Remember those days of your misspent youth at arcades or a friend's house with two Guitar Hero controllers? Maybe you just spent hours battling random people online in Amplitude. Others still spent tons of time perfecting the Shark level in Gitaroo Man. Rhythm games are varied and diverse, but most of them are a great and refreshing break from action-adventure, FPS, RPG, or other types of games.
But not everyone has a history with these kinds of games that spans their childhoods. Some gamers are just discovering rhythm games both old and new alike. These ten games are the best for beginners in the genre.
Updated April 5, 2023, by Jerel Levy: Rhythm games just keep getting better, and with so many titles to choose from, it can be intimidating to get into the genre. However, there are many easy rhythm games, and there are enough accessible titles for beginners with classic and new music titles that'll give you so many great tracks to choose from. These games will skyrocket you from beginner status into the best rhythm game player.
15 Theatrhythm Final Bar Line
A love letter to Square Enix music, Theatrhythm has seen a few iterations, but none are as iconic or beginner friendly as Final Bar Line. There are so many songs to choose from that the music selection will never get old. When it does, there are even more DLC songs to get through. This game features multiple modes, from an adventure mode with challenges to a free play mode allowing you to watch iconic scenes from Square Enix games with the music backing the scene. You don't need to have played a Final Fantasy game to enjoy this; there are songs from games across the Square Enix line, where everyone is bound to find at least one of their favorite songs.
Even better for beginners, there are different levels of difficulty and tutorials to ensure you've got all the basics down and can have fun no matter your skill level. The best part is that there's co-op, meaning you can take your time and learn and play with a friend through almost every level, including online co-op and story mode. You'll have a great time learning to play with a partner by your side, making it even better for beginners.
14 Sayonara Wild Hearts
Apart from having a stellar title and soundtrack, Sayonara Wild Hearts is one of those rhythm games that deserves to be on your radar, given how smooth and polished the experience is. The premise and setup in this game are about broken love, a heart needing to mend, and how escaping to a dreamlike world full of music and otherworldly goings-on can help bring about healing.
Sayonara Wild Hearts is all about blistering speeds combined with the rhythm of pop-focused music. Our central character will soar through the skies on motorcycles, skateboards, and other vehicles while dancing and battling through a host of unique denizens. If the vibrant art style doesn't pull you in, then the "just one more go" approach to gameplay surely will.
13 Super Dodgeball Beats
The idea of combining a sports game like dodgeball with a rhythm game makes perfect sense on paper, so it's a good thing that Super Dodgeball Beats exists. This wacky and cartoony game centers around dodgeball enthusiasts duking it out while sticking to the beat of the music. In this game, you play as various dodgeball students who must work together to hone their ball-throwing skills while keeping the beat going.
Spread across various locations with pumping original music for each battle, Super Dodgeball Beats provides engaging and thrilling moment-to-moment gameplay. From the championship mode to working up the ranks to the off-the-wall multiplayer offerings, this game will surely boost your grooviness and dodgeball abilities in equal measure.
12 Kingdom Hearts: Melody Of Memory
The Kingdom Hearts series is no stranger to unique and quirky game mechanics and mashups. By nature, Kingdom Hearts is a wonderful mashup of Disney and Final Fantasy. It should come as no surprise that Square Enix opted to create Melody of Memory, a pure rhythm game steeped in Kingdom Hearts goodness.
You play through rhythm-filled songs from the Kingdom Hearts series. Taking control of the series' protagonists, Sora, Donald, and Goofy, among other classic characters, you will ease your way into the songs before taking on the more challenging pieces. On top of the great music, you are also treated to a spinoff story that manages to weave in the Dark Seeker Saga.
11 Beat Saber
Beat Saber is an incredibly popular VR-based rhythm game that appeals to both newcomers and genre veterans. Aside from the unique VR aspect of this rhythm game, it's also known for the way you get to bash through the various beats with colorful sabers. The combination of saber-bashing action and thumping music makes this game a winner.
Beat Saber is great for beginners since there are dozens upon dozens of songs to choose from, with plenty of slower songs to get you to grips with the game's unique saber mechanics. If you're new, you can start with the easy difficulty modes and songs and eventually move to more challenging, faster songs. Beat Saber might just be the epitome of an easy-to-learn yet hard-to-master rhythm game.
10 Wandersong
Billed as a "musical adventure game," Wandersong sees you portray a wandering bard (complete with a befeathered cap). Their quest involves collecting song pieces to prevent world destruction. With singing, you solve puzzles, manipulate the environment, and can defend against bad guys.
It's available on Xbox One, PC, PS4, macOS, and Nintendo Switch, so it has a ton of accessibility (unlike some titles on this list). But one of the best accessibility-focused features of Wandersong is its directional hints on a song wheel. This style (instead of just color or music-based hints) helps if you're deaf and colorblind.
9 Dance Dance Revolution
The DDR franchise stormed the world, from arcades to at-home setups with pads taped to desk chair mats. The dance game featured music from all kinds of artists and combined physical activity with video games. What more could someone want out of a rhythm game? This is one reason why games like Just Dance are popular today.
But DDR's popularity did not sustain itself once arcades began to be less accessible or popular across the Western countries. Still, it remains one of the best rhythm games for those new to the genre. There is even a Disney version out there featuring all your favorite characters, like Goofy and Donald Duck. There's also the Mario version that shouldn't be missed.
8 Friday Night Funkin'
Remember Newgrounds? For some, that term means hours wasted in school playing Flash games. Friday Night Funkin' can be found on such sites as open-source donationware. That means that game is free to play and run solely on donations, as it was created as part of a 2020 game jam.
The game has similarities to other entries on this list, where "Boyfriend" has to win rapping or singing duels to impress "Girlfriend." It's a title for beginners, keeping the game simple but fun.
7 PaRappa The Rapper
Though PaRappa the Rapper originally came out in 1996 for the PS1, the incredible game got a remaster in 2017 for the PS4. The adorable lead character is PaRappa the dog who raps his way through the various levels as guided by a mentor with an onion for a head. As with another great rhythm game from the era, Gitaroo Man, PaRappa is doing this for love.
The game features a vocals-to-button-press mechanic with rapping and scores based on your accuracy. It's a fantastic game regardless of age or video game experience level.
6 Guitar Hero Series
Few series rose to the same popularity as Guitar Hero games (aside from their chief competitor Rock Band). The ground-breaking five-key, guitar-shaped controller, complete with a whammy bar, added a tactile element that a regular controller just couldn't replicate. Guitar Hero games were perfect for parties or hanging out with friends after school.
For newcomers to the rhythm game genre, this will prove a challenge to work on as you see yourself gradually improve. That sense of accomplishment you get from finally beating a song on "Expert" is the kind of euphoria that never gets old.
5 Crypt Of The Necrodancer
Crypt of the Necrodancer combines roguelike gameplay with rhythm combat as you move to music from Danny Baranowsky. You can also use music from your own collection if you want to, or opt for the Legend of Zelda version: Cadence of Hyrule.
Choose one of 15 playable characters and use a controller, USB dance pad, or keyboard to play. It can be difficult to get a rhythm going at first, but, as with all roguelikes, you get better as you play more.
4 Geometry Dash
Another game available on iOS, Android, PC, macOS, and PC, Geometry Dash combines rhythm mechanics with platforming. "Jump" controls icon movement, and the overall objective is to complete each level. The fast-paced and colorful gameplay can be hypnotic.
Much like Crypt of the Necrodancer, you are meant to fail and fail again in this game. There is also a level builder so you can create your own nightmarish rhythm challenges for others.
3 Amplitude
This is another blast from the past that was originally launched on the PS2 in 2003. The game featured songs from many popular artists like P!nk, Run DMC, David Bowie, Blink 182, and more. Amplitude's unique gameplay had you "build" each track by completing different sections that correspond to different musical instruments in a song.
You could also build your own characters, unlock new cosmetics, and challenge people locally or online. If you can pick up the original or the remake from 2016 for PS4, it's well worth it.
2 Muse Dash
The anime-like design style brings a distinction to Muse Dash that other rhythm games may lack. You must banish baddies back to outer space by fusing beat 'em-up combat with music and beats. The soundtrack features great electro-synth pop tracks.
Each character has unique pets and combat animations, with each level featuring specialized villains. It's a great "brain off" game that doesn't require remembering who you romanced so you don't accidentally flirt with someone. But that doesn't mean the combat isn't challenging.
1 Ring Fit Adventure Rhythm Games
Like DDR, Ring Fit Adventure's rhythm games have that physical exercise aspect to add another layer to the experience. Though something like Beat Saber provides a more immersive experience, the rhythm and dance games available on Ring Fit Adventure may prove more accessible for beginners.
Each game has the user manipulate the pilates wheel in various ways to the beats of different tunes. Work up a sweat while using your brain and jamming out.