'PaRappa the Rapper Remastered' PS4 News: The Game Came Before the Characters - Creator

By Romar Balanon, Christian Post Contributor Friday, April 07, 2017

"PaRappa the Rapper" was first released on PlayStation in 1996, which was the first of its kind being a rhythm game. It has received critical acclaim, and given its popularity and iconic status, it is now reborn on the PlayStation 4 (PS4) with a remastered version.

To know more about how the classic came to be, Sony Interactive Entertainment Worldwide Studios president Shuhei Yoshida had an interview with the game creator himself, Masaya Matsuura. Matsuura illustrated his journey from musician to game creator, the development process and how PaRappa came to be.

The conceptualization of the game started in the dawning of MTV, when music videos featured both the song and the artist, which he didn't feel comfortable to be in. When he learned he could still make music and have someone create computer generated images, an idea started brewing.

During the early stages, he and Sony Computer Entertainment were confused if they should call it a game, considering it was the first of its kind. But after the overwhelming reception, it gave birth to a new gameplay.

"The thing I was most surprised about was that players actually considered 'PaRappa' as an actual game," he said. "The result of that was the opportunity for me to enter into the game industry."

As far as the characters are concerned, he confirmed the rhythm came before it. They first thought of making him a shrimp, but eventually ended up as a dog as a result of various pitches.

When talking about the goal of the game, he said it was simply making people feel good. "I wanted to make something that puts a smile on everyone's face. And this concept was shared by many of the staff."

"PaRappa the Rapper Remastered" went live last April 4, and is just waiting to be downloaded on the PlayStation Store. Being ported on the PS4, players can now enjoy it on 1,080p resolution with enhanced audio and new features, which will bring a new experience even to those who have played it before.