The new game Def Jam Rapstar from Konami and 4mm Games isn’t just a hip hop karaoke game or a challenging performance simulator like Rock Band 3. It’s a social media platform for building connections, promoting yourself, speaking your mind and maybe (just maybe) becoming an actual rap star.

We were given a behind-close-doors tour of the game by representatives from Konami, 4mm Games and Def Jam Enterprises, and we learned most of the details about the core music game play and the social media “metagame” that’s attached.

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The Music Game

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The game itself is similar to other karaoke games; you pick up a microphone and rap along with the track you’ve selected, and the game grades you on lyrical accuracy, timing and other musical factors.

Songs are presented with their music videos, profanity-free, though you’re free to use the harsh language from the original recordings if you want — it won’t affect your score.

You can even play in Duet mode, bringing your friends in to perform different parts in a song with multiple performers. Konami will offer new songs for download weekly, starting on day one.

There are several other modes, but the most unique and exciting is the Freestyle mode. We’ll talk about that alongside the game’s social media features.

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The Ambitious Social Features

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The social features of the game are tied primarily to the Freestyle mode, which you can use to rap on top of original beats and samples provided by Konami. As you lay down your audio track, the game uses your game console’s camera (the PlayStation Eye, the Xbox Live Vision Camera, and probably Microsoft Kinect) to record your performance on video.

You can edit the video afterwards, throwing in special effects and graphics, then post it to Def Jam Rapstar’s online community.

Links to videos and other updates are sharable on Twitter, Facebook and MySpace, but it’s not just about socializing. A whole game is built around a system of rap “battles” between users who upload video challenges to one another. Winners of battles (and MCs who accomplish other objectives) gain badges similar to the Xbox 360’s achievements.

All the profiles, news feeds and videos from Rapstar’s community are viewable by anyone on the web whether they have a game console or a copy of the game or not.

You can join crews, find followers and fans, or even strike up rivalries — either by challenging someone to battles frequently, or by getting kicked out of your crew. That last one will make you a rival to everyone in the old crew.

There are even roles for people who don’t rap. Promoters have their own metagame; they gain badges for using social media to spread the word about their favorite artists.

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Becoming a Real Rap Star

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Konami, 4mm and Def Jam Enterprises see the game as a breeding ground for new talent, and they’ve designed the Freestyle mode and the online tools with artists’ self-promotion and expression in mind.

They’ll cherry pick the finest talent — rappers who stir up vast armies of fans with superior lyricism, timing and pitch — and put them in professional production studios to create featured content for the network.

That would seem to fit with the hip hop ethos of coming from nowhere to conquer the whole world.

The game will launch on the Wii, PS3 and Xbox 360 with at least 40 songs and videos from artists like Dr. Dre, 2 Pac, 50 Cent, Ice Cube and more this October 5 in North America and November 2 in Europe.

Thanks to the modern console, arcade games will never hold as large a place in gaming as they did in the 1970s and 1980s.

But there is some good news for reto-gaming fans, as many arcade classics are now available in the App Store just waiting for you to download. Here are five awesome games that have made the leap from coin-operated arcade machine to your iPhone’s screen.

So limber up your thumbs and let us know your favorites in the comments below.

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1. Pang: Pocket Pong

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The Atari classic arcade game Pong, is undoubtedly the seminal title in the modern computer game industry. While it might be hard to believe now, back in the mid-70s, a home Pong console was the modern-day equivalent of having a PS3 hooked up to your television. Being the only game on the market at the time made it an obvious success, but the game itself is surprisingly addictive.

No “official” Pong app exists, but this version is pretty faithful to the early versions of the game, complete with authentic sound effects. There are several modes of play, which include the classic two-player action, player versus computer mode, and “rebound” in which you rally against the “wall.” There’s also a kind of volleyball variant if you want to mix it up.

Available as Separate iPad App? No
Cost: $0.99

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2. Space Invaders

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Despite the price tag, this is a must-have app for true fans of the original arcade game. There are three different options for controls — tricky tilt controls, drag controls and the easiest arrows method — as well as the ability to customize the screen, although you may prefer the simple “color” option over other more convoluted choices.

This app is from Taito, the game’s original developers, and one nice touch is the inclusion of a gallery of rare artwork and materials from the game’s development. Whether you can remember playing Space Invaders in an arcade, or you’re just curious about the game rumored to have lead to a shortage of 100-yen coins in Japan, then this is the app to opt for.

Available as Separate iPad App? No
Cost: $4.99

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3. PAC-MAN

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Namco has brought back Blinky, Pinky, Inky and Clyde, and the eponymous hero for the iPhone with this excellent mobile version of the vintage gaming giant. Play the “Lite” version (just the first level) for fork out the cash, and you can gobble dots and eat ghosts to your heart’s content.

Like other arcade games ported to the iPhone platform, you get a choice of controls, as well as the choice of your own music from your iPhone that you can select to play. Download this app on the game’s 30th anniversary and you’ll still be playing it in years to come.

Available as Separate iPad App? Yes
Cost: $4.99

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4. Frogger

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Frogger is a classic and fan favorite, appearing on multiple platforms, including unofficial incarnations such as “Froggy” and “Hopper”, since its introduction into arcades in 1981.

Here, Konami manages to keep a more-or-less retro feel to the game, although the graphics are not arcade-original. It also includes up-to-date functionality, such as the ability to post your scores to Facebook.

There are three control options, but slide is the only one that really works – making guiding your little frogs across the roads, and past the various foes, a strange touch experience for anyone used to real-life controls.

Available as Separate iPad App? Yes
Cost: $0.99

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5. Original Duck Hunt

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Despite Nintendo’s dominance in the history of gaming, because they’re a rival to Apple as far as hand held games go, they haven’t been very keen to develop for the platform, meaning a severe lack of vintage Nintendo titles are available on the mobile platform.

So far its existence has escaped the glare of Nintendo’s legal department, so this app is perfect for those nostalgic for Nintendo’s golden days of gaming. You may think Duck Hunt just won’t be the same without a bright orange NES Zapper, but it’s worth giving the game a “shot” on a touchscreen.

The colorful 8-bit graphics and fun sound effects will have you reminiscing about the 80s in no time, while the gameplay is faithful as far as the one duck/two duck options go, and that adorably frustrating pooch giggling if you miss, or retrieving if you don’t. Unfortunately, the clay pigeon shooting option has not been ported.

Available as Separate iPad App? No
Cost: $0.99