Watch a sampling of our top 10 winners in this compilation set to one of the most classic rhythm game songs of all time.
Let the Rhythm Hit 'Em.
Though rhythm games arguably had their heyday 5 to 10 years ago, recent releases have shown us that the genre has still got it, and it continues to improve every step of the way. We now take a look back at the top 10 rhythm games of all time, leaving no platform unturned and letting no region-encoding stand in our way. As with every TenSpot, the games listed aren't in any particular order, so don't go reading between the lines, thinking we've ranked them. All of these games stand as equals in their collective greatness.
So what is a rhythm game? The following are specifically classed because of their singular focus on building gameplay entirely around rhythmically generated puzzles. So while games like Rez require attention to rhythm, it's almost as much of a shooter as it is a rhythm game. And while a game like Lumines has a great sense of time incorporated into its mechanics, it's more of a puzzle game than anything else.
Some of these rhythm games never made it outside of Japan, and others require you to purchase an expensive peripheral controller, but all of the greatest rhythm games are characterized by a few elements--a noteworthy soundtrack, a unique method of interaction, and an addictive gameplay. To be truly great, the game can be responsible for pioneering the genre or merely perfecting the established formula, and whether you're using your feet, hands, or stylus to map out the beat, we guarantee that in the following 10 games, the rhythm is going to get you.
Have we done a major injustice? Left off a rhythm game that you absolutely loved to death? You've got a chance at the end of this feature to vote on your favorite rhythm game. We'll revisit the issue later in a reader's choice edition of TenSpot, where we'll tally the votes, see what you have to say, and publish your version of the list.
