Rhythm Heaven Groove's RPG Mode Stole the Show

Nobody expected the most exciting thing about a Rhythm Heaven game to be an RPG. Yet across a wave of hands-on previews that dropped yesterday, the new Beatspell mode in Rhythm Heaven Groove is the thing every outlet can't stop talking about.

Beatspell is an unlockable single-player mode where you cast spells by pressing buttons in time with the beat. According to Game Informer's preview, tapping B then An on a diamond-shaped visual indicator casts a flame spell, while sneaking a d-pad press on the half-beat between them switches it to a healing Cure spell instead. It's rhythm-game inputs repurposed as combat decisions, and PC Mag called it "a nice bit of creativity in a game otherwise about precisely following instructions." Pocket Tactics admitted the mode "did feel like I was playing a mostly separate game" but praised its ambition, while Shacknews compared it to Ring Fit Adventure minus the exercise. I love that Nintendo buried what sounds like the most creative mode in the entire package behind a medal unlock wall rather than leading with it. It's a weird flex, but it also means players who engage with the core minigames get rewarded with something different.

The rest of Groove looks solid too. Over 80 solo minigames and 30-plus local multiplayer games make it the biggest entry in franchise history, and Metro's preview highlighted the multiplayer as a strong party game contender. But it's Beatspell that has me paying attention. A rhythm game sneaking in a turn-based RPG where your spell selection depends on your timing and musical feel? That's the sort of creative risk I associate with indie studios, not Nintendo's first-party lineup. If the mode has any real depth beyond the two chapters critics were allowed to play, this could be the thing that sells Rhythm Heaven to people who've never cared about the series. Rhythm Heaven Groove launches on Switch on July 2 for $39.99.