Rhythm Heaven Groove Re-Ignited a Gaming Obsession I Thought I’d Outgrown Years Ago

Playing Rhythm Heaven Groove instantly reignited a long-lost love for quirky music games.

A stick figure character is pulling a barrel towards two red cans with a paw print design, with dust and motion effects indicating movement.

Published: Jul 27, 2026, 4:58 pm Updated: Jul 27, 2026, 4:58 pm

Primary Subject: Rhythm Heaven Groove
Key Update: Nintendo released Rhythm Heaven Groove for the Switch, featuring over 80 vibrant rhythm mini-games and chaotic Remix levels.
Status: Confirmed
Last Verified: July 27, 2026
Quick Answer: Rhythm Heaven Groove is a music-rhythm game on Nintendo Switch packed with quirky, audio-driven mini-games and chaotic Remix stages that test pure beat-keeping.

When I was young, one of my favorite video game genres was rhythm games.

It all started with Tap Tap Revenge on my iPod Touch. I used to be obsessed with playing Katy Perry's "Hot n Cold" and Nine Inch Nails' "Disciple." When I got into K-pop, I played SuperStar JYPNATION, SuperStar SMTOWN, and SuperStar BTS. I was also into Love Live! School Idol Festival.

Over time, however, I stopped playing rhythm games and started playing FPS and cozy games. I hadn't touched a rhythm game in years - until Rhythm Heaven Groove.

Rhythm Heaven Groove Reminded Me How Fun Rhythm Games Are

I first heard about Rhythm Heaven Groove during the June Nintendo Direct, and it immediately caught my eye. Unlike the rhythm games I played in the past, which featured sleek screens with lanes of falling notes, this quirky title used animations instead.

A person cooking in a kitchen with a cat sitting on the counter.

I didn't play the previous Rhythm Heaven game - which released on the 3DS a decade ago - so I was going in blind. But that might have been the best part. The game features over 80 mini-games of varying difficulty, and this immediately reignited my love for rhythm games.

One thing that I loved about rhythm games growing up was that they looked easy, but weren't. You had to catch the beat on time, follow the musical cues, and try over and over again to get a perfect score. And that's exactly what I loved about Rhythm Heaven Groove - though the graphics were adorably animated, they weren't easy. An off-beat mark might cause you to trip up, or a visual cue might cause you to slip. Keeping the momentum was a challenge I warmly accepted.

Rhythm Heaven Groove forces you to feel the tempo. You have to trust your ears more than what's on the screen. As someone who grew up in a musical family (and was in vocal lessons and theatre all her life), this felt second nature to me.

A girl with orange hair jumps rope beside a small robot on a colorful mural background.

I also enjoyed the Remix levels, which would take mechanics, characters, and music from previous stages and utilize them to create one chaotic level. It forces you to use your muscle memory on the fly and features a wild variety of art styles - it's a feast for all the senses.

I've had the game for about a week or two now, and I haven't found any difficulty replaying the game. Usually, when I play a game for a while, I start feeling an itch to add a game to the rotation so I don't feel bored. Sometimes, I stop playing for a few days altogether. But with Rhythm Heaven Groove, I've enjoyed replaying the game and re-experiencing the quirky mini-game scenes and the funky tracks.

I haven't felt this way about a rhythm game since I was in university. I definitely wasn't expecting Nintendo to release a game that made me remember how fun these music games are. But Rhythm Heaven Groove's unadulterated beat-keeping has me hooked and open to exploring the genre again.

Now, if only I could find some people to play the multiplayer mode with me.

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