Rhythm Heaven Groove: Nintendo’s rhythm series returns and almost nails it, with one catch
More than ten years have passed since the last Rhythm Heaven, and Rhythm Heaven Groove, called Rhythm Paradise Groove in PAL regions, came out on Nintendo Switch on July 2, 2026. It also runs on the Switch 2 through backward compatibility. It was nice to see Nintendo still sticking with such a simple formula: press buttons in time with the music, and not much more.
For the $39.99 price, the content is generous. There are more than 80 single-player minigames and more than 30 local multiplayer games for up to four people, split evenly between cooperative and competitive. The soundtrack is by Tsunku, who has worked on the series since 2006. On Metacritic the game sits around 82 points from 53 reviews, with scores such as a 9 from Pocket Tactics and an 8 from Nintendo Life.
The new addition is Beatspell, an RPG-style mode where you cast spells by following a metronome. It is a fun idea, though most reviews agree it is not the strongest part of the game. What really shines are the minigames: absurd, inventive, with a WarioWare feel, but where rhythm matters more than reaction speed.
The weak point is input latency when the console is docked and the picture goes to the TV. There is a calibration screen, but it does not always do enough. In a game decided by milliseconds, that is a serious problem, especially for couch play, which should be its best setting. The general advice is to play in handheld or tabletop mode.
What I like most about this review is its tone. It praises Nintendo for not adding an open world, a season pass, or narrative missions, and for showing that a rhythm game can justify itself on quality alone. If you have a Switch and like the genre, it seems an easy game to recommend, as long as the latency does not put you off.
Source: WWWhat's New
For the $39.99 price, the content is generous. There are more than 80 single-player minigames and more than 30 local multiplayer games for up to four people, split evenly between cooperative and competitive. The soundtrack is by Tsunku, who has worked on the series since 2006. On Metacritic the game sits around 82 points from 53 reviews, with scores such as a 9 from Pocket Tactics and an 8 from Nintendo Life.
The new addition is Beatspell, an RPG-style mode where you cast spells by following a metronome. It is a fun idea, though most reviews agree it is not the strongest part of the game. What really shines are the minigames: absurd, inventive, with a WarioWare feel, but where rhythm matters more than reaction speed.
The weak point is input latency when the console is docked and the picture goes to the TV. There is a calibration screen, but it does not always do enough. In a game decided by milliseconds, that is a serious problem, especially for couch play, which should be its best setting. The general advice is to play in handheld or tabletop mode.
What I like most about this review is its tone. It praises Nintendo for not adding an open world, a season pass, or narrative missions, and for showing that a rhythm game can justify itself on quality alone. If you have a Switch and like the genre, it seems an easy game to recommend, as long as the latency does not put you off.
Source: WWWhat's New
Comments 0
Leave the first comment, in any language.
Log in to comment