Rhythm gamescombine the fun of a video game with the joy of listening to music. The genre has been through many iterations, from pioneers of the genrePaRappa the RapperandUm Jammer Lammy, movement-based rhythm games likeDance Dance RevolutionandStepmania,and the brief mock-instrument peripheral craze brought on by the likes ofGuitar HeroandRock Band.
The rhythm game scene is still alive and thriving in Japanese arcades, where arcade machines have players twisting knobs, hitting drums, and using the very air in front of them as musical instruments. But even if fans of the genre can’t make it out to a Japanese arcade to play one of the newer rhythm games, there are plenty of games to choose from in more accessible mediums.Rhythm and music-based games have evolved a lot over the years,continuing to push the limits of the genre.
10Cytus II Is A Classic Mobile Rhythm Game
Rayark, 2018
The originalCytuswas released for mobile devices in 2012, and itset the bar high for other rhythm games.Unlike many other mobile rhythm games, which tend to rely on ads to make a profit,Cytusand its 2018 sequelCytus IIrelied instead on making a game good enough to make players want to spend money on additional songs so they could keep playing.
The initial purchase price is $1.99 and subsequent add-on packs cost an additional $9.99. The game requires players to press circles as they’re passed by a line that moves up and down the screen in time to the music. It’s a simple setup that gets very challenging in the harder difficulties.
“We Got Nintendo Spotify Before GTA 6”: Fans React To Nintendo’s New Music Streaming Service
Nintendo fans are stunned by the announcement of an official streaming app dedicated to the company’s massive collection of video game music.
Cytus IIeven has a story that sets it in a future time when musicians hold special promotions in the virtual space of a futuristic social media.Gorgeous art and cutscenes elevate the title to one of the best rhythm games available on the mobile market, even after more than six years. A followup game titledCytus α(Cytus Alpha)is available to purchase for the Nintendo Switch.
9Deemo Features Beautiful Music, Art, And Story
Rayark, Flyhigh Works, and Esquadra, 2013
Created by the makers ofCytus, Deemois another music and rhythm game, but it takes a different take on the genre than its predecessor. In stark contrast to the vibrant anime vibes of the Cytus games,Deemohas a toned-down sepia environment. Instead of moving to meet the notes,this title follows a more traditional rhythm game setup where the notes fall downtoward a bar at the bottom of the screen. The music is quite different here too, putting more emphasis on piano and classical scores.
Deemohas a bittersweet story that’s told without wordsas players move through the different rooms in a mysterious castle, where a strange creature plays a piano and a magical tree grows at the center. The game was re-released on Steam in 2020 under the titleDEEMO -Reborn-as a completely overhauled experience that lets players explore the world of the title in a more immersive 3D environment.
8Hi-Fi Rush Is An Action RPG That Moves To The Beat
Tango Gameworks, 2023
This fun romp and unique take on the music genre stars Chai, who accidentally gets his iPad-like music player stuck in his chest in a freak accident. This gives him the awesome power tomake all enemies and even the environments around him move to the beat,but it also marks him as a “Defect,” effectively placing a target on his back. As Chai, players must fight and platform their way around stages full of baddies and secrets, timing their attacks to the beat to power them up.
Along his adventure, Chai meets other characters and sets out touncover and stop the nefarious plans of the corporation that led to his accidentin the first place. Tango Gameworks, thedevelopment studio behindHi-Fi Rushwas almost lost to time, but Krafton bought it out, giving hope toHi-Fi Rushfans that there will be more games in the series.
7Soundfall Is A Dungeon-Crawling Musical Adventure
Drastic Games, 2022
At its most basic,Soundfallis a dungeon-crawling looterand shooter. Players navigate across stages viewed from a top-down perspective,defeat enemies, gather loot and collectibles, and beat bosses. All this is, of course, done to the rhythm of the game’s library of 100s of pieces of music or even to the players' own imported tunes.
The title has all the depth of a good looter,featuring over 500 collectible pieces of music-themed equipment and five characters, each with their own play style and skills. All this action takes place to the beat of the music, rewarding players for keeping up with the tune with powerups and special perks. A central story drives players to continue to explore the world of Symphonia and uncover its secrets with up to three local or online friends.
6Hatsune Miku: Colorful Stage Like Playing Through A Vocaloid Anime
Sega Corporation, 2020
Vocaloids and Hatsune Miku have a whole string of games themed around then, andColorful Stageis one of the best.The mobile rhythm game lets players choose one of six bands, each with their own style and aesthetic. A different version of Miku guides each of the bands through their stories and helps them find their own version of success.
Metaphor: ReFantazio’s Music Isn’t Bad - It’s Just Different
Metaphor: ReFantazio’s OST has gotten some bad press, but it’s not all that awful - it’s just different from what Persona players are used to.
Aside from fun Vocaloid songs,Colorful Stagehas story scenestold in the form of a visual novel that feel a bit like playing through an anime. Each band’s story and members are fleshed out and the side and main stories allow players to get to know the characters better as they progress through their stories. Plus,each character is fully voice-actedby some well-known Japanese voice actors, making the experience even more engaging.
5Synth Riders Is A Neon-Colored VR Dance Party
Kluge Interactive, 2018
This self-described “Freestyle-dance rhythm VR game” has players hitting the notes in style.Players don a VR headsetand ride rails, dodge incoming obstacles, and dance their way through stages. Players areencouraged to freestyle their movements to make as much of the experience as they want, whether that means getting a workout or simply going with the flow.
Synth Ridersincludes 77 songs in its base game with an additional optional 75 DLC tracks available for purchase. Artists included in the game include big names like Queen, Gorillaz, Bruna Mars, K/DA, Lindsey Stirling, and many more officially licensed songs.
4Just Shapes & Beats Is A Rhythmic Bullet Hell
Just Shapes & Beats, 2018
It’s hard to imagine a simple shape having a personality butJust Shapes & Beatsmanages to pack an entire story into a game about shapes. The story isn’t too complex, but it’s charming and told without using any words, and builds on the whimsy of the game. The core of the game is simple: avoid the obstacles. Each of the48 stages is specially designed to go with chiptune and EDM tracks from over 20 artists.
While theplayers aren’t tied to the music, the environments are.This results in players making a mad dash to safety amidst bullets, lasers, and other colorful obstacles that dance around them to the rhythm of that stage’s musical piece. As a bonus,Just Shapes & Beatshas up to four-player multiplayer and the chaos that ensues with four people playing the bullet hell rhythm game is unmatched.
3Theatrhythm Final Bar Line Is A Must-Have For Final Fantasy Fans
Square Enix, 2023
The originalTheatrhythmwas released in 2012, and the latest version of the title has the most streamlined mechanics and the biggest library of songs across the entirety of theFinal Fantasyfranchise. Players form teams of four from a characterroster of over 100 beloved protagonists and baddies fromFinal Fantasygames, then take them on musical adventures through the iconic music of the franchise.
The title has385 musical tracks from 46 games from theFinal Fantasyfranchise and beyondto other Square Enix games likeNier: AutomataandThe World Ends With You.The title supports two-player local co-op and up to 8 player online co-op for a shared musical adventure down memory lane throughFinal Fantasyand Square Enix games from the past through to the current generation of games.
2Beat Saber Merges Fighting With Music
Beat Games, 2019
Beat Saberis one of the most well-known VR games, for its hectic and hands-on gameplay.Players slice and dice their way through the music in a neon environment, requiring both a sense of rhythm and a quick hand. The game requires players to slice at neon squares as the fly toward them, cutting in the correct direction depending on what’s shown on each square.
The original title has 32 songs, butmany song packs have been added in the ensuing yearsafter the game’s launch over five years ago. Fans can now chop through songs by their favorite artists for around $10 - $13 per pack, including Daft Punk, Billie Eilish, Green Day, The Rolling Stones, Metallica, and more.
1Crypt of the Necrodancer Combines Rogue-Lite With Rhythm
Brace Yourself Games, Blitworks, 2015
This genre-bending title combines theprocedurally generated elements of a rogue-lite with the on-the-beat movement of a rhythm game. The result is a fun but challenging game that puts players' reflexes to the test. The game follows the adventurer Cadence and several other unlockable characters as theybattle through grid-based dungeonsthat get increasingly more difficult. Players can only move to the beat, so mistiming a movement or an attack can lead to certain death.
As players descend deeper into the dungeon, the music gets quicker, forcing faster and more hectic decisions to be made. Two-player (and four-player with the DLC) gaming is possible and makes the gameplay even more chaotic. If players can’t get enough, therhythm gamealso had aLegend of Zeldaspinoff title calledCadence of Hyrule,and a new game in the franchise launches in February 2025.
