Like Guitar Hero simulated rock stardom, DJ Hero simulates... well, DJ stardom, I suppose. You're provided with a plastic turntable equipped with three buttons, a free spinning platter, a crossfader, and an effects dial. The turntable's two parts detach, providing the "lefty flip" experience for all of you south paws out there. Your main goal is to complete each setlist of songs, each becoming more difficult as you progress. To acquire all unlockables you must complete all 93 mixes with a five star rating on whatever difficulty you're comfortable with. Doing well on each mix requires you to reach a high multiplier (like Guitar Hero), gain Euphoria (Star Power in Guitar Hero), use the crossfader to highlight either mix, and keep your streak up to gain rewinds. Rewinds allow you to spin the platter backwards to complete a favorite section of a mix with an added multiplier.
It's fun, I'll say that right off the bat. I even had my boyfriend playing it. His original opinion on the game was, "That looks ridiculous." If you're a fan of Hip-Hop you'll enjoy the mixes much more than you enjoyed the music of Guitar Hero or Rock Band. You'll probably enjoy it anyway, seeing as we've been through more than THIRTEEN versions of Guitar Hero across all platforms and mobile devices, and that doesn't include Rock Band titles. DJ Hero provides us with a new experience and more plastic instrument clutter to further ensure your living room looks like a reject tour bus.
As it's published by Activision, just like Guitar Hero, there a two set lists that allow you to play alongside the DJ with the plastic guitar you're bound to have lying around. I brushed the dust off my plastic Les Paul, charged the battery, and had a good time with a few friends. If all your friends suck there's no need to worry, because DJ Hero is "no fail," in that the song won't end just because you're tanking. The option to play with the guitar was a nice option, but there were plenty of others that were left out, such as Avatar incorporation, customizable tracks (which would have been perfect, no??), character creation, and a proper career mode. Suggesting that just like with every other Guitar Hero game, we'll have to buy half-a-dozen before we get all of those features.
What passes as career mode is really a joke. I at least expected some kind of crappy cutscenes that are the norm of rhythm games, but you don't get anything of the sort. You work your way through each setlist, unlocking the next one as well as more venues, characters, and outfits based on the number of stars you get on each mix (5 being the most). This took away from the immersion aspect, which is really essential when you're playing a music game alone, but DJ Hero banks on the idea that you have friends (either in person or over Xbox Live) and markets itself primarily as a party game. It even comes with a party function where you can simply let a set list play and anyone can jump in at anytime and start playing.
In closing I'd like to add that I didn't feel as ridiculous playing with the turntable as I often did with the many plastic guitars and drums in the past. Of course, this may be because you can sit down to play and the turntable sits nicely on your lap. To further endorse this, when my father was over for a visit and saw me playing DJ Hero he said, "You don't look nearly as stupid playing that as you do those guitars and drums. The music, on the other hand, is crap." For the record, he hates Hip-Hop. 
If you like Guitar Hero and Rock Band, and you're a fan of Hip-Hop, I'd highly recommend DJ Hero to you. It's fairly easy to pick up and play if you're familiar with the concept, and it's fun by yourself or with a group. All in all, a great edition to a substantial collection of plastic instruments.
