Best games
The best Harmonix Music Systems games
The 6 best games from Harmonix Music Systems, ranked from 751 critic and player ratings.
The best Harmonix Music Systems game is Rock Band 2, with a critic score of 93/100. Updated September 2026.
- Ranked releases span 2006 to 2015.
- Average critic score across the 6 ranked games: 87/100.
- 751 critic and player ratings behind this ranking.
How this ranking is built
- Games are ranked on the aggregated critic score out of 100 imported from IGDB and Metacritic, never on Tier's own grades.
- A game only enters the ranking with at least 80 external ratings, so a single enthusiastic review never outranks a proven classic.
- Community grades from F to S are shown next to every game, and only stated as a fact above 5 Tier ratings.
- Release window covered: 1970 to 2026.
- 6 games are listed on this page, carrying 751 ratings between them.
- Rankings are recomputed hourly; this one was last rebuilt on 29 September 2026.
Top 6
01
Rock Band 2
Rock Band 2 is the sequel to the 2007 musical simulation game Rock Band and offers similar gameplay. Directly competing with Guitar Hero: World Tour, the game allows different people to play together as in a band, with the same peripherals as the first game: lead guitar, bass guitar, microphone and a drum set. The new drum and guitar controllers for this version, bundled or sold separately, have been revised and older controllers are also supported. The guitar controller, modelled after the Fender Stratocaster, has five additional fret buttons near the neck, for fast fingertapping sessions. There is also an effect switch to toggle between five different effects. Players use the instruments to match notes on the screen, divided in different portions for different instruments, along with the lyrics for the singer who need to match the pitch.
93
/100
02
Rock Band 3
Rock Band 3 adds 83 new songs to the Rock Band library and for the first time supports a keyboard/keytar peripheral.
92
/100
03
Guitar Hero II
Unleash your inner rock star! Unlock new songs and venues to become the ultimate rock star in Career mode, jump right in and play any song you've unlocked in Quickplay, or play with or against friends in Multiplayer, all right from your living room!
92
/100
Rock Band 2
Rock Band 2 is the sequel to the 2007 musical simulation game Rock Band and offers similar gameplay. Directly competing with Guitar Hero: World Tour, the game allows different people to play together as in a band, with the same peripherals as the first game: lead guitar, bass guitar, microphone and a drum set. The new drum and guitar controllers for this version, bundled or sold separately, have been revised and older controllers are also supported. The guitar controller, modelled after the Fender Stratocaster, has five additional fret buttons near the neck, for fast fingertapping sessions. There is also an effect switch to toggle between five different effects. Players use the instruments to match notes on the screen, divided in different portions for different instruments, along with the lyrics for the singer who need to match the pitch.
93
/100
02
Rock Band 3
Rock Band 3 adds 83 new songs to the Rock Band library and for the first time supports a keyboard/keytar peripheral.
92
/100
03
Guitar Hero II
Unleash your inner rock star! Unlock new songs and venues to become the ultimate rock star in Career mode, jump right in and play any song you've unlocked in Quickplay, or play with or against friends in Multiplayer, all right from your living room!
92
/100
04
The Beatles: Rock Band
The Beatles: Rock Band is a 2009 music video game. It is the third major console release in the Rock Band music video game series, in which players can simulate the playing of rock music by using controllers shaped like musical instruments. The Beatles: Rock Band is the first band-centric game in the series, and it is centered on the popular English rock group the Beatles. The game features virtual portrayals of the four band members performing the songs throughout the band's history, including depictions of some of their famous live performances, as well as a number of "dreamscape" sequences for songs from the Abbey Road Studios recording sessions during the group's studio years.
88
/100
05
Rock Band
Rock Band is a music video game that allows up to four players to simulate the performance of popular rock music songs by playing with controllers modeled after musical instruments.
82
/100
06
Rock Band 4
Rock Band, the award-winning social and interactive music performance experience, is back! Form your own band, rock the world, and live out your ultimate rock and roll fantasy, with your friends, family, or as a solo act. Rock Band 4 delivers the ultimate platform for gamers to experience music, giving players the chance to rock in the shoes of the biggest guitarists, bassists, drummers, and singers of all time. Rock Band 4 delivers the most authentic music game ever, challenging rockers to master lead guitar, bass guitar, drums, and vocals.
76
/100
The Beatles: Rock Band
The Beatles: Rock Band is a 2009 music video game. It is the third major console release in the Rock Band music video game series, in which players can simulate the playing of rock music by using controllers shaped like musical instruments. The Beatles: Rock Band is the first band-centric game in the series, and it is centered on the popular English rock group the Beatles. The game features virtual portrayals of the four band members performing the songs throughout the band's history, including depictions of some of their famous live performances, as well as a number of "dreamscape" sequences for songs from the Abbey Road Studios recording sessions during the group's studio years.
88
/100
05
Rock Band
Rock Band is a music video game that allows up to four players to simulate the performance of popular rock music songs by playing with controllers modeled after musical instruments.
82
/100
06
Rock Band 4
Rock Band, the award-winning social and interactive music performance experience, is back! Form your own band, rock the world, and live out your ultimate rock and roll fantasy, with your friends, family, or as a solo act. Rock Band 4 delivers the ultimate platform for gamers to experience music, giving players the chance to rock in the shoes of the biggest guitarists, bassists, drummers, and singers of all time. Rock Band 4 delivers the most authentic music game ever, challenging rockers to master lead guitar, bass guitar, drums, and vocals.
76
/100
Frequently asked questions
What is the best Harmonix Music Systems game?
Rock Band 2 currently tops the ranking with a score of 93/100 across 170 ratings. Ranking updated September 2026.
How is this ranking built?
Games are ranked on their aggregated critic score out of 100, with a minimum vote threshold so a single glowing review never outranks a proven classic; the Tier community's own F-to-S grades are shown alongside each game.