Software:Rhythm Heaven

From HandWiki
Short description: 2008 rhythm video game
This page is about the 2008 video game. For the video game series, see Rhythm Heaven (series). For the 2006 video game, see Rhythm Tengoku.

Rhythm Heaven
North American game cover
Developer(s)Nintendo SPD
TNX Music Recordings
Publisher(s)Nintendo
Director(s)Kazuyoshi Osawa
Producer(s)Tsunku
Designer(s)Kazuyoshi Osawa
Ko Takeuchi
Masami Yone
Takafumi Masaoka
Kyohei Seki
Programmer(s)Kazuyoshi Osawa
Takafumi Masaoka
Artist(s)Ko Takeuchi
Composer(s)Tsunku
Masami Yone
SeriesRhythm Heaven
Platform(s)Nintendo DS
Release
  • JP: July 31, 2008
  • NA: April 5, 2009
  • EU: May 1, 2009[1]
  • AU: June 4, 2009
Genre(s)Rhythm
Mode(s)Single-player

Rhythm Heaven,[lower-alpha 1] known as Rhythm Paradise in PAL regions, and Rhythm World in South Korea, is a rhythm game developed and published by Nintendo for the Nintendo DS. It is the second game in the Rhythm Heaven series and the first one released worldwide, following the Japan-only Game Boy Advance title Rhythm Tengoku, and was succeeded by Rhythm Heaven Fever for the Wii and Rhythm Heaven Megamix for the Nintendo 3DS. The game was released in Japan on July 31, 2008, in North America on April 5, 2009, in Europe on May 1, 2009, and in Australia on June 4, 2009.

Music was handled by Tsunku, and art was handled by Ko Takeuchi, notable for his work on the WarioWare series.

Gameplay

Unlike its predecessor which is played using the GBA's buttons, Rhythm Heaven is played using the touch screen with the DS held vertically, which is found in other DS games such as Brain Age: Train Your Brain in Minutes a Day! and Software:Hotel Dusk: Room 215.[2] Throughout the game, players use the stylus to play through numerous rhythm-based levels known as Rhythm Games, each with their own specific rules. Controls used include tapping the touch screen, holding the stylus down on the touch screen, dragging it across the screen and flicking it off the screen. A guitar-based minigame late in the game known as Rockers 2 and the unlockable guitar lessons also include the use of the DS's shoulder buttons to bend guitar notes.

Rhythm Heaven contains fifty different rhythm games. They are split into ten sets, each consisting of four Rhythm Games and a themed Remix level that incorporates the previous games into a single song. The completion of the game's sixth remix unlocks additional sequel levels, which use the same mechanics as their predecessors but have increased difficulty and, in a few cases, introduce new patterns. Each of the remixes also contain games outside of the designated sets.

In each Rhythm Game, the player must attempt to keep with the rhythm throughout the level. Most levels allow the player to practice before attempting to clear the game, the exceptions being the Remix stages and some sequel games (namely those that include previously unseen patterns).

The player is given a rank at the end of a game depending on how well they did, which ranges from 'Try Again' for a poor performance, to 'Superb' if they complete the stage with few or no misses. To clear a Rhythm Game and progress onto the next level, the player needs to get a 'Just OK' or 'OK' rank. By receiving a 'Superb' rank on each Rhythm Game, players receive Medals which unlock bonus content, such as Endless Games, Rhythm Toys and Guitar Lessons. Any Rhythm Game that a player has received a Superb rating on may be randomly selected for a Perfect attempt. These runs require the player to complete a Rhythm Game perfectly without making any mistakes, with only 3 attempts being allowed per cycle. Completing a Perfect run earns more bonus features in the cafe, such as song sheets and lyrics.

While the game is automatically set to be played on right-handed mode, there is also a left-handed mode which is achieved by flipping the screen 180 degrees. Because this causes the action screen to be displayed on the right side as opposed to the left, some of the minigames are also mirrored to compensate.

Music

Rhythm Heaven uses original music composed by Tsunku and Masami Yone, with vocals by TNX artists including Canary Club, the Possible, and Tsunku himself (credited as Occhama[3]). These vocals were re-recorded in English for the Western version by other vocalists (most notably Ayaka Nagate, a former member of the Tsunku-produced Coconuts Musume), as were some of the voice cues. There were plans to include the Japanese songs in the music player section, but they were soon taken out due to space restrictions. Soundtrack albums for the game have been released in Japan, but not in North America. Additionally, the European release of Rhythm Heaven (known in the region as Rhythm Paradise) received full localizations of the songs in French, German, Italian, and Spanish, including the vocal songs in the Fan Club, The Dazzles, Frog Hop, Karate Man, and Airboarder rhythm games, and the South Korean release, where it is known in the region as Rhythm World, received a full Korean localization.[4]

Development

Rhythm Heaven was developed by Nintendo SP&D1 with the assistance of Tsunku, a music record producer, both also worked on the original Rhythm Tengoku. The conception of the game is credited to Nintendo programmer Kazuyoshi Osawa who previously worked on Metroid and WarioWare titles.[5][6]


Reception

Reception
Aggregate score
AggregatorScore
Metacritic83/100[7]
Review scores
PublicationScore
1Up.comB+[8]
Destructoid9/10[9][10]
Eurogamer8/10[11][12]
Famitsu34/40[13]
Game Informer7.5/10[14]
GamePro5/5[15]
GameRevolutionB[16]
GameSpot7.5/10[17]
GameSpy4/5[18]
GameTrailers8.7/10[19]
Giant Bomb5/5[20]
IGN9/10[21]
Nintendo Power9/10[22]
The Daily Telegraph8/10[23]
Wired9/10[24]

The game received "favorable" reviews according to the review aggregation website Metacritic.[7] In Japan, Famitsu gave it a score of two eights and two nines, for a total of 34 out of 40.[13]

Wired gave it a similar score of nine stars out of ten and called it "the sort of novel, deep, challenging game that people accuse Nintendo of not creating anymore."[24] The Daily Telegraph gave it eight out of ten and said that the touches "elevate [the game] from a fun but throwaway music game into an addictive quest for rhythm perfection. It's not a music game as wonderfully elaborate as the superb Elite Beat Agents, but its ostensibly simple mechanics give it a sense of purity that a lot of games lack."[23] The A.V. Club gave it a B and called it "the cutest drum machine on the market."[25] Jeremy Parish of 1Up.com gave the game a B+ finding fault with the game for not surpassing the original Rhythm Tengoku, stating: "If this seems like overly harsh criticism for a game that, by all standards, is a must-play experience, it's only because it walks in the footsteps of sheer perfection. Rhythm Heaven does its job with style and aplomb, but anyone who's played the GBA original knows that the concept has been done better."[8]

As of December 2014, Rhythm Heaven had sold 3,040,000 copies worldwide.[26] It was also the sixth best-selling game in Japan in 2008.[27]

Sequels and legacy

A Rhythm Heaven Wii game, Rhythm Heaven Fever, succeeded this version; Nintendo president Satoru Iwata saw potential in the game in people's living rooms. He replied: "When you see others play with the game and notice that he or she misses out on being perfectly in rhythm, it can also be surprisingly fun."[28]

Six years later, another Rhythm Heaven game was released for the Nintendo 3DS under the title of Rhythm Heaven Megamix. It features games from the DS installment, as well as rhythm games from Fever and the original Rhythm Tengoku along with brand-new ones.[29]


In March 2025, Nintendo announced a new Rhythm Heaven game, Rhythm Heaven Groove. The game will release in 2026.[30]

Notes

  1. ↑ Known in Japan as Rhythm Tengoku Gold (Japanese: リズム天国ゴールド, Hepburn: Rizumu Tengoku Gōrudo, lit. "Rhythm Heaven Gold")

References

  1. ↑ East, Tom (March 16, 2009). "Rhythm Paradise Comes To DS In May". Official Nintendo Magazine. http://www.officialnintendomagazine.co.uk/7453/rhythm-paradise-comes-to-ds-in-may/. Retrieved August 18, 2016. 
  2. ↑ "E3 08: Hands-on with Rhythm Heaven". July 17, 2008. https://www.destructoid.com/e3-08-hands-on-with-rhythm-heaven/. 
  3. ↑ "つんく♂『おっちゃまの正体は！？ (スタッフからのコメント)』". http://ameblo.jp/tsunku-blog/entry-10167669542.html. 
  4. ↑ "닌텐도DS 신색상 2종과 리듬 세상 출시". ThisIsGame. September 21, 2009. https://www.thisisgame.com/webzine/rboard/1/?n=21384. 
  5. ↑ "Iwata Asks - Rhythm Heaven". Nintendo. http://www.rhythmheaven.com/iwata1.html. 
  6. ↑ "Kazuyoshi Osawa Video Game Credits and Biography". MobyGames. http://www.mobygames.com/developer/sheet/view/developerId,158061/. 
  7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 "Rhythm Heaven for DS Reviews". https://www.metacritic.com/game/rhythm-heaven/critic-reviews/?platform=ds. 
  8. ↑ 8.0 8.1 Jeremy Parish (April 5, 2009). "Rhythm Heaven Review". 1Up.com. http://www.1up.com/reviews/rhythm-heaven. 
  9. ↑ Bennett, Colette; North, Dale (September 12, 2008). "Destructoid Import Review: Rhythm Tengoku Gold". https://www.destructoid.com/destructoid-import-review-rhythm-tengoku-gold-102347.phtml. 
  10. ↑ Bennett, Colette; North, Dale (April 2, 2009). "Destructoid review: Rhythm Heaven". https://www.destructoid.com/destructoid-review-rhythm-heaven-126865.phtml. 
  11. ↑ Walker, John (August 27, 2008). "Rhythm Tengoku Gold". http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/rhythm-tengoku-gold-review. 
  12. ↑ Parkin, Simon (May 4, 2009). "Rhythm Paradise". http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/rhythm-paradise-review. 
  13. ↑ 13.0 13.1 James (2008). "Famitsu Review Scores". Pure Nintendo Magazine. http://purenintendo.com/famitsu-review-scores-18/. Retrieved August 18, 2016. 
  14. ↑ Miller, Matt (May 2009). "Rhythm Heaven: Unique Twist on Rhythm/Music Genre". Game Informer (193). https://www.gameinformer.com/games/rhythm_heaven/b/nintendo_ds/archive/2009/09/22/review.aspx. Retrieved August 18, 2016. 
  15. ↑ Herring, Will (April 7, 2009). "Rhythm Heaven". GamePro. http://www.gamepro.com/article/reviews/209640/rhythm-heaven. Retrieved August 19, 2016. 
  16. ↑ Tan, Nick (April 6, 2009). "Rhythm Heaven Review". Game Revolution. http://www.gamerevolution.com/review/rhythm-heaven. 
  17. ↑ McShea, Tom (April 1, 2009). "Rhythm Heaven Review". http://www.gamespot.com/reviews/rhythm-heaven-review/1900-6207184/. 
  18. ↑ McGarvey, Sterling (April 7, 2009). "GameSpy: Rhythm Heaven". GameSpy. http://ds.gamespy.com/nintendo-ds/rhythm-tengoku-gold/970804p1.html. 
  19. ↑ "Rhythm Heaven Review". GameTrailers. April 10, 2009. http://www.gametrailers.com/reviews/aczl3p/rhythm-heaven-review. 
  20. ↑ Gerstmann, Jeff (April 3, 2009). "Rhythm Heaven Review". Giant Bomb. http://www.giantbomb.com/reviews/rhythm-heaven-review/1900-130/. 
  21. ↑ Harris, Craig (March 31, 2009). "Rhythm Heaven Review". http://www.ign.com/articles/2009/03/31/rhythm-heaven-review. 
  22. ↑ "Rhythm Heaven". Nintendo Power 241: 86. May 2009. 
  23. ↑ 23.0 23.1 Hoggins, Tom (April 28, 2009). "Rhythm Paradise review". The Daily Telegraph. https://www.telegraph.co.uk/technology/video-games/5237328/Rhythm-Paradise-review.html. 
  24. ↑ 24.0 24.1 Kohler, Chris (April 3, 2009). "Review: Rhythm Heaven Is Portable Music Brilliance". Wired. https://www.wired.com/2009/04/review-rhythm-h. Retrieved August 19, 2016. 
  25. ↑ Fischer, Russ (April 6, 2009). "Rhythm Heaven". The A.V. Club. http://www.avclub.com/article/rhythm-heaven-26172. 
  26. ↑ "Rhythm Heaven for Nintendo DS". https://www.vgchartz.com/game/25553/rhythm-heaven/sales. 
  27. ↑ Parfitt, Ben (January 9, 2009). "JAPANESE 2008 MARKET REPORT". MCV. http://www.mcvuk.com/news/read/japanese-2008-market-report/01483. Retrieved August 18, 2016. 
  28. ↑ Alexander, Leigh (January 28, 2011). "Nintendo Reveals Traditional Kirby Game, Rhythm Heaven In Works For Wii". http://www.gamasutra.com/view/news/32694/Nintendo_Reveals_Traditional_Kirby_Game_Rhythm_Heaven_In_Works_For_Wii.php. 
  29. ↑ Frank, Allegra (March 3, 2016). "Rhythm Heaven Megamix heading to 3DS later this year". https://www.polygon.com/2016/3/3/11157746/rhythm-heaven-megamix-nintendo-3ds. 
  30. ↑ "Rhythm Heaven Groove launches on Nintendo Switch in 2026". https://www.nintendo.com/sg/news/article/1diBdCj3Dabjodvp1Wz1rl. 
  • Official website (in Japanese)
  • MobyGames is a commercial database website that catalogs information on video games and the people and companies behind them via crowdsourcing. This includes over 300,000 games for hundreds of platforms.[1] Founded in 1999, ownership of the site has changed hands several times. It has been owned by Atari SA since 2022.

Features

Edits and submissions to the site (including screenshots, box art, developer information, game summaries, and more) go through a verification process of fact-checking by volunteer "approvers".[2] This lengthy approval process after submission can range from minutes to days or months.[3] The most commonly used sources are the video game's website, packaging, and credit screens. There is a published standard for game information and copy-editing.[4] A ranking system allows users to earn points for contributing accurate information.[5]

Registered users can rate and review games. Users can create private or public "have" and "want" lists, which can generate a list of games available for trade with other registered users. The site contains an integrated forum. Each listed game can have its own sub-forum.

History

Logo used until March 2014

MobyGames was founded on March 1, 1999, by Jim Leonard and Brian Hirt, and joined by David Berk 18 months later, the three of which had been friends since high school.[6][7] Leonard had the idea of sharing information about computer games with a larger audience. The database began with information about games for IBM PC compatibles, relying on the founders' personal collections. Eventually, the site was opened up to allow general users to contribute information.[5] In a 2003 interview, Berk emphasized MobyGames' dedication to taking video games more seriously than broader society and to preserving games for their important cultural influence.[5]

In mid-2010, MobyGames was purchased by GameFly for an undisclosed amount.[8] This was announced to the community post factum , and the site's interface was given an unpopular redesign.[7] A few major contributors left, refusing to do volunteer work for a commercial website.{{Citation needed|date=June 2025} On December 18, 2013, MobyGames was acquired by Jeremiah Freyholtz, owner of Blue Flame Labs (a San Francisco-based game and web development company) and VGBoxArt (a site for fan-made video game box art).[9] Blue Flame Labs reverted MobyGames' interface to its pre-overhaul look and feel,[10] and for the next eight years, the site was run by Freyholtz and Independent Games Festival organizer Simon Carless.[7]

On November 24, 2021, Atari SA announced a potential deal with Blue Flame Labs to purchase MobyGames for $1.5 million.[11] The purchase was completed on 8 March 2022, with Freyholtz remaining as general manager.[12][13][14] Over the next year, the financial boost given by Atari led to a rework of the site being built from scratch with a new backend codebase, as well as updates improving the mobile and desktop user interface.[1] This was accomplished by investing in full-time development of the site instead of its previously part-time development.[15]

In 2024, MobyGames began offering a paid "Pro" membership option for the site to generate additional revenue.[16] Previously, the site had generated income exclusively through banner ads and (from March 2014 onward) a small number of patrons via the Patreon website.[17]

See also

  • IGDB – game database used by Twitch for its search and discovery functions

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 Sheehan, Gavin (2023-02-22). "Atari Relaunches The Fully Rebuilt & Optimized MobyGames Website". https://bleedingcool.com/games/atari-relaunches-the-fully-rebuilt-optimized-mobygames-website/. 
  2. ↑ Litchfield, Ted (2021-11-26). "Zombie company Atari to devour MobyGames". https://www.pcgamer.com/zombie-company-atari-to-devour-mobygames/. 
  3. ↑ "MobyGames FAQ: Emails Answered § When will my submission be approved?". Blue Flame Labs. 30 March 2014. http://www.mobygames.com/info/faq7#g1. 
  4. ↑ "The MobyGames Standards and Practices". Blue Flame Labs. 6 January 2016. http://www.mobygames.com/info/standards. 
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 Miller, Stanley A. (2003-04-22). "People's choice awards honor favorite Web sites". Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. 
  6. ↑ "20 Years of MobyGames" (in en). 2019-02-28. https://trixter.oldskool.org/2019/02/28/20-years-of-mobygames/. 
  7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 Plunkett, Luke (2022-03-10). "Atari Buys MobyGames For $1.5 Million". https://kotaku.com/mobygames-retro-credits-database-imdb-atari-freyholtz-b-1848638521. 
  8. ↑ "Report: MobyGames Acquired By GameFly Media". Gamasutra. 2011-02-07. https://www.gamedeveloper.com/game-platforms/report-mobygames-acquired-by-gamefly-media. 
  9. ↑ Corriea, Alexa Ray (December 31, 2013). "MobyGames purchased from GameFly, improvements planned". http://www.polygon.com/2013/12/31/5261414/mobygames-purchased-from-gamefly-improvements-planned. 
  10. ↑ Wawro, Alex (31 December 2013). "Game dev database MobyGames getting some TLC under new owner". Gamasutra. https://www.gamedeveloper.com/business/game-dev-database-mobygames-getting-some-tlc-under-new-owner. 
  11. ↑ "Atari invests in Anstream, may buy MobyGames". November 24, 2021. https://www.gamesindustry.biz/articles/2021-11-24-atari-invests-in-anstream-may-buy-mobygames. 
  12. ↑ Rousseau, Jeffrey (2022-03-09). "Atari purchases Moby Games". https://www.gamesindustry.biz/atari-purchases-moby-games. 
  13. ↑ "Atari Completes MobyGames Acquisition, Details Plans for the Site's Continued Support". March 8, 2022. https://www.atari.com/atari-completes-mobygames-acquisition-details-plans-for-the-sites-continued-support/. 
  14. ↑ "Atari has acquired game database MobyGames for $1.5 million" (in en-GB). 2022-03-09. https://www.videogameschronicle.com/news/atari-has-acquired-game-database-mobygames-for-1-5-million/. 
  15. ↑ Stanton, Rich (2022-03-10). "Atari buys videogame database MobyGames for $1.5 million". https://www.pcgamer.com/atari-buys-videogame-database-mobygames-for-dollar15-million/. 
  16. ↑ Harris, John (2024-03-09). "MobyGames Offering “Pro” Membership". https://setsideb.com/mobygames-offering-pro-membership/. 
  17. ↑ "MobyGames on Patreon". http://www.patreon.com/mobygames. 
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