It's the rarest kind of game that busts out onto the scene with its own, bold idea executed to near-perfection, and PaRappa the Rapper is a distinctive example of this. After all, before PaRappa, rhythm games simply didn't exist. So this unforgettably original PS classic opened a lot of people's eyes, but more than that, it just made us smile. PaRappa's fantastic presentation and simple, addictive gameplay allow it to easily earn its way onto our list of top 10 rhythm games of all time.

The next time you need to impress someone, consider learning karate from an onion-headed sensei-rapper.

In particular, what PaRappa did so well, which so few rhythm games (or really any games) have successfully done since, was to tell a story. The game's bold visual style predated South Park's similarly colorful cardboard-cutout look--filled with charm, personality, and a little edge. You played as PaRappa himself, a down-on-his-luck mutt who's got a bad crush on a girl named Sunny. Of course, she doesn't even know PaRappa exists--what's a little dog to do? "I gotta believe," PaRappa tells himself, and thusly sets off on a quest to bone up on his fighting skills, learn to drive, make money...you know, do all the stuff that's going to make Sunny notice him. In practice, these various ordeals translate into a series of stages in which PaRappa must rap to the beat of a variety of different drummers--from an encouraging, onion-headed karate sensei to a temperamental moose-lady.

The gameplay itself is more or less exactly what you'd expect from a rhythm game--after all, PaRappa did define the genre. You must hit the corresponding button on the controller precisely as it scrolls past the screen, thus causing PaRappa to keep beat with his trainer/opponent and proceed. Messing up the timing, or pressing the wrong button, leads to amusing results, but if you make too many mistakes, you'll fail your mission and need to start over. Memorization is key, and PaRappa's catchy, original rap beats and music-video-style presentation lent themselves very well to repeat viewings and listenings. The game's climactic freestyle-rap-concert finale, featuring a lone PaRappa having to groove to his own rhythms, even helped give the game a little open-ended replay value.

This is a realistic simulation of how scary it is trying to earn your driver's license.

The music in PaRappa the Rapper deserves further recognition since it remains as one of the only rhythm games with a completely original soundtrack. Though the main character is decked out with a low-fitted beanie befitting a teenaged rap enthusiast, the game's tone is upbeat, lively, and suitable for all ages--a real departure from the adult themes that typify most rap. And yet, this game is far from being just for kids. In what's probably the most hilarious stage, PaRappa is stuck waiting in line at a public restroom, and he must use his rap skills to desperately try to cut ahead of those who are impatiently stuck ahead of him. Not only is it funny, but it's surprisingly tense. PaRappa the Rapper is a completely nonviolent game, but it makes you realize that real-world situations abstracted into silly cartoon rap battles can still make for the sorts of memorable drama and action we normally associate with action games.

PaRappa the Rapper isn't long, but we still remember it vividly nearly a decade after its release. It's one of the PS's defining games. It featured a true multimedia presentation, only made possible by the CD-ROM's ability to stream music with vocals and pack in lots of 3D animated graphics. And it was just a uniquely quirky, fun game that proved how challenging simply trying to keep pace with onscreen button commands could be.

--Greg Kasavin, Executive Editor

Do You Believe? Submit a Review of PaRappa the Rapper!