Gamers and music lovers of all ages will realize their dream of becoming a rock legend when they build their own band or jam alone, all fueled only by the power of the Wii controllers and the DS stylus. Disney is working with some of the very biggest names in rock, alternative, popular, emo and indie rock music, allowing band mates to play sets from a broad selection of current hits and all-time rock favorites. Friends and families can rock out on guitar, bass, drums or as the front man.

Working with leading London-based music consultants, Radial Music, Disney has chosen to combine familiar classics with today’s hottest songs in creating Ultimate Band - a product with global appeal across all age groups. Instantly-recognizable songs from classic rock to current hit singles will bring players together for endless hours of entertainment.

Ultimate Band, being developed by Fall Line Studio in Salt Lake City, UT, is slated for release during the 2008 holiday season. When Disney formed Fall Line Studio in November, 2006, Ultimate Band was the first project the team began building. Fall Line Studio’s focus is to develop Wii and NDS games based on new intellectual property, Disney brands (with Disney/Walden Media s The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian on the NDS being its first release), and innovative new technologies such as DGamer which will provide a fun, connected game community for Disney video game fans.

A pirate cove. An Aztec temple. A Viking castle. No matter where you play in Ultimate Band, you'll have a stage like no other. “When we sat down to imagine Ultimate Band's venues, we enjoyed a creative license that real-life set designers can only dream of,” says Lead Designer Manfred Neber.

Creating Ultimate Band's eight venues was a major collaborative effort for the team at Disney's Fall Line Studio in Salt Lake City. “We began by brainstorming ideas to come up with a long list of potentially eye-catching places and themes,” Manfred explains. “Our concept artists then sketched out how they thought these ideas would translate into pixels. Sometimes, we combined concepts, like the aquarium and pirate motifs that eventually became Gold Saber Cove. Ultimately, the best of the best, including Jamhalla, Aztec Palace, and Dome Debut got the green light. And that's what you'll see when you take the stage.”

In the Disney tradition, the creative team didn't just design the venues-- they animated them.“We wanted the Ultimate Band stages to be characters in their own right, to feel alive and keep changing throughout the performance,” Manfred says. “But we also wanted to reward great playing. So we designed a series of 'stage breaks': special events that only happen when musicians are in their groove. In Jamhalla, for example, a dragon appears toward the end of your song. If you're just playing OK, he just shows up. But if you're playing well, he blasts flames. We figured there's no better accompaniment for a smoking guitar than a little dragon fire.”

Newly revealed tracks:

1. Complicated
2. Won't Go Home Without You
3. Get the Party Started
4. First Date
5. When Did Your Heart Go Missing?
6. The Take Over, The Break's Over
7. 9 in the Afternoon

Previously announced tracklist:

1. Beverly Hills - Weezer
2. Can’t Stand Losing You - The Police
3. Crushcrushcrush - Paramore
4. Curse of Curves - Cute Is What We Aim For
5. Fell in Love with a Girl - The White Stripes
6. Hanging On The Telephone - Blondie
7. Hold On - Jonas Brothers
8. I Want You to Want Me - Cheap Trick
9. Just What I Needed - The Cars
10. Make It - Aerosmith
11. My Generation - The Who
12. Our Time Now - Plain White T’s
13. Smooth Criminal - Michael Jackson
14. Steady, As She Goes - The Raconteurs
15. The Great Escape - Boys Like Girls
16. Whip It - Devo
17. All Day and All of the Night
18. Stumble and Fall
19. Move Along
20. Club Foot
21. Anna Molly
22. Debaser

Ultimate Band for Wii allows players to live the life of a rock star, by advancing their music careers and popularity from playing in a neighborhood garage to performing in front of an international audience at a world famous venue. Ultimate Band utilizes the innovative Wii Remote and Nunchuk™ to give fans the ability to play the drums, bass guitar, lead guitar, or take on the role of the front man. Players can also create and customize characters that reflect their own unique personalities and attributes. Along the way, players will unlock new songs, venues, and accessories that can be used to customize their band members.

Ultimate Band for NDS is a rhythm-based music game with a built-in recording studio. Players can jam to current and classic songs using the drums, lead guitar, bass guitar, or rhythm guitar. Players can also create their own original songs using the DS touchscreen and stylus to lay down tracks for each instrument and apply creative mixing effects. Ultimate Band for NDS will also include DGamer functionality which will allow players to engage with others in a secure online community via their DS (Wi-Fi or ad hoc) or computer.

Ultimate Band, rated E10+, will be available this holiday season for Wii and NDS.