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Rhythm Heaven

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
This article is about the second game and first international release of the Rhythm Heaven series. For the first game, see Rhythm Tengoku.
Rhythm Heaven
North American game cover
Developer(s)Nintendo SPD
TNX Music Recordings
Publisher(s)Nintendo
Director(s)Kazuyoshi Osawa
Producer(s)Tsunku
Designer(s)Kazuyoshi Osawa
Ko Takeuchi
Masami Yone
Takafumi Masaoka
Kyohei Seki
Programmer(s)Kazuyoshi Osawa
Takafumi Masaoka
Artist(s)Ko Takeuchi
Composer(s)Tsunku
Masami Yone
SeriesRhythm Heaven
Platform(s)Nintendo DS
Release
  • JP: July 31, 2008
  • NA: April 5, 2009
  • EU: May 1, 2009[1]
  • AU: June 4, 2009
Genre(s)Rhythm
Mode(s)Single-player

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

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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 numerous 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

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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

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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

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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]

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."[23] 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.[24] It was also the sixth best-selling game in Japan in 2008.[25]

Sequels and legacy

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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."[26]

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.

References

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  1. ^ 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.
  2. ^ "つんく♂『おっちゃまの正体は！？ (スタッフからのコメント)』". Archived from the original on June 4, 2011. Retrieved March 7, 2010.
  3. ^ "Iwata Asks - Rhythm Heaven". Nintendo. Archived from the original on August 13, 2009. Retrieved August 18, 2016.
  4. ^ "Kazuyoshi Osawa Video Game Credits and Biography". MobyGames. Archived from the original on April 12, 2013. Retrieved July 30, 2009.
  5. ^ a b "Rhythm Heaven for DS Reviews". Metacritic. Archived from the original on June 3, 2024. Retrieved November 1, 2023.
  6. ^ a b Jeremy Parish (April 5, 2009). "Rhythm Heaven Review". 1Up.com. Archived from the original on May 30, 2016. Retrieved December 6, 2023.
  7. ^ 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.
  8. ^ Bennett, Colette; North, Dale (April 2, 2009). "Destructoid review: Rhythm Heaven". Destructoid. Archived from the original on February 19, 2019. Retrieved August 19, 2016.
  9. ^ Walker, John (August 27, 2008). "Rhythm Tengoku Gold". Eurogamer. Archived from the original on June 3, 2020. Retrieved January 14, 2015.
  10. ^ Parkin, Simon (May 4, 2009). "Rhythm Paradise". Eurogamer. Archived from the original on June 3, 2020. Retrieved August 18, 2016.
  11. ^ a b James (2008). "Famitsu Review Scores". Pure Nintendo Magazine. Archived from the original on August 19, 2016. Retrieved August 18, 2016.
  12. ^ 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.
  13. ^ Herring, Will (April 7, 2009). "Rhythm Heaven". GamePro. Archived from the original on April 18, 2009. Retrieved August 19, 2016.
  14. ^ Tan, Nick (April 6, 2009). "Rhythm Heaven Review". Game Revolution. Archived from the original on September 18, 2015. Retrieved August 19, 2016.
  15. ^ McShea, Tom (April 1, 2009). "Rhythm Heaven Review". GameSpot. Archived from the original on October 24, 2020. Retrieved January 14, 2015.
  16. ^ McGarvey, Sterling (April 7, 2009). "GameSpy: Rhythm Heaven". GameSpy. Archived from the original on May 28, 2022. Retrieved August 19, 2016.
  17. ^ "Rhythm Heaven Review". GameTrailers. April 10, 2009. Archived from the original on June 29, 2015. Retrieved August 18, 2016.
  18. ^ Gerstmann, Jeff (April 3, 2009). "Rhythm Heaven Review". Giant Bomb. Archived from the original on May 26, 2022. Retrieved August 19, 2016.
  19. ^ Harris, Craig (March 31, 2009). "Rhythm Heaven Review". IGN. Archived from the original on June 10, 2023. Retrieved August 18, 2016.
  20. ^ "Rhythm Heaven". Nintendo Power. Vol. 241. May 2009. p. 86.
  21. ^ 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.
  22. ^ 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.
  23. ^ Fischer, Russ (April 6, 2009). "Rhythm Heaven". The A.V. Club. Archived from the original on April 9, 2009. Retrieved August 18, 2016.
  24. ^ "Rhythm Heaven for Nintendo DS". Archived from the original on June 16, 2023. Retrieved June 16, 2023.
  25. ^ Parfitt, Ben (January 9, 2009). "JAPANESE 2008 MARKET REPORT". MCV. Archived from the original on April 11, 2016. Retrieved August 18, 2016.
  26. ^ 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.
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