It seems like Nintendo's first-party support of the OG Switch may be drawing to a close, but before that happens, they're giving the hugely successful system one more quirky sendoff. Rhythm Heaven Groove, the first all-new entry in Nintendo's whimsical rhythm series in around 15 years, arrives this week (of course, it will also be playable on the Nintendo Switch 2).
Will Rhythm Heaven Groove have you tapping your toes and straining your thumbs? Or does this latest entry fail to find the beat? Boogie on down for the answer.
For those new to the Rhythm Heaven series, the games consist of a collection of rhythm-based minigames with a vaguely WarioWare-esque vibe (the series was created by WarioWare vets). Each minigame typically lasts a minute or two and revolves around performing one specific action to the beat -- bouncing fruit off your biceps, breaking and accelerating a car on cue, bopping macarons into a hole as an adorable crab, etc. -- often by just tapping the A button, although more "complex" games also incorporate the D-pad.
As the title implies, Rhythm is the name of the game here, as you’ll get nowhere fast just button-mashing. In fact, the game's visuals are often more of a distraction than anything, as the thing you really have to pay attention to is each minigame’s backing track and various audio cues. Get good enough at a minigame, and you can probably play it with your eyes closed.
One thing that differentiates Rhythm Heaven from most other games in the genre, is that each rhythm game it presents is unique, with different timing, cues, and gimmicks. Being good at one minigame is not a guarantee that you're going to be good at the next. In fact, the challenge curve is kind of all over the place. Each minigame being unique means they're all preceded by a relatively in-depth tutorial, so things don't flow as smoothly or quickly as in a WarioWare game. That said, once you get through all the tutorializing, locking in and finding that perfect beat in a minigame can be very satisfying.
Unlike the previous entry in the series, which was a compilation of minigames from past titles, Rhythm Heaven Groove serves up an entirely new set of challenges. Nintendo boasts that the game includes over 80 single-player minigames, although without giving too much away, be aware that that number includes a fair number of remixes and variations on themes. Groove's minigames perhaps aren't quite as memorably gonzo as some past entries in the series, but most of them are a head-bobbing good time, bolstered by an excellent soundtrack by series veteran composer Tsunku. Visually, the game lacks a bit of the visual verve and variety of WarioWare, with most games sticking to a similar, simple cartoon style, but the graphics get the job done.
Perhaps the main thing that sets Rhythm Heaven Groove apart from previous entries in the series is the sheer amount of stuff that’s been added outside the core single-player minigames. While past Rhythm Heaven games have offered somewhat hacked-together attempts at multiplayer, Groove features a fully dedicated mode with minigames specifically designed for up to four players. Half the multiplayer games are co-op, the other half competitive, and they range from more in-depth offerings like "Tennis Quest,” in which players battle back waves of enemies with tennis rackets, to simpler, sillier stuff like "Cake Wait," where players have to perfectly time their snatching of a sweet treat.
Nintendo has advertised 30 multiplayer minigames, but again, there's a good amount of remixing going on here, with there actually being 10 unique minigames, each of which has two unlockable harder variants. Multiplayer is a good time, offering the kind of pick-up-and-play fun that even series like Mario Party don't always fully nail. Everyone in the family, from toddlers to great grandma, can push a button, which is all a lot of these games require. I could see this one being a family gathering fav.
But that's not all! Groove also contains all manner of unlockable rhythm toys and attractions, including Beatspell, a full-on mini RPG where players take on a series of monsters using a rhythm-based battle system that requires you to hit buttons on the beat to cast spells. Beatspell almost feels like it could have been expanded into its own game, and it's just one of the many bonuses Nintendo has casually added to this package.
Make no mistake, Rhythm Heaven Groove may only carry a $40 price tag, but it's not light on replayability. This is not an easy game, with many minigames pushing my coordination and thumbs to the limit, and there's a ton of unlockable material for folks who want to pursue perfection. Add multiplayer and all the extra goodies to the mix, and this game will have you jamming for many nights to come.
This review was based on a copy of Rhythm Heaven Groove provided by publisher Nintendo.
About the author: Professional writer of trivial things. Nathan has been covering games, entertainment, and online culture for over a decade with bylines at IGN, GameSpy, Cracked, Uproxx, ComicBook, and more. Joined Wccftech gaming team in 2017, and has written hundreds of game reviews and thousands of news stories since.
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