Nintendo fans were thrilled when a new installment in the Rhythm Heaven series was first revealed back in 2025. Now, at long last, Rhythm Heaven Groove is almost here. The latest installment in Nintendo’s iconic rhythm game series releases on July 2nd for Nintendo Switch and Switch 2. I had the opportunity to check it out early for review, and it’s honestly a miracle I managed to tear myself away to write this.
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Like the previous games in the series, Rhythm Heaven Groove is a collection of mini-games that task players with following audio cues. This is the first game released for the Nintendo Switch and the first new entry in over 10 years. But after spending time with the collection of mini-games on offer for single-player and multiplayer, I can safely say it’s been well worth the wait. Even as someone with an admittedly poor sense of rhythm, I had a lot of fun with this one, and the sheer variety of mini-games left me impressed.
Rating: 4 out of 5
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| A massive, impressively varied collection of fun single-player rhythm games | TV calibration can cause unexpected game behavior |
| Unique library of co-op and PvP multiplayer rhythm games | Some single-player game modes locked behind hard-to-earn medals |
| Catchy tunes that will get stuck in your head long after playing | |
| Tutorials make each game easy to learn but hard to master |
Rhythm Heaven Groove Turned Me into a Rhythm Game Convert
I’ll admit, I’ve always been a bit hesitant about rhythm games due to my relatively terrible sense of rhythm. Despite a history in high school marching band, staying on the beat isn’t exactly my forte. But with all the hype around the Rhythm Groove series, I couldn’t resist checking out its first Nintendo Switch installment. And I’m glad I did.
In single-player mode, you’ll work your way through various stages of mini-games that culminate in a fun “remix” stage. Each game has a built-in tutorial that helps you learn the timing (no comment on how long some of those tutorials took me to complete). The tutorial does help lay the foundation so you know the right timing and what to listen to. But trust me, the tutorial doesn’t make any of the games too easy.
Each rhythm game tasks you with hitting a minimum score before you can unlock the next. I did find that meeting this threshold was perhaps a bit too easy, as I managed to pass with a “Good” even on levels I really struggled with. I’m still amazed I passed Disc Dog, because I spent way too long trying to figure out the timing in that tutorial. But while the minimum pass threshold isn’t too high, mastering the games and getting the highest rating is another story altogether. That makes Rhythm Heaven Groove a great example of an “easy to learn, hard to master” situation.
As I played my way through each stage in single-player, I was consistently impressed with the sheer creativity and variety of the mini-games in Rhythm Heaven Groove. Each one manages to feel unique, challenging your sense of rhythm in a different, yet equally engaging, way. From opening and closing an umbrella to the beat to running track in a student’s first video game project, each setup feels like its own special in-game world. And many of them have quite catchy tunes to go with them, too. I found myself humming some of the beats long after I finished my play sessions.
Multiplayer adds another library of mini-games that can be played with up to 4 players. These are yet again different from those in single-player, giving the game even more variety for those who want to play with friends. The games here are a mix of cooperative and competitive installments, with more unlocked as you play your way through.
Despite a Few Minor Snags, Rhythm Heaven Groove Feels Well Worth Its Pricetag
I tested out Rhythm Heaven Groove on the Switch 2 in handheld and docked modes. For the most part, it ran very well in both. However, you do need to calibrate your TV when playing in docked mode. This failed to work properly the first time I did it, which definitely caused a few games not to function properly. Thankfully, it was easily fixed by recalibrating the settings from the menu, and I didn’t have any more issues afterwards. The game includes a similar warning for using wireless headphones, which can also cause a sound delay. This is frustrating, but it’s perhaps to be expected for a game that relies on listening for a sound to help you hit the right button at the exact right time.
I also found it a bit frustrating that certain single-player features, including progression in the magic combat Beatspell mode, are locked behind hard-to-earn medals from the Rhythm Toy Box. Considering that section is described as “all for fun,” I didn’t love that my inability to figure out some of the mini-games locked me out of progressing in other single-player modes. Having these separate game modes unlock one another felt a bit off compared to the more streamlined progression for the standard stages.
Despite a few minor snags, though, Rhythm Heaven Groove is just plain fun. With an extensive library of single-player and multiplayer mini-games, every stage offers a unique and engaging challenge that ensures the game never feels stale. I often found myself muttering “just one more” during my play sessions because I just didn’t want to stop learning new rhythm games and challenging myself to make it to the remix stage. If you enjoy rhythm games or are a newcomer curious to give them a try, I think Rhythm Heaven Groove will feel well worth its $40 price tag for the amount of entertaining gameplay on offer.
Rhythm Heaven Groove releases on July 2nd for Nintendo Switch and is playable on Switch 2 via backwards compatibility. ComicBook received a Nintendo Switch code for the purpose of this review.
