What console did Guitar Hero launch on?

The original Guitar Hero released in November 2005 exclusively for the PlayStation 2.

Do you need the special controller to play?

Yes — Guitar Hero was built around its guitar-shaped controller with five colored fret buttons and a strum bar.

Image: Wikimedia Commons

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2000s · electronics

A plastic guitar controller, a wall of scrolling colored notes, and the unshakeable feeling that you were absolutely shredding — even if you weren't.

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Strap on the guitar, hit the colored frets in time, and turn your living room into the encore of a stadium show.

It turned button-mashing into a full-body rock performance, complete with air-guitar poses between songs.
House parties revolved around it, with everyone taking turns to see who could clear the hardest song on Expert.
The plastic guitar controller became just as iconic as any real instrument for an entire generation.

Guitar Hero was developed by Harmonix and published by RedOctane, launching for PS2 in November 2005.
It was inspired by Konami's Japanese arcade series GuitarFreaks.
The franchise's runaway success led to sequels, spin-offs like Rock Band, and a full genre of music-rhythm games.

“plastic guitar controller game”, “scrolling notes rhythm game”, “2000s rock band video game”

What console did Guitar Hero launch on?: The original Guitar Hero released in November 2005 exclusively for the PlayStation 2.
Do you need the special controller to play?: Yes — Guitar Hero was built around its guitar-shaped controller with five colored fret buttons and a strum bar.