Sir Paul McCartney has described the forthcoming Beatles: Rock Band video game as “great”.

The game, which allows users to play along to the band's hits on customised instruments, is due out in September.

The project has been formally endorsed by Sir Paul, drummer Ringo Starr and the estates of the late John Lennon and George Harrison.

In an interview with Billboard, Sir Paul said he was happy to “embrace good new ideas” if it helps to keep the band's legacy “exciting”.

“If kids - or anyone - want to play a video games and someone like [Rock Band publisher] Harmonix wants to put together a great Beatles project, then it makes sense to me,” he said.

“This is the same kind of thing [as the '1' album]. I'm sure the kids don't care - and I don't care -how they hear the music. To hear it is the fun."

He added: “It's very good quality - Giles Martin [son of famed Beatles producer George Martin] has been doing all the work, so I think it's going to be an interesting phenomenon that will make another Beatles thing happen.”

(by Jason Gregory)