Def Jam demo announced, delayed

[UPDATE] Free trial of EA's Def Jam: Icon once headed to Xbox Live Marketplace this Thursday now pushed back; single-player demo includes Big Boi, T.I. as playable.

Electronic Arts is hoping that tussles between rappers not only sell records, but also sell games. The California-based publisher is releasing Def Jam: Icon, the first next-gen version of the hip-hop fighting franchise, on the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 this March.

To prepare for the game's launch, EA is giving Xbox 360 owners a chance to go toe-to-toe with the game for free. EA has confirmed to GameSpot that a demo of Icon is scheduled to be available on Xbox Live Marketplace this Thursday [now delayed, see update below].

The single-player demo will feature Big Boi--also known as one-half of Outkast--and T.I. as playable brawlers on the Gas Station level. Gameplay will be timed, and the two songs that will keep gamers tapping their toes and kicking their opponents' cans are "Kryptonite" from Purple Ribbon All-Stars featuring Big Boi and "Top Back" from T.I.

Def Jam: Icon is rated M for Mature. For more information, read GameSpot's previous coverage.

[UPDATE] Electronic Arts has notified GameSpot that it is postponing the demo in order to coordinate a worldwide release. EA told GameSpot, "The demo will be available soon on Xbox Marketplace. We are coordinating a worldwide release for the demo. More details to follow."

287 Comments

  • Jenkins_2005

    Posted Feb 17, 2007 3:25 am PT

    Im not too keen on the game mechaincs of this, matching attacks to the beat of the songs had just turned this game from a brawler into a rythem game along the lines of of Guitar hero and such. I know there'll be people saying its nothing like GH because this is a fighting game but you have to realise that taking away the ablilty to just fight freely and win using which ever attacks you what at whatever time, makes this less of a fighting game and does make it a sort of GH, because to win, you have to play to the beat.

  • eric2006bc

    Posted Feb 16, 2007 12:02 am PT

    downloded this demo but im not reli to keen on the controls and stuff

  • Groovay_Dude

    Posted Feb 15, 2007 11:53 am PT

    Mixed opinions with the demo it seems.

  • bigsexyleon

    Posted Feb 14, 2007 4:41 am PT

    you have to pay for the ps3 demo

  • TimoTheThug

    Posted Feb 13, 2007 3:17 am PT

    Well i'm a huge hip-hop fan so i'nm hoping that they will release this demo on the ps3 as well. Fighting games aren't my type of genre but this one might be the first which i'm giving some good consideration

  • bigsexyleon

    Posted Feb 11, 2007 3:49 am PT

    is the demo really that bad, i did like def jamvendetta wasnt keen on fight for ny

  • Vorador47

    Posted Feb 11, 2007 2:19 am PT

    well i was hoping with ea chicago taking over, they would put in a good stand up fighting system and keep the brutal feel of the def jam series.
    and was really looking forward to it, because im really bored with tekken and VF style fighters.

    however this really did not deliver. 4 basic attacks, which can only be modified by hitting the same button a second or 3rd time. 3 directional attacks and a grab.

    what was great about the def jam games were that they were solid good games, with a gimic thrown on top, so even if like me, you didn't like the music and stuff, it was a fun game and you could appreciate it for that.

    this is just one big gimic with a crappy fighting system, on par with somehting like a Dragonball game thrown in.

    im sure this game will please anyone that likes graphics over game play though, it does look pretty nice. though the 2 cars in the back ground look awful, parts of the car arn't even connected to each other.

  • stuarthanley

    Posted Feb 10, 2007 10:14 am PT

    Just played the demo....er.... er.......... is anyone going to buy this drivel?

  • bebep

    Posted Feb 9, 2007 5:03 pm PT

    It was fun can't walt.

  • egomez3

    Posted Feb 9, 2007 5:01 pm PT

    I played the demo and I was pretty disappointed also. I guess I was expecting more but overall the visuals are awesome and I think (and hope) the game will be better and more enjoyable.

  • joecollege08

    Posted Feb 9, 2007 1:49 pm PT

    I played the demo and was fairly disappointed, but that isn't really changing my judgment on the game as a whole. It just makes me want the whole thing instead of a sneak peek at what's to come.

  • impact1g

    Posted Feb 9, 2007 12:43 pm PT

    demo was awful. game will be worse

  • Willceace

    Posted Feb 9, 2007 10:46 am PT

    Paceydre , you've got a very good point there. The three minutes you were allowed to play were impressive. Repetetiveness could ensue. But, There might be a free for all mode in the full game. Fingers crossed. With the character customisation and promise of online brawling, there could be a bit of life in this old dog before Army of Two and Stranglehold finally arrive.

  • Paceydre

    Posted Feb 9, 2007 8:24 am PT

    I've played the demo but I must say that the demo is very limited...maybe for a few reasons. The short gameplay gives you great action in a short period of time....now you could say "I like this game, i will buy it because the demo gave me a fun time". But what if this short demo is to give you a first impression so you think the game is great but the entire game won't be that great since it gets repetitive. Maybe because of the repetitiveness they made it short.

    Well, a friend of mine is planning on buying this game....let me make some final judgements after spending a few hours on this game.

  • WaylanderFW

    Posted Feb 9, 2007 1:34 am PT

    played the demo... and I must say it's really something different! I like the design style and the concept!

  • danciu

    Posted Feb 7, 2007 8:43 am PT

    extraordinary game.i played fight for New York and it was amazing.I hope they wont screw it up like they did with carbon

  • PoopTete

    Posted Feb 6, 2007 6:51 pm PT

    this is all sonys fault. sony, man you suck!

  • moxyz1

    Posted Feb 6, 2007 9:24 am PT

    old news i read this a week ago ,just seen it again and thought at last finaly comming this week and it s still the original saying not so,,title deceiving!
    l

  • Mercenary56

    Posted Feb 6, 2007 6:31 am PT

    damn

  • bghattas

    Posted Feb 5, 2007 5:48 pm PT

    Yeah, nice that videogaming has developed narrow-minded types like CJMcDursty who don't know what they are missing by playing all consoles. How about taking your fanboy self out of here?

  • tonymatt225

    Posted Feb 5, 2007 1:34 pm PT

    nba street homecourt's gonna be sick too.

  • Teelee8

    Posted Feb 5, 2007 11:24 am PT

    I cant wait for this game its gna b sik
    GO COLTS

  • RightOn44

    Posted Feb 4, 2007 6:34 pm PT

    "Any game that allows me to throw Lil Jon into a helicopter is worth waiting for."

    Yea... yeeeeaaahhh!

  • CaMb0s0Up

    Posted Feb 4, 2007 5:54 pm PT

    Well i'm dling it now...

  • Silvernix

    Posted Feb 4, 2007 12:33 pm PT

    ROFL, True enough Russian. It's like damn, get over it already.

  • russians_r_sexy

    Posted Feb 4, 2007 11:17 am PT

    haha i love how people like CJMcDursty automatically slam sony
    hahaha idiots

  • TheWunGamer4Lyf

    Posted Feb 4, 2007 9:59 am PT

    lmao TakeDaCannoli

  • Owned_Noob

    Posted Feb 3, 2007 8:50 am PT

    gonna be sick

  • playa42018

    Posted Feb 3, 2007 8:47 am PT

    Creating Hype.

  • lvin5992

    Posted Feb 3, 2007 5:25 am PT

    Thats real messed up TakeDaCannoli.

  • TakeDaCannoli

    Posted Feb 2, 2007 10:50 pm PT

    Any game that allows me to throw Lil Jon into a helicopter is worth waiting for.

  • xlassiter

    Posted Feb 2, 2007 10:52 am PT

    Thanks E.A you piss me off im a really big fan of the def jam series it's just a demo it suck that they will do that it's not a online demo it's just a single player demo i would under stand taht it was a online demo but it's not and that gets me piss

  • kdaman36

    Posted Feb 2, 2007 10:44 am PT

    Man that really sucks that there hold the demo i was wantin to try it before the game actually drops but i think i agree with CJMcDursty i think it has something to do with sony i just hope they drop it way before the gme comes out.

  • CJMcDursty

    Posted Feb 1, 2007 6:44 pm PT

    they aren't holding in back for the worldwide release of the game, just holding it back cuz sony is **** so blame sony for bringing out a horrible system way too early

  • RICHIE_BOWEN

    Posted Feb 1, 2007 6:01 pm PT

    A world wide release of the game. Not Demo.

  • TheWunGamer4Lyf

    Posted Feb 1, 2007 5:38 pm PT

    so when is the demo really coming out? and what the heck is a worldwide demo release. its just a freakin demo!

  • MaG1K9

    Posted Feb 1, 2007 3:54 pm PT

    WHY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

  • sniper_99

    Posted Feb 1, 2007 3:38 pm PT

    damn

  • CJMcDursty

    Posted Feb 1, 2007 1:50 pm PT

    im very excited about this one. loved FFNY and the new control scheme sounds pretty intresting. just wish they would hurry up and drop the demo already

  • ryanjtravis

    Posted Feb 1, 2007 1:37 pm PT

    Not too excited about this one anyways (but I'll definitely try out a free demo any day)

  • Hungryrob

    Posted Feb 1, 2007 1:24 pm PT

    there is no demo only video

  • mjwickstrom1

    Posted Feb 1, 2007 1:01 pm PT

    Hopefully I can get online tonight to download it!

  • gwilo007

    Posted Feb 1, 2007 12:55 pm PT

    I just bdownloaded it I didn't play it, but the file size seems to be a bit small to be a full demo....

  • RICHIE_BOWEN

    Posted Feb 1, 2007 12:12 pm PT

    no demo just a 30 second intro trailer with no game footage. Shame I was looking forward to playing this one.

  • gwilo007

    Posted Feb 1, 2007 11:59 am PT

    what the....? I downloaded the demo this morning it was like a 67-68 meg file... they didn't delay it...

  • NND1

    Posted Feb 1, 2007 11:58 am PT

    XbOX 360: Im Lovin' IT!!! Gwilo007 Does it have rumble tooo????

  • X360MadMan

    Posted Feb 1, 2007 10:38 am PT

    XBOX 360!!!!!!!!!

  • Xanog1

    Posted Feb 1, 2007 10:17 am PT

    Why no PS3 demo?

  • nynthninja

    Posted Feb 1, 2007 10:00 am PT

    that sucks...and to the Ketchup dude...not highly Anticipated????!! Every game site, magazine ect ect says we are sooooo excited for this game sure the game doesnt have the appeal you want...but it does everone wants to be a rapper or punch them in the face ha something for everyone

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