The player is introduced to a protagonist, Tibby, who aims to return back to his home-world of Rhythm Heaven with the help of some friends along the way. It’s clear from the single player campaign that Megamix is a fuller gameplay experience compared to the minimalistic design of the DS and Wii entries. Don’t let the game’s colourful aesthetic fool you either, as it’s going to be punishingly strict on your timing and some stages outright distract you with their visuals in an attempt to mess up your flow. With a concept so deceptively simple, the developers run amok with creative level designs, catchy compositions and some genuinely laugh-out-loud moments which are sure to delight players. As a compilation, this is the ultimate Rhythm Heaven experience, offering both youthlike delight and fiendish challenge which is immediately compelling and marvellously addictive.įor those not familiar with the series, players are tasked with completing a variety of three minute long microgames by pressing buttons in time with music. Megamix eschews the DS’s tap and flick mechanics in order for a full-button experience, although basic stylus controls are also accessible from the options menu.
With the addition of a handful of original minigames for the 3DS, this entry boasts far more minigames than any other Rhythm Heaven game. When Rhythm Heaven Megamix was announced, I was overjoyed with the chance to re-experience the series’ high points, as well as some games from the Japan-only Rhythm Tengoku for the GBA.
Nonetheless, developers Nintendo SPD have a natural penchant for creating unique, interesting scenarios and after cheering along to idol singers, dancing with frogs and interviewing professional wrestlers over the DS and Wii entries, I was perfectly hooked with this package that pulls them all together. Despite three phenomenal titles on multiple platforms, music composed by J-pop legend Tsunku and even an ad campaign with Beyonce, Rhythm Heaven still hasn’t quite made its way into Nintendo’s heaviest hitting franchises.
It’s a series every fan of rhythm games should be acquainted with, taking the WarioWare formula of quirky and charming microgames and pairing it with a deviously challenging rhythmic element. I first fell in love with Rhythm Heaven in 2010, one year after its worldwide DS release, after everyone had written it off as “probably shovelware” at the end of the DS’s cycle.