2008 rhythm video game
2008 video game
Rhythm Heaven
, known as
Rhythm Tengoku Gold
in Japan,
Rhythm Paradise
in Europe, and
Rhythm World
in Korea, is a
rhythm
video game
developed and published by
Nintendo
for the
Nintendo DS
. It is the second game in the
Rhythm Heaven
series
and the first one released worldwide, following the Japan-only
Game Boy Advance
title
Rhythm Tengoku
, and was succeeded by
Rhythm Heaven Fever
for the
Wii
and
Rhythm Heaven Megamix
for the
Nintendo 3DS
. The game was released in Japan on July 31, 2008, in North America on April 5, 2009, in Europe on May 1, 2009, and in Australia on June 4, 2009.
Gameplay
[
edit
]
Unlike its predecessor which is played using the GBA's buttons,
Rhythm Heaven
is played using the touch screen with the DS held vertically, similarly to a book. Throughout the game, players use the stylus to play through several rhythm-based levels known as Rhythm Games, each with their own specific rules. Controls used include tapping the touch screen, holding the stylus down on the touch screen, dragging it across the screen and flicking it off the screen. A guitar-based minigame late in the game known as
Rockers 2
, along with the unlockable guitar lessons, also include the use of the DS's shoulder buttons to bend guitar notes.
The game's fifty Rhythm Games are split into ten sets, each consisting of four Rhythm Games and a themed Remix level that incorporates the previous games (or more) into one song. In each Rhythm Game, the player must attempt to keep with the rhythm throughout the level. Several Rhythm Games have sequel levels in later sets which use the same mechanics as their predecessors but have increased difficulty and, in a few cases, introduce new patterns. Most levels allow the player to practice before attempting to clear the game, the exceptions being the Remix stages and some sequel games (namely those that include previously unseen patterns).
The player is given a rank at the end of a game depending on how well they did, which ranges from 'Try Again' for a poor performance, to 'Superb' if they complete the stage with few or no misses. To clear a Rhythm Game and progress onto the next level, the player needs to get a 'Just OK' or 'OK' rank. By receiving a 'Superb' rank on each Rhythm Game, players receive Medals which unlock bonus content, such as Endless Games, Rhythm Toys and Guitar Lessons. Sometimes, a Rhythm Game that a player has received a Superb rating on may be randomly selected for a Perfect attempt. Only appearing on the menu three times before moving elsewhere, these runs require the player to complete a Rhythm Game perfectly without making any mistakes. Completing a Perfect run earns more bonus features in the cafe, such as song sheets and lyrics.
While the game is automatically set to be played on right-handed mode, there is also a left-handed mode for left-handed individuals.
Music
[
edit
]
Rhythm Heaven
uses original music composed by
Tsunku
and Masami Yone, with vocals by
TNX
artists including
Canary Club
,
the Possible
, and Tsunku himself (credited as Occhama
[2]
). These vocals were re-recorded in English for the Western version by other vocalists (most notably
Ayaka Nagate
, a former member of the Tsunku-produced
Coconuts Musume
), as were some of the voice cues. There were plans to include the Japanese songs in the music player section, but they were soon taken out due to space restrictions. Soundtrack albums for the game have been released in Japan, but not in North America.
The European version has been fully translated in Spanish, English, French, German, and Italian language, including the vocal songs in the
Fan Club
,
The Dazzles
,
Frog Hop
,
Karate Man
, and
Airboarder
rhythm games.
Development
[
edit
]
Rhythm Heaven
was developed by
Nintendo SP&D1
with the assistance of
Tsunku
, a music
record producer
, both also worked on the original
Rhythm Tengoku
. The conception of the game is credited to Nintendo programmer Kazuyoshi Osawa who previously worked on
Metroid
and
WarioWare
titles.
[3]
[4]
The game's development "wasn't easy" for the staff. Osawa didn't like the idea of using buttons, so he considered a control mechanic that involved the Touch Screen. The ability to touch the edge of the Touch Screen was considered, but was determined to be too difficult.
The Flick action took the staff a "little getting used to" as they had to make it feel "fair" to the player until they realised that if flicking was combined with the music it would give the players a "good sense of timing". The Flick action took them about "two to three months" to research and "six months" to eventually adapt the control into the game. Tsunku really liked the idea of the Flick action regardless of the long time to adapt. At that time, he thought of the idea for
Frog Hop
, which became one of the first games to be made for
Rhythm Heaven
. Not unlike many other games, there are various differences across regions when the game (and its following sequels) was releasing worldwide.
Reception
[
edit
]
The game received "favorable" reviews according to the
review aggregation
website
Metacritic
.
[5]
In Japan,
Famitsu
gave it a score of two eights and two nines, for a total of 34 out of 40.
[11]
411Mania gave it a score of nine out of ten and called it "a must-own that won't disappoint."
[23]
Wired
gave it a similar score of nine stars out of ten and called it "the sort of novel, deep, challenging game that people accuse Nintendo of not creating anymore."
[22]
The Daily Telegraph
gave it eight out of ten and said that the touches "elevate [the game] from a fun but throwaway music game into an addictive quest for rhythm perfection. It's not a music game as wonderfully elaborate as the superb
Elite Beat Agents
, but its ostensibly simple mechanics give it a sense of purity that a lot of games lack."
[21]
The A.V. Club
gave it a B and called it "the cutest drum machine on the market."
[24]
Jeremy Parish of
1Up.com
gave the game a B+ finding fault with the game for not surpassing the original
Rhythm Tengoku,
stating: "If this seems like overly harsh criticism for a game that, by all standards, is a must-play experience, it's only because it walks in the footsteps of sheer perfection. Rhythm Heaven does its job with style and aplomb, but anyone who's played the GBA original knows that the concept has been done better."
[6]
As of December 2014, Rhythm Heaven had sold 3,040,000 copies worldwide.
[25]
It was also the sixth best-selling game in Japan in 2008.
[26]
Sequels and legacy
[
edit
]
A
Rhythm Heaven
Wii
game,
Rhythm Heaven Fever
, succeeded this version; Nintendo president
Satoru Iwata
saw potential in the game in people's living rooms. He replied: "When you see others play with the game and notice that he or she misses out on being perfectly in rhythm, it can also be surprisingly fun."
[27]
Six years later, another Rhythm Heaven game was released for the
Nintendo 3DS
under the title of
Rhythm Heaven Megamix
. It features games from the DS installment, as well as rhythm games from
Fever
and the original
Rhythm Tengoku
along with brand-new ones such as
Pajama Party
,
Blue Bear
,
Tongue Lashing
etc. (as well as newer variants of older ones, such as
Super Samurai Slice
,
Karate Man Senior
, and
Cosmic Rhythm Rally
).
Rhythm Heaven
also gets referenced frequently in the
WarioWare
and
Super Smash Bros.
series.
In April 2010, THQ released a game with similar controls to
Rhythm Heaven
called
Beat City
.
Notes
[
edit
]
References
[
edit
]
- ^
East, Tom (March 16, 2009).
"
Rhythm Paradise
Comes To DS In May"
.
Official Nintendo Magazine
. Archived from
the original
on October 8, 2014
. Retrieved
August 18,
2016
.
- ^
"つんく♂『おっちゃまの正?は!? (スタッフからのコメント)』"
.
Archived
from the original on June 4, 2011
. Retrieved
March 7,
2010
.
- ^
"Iwata Asks -
Rhythm Heaven
"
.
Nintendo
. Archived from
the original
on August 13, 2009
. Retrieved
August 18,
2016
.
- ^
"Kazuyoshi Osawa Video Game Credits and Biography"
.
MobyGames
.
Archived
from the original on April 12, 2013
. Retrieved
July 30,
2009
.
- ^
a
b
"
Rhythm Heaven
for DS Reviews"
.
Metacritic
.
Archived
from the original on June 3, 2024
. Retrieved
November 1,
2023
.
- ^
a
b
Jeremy Parish (April 5, 2009).
"Rhythm Heaven Review"
.
1Up.com
. Archived from
the original
on May 30, 2016
. Retrieved
December 6,
2023
.
- ^
Bennett, Colette; North, Dale (September 12, 2008).
"Destructoid Import Review:
Rhythm Tengoku
Gold"
.
Destructoid
. Archived from
the original
on February 20, 2019
. Retrieved
August 19,
2016
.
- ^
Bennett, Colette; North, Dale (April 2, 2009).
"Destructoid review:
Rhythm Heaven
"
.
Destructoid
. Archived from
the original
on February 19, 2019
. Retrieved
August 19,
2016
.
- ^
Walker, John (August 27, 2008).
"
Rhythm Tengoku
Gold"
.
Eurogamer
.
Archived
from the original on June 3, 2020
. Retrieved
January 14,
2015
.
- ^
Parkin, Simon (May 4, 2009).
"
Rhythm Paradise
"
.
Eurogamer
.
Archived
from the original on June 3, 2020
. Retrieved
August 18,
2016
.
- ^
a
b
James (2008).
"Famitsu Review Scores"
.
Pure Nintendo Magazine
.
Archived
from the original on August 19, 2016
. Retrieved
August 18,
2016
.
- ^
Miller, Matt (May 2009).
"
Rhythm Heaven
: Unique Twist on Rhythm/Music Genre"
.
Game Informer
. No. 193.
Archived
from the original on July 7, 2022
. Retrieved
August 18,
2016
.
- ^
Herring, Will (April 7, 2009).
"
Rhythm Heaven
"
.
GamePro
. Archived from
the original
on April 18, 2009
. Retrieved
August 19,
2016
.
- ^
Tan, Nick (April 6, 2009).
"
Rhythm Heaven
Review"
.
Game Revolution
.
Archived
from the original on September 18, 2015
. Retrieved
August 19,
2016
.
- ^
McShea, Tom (April 1, 2009).
"
Rhythm Heaven
Review"
.
GameSpot
.
Archived
from the original on October 24, 2020
. Retrieved
January 14,
2015
.
- ^
McGarvey, Sterling (April 7, 2009).
"GameSpy:
Rhythm Heaven
"
.
GameSpy
.
Archived
from the original on May 28, 2022
. Retrieved
August 19,
2016
.
- ^
"
Rhythm Heaven
Review"
.
GameTrailers
. April 10, 2009. Archived from
the original
on June 29, 2015
. Retrieved
August 18,
2016
.
- ^
Gerstmann, Jeff (April 3, 2009).
"
Rhythm Heaven
Review"
.
Giant Bomb
.
Archived
from the original on May 26, 2022
. Retrieved
August 19,
2016
.
- ^
Harris, Craig (March 31, 2009).
"
Rhythm Heaven
Review"
.
IGN
.
Archived
from the original on June 10, 2023
. Retrieved
August 18,
2016
.
- ^
"Rhythm Heaven".
Nintendo Power
. Vol. 241. May 2009. p. 86.
- ^
a
b
Hoggins, Tom (April 28, 2009).
"
Rhythm Paradise
review"
.
The Daily Telegraph
.
Archived
from the original on January 30, 2019
. Retrieved
August 18,
2016
.
- ^
a
b
Kohler, Chris (April 3, 2009).
"Review:
Rhythm Heaven
Is Portable Music Brilliance"
.
Wired
.
Archived
from the original on June 7, 2023
. Retrieved
August 19,
2016
.
- ^
Aber, Trace (April 11, 2009).
"
Rhythm Heaven
(DS) Review"
. 411Mania. Archived from
the original
on September 19, 2016
. Retrieved
August 18,
2016
.
- ^
Fischer, Russ (April 6, 2009).
"
Rhythm Heaven
"
.
The A.V. Club
.
Archived
from the original on April 9, 2009
. Retrieved
August 18,
2016
.
- ^
"Rhythm Heaven for Nintendo DS"
.
Archived
from the original on June 16, 2023
. Retrieved
June 16,
2023
.
- ^
Parfitt, Ben (January 9, 2009).
"JAPANESE 2008 MARKET REPORT"
.
MCV
.
Archived
from the original on April 11, 2016
. Retrieved
August 18,
2016
.
- ^
Alexander, Leigh (January 28, 2011).
"Nintendo Reveals Traditional
Kirby
Game,
Rhythm Heaven
In Works For Wii"
.
Gamasutra
.
Archived
from the original on September 21, 2021
. Retrieved
January 28,
2011
.
External links
[
edit
]