Rhythm Heaven

"More like Frustration Heaven"

Introduction

Rhythm Heaven is a Nintendo DS sequel to a Japan-only Game Boy Advance release of a game of the same name. The game consists of a multitude of short rhythm-based mini games where the user has to keep the beat in time with the music and the actions on-screen.

The premise of the game is simple and the concept sounds very fun. However, the execution has turned out with less than desirable results.

Whereas the Game Boy Advance title had the user pressing buttons to keep the beat, the Nintendo DS title takes advantage of the unique touch-screen features of the portable system. While this was supposed to be the biggest selling point of the game, it unfortunately is the game's biggest flaw. The concept sounds fun, however the control scheme often fails in its execution. Often times the control scheme obstructs the game play as opposed to enhancing it. There are a few redeeming qualities to the game, so those will be presented first. Unfortunately, none of these redeeming qualities are enough to overcome the imprecise stylus controls.


Graphics: 8/10

Rhythm Heaven -- developed by the team responsible for Wario Ware -- is presented in a cartoonish style, similar to the Wario Ware series. The visuals are very bright and colorful and present a mix of 2D and very basic 3D artwork. The menus are basic and serve their functions well with no issues present. If you enjoy the graphical style of the Wario Ware series, the visuals in Rhythm Heaven will be right up your alley.


Sound: 9/10

Rhythm Heaven's audio is the most enjoyable part of the game. The game's music was developed by various musicians to include Japanese pop star Tsunku. Featuring catchy tunes that will be stuck in your head long after your power off your Nintendo DS, Rhythm Heaven excels in the sound department. There are a few throw-away tunes -- the female vocalist performing the few song selections with lyrics lacks any emotion and the lyrics themselves are dull and lack any creativity -- but for the most part, the musical score is excellent.

The game also features a jukebox that allows you to replay the songs without the distraction of the sound effects that can drown out the music during the game at times. Unfortunately, to unlock these songs requires the user to score a “Perfect” rating on the mini-game where that song was originally featured before it can become playable in the jukebox. Good luck fighting the controls to accomplish that, though. It's just not worth the frustration.


Extras and Bonus Material: 5/10

The game offers a few extras consisting of some “Rhythm Toys,” “Endless Games” and “Guitar Lessons.” These are unlockable by obtaining a specified number of gold medals that can be collected by earning a “Superb” rating on the main rhythm games. These games are nothing more than fun little diversions from the main game.

Many of the “Rhythm Toys” are simplistic and don't offer much in the way of long-term appeal, but can serve as a little time-out to cool your frustrations from the main rhythm games.

Seeing that the original Game Boy Advance title was a hit in Japan and was not released outside of that territory, one wonders why Nintendo did not include the original title as an unlockable bonus for the North American release.


Controls: 3/10

Now the real frustration begins. As stated earlier, the original Game Boy Advance title used button presses to keep the time in the rhythm games whereas the DS uses stylus control. Unfortunately, the stylus control is imprecise when it comes to the “Flick” maneuver, which is used in many of the rhythm games. For some unknown reason, the game will often not recognize a “Flick” of the stylus which completely throws off the rhythm and frequently leads to the inevitable “Try Again” rating or, even worse, instant failure when attempting a “Perfect” challenge. It can be unbelievably frustrating to flick the stylus properly only to have the game ignore the input completely. Many games are completely based around this “Flick” maneuver -- table tennis, anyone -- so when the game does not recognize the input, the rhythm game feels broken.

Other control inputs that don't work well -- such as the “Light Tap” -- are fortunately rarely used throughout the game.

There are other moves such as the “Tap,” “Tap & Hold” and “Hold & Release” that work just fine. However when a primary control input such as the "Flick" -- one that is heavily used throughout the entire game -- does not register properly, the game just feels broken.

Because of these control problems with the game -- which is being heavily advertised to the casual gaming audience -- many new gamers will likely turn away in frustration after only a hour or two of playtime. Casual gamers don't have the patience to put up with lousy controls and will likely just shut off the game after a few unsuccessful attempts. Fortunately, Nintendo did implement a workaround to these poor controls. After several failed attempts at a rhythm game, you can talk to the barista who will offer to unlock the next game allowing the user to move on without having completed the troublesome level. While I give Nintendo a pat on the back for implementing this feature (no one likes to get “stuck” in a game), the fact remains that it will likely be used by many gamers -- particularly those in the casual audience -- to overcome the deplorable control scheme, as opposed to just bypassing a rare sticking point..


Replayability: 3/10

The rhythm games that don't use the “Flick” control input are fun and are enjoyable to replay. Repeating these games to better your rating and go for the elusive “Perfect” score can be an enjoyable experience. Unfortunately, many -- if not most -- of the games utilize the “Flick” control input. These games are not fun by any stretch and you will be overcome with relief when they are completed. Going back to play these games again isn't even a consideration. Replayability for the bonus content and unlockable material is limited at best.


One More Gripe

One more minor (albeit irritating) inconsistency is the level of performance required for a “Superb” rating. Some rhythm games just require a very good performance to obtain a “Superb” while others require a flawless performance to obtain a “Superb.” There game will not specify what level of performance is needed to obtain the “Superb” rating, so the user never knows what is expected of him. It can be immensely frustrating to make it to the end of a song with only one miss only to be given an “OK,” while other rhythm games award a “Superb” even with a couple errors.


Overall Score: 4/10

Rhythm Heaven is a game that sounds great on paper. The game looks great on the Nintendo DS. The game sounds great on the Nintendo DS (and even better on the Nintendo DSi). Unfortunately, the controls are so broken in certain Rhythm Games that the entire package can at times feel frustratingly unplayable. This review is not a criticism of stylus controls in general. Stylus controls work great when the control setup for a game does not require pin-point precision. However, in a game like Rhythm Heaven, where the difference between a “Perfect” and a complete failure is only milliseconds, there is no substitute for button controls.

Reviewer's Score: 4/10, Originally Posted: 04/17/09

Game Release: Rhythm Heaven (US, 04/05/09)