Why Everyone Should Play This Game | Rhythm Paradise Groove

Written by Nathan Langridge 

Published by Mike Loder

Everyone loves listening to music. It’s a simple fact of life. However, not everyone loves playing video games. They can be complicated and overwhelming to understand.

That said, everyone should play Rhythm Paradise Groove. It's one of those truly rare gems that has something for audiences of all ages to enjoy.

The controls in Rhythm Paradise Groove are simple and intuitive. Players only need to press one or two buttons per musical minigame.

On the intuitive side, two great examples spring to mind. In Crab Snacks, the player controls the left and right claws of a small crab. The left D-pad button controls the left claw, and the A button controls the right. 

In the simplest terms, the button on the far left of the controller controls the left claw, while the button on the far right controls the right. In Stop N Go N Stop, your vehicle drives from the right-hand side of the screen to the left, and pressing the right D-pad button (the opposite direction to where you're travelling) slams on the brakes. It’s all perfectly straightforward and allows the player to focus entirely on timing.

Timing is vital to success in Rhythm Paradise Groove, and while I have highlighted the accessibility of the game, that does not mean it is without challenge. Rhythm Paradise Groove absolutely requires skill, but not in the traditional video game sense.

However, while the screen becomes impossible to follow, hope for success remains. The audio cues stay the same, and as long as the player can still feel the rhythm amongst the chaos, they will reach paradise. Groovy.

This philosophy applies doubly to the bombastic Remix minigames that round out each area of the game. Remixes feature montage-like sequences where the player jumps between four minigames in rapid succession. Later remixes even seamlessly overlay one minigame on top of another, requiring the player to control both at once.

I was frightened by the sudden appearance of a minigame within a minigame, initially thinking it was a trick designed to throw me off. In fact, just as before, all I needed to do was maintain the rhythm. Feeling the flow is one of the many satisfying aspects of Rhythm Paradise Groove, and it's rewarding to improve bit by bit with every colourful minigame.

All of these comments aside, I have barely touched on the gorgeous art style. 

Each minigame surprises the player with charming character designs and unique environments. Much like we discussed during our preview of Rhythm Paradise Groove, the art style feels like a playable cartoon, and the minimal-to-no UI during gameplay is a welcome change compared to other rhythm games that love to throw high scores and other text in your face at every opportunity.

The only element I have found visually underwhelming is the presentation of the menu UI and various selection screens. This is a minor complaint, but it feels like a bit of whiplash transitioning from the beautiful minigames to a rather plain menu. This is especially noticeable when compared to the series’ previous title, 2016’s Rhythm Paradise Megamix on Nintendo 3DS. The UI and menu design in that game felt far more consistent with the series’ signature charm than Groove’s overly simple grid layout.

Minor UI criticisms aside, my time with Rhythm Paradise Groove has been nothing short of bliss. The game’s ability to create so many fresh and entertaining minigames after nearly 20 years is incredibly impressive. Conquering each challenge by simply going with the flow is an immensely satisfying experience that I can recommend to almost anyone.

Written by Nathan Langridge 

Published by Mike Loder

Rhythm Paradise Groove is, as the title suggests, a rhythm game, but it’s also something even more appealing: a game that can be played with just a single button. That means no matter a player's skill level or experience with video games, anyone of any age can tap along to the beat of this endlessly endearing Nintendo Switch title.

During our hands-on preview of Rhythm Paradise Groove, we bopped along to a variety of modes, including a megamix of solo and multiplayer minigames.

 Another solo highlight was Remix 1, a minigame that seamlessly tosses you between several minigames to put your rhythmic skills to the ultimate test. Remix begins as absolute chaos as players try to acclimatise to jumping in time, hopping on the spot, then switching back to brollies and beyond. However, as the sequence continues, a sense of growth and confidence emerges in what can only be described as the montage-sequence effect. It is immensely satisfying to feel yourself finally get into the groove.

We also had a brief showcase of the opening chapters of Beatspell, the game's role-playing game-inspired mode. While we can’t delve too deeply into the story, we can touch on its gameplay elements. Unlike the bulk of Rhythm Paradise Groove, this mode appears designed to appeal to more experienced players. 

You'll need to cast spells and manage your health as you battle to the beat and defeat monsters. It looks promising for players seeking a stylistic change of pace from the traditional minigame madness.