- Search: More on Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock

Prepare for the best Guitar Hero yet.

Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock trumps its predecessors, thanks to an impressive soundtrack and most importantly, a kick ass wireless guitar. Activision and Red Octane revealed the game's axe, an impressive Les Paul, to journalists in San Francisco, and we fell in love with it the moment we curled our sweaty fingers around its neck.

Right away, we marveled at the guitar's sturdy design. Previous iterations hold up from extreme Guitar Hero playing, but the Les Paul was constructed using a higher-grade plastic with more weight to it. In addition, the neck detaches from the base, allowing for easier transport/storage. And to sweeten the deal, you can pop out the faceplate and replace it with another, which opens the door for limitless customization. However, Activision didn't mention where these new faceplates will come from.

The design is consistent across all platforms, save the Wii, which lets you insert the remote into the base. The device's motion sensing capabilities controls Star Power, with you jerking the guitar upwards to activate special abilities. Furthermore, missed notes play through the remote's speakers, making it feel like you actually screwed up on the guitar.

As for the game, we played for three hours straight and didn't want to stop. Sure, GHIII contains a lot of the same modes as its prequels, including Career, Co-op and Quick Play, but the soundtrack's easily the best of the series, a mix of tunes from Kiss (Rock and Roll All Nite), the Scorpions (Rock You Like a Hurricane), White Zombie (Black Sunshine), the Beastie Boys (Sabotage), Slipknot (Before I Forget) and Pat Benetar (Hit Me with Your Best Shot).

You also get online play of all versions, including the enjoyable Battle Mode, which lets you annoy your opponent by screwing with their side of the screen. Once you hit Star Power, you can switch the colors of their notes, make their side of the screen blur and a host of other nasty things. It definitely encourages you to do your best, lest you get embarrassed.

We can't reveal all of the playable characters, but we're fans of the Lost in Space-esque robot, as well as Slash, Tom Morello, Midori, Lars and Johnny Napalm. And you also play at different venues, including Lou's Inferno, Kaiju Megadome, Shanker's Island and Ye Old Royal Odeon. As for the visuals, you get the best graphics on PS3 and Xbox 360, but the Wii holds it own.

Guitar Hero III is a must buy, and so is the guitar. Sure, you can get by with the old ones, but the Les Paul is so sweet that you owe it to yourself to play with the best peripheral. Look for more info in the coming weeks, as well as our rockin' review.