Nintendo Switch rhythm games: a guide

In many cases, it can take years for a system to accumulate a respectable library of rhythm games. Nintendo’s Switch is not in one of those situations. The system is nearing the end of its first year, and it already has a more than adequate array of available and upcoming games where music is the primary focus.

Out Now

Dark Witch Music Episode: Rudymical

Region(s) available: North America, Europe and Japan

Dark Witch Music Episode: Rudymical is a spin-off of The Legend of Dark Witch games. You pick one of three witches as your avatar and head into fights against other witches. They fire Boing-Boings at you in time with songs; you hit these to defend yourself and whittle away at your opponent’s health. It includes a single player campaign, versus multiplayer and co-operative multiplayer.

Deemo

Region(s) available: North America, Europe and Japan

Deemo is a rhythm game that first appeared on Android and iOS devices, before getting an enhanced Vita version. The Switch version is a port of that. Each song has three difficulty levels and requires you to pay on notes when they reach an indicator. How it differs from similar music games that were originally mobile exclusives is its heavy emphasis on story. Deemo is a creature who plays piano in the depths of the world. When a little girl falls into his realm, he must play music to make a tree grow to return her to the world above.

Floor Kids

Region(s) available: North America and Europe

Floor Kids is a breakdancing game with music from Kid Koala and character designs by JonJon. You pick a character, put together a deck of various moves for them to use and chain them together when competing against another dancer. There are also segments during each song that follow more traditional music game rules, where you press buttons in time with the beat, but most of the game has you using equipped moves to hype up a crowd.

Karaoke Joysound

Region(s) available: Japan

Karaoke Joysound has been a constant presence on NIntendo platforms, even appearing on the 3DS! Basically, you download the application. Then, you pay for tickets. ¥324 gets you three hours to sing along with songs, though you can also pay ¥3,024 for a 90-day plan. If you decide to download it, you can sing along to Splatoon 2 and Super Mario Odyssey songs! (There are also over 140,000 songs in its library.)

Splatoon 2

Region(s) available: North America, Europe and Japan

Splatoon 2 is not just about protecting your turf, collecting some fish eggs or maintaining your rank. It also has some incredibly fresh music. This stuff is off the hook, and you can play through any of the tracks you have heard in the game at any time when you are in Inkopolis Square. It is not the most elaborate rhythm game, but it is still so much fun.

Super Beat Sports

Region(s) available: North America, Europe and Japan

Do you like Rhythm Heaven? Do you enjoy sports of all sorts? Harmonix’s Super Beat Sports is a delightful mixture of the two. You play through various minigames inspired by sports like baseball, golf and volleyball either alone or with friends while catching tunes provide cues telling you when to hit those balls. It is a bright, colorful and delightful update of Beat Sports.

Superbeat: Xonic

Region(s) available: North America and Europe

Superbeat: Xonic may sound familiar, as it is a rhythm game that made its debut on the Vita before heading to the PlayStation 4, Xbox One and Switch. There are over 50 songs, you can go on a World Tour with missions set in “nightclubs” around the world and you have three difficulty levels to use with every song.

Voez

Region(s) available: North America, Europe and Japan

Voez started out on Android and iOS devices, with people needing to pay for extra songs. The Switch version of the game has people pay one up-front fee for a library that keeps expanding with free updates. Each song as various difficulty levels. Most exciting is an update that added a more traditional, button-based control scheme so you do not always have to play it in handheld mode!

Coming Soon

Gal Metal

Region(s) available: Japan

On February 8, 2018, Japan is getting a rather unique rhythm game called Gal Metal. Aliens want to take over Earth, but they can not stand heavy metal music. A group of high school girls fortunately pulls together to form a band to fight back. Except players are technically a male avatar whose spirit has fused with the band’s drummer, Rinko, and needs to work with her to beat back the invaders. The left Joy-Con is the snare drum, the right is the kick drum and both swung together result in the cymbals being hit. You need to find the rhythm patterns to put together perfect performances.

Musynx

Region(s) available: North America and Europe

Musynx is another one of those mobile-to-Switch rhythm games we have been seeing so many of this past year. In case you happened to miss the Android or iOS release, this tasks you with playing through 50 songs using the left, up, X and A buttons on the system. The mobile releases have 130 songs, so we will have to wait and see if the Switch’s library expands after launch too. It will be released in the first quarter of 2018.

PriPara: All Idol Perfect Stage

Region(s) available: Japan

On March 22, 2018, a PriPara game is coming to the Switch. This is a console installment in the Prism Paradise arcade series, which has also received an anime adaptation. Players get to create an idol and see 30 characters from the series. There are 30 songs to play through and 1,300 costume pieces to collect and combine. If you like playing dress-up and enjoying poppy tunes, this could be a game to catch!

Taiko no Tatsujin

Region(s) available: TBA

Bandai Namco has said a Taiko no Tatsujin entry is in the works! Considering the support it showed for the 3DS, Wii and Wii U, we are excited to see what Don and Katsu’s first endeavor on the Switch looks like. It has yet to be formally announced and dated, but keep an eye out for more news regarding it!