Latest installment in series feels far from ‘heaven’ly for loyal gamers

After the release of Rhythm Heaven Megamix for the Nintendo 3DS, many fans thought that this would be the end of the Rhythm Heaven series. Shortly after the release of the 3DS title, the game’s main composer and producer, Tsunku♂, unfortunately had to get his vocal cords removed due to laryngeal cancer. Obviously, Tsunku♂ would still be able to produce music and work on the series, but he would not be able to use his voice and sing for certain sections within the game, which made the reveal of Rhythm Heaven Groove a gigantic shock to fans of the series.

The Rhythm Heaven series got its start on August 3, 2006 with the release of Rhythm Tengoku, revealed for the GameBoy Advance only in Japan. The Rhythm Heaven series is generally composed of micro rhythm games, where users click with the beat of background music to complete levels and score points. The series’ signature varied artistic style brings extra spice to a genre known for having minimal controls. These games are then organized into “Remixes,” mixtures of previous minigames rolled into one song and level. 

The public reacted positively to the game, leading developers to make another title, Rhythm Heaven, for the Nintendo DS, releasing on July 31, 2008 for Japan, and being the first Rhythm Heaven game to release for North Americans audiences on April 5, 2009. Rhythm Heaven for the DS was the most innovative of the series, opting to use the touch screen feature as the only way to control the game, instead of using the buttons. 

Even though the immediate reaction to Rhythm Heaven was positive, it was underwhelming for North American audiences. The Rhythm Heaven series tried again with Rhythm Heaven Fever, released on February 3, 2012 for North American audiences, even branching out to South America and Europe, however people did not exactly bite. Not many felt like investing money and time into this rhythm-based series.

After these games missed with fans across the globe, the team put out one more game in December of 2016, looking to be their last, Rhythm Heaven Megamix for the 3DS. 

Rhythm Heaven Megamix was presented as the ultimate entry in the Rhythm Heaven series. The game consists of some minigames found within the three prior titles, even the Japan-exclusive, Rhythm Tengoku, and some new minigames, ultimately leading to the “Final Remix” with a combination of many minigames across all four entries in the series.

Throughout mid 2020, many content creators covered Rhythm Heaven for the DS, and Rhythm Heaven Fever, which helped it gain popularity. The game was finally getting the popularity it deserved, the unfortunate irony being that it was four years after the final game. Many who became fans of the Rhythm Heaven series during this time speculated that there would be a new entry into the series, however these hopes were short lived, as there would not be any announcements for a new Rhythm Heaven game for five years.

Fast forward to March 27, 2025, and a new Nintendo Direct is out, showcasing numerous new releases that Nintendo’s been planning for their consoles. One of those announcements, however, was the continuation of the Rhythm Heaven series, with the game title Rhythm Heaven Groove. Fans of the series, both old and new, were ecstatic for a fifth edition to the series; and the game finally came out to the Nintendo Switch on July 2, 2026. So how does the new installment compare to the previous titles?

Even though the Rhythm Heaven series will be continued, it falls flat in quality compared to the previous titles. While it could be partially due to Tsunku♂ losing his voice, the contents of the game come off as less intricate as opposed to other games. Rhythm Heaven Groove isn’t a complete failure since the game consists of more content, with new modes, including the Beatspell mode, where users fight in a dungeon against various monsters, using different spells based off of different rhythms.

Ultimately, Rhythm Heaven Groove is a decent sequel, but not the one that many fans were anticipating. Now, people only look towards the potential of a sixth game and hope that the series will be able to follow up with a more satisfying finale.

Grade: B-

While Rhythm Heaven Groove is certainly a welcome return to the series, it leaves many glaring issues unresolved and summons wishful thoughts among fans for yet another entry.

by Matthew Stinski

Published October 5, 2026

Oshkosh West Index Volume 123 Issue 1