Update [Tue 9th May, 2023 10:45 BST]: The video game producer/YouTuber UmEricYockey has posted a new video taking a closer look at this rare Um Jammer Lammy NOW! arcade machine.
The video confirms that yes, the British celebrity Jonathan Ross is the current owner of what may very well be the last Um Jammer Lammy arcade machine in existence and that they have agreed to get the ROMs professionally dumped (hopefully later this year) to ensure the game is carefully preserved.
UmEricYockey's video also goes into detail on the history of the machine and gives an explanation for why it exists and why it is so rare, to begin with.
According to UmEricYockey, it was apparently part of a range of four Namco arcade cabinets called the "Four Guitar Brothers", alongside Aerosmith's Quest For Fame, Guitar Jam, and Million Hits. Namco produced all of these in order to try and make a hit music game as quickly as possible to rival Konami, which was having success in the space at this time, but it is speculated that Um Jammer Lammy didn't do too great during location testing. The coin counter on Ross's machine, for instance, displays 3412 (¥341,200), which would have been equivalent to about $3000 in 1999 — less than the cost of the arcade machine itself.
The video also covers some interesting differences between the PlayStation and arcade versions of the game, with Um Jammer Lammy Now featuring a different story that seems to make greater use of Joe Chin, the villain from Parappa the Rapper 1.
You can watch the full video below:
Original Article [Fri 3rd Feb, 2023 13:15 GMT]: A seemingly 'lost' arcade version of NanaOn-Sha and Sony's PS1 rhythm game Um Jammer Lammy has been discovered after years of searching.
Released in Japanese arcades back in 1999, as part of a collaboration between Namco and Sony, the arcade version of the PaRappa the Rapper spin-off (titled Um Jammer Lammy NOW!) was said to feature updated graphics and new songs in addition to the original playlist. However, very little footage of it has surfaced over the last two decades, apart from snippets from old Japanese TV shows (that you can watch here and here).
Recently, however, a redditor named u/R7CrazyCanucks posted that they had been in contact with someone who had the rare machine in their possession and better yet, that they'd be willing to dump the ROM online to ensure it's preserved for future generations. They even posted a clip of the machine, showcasing the new continue screen with Joe Chin and stage 1 featuring Rammy.
Another user named u/Fireandironisaplace also posted a longer version of the footage not long after, which included a video of the attract screen.
It's a remarkable find and a testament to the hard work of the game's community (particularly the UJL Search Effort Discord) as well as the selflessness of its current owner. The identity of this owner is currently unknown, but there is some speculation that it may be the British celebrity Jonathan Ross due to this recent exchange on Twitter. Given Ross's knack for collecting obscure and interesting items, we really wouldn't put it past him.