 The series currently has eight major releases ( six Guitar Hero games , two DJ Hero games and Band Hero ) and five expansions on gaming consoles . There are spin @-@ offs for Windows and Macintosh systems , mobile phones , the Nintendo DS ( the Guitar Hero : On Tour series ) , and an arcade game . The Guitar Hero franchise was a primary brand during the emergence of the popularity of rhythm games as a cultural phenomenon in North America . Such games have been utilized as a learning and development tool for medical purposes . The first game in the series was considered by several journalists to be one of the most influential video games of the first decade of the 21st century . The series has sold more than 25 million units worldwide , earning US $ 2 billion at retail , claimed by Activision to be the 3rd largest game franchise after the Mario and <unk> NFL franchises ; the third main title of the series , Guitar Hero III : Legends of Rock is also claimed by Activision to be the first single video game title to exceed $ 1 billion in sales . 
