"DJ Hero 2" for Nintendo Wii: Battling, Empire Mode and No More Unlocking Song Packs!

Ever wanted to be a DJ but figured you couldn't make a living at it? Then DJ vicariously through your favorite scratch master on "DJ Hero 2" for Nintendo Wii.

Turntable Compatibility

"DJ Hero 2" is similar to the original "DJ Hero" as far as the gameplay itself is concerned. So if you're already familiar with the first one, there's no learning curve for graduating to "DJ Hero 2."

One thing most players are confused about before purchasing the new game is whether the old turntable is compatible. As it turns out, not only is it fully functional with the new game, but you can battle your friends with it on "DJ Hero 2."

In fact, DJ battling is one of the hallmarks of "DJ Hero 2." Every song mix is available for DJ battling - not just the top ten songs developers thought would be best to battle with.

How to Battle

You should know a few key things about battling:

1. You and your opponent don't have to battle on the same level. If you're not as adept, you can pick the easy level while your opponent selects medium.

2. You can both steal each other's rewind rights by hitting the notes accurately and "getting ahead" just a hair sooner.

3. Whoever steals the rewind gets more points.

Empire Mode

Form your own career in empire mode:

1. Choose your favorite logo from pre-made logo designs

2. Unlock DJ decks for cooler-looking graphics

3. Decorate your club with all kinds of cool stuff - yes, it's a complete waste of time, but it all boils down to that if you really get down to it

4. Play extended mixes of song mashups - some are 15 minutes long!

Freestyling

You've got a lot of freedom with your DJ tricks when the freestyle track rolls around. Every song mix gives you the option to freestyle somewhere. But just pressing buttons and scratching won't earn you an "A" grade.

You have to make the freestyle actually sound good. But you don't really get any tips for doing that. Here's a hint: use the cross fader from time to time, as well as the track volume control.

The better grade you get in freestyling, the higher your overall points for the mix.

No More Unlocking Mixes

You know back in "DJ Hero 1" when you had to earn stars to unlock Jay-Z packs? You don't have to do that anymore.

The only things you have to unlock are advanced DJ decks and DJ outfits. All the songs come unlocked, which is a big plus in my mind. Maybe the developers figured out that you didn't want to play the same song over and over until you finally got good enough to unplug new mixes.