History VideoGame / DefJamSeries

* CanadaEh: Bless is Canadian, not that ''Fight For NY'' ever tells you that. Additionally, EA Canada had a hand in the development of the first two games.

* UpdatedRerelease: ''Fight for NY'' was re-released on the UsefulNotes/PlayStationPortable as ''[[ColonCancer Def Jam: Fight for NY: The Takeover]]'', which includes a new storyline, four new stages ([[DisneyVillainDeath one of them in a ship]]) and updated fighting mechanics -- most notably, [[TalkToTheFist random pre-fight actions]], a mount position, [[CoupDeGrace more chances to KO your opponent]], extra moves / counters such as [[AHandfulForAnEye dirt throwing]], and the option to [[CripplingOverspecialization repeat fighting styles]] for the created character. However, some things were removed, such as cutscenes, tag fights, the Inferno Match and smaller Demolition Matches.

The first game, ''Def Jam Vendetta'', was developed by AKI Corporation (now Syn Sophia; known for ''VideoGame/WWFNoMercy'' and other wrestling games in Western countries) and EA Canada. Released in 2003 for the UsefulNotes/NintendoGameCube and UsefulNotes/PlayStation2, the concept for the game is a combination of ProfessionalWrestling and HipHop culture, featuring several rappers, mostly from Creator/DefJamRecordings, instead of professional wrestlers. In the game, the player has to pick from four different characters to use in the story mode. In the story, the protagonist's injured friend Manny calls them to ask that they take his place in an underground street fight, and to help him pay a debt to the underworld boss D-Mob (Creator/ChristopherJudge), who happens to be hooked up with the protagonist's old flame. In the end, after they've beaten all of the other fighters, the protagonist faces off against D-Mob himself. Upon defeating him, they leave with their girlfriend and [[SequelHook the ending sets up for the sequel]].

* GutturalGrowler: One of the vocal choices for the created fighter.

* AuthorityEqualsAsskicking: In ''Fight for NY'', Crow is easily one of the most difficult characters in the game. [[spoiler:D-Mob is not.]]

* BonusBoss: After completing the story in ''Fight for NY'', [[spoiler:D-Mob himself challenges the player to a one on one fight.]] No publicity, no spectators, just the player and him in the middle of a scrapyard.

* NonIndicativeName: Yes, even for a series that's largely InNameOnly. Some of the emcees that were in the Def Jam games either spent time under the label before making a switch prior to an installment's development (Flava Flav of Public Enemy, Warren G), while many others were never with Def Jam in the first place (Snoop Dogg, Xzibit, E-40, Music/{{TI}}, Paul Wall, etc). The rappers that actually ''were'' with the label or any of its divisions up to the release of an installment are few and far between (Redman, Method Man, Young Jeezy). This is because many of the artists were pulled from the greater Universal Music Group label.

* DoesNotLikeShoes: Your custom character can be barefoot, and there are a few fighters who go without shoes. Mainly Banner, due to basing his mannerisms off of ''ComicBook/TheIncredibleHulk''.

* SurprisinglyRealisticOutcome: ''Fight for NY'' has a lot of big, obvious breaks from reality, including superhuman fighters who can shrug off getting hit with metal pipes, getting their head repeatedly smashed into walls, holds and takedowns that are often absurd and obviously could not work in real life (perhaps the most ridiculous one involves [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tou_lQI9QeE turning your opponent into a pogo stick]]), and that would almost certainly be instantly crippling or lethal in real life if they did somehow work as depicted. However, there's one thing that definitely falls in line with reality: if a 2 on 2 team fight becomes a 2 on 1, it's almost impossible for the one person to pull out the victory.[[note]]This is what makes the fight between your player character and Blaze versus Magic and Crack that one level for many players; Blaze starts the fight with his health reduced as a result of a beating taken in a cutscene before the fight begins. If you can't finish off one opponent before he is taken out (and if Blaze winds up trying to fight Crack, he can get taken out ''very'' quickly), you're all but certain to lose the fight.[[/note]]

* GreenEyedMonster: [[spoiler:Sticky]] becomes this concerning the player's character in ''Fight for NY''. [[FaceHeelTurn This will eventually led to him joining Crow's crew]].

* LaughingMad: Bonecrusher let’s out extremely entertaining fits of laughter in his opening and winning quotes.

The first game, ''Def Jam Vendetta'', was developed by AKI Corporation (now Syn Sophia; known for ''VideoGame/WWFNoMercy'' and other wrestling games in Western countries) and EA Canada. Released in 2003 for the UsefulNotes/NintendoGameCube and UsefulNotes/PlayStation2, the concept for the game is a combination of ProfessionalWrestling and hip hop, featuring several rappers, mostly from Creator/DefJamRecordings, instead of professional wrestlers. In the game, the player has to pick from four different characters to use in the story mode. In the story, the protagonist's injured friend Manny calls them to ask that they take his place in an underground street fight, and to help him pay a debt to the underworld boss D-Mob (Creator/ChristopherJudge), who happens to be hooked up with the protagonist's old flame. In the end, after they've beaten all of the other fighters, the protagonist faces off against D-Mob himself. Upon defeating him, they leave with their girlfriend and [[SequelHook the ending sets up for the sequel]].

* TookALevelInKindess: D-Mob in ''Fight for NY'' is far more affable and honorable then he was in ''Vendetta''. This can be linked to CharacterDevelopment, as his defeat at the end of that game greatly humbled him.