The Absurd World of Video Games Based On Pop Stars

[@nick.flowers]

Oh snap Plug The Controller is back!!!

[@Oshawatt]

My favorite de la soul member

[@LonkinPork]

I think you could break the economy by getting some of the present-day pop ladies (Sabrina, Olivia, Charli, Chappell, Taylor) together for an official Sims expansion

[@ScottThePisces]

the fact katy perry had one of these and no one has pushed the trend since is wild

[@duke86fan]

@@ScottThePisces the ignoring of KPST is kinda sad

[@TheCamSays]

I’d just put most of the pop girlies in a fighting game. I just know Charli and Chappell have mean move sets.

[@JamshiLovesROCK]

@@TheCamSaysI‘d make them Persona/Stand users.

[@anne1596]

Wasn’t Chappell going to do something with the Sims? Or wanting to? (I tried to look this up but I couldn’t find anything so it may have been a figment of my imagination.)

[@Mira2Cold]

i want the pop girl fighting game *not* out of seeing the pop women fight, but because the idea of someone saying ”yeah i main taylor swift” is funny. i played fortnite just cause ariana grande with a gun running people over was funny

[@brianboese9884]

That game kind of already exists. In WWE 2K24 you can download pretty much any of the pop stars mentioned in community creations. I've created a few myself. I had an ambulance match between Dua Lipa and Taylor Swift to see who the queen of pop is. 🤣

[@SerAbiotico]

You can also Say "i played all night with Taylor Swift" or "i beat Taylor Swift a$$ the other day", which is a thing 😶😶‍🌫️🫥

[@jamesthemj5751]

Björk's special move would be welcoming her opponent to Bangkok

[@kidwaryodproduction]

Bjork for Mortal Kombat 😆👍

[@oksure5963]

​@@kidwaryodproduction Her fighting Syndel would be legendary

[@joe3489]

That or a special delivery from Ricardo Lopez

[@jakobbrink4682]

Having just opened the video I am already sure this is an elaborate excuse to cover Crazy Frog Racer on this channel.

[@OrgaNik_Music]

Well... you weren't wrong

[@JoaoVitor-ge4le]

The "def jam but make it stan twitter" game has the potential to have the most toxic community of all time and i say this with a literal league of legends fighting game coming out this year

[@Redwoodtrees-um9bf]

Honestly, Video games based on musicians should be something video game companies should do again. Like, "Stop Kanye from buying Nitrous oxide- the game!" Is something I genuinely would play

[@MrSkerpentine]

This is how GameMill should be

[@ItzRobbie05]

A Kanye game feels tangible

[@hastyhawkeye]

​@ItzRobbie05 Kanye quest 3030 exists.

[@ItzRobbie05]

@@hastyhawkeye yeah but I think a licensed, authorised game is very much in reach

[@pure_amateur]

Don't let him into his zone

[@Vitorio582]

Another banger video by Scott The Woz

[@teruienages962]

No, it isn't that overrated hack

[@khalewren2734]

@@teruienages962mic has stated that his scott has inspired his sense of humor 💀

[@1rockcrawford]

Don’t insult Mic The Snare like that

[@crazzmatazz]

hey all, mic here

[@joebin3106]

So is your mother ​@@teruienages962

[@matthewhodgson4447]

*hears you mention the possibility of a DDD on Michael Jackson* You did one on Queen and Prince. Surely the King of Pop is the next royal act.

[@romanroyenthusiast]

RIGHT, it's my heart's biggest wish

[@samnelson2321]

It's debatable to what extent it counts as a game but Radioheads Kid Amnesia exhibition would have been a nice addition to see as a more recent example of a band using video games in a unique and interesting way.

[@russellpierce3987]

yeah idk if i'd consider it a game necessarily but it is neat as hell

[@DirtyWorldRecords1]

omg that was sooooo cool, I spent like a week on it and love every second of it

[@pizzzaeater1425]

it definitely counts as a game. who said a game had to have an end goal, challenges, or even a story?

[@timothy4097]

​@@pizzzaeater1425 - a lot of people. I wouldn't say the RH "videogame" is really a game for the same reason I wouldn't call a museum a game. It's just in the same virtual medium as so many videogames, so it's convenient to call it one.

[@iDKIdk-tn2xm]

if you want to see a good video that includes that id really recommend jacob geller's "Games that aren't games" (as well as literally every other video hes done)

[@juliannesl]

3:59 It is going to bother me all day that typing "Go Back" gets you "Goo Goo Ga Joob", a line from I Am The Walrus, as an easter egg and not a line from Get Back. It was so obvious.

[@2amsoda]

Recognizing the seaman clip at 7:40 from a Jerma stream is further proof that Mic only consumes peak media

[@chaseywoot]

So glad he watches my compact streamer

[@skep2923]

He also has xiaohongshu dollar in this video which I guess was just a thing making the rounds but I recall seeing on a Twitch stream first so who can say where he saw that first?

[@maryfreegirl2029]

Best stream(er) of all time

[@minimme]

hey thanks for the shout and great vid!! Queen The eYe is such a weird fascinating thing, more thought went into it than meets the.. eYe (sorry)

[@SIZLL]

best youtuber of all time COMMENTED O_O

[@songsfordustmites]

"This is like playing Moonwalker at Mic the Snare's house!" - Gex

[@hannah-6080]

I am once again nudging you politely to make the Michael Jackson Deep Discog Dive ❤

[@moffattron9000]

How about we never do that because I don't think I have to explain why to never do that.

[@loganchitty]

PLEEEEEASE YES

[@thecollector4332]

@@moffattron9000 Not guilty on all counts. Read about the cases, they paint a clear picture. He never did anything.

[@Tusisvrivhing]

I really hope not honestly

[@watson221b5]

​@@moffattron9000 Do some research man

[@StanChancely]

Michael Jackson's Moonwalker was one of my favorite movies growing up. I think about that car scene at least once a week

[@youtubegarbage7876]

I think about MJ's secret room where he looked into little boy's bums like he was gazing into a telescope.

[@MrSkerpentine]

The second you revealed Beatle Quest was an old text adventure I was just waiting for Mic to say “you cannot get ye love”

[@succumbtoviolets]

"and you'll just have to sit there and imagine why on earth money can't buy ye love."

[@mootbooxle]

obvious exits are John, Paul, George, and…Pete? What wouldst thou deau?

[@MrSkerpentine]

“You don’t smell like Paul McCartney, you don’t look like Paul McCartney, you aren’t dead from a car accident like Paul McCartney”

[@TheCamSays]

There are so many people that would literally kill for a new Def Jam game. Yet… it would be cost stupid money to do it. But I can imagine fighting games with rappers and pop stars akin to Def Jam.

[@scootinand]

A Taylor Swift game that's a Zelda clone, but, like, the best 2D Zelda game ever made. At the end of each dungeon you collect a "Taylor's Version" album and when you have them all you go to the final castle where "Spider Boy" is keeping her cats hostage.

[@Ubertrick999]

Honestly that ending part sounds like MTV's Celebrity Deathmatch but just Pop Stars, and I love that idea

[@duke86fan]

my guess for the wu tang censorship and code is probably the same reason they needed a code for the genesis version of mortal kombat, thrill kill on its own was rated AO and they censored it to get the safer to sell M rating. and this is before hot coffee so there was no "analyse whats also not included on default" stuff

[@roecocoa]

It could also be a form of copy protection. Sure you ftp'd an iso of the game disc and burned a working copy, but if you want the full experience, you're going to need the booklet that only comes with the official release.

[@shaaaznable]

interesting little tangential fact about def jam fight for ny: after aki renamed themselves to syn sophia, they would go on to work on kurohyou, a psp spinoff series for yakuza/like a dragon. the gameplay is built off of that from fight for ny

[@toyszz5250]

Seeing fiveish at 4:24 made me jump out of my seat in glee and joy. Thank you Mr. Snare for letting me see my boy again!

[@antonnikogosov]

I do in fact pray it was a blatant announcement of MJ’s DDD, because I would DEVOUR it

[@floatingoliver562]

20:55 OMG I LOOOVE YOU FOR INCLUDING THE SEGA BASS FISHING OST

[@flapjack7301]

Personal favorite modern example of a musical video game is KGLW's game for Mars For The Rich. The PS1 visuals match the song well, and it has some pretty cool secrets that reference the bandmates other projects. KGLW are just really good in general with interacting with there community in cool ways.

[@peepingsignal]

That Crazy Frog face morph will haunt me for the rest of my days thank you Mr. The Snare

[@happy_endings15]

Just your local millenial girl popping in to say THANK YOU for covering the Hannah Montana game! I had 0 interest in any of the more violent games, so that one was right up my alley as a 9-year-old. Although the superior HM DS game was definitely Hannah Montana Music Jam since that one had... actual minigames! 😮 And they somehow didn't get old for me as a kid. I will, however, counter your idea with one for the cozy gamers: Stardew Valley with pop girl (and boy) NPCs. Like, imagine building a farm with Chappell Roan or Phoebe Bridgers. Or romancing your BTS bias! Seriously, I'm shocked this isn't a thing already. Or, you know, just put pop star skins on Fortnite since I'm sure someone out there would delight in seeing their least favs go down once and for all. Because let's be real, that's the one that's really gonna sell 😅

[@canarysk4312]

There actually was the BTS World mobile game where you played the role of their manager, but there were mini games inside the game where you had to "befriend" the members in an alternate universe in which they weren't famous. It shut down in December of last year.

[@shadowclaw878]

22:50 AND I'M ONE OF THEM!!! (that was a joke before I get murdered)

[@TheEleventhJob]

Can't believe you didn't mention the Bionicle web game where you and Toa warriors save the All American Rejects after they get kidnapped by a group of Piraka gangsters

[@Tris_Crazy_Music_Stuff]

fun fact: the GBA port of Crazy Frog Racer has music done by a then young composer who would become Mister MV, one of the biggest french streamers in the 2010s

[@wpk914]

Minimme reference in a Mic The Snare video, wow. Just gotta get Jacob Gellar on an episode of Hivemind and my KZbin algorithm will officially be a closed loop

[@originaozz]

I'm thinking a simulation game with K-pop boy bands would make banks. A harem dating game would be the easy route, but the real money maker would be for fans to become a K-pop band's manager. Most of the fan already see their stan as their god or baby. Controlling their every move like a boy mom, how they come to fame, and create ships for PR would be their proudest moment.

[@wendellalvarado849]

The idea of your videogame base on Wrestling Pop Stars sounds like MTV Celebrity Deathmatch

[@loganchitty]

Moonwalker will always have a special place in my heart. It’s hard as shit, but it’s really charming. Also, being able to force enemies into a dance before killing them is the funniest thing ever

[@Luigs_sky7]

The biggest missed opportunity with a video game based on music is with red hot chili peppers. The music video for Californication was a video game but no official one was made. A fan version exists however

[@michaelvessel4604]

I legit wanted to play that game so bad too every time I watched that music video as a kid and was super disappointed that it didn’t actually exist

[@easmusiceas]

Secret Montecret identity is probably going to be a touchstone in Mic The Snare history.

[@JaredEMitchell]

Great vid! Glad about the Iron Maiden shout-out at the end. There's still a TON of other musician-based games out there, including Peter Gabriel's Xplora1, and Laurie Anderson's Puppet Motel. Would be fun to see you talk about those.

[@embunchofnumbers]

Grimes as Lizzy Wizzy in Cyberpunk 2077. Her song Delicate Weapon was on the soundtrack and is an underrated gem.

[@bloodbecoming]

Complete missed opportunity to mention how Thrill Kill's music was made by Clint Mansell of Pop Will Eat Itself, mostly known for his work with Darren Aronofsky. Also- how dare you forget the Journey game- the first game to ever use digitized graphics!

[@AzraelNewtype0079]

He did, in fact, mention the Journey game.

[@bloodbecoming]

@@AzraelNewtype0079 This is what I get for watching things on acid

[@henryglennon3864]

These games look almost as good as the Billy Joel racing game, where you have to dodge your car in between old ladies' houses.

[@subparnaturedocumentary]

billy joel vs keith moon race to see who drives into a pool first

[@Smarties.]

While driving a Cadillac-ack-ack-ack

[@prodbyluh]

that intro makes me want a Deep Discog Dive for Michael Jackson or Janet Jackson NOW!!!!!!

[@gallargus]

22:55 you dropping this KGLW clip made me realize a gizzverse-related game would be SOOOO cool. yeah we got that doom-ish replica when rats nest came out but like. imagine the potential with all the stories that band has cooked up over the years. lord of lightning v balrog, adventuring to polygondwanaland, escaping earth like the travelers from rats nest did. idk, just a thought bubble i got

[@griffinkeeley897]

Ive noticed you use cvs2, tekken, and now third strike music in different videos. Love to see it!

[@LonkinPork]

Holy crap, Scott the Snare! I mean, Mic the Woz! I mean,

[@MarcusMint]

Re: modern musician-based video games, there’s the Steven Wilson-scored Last Day of June that’s based on his Drive Home music video. It was alright.

[@IanYS]

Def Jam Fight For NY was my teenhood. Thanks for the shot of nostalgia!

[@bobbywood9239]

21:53 that's just an updated version of celebrity deathmatch

[@lrs3]

5:35 wow, I never knew New Order had such a big problem with Aerosmith.

[@slowdancers]

sneaking into my brother's bedroom to play the second Def Jam game while he was out is such a strong core memory of mine; watching this made me remember how much I loved playing as Carmen Electra, gosh. great video as usual Mic! would love to see that MJ DDD for a good cry, and also to hear your thoughts on Invincible

[@MaxMarriner]

Gotta give it up for using Third Strike music. Impeccable selection Edit: AND THE MVC1 MUSIC AT 19:42 THIS MAN IS GOATED

[@davidguthriemusic]

the amount of desire i have for that pop star brawler you workshopped at the end is probably unhealthy LOL

[@RobLives4Love]

I'm surprised you didn't bring up Prince's Interactive.

[@casanovafunkenstein5090]

Another one that you omitted was the Thompson Twins game from the 80s. It's a pretty basic text adventure, but it's notable for being one of the only games that was officially distributed on vinyl.

[@JoeSmoPedro]

I'm honestly surprised Brütal Legend wasn't mentioned at all here, features a good handful of prominent rock stars but the one that sticks out in my mind is Ozzy Osbourne as the shopkeep

[@hugo_slug1194]

5:48 sneaky bastard, you aint hiding that reference

[@beejamjam]

One recent game based on musicians, while not officially licensed at all, is Kanye Quest 3030. It featured a bumch of rappers but also seemed to have a cult-like Ascensionism link and that fueled a lot of speculation online. The person who created it was unknown until they were found very recently in a KZbin documentary called Finding Yeezus. It's hilarious and an honestly inspiring watch, I recommend it.

[@ronnierockit4468]

Terence Winter rocks, he also wrote the screenplay for The Wolf of Wall Street and was the showrunner of Boardwalk Empire.

[@Girlboss6197]

Random beatles triva time 🥳🎉 3:02 ~ “oh, you can't do that” as reference to the chorus song of the same name which appears on the “A hard days night album” 3:25 ~ Apollo C. Vermouth is the Pseudonym that Paul Mcartney used to produce the 1967 track “Im the urban spaceman” by The bonzo dog doh dah band. This band also appear in the magical mystery tour film. 3:36 ~ Hippy Hippy shakes is a song that the Beatles covered occasionally, a version of this can be heard on the “Live, At the BBC” album. ( most recordings from this were from a radio program called “Pop go the Beatles, so I presume this is where this cover is originally from.) 3:36 ~ Natural E appears to be in reference to the song “Baby, Youre a rich man.” (How does it feel to be, One of the beautiful people, Tuned to a natural E) These are all the ones I could find except from the lines from “I saw her standing there”, “I am the walrus” and “Maxwell’s silver hammer” which were mentioned in the video. This includes my essay on the Beatles, I hope you all enjoyed I will now return to watching this video.

[@l2919]

Another game with motzart and salliari is fate grand order where they are both minor characters in different arcs

[@WaterDispencer519]

You forgot to mention the PS1 Wu-Tang Clan controller that was bundled with the Wu-Tang Clan game. The controller was shaped to look like the Wu-Tang Clan logo, and it was known to be one of the worst third-party controllers ever made.

[@dvdfiend]

The pop star game you're talking about could be an updated version of Celebrity Deathmatch!

[@oriontheghost5094]

Mic the Snare is finally fulfilling his role as the Scott the woz of music.

[@loganmacosko5908]

21:38 I saw someone on the popheadscj page on reddit was actually working on a game just like this one, but less def jam and more brawlhalla

[@rafaelaugustodantasmota5427]

what an awesome video man, i watch everything you put on, but this one chock me, i haven't played a game in years and this got me pump to play again

[@SteMail926]

Shout out to Britney Spears' Dance Beat, which my family bought me for Christmas. It's genuinely the thing that confirmed to me that they knew I was queer and were accepting of me because I'd tried to hide how obsessed with Britney I was, and then they come with a whole rhythm game based on her (which in the early 2000s most 8 year old boys would not be openly in to). Terrible game, good memory, lol.

[@puffitale]

I got Britney’s Dance Beat for my 15th birthday. I hadn't started anti-depressants yet, so I was still terrible at video games. I distinctly remember huddling up to my sister and her laptop to watch her finish the game for me so I (she) could unlock all the bonuses.

[@SetsunaTheFandom]

A brawler with pop girls? SIGN ME UP.

[@jasminealce834]

Def Jam but with pop girls…as a gamer and a pop-addict, I would play that one RELIGIOUSLY. I would personally love it to have a diverse cast of different female artists from various decades, like the 2020’s the 2010’s the 2000’s, the 90’s, the 80’s and the 70’s. From Britney Spears & Rihanna to Chappell & Charli to Avril & Tate to Bjork & Beyoncé 💀. The possibilities….imagine a Fergie cartwheeling move, or a Janet Jackson moveset that pays tribute to her dances. Or Taylor’s alts being many of her different eras. I think that concept would sell like HOT CAKES. I’m sorry, but the idea of me having to say “yeah, I main Nelly Furtado” while beating the shit out of other pop girls is fucking hilarious.

[@robo567]

Does brütal legend count? Its not based on a particular musician but jack black voices the main character and there’s a ton of classic metal music in the game.

[@CipherCutie]

The interesting thing about Revolution X was that its prototype was actually designed for a Public Enemy game but they switched to Aerosmith mid development.

[@mhd8474]

YAYY NEW Mic the Snare I’ll take time to beg and plead for a Michael Jackson DDD or at least the music that defined th 80s

[@matthewhodgson4447]

He mentioned "one day I might do a video on Michael Jackson". Come on Mic!

[@Stelios78910]

LIVE-URR BIRDS MIC, LIVE-ERR BIRDS Pronunciation aside, this was an awesome video and I just loved how you got straight into it. Who knew about Beatle Quest before this vid? I certainly didn’t!

[@carlosemilio5180]

1:50 that was mostly brad actually

[@MoxieMcMurder]

I was OBSESSED with Moonwalker on the SEGA Megadrive. Good times! 😂

[@chaseywoot]

JERMA REFERENCE 🎉🎉🎉🎉 WHAT THE HELL IS A SANE PERSON

[@Froleyboy]

I would love to hear your thoughts on The Resident's weird avant garde game Bad Day on the Midway. Great nightmare fuel

[@gnarwhal7562]

A new Def Jam fighting game with all the current signees would be a wet dream for me. They would need Masahiro Sakurai as a negotiator for the licensing tho 😂

[@saturnebulous]

this is so cool.. the art direction of a couple of these obscure gems really get me.. thank you : )

[@djhollowpoint]

Great video, I had Moonwalker on Genesis and knew all the secrets. The ability to use your magic to make all of your enemies dance till they die is still a top 10 finishing move.

[@EeveeFromAlmia]

Watched this video while on break at work. I had to force myself not to verbally laugh out loud several time. Hell yeah keep it up

[@SpaceFrog999]

My dad is the biggest Aerosmith fan in the world. He managed to track down a physical copy of Revolution X, and he was so happy to have it. One day, I went to play it, and when I took the disc out of its blank case with "Revolution X" written on it in sharpie (i think it was a bootleg), the disc snapped in half and I had to go tell him that I just broke the Aerosmith game on accident. I have no idea why that god damn disc was so brittle, the memory haunts me to this day, and it forced my face into a deep frown during the entire Revolution X segment of this video

[@StrengthOfSamson45]

"50 Cent and his favorite friends"😂

[@GeovaneSanciniSR]

Fun fact: There's a 8-bit version of Michael Jackson's Moonwalker for the Master System, and it was developed by none other than Arc System Works.

[@mechajay3358]

2:03 I wanna hope it's not sad, because Michael has an incredible discography.

[@PXKMProductionsGaming]

Glad to hear the Devo shoutout! Was kinds hoping to hear about their game here. But hey, next time, right? :3 If you do do a part 2, please also talk about the Residents games as well as Aural Quest (the Stranglers).

[@CosmicSponge2004]

Wu-Tang's gore password was likely inspired by Mortal Kombat Genesis. Likely to avoid controversy with magazines and parents from the Thrill Kill situation

[@HighHeelKnight]

I was a very young child when Journey Escape for the Atari 2600 was released. I played the game many times. However, I wouldn't learn of the existence of a rock band named Journey for several years, AND the connection of the band to the game wasn't known to me until around two decades later, 😂😂😂

[@chrisspaight2955]

Yes! I was wondering if anyone else played that! That was my favorite Atari game and introduced me to Journey

[@joe3489]

18:42 Fun fact, Snoop's outfit in this game is literally that of Rugal Bernstein, the boss character from King of Fighters 94 and 95

[@shadowray100]

The pop girls fighting game would sell like hot cakes. I would buy it. Could even make it like Dead or Alive 😂😂

[@usernotfound40495]

Ahhh moonwalker where MJ is a smooth gangster but also frolics in a field of daisys with a couple of kids😂

[@thelocalwerewolf]

a pop-star fighting game called "cat-fight" is crazy work i love that idea

[@Elementa2006]

On an unofficial note, there's a hack rom version of Super Mario Bros 2 aka. Yume Kojo: Dokki Dokki Panic for the NES based on the Beatles film The Yellow Submarine titled The Beatles Adventures in Pepperland, where Mario, Luigi, Peach and Toad are replaced with the Beatles and the levels have been changed to Beatles/Yellow Submarine inspired levels with 8bit versions of Beatles songs.

[@KelseyHontz]

"my script says 'encursted'" made me laugh SO hard lmao

[@ColaCartel]

the Michael Jackson deep discog dive thumbnail has me foaming at the mouth

[@prettypinkblunt]

OMG I HAD THAT HANNAH MONTANA DS ONE!!! I remember I got stuck at one of the mall quests and never figured it out 😭😭

[@Deeko21]

Interesting Fact about Revolution X; the reason why Midway randomly chosen to use the Aerosmith license for the game was due to them loosing a deal on getting the arcade game rights for Jurassic Park which went to Sega.

[@Hoodiebud]

5:50 UH OH! CLASSIC ALERT!

[@dogme666]

def jam fight for new york was amazing mechanically , it had a really cool learning curve , the brawling was amazing

[@DeHumaneVestisFabrica]

As far as pop music video games go, nothing will ever beat 'Jeff Wayne's Musical Version of War of the Worlds', the text-based adventure for the ZX Spectrum. Except 'Jeff Wayne's Musical Version of War of the Worlds', the RTS for the PC. Except 'Jeff Wayne's Musical Version of War of the Worlds', the third-person shooter for the Playstation. Definitely the best three games based on a prog rock album based on a science fiction book I know about.

[@francescocagnacci]

Honestly i loved the moonwalker game when i was little. I got a virus while trying to download an emulator to run the game. Needlees to say i never finished it, but the movie was a constant watch, even if it was VERY weird.