Um Jammer Lammy

"Another timing game from the creators of Parrapa!"

Well since the button masher called Parrapa the Rapper first appeared on the playstation console a mere year ago a frenzy started with timing games, Bust a Move(Bust a Groove in the US), Spice Girls(ewww), and Bust a Move 2(avalible now in Japan) all were released to feed the gamers need for timing games.

But Parrapa was the originator, the icon of all button taping games. Why? Because of the wacky characters, weird raps, and an all around fun gameplay style. Now with the sequel called Um Jammer Lammy has been released in Japan and the frenzy has started again.

Um Jammer Lammy(UJL) has to be the wackiest ass game ever created. Um Jammer Lammy is all about a rockin' Lamb, wacky or what!?, who plays guitar through 7 levels of wacky characters and crazy gameplay. The game plays through many many variations. First you play through as Um Jammer Lammy then you play through as the rockin' dog Parrapa! Yeh! Then there are two player levels baby. A first for a parrapa type game besides Bust a Move 1 and 2.

Let's speak about the 2 player game, first off it's a freakin' blast. Wait till one person plays Parrapa and the other plays as Um Jammer Lammy. It's a blast. Plus you can play as bizzaro-Lammy. A Lammy from the dark side. No not Star Wars, HELL! Thats right one level sends Lammy straight down to the nether world of the damned.

The sound is top notch. From the crazy jams to the rockin guitar licks of Jammer Lammy's guitar it all sounds like watching a wacked out saturday morning cartoon. Hell even Chop Chop Master Onion makes a re-apperence with a cool ass rap similar to the first one from Parrapa.

The graphics are also top notch. The cut out characters from the first one come back with avengence. Yes Chop Chop is exactlly the same. Just different movements. Jammer Lammy looks good with her bellbottems and cut off t-shirt and Parrap still sports the froggy hat.

There is a down side to all this fantastic is that the gameplay is quite hard. Much much harder then Parrapa. Since the game isn't rapping but playing guitar and there are bars to show how long to hold the chord. It makes the game very complicated and makes you speed around the pad with your fingers. The graphics are quite good but still the cut out graphics are kinda lame in this day and age of 3d graphics of Final Fantasy 8, Dino Crisis, and Metal Gear Solid

Still these problems are no match for the wacky appeal and charm of this great series. I suggust all of you go and pick this great game up.

Graphics-6
Sound-10
Gameplay-7
Control-7
Fun Facotr-10

Reviewer's Score: 8/10, Originally Posted: 11/01/99, Updated 11/01/99