Hori – Guitar Life: Lesson 1 for Nintendo Switch – Black

20 reviews for Hori – Guitar Life: Lesson 1 for Nintendo Switch – Black

1. 

   Rated 4 out of 5

   BradfordBT (verified owner) – 06/07/2026

   Good way to start learning the Basics – I’ve always wanted to learn how to play the guitar, I’ve started multiple times using different methods but each time I never stuck with the method as motivation quickly left. I thought that if I could gamify the process, I could most likely stick with learning long enough to learn how to play. I saw that there was a Guitar Life: Lesson 1 by Hori for the Nintendo Switch, which comes with a Guitar like controller that connects with the switch. I decided to give it a go.

   Pros:
   – Easy to get playing.
   – Guided lessons are easy to follow for beginners.
   -Controller matches real guitar finger placement and pressure.

   Cons:
   – Requires a Switch 1 Right Joycon to work with Switch 2.
   – Game and Lessons could be more engaging for the player.

   Out of the Box:
   Included in the box is the Guitar Joycon compatible controller, a guitar pick, and a code for downloading the Guitar Life: Lesson 1 game. The Guitar Controller requires a Switch 1 Right Joycon to be slotted into the controller to work, a Switch 2 Joycon will not work. Luckily, the Switch 2 is backwards compatible with Switch 1 controllers. You will just need a separate charging stand if you only have a Switch 2.

   Initial setup is very simple. Make sure the Joycon is paired with your Switch before starting the game, startup the game up and slot the Right Joycon onto the Guitar controller then strum the Guitar to proceed to the main menu.

   Game/Lessons:
   From the main menu, the options are; Lesson, Musical Performance, Free Play, Cord Run, My Data, Guide, and Options. All can be easily accessed by navigating over via the Joycon attached to the Guitar controller and pressing the A button.

   Lessons contains most of the game & learning; you unlock additional lessons as you complete each lesson and more levels with the full completion of all lessons within that level. Each Lesson teaches you the placement of a Chord, showing you your finger placement on screen while playing, then has you play the Cord at timed intervals along with strumming. A score is provided at the end of the Lesson, if you succussed you can progress or repeat if you didn’t quite get it. Building on each learned Chord and stumming technique, until you can complete a full song.

   The main gamification is done through completing lessons, which earn you points and those points level your account up. I was hoping for a bit more “gamification” within the actual lessons to help provide additional drive to play and learn. The lessons are easy to complete, and build on each previous lesson, but the overall motivation is just a linear path of learning more not so much gaming. The progression is very basic; complete the lesson to unlock additional lessons and finally a song which you can play with the accumulated lessons knowledge. Completing a full lesson a song will unlock additional Lesson levels; completing Beginner unlocks Intermediate, which unlocks Advanced and finally Expert.

   Musical Performance provides guided performances on 13 songs, which is a great way to practice once you’ve completed the required lessons. I wish there was a larger selection or a way to add additional songs. Free Play is just that, it provides the ability to play the Guitar controller like an actual Guitar without any guidance.

   Cord Run kind fits the mini games I was hoping to see in the lessons to learn the different cords. You’re tasked with hitting the different cords at the right time as a character run across the screen, providing some level of “gamification” to the challenge. It is very basic, though I’ve only started the initial sets, so it might become more challenging as you unlock additional cords later.

   My Data provides a summary of all your activities within the game, a nice “report” card on your progress. Guide is helpful if you want to look up specific cords or other inputs for the controller or a guitar in general, it’s a helpful tool to review how to play. Options provides adjustments for playing the game.

   Build & Feel:
   The Guitar Controller is made of a black matte plastic, which is light weight but solid enough to play on without concern of breaking it. The light weight made it easy to play for a duration without feeling fatigue in my hands or wrists, as there is not over the shoulder strap for the controller included but adding one wouldn’t be too difficult. For being a game/toy, the Guitar Controller felt good in hand as an adult, I could see the controller might feel tiny for a larger adult or slightly big for a child. But in both cases, because the size of the controllers’ inputs (frets and strumming fins) matches that of a standard Guitar, the experience would be the same as using an actual Guitar.

   I found the Guitar controller to be way more comfortable of a learning experience than using an actual Guitar, as the fins and strings are a rubberized material, instead of metal strings that can hurt your fingers if you don’t have calluses built up. Which most beginners would not have, I’d recommend being cautious when switching from the game controller to an actual Guitar, as your fingers will probably not have the calluses from playing an actual Guitar yet.

   Conclusion:
   Overall, I found the Guitar Life: Lessons 1 by Hori to be a fun and easy way to learn the basics of playing the Guitar, I’ve been playing it for an hour or so each day since I got it, progressing slowly but steadily. I’m already further along than any of my other attempts at learning the Guitar, so I’ll keep at it for now. I do wish the Lessons were more gamified but have been keeping up with the step-by-step building of knowledge. It will be a while before I can actually play, but one Lesson at a time.

2. 

   Rated 5 out of 5

   Bryan (verified owner) – 06/07/2026

   Great way to get introduced to the basics – I’ve owned a guitar since the pandemic, but haven’t been able to learn to play it consistently. I’ve tried YouTube, lesson books, and other methods, but nothing has stuck or kept me engaged. It’s hard to start as an unconfident adult, but even harder when you want to learn with children. That’s where Hori Guitar Life: Lesson 1 comes in. It’s interactive for children, teens, young adults, and anyone of any age, and it’s an unintimidating introduction to learning guitar.

   I’ve wondered why there hasn’t been an option like this over the years. Yes, there were Guitar Hero and other “guitar-based” games, but they were just button presses synced to on-screen prompts. They never taught the nuance of guitar playing. Pressure-sensitive fretboard and strumming based on a real guitar layout. This uses real “strings”, real hand placement, and real understanding. It’s not just four buttons and an up-and-down toggle. This makes the lessons seem much more transferable to a real guitar, which is the idea.

   The guitar is well-designed and thoughtfully crafted, and it feels good in the hands. It is slightly smaller than a standard electric guitar but is suitable for people of different sizes. Although the neck is much shorter than a real guitar, it’s the closest match to a concept we’ve all wanted. The game is a series of interactive lessons with gamification elements. It has held our interest so far and is becoming one of the more popular lessons my son and I have done for learning.

   Although this is an official Nintendo-licensed product, I wish it were a standalone instrument separate from the Switch. It requires a Joycon to connect to the guitar. We have a Switch 2, but I feel this would be perfect as a guitar you can plug into the TV to learn with, rather than a game-based lesson. The idea of more lessons in the future is great, but I wish it were clear how many lessons have already been made. Like many gaming ideas, they sometimes lose steam, and only the introductory game is released. I don’t think that will happen here, but the thought lingers. It’s not exactly a “subscription” based idea, but the thought of several games that need to be purchased until you learn all the lessons could force a fairly expensive way to learn. Although private lessons are much more expensive, YouTube remains a free way to learn. We’ll see if it’s all worth it in the end. I’m not sure how much the standalone lessons will be in the future, but with $100 being the price of the guitar + lesson 1, I am not complaining.

   There are several songs to learn within the lessons: “Sweet Home Alabama,” “Rhinestone Cowboy,” “Born to be Wild,” and “Closing Time,” to name a few. There are 13 altogether in Lesson 1. It’s a good mix of songs and genres to please almost anyone. It would be cool in the future to be able to import your own songs or any song and have a library of sheet music to learn from. But I understand the licensing of each song makes that difficult. On the other hand, it’s not difficult to search online to find these once you learn the basics.

   For a product that doesn’t break the bank but offers a very easy way to get the basics of learning guitar down, I think this is a great product. It is the best option so far for my son and me to learn together without feeling overwhelmed or disengaged. That’s a win in my book.

3. 

   Rated 4 out of 5

   kpjimmy (verified owner) – 06/07/2026

   Good little teacher! – This is somewhat of an odd type of gaming system for the switch. I mean it is not technially a game so keep that in mind. This is not Rock Band or the like. Before expanding on this, I have to mention the unboxing is super minimal. It has no wires and comes with a pick, which I do not recommend to use, more on that in a bit. And also packed with a quick start guide to let you connect to the switch and a download code to get the software to operate the guitar. You just plug the controller in and you are connected! You do need the software, which is free but after that initial set up, you are on your way! To start, you want to use the included guitar pick to use it because that is what you see people use. However, please do not use it. The pick scratches the guitar very easily. Also when playing the “Strings” are rubber nobs where you strum and that can get scratched easily as well. The hardware is good, but can easily be scratched up. Not sure if there’s anything you can do to prevent this, maybe stickers? Ok onto the lessons to teach you how to play. Keep in mind, this is not a game. With the software you download to use this, it comes with a number of songs, which you may or may not know. But generally, it’s the more popular older songs. And to use this, it does repeat the lessons, a lot. I mean a lot. Which is good for the people that has never ever picked up an intrument before. Maybe I am missing it, if there is a level or setting for a bit more advanced guitar lesson? Maybe that is lesson 2? Other than that, the other thing is that the battery life of the switch determines how long you will be using this lesson 1. Would I recommend it? Yes! if you have never played guitar before. It’s a neat way to teach yourself.

4. 

   Rated 1 out of 5

   RondonJonsen (verified owner) – 06/07/2026

   Save money, buy a real guitar – As a veteran and afficionado of rhythm games played with plastic instruments, I had high hopes for this. Imagine, learning real guitar from a video game! Unfortunately, after sitting down and trudging through a few lessons, I can reasonably say that the best way to learn to really play a guitar is with a real guitar.

   The guitar controller is an odd beast. It has a fret board that holds 6 touch sensitive pads where the strings would be, set in 5 rows (giving you effectively 5 frets as opposed to the 18 to 24 on a real guitar), as well as 6 fins that you “pluck” with the included oversized pick. The “strings” are of uniform width, unlike a real guitar that has strings that get thinner as they get higher in pitch. Comparing it to my Stratocaster, it is about as wide from the bridge up, so it does feel natural when seated and holding it as instructed. There looks to be a place to put a strap down by the bottom of the guitar, but I couldn’t find a corresponding knob near where the neck meets the body. There is also a rail where you slide in a Switch 1 joy con (the right one only, as the left one would leave you unable to press the buttons as the joy con is used for navigating).

   Included with the controller is a download code for the Guitar Life: Lesson 1 software. Within the software, you can either go through the lessons that teach you the basic open string cowboy chords, or go through what seems to be a music theory lesson but ends up being a confusing mess by attempting to apply Guitar Hero logic to the 5 available frets while giving a lesson on the circle of 5ths. The lessons didn’t fare any better. There is no voice over, so you are treated to a series of lengthy texts describing how to hold the guitar and where to put your fingers. The text is very dry, and you have to scroll through several screens before it lets you start to play the guitar. The playing part is also incredibly underwhelming. The first lesson has you play an E minor chord, showing you where to put your fingers and how to strum. It then asks you to play it 4 times. However, if you leave your fingers in place and try to strum 4 times, it will not register properly because the controller does not register your fingers unless you remove them from the controller and repress them before every strum. Now, I’ve never taken a guitar lesson before, but I’m pretty sure that keeping your fingers held down on a chord while strumming that chord multiple times is ok. Messing around in the Freeplay section and holding that same E minor chord shape, I got a different sound every time I strummed.

   I thought maybe the controller would be cool to use as some sort of MIDI thing, or maybe use it for Rock Band 3 with some sort of adapter, but being forced to use a joycon to power it means a lot of hacking that I have neither the knowledge nor the desire to even bother researching if it’s possible.

   If you are actually interested in learning guitar, get a real guitar. Even a cheap guitar store special (of the sort they sell with the included gig bag, cable, and practice amp) will be better value for the money. At least with a real guitar, you can sound terrible playing any song you can think of, instead of sounding terrible playing the handful of outdated songs that come with the “game”. I’ve had more fun clapping along to a song than I have using this. I thought that this would help show me the things that I never was instructed on since I’m entirely self-taught, but there was absolutely nothing in here that I couldn’t have gotten from a youtube video. Even if you got good at using this, the skills wouldn’t necessarily translate to playing a real guitar, as holding down actual strings feels completely different compared to the spongy buttons that don’t have any real play in them, and you definitely wouldn’t have the same grip strength and calluses that would develop just in the first month.

   Also, if you only have a Switch 2, you still need to go out and get a right Switch 1 joy con in order to use this.

5. 

   Rated 5 out of 5

   NanoEthan (verified owner) – 06/07/2026

   A Guitar Lesson that Sticks – I’ve always wanted to play actual guitar, I’ve paid for lessons a couple times but nothing has really stuck. When I came across Hori Guitar Life for Nintendo Switch, I was curious, but not too sure how it would translate to a video game peripheral. This one is built to teach you real chords, finger placement, and technique on a controller shaped like a guitar, then let you put that to work on actual songs. It runs on Switch (I used the original Switch), the OLED model, and Switch 2, and the idea is that picking up guitar can start out feeling like a game instead of a monotonous lesson. I went in curious whether a Switch accessory could really get me playing guitar, so here’s how it’s going.

   – Unboxing/Design/Build Quality/Setup –

   My first impression with the box is that it does a great job with the idea of actual guitar lessons and not just a toy. The controller is designed like a compact guitar with a black body and a slim neck. Instead of real strings you’ve got pressure sensitive strings you press along the neck, with a strum area down by the body where you actually pick or strum. A right Joy-Con controller slots into the side, and that’s the piece that connects wirelessly to the Switch, so the guitar itself uses the Joy-Con’s connection rather than needing to pair on its own.

   Setup was simple. All I had to do was enter the download code and it downloaded Lesson 1 for me. From there you place the Joy-Con in (it slides in easily and is very easy to use when you’re making selections in between lessons) and you’re ready to go. Setup took about 5 minutes and I was already on my first lesson.

   I love the guitar. It’s light, but it feels ergonomically like a guitar. It’s easy to strum with your hands, a little harder for me with the pick, but it still works fine. The online lessons remind me of the classic Nintendo simulation games in the way they talk to you and almost treat your lessons like a story. I think it’s a great idea, and it works very well. I was learning quickly thanks to the repetitive nature of the lessons, but most of all the lessons keep you interested. It’s easy to get hooked and want to do just one more. I think it’s a great idea for all ages. I’m in my 40s, grew up playing video games, and can totally relate. This is the easier way to learn guitar before stepping up to the real one.

   – Comfort –

   Comfort is great. The guitar is light and it just feels right in my hands. My fingers feel fine on the neck, a lot like a normal fretboard. You do have to stretch your wrist and hand the same way you would on a real guitar, but I actually see that as a plus. It’s good practice, and it’s the same movement you’d be building toward on the real thing anyway.

   – Performance –

   I didn’t notice any lag while I was playing. When I pressed the strings and strummed, the game kept up with what I was doing, so nothing felt disconnected between my hands and what showed up on screen. I played around with the different modes and the lessons themselves were the part that stood out to me. I was picking things up quickly because of the way they repeat and build on each other, and I stayed engaged the whole way through the lesson instead of losing interest. What’s smart regarding the software is you can literally just knock out a few lessons in minutes. It doesn’t feel like a chore.

   – Pros/Cons –

   * Pros

   * Build to teach real guitar skills, not just a rythym game
   * Lightweight and comfortable
   * Fretboard feels real
   * Lessons are engaging and quick enough to keep going
   * Easy setup
   * Controller works well with guitar
   * Software is very well done
   * Guitar is very responsive

   * Suggestions/Needs Improvement

   * Song library could be a little more dynamic
   * Pick doesn’t work as well as fingers while strumming

   For me, this does what I hoped it would. I’ve tried real lessons before and they didn’t stick, but the game format kept me coming back and I was actually learning. It’s light, comfortable, and easy to pick up, and it treats learning like something fun instead of a chore. If you’ve wanted to learn guitar but haven’t been able to stay with it, this is a solid way to build the basics before you step up to a real guitar. I can’t think of much they can improve upon here. Hori really delivered a polished product. I highly recommend this peripheral for all ages.

6. 

   Rated 5 out of 5

   Ponskippa (verified owner) – 06/07/2026

   a fun and interactive way for beginners to learn – I’ll give some context and mention that I’ve been playing guitar for half of my life. I am not a pro though, and I never learned to play it the “right way”. I learned to play by ear and a thing called guitar tabs. I’ve always wanted a way to learn chords and progressions but admittedly.. Ive never been good about just picking up a book and learning that way. I’ve always been a hands on / visual learner. So the Hori Guitar Life ( Lesson 1) is a pretty cool way of teaching someone how to learn some chords and basics on the guitar. I wanted to give this thing a 4 star review.. mainly because of a couple of nitpicks I have with the “guitar ” itself. Which are 1. It still doesn’t really feel like a real guitar in my hands. But to a beginner it might not matter. The silicon pads on the guitar while easy on the fingers do not provide a real and tactile feedback that guitar strings do. 2. Strumming the pads with the included pick feels kind of weird. But again.. Im nitpicking because I already play guitar and my brain just doesn’t like the feel of it haha. But the biggest nitpick I have with this product is that there is some delay (latency) when strumming. Not huge, but enough to keep you strumming and picking at a slow pace. All that being said.. it won’t matter to a beginner because a true beginner will probably be strumming and picking slowly while moving their fingers on the fret board. Sooo I don’t think it is a dealbreaker. The software and lessons you receive from the game completely makes up for it and I think it will provide a good and fun way for someone to start playing guitar. I told my wife she should learn with this and play with me when I am playing at home 🙂

   Anywho the game has various game modes to help you start your musical journey. The first two are Lesson 1 and Rhythm Riff. Lesson 1 teaches you the major chords on a guitar and Rhythm Riff teaches you about progression and strumming. There is also a free play mode, Chord Run and Musical Performance mode which will teach you how to play real songs that you made already know and love.
   I think for the entry price, the total package is worth it. The included “Guitar” is small enough for small hands and children yet big enough for an adult to learn with. While I wish it felt more like a real guitar.. I think it is great anyway. Just keep in mind that only a Nintendo switch 1 joy con will be compatible with this product. You can play it with a Nintendo switch 2 but will need a first gen joy con to pair to the console. All in all, I am enjoying and having fun learning with this product and admittedly it has taught me a thing or two that I didn’t know (mainly the names of chords :B) even after playing for half of my life already.

   If you are wanting a fun way to learn guitar or have your kids learn guitar. This is a cool way to do it! I will probably be buying a second one to give to my nephew who wants to learn how to play.

7. 

   Rated 4 out of 5

   Xephyroth (verified owner) – 06/07/2026

   Educational Software Inspired by Rhythm Games – 📦 UNBOXING:

   Inside the box, you will find the guitar, a manual, a thick guitar pick, and a redemption code for Guitar Life: Lesson 1 on Nintendo Switch.

   💪 BUILD:

   Right off the bat, it’s important to note that the guitar controller requires a Nintendo Switch Joy-Con (R) controller. This game is not compatible with a Joy-Con 2 (R) controller. If you’re using a Nintendo Switch 2, you will have to use a Joy-Con (R) for Nintendo Switch or Nintendo Switch OLED.

   The guitar controller itself is largely plastic. A Joy-Con (R) slides into the controller, so no additional batteries are required. The fretboard (where your left hand goes) uses a silicone or rubber material as the strings. This makes it easy for your fingers to press down strings. The bridge area (where your right hand goes) also uses this same material as strings for strumming and picking. In my experience, you ought to pick fairly firmly for it to register, while the fretboard doesn’t need you to press down terribly hard in order to register your finger placement for a chord.

   There are also two bolts on the guitar in case you want to use a guitar strap, but one isn’t included in the box. With that said, I did all my testing without one, and found that it was comfortable enough in my lap—something I can’t say about a lot of real guitars that surprised me about this “toy” guitar.

   🛠️ SETUP:

   You will need to use the included redemption code to download Guitar Life: Lesson 1 from the Nintendo eShop.

   One quirk about this game is that they require you to pair both the left and right Joy-Con as a controller. Even though you won’t actively use the left Joy-Con, it must remain paired or else the game will prompt you to re-pair it. This means the left Joy-Con’s battery will drain even though it’s not actively being used. So if the battery is low and the left Joy-Con dies, you will need to keep it charging in order to keep playing. The box and manual only mention that the Joy-Con (R) is required. So from that perspective, I think Hori should be a bit more transparent about this requirement.

   ⚡ LATENCY:

   If you’re using your console docked to a TV with an external sound system, there is a chance that there will be additional latency that is really not great for a game like this. For most games, that added latency is not an issue, but for a game like this where audio feedback is critically important to the performance, that added latency can be a dealbreaker. Even with Low Latency modes enabled on my TV, I found the added audio latency in my home setup was simply too much.

   Undocking the Switch from my TV and playing in tabletop mode was not ideal, but quickly demonstrated how much better the latency was. So for some folks who cannot get lower latency, this might end up being the best way to play. I’d recommend trying undocked first so you understand the intended latency, then try docking the Switch to see if the latency that your system adds is tolerable. For me, it was not tolerable, but this is not Hori’s fault. Despite this, it could be a challenge that Hori has to overcome due to the nature of this being a rhythm game.

   💿 LESSONS:

   The game itself has different modes, but the primary one will be the Lesson Mode. Lessons will introduce newcomers to guitar on the basics like frets, strumming, chord charts, and learning to play actual chords.

   A typical lesson will have you play chords against a song, following the rhythm. It will have you play the song 5 times, but each time it will remove some assistance. For example, the first time you play a lesson, it will have Automatic Strum Input, Simplified Strum Mode, Display Chord Fingering, and Mini Chord Diagram.

   Once you complete your first playthrough of the song, the second playthrough will remove Automatic Strum Input, so you’ll be required to strum. The third playthrough will then additionally remove Simplified Strum Mode so there will be more strumming and you’ll be required to match the rhythm and upstroke/downstrokes in the song. The fourth playthrough will then additionally remove Display Chord Fingering, so you will no longer have a diagram showing you how to orient your fingers to play the chord; you’ll need to rely on the chord diagram. And lastly, the fifth playthrough will additionally remove the Mini Chord Diagram, so you’ll need to remember the chords by their name in order to play them.

   To move onto the next playthrough within a lesson, you’ll need to reach a certain level of proficiency, so you won’t be rushed onto the next playthrough until you’ve had a sufficient number of hits.

   Lessons whose songs introduce new chords will typically have you first learn the name of the chord, and show you both the chord diagram and fingering, and have you practice strumming the chord correctly before you begin your playthroughs of the song. This helps make sure you’re not just walking in blind.

   The lessons and songs are simple and repetitive, but that’s by design. Learning to play guitar requires you to get good at memorization, be quick with your finger placement, and develop a good sense of rhythm and strumming.

   I have been playing guitar for about two decades, so I decided to have my partner (who is completely new to guitar) play the game as well. Interestingly, she found that using the mirrored chord diagrams was very helpful, as she found the conventional diagrams to be unintuitive for her. This is something that never crossed my mind, so it’s great to see that Hori added these options to accommodate different players who find that mirroring what they see is more intuitive than looking at the conventional “top-down” representation of the guitar fretboard.

   With that said, are lessons fun? I think “fun” is subjective, but for my partner and I, I think Guitar Life: Lesson 1 can be considered “educational software” rather than a “game”. While it tries to be somewhat visually interesting, I think the focus here is mostly for learning purposes rather than as a game that anybody should want to pick up.

   💿 OTHER MODES:

   Guitar Life also supports a few other game modes like Musical Performance where you can learn and play a number of songs, Free Play where you can openly play the guitar however you like, Chord Run to help you practice and quickly transition between chords in a rhythm style game, and Rhythm Riff which lets you bypass learning chords entirely and lets you just play entire chords simply by holding a single note on the fretboard.

   🧐 CONCLUSION:

   Overall, I think Hori Guitar Life: Lesson 1 is educational software that is best suited to someone who has genuinely expressed interest in learning to play guitar. While the lessons aren’t going to be as thrilling as most popular rhythm games, the fact that you can learn to play real guitar in a structured way from your Nintendo Switch makes this a worthy pickup for someone who is genuinely interested in learning how to play. The lessons you will experience won’t turn you into a pro, but can genuinely get you off the ground and teach you how to read chord charts. And while it doesn’t teach you music theory, such lessons aren’t necessary to learn the basics of playing a guitar. I think Hori Guitar Life: Lesson 1 can help get a complete novice off the ground and push them to keep learning beyond what is included in the software.

8. 

   Rated 4 out of 5

   insomniak1 (verified owner) – 08/07/2026

   Fun, basic gateway to playing guitar. – It is quite the interesting premise for Hori Guitar Life. Basically, you learn basic guitar playing with this game. I am not new to this idea, as I have tried the iconic rhythm guitar games and the ones that a real guitar is needed. This is more in the middle of both camps. The guitar feels and looks like a toy as it is made of plastic and rather small. Still, it actually has some decent ergonomics when held as recommended and while seated. The other difference from past gaming guitars is that this one actually has “strings” simulated on the body. The strings do a decent job of allowing finger placement but still feel odd. The guitar comes with a rather large pick and also feels a bit forced on the strings. Once I got used to the feeling, and started going through the lessons, it started to feel more natural.

   The lessons are very basic and focus on basic chords. The instructions for finger placement on the fret board are confusing, especially if you have no experience with guitars. They show it from the player’s point of view, but they never really explain it well, and seem counter intuitive. The strings can be very sensitive, so one only needs a light touch, which goes against a real guitar’s strings feel. Strumming is the one thing that feels great. There are sections, exercises, and games that help the player get better, but again, one must get the basics down first.

   In the end, this can be a fun way to learn some basics, albeit with a somewhat deep learning curve. If you really get into it, I can see this being an entry point for the real deal – Just wished the software was more robust.

9. 

   Rated 5 out of 5

   Loomis1975 (verified owner) – 08/07/2026

   Awesome Guitar Game/Teaching – So first the packaging. You get a code; there is no physical game in the packaging. You get the guitar body and the pick and a couple paper manuals/pamphlets. The guitar is good quality, and it is minimalist. There is no battery, no lights, no sounds. The “strings” are stiff rubber, and they work well for the function and are durable. The pick is red and oversized, fairly thick, you could just use a regular pick if you lose this one. The one thing I wish they did differently on the guitar, I’d like a slot to hold the pick in when you weren’t using it.

   Once you register the game and download it to your Switch, you are ready to go, put one Joycon from your Switch onto the guitar and off to the music making. The Lessons start out very basic, and it did take me a bit of time to get used to what they were trying to teach me, as I am a complete instruments novice, and guitars in particular.

   The lessons flowed pretty well once you get use to the mechanics of picking the stiff rubber that act as the strings. I was able to learn a short simple song and get good at it, and then take that to an acoustic guitar and butcher my way through it, sort of. As always, practice makes perfect. This definitely isn’t a game per say, but a learning tool.

10. 

    Rated 5 out of 5

    kltmom (verified owner) – 09/07/2026

    Fun Easy Way to Learn Guitar for Nintendo Switch – My daughter and I have found this to be such a fun and easy way to start learning the guitar. Set up is extremely easy–just download the Guitar Life game onto the Nintendo Switch with the provided code (we utilized our original/first gen Switch), click the Right Joy-Con into place on the guitar and pair it with the console, and off you go, just follow the directions on the console screen. (There is an included guitar pick.) You can try doing straight lessons to learn the basics, practice and play famous songs, free play the guitar, practice chords, and there is an extremely helpful general overall guide to the guitar/guitar playing and the game itself. There are also such options as choosing the sound style (electric/acoustic/banjo) and guitar effect (reverb/echo/distortion), to name a few. I will confess that while my daughter and I have some musical background (she played the flute/was in the school band for three years, I played the piano for several years when I was younger), I have absolutely no experience with guitar playing at all while she has lightly experimented with a friend’s guitar.

    However, it is such a treat to learn and play the guitar this way, not to mention a great way to utilize our Nintendo Switch for something other than playing video games–for my kids to use it constructively in a learning environment while at the same time having fun. I wholly recommend it! The guitar itself is nice and light, and comfortable to hold. However, two caveats I would point out: for one, my daughter and I are both right-handed and the guitar seems to be made for only right handers (the shape of it makes it look like this); second–and this is a big one–my daughter is extremely annoyed with the sound that the plastic “strings” make when strumming them. She says it really detracts from the musical sounds. Obviously this cannot be helped because it is the nature of the instrument not having real strings. On the other hand, she also pointed out that the plastic “strings” of the fret board are more comfortable than real strings of guitars she has tried, so there is that. My last thought is this–the price is refreshingly not that bad at all and well worth it too.

11. 

    Rated 4 out of 5

    Xtant (verified owner) – 09/07/2026

    Fun but with some issues – Was looking for something to bring our Switch out of the drawer and back to life and came across the Guitar Life Lesson 1. I figured it would be fun for the grandkids and the older kids.

    First thing it looks cool and is comfortable to hold with or without the strap. The joycon mounted and the game loaded up fine and we were off and running.

    Guitar Life is really good at teaching you finger placement for chords and fairly easy to follow the lesson. The included songs are for an older generation but fun none the less.

    For us though the buttons that are to mimic guitar strings were a little awkward and didn’t give the feel of strumming strings.

    We also had connection issues with the joycon. It would lose connection quite often taking some of the fun away. I don’t know if it was our joycons or the mounting the guitar?And this was with 2 different sets of joycons.

    Overall the Guitar Life is fun when it keeps the connection. And does a good job at showing correct finger placement for chords. As to how well you will learn to play an actual guitar will definitely vary by user.

12. 

    Rated 3 out of 5

    NateN (verified owner) – 12/07/2026

    Interesting idea but with some flaws – I was intrigued when this came across my radar since my kids (elementary and high school aged) were actually asking about wanting an electric guitar to extend their musical experiences. It was very simplistic to initially set up: download the software, go through a couple prompts, and insert the right Joy-Con into the guitar. From there, the tutorial begins. The high school aged child played through about an hour and got the hang of it fairly quick, especially for never playing around with a 6 “string” guitar before. I put “string” in quotes because they aren’t actually strings. They are more like rubber protruding bars that are pressure sensitive. Unfortunately, the sound it makes when you run the included pick across them is very annoying. All three of us mentioned it on multiple occasions and it can take you out of the experience of trying to learn guitar. However, the software itself is very intuitive and helps to point out when you have pressed on the wrong cords or missed a note. There was also a major misspelling multiple times throughout the experience that frustrated me: The words STRUM and STRUMMING were frequently written as STUM and STUMMING. I emailed Hori USA directly to mention these two issues but after two weeks I still never heard back. I also noticed that sometimes the guitar wouldn’t recognize that I was trying to strum and I would have to quickly strum a second time, but it would throw me off of rhythm and dampen the experience when going through the tutorial. Getting past those few negative features, I think this can be a handy tool for anyone wanting to start playing guitar without feeling intimidated.

13. 

    Rated 4 out of 5

    ScubaSteve (verified owner) – 12/07/2026

    Fun and Educational – Please note that this is compatible with the Switch 1 and Switch 2, however you must have Switch 1 right joy-con controller and does not include one. I have Switch 2 and the application was able to be downloaded and installed on the Switch 2 with no issues. The Switch 1 joy-con powers the guitar exclusively and you cannot charge the joy-con from the guitar. You will either need to charge the joy-con from a Switch 1 or use an external joy-con charger. It took me a while to get the Switch 1 joy-con controller to pair with my Switch 2, but once setup it stayed connected fine.

    Once you have the joy-con charged and connected to the guitar, the Hori – Guitar Life application guides you through connecting. The guitar feels well balanced and is easy for a child or adult to hold and use. There a lot of tutorials that give very good information on how a guitar works, the notes and how to position yourself for the chords. I found it a little difficult, but playing a guitar is not easy at first and this makes it realistic. The application could you some polish to make it easier to navigate, but once you get used to it is pretty easy to get around. There is a full size guitar pic included and the simulated strings are responsive and easy to use. Overall, it is a good way to learn guitar basics. It would be nice if it came with a Switch 1 joy-con controller and allowed the controller to be charged while connected to the guitar. The quality seems good and should last a while.

14. 

    Rated 3 out of 5

    HeatherS (verified owner) – 14/07/2026

    Cool consept, not user friendly – When I saw this, I instantly thought of the old Guitar Hero days. I have always wanted to learn to play guitar so I figured I would give it a try.
    I will say, this was not as user friendly as I would have hoped. First is the controller. This is listed as compatible with Switch and Switch 2. Technically it is, however you must have a origional Switch joycon in order to use this product. If you only have a Switch 2, keep that in mind. The ‘game’ is also download only. I followed the instructions for searching it in the Nintendo shop, however it could never find this game. It came with 2 sets of instructions for downloading. The second set had a download code. Entering this code worked to find and download the game. The controller is well built. It is far larger than I anticipated, closer to the size of the top half of a real guitar. The strings can be a little sensitive. The oversized pick and strum area feel a little off when opperating. There are also some typos in the game. One thing i found difficult was that the visuals for finger placement were upside down in comparrison to how you hold the guitar. That part took getting used to. I have not yet gotten far enough in my learning to be able to successfully attempt one of the real songs you can play. I am sure I will get there eventually.

15. 

    Rated 4 out of 5

    Dylnel (verified owner) – 15/07/2026

    Great learning tool for aspiring guitarists – As someone who played guitar for years and was self taught, I thought this might be worth a try to see if I can actually learn fundamentals that I never learned before. Keep in mind, I haven’t actually picked up my guitars in over 10 years so I would be starting extremely rusty.

    I feel the fret board is laid out pretty well and will help users learn the lay of the land. The chords I still remember translated accurately to the fretboard of the controller which I was happy to see.

    My only grip with the controller would be where you would pick the strings. I don’t feel this is anywhere near an accurate representation of what it feels like to strum a real guitar whether it be steel or nylon strings. There just didn’t feel like there was enough give. But then I started thinking about it and think this could be a good thing as it slows you down and may help me focus on individual string picking which I admittedly have always been sloppy with.

    The lessons have been pretty solid I love the fact that it forces you to stay in time and tells you when you hit the note to early, too late, or just right. Timing in music is extremely important and I feel this feature is excellent not to mention it shows if your chords are accurate.

    Overall, I see this as an excellent tool to use to learn and practice with in a fun way. Bringing the video game element to training really helps keep interest and I am enjoying it.

16. 

    Rated 3 out of 5

    GoVols (verified owner) – 15/07/2026

    Not what I was hoping for – I was hoping this would be a fun way to start learning guitar, but after spending time with it I have mixed feelings. The idea is genuinely interesting in that instead of being another game like Guitar Hero or Rock Band, it’s actually trying to teach you real chords, finger placement, and basic guitar techniques. If you’re expecting an arcade style music game, you’ll be disappointed. This is much more of a beginner guitar lesson packaged as a game.

    The included controller is decent, but it feels a little small for adults. Kids may find the size more comfortable, although that leads to another issue which is I’m not really sure who the intended audience is. The colorful graphics and presentation seem geared toward younger players, yet the lesson structure requires patience that many kids probably won’t have. My 12-year-old completed one lesson and quickly lost interest because it simply wasn’t engaging enough to keep their attention.

    One thing that stands out immediately is the controller design. Instead of actual strings, it uses plastic/hard rubber “strings” that you pick. I understand why they chose this approach for durability and simplicity, but real strings would have made the experience feel much more authentic. The plastic picking action is distracting, and the sound it produces can become annoying over longer practice sessions. It constantly reminds you that you’re using a toy rather than something that resembles an actual instrument.

    The lessons themselves are easy to follow, and I appreciate that they introduce concepts gradually. However, the instruction feels unnecessarily slow. Taking things one step at a time is great for beginners, but there’s too much filler between the actual practice. Navigating through menus, dialogue, and transitions slows everything down making it harder to stay motivated. I wish I could skip ahead more quickly and spend more time actually playing.

    Another frustration is the note detection. There were multiple occasions where I strummed a chord or note correctly, but the game didn’t register the input. Whether that’s due to timing, the controller, or the software, it’s discouraging when you’re trying to learn and aren’t sure if the mistake was yours or the hardware’s.

    Compared to other beginner learning tools, it also feels like there could have been a better implementation for teaching guitar. While it introduces real musical concepts, it doesn’t quite recreate the feel of practicing on an actual instrument. You are learning real chord shapes, but you won’t develop the finger strength or calluses that naturally come from pressing real guitar strings. In that sense, it serves as more of an introduction than a true replacement for practicing on a real guitar.

    Overall I think it has a good concept and could be a useful stepping stone for complete beginners who are curious about guitar without committing to buying a full instrument right away. However, the small controller, plastic strings, occasional missed inputs, slow lesson navigation, and somewhat confusing target audience keep it from reaching its full potential. It’s an interesting educational product rather than a fun game, and that’s important to understand before purchasing. If you approach it with realistic expectations, there’s some value here, but I think most people who become interested in learning guitar will eventually want to move on to a real instrument and a more effective learning method.

17. 

    Rated 5 out of 5

    parapraxis (verified owner) – 22/07/2026

    A fun way to jump into learning guitar – I’ve tried playing in the past years ago but had difficulties without getting into real lessons. This is a fun way to try again or even pick it up for the first time.

    The controller needs an original Switch Joycon, but only the right side controller. It works with the Switch 2 but you still need the Switch joycon to use the guitar. You get a free pick along with it, so that’s a nice touch and the code to download the game is inside the box.

    Compared to something like guitar hero, which more about timing the right sequence button presses, this is much closer to the real thing. You don’t get the full fret board, but it will help teach you real chords and real finger placement.

    There are limitations of course, the song library is only 13 songs deep, I wish there was more variety there. Also for the price it’s really close to a cheap entry level acoustic guitar. Now you do get the fun of playing a game and reaching goals to increase your level, but it’s still not 100% the same as the real thing.

    I will say if you aren’t sure about trying out a real guitar, or you just want something that might help hold your interest better then this is a lot of fun. The guided lessons do make it easy to just pick up and go and it’s fun progressing through the game.

18. 

    Rated 4 out of 5

    dronedad (verified owner) – 27/07/2026

    Decent substitute… still not a real
    Guitar – I find these kinds of controllers are interesting. This still isn’t a substitute for a real guitar, and at this price you could easily buy a used acoustic. That being said this is the most advanced controller for a gaming system I’ve used, so don’t immediately dismiss this as a guitar hero controller like a set of buttons. The connection with and setup with the switch went easily and as expected. The switch app / game shines in a few very specific ways – if you are first learning a guitar. Like literally from zero. You know nothing, this is good for you. As you rise up through the difficulty, it becomes less relevant / useful. The parts where you learn chords are also very worthwhile. Lastly I liked some of the individual songs. The mini games or gamification of the learning process is compelling but could use more work before I would start to recommend this over guitar lessons. This is a compelling alternative to NO lessons at all, and I do think they are on to something. Overall the hardware is well designed and works okay. I would love to see the next version of the app / game.

19. 

    Rated 4 out of 5

    NickAtWTF (verified owner) – 31/07/2026

    Great For Teaching Kids Chords + Accessibility – The Hori Guitar Life guitar seems to have 3 audiences:
    – a VERY specific kind of kiddo who finds it hard to be separated from their Nintendo Switch for very long, but whose caregivers want them to learn an instrument
    – someone who wants to learn guitar but needs an accessibility aid
    – a kiddo who needs a lighter learning tool and visual feedback while learning about where to put their fingers

    In terms of teaching tools, it actually is very good. The strings are soft-ish and responsive and nicely spaced for small or large fingers, the strumming with a finger is not crazy loud but a kid might have some struggles doing it themselves without the pick because it’s not as responsive. There’s connectors for a guitar strap as well, which is nice. I don’t mind that they didn’t include one because it encourages you to go into a local music store and get one.

    The only major downside to all of this: the plastic pick is CRAZY LOUD while strumming.

    My kiddo was able to pick up a few chords right away from the lessons. As an adult I found the pacing really slow and with just two modes to start with I got bored quickly.

    When you think about the cost of picking up a ukulele or renting a guitar from the library or music store… I’m not sure Hori’s offering stacks up for adult learning.

    Here’s what I will say, though: as an accessibility tool, this is fantastic. The device is LIGHT, the pairing of the Switch controllers is easy enough, the strumming is easy with the pick, and the software is responsive in showing you where your fingers are, being patient and gentle with corrections, and with extensive info on what you’re learning and why you’re doing a particular thing and what you’re supposed to be doing.

    So as an accessibility tool or a younger kiddo learning tool, this is 5-stars. Roll your eyes all you want, if it gets kids playing an instrument, it’s worth its weight in gold.

    As a “game”, not so much – and as an adult, I’d honestly rather go tool around with a ukulele. I wish there were some more “gamification” things in the app to encourage regular and the pacing is sluggish for kiddos older than 10 (hence 4 stars)… but these are SOFTWARE issues so could easily be patched.

    As a peripheral, it’s pretty slick and you could do worse in terms of learning the guitar.

20. 

    Rated 5 out of 5

    CarlosL (verified owner) – 19/08/2026

    Great way to learn guitar and have fun – Really fun and easy to get started with. The guitar controller feels comfortable and responsive, and the lessons make learning songs much more enjoyable than I expected. Setup was simple with the Nintendo Switch and everything worked well right away. Great for beginners, but still entertaining if you already have some experience with rhythm games. Definitely a unique and enjoyable way to practice guitar while having fun.