Like any teen maturate up in the 2000s , Guitar Hero was an important part of my life . I did n’t even own it ; it was just so fundamental to any play set up that I could much play it anywhere I run . Whether it was at a Quaker ’s house or a school office , I was constantly rocking out anytime I was n’t in class . It was no surprise when the pricey peripheral fad eventually died out , but I was heartbroken nonetheless . I ’ve assay to retroflex the charge of my resplendency Clarence Shepard Day Jr. over the past decennium with throwbacks likeFortnite Festival , but I could never retake the conjuration .

Now , I lastly have — and you’re able to too with two simple steps .

First off , you ’ll require to grab a copy ofRift of the Necrodancer . Released at the top of February , the unexampled beat title from Brace Yourself Games is fall out - up toCrypt of the Necrodancer . Unlike that game , though , Riftisn’t a roguelike where players move to the meter of medicine . It ’s an excellent riff on Guitar Hero that turn banknote into freak , all of which have different timing patterns that players require to watch .

I praisedRiftin my critique , noting that it really captures what it feels like to fiddle live euphony . It scratched that Guitar Hero itch more than any music game I ’ve played like it , but something was still missing . tap my keyboard to hit notes still did n’t feel right . I care that I could flirt it on a moldable controller with a fretboard full of clitoris . As it turns out , that was n’t a dream . It ’s entirely potential to pull off .

Accessory - maker PDP get back in the plastic guitar marketplace last year with theRiffmaster , a innovative whirl on Guitar Hero ’s iconic controller . It has everything you could desire : fret button at the top and bottom of the neck , a jinx taproom , a strum button , wireless living , and more . It even has some sport engineering conjuring trick packed in , as the cervix can be dethatched for well-fixed storage , and there ’s a sneaky joystick handily tucked under the head . It ’s a gamy caliber accountant that can be easily sneak up to a compatible platform via a USB dongle .

I was eager to see if it was compatible withRift , though I had been exclusively playing it on Steam Deck . That was n’t a trouble thanks to myRazer Handheld Dock Chroma . I plugged the dongle into its back side and could forthwith control my Steam Deck with it . Then , I fired upRiftand jumped into the restrainer remapping menu . I was capable to assign program line to my fretboard and even make it so I could activate my exceptional ability by pressing my whammy bar down . The only matter I could n’t do was strum to trigger the fret button , so I ’d just have to press them instead .

Was it a success ? You wager . As soon as I go take on , the joy of the Guitar Hero geological era came hasten back to me immediately . It ’s not just that it ’s fun to use a silly controller . There ’s a physicality to using the Riffmaster , specially since its wireless . I could bop around my office to my heart ’s content , showing off with rockstar trick . I was in heaven .

As an added bonus , the experiment gave me an excuse to chink in onRift of the Necrodancer‘s Steam workshop community , which has churn out over 1,000 custom vocal since the plot ’s launching . you’re able to download everything fromUptown FunktoNot Like Usto Sonic’sLive and Learn . My personal ducky ? Someone has already turnedThe Simpson ‘ infamousSteamed Hamsbit into a playable song — and it even utilizes ardor traps at the exact moment that Principal Skinner burns dinner party . It ’s incredible .

So , if you ’re still attempt to retake the thrill of Guitar Hero too , I ca n’t recommend this setup enough . Rift of the Necrodancerand the Riffmaster are a match made in heaven , and I opine they ’ll take up a lot of my play clip this yr . Who do it ? Maybe I ’ll even pop out making my own custom songs . Somebody needs to tot some Limp Bizkit to the mix .