By the time Rock Band 3 failed to reinvigorate the genre in 2010 with the addition of a keyboard accessory and 'Pro mode,' it seemed like the whole idea of playing fake instruments in front of a game console was a fad whose time had already come and gone. Series like Rock Band and Guitar Hero were the hottest things in the industry, bringing in billions of dollars right up until the sudden point where they weren't.

In the years since, the entire gaming world seems to have overdosed on rhythm games as a genre and is now going cold turkey during the recovery. Seriously, watch the video linked in the last sentence and tell me the connection between that room of sleep-deprived, slightly drunk, E3-addled partiers is anything but magical. Even after years of playing Karaoke Revolution and Guitar Hero obsessively, the game instantly impressed me with its amazing ability to turn a room of strangers into an instant party unified by the power of rock. Links: Amazon | Official websiteI still remember the first time I played Rock Band at an impromptu party full of in-the-know press and developers in a cramped suite off to the side of E3 2007.

Price: $60 (game alone $80 on Xbox One) $130 (with one guitar) $250 (w/ drums, one guitar, and mic)

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