Feel like clapping your hands to the beat? You've got music under your skin... ? Good news: Rhythm Paradise Groove, a new episode in the Rhythm Paradise saga, awaits you in 2026 on Nintendo Switch. Announced at the latest Nintendo Direct, along with another game in the genre, Patapon. It's been ten years since the franchise has offered new content: this time, the wait has been rewarded!
This new opus is being developed by Nintendo, true to the wacky spirit of the Rhythm Paradise series(Rhythm Heaven in Japan), with Mitsuo Terada - also known by the pseudonym Tsunku♂ - at the musical helm, who already in 2020 expressed his desire to breathe new life into the series on Switch. The result? An announcement that thrills long-time fans, with Rhythm Paradise Groove, an episode completely unseen since Beat the Beat: Rhythm Paradise (2012). The 2015 3DS episode was merely a compilation: here, it's time for the real thing.
Scheduled for release in 2026, Rhythm Paradise Groove will arrive at the very end of the first-generation Nintendo Switch 's life, at the same time as the surprise return of Tomodachi Life: A Dream Life. As the Switch 2 slowly takes shape, this title could well be one of the hybrid console's last video-game fireworks.
Whether you're alone on the couch, with your partner for a fun time with friends, or with your family to introduce the younger ones to a zany universe, this game promises memorable sessions. The gameplay? The same simple, addictive principle: press at the right moment, on the right pulse, to complete a series of wacky mini-games.
In turn, you take on the role of a chef, an assembly-line worker or even a migrating bird, all to the beat of an electrifying soundtrack. Cooking, skipping rope, crushing cans, robot acrobatics... the themes are as absurd as they are endearing, supported by the expressive, minimalist design that is the saga's trademark.
The announcement was made with an introductory tutorial video - like a reminder to the general public - presented by a robotic voice, a deliberate nod to the series' offbeat humor.
If you grew up with the first Rhythm Paradise games on DS or Wii, or if you're simply curious to discover a musical game that's off the beaten track, Rhythm Paradise Groove promises to be accessible, light-hearted and, above all, furiously addictive. Ideal for moments of relaxation, for testing your reflexes or simply for laughing at perfectly staged absurd situations.
You don't have to be a musician to enjoy yourself: this game is for anyone who likes instant fun, zany animations and rhythmic experiences that don't take themselves too seriously. So, are you ready to beat the drum in 2026?
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