Rhythm Heaven Groove, known as Rhythm Paradise Groove in PAL regions and Rhythm Heaven: Miracle Stars in Asia, is an upcoming rhythm game developed by Nintendo and TNX and published by Nintendo for the Nintendo Switch. It is the fifth installment in Nintendo’s Rhythm Heaven series, following Rhythm Heaven Megamix (2015) for the Nintendo 3DS. Like previous entries in the series, Japanese musician Tsunku will compose the music in the game. The game is scheduled for release on July 2, 2026, being the first new game in the Rhythm Heaven series in over a decade.
Gameplay
Rhythm Heaven Groove follows the gameplay of previous Rhythm Heaven entries, where players have to complete a series of rhythm minigames in time with the music, similar to “microgames” in the WarioWare series. While visual cues are present, players are encouraged to follow the beat of the music to get a sense of the rhythm.
Development and release
In 2020, series producer Tsunku expressed his hopes on a new entry in the Rhythm Heaven series for the Nintendo Switch, stating that a new game would work well on the console, advocating for fans to express their interest to Nintendo. In 2025, during the initial announcement, Tsunku was revealed to return as the producer and composer, where he worked on the game without his vocal chords due to recovering from laryngeal cancer in 2014. Ko Takeuchi also returns as the lead art designer.
Announcement and release
Rhythm Heaven Groove was first announced during a Nintendo Direct presentation on March 27, 2025, showcasing a robotic narrator character and gameplay through various different rhythm-based minigames and revealing the use of various art styles instead of one unified style. The game was revealed alongside Tomodachi Life: Living the Dream, with both being the first new entries for their respective series in over a decade. The presentation also revealed the release window of 2026, around 11 years since the original release of Rhythm Heaven Megamix (2015) in Japan, and around 15 years since the last all-new entry to the series, Rhythm Heaven Fever (2011).
One year later on April 9, 2026, Nintendo showcased one of the rhythm minigames, Slice N Dice Kitchen, a rhythm game about chopping vegetables, through the Nintendo Today! app and revealed that the game will release on July 2, 2026 worldwide. Being priced lower than other Switch games at US$39.99 both physically and digitally, the game’s price was welcomed by critics.
Rhythm Heaven Groove is the first game in the series to be released in Taiwan and Hong Kong, and to receive official Dutch, Portuguese, and Chinese (both Traditional and Simplified) localizations. In Korea, the game is the first to be released under the Rhythm Cheonguk name, as previous games were released under Rhythm Sesang due to trademark issues.
Notes
References
External links
- Official website
- Official website (in Japanese)
- Rhythm Heaven Groove at IMDb
Gamer24h Editor's Take
Put under the Gamer24h team's microscope, Rhythm Heaven Groove raises the bar considerably with both its storytelling and technical polish. Thanks to Nintendo EPD, TNX's meticulous craftsmanship and Nintendo's strong presentation, the high production quality is evident in every moment of the game. Masterfully blending Rhythm, music mechanics with modern standards, the game's fluid gameplay makes hours fly by unnoticed. If you're looking for an absorbing world and satisfying mechanics that pull you right in, this game might be exactly what you've been searching for.