Rhythm Heaven Groove Review: A Fresh Beat on the Switch That Delivers
Nintendo has largely shifted its attention to Switch 2, and that has noticeably slowed the flow of new first-party releases for the original Switch. In 2025, the system still saw major releases like Pokemon Legends: Z-A and Metroid Prime 4: Beyond, and both were also given upgraded Switch 2 versions. For 2026, Nintendo has confirmed Tomodachi Life: Living the Dream as one of the two first-party Switch 1 titles. The other entry—and possibly Nintendo’s last original Switch first-party exclusive—is Rhythm Heaven Groove, the fifth game in the long-running rhythm series that first debuted on Game Boy Advance all the way back in 2006. While it isn’t the kind of massive, big-budget release that typically dominates headlines, Rhythm Heaven Groove is still a genuinely fun ride and a surprisingly fitting farewell for the Switch.
If you’re new to the franchise, Rhythm Heaven Groove borrows the micro-game, bite-sized structure that made Nintendo’s WarioWare series such a hit. You’re given short challenges with a cute, cartoon-like presentation, but here the twist is that every micro-game is built around rhythm gameplay. Rhythm Heaven Groove keeps that same core idea intact, and it arguably delivers the strongest version of it yet.
Rhythm Heaven Groove is Weird, But That’s a Good Thing
Rhythm Heaven Groove’s single-player offering is packed with rhythm games that lean hard into oddball premises, giving the whole package a distinct personality. One mini-game tasks you with slicing vegetables, while another revolves around chatting with an alien. There’s also a segment where you control unusual umbrella-like creatures that must open and close their heads in time with the beat, and a different challenge set in a pudding factory where robots sometimes need to fire laser eyes to blast away spoiled product. It’s all very strange, but the presentation stays charming, and it’s easy to get excited about what concept will show up next.
Each stage ultimately wraps up in a remix fight that combines the stage’s micro-games into one higher-pressure test. This is where your ability to juggle multiple mechanics at once gets pushed hardest, and these remix sections tend to be the toughest parts of the game. Still, difficulty doesn’t spiral into frustration: Rhythm Heaven Groove is approachable to start, yet challenging enough to master. The scoring requirements to move forward are fairly forgiving, while players who chase top scores earn meaningful rewards—and those who manage a perfect run on a stage get even more.
Most of the mini-games in Rhythm Heaven Groove can be handled with just one or two buttons, keeping the controls simple. Even so, each mini-game comes with its own twist that you have to remember. Sessions begin with quick tutorials so you understand the rules before you’re thrown into the actual challenge. There’s also an option to view example performances, which helps players get their timing dialed in ahead of the real thing.
I had a great time working through Rhythm Heaven Groove’s single-player content, but there’s one drawback: the game starts reusing concepts sooner than you’d expect. After Stage 6, a number of the new mini-games turn out to be sequels to ones you’ve already completed. That repetition does allow for small, interesting narrative threads to take shape, but it can still feel a bit disappointing that ideas start coming back after only 24 mini-games.
Beyond the main sequence of micro-games, Rhythm Heaven Groove also includes entertaining side activities. Beatspell is a rhythm-based take on an RPG, built around multiple levels to clear. There’s also the Rhythm Toy Box, which is filled with playful gimmicks you can mess with. One of the big reasons to replay is unlocking new toys for the toy box—those additions are tied to medals earned by hitting high scores.
Rhythm Heaven Groove Multiplayer is a Blast
One of the biggest reasons to revisit Rhythm Heaven Groove> is its local multiplayer. The game includes cooperative and competitive micro-games, presented across three difficulty tiers, and nearly all of them are a blast—especially when you’ve got the right group of friends. Co-op options include a mode where you shoot aliens from inside a spaceship, and another where players pick hair out of onions.
The versus mini-games follow the same bite-sized format as everything else, but they’re competitive enough to make repeat plays worthwhile. Multiplayer also has its own Toy Box, with unlocks that you can work toward. Finishing all three versions of every game is a real challenge. For PvP, Cake Wait is the standout: players mentally count down from 10 and try to be as close as possible to zero on the moment they reach for a piece of cake. Memo Rising, a memory matching mode, is clearly the weakest option in the set, though.
It’s a bit unfortunate that the multiplayer package doesn’t go further. Even if it takes some time to clear the final stage of each mini-game, the overall run still only lands at a couple of hours. Rhythm Heaven Groove carries a budget price of $40, and adding more content would have made the game an even easier recommendation.
You can roll the credits in Rhythm Heaven Groove after a few hours, but the game gives you plenty to do in the meantime through unlocks, additional stages, and its multiplayer modes.
Even with its lighter content volume, what’s included is strong enough to recommend Rhythm Heaven Groove to most Switch owners—particularly if you’re hunting for a fresh local multiplayer option. The soundtrack is extremely catchy, the art direction is adorable, and nearly every mini-game lands. If this really is Nintendo’s final first-party release for the Switch, it’s hard to argue that it goes out on a bad note.
Rhythm Heaven Groove
WHERE TO PLAY
- Super catchy music
- Adorable art style
- Quirky and fun mini-games
- Great local multiplayer options
- Light on content, even at its budget price
Rhythm Heaven Groove is available now for Nintendo Switch.
