9 of the Best - Rhythm Games

Over the last few years I have found myself becoming more and more obsessed with rhythm games. Starting many moons ago playing the DDR games using the joypad I have steadily developed an all-consuming desire to play everything rhythm orientated. To celebrate my very first blog on Destructoid I though I would share a few of my more recent rhythm favourites.

Deemo
iOS/Android

A recent discovery, Deemo is filled with beautiful piano driven melodies and a simple yet beautiful art design. 33 tracks are available at present, each with 3 difficulty settings and 9 different note speed options. As you beat songs you grow a strange tree which is used to incorporate story elements that are lacking in many other games from the genre. A real gem.

Difficulty-o-meter: 6

Gitaroo Man
PS2/PSP

A bullied schoolboy is transformed into an intergalactic space hero with the help of his strangely vocal dog. The storyline might be bonkers but it is charming nonetheless. Broken into attack and defence modes, the player must alternate between tapping the face buttons in the correct order to defend from attacks whilst following an undulating line with the analogue stick in order to inflict damage upon opponents.

Difficulty-o-meter: 6

Child of Eden
PS3/Xbox 360

Child of Eden is a musical and visual treat and one of my games of the last gen. The player controls a reticule that can lock on to eight enemies at a time by holding down the attack button. Releasing this button in time with the music allows you to chain combos and attain stellar high scores. Prepare to have your mind blow by some awe-inspiring psychedelic eye porn.

Difficulty-o-meter: 7

Cytus Lambda
iOS/Android/PS Vita

Whilst lacking the polish of many of the other games on this list, Cytus Lambda still proves to be a worthy addition. The game contains a large number of tracks to begin with and the developer releases a new set every time the game sells an additional 100,000 copies. Great value for money. Although the touchscreen timing is a lot more forgiving than other rhythm games, Cytus Lambda still proves a gargantuan challenge by incorporating some incredibly intense (and almost impossible-looking) patterns.

Difficulty-o-meter: 9

Patapon
PSP

In Patapon you lead your obedient army of warriors into battle as an omnipotent drum god. On your way you'll fight and overcome a huge swathe of baddies including dinosaurs, golems and Tremors-esque giant worms. With different attacking and defence options assigned to certain button patterns Patapon definitely provides a challenge whilst never being overly frustrating. I prefer the simplicity of the original as opposed to the deeper follow up titles and hence its inclusion in this list.

Difficulty-o-meter: 4

DJMAX Technika Tune
PS Vita

Jammed with loads of catchy tunes and boasting an impressive array of background visuals, DJMAX has quickly become one of my favourite games of all time. The amount of hours I have poured into this title is incredible. Suckers for punishment will love the hardest difficulty setting which ramps the challenge level right up to 11. Everything about the game screams quality, and Pentavision deserve huge credit for pouring such hard work, love and devotion into their PS Vita baby.

Difficulty-o-meter: 9

Theatrhythm
3DS/iOS

Final Fantasy is a game that boasts an impressive history when it comes to memorable soundtracks so a music/rhythm game based around these tunes came as music to my ears. Covering classic songs from the many Final Fantasy releases of yore, you're sure to find a nostalgic tune that will send you daydreaming back in time. RPG elements are added to the game in keeping with FF's levelling system and will keep you playing until every character is maxed out. Only downer is the microtransactions that are required to unlock the full soundtrack. Roll on Curtain Call!

Difficulty-o-meter: 8

Hatsune Miku Project Diva f
PS Vita

Whilst I have always found the whole vocaloid scene a little embarrassing, I can't deny that Project Diva f is a cracking rhythm game. The vast majority of the tracks included are infuriatingly catchy and the amount of unlockable content and customisation ensures that players will get hours upon hours of playtime from their purchase. Fun from start to finish, the only real problem with the gameplay comes with the touchscreen taps that some how seem out of place in a game that otherwise relies solely on the Vita's face buttons. Although not the most challenging of the games on this list, Project Diva f is definitely worth checking out.

Difficulty-o-meter: 5

Bit.Trip Runner 2
PS3/PS Vita/Xbox 360

A bit different from most of the other games in this list, Bit.Trip Runner 2 is still a fantastic music game. You control Commander Video and his motley crew of misfit friends as you just, dance, bop and slide your way through a multitude of obstacle filled levels. Highly addictive, expect to find yourself playing hours after you promised yourself 'right, one last level'. The ending, despite being short, has one of the funniest video game one-liners I can remember in recent history. An absolute bargain for the sub �6 price tag.

Difficulty-o-meter: 7


So there you go, my current favourite rhythm/music games. I did try to include pictures and additional formatting in this post, but I had massive errors with the blog displaying incorrectly so removed them. Note that I neglected to add a DDR title to the list as it has been so long since I last played one (I also can't remember which version was my most favoured!) that I felt I couldn't adequately write about it.�

Have I missed any titles off the list that should blatantly be on there? I'm always on the look out for new games that I might enjoy so any suggestions of games I should try would be greatly appreciated. Share your opinions and favourites below.

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Lexingtongue