Rhythm Heaven
From Nintendo
LET THE MUSIC MOVE YOU AS YOU TAP AND SLIDE TO THE BEAT OF OVER50 MUSICAL RHYTHM GAMES. WITH CONTROLS AS NATURAL AS TAPPING YOURFINGER TO THE MUSIC, RHYTHM HEAVEN PUTS THE MUSIC IN YOUR HANDSAND SOME RHYTHM IN YOUR LIFE!SIMPLE AND INTUITIVE CONTROLS BRING YOU CLOSER THAN EVER
- Amazon Sales Rank: #155 in Video Games
- Brand: Nintendo
- Model: 045496740238
- Released on: 2009-04-05
- ESRB Rating: Everyone
- Platform: Nintendo DS
- Dimensions: .70" h x 4.90" w x 5.50" l, .25 pounds
If you've ever found yourself tapping your foot or fingers to an infectious beat, then this game is for you. Get ready to show off your instinctive sense of rhythm as the music of Rhythm Heaven challenges you to demonstrate your percussive prowess. Prove you have what it takes to keep the beat alive in this fun and engaging experience.
In Rhythm Heaven, you'll use your stylus to capture the beat of the music in a variety of mini games. Turn your DS system sideways to hold it like a book, and tap, slide or flick the stylus in time with the rhythm. The game's catchy tunes and charming characters make Rhythm Heaven a blast to play, and the array of rhythm games will test your musical abilities in a variety of ways as you do all you can to show that you've got the beat. Key Game Features:
Exclusive to the Nintendo DS If you can tap your finger in time to music, you’ll get the hang of Rhythm Heaven in no time. Rhythm Heaven is a simple and infectious rhythm game that anyone can play. Players hold the Nintendo DS system sideways like a book and tap their stylus on the touch screen to the rhythm of the music. Players tap, slide or flick the stylus to hit the right beat. Rhythm Heaven features catchy tunes, charming characters, and a wide variety of rhythm games. Well-known Japanese music producer TSUNKU♂ helped direct Rhythm Heaven and composed the music for it. |
Hardest little easy game ever! But it's awesome!
This game is like no other. It looks like such a little kids game, it fools you. The graphics are simple, as are the controls. The concept hard to explain in words but easy to understand once you play the game. Basically, this game is composed of many mini games in which you tap and flick the touch screen along with the rhythm of the music to do all kinds of activities, from singing to picking crops.
The mini-games are very unique and very challenging, and despite its appearance, this is a game for people of all ages. No other music game out there right now is like this one. I can't say that enough! This game is very well thought out. It is a wonder how they could think up so many activities to do with just a flick and a tap. It's addicting and a whole lot of fun. You won't be disappointed. I highly recommend it.
Encourages Out-Of-The-Box Thinking
Rhythm Heaven is a great collection of mini-games for the Nintendo DS which builds up your skills in rhythm and accuracy. This is almost like a brain-train game for your fingers and ears!
The first thing I want to note here is that many reviewers have posted reviews of this game after playing only a game or two. It's fairly obvious in their reviews!! Every game can be tough at first, Once you get the hang of it and get past that "training session" area you can truly evaluate a game based on whether it's fun long term or not. It's key in gaming in general to go with reviewers who actually play the full game before reporting on it!
So, the basics, Rhythm Nation is much like WarioWare in that it is a collection of generally short (under a minute) mini-games that are all different and all test different parts of your skill set. They are all related to clicking and "slashing" quickly. In one game for example fast cars are zooming around a race track. You have to click right in time to take their photo as they go past you.
In another game you are a fan for a singing group, clapping your hands in time to the song and doing other cheering moves.
They have a good selection of different activities to keep you interested. Each mini-game is short so you can play it in line without worrying about getting sucked in for more than 60 seconds or so. Each game has room for improvement so you can keep replaying it and trying to improve your score.
Sometimes you hit a game that you really don't like. This is one of my complaints about the game - it is very linear. You have to unlock game #5 to go on to game #6. If you get stuck on a game you can go into the cafe and skip that game, but still, I would rather you get a "group" of games at a time. That way you aren't stuck on just one game before you move onto the next one game.
Also, the instructions are often VERY vague. You can be stuck on the practice sessions for a game for 5 minutes or more before you finally figure out what they are trying to get you to do. I very much love the WarioWare "try it and see" method of playing, but those are with games that make sense. Some of these games just don't make sense, and a more in depth "this is how you play" would really help.
Still, nothing beats the pure fun of their end-of-level mash-ups. Say you get 5 different random games in a given level that mix up all sorts of types of gameplay. Then you get to the level ending mash-up. The combine ALL of those games in a random order with a fun theme! All of the games now have a beach theme, or a samurai-western theme. I *love* that. It is hilarious and quite fun.
So it's a mixed bag here. It can be frustrating at first. Accept that! Just plow through it and figure out how the game works (or post on a forum and get some help). Once you've figured out the games, it is a LOAD of fun - and very good for your brain. The quick reflexes and out-of-the-box thinking it encourages in your brain will serve you well in many other areas of life!
Highly recommended.
A Piano Teacher's Point of View
As soon as I got this, I realized the potential of having music students enhance their rhythm skills through this game, even before they formally learn particular counting patterns in their music studies. Only, this is a uniquely FUN way of learning! I am literally demonstrating it to the families I teach to present it as something to purchase as an asset to their lessons. Of course the kids love me for that! Who'd a thought they would get a DS game because of their piano teacher?!
If you are a music student or the parent of one that struggles with keeping time or using a metronome, this game will install a solid, internal beat inside every gamer, whether they realize it is happening or not. I have passed many mini-games with my eyes closed while purely tuning into the music and the sound cues that are provided as you progress. The key to winning is in the beat! You cannot be successful at this game without "hearing" the songs assigned to each mini-game or without engaging with the music's rhythm.
The other thing I find myself doing with the taps and flicks is that I am actually "playing" the game as if it were an instrument. The games themselves become part of the music! Every interaction with the game becomes motion creating sound that completes the songs that the games are set to. It is like being a participant in a band, choir, or orchestra. But, because of the literal game you are playing, it is a unique experience.
It can be hilarious as you interact with the characters through the mistakes you make or the successes that allow you to pass each level. I have found myself full-out laughing at some of the antics or creative surprises that are thrown at you along the way.
I own about 50 DS games and this game is definitely in my top five. I recommend it to anyone that loves a challenge, fun, and music. Here's to Rhythm Heaven 2!
PS: If you are a music student who wants this game, feel free to show this review to your parents or other family members. Glad to help out!! :D
