Rhythm Paradise Groove marks the long-awaited return of Nintendo’s gloriously weird rhythm series, and after more than a decade away, it somehow feels like it never left.
While plenty of rhythm games focus on complex note charts or chasing high scores, Rhythm Paradise has always done things differently, throwing bizarre mini-games at you with infectious music and expecting you to simply feel the beat. Groove for Nintendo Switch sticks firmly to that winning formula, and honestly, that’s exactly what it needed to do.
Small Beat Manifesto
Rhythm Paradise Groove is built around dozens of bite-sized rhythm challenges, each lasting only a minute or two. Whether you’re timing karate chops, helping a group of animals, or trying to talk to aliens, every stage introduces a fresh idea before moving on to the next seconds later.
The pacing rarely slows down in Rhythm Paradise Groove. So, even if one particular mini-game doesn’t really click with you, another completely different one is only moments away.
Read More: ROBOBEAT (Xbox Series S|X) review – Bang on Beat
As always, the trick isn’t reacting to what you see on screen but listening to the music. Visual cues are sometimes deliberately misleading, and you’ll only master each challenge once you trust the rhythm instead of what you see.
Getting into the groove of Groove can be frustrating at first. This frustration then returns in the more-demanding levels where timings become much tighter.However, finally nailing a performance after several failed attempts is extremely satisfying.
Mode Selecta
Rhythm Paradise Groove features a mode called Beatspell, a rhythm RPG/dungeon-crawler mode. That shifts the gameplay away from the mini-game side of things and into a single-player adventure where you explore dungeons and fight monsters using rhythm-based spells.
It’s an interesting idea, but it really needs some work when compared to the other content on show. It does feel a bit underbaked.
Read More: Yoshi and the Mysterious Book review – Along for the Ride
Rhythm Paradise Groove strikes a nice balance between welcoming newcomers while still offering enough challenge for returning fans, although perfectionists chasing flawless runs will keep you occupied for months.
Synaesthesia
Visually, Groove is every bit as charming as you would hope. The art style is simple but full of personality, with wonderful animations making every bizarre challenge come alive.
For a game built around music, the soundtrack is easily one of Nintendo’s best, packed with songs that will get stuck in your head long after you’ve turned the Switch 2 off. Some tracks are absolute earworms.
Rhythm Paradise Groove is an impressive return that delivers another wonderfully odd collection of rhythm challenges backed by fantastic music and endless charm.If you’ve been waiting years for the series return, this is exactly the comeback you were hoping for.