Parappa the Rapper

NanaOn-Sha’s rhythm game about a rapping dog may not be the most complex take on the genre, but the Parappa the Rapper series is still incredibly distinct. Parappa is a regular teenager dealing with regular teenage problems, but he gets through them by rapping alongside different teachers. A dog rapping alongside a sentient onion as he learns karate or taking his driver’s test with a moose shouldn’t work, but Parappa the Rapper pulls off each of these scenarios with style, an incredible soundtrack, and a deceptively simple rhythm game with hidden perks for improvising. The sequel doesn’t have as many bops, but the jump to the PlayStation 2 let the team flex and create cooler music videos to accompany each song.

It’s all very silly, and even though there hasn’t been a new game in over 20 years, the main character and his silly little songs have persisted over the decades through merchandise and memes. A Parappa the Rapper 3 makes perfect sense as something Sony could drop on PlayStation Network for relatively cheap. This is the exact kind of project that digital storefronts are made for. — Kenneth Shepard