Once you get used to how it controls, On Tour becomes the fun, now portable, Guitar Hero you know and love to play.
First off, the thing that many people will first notice when opening the game up for the first time is the attachment for the 4 fret buttons to be hooked into the DS. When first putting your hand through the strap and aligning it just right so it feels comfortable can be a little hassle. Once strapped in, pull out that pick and strum over the guitar strings on the touch screen to the notes falling down on the other. Be prepared to experience some missing notes and such while getting used to it but once you get the hang of it, it plays well and you can start having fun.
The most important thing about any music game is, well, the music. To be honest, I was a bit disappointed by the 25 song length in the game. The music ranges from Ozzy to Maroon 5 so if you don't like to have a nice variety, which I do like, then you may be disappointed to hear that the game isn't all hard rock anthems. All together, the list is great for a portable game that tells you to not play the game for long periods of time.
The graphics are okay, but is that really important?
The features are good. In single player, you have Career, Quickplay, Guitar Duels (kind of a guitar battle career mode), Practice and Tutorials. For multiplayer, you have Face-off, Pro Face-off, Co-op and Guitar Duel (battle mode). The downfall with the multiplayer is that it is not online, but it is fine for playing with friends and all the features are exactly like their console .
As a total package, Guitar Hero On Tour is a great first attempt at a Guitar Hero game for the DS and worth the $50. The controls are great once you get used to them and the graphics are okay, but who really cares that much. There could have been some more songs to make the game longer but from the songs that you get, it is a nice variety and satisfying as a portable game. Let's just hope that the next one will have more songs and online play but for what you get, it is recommended for new comers and veterans alike.