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Retro Spotlight: PaRappa the Rapper
Written by Ilya Galperin on Wednesday, February 6, 2008
You like Ouendan? Rock Band? Donkey Konga? None of them would have existed without PaRappa, you little whippersnapper!
Premiering in late December of 1996, the game we're about to reflect upon isn't that old compared to your 16-bit retro collection. However, given the recent surge of popularity that rhythm games have enjoyed in the midst of our Guitar Heroes, Drum Masters, Rock Bands, and even Donkey Kongas it seems totally appropriate to look over the roots of the genre. After all, once you do take that closer look you'll undoubtedly stumble upon what I consider one of the true gems in gaming history - PaRappa the Rapper.
Until the mid 90's, you'd be very hard pressed to stumble across a music-based video game. Aside from a miniscule selection of rhythmic mini-games or incredibly niche simulators like Mario Paint, those trying to get a decent fix of the music genre on a console were mostly smoke on the water. I'm not sure whether that metaphor makes total sense but the point is - there were few gamers playing music games and those doing so were a very small minority outside of arcades.
With the arrival of PaRappa, two major elements were introduced to console rhythm games, both of which would surpass anything done with its predecessors. The most obvious improvement is that the rhythm element is the game's primary focus. Instead of having to platform your way to a Simon Says mini-game with a musical theme (see: Panic on Funkotron), PaRappa throws the goods right at you. Second, unlike Mario Paint, where the music generator was an afterthought to the main game (although impressively exploited by some music artists), PaRappa's engine encourages free styling or reworking your lyrics to something unique based on the rhythm. In fact, the only way to reach PaRappa's equivalent of star power is to free style your way to the highest scoring level, "U rappin' COOL".
But before getting into the gameplay nitty gritty, it's worth pointing out that where PaRappa really shines for many of its fans (myself included), is the game's overall atmosphere. From the vibrant art direction to the light-hearted and ridiculously funny storyline, PaRappa the Rapper oozes of style. In a classic if not overused example, PaRappa is thrown into a situation that, although managing to retain a sense of familiarity, is presented in such a way that makes you realize that there actually was something more off-the-wall than Elite Beat Agents over a decade ago.
Of course, what I'm referring to is the infamous bathroom scene. Badly in need of some alone time in the office, PaRappa stops at a gas station, hoping that there's no line. Well, turns out that there is a line and massive spoiler alert - a rap battle ensues for access to the only open stall.
Thankfully, the rest of the game is also filled with the same type of humor and much of the story is pushed with the use of similarly "realistic" situations. Combined with the heavy emphasis on characters' personality in the game's art and animation, you'll probably find yourself not wanting to skip any of PaRappa's cut-scenes. The song selection, although restricted to rap and reggae, is unique and recorded originally for PaRappa. It succeeds in providing a good variety of beats and doesn't skimp on the whacky lyrical content present in the main story.
Like many modern music games, gameplay requires you to time button presses in coordination with a predetermined rhythm displayed on a scrolling meter. The controls are mapped to a Playstation controller's left and right directions, four right buttons and two triggers. Simply put, it's like Guitar Hero with one string and six frets. However, unlike Guitar Hero, relying on the on-screen notes to synch your timing will get PaRappa in a lot of trouble. In order to really grasp the gameplay mechanism, it's necessary to understand the actual rhythm and rap alongside its timing. Rapping with the beat rewards players with a higher score, maintains PaRappa's "life bar", and the grants the ability to deviate from copying the game's lyrical patterns.
Despite all of my nostalgic fanboyism, even I can admit that PaRappa has some glaring issues. Whether some of these concerns have arisen because our standards have changed for the better over time is hard to determine but for those thinking about dipping their foot in the pool, I issue the following warnings:
1) PaRappa is not epically long. Actually, it's fairly short with only six stages. The PSP re-release offers a couple more as downloadable content.
2) The gameplay is not easy. Unless you've played a good amount of UmJammer Lammy or have a natural knack for rhythm games. Given some of the button combinations required for more difficult songs, many will find that the Playstation controller can be frustrating for executing quick, timed presses. Figuring out how to slow down these patterns via free styling becomes crucial in more than a few places.
Nevertheless, if you're able to withstand said obstacles, you'll likely find that the PaRappa's positives far outweigh the all the mean things reviewers have said about my favorite puppy over the past decade. I did and you gotta' believe me. Already finish PaRappa, been cryogenically frozen since the year 2000, and want more? NanaOn-Sha, the company behind the game, have released a PSP remake, a direct sequel to PaRappa, a spiritual successor named UmJammer Lammy, and the cult favorite Vib-Ribbon.
