It was bound to happen. When a diss track gets so big that it starts breaking Spotify records and soundtracking 4th of July parties at the White House, the internet is going to turn it into a video game. That’s just the world we live in now. The Not Like Us game, officially titled Not Like Us: The Game, popped up out of nowhere as a browser-based distraction that somehow managed to capture the petty, pixelated heart of the most lopsided rap battle in recent memory.
Honestly, it's hilarious.
You’ve got a 2D Kendrick Lamar, or at least a tiny, 8-bit version of him, wielding a bat. His mission? Whack a series of owls. If you've been living under a rock, the owl is the logo for Drake’s OVO label. It isn't subtle. It isn't high-budget. But it perfectly encapsulates how the Kendrick and Drake beef shifted from a lyrical exchange into a full-blown cultural meme.
What is the Not Like Us game actually about?
Developed by a programmer named Richie Branson, the game is a "love letter to 1980s video games and hip hop culture." Branson isn't some random corporate dev. He’s worked on music and tech projects before, and he clearly saw the opportunity to immortalize a specific moment in pop culture.
The gameplay is basic. It's essentially a riff on Wack-a-Mole or the classic Kaboom! mechanics. You move Kendrick back and forth at the bottom of the screen. Owls drop down. You hit them. You get points. Every time you land a hit, a 16-bit chiptune version of the Mustard-produced beat plays. It’s catchy. It’s annoying. It’s exactly what the internet wanted.
One of the funniest details is the "certified lover boy" counter. If you miss too many owls, the game ends. It doesn't take itself seriously, which is why it worked. In an era where AAA game studios spend $200 million and ten years making a game that everyone hates, Branson whipped this up to ride a wave of viral energy.
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The cultural weight of an 8-bit diss
Why does a browser game matter? Because it represents the total "gamification" of celebrity conflict. We aren't just listening to songs anymore; we are interacting with the beef.
The Not Like Us game exists because the song itself was designed to be a "boogeyman" anthem. Kendrick Lamar didn't just write a diss track; he wrote a song that people could dance to, and by extension, a song that could be turned into a literal game. When the game launched, it saw massive spikes in traffic because it gave fans a way to "participate" in the victory lap Kendrick was taking.
Most people don't realize how fast this moved. Within weeks of the song dropping and the music video—which featured Kendrick actually hitting an owl piñata—the game was live. That’s a level of cultural responsiveness that traditional media can’t touch.
Mechanics and Easter Eggs
If you spend more than five minutes playing, you’ll notice the little things. The art style mimics the NES era. There are subtle nods to the music video. It’s a very specific type of fan service.
- The Soundtrack: A lo-fi, chiptune remix of the "Not Like Us" beat.
- The Controls: Simple left-to-right movement with a single action button for the swing.
- The Visuals: Bright colors, pixel art, and a very distinct "West Coast" aesthetic.
It’s worth noting that this isn't the first time rap beef has gone digital. Back in the day, we had flash games about 50 Cent or Kanye West. But those felt like weird, third-party parodies. This one feels like a collective celebration of a specific win.
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Why developers are leaning into "Meme Games"
Branson’s project highlights a growing trend in software development. We’re seeing a rise in "disposable" gaming. These aren't meant to be played for 40 hours. You play it for three minutes, take a screenshot of your high score, tweet it, and move on.
The tech behind the Not Like Us game is surprisingly lean. It’s built to run on almost any mobile browser or desktop. No downloads. No app store hurdles. Just a link and a dream of hitting owls with a bat.
For developers, this is a masterclass in marketing. You don't need a massive budget if you have a massive hook. By tying the game to the most searched-for event in music, the game gained more organic reach than most indie games on Steam get in a year.
Is it still playable?
Yes, but it’s mostly a relic of a very specific moment in 2024. As we move into 2026, the game serves more as a digital time capsule. It’s a reminder of that summer when everyone was chanting "A-minor" and debating the finer points of Compton geography.
There were some rumors that the game might get taken down due to copyright or "likeness" issues. Surprisingly, it stayed up. Probably because it falls so clearly under parody law, and frankly, neither camp likely wanted the bad PR of suing a fan-made pixel game. Drake has enough legal stuff to worry about, and Kendrick is busy being, well, Kendrick.
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The controversy of gamifying a serious feud
Not everyone loved it. Some critics argued that turning a feud involving very serious allegations—ranging from sex trafficking to domestic violence—into a fun little game was "distasteful."
That’s a fair point.
The lyrics of "Not Like Us" are incredibly dark. They aren't just "I'm a better rapper than you." They are "You are a predator and your whole team is compromised." Turning that into a "wack-a-mole" game definitely strips away the gravity of the accusations. But that’s the internet for you. It turns everything into a joke eventually.
Actionable Takeaways for the Curious
If you're looking to check out the Not Like Us game or similar cultural artifacts, here’s how to navigate this weird corner of the web:
- Find the original source: Stick to the official site (notlikeusgame.com) to avoid weird clones that are riddled with ads or malware.
- Check the credits: Look into Richie Branson’s other work. He’s a fascinating figure at the intersection of hip hop and tech.
- Context is key: If you’re a student of hip-hop history, compare this to the "Rap Jam Volume 1" days or the "Def Jam: Fight for NY" era. We’ve come a long way from licensed fighting games to browser-based diss tracks.
- Developer Tip: If you're a coder, look at the game's source code if you can. It's a great example of how to use simple Javascript/HTML5 to create viral engagement without needing a heavy engine like Unreal or Unity.
The game isn't going to win Game of the Year. It isn't going to change the way we think about narrative structure in RPGs. But it is a perfect example of how music, celebrity, and technology have merged into one giant, messy, 8-bit ball of energy. It’s petty. It’s fast. It’s a little bit mean.
It’s exactly what a diss track should be.