The Guitar Hero Importapalooza Giveaway

One of the tricks I didn’t expect Activision to pull off last year was that you’d be able to import tracks from previous Guitar Hero games into your GH song library. For a small fee (which changes based on the game, because each game has a different number of songs cleared for import), you can bring many songs from GH World Tour, GH Smash Hits, Band Hero, and Guitar Hero 5 into your current library — and all those imported tracks will work with Guitar Hero Warriors of Rock when it ships in late September.

So I am pleased to offer the Guitar Hero Importapalooza giveaway. I have nine prize packs to give away: three copies of Guitar Hero 5, Guitar Hero Smash Hits, and Guitar Hero World Tour for Xbox 360, three for PS3, and three for Wii. Whatever your platform of choice, you have three chances to win all three games.

I have three of each of these prize packs to give away.

Using a code printed on the game’s manual, you can import 35 tracks from World Tour, 21 tracks from Smash Hits, and 69 tracks from Guitar Hero 5. That’s 125 songs for your Guitar Hero library, ready to go when Warriors of Rock comes out (and WoR will feature new challenges for all existing DLC and import tracks). I’ll give you the games for free; you cover the import costs, which amounts to a few bucks for each game. Neversoft has written a nice FAQ about the import process here, including a complete track list of the songs that are importable.

“But Dan,” I hear you cry. “I expect more from my giveaways. Surely OneOfSwords can do better than $180 worth of free games?”

You’re right, of course — how thoughtless of me. In addition to the games, every winner will get a Guitar Hero rechargeable battery kit with an extra battery, so you can save the earth whilst you rock non-stop. I’ll also throw in a pair of Travis Barker’s signature Zildjian drumsticks, emblazoned with the World Tour logo.

Battery packs for conserving energy; drumsticks for expending it

To enter, it’s easy: send an email to freestuff@oneofswords.com with one of the following subject lines: GH Import Xbox, GH Import PS3, or GH Import Wii (or just click on those titles and a new mail window should open). Include your name, address with zip code, and phone number, and send it no later than 11:59pm Pacific Time on August 29, 2010. If you are a multiplatform gamer, you can enter all three platform giveaways (one entry per giveaway per person please), but if by random chance your name comes up as a winner twice, I will pick someone else for the second pack — that feels only fair. Please note that these are the North American versions of the game and the import codes — let alone the games themselves — may not work in your native land. The drumsticks, however, should be totally compatible with international rhythm standards. Check the Contest FAQ for more info.

Thanks to the Guitar Hero team for making this one possible — good luck to all who enter!

UPDATE: Surprise — winners got a little extra love in the form of a copy of GH Van Halen, a GH keychain, and a GH hot-rod flames faceplate. Didn’t want to promise it if I wasn’t sure I could get it all, but the GH team came through — thanks guys!

Wii Winners: Jim Hayes, Nottingham MD; Janice Wei, Buena Park CA; Bradley Boester, Rochester NY
Xbox Winners: Colin Epstein, Albany CA; Chris Milewsky, Convent Station NJ; Michael Wooden, Sandoval IL
PS3 Winners: John Cartmel, Ontario, Canada; Mike Weiland, Prescott WI; Parker Wolford, Pittsburg CA

Almost had a Finland winner until I hit shipping issues, so I picked a new winner. Sorry, Finland — I’ll try to work that out for next time.