Rhythm Heaven Megamix

Genre: Music-Rhythm

Players: 1-4 Competitive (Local Wireless), StreetPass Supported

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Review:

Rhythm Heaven Megamix is a Music-Rhythm game released on Nintendo 3DS in 2016. Megamix is, as the title indicates, a mix of minigames from throughout the Music-Rhythm series, as well as some new ones, with over 70 minigames in total.

In keeping with the rest of the Rhythm Heaven series, Megamix features an eclectic presentation with a mix of aesthetic elements. Most of this game’s visuals are 2D artwork, but there are bits of pixel art and even some rudimentary 3D visuals. I should note that minigames from earlier releases have all been “remastered’ here, making for a cleaner look that remains true to how these games originally appeared. The resulting style is polished but casual and unambitious, but appealing all the same.

For the game’s music, the themes that accompanied the returning minigames are back as well, and fans of the series should know that the music is also kinda’ all over the place. Generally, the music is synthesized and playful, but there is at least one song with actual lyrics, one that’s in a traditional Japanese style, a few seemingly inspired by rock… and despite the varying styles, much of the music here is surprisingly catchy.

The minigames themselves are all extremely simple, usually using one button, occasionally one button plus the D-Pad, and on rare occasion two buttons plus the D-Pad. Again, in keeping with the Rhythm Heaven series, complexity of controls isn’t really the point here, the point is keeping in timing with the game’s music and watching for signals to respond to as the game’s minigames change that context from one to another. Players looking to increase their score don’t have any added complexity to dig into here, they can only hope to match their timing better to what the game calls for.

To that end, Rhythm Heaven Megamix actually gives players some helpful guides to better judge their timing as they play. If they’re doing well, their notes will cause marks to appear on the lower screen, toward the left if they’re early, toward the right if they’re late, and exploding colorfully in the center if they’re on time. If players do poorly, they will be shown a guide of exactly how the timing is meant to work so they can get a better handle on things. It’s a nice touch that should help to guide both novice players as well as giving more skilled players just enough feedback to help without holding their hand.

While the gameplay here is simple, that simplicity is largely offset by just how charming the presentation is, how absurd and kooky some of its scenarios are – pumping up a blow-up robot in time with a punch they need to deliver, timing the flopping movements of a dancing seal squad, playing badminton on biplanes, or slicing demons as a skateboarding samurai. Another great element here is the sheer variety of minigames on offer. With over 70 Music-Rhythm minigames, it always feels like you’re doing something new even if you’re still only pushing one button in time with the music.

There is one other noteworthy issue I should mention regarding this game – the North American release of Rhythm Heaven Megamix is an eShop exclusive. Other regions received physical copies of the game, but in the US, the only way to play this game is to get it on the eShop. After the Nintendo 3DS eShop closes in March 2023, the only way to play the game will be to mod your Nintendo 3DS and import a copy from another region. Suffice it to say, if you’re interested in getting this game, get it now.

At $30, Rhythm Heaven Megamix is an absolutely outstanding value, offering a massive collection of minigames from throughout the series, while retaining the same kooky, eclectic style the series is known for. If you’re a Music-Rhythm fan with a Nintendo 3DS, consider this one an absolute must-buy, especially because it will become much harder to get after the Nintendo 3DS eShop closes in March.

tl;dr – Rhythm Heaven Megamix is a Music-Rhythm game that provides a mix of over 70 minigames both new and old from throughout the series, remastering the older games to look cleaner but otherwise retaining the wonderfully fun and silly presentation the series is known for. If you’re a Music-Rhythm fan you’ll definitely want to get this game, and get it soon, because the US version of the game is an eShop exclusive – once the Nintendo 3DS eShop closes, it will become far more difficult to get ahold of.

Grade: B+

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