Rappers! Wrestling! Def Jam Vendetta!

Rappers wrestling. Wrestlers rapping.

It's the strange world of "Def Jam Vendetta," a new title for PlayStation 2 and GameCube from AKI and EA Sports Big that's an excellent example of what can come of some novel thinking.

Instead of making "Wrestle-O-Rama 27," developers came up with a great idea -- putting some of Def Jam Records' biggest stars in the ring.

You play as an up-and-coming wrestler, fighting in a dozen wonderfully seamy hip-hop venues for cash and rep. In the other corner you'll often find a rapper, working for your hated enemy, the D-Mob.

Rap stars featured include Ludacris, Scarface, Ghostface Killah and Redman. There are a total of 44 characters, and most of them put The Rock and Hulk Hogan on the trailer with spectacular moves, great taunting insults and a musical background that can't be topped by any current wrestling title.

This army of grapplers has a total of more than 1,500 separate moves, including all your favorite submission holds, kicks, punches, throws and eye gouges.

The game plays beautifully, with moves that make sense and are as dramatic as anything you'll see in a real ring. You can't just punch away and hope to win, either. You have to learn to grapple, defend and throw a few combinations at your opponent or you're heading for the county fair circuit.

There are three main game modes: Battle, Story and Survival. Four match types are available, including a one-on-one Singles match, the ever-popular Tag Team, the wild and woolly Free-For-All and Handicap.

There is also a tutorial available to hone your skills.

Control gets an A. Your fighter is easy to handle, provided you put in the time to learn the moves. Everything you need to win is just a button push away.

Graphics get another A. Plenty of style, color and grit, with nice detailing, shadow effects and use of color. The arenas don't intrude, but lend a feeling of accuracy to the proceedings.

Sound is also an A. If you like hip-hop, you're going to love just listening. A great soundtrack chock full of genuine artists from the Def Jam playlist is matched by excellent voice acting. This is a game where the sound plays a huge part in your gaming enjoyment, and it's fully up to the task.

"Def Jam Vendetta" gets a solid A as the best wrestling game I've ever played. It has everything -- a huge collection of wild moves, great music and solid game play that will keep you busy for weeks.