It’s impossible to go anywhere or do anything these days without hearing about Rock Band and Guitar Hero, those screaming behemoths dreamed up by Cambridge video-game developer Harmonix. But if you don’t have a Wii or a Playstation 3 — never mind an extra $89.99 or $169.99 for the games — Harmonix has something cheaper for you. All you need is a sixth-generation iPod Classic and $4.99 to spend on iTunes. Harmonix’s PHASE is based on the same conceit as their full-size titles: it’s a rhythm game, representing each song as a forward-scrolling road. It’s your job to use the iPod click-wheel to sync dots and flowing squiggles as they stream forward from the horizon line. One thing this game has that Guitar Hero doesn’t: you can play it with your own music — any song on your iPod.

PHASE | phasegame.com