Parappa the Rapper (PS1, 1996)
Graphics-7.5 Sound-8.5 Control-7 Challenge-7.5* Story-6.5
Level Design-7 Frustration-8.5* Fun-7* Originality-7.5
Overall Score-7
*Emulation
+ Pretty creative gameplay (similar to the rhythm mini-game in Toejam & Earl 2 but a bit more advanced - full songs where you repeat the last measure of a rap/song lyric until the end of the song instead of a short drum beat)
Unique art style for the time (flat character models, flash-like animation)
Difficulty options (no hard mode though)
Practice mode (very short and simple though)
Courtship/romance theme
Comical tone
Decent cutscenes
Some memorable characters
Can enter a freestyle mode if you reach "cool" rank (do this by repeating patterns or parts of patterns on beat after hitting the right beats in a measure) - not explained in-game
+/-
No 2-player vs. or co-op
Only covers two genres (hip hop and reggae) for the playable songs - some cutscenes branch out to indie pop/rock and r 'n b
At first you'll fail if you reach "bad" rank but later on you can keep going until the last measure in a segment
No mode where you actually need to follow the rhythm of the rap/song melody in the songs properly
No parts where you need to press and hold a button (see later rhythm games like Guitar Hero)
The protagonist is a dork
-
Trial & error (you should press right after the icon passes the marked beat (in emulation anyway), the rhythm display icon often starts moving right before or as a new measure starts and the rhythms don't correspond well with the rapping, in the final level you need to follow several measures in a row but can't see ahead far enough to know what you're supposed to be doing)
Sometimes inconsistent requirement for a good rank (at times I can keep the "good" rank while performing worse than I do when I go down to "bad")
A bit short
Parappa's rapping will sound a bit choppy even if you play perfectly
Notes:
-Input lag issues in emulators
Level Design-7 Frustration-8.5* Fun-7* Originality-7.5
Overall Score-7
*Emulation
+ Pretty creative gameplay (similar to the rhythm mini-game in Toejam & Earl 2 but a bit more advanced - full songs where you repeat the last measure of a rap/song lyric until the end of the song instead of a short drum beat)
Unique art style for the time (flat character models, flash-like animation)
Difficulty options (no hard mode though)
Practice mode (very short and simple though)
Courtship/romance theme
Comical tone
Decent cutscenes
Some memorable characters
Can enter a freestyle mode if you reach "cool" rank (do this by repeating patterns or parts of patterns on beat after hitting the right beats in a measure) - not explained in-game
+/-
No 2-player vs. or co-op
Only covers two genres (hip hop and reggae) for the playable songs - some cutscenes branch out to indie pop/rock and r 'n b
At first you'll fail if you reach "bad" rank but later on you can keep going until the last measure in a segment
No mode where you actually need to follow the rhythm of the rap/song melody in the songs properly
No parts where you need to press and hold a button (see later rhythm games like Guitar Hero)
The protagonist is a dork
-
Trial & error (you should press right after the icon passes the marked beat (in emulation anyway), the rhythm display icon often starts moving right before or as a new measure starts and the rhythms don't correspond well with the rapping, in the final level you need to follow several measures in a row but can't see ahead far enough to know what you're supposed to be doing)
Sometimes inconsistent requirement for a good rank (at times I can keep the "good" rank while performing worse than I do when I go down to "bad")
A bit short
Parappa's rapping will sound a bit choppy even if you play perfectly
Notes:
-Input lag issues in emulators