Let's get this out of the way: this is not a fair fight.  Putting the complete collection of The Beatles on Rock Band and having that fight bare-knuckles against the 50+ artists featured in Guitar Hero 5 is not right.  But if there ever was a band that could single handedly go three rounds with the collection in Guitar Hero, it would be The Beatles.

How this Cage Match is going to work is that each contestant will be awarded a score out of five at the end of each round and after all three rounds are complete, the scores will be averaged and a winner announced.  The rounds will be broken down into: Presentation, Entertainment, and Lasting Appeal.  This will not be your traditional review but will be approached from a end user standpoint rather than from that of a critic.  Without further ado, GamerWok presents:  The Beatles Rock Band VS. Guitar Hero 5.

Round 1 - Presentation:

There's without a doubt that Harmonix paid a hell of a lot of cash to secure The Beatles license and can now proudly be the first (and currently only) company to have digital distribution rights to The Beatles' music library.  What Harmonix has done is not squandered its hard eared rights and presented a truly beautiful recreation of the storied career of The Beatles.  The player experiences all the major events through out the band's history, from Ed Sullivan to Abbey Road, you get to BE The Beatles.  And the style and presentation is simply perfect.  Each song is paired with entertaining and fitting backdrops whether if the band is on tour performing in front of a live audience or if they are recording in a studio.  I would imagine if The Beatles were to release music videos for their songs, it would look something like what Harmonix has directed.

As for Guitar Hero 5, Activision doesn't hold anything back in this fifth edition of their record breaking series.  Activision didn't have The Beatles but they secured something that is also news worthy - Johnny Cash and Kurt Cobain.  The controversy surrounding the use of their likenesses aside, it's nice to see such legendary (Cash) and infamous (Cobain) musicians digitized.  Besides the big names, GH5 also brings to the table a totally revamped look and style.  Gone are the overtly cartoonish avatars and in their place is a more realistic render of the musicians.  For Xbox360 players, you also have the option of using your own created Avatars in the game.  The game is still stage based and unlike The Beatles Rock Band, there isn't really any "music videos" to watch.

Verdict: The Beatles = 4.8 Guitar Hero 5 = 3.9

Round 2 - Entertainment:

With The Beatles, you have their whole collection available (via DLC now and in the future) and you have the option of actually playing through the band's entire recording career.  As a single player game, it's not difficult or all that much fun.  To be fair, Harmonix didn't release The Beatles as a single player experience.  This game is meant to be played in a group, with a full band if possible, and to be enjoyed by all.  With the harmonizing tracks and multiple instruments, this is made for a party.  The relatively easy difficulty level means anyone can enjoy the band's music and feel like they are a part of the experience.  This is a whole new dimension for The Beatles and one you're likely not going to forget.  Instead of having a choice of listening to Sgt. Pepper, you can now decide if you would rather play it instead.  That's entertainment value.

In Guitar Hero 5, Activision has made huge strides in mimicking what Harmonix has done with its previous Rock Bands and improved on a lot of them.  Guitar Hero now has a very user friendly "Party Mode" where players can jump in and play without needing to go through lengthy set ups.  Because of the variety of artists and tracks included in GH5, there are songs here for everyone.  If you're a singer, guitarist, or a drummer, there are songs here that will be right up your alley.  Multiple instruments are also available now, where you can actually have more than a single guitar player or bassist.  This means less time waiting and more time playing.

Verdict: The Beatles = 4.4 Guitar Hero 5 = 4.7

Round 3 - Lasting Appeal:

Harmonix has announced plans to offer the entire library of The Beatles via singles or full album downloads through Xbox Live or PSN.  Besides the groundbreaking feat, this means fans of the band can continue to build on their experience for many months to come.  Even if buying DLC isn't your thing, the included track list does feature a very good collection of fan favorites and the more obscure songs.  But the problem with having an entire game dedicated to one band, even if that band is The Beatles, is that the variety will decrease much more quickly than something else with more options.  I can't honestly say that I will still be playing The Beatles in six months, even though I do really enjoy the game.  There's only so much of one thing that I can do repeatedly but it will definitely be a staple for gaming parties.

Guitar Hero 5 has one of the most diverse track lists from the entire franchise.  From Johnny Cash to Bon Jovi to The White Stripes and to Elton John; it's undeniably an eclectic collection of artists, styles, genres, and tracks.  But even with the mixtures, the complete package seems to work very well in a party situation or if you're in a single player mood.  Whatever you feel like playing, there's bound to be a track here for you.  With the diversity already displayed in GH5, there's no doubt that Activision will continue the trend with additional DLC.  However, since there hasn't been an announced road-map for GH5 DLC, it's hard to say definitively if DLC will continue to be varied.

Verdict: The Beatles = 4.1 Guitar Hero 5 = 4.6

After three rounds, the two titans of plastics instruments are sitting at: The Beatles = 4.43 and Guitar Hero 5 = 4.40

This makes it an extremely close match up between these two music games and interestingly enough, despite the appeal of both titles, The Beatles' experience is undeniably unique.  And against the odds, The Beatles Rock Band edges out ahead in this Cage Match to take the title.  But in all fairness, both games are extremely entertaining and well produced.  The choice between both games really boils down to how big of a Beatles fan are you and which version of the game do you want!