Rhythm games are all about challenging a player’s ability to keep time with music, whether through dancing, bashing bongos, strumming guitar controllers, or a myriad of other possibilities. They’ve been around for decades, but didn’t rise in popularity until the 1990s, when players were exposed to several options. These included popular games like Dance Dance Revolution and Donkey Konga. The genre reached its height in the 2000s, but by around 2013, it waned in popularity. We took a look at the genre’s best games and ranked them based on contemporary critics’ reviews upon release, overall popularity, and contributions to the genre.
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10) Spin Rhythm XD (2023)
While the era of peripheral-based rhythm games is seemingly over, there are several options available on PC, including Spin Rhythm XD. The game was released in 2023, making it one of the newest entries in the genre to land on this list. The game is an homage to the classics you’ll find below, though it features a modern soundtrack and graphics. Players must match colors and beats by spinning, tapping, and flicking through Spin Rhythm XD’s tracks, and it includes VR support. The game is available on multiple consoles and Steam, where it’s received Overwhelmingly Positive reviews, and its intensity is absolutely addictive.
9) Crypt of the NecroDancer (2015)
Crypt of the NecroDancer is another non-peripheral rhythm game, but the concept has shifted into a roguelike dungeon crawler. It includes an original soundtrack and a beat-matching mechanic that keeps the action going in time with the music. This adds a level of intensity you don’t see in your run-of-the-mill dungeon crawler, and it’s packed with options. Crypt of the NecroDancer allows for numerous types of controllers, including a dance pad, and it’s been ported to just about every system that can play it. In 2019, the devs released Cadence of Hyrule, a crossover title featuring music and elements from The Legend of Zelda franchise, a must-have for fans of both titles.
8) Rocksmith 2014 (2013)
Most rhythm games released in the 2000s and early 2010s required a proprietary controller, but Rocksmith was never about that. Rocksmith 2014 is an updated version of the 2011 game, and allows the player to plug in just about any brand or type of electric or bass guitar to play along. It was released with 66 songs, but players could purchase more than 1,000 different tracks as DLC if they so desired. More flowed in until the last DLC package arrived in early 2020, and Rocksmith 2014 has since been delisted from digital stores. This isn’t unusual, as licensing deals tend to expire, causing many rhythm games to vanish over time.
7) The Beatles: Rock Band (2009)
The Rock Band franchise released several games focused on specific bands, and the best-rated and highest-selling one is easily The Beatles: Rock Band. As the name implies, it’s all about the Fab Four and focuses on the band’s incredible career, featuring 45 of their songs. More were available as downloadable content, but that’s no longer the case. Regardless, the game is exceptional, and it introduced a three-part vocal-harmony system that Harmonix would later include in later Rock Band games. Unfortunately, the game is only playable on its original systems, and DLC isn’t supported any longer. You can still play the base game on the PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, and Wii, so it’s not gone forever.
6) Rhythm Doctor (2025)
While 2023’s Spin Rhythm XD is more of a traditional rhythm game, 2025’s Rhythm Doctor is quite different. The game is set in a hospital, where the player needs to defibrillate their patients in sync with their heartbeats. This is truly a unique take on the genre’s premise, and it’s also surprisingly fun. Gameplay requires only one button, and initially, you need to keep time with the beat. As the game’s difficulty increases, the player must handle everything from silent beats and various distractions to irregular time signatures and polyrhythms. It’s a truly unique gaming experience, and an innovation that’s keeping the genre going long after its decline.
5) Guitar Hero (2005)
The first Guitar Hero arrived in 2005, and while new to the West, it was based on Guitar Freaks, a popular game in Japan at the time that couldn’t be ported due to patent issues over its controller. When Guitar Hero landed on the PlayStation 2, it absolutely blew everyone away, introducing its guitar-shaped controller and tons of excellent tracks. It pulled in all kinds of players and would spawn an expansive franchise. It was easily one of the most influential games of the 2000s, as it jump-started the rhythm genre into overdrive. Guitar Hero was released with 30 tracks, but there were also bonus tracks, expansions, and much more.
4) Rock Band 2 (2008)
Rock Band 2 is the second in the franchise, and like its predecessor, it was a huge hit upon release. The game allows up to four players to provide vocals, drums, lead guitar, and bass guitar as they match the beat and perform their songs. The game came with improved controllers alongside 84 songs, with another 20 free ones available for download. The digital storefront expanded the available tracks to include more than 1,400 hits spanning the decades, helping make Rock Band 2 a huge success that not only sold incredibly well but also kept the franchise going for several years.
3) Guitar Hero II (2006)
It didn’t take Harmonix long to release a sequel to its surprise hit, and Guitar Hero II arrived on the PS2 and Xbox 360 to rave reviews. The game introduces a couple of enhanced gameplay options and over 40 popular songs. Many of these were covers recorded specifically for the game, and when it came out, there were several purchase options. You could continue using your Guitar Hero peripherals, or you could drop some extra cash on the PS2 bundle that came with a cherry-red Gibson SG guitar. The Xbox 360 bundle came with a white Gibson Explorer guitar, which certainly drew in more players, as Guitar Hero II sold incredibly well.
2) Rock Band (2007)
The success of the Guitar Hero franchise proved the genre’s popularity, so Harmonix continued developing. Rock Band took the premise and expanded it, adding four playable options and the ability to form a band and rock out with a microphone, drums, guitar, and bass guitar all at the same time. This significantly innovated the concept, and while older peripherals were compatible, the new game required a drum set and a microphone. It came packaged with 58 songs, while another 2,000 were available as DLC. Rock Band sold incredibly well, with over 100 million DLC songs purchased since its launch, giving Harmonix another successful franchise.
1) Rock Band 3 (2010)
Rock Band 3 continued the trend of releasing excellent rhythm games as the genre’s supremacy waned. It includes the three-part vocal harmonies introduced in The Beatles: Rock Band, allowing for up to three singers per song. It also supports MIDI-compatible devices, and in Pro mode, players can plug in real guitars. This significantly elevated the franchise, appealing to a broader group of gamers. Rock Band 3 came with 83 songs, though the library expanded to include 4,000 tracks. While not the last game in the franchise, Rock Band 3 arrived at the apex of the genre. Rock Band 4 is a great game, but support for it fell off quickly, ensuring that its predecessor retains the crown.
What’s your all-time favorite rhythm game? Leave a comment below and join the conversation now in the ComicBook Forum!
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images courtesy of Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures
