Hip-Hop games certainly have potential when first announced. As with any culture’s chance in the medium, the built-in fan base gives developers an established market rather than a bare proving ground. For whatever reason, most Hip-Hop games are rarely anything above average or gamer worthy. Once in a blue moon, development companies will deliver a game that satisfies both the Hip-Hop fan and the gamer.
Here at AllHipHop, we have a personal affinity to such games. Some times they leave us, like you, with a feeling of regret and disappointment. These 5 games are memorable not just in their ability to have good soundtracks, but the fact that they’re innovative in their fields and are simply just plain fun.
Def Jam Vendetta ( Playstation2 | Gamecube)
Mix rappers and a surprisingly deep fighting engine and you get Def Jam Vendetta. The game was surprisingly good, as both its single and multiplayer gameplay could have you hooked in. The chance to fight as your favorite Def Jam artist or against your least favorite rapper sweetened the deal.
PaRappa the Rapper (Playstation | PSP )
Usually when asked about timing and pattern games, most people will tell you that they are not feeling them. If you then ask someone to tell you the beginning of PaRappa the Rapper, they can say it without hesitation:
“Kick! Punch! It’s all in the mind
If you wanna test me, I’m sure you’ll find
that all the things, I’ll teach ya is sure to beat ya,
nevertheless you’ll get a lesson from teacher now”
The lyrics stuck in your head like over-chewed gum and even now, if someone were to present the disc, most of us would find it hard not to test Master Onion once more.
Def Jam: Fight for NY (PlayStation 2 | PSP | Xbox | GameCube )
Few Sequels distinguish themselves. Fight for NY did just that, becoming a sequel that didn’t just rehash the elements in the previous game, but a game that built on what the fans really wanted. Its pick up and play nature mixed with it’s great graphics and improved multiplayer resulted in plenty of nights of trash talk and good times.
Marc Ecko’s Getting Up: Contents Under Pressure (Playstation 2)
This is a young man’s struggle to acquire fame and power. A concept that recurs in the gaming world and one I am sure you have heard before, but few games can match the quality of game play with the realism, character development, dialogue, and voice acting. Throw in a quality soundtrack and a Graffiti-powered backdrop, and you have the makings of an underground classic.
Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas ( Playstation 2 | XBOX | PC )
Unless your address is beneath 1 Rock Avenue, you’ve heard of this one, with all the controversy and publicity it has gotten. Most who played it won’t hesitate to call it a masterpiece. Its look and feel brought the streets of LA to life; its full expansive world a joy to navigate, and many of the quirks and bugs of the previous versions (and its many biters) were fixed. In addition, many features were added ( Swimming!), and Rockstar Games did not rest on its laurels to give us the quintessential gameplay experience.