TheRhythm Heavenseries is finally set to make a comeback. During the latest Nintendo Direct showcase, it was revealed thatRhythm Heavenwill make its triumphant return on the Nintendo Switch through the announcement ofRhythm Heaven Groove. This new title, set to release in 2026, will be the firstRhythm Heavengame since 2015’sRhythm Heaven Megamixand looks like another chance for Nintendo to give an underrated IP a big breakout on the Switch.
AsRhythm Heavenmakes its returnafter over a decade away, a new generation of gamers will be able to experience the franchise’s wacky aesthetic and rhythm gameplay. Plus, with the upcoming Nintendo Switch 2 being backward compatible with Switch games, players will be able to enjoy the game regardless of which generation they choose. The return ofRhythm Heavenalso bodes well for another major Nintendo franchise, one that’s seemingly been inching closer and closer to representing the series.
Rhythm Heaven’s Return Points To A Big Breakout
Rhythm Heaven May Finally Make A Big Appearance In Super Smash Bros.
WithRhythm Heavenfinally making a return, there’s a chancetheSuper Smash Bros.series may finally receive a playable characterfrom the franchise. It feels likeSuper Smash Bros.has been so close to receiving some majorRhythm Heavenrepresentation, but has fallen just short of receiving its own playable character. With a new game on the way, Masahiro Sakurai and his team will have plenty to play with when putting together the nextSmash Bros.game.
To be clear,Rhythm Heavenhas certainly seen some appearances across previousSuper Smash Bros.games, with the franchise’s fourth entry being the most notable example. InSuper Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS’s Smash Run mode,Rhythm Heaven’s Sneaky Spirits appeared as common enemies. This is the only timeRhythm Heavenhas factored into the gameplay ofSmash Bros., though, with the series instead seeing plenty of representation in the form of Trophies and Spirits in the past few games.
Rumor also has it that the Chorus Kids, three of the major characters inRhythm Heaven, were close toappearing inSuper Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS and Wii U. Uncovered data from the game indicates that aRhythm Heavencharacter may have been intended, and the infamous Gematsu leaks implicated that the Chorus Kids would fill that role. While the latter was disproven, the former does indicate that Sakurai was at the very least thinking about introducing these characters to the fighting franchise.
He may have even more motivation to bring these characters into the nextSuper Smash Bros.game now that theRhythm Heavenseries is making a return.Smash Bros.has never shied away from adding characters in the wake of a new game,notably even adding severalFire Emblemcharactersbefore the American releases of their respective games. Depending on how far along the next game is,Rhythm Heavencould useSuper Smash Bros.to help cross-promote the release ofRhythm Heaven Groovenext year.
It feels likeSuper Smash Bros.has been so close to receiving some major Rhythm Heaven representation, but has fallen just short of receiving its own playable character.
Rhythm Heaven’s Chorus Kids Could Be Unique In Smash Bros.
The addition of the Chorus Kids would also create an interesting new mechanic, as it’s been theorized that players would control all three Chorus Kids at one time in a way comparable to the Ice Climbers. This may have been a reason these charactersdid not make it intoSuper Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS and Wii U, as the 3DS’s technical limitations were a major factor in the Ice Climbers being cut. With the Switch 2 being a significantly more powerful console, the Chorus Kids could be fully realized, standing out from the game’s many other playable characters in the process.
Rhythm Heaven Grooveis great news for Nintendo fans who have waited so long for the franchise to make a return. It may be even greater news forSuper Smash Bros.fans who have been hoping to see the Chorus Kids become playable characters in Nintendo’s crossover fighting franchise. With the combination of a new game and an appearance inSmash,Rhythm Heavencould be in for its big mainstream breakout.
