Rhythm Heaven Groove
The Nintendo Switch entry — the definitive modern Rhythm Heaven.
New Beatspell RPG mode, multiplayer, Starter Demo live now.
See the Groove deep-dives: Release & Price · Beatspell · Multiplayer.
Overview
Rhythm Heaven Groove is the first new Rhythm Heaven game in over a decade — the fifth mainline entry, following Megamix back in 2015. It releases July 2, 2026 on Nintendo Switch, and it is also playable on Nintendo Switch 2. It is priced at $39.99, lower than most Switch games, both physically and digitally. A free Starter Demo went live on June 22, 2026, and your progress carries over to the full game.
Gameplay
It plays like the Rhythm Heaven you know: short rhythm minigames driven by the music, where some games will try to trick your eyes so you have to play by ear. Groove packs more than 80 solo games and more than 30 multiplayer games across co-op and competitive modes. Clearing games and earning medals (you get a medal for an "Amazing" rating) unlocks chapters of the new Beatspell mode.
What's New
The big new thing is Beatspell, a rhythm-based RPG mode and a series first. You earn medals to unlock new Beatspell chapters, then tap commands as the beat moves around a diamond chart — for example, B then A casts a Flame, and Down casts a Cure. Groove also has the series’ biggest multiplayer offering yet: up to four players on one system across 30-plus games. It is the first Rhythm Heaven released in Taiwan and Hong Kong, and the first with official Dutch, Portuguese, and Traditional/Simplified Chinese localizations.
Reception
Groove had not launched at the time of writing, so there are no final review scores yet. Early hands-on previews — including Game Informer and Nintendo Life from June 2026 — were positive, calling it another strong Rhythm Heaven. Check back after the July 2, 2026 release for Metacritic and sales figures.
Notable Minigames
Minigame list being compiled. Browse the full database.
Trivia
- It is the first new mainline Rhythm Heaven game in over a decade.
- Tsunku returns to compose, working without his vocal cords after recovering from laryngeal cancer; Ko Takeuchi returns as lead art designer.
- The free Starter Demo launched June 22, 2026, ahead of the July 2 release.
- Regional names: Rhythm Paradise Groove (PAL), Rhythm Heaven: Miracle Stars (Asia), Rhythm Cheonguk (Korea).
- It is developed by Nintendo EPD and TNX, and published by Nintendo.
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