Music purists may wince and grumble, but it’s a fact: Plastic guitars are here to stay, and instant guitar-god gratification trumps stumbling through “Smoke on the Water” in the garage. But these incredible rhythm-based titles also represent a new golden age of play for gaming purists. Rock Band , the highly anticipated game from MTV that lets you play guitar and handle vocals, bass, and drums, has upped the ante in its bid to supplant Guitar Hero as the faux-music experience.

Sure enough, Rock Band will have you grinning like an idiot before you even strum a note: The $165 bundle comes complete with rubber drum kit, drumsticks, Fender replica guitar, microphone, and USB hub to plug it all in.