Parappa the Rapper
First review of the upcoming Parappa for PSP.
 | Version PSP | Developer SCE Japan | Publisher SCE | Genre Ryhthm action |
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Well isn't this a turn up for the books? The genre-creating masterpiece is back, this time on Sony's handheld, to tell the story of Parappa the Rapper, the beanie-wearing, in-love-with-a-flower-falling rapping dog and his adventures to the toilet. Brilliant.
"Whilst the game can easily be finished in a very short amount of time, the high-score replayability is sublime."
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Those that haven't played it before are missing out. Following the exploits of young Parappa as he learns karate with a giant rapping onion, learns how to drive with an angry rapping Moose, learns how to sell things with a giant rapping Rasta frog, learns how to cook with an irate giant rapping chicken that can leave the television set and enter his room, has rap-offs with the previous four instructors so he can go to the toilet before his guts explode and finally takes to the stage with a legendary rapping master and fulfils his destiny. And all this to impress a giant female flower called Sunny.
God I love this game!
It's Simon-Says, it's simple and it's challenging. If you think it's unfair that's because you're not good enough. Whilst the game can easily be finished in a very short amount of time, the replayability is sublime, and high score challenges are what this kind of game were made for - linearity of the raps is lost as soon as the game is finished once, as the 'Cool!' ranking is introduced into play and total freestyling is allowed. It was a stroke of genius back in 1997 and it still is in 2007.
"Characters are well-drawn, nicely animated and ooze charm from their paper-thin bodies."
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New additions to the PSP version do exist however, but rejoicing should be held for the time being - there are remixes of the original tunes available for free download, but these simply replace the soundtrack to each level, with raps remaining exactly the same and tunes just not quite fitting. It's an opportunity missed, that's for sure. The other new feature is ad-hoc multiplayer
It's magical, it's fun, it's wonderful and it's lovely. It's a reminder that not all games are about killing the HORDE or the LOCUST, and it brings us all into a world of fun, fun and fun. Seeing as the original came out ten years ago on a now-dead console, this new version is recommended to anyone, whether they've played the first or not.
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