Guitar Hero is arguably one of the best game franchises for music fans, but it all came to an end in 2018 when Guitar Hero TV (HGTV) was shut down.
Granted, the game can still be played on legacy consoles, but what about people without access to the game? The good news is that with a PC and a Guitar Hero or Rock Band controller, you can still jump into the game through Clone Hero.
What is Clone Hero?
Clone Hero is an open-source game for Windows, Mac, Linux, and Android, which allows fans of the Guitar Hero franchise to jump straight back in like it’s 2005.
It was made by the fans for the fans, and there’s a wealthy library of song databases out there, which keeps the game fresh. The game can be played multiplayer both locally and online, and there’s a healthy community on Discord.
All you need to do is navigate to the Clone Hero website and download the latest version, which will be the first choice available. Then, simply extract the zip file and run the executable Clone Hero file, which will bring up further installation instructions.
If you run into issues during installation, you should check your antivirus and firewall software to make sure it’s allowed through. Additionally, running the executable file as the administrator may bypass any blocks in place.
Using Clone Hero
When you first open Clone Hero, you’ll find several default songs, but you can download songs you want to play and drop them into the Custom Songs folder (typically found in “Documents”).
To find songs, either search on Google or look through a database like Chorus.fightthe.pw.
With your songs downloaded, you’ll need to add a controller. In most cases, all you need to do is plug the USB receiver into your PC and connect the controller.
However, some controllers don’t automatically assign buttons, which means you have to go into the settings and manually map the buttons.
After getting connected, all you need to do is press “Quick Play” from the main menu and choose a song you’d like to tackle. When the notes start playing down the stream, strum the bar while pressing the corresponding buttons along the neck of the guitar.
Tips for Improving Skills
Many Clone Hero custom songs are at “Expert” level, meaning you may have to improve your skill. The more you play the game, the better you’ll become; you may need to fight through the frustration of losing.
A great feature in Clone Hero is that you can customize the gameplay, which means you can change the size of the notes, the speed of the music, and the transparency of the fretboard. Explore the settings to find a mode that suits your playstyle.
If you want a nostalgia trip like no other, install Clone Hero now and join one of the best metal gaming communities online today.