One of the PlayStation’s oldest franchises is due for a comeback, and thanks to a fan mockup on Reddit, it’s finally here. WhilePaRappa The Rapperis a far cry from the intense graphical showcases common of first-party releases nowadays, the mockup shows there’s always room for quirky charm in players' lives.
PaRappa The Rapperwas one of the first rhythm games ever released. In fact, it came out before the genre of “rhythm games” was an established concept, leading many to initially label it as a puzzle game. The game features a call-and-response rap battle format, where passionate teenager PaRappa faces increasingly difficult opponents for the sake of impressing his love interest, Sunny Funny. While the game wasalmost included in the PlayStation Classic, it didn’t make the cut, surprising for a game that was so unique at the time of its release.
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The mockup, created by Reddit user bendygamer716, depicts a new entry in the series calledPaRappa the Rapper 3for the PS5. In line with other modern titles, the cover includes aPlayStation Studios logo, indicating that Sony would frame the game as one of its premier releases. The cover also reveals that the hypothetical game would be rated E10+. This is a bit surprising, as the remastered version ofPaRappa the Rapperreleased for the PlayStation 4 with an E rating.
In a move that would be sure to please series fans, the cover also notes the game to be developed by NanaOn-Sha, the developer of the original game and its sequel. Even though the new game cover is fan-made, it would be wrong to assume that Sony has forgotten about NanaOn-Sha entirely. One of thePlayStation 5’s biggest launch games,Astro’s Playroom, includes references to bothPaRappa the Rapperand fellow NanaOn-Sha PS1 gameVib-Ribbon. Given this is the case, it wouldn’t be a shock to imagine Sony calling on NanaOn-Sha one more time forPaRappa the Rapper 3.
To be fair, in one sense, there are already three games in thePaRappa the Rapperseries. The first follow-up to the original game is a spin-off known asUm Jammer Lammy, which tells a story set in the same world as the main games. In fact, players can unlock a secret PaRappa campaign that replaces protagonist Lammy with PaRappa, allowing the game to effectively serve as a full-on sequel to the originalPaRappa the Rapper. Plus, if NanaOn-Sha had its way, there would be even more games in this style. Whilea spiritual successor entitledProject Rap Rabbitwas launched on Kickstarter, the project did not succeed.
Even ifPaRappa the Rapper 3isn’t coming any time soon, there are other games that carry on its legacy. As of early 2021, the most notable isFriday Night Funkin', which uses the same call-and-response structure that thePaRappagames use. Given thatFriday Night Funkin’has become quite popular, this could perhaps motivate Sony to bring the franchise to life once again. While a hypothetical sequel would not be a game to highlight ray-tracing or other trademark PS5 capabilities, it would let Sony reassert its dominance in the world of rhythm games.
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