PaRappa the Rapper

The trick of the game is to break into freestyle mode as fast as you can, (usually possible within the first bar or two). To do this most easily, I almost entirely relied on game audio and my sense of rhythm. You only need to match the first note in a sequence, and then you can rap any arrangement of the remaining notes however you like, as long as you're on musical time. The game really rewards you for mixing up the words and hitting off-kilter parts of the beat.

Here's an example. On the flea market frog level, you can instantly break into 'Cool' freestyle mode on the first line every time by responding to:

[In the rain or in the snow]

with something like >

[Inthesnow rain rainrain rainrain rain]

As an even simpler example on Level 1 when Master Onion says:

[. . . Kick]

you could hit something like >

[kick kickkickpunch kickkick kickkick kick]

If you hit a line thats funky enough, the boss character says you can take it from here. From there you play vocal-sample chopping simulator and do whatever you want. You can rack up big scores and stay freestyling for the whole round as long as you mash in rhythm and don't repeat one pattern for too long

Even if you're struggling to get into freestyle mode, the game is alot more fun if you just ignore the on-screen sequences and instead try to chop up Parappa's vocal samples like you're J Dilla

tell me you dont know how to have fun without telling me you dont know how to have fun

Is this satire?

actually the truest rhythm game of all time, as it relies on rhythmic intuition, i.e. your ability to freestyle within the pocket of a beat

the game admittedly does an abysmal job explaining how to play properly, but being good at it requires an excellent sense of rhythm