Perusing the list of summer game releases coming up, I sighed at the thin crowd lined up until September. I noticed a few singing games coming out over the summer from Disney like Disney Sing It: Family Hits and Disney Sing It: Party Hits. Family Hits got me nostalgic for the old Disney songs and I broke it down all shower tune-esque to Aladdin and Jasmine’s A Whole New World. I’m taking a break from The Little Mermaid’s Under the Sea though, Kingdom Hearts kind of burned that song into the ground for me over time…

So it got me wondering, do you all like to sing in games? Are you the lead singer of a plastic band when your friends get together? Let us know what your favorite game to sing in is! SingStar? Lips? Karaoke Revolution? Desperately awaiting Glee? Or will you be joining me on some PS3 Aladdin reminiscing? Let us know!

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Now available for Guitar Hero 5 and Band Hero are three songs from alternative metal rockers Breaking Benjamin. The band made their debut in 2002 with their critically-acclaimed album Saturate. But you won’t be getting any songs from that album. Instead you will be getting a track off of their second and third album along with the band’s newest single. The Breaking Benjamin Track Pack features “Sooner or Later” from the 2004 album We Are Not Alone, “Until The End” from the album Phobia and “Give Me A Sign” from their recently released Dear Agony Album.

As an added bonus for downloading the new tracks, you’ll have the opportunity to play with the band over Xbox Live on February 20th from 1-3pm EST. You will have to download the tracks in order to play with Breaking Benjamin and those who do you’ll want to look for their Gamertag: BBGWF.  Click here for more information on the Game with Fame featuring Breaking Benjamin.

The Breaking Benjamin Track Pack is out now via Xbox LIVE Marketplace for 440 Microsoft Points, from the PlayStation Store for $5.49 and the Wii Shop Channel for 550 Wii Points.  The three songs are also available for  individual purchase 60 Microsoft Points, $1.99 and 200 Wii Points each.

Releasing this week on Guitar Hero 5 and Band Hero are three tracks from the Los Angeles-based band 30 Seconds to Mars. The DLC tracks features “Attack” and “From Yesterday” off of their platinum selling sophomore album A Beautiful Life along with “Kings and Queens”, the first single from This is War released late last year. 30 Seconds to Mars, formed by Jared and Shannon Leto, made their debut in 2002 and were met with immediate success with their “post-grunge” and “melodic hard rock” style.

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Did you know that Gene Simmons’ tongue is over seven inches long?  I’m not joking.  Look it up.  They measured it once.

Will that piece of information make you more or less likely to buy the latest Guitar Hero 5 and Band Hero DLC?  And if so, why or why not?

The truth of the matter is, there are three songs coming from KISS, and while you can’t play as KISS, or even just as Gene Simmons’ tongue which is what I’ve been asking for since the first Guitar Hero, you will get to play these three songs if you dish out the cash.  It’s a start.

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Owners of Guitar Hero World Tour and Guitar Hero Smash Hits will be able to export on-disc tracks for use in Guitar Hero 5 and Band Hero in a similar fashion to last year’s Rock Band 2’s support for Rock Band on-disc songs. Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 gamers can download an update (will cost you money) to export on-disc tracks to their hard drives, but you will need a unique 20-digit code on the back of the World Tour and Smash Hits manuals. Individual tracks can be deleted. A free update will also update World Tour DLC with GH5 features and allow the tracks to be used in the new Hero titles.

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MSN has posted the first trailer for Activision’s Band Hero, which seems to be another Guitar Hero World Tour but with pop-oriented and mainstream tracks from the likes of Lily Allen and Taylor Swift. You’ll be using the same guitar, drum, and microphone peripherals and playing along to more than 65 tracks which include The All-American Rejects’ “Dirty Little Secret” and No Doubt’s “Just A Girl.”

The article also touts the “Party Play” and “RockFest” modes, both of which are new additions in Guitar Hero 5, leading to the question, “Is this just Guitar Hero 5 with different songs?” Of course, there is the focus on a more family-friendly image and a perhaps “cleaner” setlist, but really?

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