Here's the thing about band-specific music games: If you don't like the band, you're probably not going to be that interested.

So, in a way, talking about "The Beatles: Rock Band" is a moot point. If you love The Beatles, you're probably already going to try it. If you don't, you might not care.

Still, it's worth looking at because, as a band-specific game, it's pretty fantastic.

"Beatles: Rock Band" isn't much different from the other "Rock Band" games. With the exception of three-part vocal harmonizing (which lets the band have six players total), it plays the same as before.

The difference here is that everything centers around the foursome. Each of the band members is lovingly re-created on screen, and the menus and cutscenes use that colorful, quirky style for which The Beatles are famous.

Even the note indicators have been altered to make them look more in step with the 1960s theme.

Unlike the other games, "Beatles: Rock Band" doesn't let you play songs in any order in the career mode (although you can in quickplay). They go in chronological order, which makes for a fascinating trip through the band's history.

As you play through the 45 songs, you get a clear sense of how much the band's sound evolved in the span of only a few years.

Really, though, the best part is the fan service. The developers dug deep for unlockable goodies. Band chatter can be heard at the start and end of songs, and other rare clips can be unlocked.

Each song you play has two photographs associated with it. Earn three stars and you unlock one. Five gets you two. You can go back and browse these, along with myriad factoids.

If you really want to get hard-core, a special training mode is included to teach you the specific drum beats used by Ringo Starr.

All this adds up to a game that feels in a way like a documentary. The fun you'll have is probably proportional to how much of a fan you are, but Beatlemaniacs will be in heaven.

If you're not a big fan but would like a bit of a lesson in the band, "The Beatles: Rock Band" is a good primer.

Etc., etc.

-- More coming: The 45 included songs clearly are not all of the band's big hits. The majority of the Beatles library soon will be available as downloadable content, for a price. Unfortunately, none of the songs can be used in other "Rock Band" games.

-- Authenticity: If you want to slap down hundreds more dollars, you can get "Rock Band" controllers modeled after the Fab Four's instruments.

Aimee Green reviews video games for the Lincoln (Neb.) Journal Star, a Lee Enterprises newspaper.