Continuing with the tradition of our Thursday Top 10’s, we decided to look at something very obvious, but yet very distinct. So far we’ve looked at the Memorable Character Deaths, the Best Weapons Featured in a FPS and the Top Ten Nine (don’t ask) Original Game Songs. This week, we’re doing a run on some of the most memorable video game themes.

Why? Because apart from the fact how great games really are (no, really!), gamers themselves often tend to rate a game based first on graphics, game play and artistic appeal (though not necessarily in that order) – which is pretty much what decides whether its good enough to play. But EVERY game has to make use of sound and it’s plain to see that, what with games like Half-Life 2 and System Shock 2. Music forms a crucial component of the game-play experience; get the right music at the right time, and you feel the adrenalin pumping. But while most newer games now use ambient noise and music, a lot of cue based intros and then outros – the games we’ve all grown up on and loved have always had that catchy tune, hook, phrase or riff that made everything that much more captivating!

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I’ve always felt sad for people with Erectile Dysfunction. Especially if they happen to be married to sexually active women just writhing with unbridled lust. Well, now me and the rest of the Indian gaming community know just how those poor guys feel! After months of poking and prodding, it looks like Rock Band is finally available via Microsoft India’s eBay store for INR 1999 / $50. Good news, right? Nope, not really! We get the game, but we don’t get anything else - no guitar, no drum kit, no microphone!

Sure, all you guys elsewhere could just plug your GH2/GH3 guitars in and thrash away, but we don’t have those either, so we’d be expected to play with just the Xbox 360 controller, which frankly, sucks big time! If I don’t get the drums, I don’t want the game! Thank you very much, but you can have your copy back! We’re going to be contacting Microsoft India about this and try to find out whether the distributors at Redington will be importing the accessories and the Special Edition bundle as well, but with Country Manager Mohit Anand letting it slip at the Delhi Game On event that Guitar Hero 3 could cost upward of INR 6000 or $150, one wonders how much the Rock Band Special Edition would cost. Way more than what we can afford, that’s for sure!

Let’s face it, the Guitar Hero games may be the best, but you look absolutely retarded while playing them with a tiny, plastic controller. Well, that’s a thing of the past. ArtGuitar, a leading designer of custom graphics for guitars, working with Peavey are bringing out the limited edition AG RiffMaster Guitar Controller for the PS2. (Where’s my Xbox 360 version!?)

That’s right, you guessed it right. This is an actual Peavey guitar modded with the PS2 guitar controller, so you actually look pretty darn badass while you nail that cruel solo from Hanger 18 in Expert mode! And the best part, all 17 of these are collectible masterpieces, with some fantastic artwork on them showcasing KISS, Megadeth, Ozzy Ozbourne, Pantera and Lynyrd Skynyrd - all yours for a low, low price of $399. Hey, if it looks this good when I’m playing one of the greatest games ever made, I’d pay $500!

Created from a real Peavey guitar, ArtGuitar has preserved the qualities found in the original makeup of the instrument. The guitar strings have been removed, but the headstock of the AG RiffMaster Guitar Controller, still sports real tuning pegs for an added visual appeal. Crafted from natural basswood, the body displays custom artwork showcasing 17 unique designs featuring five legendary rock bands. The neck created from hard rock maple, features five colored fret buttons located amongst true frets and position markers on a genuine fingerboard while the pickup consists of one humbucking and a scale length of 25.5″. The guitar controller also features premium 2.4GHz wireless technology for high-performance precision gaming.

There you go, off to max out your credit card yet again. Don’t worry, you’ll have even more great ways to spend your money, including official hard shell cases for your precious controller, Peavey logo barstool, guitar polish care kit, guitar stands and much, much more. Gotta love capitalism. And Guitar Hero, that’s a must!

This week on Top 10 9 Thursday, we will look at the best original songs ever heard in a game. But obviously, we couldn’t add the gazillions and one songs present in the sports and racing titles in the market (since most of them weren’t specifically made with the game in mind). The songs present here enhance the experience of the game they’re featured in, by either fleshing out the plot better and in some situations, add a certain flair to the game that just makes it so much better. Many great games are played and forgotten, but when we hear these numbers, all the amazing moments that we experienced flood our brains like crazed Halo fans on launch day, as we fondly recall all those sleepless nights spent playing the game. Three minute nostalgia shots, that’s what we like to call these little ditties.

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I’ve heard a handful of Wii users gripe about how Harmonix’s next musical opus Rock Band won’t be featured on their platform (so far, it’s just coming to PS2, PS3 and X360), especially when Neversoft’s newly-released Guitar Hero III says otherwise. Although at this point, it’s still a debate whether a game of Rock Band’s promise can have so many supported peripherals and still prove to be a commercial hit. Then I saw this video of Nintendo’s upcoming Wii Music posted by 4cr. Wii Music tries to achieve a somewhat similar goal in mind, but with having the standard WiiMote as your multipurpose instrument of choice, making it accessible to those who don’t even own the game yet. Now, you might not be able to strum to popular hits like Foo Fighters’ Learn to Fly, but Carmen’s The Overture doesn’t sound too shabby either.

Of course, if only the Wii would be made readily available in India. Which reminds me, if you’re living in China and happen to be reading this, kindly note how my fists are burning red. And that they’re telling me to defeat you!

Right, so y’all already know how I’m completely head over heels in love with Portal, GLaDOS, Jonathan Coulton and Ellen McLain after that great “Still Alive” ditty. And, obviously, I’m not the only one. Jonathan Coulton, the genius behind the best damn end credits song ever made, reveals the inside scoop on how the song came about and how Valve might be planning to make it officially available through Steam - maybe even with a version of him singing it. Hey, don’t look at me. I’m just as eagerly waiting for the Weighted Companion Cube paperweight and the Portal turret toy to end up on the Valve Store. Or I could just lose patience and make one of my own from all these cardboard boxes that I, strangely, seem to have lying around…

As if it wasn’t torturous enough to watch Japanese karaoke on Takeshi’s Castle, it looks like the make-an-idiot-out-of-yourself “revolution” (blech!) is hitting a little too close to home. Starting today, fans will be able to pick up the desi-styled SingStar Bollywood across Europe and start crooning in horrible voices into their mics, even as they put up a much more unimaginable horror show on their EyeToys.

For those that don’t know Hindi, but have been brainwashed by their Indian friends enough to start screeching in an alien language, Sony has even been kind enough to add phonetic English lyrics to the package. So take a look at the track list, if you dare, and thank the Gods that you have found that perfect gift for the female co-worker who’s been annoying you all through the years by insisting on Antakshari every time more than three people show up anywhere. As for me, I’m off to get ear plugs and NO, I really don’t care-oke. I just prefer singing the Portal song, over and over and over….

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