The upcoming LEGO Rock Band for DS will not need any new peripherals to make it playable, according to a recent press release. Instead, the game appears to function similarly to the recent Rock Band Unplugged for PSP, and Harmonix's early games Amplitude and Frequency.

Developed by Backbone Entertainment (also responsible for Rock Band Unplugged), LEGO Rock Band for DS will have gameplay similar to its console brothers. However, instead of using plastic instruments, players will use the DS buttons or touch screen to play songs.

Players will have the ability to easily switch between Guitar, Bass, Drums, and Vocal tracks. There will also be a local multiplayer mode that allows up to four players to play together.

With the announcement of gameplay details came the confirmation of a few songs, including "Ghostbusters" by Ray Parker Jr., "The Final Countdown" by Europe, "Free Fallin'" by Tom Petty, and "Song 2" by Blur.

LEGO Rock Band is scheduled to come out this holiday season.

WARNER BROS. INTERACTIVE ENTERTAINMENT, TT GAMES, THE LEGO GROUP, HARMONIX AND MTV GAMES REVEAL LEGO® ROCK BAND™ FOR NINTENDO DS™ DETAILS

Invite Friends to Rock On-the-Go and Leave the Peripherals at Home!

Burbank, Calif. – Aug. 20, 2009 – Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment, TT Games, the LEGO Group, Harmonix and MTV Games, a part of Viacom’s MTV Networks (NYSE: VIA and VIA.B), are building an all-new handheld music gaming experience that lets fans of all ages "Build a Band and Rock the Universe" wherever and whenever they want with LEGO® Rock Band™ for Nintendo DS™. Published by Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment, LEGO Rock Band for DS combines the LEGO style of humor with Rock Band gameplay to introduce a portable Rock Band experience that anyone can play without the need for peripherals to be purchased. The game also includes a multiplayer feature that allows up to four players to participate in local wireless multiplayer gameplay.

LEGO Rock Band for DS is developed by Backbone Entertainment, a Foundation 9 Entertainment studio, and will be compatible with the Nintendo DS, Nintendo DS Lite and Nintendo DSi™. LEGO Rock Band for Xbox 360® video game and entertainment system from Microsoft, PLAYSTATION®3 computer entertainment system and Wii™ system is in development by TT Games in partnership with Harmonix. All versions are scheduled for release holiday 2009.

The DS version of LEGO Rock Band offers a journey to stardom that friends and families of all ages can enjoy as they rock out in local venues, stadiums and fantasy locations on Earth… and beyond! In a LEGO "build-and-play" gaming experience, players can customize their minifigure avatars to create their own individual LEGO Rock Band style. The game does not require any peripherals, as players can use the DS buttons or touchscreen to play any or all parts of a song: Bass, Guitar, Drums and Vocals. With dynamic track-switching and combo multipliers, the gameplay is accessible for young players, as well as deep and rewarding for even the most skillful of gamers.

Start a band and tour for fame and fortune on-the-go as either a one-man-band or with up to three friends using multi-player mode. Songs on the soundtrack include:

Kaiser Chiefs: "Ruby"

The Automatic: "Monster"

Ray Parker Jr.: "Ghostbusters"

Tom Petty: "Free Fallin'"

Jackson 5: "I Want You Back"

Vampire Weekend: "A-Punk"

Blur: "Song 2"

Carl Douglas: "Kung Fu Fighting"

Europe: "The Final Countdown"

Good Charlotte: "Girls & Boys"

Pink: "So What"

Counting Crows: "Accidentally in Love"

Sum 41: "In Too Deep"