While Guitar Hero has its rightful name in the halls of history, its oft-forgotten younger brother holds a special place in my heart. With only two games in its library before the plug was unceremoniously pulled from its electronica-infused heart, DJ Hero proved one thing to me. The heart of the rhythm genre wasn’t in rock and roll, but rather, in dance music. And it fundamentally changed my genre tastes for life.

There Is No Remix Better Than ‘We Will Robot Rock You’ and There Never Will Be

2009 was an already excellent year in the gaming sphere. But, little did I know that a rhythm game was going to come out of the woodwork and fundamentally alter my brain. After seeing typical advertisements on TV for DJ Hero, I knew I needed to get my hands on it. And that year for Christmas, my wishes were granted. A beautiful new copy of DJ Hero for the PlayStation 3.

The music selection for the original DJ Hero is one of the greatest tracklists in any rhythm game, bar none. Amazing remixes, some of which are still stuck in my head over 15 years later, and I had the chance to experience them firsthand. Leading a fairly sheltered life up to this point, it was my first exposure to a lot of bands I had never had the privilege of listening to. My folks always really liked Classic Rock, so the majority of my music tastes reflected that. But the first time I heard the Daft Punk x Queen mashup in DJ Hero, there was no going back.

I was immediately drawn to the style and vibe of Daft Punk. The slick helmets, the retro-futuristic vibe that they had. They were the total package. Nothing could overtake them in my mind, I thought. And then DJ Hero 2 had to come along and introduce me to Deadmau5.

Oh No, I Love Techno Now bECAUSE OF ‘DJ HERO,’ Don’t I?

Well, my love of Daft Punk was instantly overtaken by a man wearing what was essentially a more modern Mickey Mouse head. My obsession with Deadmau5 hit a fever pitch after my dad and I tirelessly worked on creating a Mau5head of my own out of a massive hamster ball and Bondo. Sure, it weighs like 10 pounds, but it looks great and is fully wearable. It went through many a College party and escaped (mostly) unscathed.

Not only did I love the look and vibe, but the music was entrancing. The number of times I listened to The Veldt while I was on my way to work at 3:00 AM is uncountable. This silly little music game completely changed the way that my brain thought about music. And as I patiently awaited a third entry in the franchise, the radio silence grew deafening.

While I know better than to hold my breath for its return? The things I would do for a proper return to DJ Hero are not for the faint of heart. Honestly, give someone a chance to create a game in the same ilk in VR. While my socially awkward self could never sum up the courage to go to an EDM concert in person, let me rock the show differently.