EA sport BIG was the best sport dev that era imo. Fifa street, NBA street, SSX, def jam, freekstyle, NFL street. All were so good, and age well even to this day.
prob not in this way but a modern rapper fighting game would go triple platinum. sm potential imagine having drake getting mixed to death by kendrick 😭
I think the only way you can get a new Def Jam game off the ground is to do one without the rappers as characters unless they take a huge paycut. Yes, you can have rap songs in the soundtrack. The roster of characters was unique, Vendettas roster in particular, you can still do an underground fight club/street fighter type story with it. Just take one of those characters and make them the big boss.
Gotta love it! Don't matter who you are, the idea of being part of or made into a video game just turns everyone into kids shouting the cool ideas in their heads and performing "special moves" for demonstration. Perfectly encapsulates what makes gaming so special.
I had Vendetta and FFNY. FFNY was such a good brawler with depth. I didn't realize how many OP characters there were until I saw it being played at CEO
I had both Def Jam vendetta and Fight for NY on the Gamecube. Fight for NY was amazing. I ended up passing the games down to my nephew. He has it to this day.
I've seen a lot of retrospectives on this game before and I think this is the first one that actually mentioned the competitive scene that's been trying to keep the game alive and in the spotlight as best as we can. I appreciate the nod and shoutouts to AXG as well that's been keeping us in ECT and DTN. Great video.
One of masterpiece PS2 game. I love this game a lot and sometimes still complete the story mode once in every year or so. Glad u guys finally covering it. Prob the inspiration for SF6 world tour mode too. Def jam FFNY still has best story mode in fighting game before that.
I was at the GameStop when meth lost The kid was using DMX (the best character in the game) Mef threw the controller afterwards and starting signing autographs angrily
I played Def Jam Vendetta RELIGIOUSLY on the GameCube. That game was so much fun. I understand why they can’t make a game like this today, but I wish they’d try. I know it would be RIDICULOUSLY expensive, but can you imagine a new one with modern artists and some that can return? I’d love that. I know it won’t happen, but I’d LOVE that.
My godson loves this game. Any time he comes to visit it’s the only thing he wants to play. There was a whole ps5 right there and it did not matter it was all about fight for ny 😂
This game brings back so many memories... back then as a kid I didn't know much about hip hop but watching this I see how many references I failed to catch. Thanks for the nostalgia
I remember it vividly getting to play a lot of the EA Sports Big Titles like NBA Street V3, NFL Street 3 and Def Jam NY on the PS2. You know the game will be good if you here that "EA Sports BIIIIIIIGGG!" intro once you boot up the game.
4:06 WCW Mayhem was not developed by AKI, but by a little known studio named Kodiak Interactive. AKI was working with THQ and the WWF at the time. Kodiak also made a direct sequel to Mayhem (WCW Backstage Assault) in 2000, but it wasn't until after that game released when EA paired with AKI. AKI, alongside THQ did make WCW games from 1997 to 1998 (including fan favorite WCW/nWo Revenge), but Mayhem was not one of them. What actually happened was: WWF ditched Acclaim for THQ in 1999, which meant THQ would end their previous deal with WCW. WCW, in response would ditch THQ for Electronic Arts that same year.
I literally had this game like 3 different times, on every console at the time. Game cube, Xbox, and ps2. I love this game. I spent a lot of time playing it when I was in middle school.
This game was the shit! I played it right away and couldn't believe how amazing it was, both for the idea and the exectuion (at least for young me). It really was a once in a lifetime thing, and it's one of the few games I wish they made a proper remake for
7:32 Don Matrick might be the worst executive in gaming history. Has he ever made a not terrible decision? No one deserves complete failure more than him and he somehow failed upwards to almost completely destroy an entire console brand later on.
I'm sure he must have made one right decision in the last 42 years (yes, he has been in the industry that long!) He couldn't really have worse optics if he tried right now.
@@thelastgogeta he made Test Drive, Need For Speed (because he couldn't bring Test Drive with him to EA), and FIFA franchises. But other than those, dude wack.
Probably licensing and royalty issues due to how many big stars were on this game. Back then it was a priviledge to be in games. Now stars know it makes money, they ask for more to get featured.
Man fck tht i would glady take baby check just to be part of this game just for fans.. the industries knows how much this well sell. Everyone with a systems i gonna get it. And they can add MT of clothes and accessaries. Hell the give the play a mansion and vehichle so they can spend to customize them. Ffny is top3 ps2 games so a remake or reboot will be just as popular(if done right)
I only mention this because you spoke about it at length, but in the first game, Vendetta, Ghostface Killah most certainly has his signature golden eagle on his arm, so it’s incorrect to say that the developers didn’t include the bird in the original game’s character design, it’s just that it they weren’t able to make the eagle come to life and attack opponents, presumably due to limitations in the game engine.
Same devs after all. Both Kinnikuman Generations/Ultimate Muscle and the Muscle Grand Prix games were made by AKI, though the latter is more of a traditional fighting game.
Randomly found 2nd game of this series back in the day, it was amazing, a tittle that meant nothing to me, turned out to be really fun fighting game with alot of depth. And as always, top quality vid from you guys!
I remember playing this with our older cousins. We were the typical skating,viva la bam,jackass,wwe,NuMetal kids, and DJ is how we also became fans of HipHop. 2000s are truly unmatched.
@theobell2002 this game wouldn't work the charm of it was the time period it was in the 2000s vibe fit the game well. I don't see a remake having close to as good of a vibe as vendetta and ffny had. We allready have proof of that def jam icon flopped hard
@@theobell2002 I did. Still, compared to today, some original games were still being made in the early 2000s that would never have been made today with the corpo culture takeover of the gaming industry and the greed that drives every decision. That was the start of it, but it wasn't nearly as bad as it is today, which is what I'm referring to.
Feels like back in the day, people did stuff mostly to do it and say they did. Now everything feels very "what do I get out of it" type mentality, I'm probably wrong; it just really feels that way now.
I have so many memories with Def Jam Vendetta. I remember my main motivation to finish it was to unlock all the "Eye Candy" lol. Got so bummed that there wasn't anything similar in Fight for NY
Idk, with the current fighting game renaissance going on, something like this filling in the whole in the 3D space would be appreciated, while also being a unique concept.
NetherRealm Studios needs to by the IP and they could do it for sure! This is up their alley!! Or Maybe I just might make the game and name the characters something different but have them look just like them. Have all the best rappers as characters male and female! Somebody better make this before I do, or some other indie gam dev or person with some money who can just hire a team to make it... I'll keep this in my pocket just incase nobody ends up making it.. I'll wait with hopes a big studio will see this comment.....
Best fighting game I have ever played. The amount of fun me and my brother and his friends had with this game is just amazing. Would love a remastered version even if it will never happen :(
FFNY is one of the greatest fighting games of all-time, but just like WCW vs nWo Revenge is for me above No Mercy; Vendetta holds a special place in my heart because it was the perfect blend of hip-hop and AKI's fantastic wrestling game engine.
I really wish this game(all of the games in this era was remade for newer models) watching the gameplay of Fight for NY made me want to go order this game again(this, NBA Streets Vol2, NFL Street, WWE Here Comes the Pain)…man those times were Awesome.
Happened to walk by a medium sized tournament of this game at a convention a couple years ago. I was transfixed. We NEED this on current gen. I'm not asking for a sequel or even a fully updated reboot or remaster. Just a port to current gen and hopefully with online support.
Unreal Engibe is one of the most capable game engines obviously people would use it. You shouldn't blame people who make tools for others lack of creativity, that's silly.
It's crazy how FFNY is at 20 year's now,I remember renting this for Gamecube until I said enough is enough let me buy it and I got it for no more than $15 LOL..thanks for the video😎🍻🍺
Some time ago, DefJam posted on twitter. It's a puc asking which one do we want next. 5 locations. Def Jam Miami and others. They never followed up on that.
I have ps2 & xbox copies of Def Jam FFNY & keep them vaulted away cuz that game is 1 of my all time favorite fighting games from the early 2000s. I miss this game so much that I'm willing to get it emulated for my pc & keep the hard copies safe.
Ffny is One of my fav games. It was amazing. Music, dialogues, special moves, customization. Woah. Incredible. It had all my fav rappers in it. No eminem though.
EA sport BIG was the best sport dev that era imo. Fifa street, NBA street, SSX, def jam, freekstyle, NFL street. All were so good, and age well even to this day.
Ssx is the best
Would love a deep dive into EA Sports BIG for the reasons you listed
the cool thing is that the gameplay is developed by a japanese studio
Now looking at ea today, you wouldn’t believe they created such masterpieces.
FIFA Street died when it turned into a Futsal sim 😢
ffny was truly lightning in a bottle and one of my all time personal favorites. i dont think a game like that could ever happen again
prob not in this way but a modern rapper fighting game would go triple platinum. sm potential imagine having drake getting mixed to death by kendrick 😭
@@bigttheory big same. Especially after hearing about the beef? FFNY and a modern equivalent was all I can think of.
It's more MMA then the UFC games lol
@bigttheory probably only would be if it's like every other fighting game today.....most of em...so I doubt it work out.
I think the only way you can get a new Def Jam game off the ground is to do one without the rappers as characters unless they take a huge paycut. Yes, you can have rap songs in the soundtrack. The roster of characters was unique, Vendettas roster in particular, you can still do an underground fight club/street fighter type story with it. Just take one of those characters and make them the big boss.
Gotta love it! Don't matter who you are, the idea of being part of or made into a video game just turns everyone into kids shouting the cool ideas in their heads and performing "special moves" for demonstration. Perfectly encapsulates what makes gaming so special.
I did it with wrestling, basketball 🏀, and Def Jam vendetta. I understand the feeling. 😊
I had Vendetta and FFNY. FFNY was such a good brawler with depth. I didn't realize how many OP characters there were until I saw it being played at CEO
bruh alot of the default characters we skipped on ended up being BUSTED!!!!!
@@Smoxie804 Fuckin' Pockets lmao
Me too bro
The closest we have now are the wwe games. I’ll admit they’re improving but the Def Jam moves and environmental attacks were on another level
I had both Def Jam vendetta and Fight for NY on the Gamecube. Fight for NY was amazing. I ended up passing the games down to my nephew. He has it to this day.
I've seen a lot of retrospectives on this game before and I think this is the first one that actually mentioned the competitive scene that's been trying to keep the game alive and in the spotlight as best as we can. I appreciate the nod and shoutouts to AXG as well that's been keeping us in ECT and DTN. Great video.
Def Jam's "Blazin' Move" system inspired Tekken's "Rage Arts" and Mortal Kombat's "Fatal Blows."
Def Jam copied that from 1998 Thrill Kill
Praying someone makes a fan remake of it one day
One of masterpiece PS2 game. I love this game a lot and sometimes still complete the story mode once in every year or so. Glad u guys finally covering it.
Prob the inspiration for SF6 world tour mode too. Def jam FFNY still has best story mode in fighting game before that.
"Def dam vanjetta" pulls away from drive thru 😂😂 8:34
aint that the guy who played guile in the street fighter movie? 🤣🤣
Def Dam Venjetta is Jean Claude Van Damme in the Multiverse😂😂
"DUDE! You didnt do my bird!!!" is so funny to me
I was at the GameStop when meth lost
The kid was using DMX (the best character in the game)
Mef threw the controller afterwards and starting signing autographs angrily
@ 8:25 The fact that method Man was raging on the controller against a little kid has me dying laughing😂😂😂😂😂
I played Def Jam Vendetta RELIGIOUSLY on the GameCube. That game was so much fun. I understand why they can’t make a game like this today, but I wish they’d try. I know it would be RIDICULOUSLY expensive, but can you imagine a new one with modern artists and some that can return? I’d love that. I know it won’t happen, but I’d LOVE that.
My godson loves this game. Any time he comes to visit it’s the only thing he wants to play. There was a whole ps5 right there and it did not matter it was all about fight for ny 😂
can’t blame em i be on my ps2 just as much as my pc
How is that surprising there ain't anything good coming out on ps5 the ps2 has an amazing library of games that still hold up today
This game is not talked about nearly enough, peak gaming chef kiss 😘
This game brings back so many memories... back then as a kid I didn't know much about hip hop but watching this I see how many references I failed to catch. Thanks for the nostalgia
I remember it vividly getting to play a lot of the EA Sports Big Titles like NBA Street V3, NFL Street 3 and Def Jam NY on the PS2. You know the game will be good if you here that "EA Sports BIIIIIIIGGG!" intro once you boot up the game.
just reading your comment and reading the ea sports big gave me goosebumps!😂
4:06 WCW Mayhem was not developed by AKI, but by a little known studio named Kodiak Interactive. AKI was working with THQ and the WWF at the time. Kodiak also made a direct sequel to Mayhem (WCW Backstage Assault) in 2000, but it wasn't until after that game released when EA paired with AKI.
AKI, alongside THQ did make WCW games from 1997 to 1998 (including fan favorite WCW/nWo Revenge), but Mayhem was not one of them. What actually happened was: WWF ditched Acclaim for THQ in 1999, which meant THQ would end their previous deal with WCW. WCW, in response would ditch THQ for Electronic Arts that same year.
I literally had this game like 3 different times, on every console at the time. Game cube, Xbox, and ps2. I love this game. I spent a lot of time playing it when I was in middle school.
Love that everyones making Def Jam content now
This game was the shit! I played it right away and couldn't believe how amazing it was, both for the idea and the exectuion (at least for young me). It really was a once in a lifetime thing, and it's one of the few games I wish they made a proper remake for
7:32 Don Matrick might be the worst executive in gaming history. Has he ever made a not terrible decision? No one deserves complete failure more than him and he somehow failed upwards to almost completely destroy an entire console brand later on.
I'm sure he must have made one right decision in the last 42 years (yes, he has been in the industry that long!)
He couldn't really have worse optics if he tried right now.
@@thelastgogeta he made Test Drive, Need For Speed (because he couldn't bring Test Drive with him to EA), and FIFA franchises.
But other than those, dude wack.
Why don't they bring this games back to the new consoles?
EA: No money for microtransactions?
Probably licensing and royalty issues due to how many big stars were on this game. Back then it was a priviledge to be in games. Now stars know it makes money, they ask for more to get featured.
Man fck tht i would glady take baby check just to be part of this game just for fans.. the industries knows how much this well sell. Everyone with a systems i gonna get it. And they can add MT of clothes and accessaries. Hell the give the play a mansion and vehichle so they can spend to customize them. Ffny is top3 ps2 games so a remake or reboot will be just as popular(if done right)
Can confirm I was swantoning from the couch all the time!
Haha true that #Club357 😀
I have been playing def jam all week. Crazy timing. There is no game like it.
This was the pinnacle of gaming. If you missed it, you truly missed it.
I only mention this because you spoke about it at length, but in the first game, Vendetta, Ghostface Killah most certainly has his signature golden eagle on his arm, so it’s incorrect to say that the developers didn’t include the bird in the original game’s character design, it’s just that it they weren’t able to make the eagle come to life and attack opponents, presumably due to limitations in the game engine.
Fun fact: this exact gameplay can be found in an anime game called Ultimate Muscle or Kinnikuman (I think I spelled it right)
Yes on PS2&Gamecube
Wish I bought from blockbuster before they closed haha
Same devs after all. Both Kinnikuman Generations/Ultimate Muscle and the Muscle Grand Prix games were made by AKI, though the latter is more of a traditional fighting game.
@@LAST1GGK also in rgg kurohyou & kurohyou 2. Spinoff games to the Yakuza series
5:00 Actual lightning in a bottle idea.
Fight for NY is, for me, the best fighting game in PS2 =)
I bought the first two games from a co-worker after not having them for a decade and that person is one of my best friends now. Love these game!
I've still got my copy of FFNY.
Randomly found 2nd game of this series back in the day, it was amazing, a tittle that meant nothing to me, turned out to be really fun fighting game with alot of depth. And as always, top quality vid from you guys!
I remember playing this with our older cousins. We were the typical skating,viva la bam,jackass,wwe,NuMetal kids, and DJ is how we also became fans of HipHop. 2000s are truly unmatched.
This game was so good. They need to remake it fr.
for the modern audience?
Will never happen unfortunately
This is lightning in a bottle. It'd be impossible to bring this back in any kind of fashion sadly. The licensing would be an absolute nightmare
@@thatguywesmaranan Yes, for a modern audience. That's what remakes are for. To bring old games into the modern era.
@theobell2002 this game wouldn't work the charm of it was the time period it was in the 2000s vibe fit the game well. I don't see a remake having close to as good of a vibe as vendetta and ffny had. We allready have proof of that def jam icon flopped hard
Anyone remember "State of emergency "?
totally forgot about that game haahahah
You can never forget that one as every edgelord on your school non stop talked about it.
@@oddcam maybe that was your experience. Definitely not mine
This game is a straight classic
Very, very well produced video! Great way to showcase these games, I have very fond memories of them.
The big difference to other corny titles is that Def Jam was actually a great game with endlessly rewarding mechanics.
Back when games had soul and culture instilled into them, and big corpo CEOs and MBA grads were ruining other industries instead. Gone are the days.
7:30 - Did you even watch the video? It was already happening back then.
@@theobell2002 I did. Still, compared to today, some original games were still being made in the early 2000s that would never have been made today with the corpo culture takeover of the gaming industry and the greed that drives every decision.
That was the start of it, but it wasn't nearly as bad as it is today, which is what I'm referring to.
HE GOT HIS BIRD
I miss these glory days 😢❤
Man these games were awesome back in the day!
Feels like back in the day, people did stuff mostly to do it and say they did. Now everything feels very "what do I get out of it" type mentality, I'm probably wrong; it just really feels that way now.
I remember playing the hell outta vendetta while staying at my cousins in New York, we stayed up all night playing that game. Good times
I have so many memories with Def Jam Vendetta. I remember my main motivation to finish it was to unlock all the "Eye Candy" lol. Got so bummed that there wasn't anything similar in Fight for NY
Imagine this game online
Idk, with the current fighting game renaissance going on, something like this filling in the whole in the 3D space would be appreciated, while also being a unique concept.
The DLC content cost would be crazy
I always thought 2K could steal EA's thunder in making one of these or do a big colab in one of the future WWE 2K games.
Man!! I loved SSX!!! Good times with that series.
0:41 Eminem’s Lose Yourself as a metaphor for hip-hop told me everything I needed to know about this video.
NetherRealm Studios needs to by the IP and they could do it for sure! This is up their alley!! Or Maybe I just might make the game and name the characters something different but have them look just like them. Have all the best rappers as characters male and female! Somebody better make this before I do, or some other indie gam dev or person with some money who can just hire a team to make it... I'll keep this in my pocket just incase nobody ends up making it.. I'll wait with hopes a big studio will see this comment.....
i wish indies would rip the aki system and make new games based on it, especially some side-scrolling beat'em ups.
That is Bs
Snoop dog said he is having them remade asap.
They even have trailers for it
Def Jam games were iconic. So nostalgic and came out at the perfect time, when i was a huge Wrestling fan.
I miss this game. Good thing there is a thing called ROMs
Got it on my phone. Blue tooth the PS controller 💙
I look forward to every combo breaker ffny tournament
Those tournaments are so awesome
Ssx shall will always be the the best game i ever sinked in my childhood
The first three always bring back warm, fuzzy feelings of early fall chillness and relaxation.
We need another game like this
nba street v3. had mario, luigi, and peach on the gamecube. imagine getting dunked on by super mario. i can't block that dude!
I'm happy people remember this game !
This game had amazing characters, cool environments and a sick character creation mode
God I miss the days of my childhood.
Thank you for this video Sir.
Amazing video!!!! Keep up the great work.
Best fighting game I have ever played. The amount of fun me and my brother and his friends had with this game is just amazing. Would love a remastered version even if it will never happen :(
@8:36 "Def Dam Venjetta" must've been a GameCast exclusive😂😂
FFNY is one of the greatest fighting games of all-time, but just like WCW vs nWo Revenge is for me above No Mercy; Vendetta holds a special place in my heart because it was the perfect blend of hip-hop and AKI's fantastic wrestling game engine.
With the exception of DMX all the original rappers came back
Look I know Keith Murray wasn't the biggest name but c'mon
so many people talk about this game, i missed out because i was into mvc2, doa and ssbm 😭
DEF jam fight for New York was such a fantastic game. Those same mechanics can be changed up if need be and game that would be unpressed in this day.
I really wish this game(all of the games in this era was remade for newer models) watching the gameplay of Fight for NY made me want to go order this game again(this, NBA Streets Vol2, NFL Street, WWE Here Comes the Pain)…man those times were Awesome.
This game is a gem that should be left alone no need to remake it
8:36 Def Dam Vanjetta 😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭
Very interesting story and great video!
def jam fight for NY should be remastered as welll as kill zone series, I been waiting for years for this.
That Powerpuff girls intro edit was too perfect 😂
I remember playing Def Jam Icon for 15 minutes and turning it off. Fight for New York is gold.
Happened to walk by a medium sized tournament of this game at a convention a couple years ago. I was transfixed. We NEED this on current gen. I'm not asking for a sequel or even a fully updated reboot or remaster. Just a port to current gen and hopefully with online support.
I haven't even watch the video at this point. Just YES, the very best fighting game EVER IMO! I'm anxiously hoping they make it available again soon!
Past def jam games are goated but the longer it goes it just get's worst
8:36 Def dam vengetta 😂😂. IDK why, but make me crack up
5:54 it's like DMX was born to be in a fighting game 😂😂😂 RIP
They don't make games like they used to. Now, it's just "Unreal Engine The Video Game".
If no one else make a better engine then they cant
I mean hell helldivers was made with the corpse of a game engine they just revived
I mean Unreal Engine the Video Game is just Unreal Tournament
Unreal Engibe is one of the most capable game engines obviously people would use it. You shouldn't blame people who make tools for others lack of creativity, that's silly.
Are you dumb? Why are you blaming the tools for bad video games?
This is like blaming the hammer for putting in the nail the wrong way.
Don't blame the tools, blame the user.
Thanks EA for this cuz I can't tell yall the many many many times I played, beat, played, beat and repeat.
Still got it and still playing it.❤❤❤
It's crazy how FFNY is at 20 year's now,I remember renting this for Gamecube until I said enough is enough let me buy it and I got it for no more than $15 LOL..thanks for the video😎🍻🍺
Some time ago, DefJam posted on twitter. It's a puc asking which one do we want next.
5 locations.
Def Jam Miami and others.
They never followed up on that.
An absolute gem of a game. Also do metal gear online 2
Def Jam definitely needs to bring this back! Late ‘90s/ Early ‘00s gaming was superior.
I have ps2 & xbox copies of Def Jam FFNY & keep them vaulted away cuz that game is 1 of my all time favorite fighting games from the early 2000s. I miss this game so much that I'm willing to get it emulated for my pc & keep the hard copies safe.
Ffny is One of my fav games. It was amazing. Music, dialogues, special moves, customization. Woah. Incredible. It had all my fav rappers in it. No eminem though.
0:47 What song is this?
7:15 mark “.. restrictions to anything overtly violent..” as the man is slamming someone into concrete.
Best Fighting Game EVER!
This and NFS Underground 1/2 & Most Wanted *defined an ERA!* 😌🤌🏾
8:36 you said "Def Dam Venjetta" that's a pretty big mistake lol
I SWEAR
THIS REMAINS ONE OF THE BEST
The blaze moves were, and still are, hype asfffff
Vendetta was my jam