Gaming

Best Rhythm Games For Under $20

admin January 24, 2024

Few things in the gaming world can match that feeling when you perfect a song in a rhythm game. That mastery over your own flow state and the fine-tuning of your sense of rhythm are what make rhythm games feel so addictive and so rewarding.

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Since rhythm games come in all shapes and types, there’s bound to be some form of a rhythm game for everyone. Thanks to how varied this genre can be, there’s been a divide between traditional rhythm games and nontraditional rhythm games. This guide is going to highlight the best rhythm games from those two groups, and what makes each of these games so special.

Traditional Rhythm Games

Traditional rhythm games will have a track that carries notes to the player and will focus on having the player hit the notes at the right time. Think of games like Dance Dance Revolution or Guitar Hero, where the entire point of the game is to get as many notes correct and build up a score.

10. Quaver

For the low price of free, Quaver is an ascetic rhythm game with plenty of community support. It doesn’t have any fancy or overly complicated mechanics either, which would distract from the overall rhythm gaming experience.

Released: July 10, 2020
Developer: Swan

Free to play
Minimalistic design with a heavy focus on the core mechanics of a good rhythm game
4-key mode and a 7-key mode
Supports community-created beatmaps

In the realm of affordable and good rhythm games, it’s hard to beat Osu! and Quaver. Both of these games are supported by community-created beatmaps, but Quaver has a heavy focus on being a pure, traditional rhythm game. Meaning, that there are no extraneous mechanics to distract you away from just following the rhythm and pressing the keys on time to the music.Quaver is perfect for any rhythm game fan looking for a wallet-friendly fix. With a 4-key mode and a 7-key mode, veterans of other rhythm games will find a similar style to their favorite games here.

9. Musynx

Musynx is one of the best no-frills rhythm games you can play. Its wide song variety in J-Pop, J-core, and C-pop makes it worth playing just to expand your music tastes.

Released: December 4, 2018
Developer: I-Inferno

Amazing presentation with gorgeous graphics and flashing effects
Constant developer support that adds new songs with every patch
4-key and 6-key modes
Covers a wide variety of music from J-pop, C-pop, and J-core

If you’re not a fan of Quaver’s empty, utilitarian design, then you’ll want to consider spending the extra $4 to buy Musynx instead. Much like Quaver, Musynx has a streamlined focus on being a modern-day version of classic rhythm games. However, unlike the simple designs of Quaver, Musynx has amazing on-screen effects for each note you successfully hit and gorgeous backgrounds for each song.

This game also offers 4-key and 6-key options for each song, so if you’re a DJ Max fan, you’ll be fairly familiar with how this game plays. The only downside is the lack of community-made songs. However, the developers are fairly active with updating this game, and each update they release also adds new songs and new difficulties for old songs. If you love this style of rhythm game, Musynx’s constant updates will have you coming back and playing it every time a new update drops.

8. Muse Dash

Muse Dash is a good rhythm game that’s wrapped up in the disguise of a platformer. But despite its zany art and two-lane system, Muse Dash remains one of the best rhythm games to play.

Released: July 20, 2019
Developer(s): PeroPeroGames

An amazing rhythm game wrapped in a platformer aesthetic
Flashy anime aesthetic
2 lanes, but the notes will be rapid-fired
Primarily J-pop, anime, and electro songs

Don’t let

Muse Dash
‘s vivid colors, exaggerated animations, and platforming aesthetic fool you. Muse Dash is a traditional rhythm game that disguises its track and notes as platformer levels, enemies, and projectile attacks.While its two-lane system may seem a little overly simplistic, notes will launch toward you at high speeds in later maps. Bosses, chaotic animations, and the many unique pairings players can experiment with between characters and pets help create a unique experience you won’t be able to get from any other game.

Some of the characters and animations in this game are a little risqué.

7. A Dance of Fire and Ice

A Dance of Fire And Ice is a simple game with a surprising amount of complexity. A simple turn to the left or right requires a drastic change in rhythm.

Released: January 24, 2019
Developer(s): 7th Beat Games

Simple, lightweight rhythm game
Creative design for a track
Original soundtrack
Unique One-button game

A Dance of Fire and Ice has players timing their key presses to two swirling spheres that are traveling down a track. One ball will remain stationary on a square while the other orbits around it. Players have to press a key when the orbiting sphere reaches the center of each adjacent square.This unique design makes every path a rhythmic challenge. Left turns and right turns each require different timing, with the burden of recognizing what rhythm is required behind each twist of the track being placed solely in the player’s hands.

6. Spin Rhythm XD

Spin Rhythm XD has a unique control scheme and a surprising amount of support for different ways to play the game, including MIDI DJ gear.

Released: March 14, 2023
Developer: Super Spin Digital

Innovative take on how to play a rhythm game
Custom beatmaps are created by the community through Spinshare, but the default music is primarily EDM and dubstep.
In-game song creator
Supports several types of controllers, including DJ mixers with turntables

Much like Guitar Hero and Guitar Freaks before it, Spin Rhythm is an amazing rhythm game with a unique control scheme behind it. Instead, of using 4 – 7 static lanes to catch notes with, Spin Hero uses a spinning roulette of colors. Players have to spin to the right color for each note, and at times, spin the roulette for different notes. Combined with its electro-heavy soundtrack, Spin Hero recreates the feeling of being a DJ for its audience.What’s also interesting about this game is how it supports several different control schemes, including a way to use DJ mixing gear as a controller. This means if you’re an actual DJ (or if you happen to have the equipment of one), then you’ll get even more entertainment out of this game.

Nontraditional

Nontraditional rhythm games will focus on imaginative ways to use rhythm in its gameplay. These games will usually lack a traditional track or traditional notes, but in exchange, they’ll have mechanics from other kinds of games or a unique way of playing with rhythm.

5. Rhythm Doctor

Rhythm Doctor has a fun sense of humor and a ridiculous premise. However, all of this is actually a clever ruse to teach people about musical theory.

Released: February 26, 2021
Developer(s): 7th Beat Games

Quirky humor in story mode and 16-bit art
Heavy emphasis on rhythm
Original soundtrack, but it also has community-made custom maps that are available.
One-button game

Rhythm Doctor has a fine argument to go in either category, but its unique track and its discouragement of using the track makes it more like the other games in the nontraditional category. In this game, you’ll save patients with a magical defibrillator that heals them every time you electrocute them to the beat (instead of just resuscitating them like a boring normal defibrillator would). To time this, players will have to press a key on the seventh beat. Rhythm Doctor will even start obscuring the track line and visually distracting the player wherever it can. However, if the player sticks with the beat, they’ll never miss a note.

4. Just Shapes And Beats

Just Shapes And Beats stretches what it means to be a rhythm game. Enemies and attacks are all controlled by the rhythm of the music, and players have to navigate through each wave of attacks in order to reach the end.

Released: May 31, 2018
Developer(s): Berzerk Studio

Combines bullet hell with rhythm mechanics
4 player coop
Original soundtrack

Just Shapes And Beats
is the perfect example of a nontraditional rhythm game. It combines the mechanics of bullet hell with a musical rhythm to teach the player how and when to dodge. Each level is fairly simple, just reach the triangle on the other side of the screen or wait until the triangle appears to progress to the next stage. Lasers, hazards, and enemies will all attack the player(s) in intervals that are in sync with the music played.However, this changes for Boss fights, which skew more heavily toward the bullet hell genre. Since your character doesn’t have any offensive options to fight back with, the only thing to do is to dodge all the boss’ attacks until the song runs out and the boss self-destructs. But the boss’ attacks and the levels leading up to the boss are still well-timed enough to the music that each playthrough should be a delight for both bullet hell fans and rhythm game fans.

3. Crypt Of The Necrodancer

Crypt of the Necrodancer is both a solid nontraditional rhythm game and a fun roguelike to play. You’ll have to time all of your attacks and movements to the beat of the song, but once you get into the groove of it, it feels extremely rewarding.

A roguelike rhythm game with plenty of replayability
Awesome original soundtrack, but you can also upload your own music
Several characters to play as
Combines dungeon crawling with rhythm game mechanics

Filled with flashy, bright lights and hopping enemies of every kind,

Crypt of the Necrodancer
has become

one of the best
rhythm games to play because of how it turns the dark dungeons of traditional dungeon-crawling games into a rave. Players have to move, attack, and defend themselves to the beat of the song playing. All the while, flashing lights and dancing enemies will brighten up your adventures in the dungeon. Just make sure you don’t forget that while you’re grooving to the rhythm, your enemies will also be doing the same thing. Finding the right times to attack or retreat, while also building up your character to successfully slay the bosses lurking in the dungeon is where the charm of Crypt of the Necrodancer lies.

2. Headbangers: Rhythm Royale

Headbangers: Rhythm Royale is the perfect place to prove that you’re the best at rhythm games. Players have to complete a series of minigames where the lowest ranked person will be knocked out.

Developer: Glee-Cheese Studio
Release: October 31, 2023

Fall Guys meets Rhythm Heaven
You and 29 other players get to see who is better at rhythm minigames
Adorable artwork for each game and the silly birds you get to play as

Have you ever wanted to prove that you’re a better rhythm gamer than most other people? Hop into

Headbangers
where you’ll play as a silly little bird that gets to compete against 29 other players in a series of rhythm-based minigames. These games will test your ability to follow notes to a rhythm, while other minigames will also add on an extra layer of complexity by testing your ability to identify sounds while following a rhythm. Much like other Battle Royale games, if you score the lowest in each game, you’ll be eliminated. The minigames will then continue until one player survives and is crowned the champion.If you’re looking for a fun party game to play with your musically inclined friends, then Headbangers: Rhythm Royale is perfect for you.

1. Melatonin

Melatonin’s soft artwork, chill lo-fi beats, and relaxing minigames makes it an amazing Rhythm Heaven-like game to relax to.

Released: December 15, 2022
Developer(s): Half Asleep

Relaxing, lo-fi rhythm game
Gorgeous hand-drawn pastel artwork
Includes a level editor to make your own maps

It’s surprising just how well Melatonin can walk the fine line between addictive and completely relaxing. Its minigames are reminiscent of Rhythm Heaven, but instead of a cartoony aesthetic, Melatonin uses a dreamy, pastel-covered hand-drawn art style. These games aren’t particularly challenging once you understand the timing, but each game is a peculiar twist on a daily activity that’s set to a chill lo-fi soundtrack. This makes each minigame a strangely endearing yet cozy experience to play through.

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