New Nintendo rhythm game debuts on Switch

Rhythm Heaven Groove brings a new set of music-driven timing challenges to Nintendo’s beat-based mini-game series. Players can press buttons in time with sound cues across strange scenarios, from catching flying vegetables to swinging sledgehammers and bouncing fruit off flexed biceps.

The title releases today (2 July 2026) for Nintendo Switch, with Nintendo Switch 2 compatibility.

Players must listen for beats, cues, and tempo changes, as some stages are designed to mislead visually. The soundtrack includes original music with tracks by Japanese musician Tsunku, the J-pop icon behind the franchise.

Rhythm Heaven Groove features more than 80 single-player games. These include Hoop Trundling, where players jog and jump over hoops by listening for the phrase “pa pi pu pe po” before timing the final jump.

The game includes more than 30 multiplayer games for up to four players on a single system. Players can work together or compete for better timing across modes such as Rhythm Tweezers, Tennis Quest, and Cake Wait.

In Rhythm Tweezers, players take turns plucking hairs from an onion, while Tennis Quest turns a tennis match into a rhythm-based battle against monsters. Players can unlock Beatspell, a single-player mode where rhythm-based spells are used in battles against monsters. Correctly timed button presses allow players to cast spells, attack enemies, and heal during combat.

The game supports TV mode, tabletop mode, and handheld mode. Nintendo lists the estimated file size as 3,5GB on both Nintendo Switch and Nintendo Switch 2.

Where to play Rhythm Heaven Groove

Rhythm Heaven Groove can be purchased through the Nintendo store. A free demo can be downloaded.

* Visit the Nintendo store page for ‘Rhythm Heaven Groove’ here.