![]() But maybe that's what makes the Rhythm Heaven series so special: It skews to a wider audience than Call of Duty or Rock Band and, in my case, to them at the same time. The amount of mileage Nintendo squeezes out of Rhythm Heaven Fever's two-button gameplay is remarkable - more than 50 mini-games including regular stages, rhythm toys, and endless games to play - especially in a time when the kind of games I typically consume require more button inputs. But in either case, this rarely gets in the way of enjoyment - unless earning arbitrary medals is your goal. Lastly, some frustrations can stem from the grading system at the end of each song, which doesn't clearly identify the difference between "just ok" and gold medal earning success. Also, while most challenges start with helpful multi-part tutorial that introduces a new set of mechanics - and these practice sections help you grasp important basics - none of them allow you to skip around to practice specific sections a surprising omission that makes some challenges more difficult than they should be. First, songs can't be restarted quickly, requiring you to quit out and then reselect a song to start over. ![]() While I feel Fever is an excellent return to form, a few niggling issues present themselves. This ides is further developed in fun two-player stages that task a pair to play together and overcome stages as a team. While this form of public shame can feel a bit harsh in a game that's so lighthearted and charming, it reminds me of those god-awful spring shows I participated in during elementary school, and the fear of being the only person on stage not doing the same dance as the rest of the group. Obviously, a melody sounds incomplete when you screw up a section in a song, but Fever takes that idea one step further: often surrounding your character with a supporting cast of performers that wince or glare at your inept timing - a firm reminder that you need to "Get it together, dude" or face harsh consequences later. However, the elements of presentation that emphasize how you're contributing to a larger performance end up becoming the most interesting. Presentation is a key element of Rhythm Heaven's success it throws together a wild mix of hilarious context, charming graphics, and slick ideas. It's amazing how all the styles mash together and a testament to the masterful framing and presentation on display. ![]() The first four introduce mechanics unique to their respective songs, while the fifth throws all four of the previous styles together into a Remix stage - think of this as a boss stage, but consisting of different patterns thrown together to make a song. In Fever, five stages of increasing complexity are presented in a row. Indeed, similar to both Rhythm Heaven titles that came before it, Fever's soundtrack is infectious, and offers a ridiculous amount of whimsical tunes spanning multiple genres - a track in the style of Bossa Nova quickly became one of my favorites, and that's quite a feat since I wouldn't know a thing about the Brazilian style of music. ![]() All mechanics revolve around the A and B buttons of the Wii Remote - a move that returns the series to its original GBA roots versus the slightly awkward tap, hold, and flick mechanics of the DS game. It probably helps to remember that this single button idea is something Nintendo put to use a long time ago - specifically in Rhythm Heaven's GBA debut back in 2006 - and its sheer simplicity, attractiveness, and execution make Fever a notable representation of the idea.įor those unfamiliar with Rhythm Heaven's charms, the series combines a fun and flexible minigame setup with a lot of catchy tunes - offering a playful approach to playing a music game that's inspired, unique, and surprisingly simple. Despite the responsive touch provided by an iOS device, somehow an experience like this feels better with buttons - the sense of feedback is much more tactile and provides less room for error. It contains the same type of simple challenges and single tap mechanics as Canabalt or Groove Coaster. Playing Rhythm Heaven Fever reminds me of the dozens of iPhone games I've tried over the last three years. ![]()
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