95. Um Jammer Lammy

(Playstation, NaNaOn-Sha, 1999)
An early Playstation game that took a lotta love from me and my friends was Parrapa the rapper, A game where amusing songs and wacky art combined to create a fun variation on the "Simon" style of games. Released late in the PlayStation's life and often overlooked, spin off Um Jammer Lammy follows the same principles and style but turns the storyline and songs up to eleven (Its one louder, innit)

Lammy, the surprisingly hot 2d anime lamb guitarist for band Milkcan is a shy, quiet girl whose personality only comes out through her music. Late for an important gig, Lammy encounters a series of increasingly bizarre incidents which require her to use the power of RAWK!!! on various items she substitutes for her guitar, such as a fire hose, a chainsaw and a baby, Listen to the sustain.

The story is appropriately mad, featuring a hospital with hundreds of births taking place at once. a crashing aeroplane, a burning pizza restaurant and a trip to Hell and back (literally, but not for U.S gamers*) this was back when a comedy/rock combo didn't HAVE to include Jack Black tiredly going "YEEAAAHHHHHHHHH!!!"
Finally arriving at the gig, Milkcan put on a concert to an audience including all the cast and a cameo from Parappa himself.

A whole host of unlockable modes include 2 player battle, freestyle mode, hip hop remixes as Parappa and a great Parappa/Lammy co-op mode. Lammy can also unlock various effects for her guitar. The music is great, with each song representing a different style of guitar rock, the characters and background re-acting to how well, or badly, youre playing.
The game has that Paper Mario style "flat" artwork and features likable characters and nicely written cut scenes. The only gripe, as with Parappa, is getting a "cool" rating appears to consist of button mashing, as opposed to actually putting together a good sound.

Um Jammer Lammy is unfairly forgotten, I prefer it to Parappa, though I'm not taking anything away from the hip-hop hero's legacy. These early rhythm action games have an uncyncial, upbeat innocence and feel good factor that's far departed from Activision's "We'Ve G0t KurT CObaIN IN oUR GaMEZ LOL!! BuY MoRR SONgz!"
Sadly, Lammy ultimately reminds me of games that are made out of love, not greed.

*(The U.S version replaced the hell level with a tropical island.)

A musical interlude.