The wait is finally over. Rhythm Heaven Groove — the first brand-new mainline entry in Nintendo’s beloved rhythm series in over a decade — launches on Nintendo Switch tomorrow, 2 July 2026. If you’ve never played a Rhythm Heaven game before, it is also the best possible time to start.
A Decade in the Making
The last mainline Rhythm Heaven title — known as Rhythm Paradise Megamix in Europe — came out in 2015 in Japan and 2016 in the West. Nearly ten years of silence from one of Nintendo’s quirkiest and most charming franchises, broken at last by Groove.
This is not a remake or a compilation. Rhythm Heaven Groove is a completely original game built on the same formula that made the series famous: deceptively simple button-press gameplay, relentlessly catchy original music, and art styles that shift wildly from one stage to the next. One moment you are rolling a hoop down a street; the next you are a stick figure wrestling milk cartons off a conveyor belt. The joy is how quickly each new minigame’s rhythm clicks.
80+ Minigames, One Brand-New Mode
Groove packs more than 80 single-player rhythm minigames and 30 multiplayer games (supporting up to four players), making it the deepest entry in the series by count alone. The breadth of art styles is wider than ever too — ranging from hand-drawn cartoon characters to quasi-realistic cooking scenes.
The headline addition exclusive to this entry is Beatspell, an RPG-inspired mode that is a first for the franchise. Rather than simply clearing stages in sequence, Beatspell sends players into monster-battling scenarios where rhythm is the weapon. It is an ambitious layer on top of an already rich package, and early previews have praised it warmly — TechRadar called Groove “on track to become my favourite Nintendo Switch release of 2026.”
A Beat With Soul: The Tsunku♂ Story
Rhythm Heaven has always been defined by its music, and Groove is no different. Legendary Japanese music producer Tsunku♂ — the creative force behind the series’ entire soundtrack — returns for this new entry. What makes his involvement remarkable is the context: Tsunku♂ was diagnosed with laryngeal cancer around 2014 and subsequently lost his vocal cords. He can no longer sing, yet he has composed the entire soundtrack for Groove without them. The music is as infectious as ever.
Try It Free Right Now
Nintendo released a free demo for Groove on the Nintendo eShop on 22 June, and the best part is that any save progress from the demo carries over to the full game when you buy it. The demo includes five single-player stages and one multiplayer game (Rhythm Tweezers). If you have not tried it yet, it is sitting on the Singapore eShop right now waiting for you — and there is no better way to judge whether you want to pick up the full release tomorrow.
How to Get Rhythm Heaven Groove in Singapore
Rhythm Heaven Groove is available on the Nintendo eShop Singapore from 2 July. The US eShop price is USD 39.99 for the digital version and USD 49.99 physical; check the Singapore eShop directly for local SGD pricing. The game is also compatible with Nintendo Switch 2 via backward compatibility, so there is no need to wait for a dedicated Switch 2 version.
For a rhythm game fan, or anyone who remembers losing hours to Rhythm Tengoku on a Game Boy Advance SP, tomorrow is a good day. Keep an eye on our game news for more on what is landing on Switch and Switch 2 this month.
