Rhythm games are one of the most niche genres that cater to a specific audience, but once you jump into any of these fantastic experiences, you will not regret it one bit.
The music, the rhythm, the beats, and the satisfying gameplay loops will have you tapping your toes and bopping your head. If you’re looking for a rhythm game to get into, you won’t go wrong with any of these choices that we’ve handpicked just for you.
Beat Saber
Beat Saber is a VR rhythm game available for HTC Vive, PlayStation VR, Oculus (including Quest) and pretty much most virtual reality headsets out there. While wielding two lightsaber-esque weapons using both hands, the goal is to slice the red and blue-colored blocks with the correct color of your saber.
The fast beats mixed with the speed of the incoming cubes, you have to have very good reflexes to quickly slice and dice the blocks as they come flying towards you.
Not only do you have to hit the blocks with the right colored lightsaber but you also have to slice the cubes in the correct direction by looking at the arrows on the blocks themselves.
Although you may look like an idiot swinging your arms around in VR, Beat Saber is highly enjoyable and will give your arms a much-needed workout.
Elite Beat Agents
It is quite a shame that after 13 years, we still have not received a sequel to one of the best rhythm games on the Nintendo DS. Starring members of a government agency, the Elite Beat Agents are tasked with helping out people in need by supporting them with musical dance numbers.
Featuring dozens of licensed tracks such as Avril Lavigne’s Sk8er Boi and The Rolling Stones Jumpin’ Jack Flash, sliding and tapping the stylus across the DS’ touchscreen was extremely delightful.
Each stage represented a different song with a character that needed help from the agents with a story that was told through comic book style cutscenes and illustrations. Elite Beat Agents need to come back one day but, until then, we can just replay the DS version over and over again.
Rock Band (Series)
We all remember “strumming” our plastic guitars back in the day when Guitar Hero first came out, but then Rock Band came and shot it right out of the water by introducing a more cooperative experience bringing in a microphone, a drum set, and another guitar player into the mix.
Having friends over and holding your own rock concert in the garage while blasting Paramore was such fun back in the day and can still be enjoyable if you can find all of those plastic instruments somewhere…
The memories of playing through track after track with friends proved to be one of the greatest music experiences that a video game could ever give players and will go on to be one of the most memorable video game series of all time.
If you ask me, I’m totally ready for a Rock Band 5.
Patapon (Series)
The Patapon series was PlayStation’s flagship rhythm experiences back in the good ol PSP days of yesteryears. By hitting the face buttons in time with the marching miniature tribal creatures, you can control their attacks and movements so that they can advance across 2D environments.
Even with a simple premise, Patapon managed to get two sequels for the PSP and would go on to be remembered as some of the best rhythm games out there.
We will never forget singing along to the cries of these cute one-eyed creatures –“Pata, Pata, Pata, Pon, Pata, Pata, Pata, Pon.”
Thumper
Thumper is one of the most intense and slightly terrifying rhythm games out there. Controlling a strange metal beetle of sorts, you must press buttons in time with notes as you jump across lines, dodge obstacles, and hover over objects to make it to the end of each stage.
The music itself is quite exciting and trippy with metallic sounds and heart-pumping beats that makes playing the game feel kind of uncomfortable. Playing in VR can be even trippier, as the world of Thumper is right in your face, and once you face the horrifying bosses, this rhythm game will be very hard to get out of your head.
VOEZ
VOEZ is a simple and relaxing rhythm game starring six high school students who get together to form a band. By using your finger, you must touch falling notes in time with the vast library of catchy tunes.
The visuals for VOEZ are reminiscent of a Japanese anime and it sort of feels as if you’re playing a visual novel at the same time as playing a rhythm game.
The more you progress in the game, the quicker you get access to in-game diary chapters, allowing you to read more about the story of the game, and with multiple difficulties and over 200 songs, there’s plenty of musical fun to be had here.
Theatrhythm Final Fantasy (Series)
The Theatrhythm Final Fantasy series takes the most iconic characters from every single Final Fantasy game and throws them into this rhythm series as adorable little chibi versions of themselves.
You can play memorable tracks like To Zanarkand (FFX) and The Sunleth Waterscape (FFXIII) and watch as your team of chosen heroes march down a path to victory, defeating monsters and interacting with unforgettable cutscenes found in most of the games.
This is the only Final Fantasy game where you can create a party with Cloud, Lightning, Zidane, and Squall, and battle monsters while listening to The One Winged Angel, and if that is not something to celebrate, then I don’t know what is.
Persona Dancing (Series)
The Persona series started out as a spin-off of Atlus’ other hardcore JRPG series, Shin Megami Tensei, but eventually became somewhat more popular thanks to the continued success of Persona 4 and Persona 5.
Now, the Persona Dancing series is another spin-off of the spin-off featuring popular characters and the jamming tracks from the brilliant soundtrack.
You can show off your dancing moves as Futaba and Ann from Persona 5 or burn up the dance floor as Teddie and Marie, two characters from Persona 4. If you can’t stop listening to the music in the main Persona games, then these dancing spin-offs are sure to give you joy.
Rhythm Heaven (Series)
Nintendo’s Rhythm Heaven series is essentially the rhythm game series counterpart to the WarioWare series; it’s zany, wacky, and gives players dozens upon dozens of minigames to try your luck at.
The toe-tapping soundtrack will keep you engrossed in the action and the silly characters along with the situations will make you laugh out loud.
This series is Nintendo at its best and if you own any sort of DS or 3DS family of systems, be on the lookout for this series, as it’s one of the best rhythm experiences on the platform.
Bit.Trip (Series)
The Bit.Trip series has always held a special place in the world of rhythm games as it plays like a platformer as well. Taking control of Commander Video, the goal in each stage is too simply get to the end without getting hit once. By sliding, jumping, kicking, and dancing, you must keep in time with the beat while avoiding the obstacles that stand in your path.
If your reflexes aren’t quick enough, you better prepare yourself because the Bit.Trip series only gets harder and harder the further you progress, and while the music is catchy and charming, you might end up throwing your controller due to the difficulty.
Luckily, the game immediately restarts you at the last checkpoint whenever you die so you don’t have to deal with any pesky loading screens, throwing you right back into the action.
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