If Karaoke Revolution were to rumble into the ‘hood, chances are it would come out looking like Def Jam Rapstar. This latest sing-along game is Konami’s attempt to hook up with rap fans, featuring a number of favorites from artists across the 80’s, 90’s, and today. The objective is to rap (and in some sections, sing) along with the performers on-screen, boosting your own performance and creating your own legacy in the process. Granted, you shouldn’t rush out and buy a new sports car or get a mouthful of gold teeth right away, but building a virtual presence is still something quite special. In the game, you’ll partake in a number of modes as you unlock new content and further your performing career. Party Mode lets you perform a number of songs right off the bat, while the main mode lets you unlock new songs and tools to add to your own custom videos (more on that in a second). There’s also a Freestyle Mode for would-be rappers who feel like filling in the words at their own pace. (Be careful, though – you might look ridiculous belting out the lyrics to “Turn My Swag On”.)
Def Jam Rapstar features a variety of great songs, including Beastie Boys’ “Brass Monkey” (THAT FUNKY MONKEY!), Busta Rhymes’ “Put Your Hands Where My Eyes Could See” (always a party favorite) and Public Enemy’s classic “Fight the Power”, among others. We admit, we had a lot more fun playing along to these songs than we expected, especially when we got to Ice Cube’s “Today Was a Good Day”, talking about our name on the Goodyear blimp and filling in our own name to the “___ ___’s a pimp”. However, not all of the songs are performer friendly, and require practice. “Turn My Swag On” is a great example of this, since the song moves around at a pace that not everyone can keep up with. Fortunately, the gameplay system is quite forgiving. Even if you lack rhythm and just end up talking your way through a song, the bouncing ball and grid system picks up your vocals and rates them accordingly. The better you do, the higher your score gets, with the help of a multiplayer. It’s also useful being able to skip past non-rap portions of each song by tapping the right shoulder button – unless, of course, you’re shaking your groove thing. Presentation-wise, Def Jam Rapstar doesn’t go overboard. The music sounds terrific, even the older numbers by the likes of Slick Rick (remember him?) and Run DMC (WHOSE HOUSE, RUN’S HOUUUUUSE!).
The songs are edited (the game’s rated T for teen), but you can always fill in your own curse words if you’re bold. The sound effects are “money” too, with record scratches and fun background beats. As for the video itself, it’s not bad. The menus are slick, laid against a neon city landscape that constantly moves around. As for the music videos that accompany that the tunes, they’re merely acceptable, like something you see out of a karaoke machine in the 90’s. Still, some of these videos are a trip to watch, particularly the neon-filled Busta Rhymes rap. You might just feel compelled to hit the lights to match the mood. (Just watch where you step. Don’t want to ruin your Adidas.) Where Def Jam Rapstar excels (and earns the coveted score we’ve provided for it) is with its community features. If you have access to an Xbox Live Camera, you can tape your performance and edit it down for all the world to see, complete with nifty after-effects, such as streaming lights and…flowers. (Yeah, gangstas like flowers.) From there, you upload it through the Def Jam community, where others can view and rate you. This opens up a huge room of challenges, interlinked both in the game and through Twitter. We’ve already seen two statewide tournaments go down virtually, and it was a close race, we’re telling you.
Unless you’re camera shy or don’t think you’ve got what it takes to keep up with Kool Moe Dee (and some people just can’t, that’s Mr. “Wild Wild West” right there), you don’t want to miss this. And if the default play list isn’t getting it done, several downloadable tracks are available. We spent the extra cash on DMX’s “Party Up In Here” and the always-classic “Rappers Delight”, the very first song that got the genre moving along in the 80’s. They’re instant party favorites, and there are several others to choose from, too. It helps to be a fan of rap music before you pick up Def Jam Rapstar, as its approach is a little more direct than previous Karaoke Revolution releases. However, even those who only listen to a tune or two are bound to enjoy what this game has to offer, between its simple gameplay and boisterous community features. We had a great time with it, and we don’t even wear derbies and gold chains. Well, not yet, anyway. (Just wait until the tour.)
