Tag Archives: Rhythm Game

What Is Maestro?

Maestro started life as a virtual-reality rhythm game on Meta Quest and PSVR2, where it won Meta’s Game of the Year award in 2024. Developer Double Jack has now rebuilt the experience for flat screens on Nintendo Switch and Switch 2, swapping VR headsets for Joy-Con motion controls. The core loop stays the same: you stand at the podium and lead a symphonic orchestra through iconic pieces of music, one gesture at a time.

Maestro gameplay in a dramatic Viking-themed orchestra venue on Nintendo Switch — Image courtesy of Microids

The game is deliberately accessible — you do not need to know a crotchet from a quaver to enjoy it — but it has enough depth in its three difficulty tiers to keep rhythm-game veterans working for those perfect performances. As with most rhythm games, the real draw is what you are conducting.

The Soundtrack: Attack on Titan, Star Wars, Harry Potter and More

Maestro ships with 35+ compositions spanning classical and pop-culture scores. Anime and genre-fiction fans will spot some heavy-hitters. Kohta Yamamoto’s “Ashes on the Fire” from Attack on Titan is included as base-game content on both Switch versions — no DLC required. Beyond that, the tracklist pulls in John Williams’ “Duel of the Fates” from Star Wars: Episode I and “Hedwig’s Theme” from Harry Potter, Ramin Djawadi’s Game of Thrones main theme, and Howard Shore’s “Bridge of Khazad-dûm” from The Lord of the Rings. The classical side covers Verdi, Beethoven, Mozart and Brahms, among others.

Maestro conducting Verdi's Requiem in a golden Baroque palace venue — Image courtesy of Microids

Each track has its own themed orchestra venue to match the mood — a brooding Viking hall for the more dramatic pieces, a gilded Baroque palace for Verdi, an atmospheric Gothic courtyard for the Harry Potter theme. Post-launch DLC is planned, so the setlist should grow after September.

Conducting With Joy-Con — How It Works

The control scheme maps directly to real conducting technique. One Joy-Con acts as the baton, keeping time and setting the tempo as you sweep it through the air. The other hand cues individual orchestra sections — strings, brass, woodwind, percussion — and shapes the dynamics. Maestro supports both tabletop and docked play modes on Switch, so you can keep the volume low in a shared HDB flat or go full arm-flailing in the living room.

Maestro's MAGNIFICO score screen with cherub illustrations and audience applause — Image courtesy of Microids

Nailing a performance earns you the “Magnifico” rating from the crowd, and there is a full cosmetics system to unlock — new venues, conductor outfits, batons and gloves — giving long-term players something to chase beyond the leaderboards.

Free Demo, September 17 Launch — What Singapore Players Need to Know

The free demo is live on the Nintendo eShop right now for both Switch and Switch 2. It includes Verdi’s Requiem across all four difficulty levels, which is a decent sampler of whether the motion controls click for you before you commit.

Maestro's in-game conductor character presenting The Bridge of Khazad-dum Lord of the Rings track selection — Image courtesy of Microids

The full game launches September 17 at US$29.99 (Singapore eShop pricing to be confirmed — check the local listing before purchasing). That date coincidentally lands on the same day as Fire Emblem: Fortune’s Weave, making it a busy week for Nintendo fans locally. Maestro supports Japanese, Korean, Simplified Chinese and Traditional Chinese text, so the interface will feel familiar for players in the region.

There is no confirmed physical edition for Singapore at this point — Microids is publishing a physical cartridge for Switch internationally, but local retailer availability has not been announced. The safest bet for Singapore players is the digital version on the Nintendo eShop, which is available now for the demo and will carry the full game on September 17. Check more Switch and Nintendo news on the blog for updates as launch gets closer.

Game News

hololive Dreams Songs Heading to BEMANI — IIDX and pop’n Music Confirmed

July 28, 2026 Nova Solaris

hololive Dreams Is Coming to BEMANI Arcades

The announcement dropped on 27 July via Dengeki Online (Japanese), confirming that songs from the official hololive mobile game will be playable on multiple BEMANI titles. beatmania IIDX 33 Sparkle Shower and pop’n music High☆Cheers!! are explicitly named as participating games, with other BEMANI machines also mentioned as part of the crossover lineup.

There is a catch — the full song list and the exact start date for the collaboration have not been announced yet. KONAMI and hololive Dreams will post full details on the official X accounts @hololive_dreams and @BEMANI_FanSite as they become available.

hololive Dreams rhythm game gameplay showing notes falling in beatmania-style lanes with Suisei and Marine visible — Image courtesy of COVER Corporation / QualiArts

hololive Dreams – Full GAME TRAILER — via hololive Dreams ホロライブドリームス on YouTube

What Is hololive Dreams?

If you missed the launch earlier this month, hololive Dreams is COVER Corporation’s first official mobile game for its hololive production talents, co-developed with QualiArts. Released on 23 July 2026 across iOS, Android and Steam — and free to play — the game blends rhythm gameplay with a theme park RPG. Players build and run an island resort called Dream Park, with over 50 hololive members as playable characters and more than 150 songs available to perform.

The rhythm mechanics use a side-scrolling note highway — notes scroll from right to left across horizontal lanes — making it immediately familiar to anyone who has spent time at a BEMANI machine. The collab announcement feels like a natural bridge between the two.

hololive Dreams Dream Park environment at night with hololive member chibi character — Image courtesy of COVER Corporation / QualiArts

What This Means for Singapore Fans

BEMANI is KONAMI’s long-running family of arcade rhythm games, covering everything from beatmania IIDX and pop’n music to Dance Dance Revolution, SOUND VOLTEX and jubeat. BEMANI machines are a staple of many arcades across Singapore, and local rhythm-game communities have followed IIDX song updates closely for years. The prospect of hololive music — from the likes of Suisei, Aqua, and the rest of the 50-plus talent roster — appearing on those cabinets will turn heads.

That said, BEMANI collaboration updates are typically rolled out to Japan first, with international cabinet networks following on a separate schedule. There is no confirmed Singapore timeline yet; keep an eye on game news here or follow the official accounts above for updates.

hololive Dreams cooking mini-game with hololive talent characters sorting ingredients — Image courtesy of COVER Corporation / QualiArts

When Will the Songs Drop on IIDX?

Both KONAMI and COVER have stayed tight-lipped on specifics for now — no song names, no update date. The safest bet is to bookmark the BEMANI Fan Site’s official X account (@BEMANI_FanSite) alongside the hololive Dreams account (@hololive_dreams), where the announcement confirmed full details will be posted. Given that hololive Dreams is still running its 25-new-songs-in-15-days campaign, there is plenty of fresh music that could make the cut.

hololive Dreams party race mini-game with multiple hololive member chibi characters competing on a conveyor track — Image courtesy of COVER Corporation / QualiArts

Game News

hololive Dreams Is Live — Free on iOS, Android and Steam

July 23, 2026 Nova Solaris

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The wait is over — hololive Dreams is live right now worldwide, and Singapore fans can start playing for free this very moment on iOS, Android, or PC via Steam. We covered the announcement back in early July when pre-registrations crossed 1.3 million, but now the game is actually in our hands. Here’s what you’re getting into.

hololive Dreams – Full GAME TRAILER — via hololive Dreams ホロライブドリームス on YouTube

Six Lanes, 150+ Songs: How the hololive Dreams Rhythm Game Works

At its core, hololive Dreams is a six-lane rhythm game where notes scroll downward in time with official hololive music. Three note types keep things varied: taps, held long notes, and directional flicks. What separates it from a straight music game is that your team composition actively affects your score — each hololive member you bring to a live carries skills that can boost score multipliers, protect your combo, or recover health when you miss. It’s closer to Gakuen Idolm@ster (which QualiArts also developed) than a simple tap-along.

hololive Dreams rhythm gameplay six-lane note chart — Image courtesy of Cover Corp

The song library at launch includes more than 150 tracks — originals, unit songs, and covers — with official MV and live-concert footage playing in the background as you chart. Every featured member has at least two tracks attached to their name, and the roster covers hololive Japan, hololive EN, and hololive ID. (Note: hololive English -Justice-, DEV_IS FLOW GLOW, and HOLOSTARS are not in at launch.)

Build Your hololive Dream Park

hololive Dreams theme park island base building — Image courtesy of Cover Corp

Beyond the rhythm battles, hololive Dreams gives you an island — a literal dream park — to develop over time. The hololive Park hub connects everything: NPC interactions, story events, and member-themed facility zones. As you progress, you unlock the Megasphere, a 3D space with platforming and casino-style mini-games. Each section of the park ties back to a specific set of holomem, so completionists will have plenty of reasons to keep pulling the gacha.

The Gacha: Teams of Six, Skill Trees, No Dupes Wasted

hololive Dreams gacha character collection screen — Image courtesy of Cover Corp

Teams in hololive Dreams consist of a Leader plus five members, each card carrying a distinct skill set. The game is built around progression through individual skill trees, so duplicate pulls aren’t dead weight — they feed upgrade materials. Over 50 holomem are collectible at launch, each with multiple costume variants that carry different stat spreads and skill effects.

The in-game currency is Diamonds, earned through story content, event missions, and the login calendar. The game is free to play with optional in-app purchases for Diamond top-ups.

Launch Rewards — Claim Your Free Gacha Pulls Now

hololive Dreams launch event rewards screen — Image courtesy of Cover Corp

Pre-registration milestones mean there’s a stack of freebies waiting in your in-game mailbox when you first log in. Because the 1.3 million pre-registration mark was cleared before launch, you’re entitled to the cumulative rewards from every milestone up to that point — including 2,500 Diamonds (enough for roughly 10 gacha pulls), a guaranteed ★4+ gacha ticket, Live Stage Day/Night Memory cosmetics, 3 Music Discs, and Dot Sunglasses cosmetics for all 54 talents in the game. Claim them from the mailbox on first login before they expire.

A special hololive 9th anniversary event is also planned for around October 2026, with details set to be revealed through official broadcasts after launch — something to look forward to later in the year.

How to Download hololive Dreams in Singapore

hololive Dreams park exploration and mini-games — Image courtesy of Cover Corp

hololive Dreams is available globally right now with no regional restriction for Singapore players. Your three options:

iOS — Search “hololive Dreams” on the App Store or follow the link from the official hololive site.
Android — Available on Google Play under the same name.
Steam (PC) — Find it at store.steampowered.com; free to install with cross-save supported across all three platforms via a linked Nintendo or Google account.

Cross-save works across all three platforms, so you can start on mobile and switch to Steam (or vice versa) without losing progress. There’s no Nintendo Switch Online subscription or equivalent barrier — just download, log in, and collect your launch freebies. For more game launch coverage, check our game news archive.

Game News, Manga Anime

Hypnosis Mic ARB 2nd Period Is Out on Switch — All Six Divisions, New Stories, and One Banger Anthem

July 19, 2026 Jax

All Six Divisions Finally Under One Roof

The first Switch instalment (1st period, released December 2024) covered the original three divisions: Buster Bros!!! from Ikebukuro, Mad Trigger Crew from Yokohama, and Fling Posse from Shibuya. 2nd period brings the rest in: Matenrou from Shinjuku, and — for the first time on Switch — Osaka’s BAD ASS TEMPLE and Nagoya’s Dotsuitare Hompo.

BAD ASS TEMPLE division characters from Hypnosis Mic Alternative Rap Battle 2nd Period — Image courtesy of Idea Factory / Hypnosis Mic

If you have been waiting for Sasara Nurude, Kuko Harai, and Rosho Tsutsujimori to get their Switch moment, this is it. With all six divisions present across both games, the complete HypMic character roster is now playable and fully voiced on Nintendo Switch.

KILLER SCRATCH!! Rhythm Mode and Three Exclusive Stories

The gameplay structure mirrors 1st period: the KILLER SCRATCH!! rhythm mode has you tapping along to the HypMic track catalogue, layered over a visual novel story. 2nd period pushes the story content harder than its predecessor — it includes the Main Story Season 2, a selection of popular event narratives reproduced with full voice acting, and three brand-new story scenarios written exclusively for this Switch release that are not available anywhere in the smartphone app.

For fans of the Division Rap Battle anime who have never touched the mobile game, the Switch entry is a clean, fully voiced way in. Developer Altoplus and publisher Idea Factory have kept the presentation tight, and the visual novel segments carry the same character depth that made the anime work.

Opening Theme: “Diggin'” by Division All Stars

Diggin' single artwork for Hypnosis Mic Alternative Rap Battle 2nd Period on Nintendo Switch — Image courtesy of Idea Factory / Hypnosis Mic

The new opening theme “Diggin'”, performed by Division All Stars and composed by Machi Def and DJ dip, released alongside the game on 16 July — the group’s first all-cast track in approximately a year. It is playable as a KILLER SCRATCH!! rhythm stage and is available across all major streaming platforms. The music video debuted on the official Hypnosis Mic YouTube channel the same evening.

Division All Stars “Diggin'” Music Video — via Channelヒプノシスマイク on YouTube

Pricing, Editions, and How to Import

Buster Bros!!! Ikebukuro division characters in Hypnosis Mic Alternative Rap Battle 2nd Period — Image courtesy of Idea Factory / Hypnosis Mic

Three editions are available through Japanese retailers and the Japanese Nintendo eShop:

Standard (physical or digital): ¥8,580 (approximately S$78)
Deluxe Edition: ¥10,780 (approximately S$98) — includes a special booklet and exclusive artwork cards
Twin Pack (1st period + 2nd period bundled): ¥14,960 (approximately S$136) — the best value entry point for newcomers picking up the Switch series for the first time

No English localisation has been announced. Nintendo Switch cartridges are region-free, so Singapore fans can import the Japanese physical version through retailers like AmiAmi or CDJapan, or purchase digitally through a Japanese Nintendo Account. Hypnosis Mic has consistently drawn crowds at Anime Festival Asia Singapore, so the local fanbase already knows the import routine. A companion promotion runs in the smartphone app through 5 August, offering in-game bonus stickers and items tied to the launch.

Further ahead, the new Division All Stars album Trick or Repeat — twenty tracks across two discs in the limited edition — arrives on 2 September 2026 for fans who need more after clearing the game. Check our Manga & Anime section for ongoing coverage of the HypMic franchise and other anime-adjacent game releases.