Rhythm Heaven Groove Nintendo Switch Review: A Content-Rich Return That Shines on Switch 2

Rhythm Heaven Groove is the kind of rhythm game that can make everything suddenly click. After more than 15 hours with the Nintendo Switch version played entirely on Nintendo Switch 2, I have found myself repeatedly coming back for another minigame, another medal or another chance to get the timing just right. The formula remains wonderfully simple: listen, learn the rhythm and press the buttons at the right moment. When everything clicks, there is an unmistakable satisfaction to falling into the groove and realizing that my hands are finally following the music almost automatically.

What makes Rhythm Heaven Groove particularly impressive is how much Nintendo has packed into this package. The game includes more than 80 single-player rhythm games, along with more than 30 multiplayer games and the unlockable Beatspell mode. I have already seen the credits after completing the first eight Frontside columns, earned medals on all eight of those columns and nearly finished the Flipside. I have also completed the first few chapters of the new campaign-style mode. There is a substantial amount here, and that content makes Rhythm Heaven Groove feel considerably more substantial than many smaller rhythm games.

The individual minigames are where much of that value comes from. Rhythm Heaven Groove continues the series' philosophy that a rhythm game does not need complicated mechanics to be entertaining, with a huge variety of strange, colorful and often completely unexpected scenarios. The controls are generally simple enough to pick up immediately, with many minigames relying on just a couple of buttons. That accessibility is important because the real challenge is supposed to come from understanding the rhythm rather than wrestling with complicated inputs.