GH3 will be available on all colsoles (PS2, PS3, X360 and Wii), and each version will have it’s own wireless axe. The Wii version (the picture above is a mock-up of what it will look like) is a pluggable axe so you can add your Wiimote in, but there’s no word yet on whether it will use the accelerometers in game. The X360 version will be the first third-party piece of kit to tap into the X360s proprietary wireless system.

Trailer. Read on for the rest of the preview.

So apart from wireless controllers, what’s new? Well, in the first two versions of Guitar Hero, players were basically engaged in a guitar simulation, following modified sheet music with their axe’s five buttons and mashing out face-melting solos. In GH3, things go to the next level by adding in MarioKart-esque modifiers.

So when you’re battling against someone else, you can get modifiers to make your opponents’ game more difficult. Things like disabling frets, overloading their amp to make their screen flash around and flipping their axe into lefty mode for a little while. You can even fire double notes at them which will destroy them if you’re playing in expert mode.

These modifiers aren’t just for throwing at other players, though. You’ll also get them thrown at you when you’re playing in single player mode, and will have to weave your way through to become a legend of rock.

Online play will be included at release time, and should give this version of Guitar Hero a huge range of tracks, available through a download system.

Most of the tracks are originals, including the original master track of Metallica’s “One” – surprising due to Metallica’s ruthless licensing fees. So far, the confirmed tracks are:

Slash’s Original Boss Battle Recording (i.e. Slash from Gunners. He’s an unlockable boss character)
Welcome to The Jungle (by Guns N’ Roses)
Paint It Black (by The Rolling Stones)
One (by Metallica)
Cherub Rock (by Smashing Pumpkins)
Sabotage (by Beastie Boys)
The Metal (by Tenacious D)
My Name is Jonas (by Weezer)
Knights of Cydonia (by Muse)
Even Flow (by Pearl Jam)
Lay Down (by Priestess)
Cult of Personality (by Living Colour)
Rock and Roll All Nite (as made famous by Kiss)
School’s Out (as made famous by Alice Cooper)
Rock You Like a Hurricane (as made famous by Scorpions)
Slow Ride (as made famous by Foghat)
Barracuda (as made famous by Heart)
Miss Murder (by AFI)
Through Fire and Flames (by Dragonforce) – definitely going to be some RSI suits claimed over this one.
Number of the Beast (by Iron Maiden)
3′s and 7′s (by Queens of the Stone Age)
Suck My Kiss (by Red Hot Chili Peppers)
Raining Blood (by Slayer)
Reptillia (by The Strokes)
Paranoid (as made famous by Black Sabbath)
Cities on Flame (as made famous by Blue Oyster Cult)
Mississippi Queen (as made famous by Mountain)
La Grange (as made famous by ZZ Top)
Minus Celsius (by Backyard Babies)
Hier Kommt Alex (by Die Toten Hosen)
In the Belly of a Shark (by Gallows)
I’m in the Band (by The Hellacopters)
Avalancha (by Heroes Del Silencio)
Take This Life (by In Flames)
Ruby (by Kaiser Chiefs)
Closer (by Lacuna Coil)
Generation Rock (by Revolverheld)
Mauvais Garcon (by NAAST)
Radio Song (by Superbus)

All in all this looks like it’ll be a fantastic addition to the Guitar Hero franchise. More info here about the Wii version.