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Rhythm games are a type of music video game that revolves its gameplay around rhythm, usually to a song or piece of music.
The first rhythm video game is often credited to PaRappa the Rapper,
released in 1996 for the original PlayStation.
PaRappa the Rapper was played by pressing buttons in time to the words of the "Instructor" onscreen.
Many other rhythm games were inspired by this game, and use onscreen instructions to show the player what to do.
It's a very comical game, and although it doesn't seem very good, it was definitely the start of a new genre of video games.
Which leads us to the how rhythm games became popular.
Konami, who created Contra and Frogger, among other arcade games, was inspired by PaRappa the Rapper and released a video game called
Beatmania in 1997.
In Beatmania, you press 5 keys and spin a turntable according to notes reaching bars on
the screen.
Eventually, it was popular enough to the point where Konami started making rhythm games under the name of "Bemani" and released a spinoff called
Beatmania IIDX, which has 7 keys instead of 5 (shown on the picture), and is a lot harder. The series
is still being continued today, and is on its 23rd release. It is probably the first
rhythm video game released for the arcade, and paved the way for any future rhythm arcade games (many of which were made by Konami/Bemani).
After this, Konami released Dance Dance Revolution, which you may recognize, as it was probably the most popular rhythm game in the late 1990s and early 2000s (at least in America).
The game is played by pressing arrows with your feet in correspondence to arrows that move upwards on the screen.
The community for this game, like Beatmania IIDX,
has become great enough that the best players seem to be inhuman. For example, the person on the right, Takahiro Jyumonji, is considered to be one of the best DDR players using both dance pads.
DDR isn't anything like dancing though, although some like to dance on it.
Shortly after its release in Japan, a similar game, called Pump it Up was released, which used diagonal arrows and a center plate instead of the normal directions (Up, Down, Left, Right). You can
find those at your local Dave and Busters.
After that, a game called In the Groove was released, considered to be a better version of DDR with higher quality parts and eventually support for custom songs.
In 2005, a new game was released, another popular rhythm game, which is often played on consoles instead of the arcade (although there is an arcade version). Guitar Hero,
a game that has sold over 25 million units worldwide, is probably one of the more iconic rhythm games.
The game is often played using a guitar controller, and requires you to strum colored notes on the guitar according to falling notes on the screen. The community for this rhythm game used to be very abundant, especially with console users. However, newer versions of the
game have changed too many elements, and the earlier games are considered the best ones.
There are also many spinoffs of Guitar Hero, such as Band Hero and DJ Hero. However,
there is a very similar game, made by the same company, called Rock Band. The goal of Rock Band was to expand the types of instruments not only to the guitar, but also to the microphone and drums. It's worth noting though, that
Guitar Hero has started implementing all the instruments as well.
Most recently, a popular rhythm game has appeared, which is Just Dance. Beginning releases in 2009, and still releasing more games, Just Dance targets the common person, making it easily accessible. The game is played
by following the dance moves of a person on the screen, often to a popular song. It's considered to be a very fun rhythm game, and is a good workout that helps you enjoy yourself.
Rhythm games have been a very interesting genre of video games, and are often mentally, if not physically, challenging. Some focus on speed, while some focus on technique and accuracy. Some target enthusiasts, while some
target casual gamers or the average person.
In the next section I will give recommendations for the best rhythm games, at least in my opinion.
Honestly, it depends, but I'll give a lot depending on what you're interested in.
The most accessible rhythm game (and arguably the best) for the computer is osu!
osu! is a rhythm game where you have to "click the circles, to the beat."
The game has gotten to a point where the best players are absolutely crazy at the game, and have reached levels of circle clicking that no one has ever done in the history of the world. It sounds stupid, but bear
with me and watch the video on the side.
You may have noticed that this is an anime song. It's worth noting that most of the songs are Japanese, although there are a lot of other songs. The "beatmaps" are made by the community, so anyone can click circles
to any type of music. If the community makes beatmaps for anime songs, therefore they like anime. Just understand that when you start playing.
When you get in this game, you DO NOT want to quit, motivated by the ability to get better
and to keep your rank. It's an addicting game, and you have time to kill, it fills up your time. If you have trouble getting better, you may feel upset, but you'll keep going and getting better. I recommend this game a lot,
despite any problems you may overcome, because it's fun, and looks impressive when playing it.
The best rhythm game that gives you a workout is either Dance Dance Revolution, Pump it Up, or In the Groove.
All of these games have similar gameplay, but it depends on how accessible these machines are for you. You are most
likely to find a DDR machine in America (or a PIU machine in Dave & Busters), especially in the west coast. It's a fun workout, and the harder songs are very impressive to watch.
These games can be way more physically demanding compared to a game such as Just Dance or Dance Central.
Dance Dance Revolution focuses on technique with one pad, Pump It Up focuses on technique with both pads (shown in picture), and In The Groove focuses on stamina and speed with one pad (although you can play in any type of way with these machines).
It's definitely an interesting game, although do note that the type of songs can vary depending on the game. I recommend it to anyone who wants to actively play their rhythm games, and even incorporate their own style of dancing in rhythm games.
The most accessible rhythm game for consoles goes to either Guitar Hero or Rock Band.
The older Guitar Hero versions, including III, World Tour, and Warriors of Rock, are considered to be the best installments of Guitar Hero, and I wholeheartedly recommend them, whether you play casually or competitively. However, if you're interested in having a full set of instruments, Rock Band might be the way to go, as they focus on all instruments.
Guitar Hero is played (best if applicable) with the controllers that are usually bundled with it, and is fun to play no matter what. It's not only available to consoles, but can also be natively played on PC, played through simulators such as Frets on Fire, or played using console emulators.
Custom songs can be hacked onto the games, if that interests you. Charts for the songs can be easily made, thanks to programs such as Feedback.
With that, Guitar Hero is easily one of the best rhythm games, especially for consoles. Definitely something I recommend.
The most accessible rhythm game for mobile devices is either Deemo or Cytus.
Cytus (shown in picture) is played by tapping circles according to a scanline which goes up and down on the screen. Deemo is played by tapping notes as they reach a bar on the screen.
Both games follow a storyline with chapters, and contain very elegant graphics and astounding music. Deemo costs $0.99, while Cytus costs $1.99. There are in-app purchases which contain more challenging songs. It's a fun game to play on a portable device, and I'd recommend it to anyone who wants
a fun rhythm game for their phone.
There are many rhythm games that are also good, that didn't get to have a long description. They are still very good, and to some even better than the ones recommended above.
Here are some ways that you can get better at rhythm games: