Band, and they should've picked songs from VH's entire career

  • Phitin_Phils

    Posted Aug 6, 2009 11:46 am PT

    Terrible terrible setlist. Joke Game

  • Sonny360Elite

    Posted Aug 6, 2009 11:14 am PT

    This is amazing! So many great songs and you even get other artists songs? I just have a question, will you be able to play as a band and use Rock Band drums on this game? I'm always confused if these Guitar Hero games are like that. If it's only guitar then NOT FOR ME!!!!!!!!!

  • Isayama

    Posted Aug 6, 2009 10:59 am PT

    Normally I would b1tch about guitar hero, but GH: Van Halen = FTW!!

  • atm0073

    Posted Aug 6, 2009 10:50 am PT

    Wow, they're really going to squeeze this game into 2009? I smell a flop (which would be no surprise, given Acitivision's reputation with recent GH games).

  • oblivionroxx

    Posted Aug 6, 2009 10:49 am PT

    DAMMIT where's "you're gonna go far kid" by the offspring!!!!!

  • Rottenwood

    Posted Aug 6, 2009 10:32 am PT

    I don't care much about Van Halen one way or another, but this isn't a very compelling product. Halen's song list is scattershot - a handful of big hits and some decent songs, only from the Roth era - and the other tracks are extremely blah, with many of them already available for Rock Band 2. Pretty skimpy offering. Especially when compared to the Beatles game coming out a few months earlier, which features far superior content and some interesting gameplay evolutions.

    I suspect this will be the first "rock" game that doesn't really take off.

  • Trogeton

    Posted Aug 6, 2009 10:31 am PT

    Better than that spinal tap crap.. and this is a bigger setlist too

  • KAISERKONG

    Posted Aug 6, 2009 10:24 am PT

    Maybe Activision should really think about this one and consider releasing everything as downloadable content for the games they already have in place. I can see a hard copy of these games still needed for release on the PS2 (and the Wii since it doesn't have a HDD), but with everything else online, and the fact they usually make more money through digital distribution, why would they NOT release everything as a content download?

  • MATRIXMAN3780

    Posted Aug 6, 2009 10:17 am PT

    Hahahahahahah, ohhhhhh Activision. You are becoming worse each day.

  • X-7

    Posted Aug 6, 2009 10:00 am PT

    Short track list...

  • Coheeds_Avatar

    Posted Aug 6, 2009 9:51 am PT

    White Wedding, Master Exploder, and Painkiller eh? Funny, feel like I've played those somewhere..

  • Simulator_Shock

    Posted Aug 6, 2009 9:38 am PT

    5 games in one year.....something's not right with that.

  • 2bitSmOkEy

    Posted Aug 6, 2009 9:37 am PT

    Fail boat

  • ThisNameIsDumb

    Posted Aug 6, 2009 9:28 am PT

    i honestly am not even interested...

  • xbox360555

    Posted Aug 6, 2009 9:02 am PT

    (Probably the same reason as Guitar Hero Aerosmith.)

    Whats that?

  • Link_86_1

    Posted Aug 6, 2009 8:57 am PT

    Probably the same reason as Guitar Hero Aerosmith.

  • bgres077

    Posted Aug 6, 2009 8:48 am PT

    LOL, why are there other artists songs if it's GH Van Halen? Never knew they did that.

  • ut40755

    Posted Aug 6, 2009 8:47 am PT

    YEA ALTER BRIDGE!!!!

    ill wait for a price drop to get this one, just like i will with metallica. this whole guitar hero thing is going way too far...

  • Narutofan30 posted Aug 6, 2009 8:38 am PT (does not meet display criteria. sign in to show)

    Narutofan30

    Posted Aug 6, 2009 8:38 am PT (hide)

    OMG GOD GREAT SETLIST AGAIN!(Since GH:Metallica) Thank You GH! Im Sold just for the Guest Stars! And VanHalen is a Lengendery Band!

  • SpikedStrider

    Posted Aug 6, 2009 8:25 am PT

    Looks awesome and it would have been nice to see some Vanhagar but not a game killer for sure. The thing that ticks me off is the missing Michael Anthony.

  • YZF250Spree

    Posted Aug 6, 2009 7:53 am PT

    why aren't there any Sammy Hagar songs. Most of which are better that the the David Lee Roth era?????????????????

  • vico103

    Posted Aug 6, 2009 7:51 am PT

    WTF, there better be alot of DLC for this one, there's a ton of good Van Halen songs missing, plus other song's from the era. Hopefully they announce the DLC closer to the launch date.

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