PaRappa the Rapper [PSP]

Way back in 1996, before the stores were crammed with goofy music and games with ever goofier controllers, there was a little PlayStation title called Parappa the Rapper. With a distinct paper doll visual style and one of the greatest soundtracks ever made, it's a cult classic -- but can its simplistic gameplay stand up in 2007?

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Parappa's plot doesn't require close scrutiny. You play a rapping dog who's in love with a flower, and has to rap against his kung-fu master, a salesman frog, a driving instructor moose, and a cooking chicken in order to gain her affections. Each encounter follows the same pattern -- your opponent raps a line or two, then you mimic it with time- sensitive button taps. If, in the words of the game, "U rappin' GOOD," by the end of the song, you win.

However, such a matter-of-fact explanation doesn't capture the game's appeal. Just ask a fan -- even if it's been a decade since they played the original game, they'll be able to pull off an imitation of the money-fixated Prince Fleaswallow's reggae- influenced vocal stylings. Much of Parappa's appeal is in its infectious rhythms rather than its stripped-down gameplay.

There's a little more to it than that, of course. Once you've finished a song, you can go back and rap freestyle to the same rhythm as your instructor, but inserting your own flourishes and personal touches. Get it right and you'll achieve the "COOL!" ranking that's not available otherwise, and the adoration of friends and relatives alike. Something like that, anyhow.

And then there are the graphics. Parappa's music-video style couldn't fit the game's style any better, and the quirky paper cut-out look works so beautifully, it's impossible to imagine the game with any other look. It's a fantastic example of how to integrate a coherent, individual style into every single element in the game. Parappa positively drips with class.

With six levels, each over in a matter of five minutes or so, it's a short game. You might complete all six levels in an hour or two, even if you really suck. Parappa tries to go some way towards providing extra value thanks to its ad-hoc multiplayer mode and the promise of extra downloadable songs, but even at its $29.99 price tag, it's short on value.

On the other hand, for the many fans of the game, the short gameplay won't matter one jot. Here's the game they love, bundled up in a portable package with all its charm intact. By modern standards, it's decidedly lacking, but it's still a classic. Beg, borrow, or steal a copy, but even Prince Fleaswallow would recognize this deal's a bit hard to, er, swallow.