Connoisseurs of both gaming and rap music will no doubt be aware of Rap Quest, an ill-fated Game Boy title with the working title 'Rap City' that originally featured '90s rapper Vanilla Ice before rights issues meant his music couldn't be used. As we've reported before, Equilibrium Software completed work on the game and submitted it to Nintendo, although it was never released.
Fast forward past the Nintendo 'gigaleaks' of 2020/21 — when a host of historical internal Nintendo-related development material leaked onto the internet and the pre-release lot check Rap Quest ROM found its way online — and anyone with an internet connection and the means to write to a blank Game Boy cart can play the game in glorious pixel-perfect upscaled fidelity on one of those lovely new Analogue Pockets.
As highlighted by developer, gaming historian, and all-round good gaming egg Frank Cifaldi, Vanilla 'Cool Q' looks incredibly sharp on the Analogue Pocket's super-sharp screen. Observe, if you will, the flattest of tops:
If you're wondering about the game, it puts you in the shoes of the world's biggest rapper on a quest to save rap music itself by beating up hoodlums and finding discs hidden around each of the game's five urban stages. GameBoyle goes into detail in the video below if you're eager to hear more.
For us, we can't stop zooming in on Cool Q's hair — the more we do, the more appreciation we have for the masterful impressionist pixel art on display here. It really is very nice. Nice. Baby.
Sorry, couldn't resist that one. Let us know your thoughts below on any related topic of your choosing: Vanilla Ice, '90s licensed gaming tie-ins, this lost Game Boy 'classic', the best Rap X Video Game crossovers ever, or how everyone except you seems to have one of these lovely Analogue Pockets, the gits.
[source twitter.com]
Comments 10
Go ninja, go ninja, go!
Does it allow me to "check out the hook while the dj revolves it"?
Cool as Ice is still one of the worst films ever made, but that makes the Rifftrax version so much better.
Oh the irony of ‘saving rap’ while playing as Vanilla Ice.
"Aim for the flat top"
A little Ghostbusters reference maybe?
I think someone found an actual cart a few years ago and dumped the ROM but only uploaded an emulator video to youtube.
Funny that even though they hoarded the ROM surely for resale value, it got out anyways.
Pretty sure this was the year music actually died.
@nessisonett
That's absolutely what the irony is about, isn't it? Along with MC Hammer and others that guy was actually sent to bring rap down at the time
Vanilla Ice? That's a name I thought I wouldn't hear/read again.
@HammerGalladeBro He performed at Collect A Con recently. I went there to meet Brittney Karbowski though. I remember when I was a kid he was the biggest thing next to New Kids on the Block and Michael Jackson.
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