Rhythm  Heaven Groove
Community consensus · Updated July 2026

Rhythm Heaven Groove tier list

This Rhythm Heaven tier list ranks the marquee minigames S to B by community consensus, with a plain reason for every placement. Updated July 2026.

Top picks at a glance
If you only try a few, start with the S tier: Karate Man and Built to Scale are the stages nearly everyone rates highest. The A tier — Polyrhythm, Rhythm Rally and Lockstep — is where the famous challenges live.
How this is ranked (and what it is not)
Rhythm Heaven has no official scores, damage numbers or leaderboards — so this is not a stats ranking, and we do not invent any. Instead, stages are grouped by labeled community consensus: how consistently players and guides name them as favorites across the sources below. Every placement gets a one-line reason so you can judge it yourself. This is a reported ranking, not a verified one.
The ranking

Marquee minigames, S to B

Tap any stage for its full how-to-play and Perfect guide.

S
Karate Man
Karate Man
Built to Scale
Built to Scale

Series icons — the stages fans name first and most guides rank at the top.

A
P
Polyrhythm
R
Rhythm Rally
L
Lockstep

Fan-favorite challenges with dedicated Perfect-run guides and lasting reputation.

B
Monkey Watch
Monkey Watch
Samurai Slice
Samurai Slice
Rhythm Tweezers
Rhythm Tweezers
Munchy Monk
Munchy Monk

Well-liked recurring stages that show up across the series and reward clean timing.

Per-stage reasoning

Why each stage sits where it does

S
Karate Man

The series flagship — it debuted in 2006 and has appeared in every game since, and it fronted Megamix's key art. Consistently the first stage fans mention.

S
Built to Scale

The DS tutorial stage that taught the flick, and a recurring favorite. Its readable rhythm makes it a beloved Perfect-farming target.

A
Polyrhythm

A famous test of independence — two beats at once. Widely cited as one of the series' most memorable brain-benders.

A
Rhythm Rally

The classic table-tennis stage whose sequel, Rhythm Rally 2, is a go-to Perfect-run case study in the community.

A
Lockstep

Notorious for flipping you between on-beat and off-beat; players constantly recommend closing your eyes to beat it. High recognition.

B
Monkey Watch

A recognizable recurring stage with a satisfying circular pulse — solid, if not top-of-mind like the S tier.

B
Samurai Slice

A Rhythm Tengoku original that keeps returning, tied to the Wandering Samurai. Reliable and well-liked.

B
Rhythm Tweezers

A charming Tengoku classic; it features as a multiplayer stage in Groove's demo, keeping it relevant.

B
Munchy Monk

A fun Fever Endless Game (unlocked at 23 medals). Beloved by score-chasers, a notch below the marquee stages in broad recognition.

Too new to rank
Groove's brand-new stages — Hoop Trundling, Slice ’n’ Dice Kitchen, Brolly Good Show, Disc Dog and the rest — have no community consensus yet because the game had not launched. We are deliberately leaving them unranked rather than guessing. They will slot in once players weigh in after July 2, 2026.
Citations

Consensus drawn from r/rhythmheaven ranking threads, the Rhythm Heaven Wiki, TheGamer's best-levels feature, and long-running community Perfect-run guides such as The Wired Fish Network. Placements reflect recurring praise across these sources, not a single opinion.

Common questions

Tier list FAQ

What is the best minigame in Rhythm Heaven?
By community consensus, Karate Man and Built to Scale sit at the top — the series icons fans name first. This tier list ranks the marquee stages by that consensus, not invented stats.
How is this Rhythm Heaven tier list ranked?
By labeled community consensus. Rhythm Heaven has no official stats, so stages are grouped into clear tiers based on how consistently fans and guides praise them, with a one-line reason for each.
Which are the hardest stages?
Polyrhythm and Lockstep get the most "this one broke me" reactions, and remixes ramp difficulty by stitching stages together. Difficulty and quality overlap but are not the same thing here.
Are the new Groove minigames ranked?
Not yet. New stages like Hoop Trundling and Slice ’n’ Dice Kitchen have no community consensus before launch, so we list them separately rather than inventing a tier for them.
Does this tier list change for 2026?
Yes. Once Groove is out and players rank its new stages, we will update this tier list 2026 with the fresh line-up and revisit where the classics land.