Hello, good day, we’re getting a brand new Rhythm Heaven recreation in just a bit over a month! Are you able to imagine it?! It’s been over a 12 months since Nintendo introduced Rhythm Heaven Groove, and over a decade for the reason that final Rhythm Heaven, and I’m completely shedding my thoughts over right here occupied with how Nintendo really remembered and cared sufficient about this foolish little microgame franchise to make a model new one, simply in time to ship off the unique Nintendo Change.
Stairway to Rhythm Heaven
You’re forgiven should you’ve by no means picked up a Rhythm Heaven earlier than. In any case, it’s been over a decade since Rhythm Heaven: Megamix on Nintendo 3DS. The Rhythm Heaven video games are, nicely, collections of rhythm video games! Each incorporates dozens of little minigames that includes cute characters in goofy situations the place you reply to audio and visible cues by tapping buttons in a set rhythm, typically in time with music. You’re then rated primarily based on how correct your responses had been. The video games are beloved for his or her very exact rhythm mechanics, foolish situations, satisfying sound results, and glorious music.
I discussed Megamix as the newest Rhythm Heaven, however Megamix was additionally solely kind of a brand new Rhythm Heaven—whereas it featured a narrative and a few new recreation modes, over 100 of its rhythm video games had been returning video games from prior video games, and there have been solely 30 model new ones added. Previous to Megamix, we acquired Rhythm Heaven Fever for Wii in 2011, Rhythm Heaven for DS in 2008, and the unique Rhythm Tengoku, which was solely launched in Japan in 2006 for GBA.
Provided that considerably spotty historical past, it’s relatively shocking that Nintendo is opting to revisit this foolish minigame franchise, which can owe its rare appearances to the truth that it’s…by no means precisely been Nintendo’s hottest franchise, as a lot because the fervor for Chorus Kids in Smash would have you ever imagine. Whereas a beloved cult favourite, Rhythm Heaven hasn’t offered exceptionally nicely in its most up-to-date incarnations. Megamix offered simply over one million copies finally official rely, a bit of greater than the 3DS Fireplace Emblem remake and rather less than Mario & Luigi: Paper Jam. That’s a major drop from the three million that Rhythm Heaven on DS offered (We don’t have laborious numbers on Rhythm Heaven Fever, sadly).
After which there’s the matter of Tsunku, the franchise’s beloved composer. Tsunku is a well-liked Japanese songwriter who partnered with Nintendo for the unique Rhythm Heaven and has labored on each recreation since. Nonetheless, in 2014, Tsunku introduced that he had laryngeal most cancers, and in 2015 had his vocal cords eliminated as a part of the therapy. Whereas he’s continued to jot down some music and remained concerned in music manufacturing since, he’s naturally been considerably much less energetic within the music scene ever since. Realizing that, it’s not surprising we haven’t had a brand new Rhythm Heaven recreation since 2015, and that the one we acquired then didn’t have a lot in the way in which of recent songs.
Getting the groove again
However there’s excellent news: Tsunku is confirmed to be concerned with Rhythm Heaven Groove. We don’t understand how in depth his position is, however him having the ability to take part in Groove in any capability might very nicely be why Nintendo was prepared to revisit the franchise within the first place. Tsunku himself hasn’t stated a lot about Groove past posting the Japanese box art on his blog recently. His weblog is definitely extraordinarily charming, largely consisting of meals footage and speaking about hanging out along with his household. I’m glad he’s doing so nicely and I hope his kids are having fun with these lovable bentos.
However past that we don’t really know a lot about what Groove will entail in any respect. Other than the announcement trailer, we’ve solely seen one different little bit of footage from the sport, and that’s a truncated model of the “Slice N Cube Kitchen” recreation. Although temporary, it definitely seems to be like very traditional Rhythm Heaven.
Slice N Cube Kitchen is a model new recreation, and the one one we’ve seen in depth footage of, but it surely’s not the one recreation that’s confirmed. Groove’s field artwork incorporates plenty of acquainted characters coming back from earlier video games, together with the onion from Rhythm Tweezers, the house males from Area Dance, and what seems to be like one of many birds from one in every of my private favorites, Flock Step. It’s humorous, regardless of feeling kind of put out that Megamix was largely returning video games and never new ones, I nonetheless discover myself hoping for a bunch of outdated favorites to return again. Other than Flock Step, I’m actually hoping to see the lovable seals from Flipper Flop, and my very own private journalistic inspiration, the woman from Ringside:
No matter what new or returning video games present up, I’m simply thrilled we’re getting a brand new Rhythm Heaven in any respect. There are a handful of actually fascinating little franchises which can be both fully or largely tied up in Nintendo’s handheld period and by no means made the soar to Change—Fashion Savvy, Nintendogs, and Artwork Academy come to thoughts. We’ve lately seen a couple of of those lastly pull by, with video games like Tomodachi Life: Residing the Dream and the upcoming Professor Layton. However I actually had given up hope for Rhythm Heaven till this was introduced, particularly after all the pieces with Tsunku. It’s a bummer we gained’t get a devoted Change 2 model, but additionally, I’m undecided I care that a lot. A Change 2 isn’t going to do something for the lovable and quirky Rhythm Heaven, a recreation outlined primarily by its snappy sounds and music and its solid of bizarre little dudes relatively than swanky graphics or the like. And what a bizarre, great, Nintendo-flavored swan track for the unique Nintendo Change it’s!
Okay, okay, yet one more Rhythm Heaven recreation for the street. Watch this after which attempt to inform me it’s not extremely satisfying. Now simply think about pushing the buttons your self!
Additionally, please inform me your favourite Rhythm Heaven rhythm video games within the feedback so we will all watch YouTube movies of them collectively over the subsequent month earlier than Groove comes out (July 2)! Thanks!
