Rhythm Heaven Fever

Rhythm Heaven Fever
Japanese game cover
Developer(s)	Nintendo SPD Group No.1 TNX
Publisher(s)	Nintendo
Director(s)	Kazuyoshi Osawa
Producer(s)	Yoshio Sakamoto
Designer(s)	Tsunku, Yoshio Sakamoto
Platform(s)	Wii
Release date(s)	JP July 21, 2011 NA TBA[1] EU TBA[1]
Genre(s)	Music video game, Minigames
Mode(s)	Single-player, Multiplayer (2 Players)
Rating(s)	CERO: A ESRB: E PEGI: 12
Media/distribution	Wii Optical Disc

Rhythm Heaven Fever,^[2] known in Europe as Rhythm Paradise (tentative) and in Japan as Minna no Rhythm Tengoku (みんなのリズム天国, Minna no Rizumu Tengoku^?, lit. Everyone's Rhythm Heaven), is a music video game developed by Nintendo and TNX for the Wii. It is the third game in the Rhythm Heaven series, following Rhythm Tengoku for the Game Boy Advance and Rhythm Heaven for the Nintendo DS. The game was first released in Japan on July 21, 2011. The North American and European release dates have yet to be announced.^[1]

Gameplay

Unlike the previous game, Rhythm Heaven, which utilized the features of the Nintendo DS, Rhythm Heaven Fever for the Wii will be limited to button controls. The game is played with the Wii Remote held vertically, with players required to either tap the A button, or squeeze the A and B buttons together.^[3] Like previous titles, the game features various levels with their own set of rules, requiring the player to play in time to the rhythm in order to clear them. These levels range from stabbing peas with a fork, to attacking evil spirits with a sword and playing badminton in midair. At the end of each level, players are ranked on their performance, with at least an 'Okay' rank required to clear the level and progress onto the next. Each set of levels culminates in a Remix stage, which combines all the gameplay elements of the previous levels in one stage. There are a total of 50 levels divided across 10 sets.

Clearing levels with a Superb/High Level rating earns medals which unlock extra content, including Rhythm Toys, Endless Minigames and levels from the original Rhythm Tengoku. Levels that have been cleared with a Superb rating may also be randomly selected for a Perfect attempt, in which the player can try to clear the level without making any mistakes with the maximum of 3 retries before the perfect challenge disappear.

New to the series (bar the Arcade version of Rhythm Tengoku) is a multiplayer mode, in which two players can play simultaneously. Levels played in multiplayer require players to earn enough points in total to reach the desired rank and clear each stage, with bonus points awarded based on the harmony of the players.^[4] These levels come with their own set of medals which can unlock multiplayer minigames.

Development

Producer Yoshio Sakamoto and Nintendo SPD Group No.1 were responsible for the programming, graphic design, and some of the music in the game. Collaborator and music genius Tsunku and his music studio TNX created several of the performed vocal songs found throughout the game.

Reception

The game sold over 100,000 copies in its first week in Japan^[5] and received a score of 32/40 in the Famitsu^[6] magazine.

References

1. ^ ^{a b c} http://wii.nintendolife.com/news/2011/10/rhythm_heaven_wii_still_alive_and_on_course_for_the_west
2. ^ http://www.destructoid.com/rhythm-heaven-wii-is-now-rhythm-heaven-fever-214839.phtml
3. ^ http://www.nintendo.co.jp/wii/somj/howto/index.html
4. ^ http://www.nintendo.co.jp/wii/somj/norinori/index.html
5. ^ http://www.andriasang.com/e/blog/2011/07/28/media_create_sales/
6. ^ http://www.1up.com/news/japan-review-check-rhythm-heaven

External Links

• Official Website (Japanese)