Def Jam – one of the top names in rap and hip-hop. EA – the top maker of sports games. When the two joined forces in the fall of 2004, a unique masterpiece was born: Def Jam Fight For NY.

The concept is almost too crazy to be serious. Several rap/hip-hop artists, a few minor celebrities, and a story that has you fighting them in a dirty, thug-filled world. Though most of the characters were scum, Fight For NY had a few heroes that added compassion to the story. Realistic character models (that were eerily close to their real-life counterparts) and upper-tier voice acting made it the most enjoyable story mode in the history of the fighting genre.

More importantly, the fighting engine was original, highly entertaining, and impossible to forget. Kickboxing, street fighting, wrestling, martial arts and submissions – all rolled into one. Up to three styles could be combined for your homemade fighters, opening the door for unprecedented character development.

Def Jam Fight For NY: The Takeover is the new update to the franchise. Developed exclusively for PSP, The Takeover makes a near-flawless transition to the handheld platform. Existing fans will be amazed at how accurately EA converted the fighting engine, including every bit of the original's bone-crunching, jaw-dropping, body-cringing piece of action. Newcomers will have the pleasure of experiencing it for the first time. They'll get to learn all the styles, combos, and characters just as we did on the consoles back in 2004.

When Style Counts

A lot of games boast about their supreme, unrivaled style. They hype their "cool" characters and "impressive" special moves. To me, that doesn't mean anything ... except in this game.

The Def Jam series brings style not only as a visual element, but also as something that has an impact on the gameplay. Taunts are cool, but they're just the tip of the iceberg. Bling is nice and will surely appeal to anyone who loves to customize their characters. But again that's just the tip.

Where The Takeover excels is the same area that made the original so memorable. Every move you make – every punch, kick, grapple, tackle, etc. – has an edge to it. These guys don't fight like everyone else. The Takeover doesn't look or feel like a clone of an existing series. It completely holds its own. I'm not typically into wrestling games, and I don't usually like fighters that emphasize reversals (Tekken being the exception). Def Jam changed all that.

A big part of the change comes from the game's speed. It moves at the pace of an arcade fighter. You have to stay on your toes – always be aware of what's around you. Because it's not just the opponent in front that you have to worry about. You also have to consider your surroundings. Are you on the streets, or in the ring? The former adds spectators to your problems. If the spectators don't like what they see, they'll grab your arms and let your opponent take a free shot. This usually leads to several unnecessary blows, giving your opponent the upper hand.

The good news is that the same thing can also happen to him. And it's not just a matter of whether or not the audience likes what they see. If you pound your opponent enough times, it's possible to push your opponent (or be pushed) into the crowd. Briefly disoriented by the crashing blow, the pushed fighter will be unable to escape his newfound crowd. Now you can lay into him, hopefully weakening him to the point where his lifespan reaches danger (his life bar turns red).

Endangered fighters are vulnerable to finishing moves – combos, grapples, body slams, and other painful-looking moves that put your opponent out of commission. The game does not indicate that these fighters are killed by these moves, but it'd be pretty amazing if they survived. If a move as simple as a kick to the head can look so unbelievably devastating, how can something more potent – like a five-hit guerilla combo (where the fighter pounds on his opponent several times before leaping on his back) – leave him with anything less than death?

Text This

The Takeover sneaks in a sponsor via T-Mobile's Sidekick. With it you'll be able to read text messages sent to you by your in-game comrades. The messages consist of: praise (for a job well done), hope (positive feedback to lift your spirits after a loss), thug alerts (sleazy fighters that need to be taught a lesson), and pimp info (local shops telling you to get your butt down there and buy some of their goods).

These messages are cool, but there's another form of text that doesn't live up to the series' high standards: character dialogue. Whereas the console versions had a great storyline with real-time videos and excellent voice acting, The Takeover's story is told almost entirely through text. Fighters exchange words prior to each battle, then you go at it. You'll get a little more detail from time to time, where other, slightly more revealing topics are discussed. But this aspect pales in comparison to the original.

Story aside, Def Jam Fight For NY: The Takeover is just as much of a must-buy as its console predecessors. The gameplay variety can't be beat, nor can the action, nor the entertainment value that comes along with it. Players will come back to this for months, if not years. I can say this with certainty because I reviewed the PS2 version over 18 months ago, and I was ecstatic to have it on PSP

Whether you're a fan and see this as a port or a newcomer wanting to know what all the hype is about, The Takeover is the best handheld street fighter around.

Gameplay: 8.5
Def Jam Fight For NY: The Takeover combines five fighting styles in a way like no game before it. Choose from martial arts, kickboxing, wrestling, street fighting, and submissions. Each is vastly different from the next. When combined, the styles drastically change your attacks. A fighter who focuses on kickboxing, wrestling and submissions is going to be much different from a fighter who uses submissions, martial arts, and street fighting. The gameplay is amazingly fun and addictive, and it plays just like the PS2 version.

There are a few glitches. At one point my opponent grabbed and threw me while standing three feet away. No matter how goofy, none of the glitches are significant enough or occur frequently enough to keep you from loving this handheld masterpiece.

Graphics: 8.0
Impeccable animation. These guys move with incredible fluidity, making the transition from one move to the next as if it had all been planned out. Technically it has, but it doesn't feel like that on the player's side. You really feel like you're controlling a fighter that could do anything at any time and your opponent will react accordingly. This is not very common in fighting games. Most fighting games feel stiff – a little too planned out. That's where Def Jam crosses the line of virtual reality, going a little deeper into reality.

Unfortunately there is one graphical difference between the PSP and PS2 versions that must be pointed out: the character models aren't nearly as realistic. On PS2 every rapper looked like his real-life counterpart. On PSP the faces are a bit plainer. They still bruise nicely, and as I said, the animation is unbelievable. But as powerful as the PSP is, it's no PS2. Sadly, some sacrifices had to be made.

Sound: 7.0
Without the upper-tier story sequences on board, The Takeover is left with a repetitious soundtrack comprised of numerous Def Jam tracks. It fits considering the license, but this kind of music targets a specific audience – you'll either love it or loathe it.

Difficulty: Easy/Medium
It's hard to judge the difficulty of this game after playing the original. It's not any more challenging, that's for sure. Newcomers will have a few hurdles to overcome, mainly in how the game incorporates its various fighting styles, as well as its interactive environment elements (escaping the crowd, picking up fallen beer bottles, etc.).

Concept: 7.0
A slightly upgraded port of a stellar fighting game.

Multiplayer: 8.0
Two-player goodness via local ad hoc connection.

Overall: 8.5
Def Jam Fight For NY: The Takeover packs just as much heat as the original – the same fighters, the genius mechanics, and one of the best and most fluid fighting systems ever created. The controls are PS2-perfect, as are the animations and brutal finishers. This isn't the goofy, awesome-but-almost-laughable kind of brutality found in Mortal Kombat – these moves literally look painful. To the point where you almost feel each finishing blow.