ears before the country was hooked on Guitar Hero, a scrappy, rapping puppy named PaRappa came to our shores and laid the groundwork for much of what has now become the music game genre. Like many of you, I have nothing but fond memories of the little guy, and I was very excited when I saw that it was being released for PSP.

Honestly, it’s aged a lot more than I had hoped. While the basic play mechanics are still workable, the on-screen icons and voice triggering feels a bit stiff compared to Guitar Hero. It’s also a fairly bare-bones port; no new songs were added aside from some moderately well-done remixes of the game’s original tracks. While multiplayer functionality is nice, I really question the usefulness of non-Internet PSP networking. How often do you come across someone else that happens to be in your area playing the exact same title as you? It’s also extremely short. I was shocked when I saw the final credits rolling after only a couple hours of play. It seemed a lot longer back then.

However, PaRappa’s saving graces are the things that will never age – the infectious visual style and the amazing songs. Even after all this time, most of the editors at GI can spout off PaRappa lyrics from memory, and for good reason. Quite simply, these are some of the most fun and expertly written video game songs ever. While a cartoon canine rapper could have easily been condescending and smug, PaRappa succeeds in capturing the innocent, playful spirit of  Prince Paul’s early work with De La Soul. Add to this a vivid cast of memorable characters, and you have a title that won’t fail to charm even the grumpiest gamer. This is a classic in my book, and I’d love to rate it higher than I am. However, time marches on, and by today’s standards PaRappa isn’t the top dog anymore.