Highlights
- Rhythm games can be engaging and unique, combining other gameplay elements for a memorable experience.
- Some rhythm games are extremely challenging and require players to have a good ear and perfect timing to succeed.
- Games like Rhythm Heaven , Thumper , Geometry Dash , Super Hexagon , Taiko no Tatsujin , Guitar Hero , and Dance Dance Revolution offer varying levels of difficulty and test players' skills in different ways.
There's something to be said about the engaging nature of rhythm games and how they allow players to move to the beats of a song and nail their moves immaculately. These rhythm games are sometimes combined with other gameplay loops to make for a fun and unique time that players will remember long after they're finished with this experience.
However, there are many rhythm games that take no prisoners when it comes to forcing players into compelling gameplay loops that truly test their skills. Players need to have a good ear and nail the beat every single time if they wish to get through some of the hardest rhythm games around, especially in stages that can be absolutely brutal unless players time their moves to perfection.
7 Rhythm Heaven
The DS was littered with many great rhythm games that used the handheld console's touchscreen to great effect. One such title that became all the rage on this console is Rhythm Heaven, a much-beloved title that fans still look back on fondly to this day.
The game combined a bunch of minigames with unique tones where players had to time the press of their button to the beat. This made for a tough but rewarding experience as players slowly understood the level of perfection that this title demanded from them, eventually settling into a rhythm, no pun intended.
6 Thumper
An indie rhythm game with a minimalistic aesthetic, Thumper doesn't really seem like a very hard game... until players get past the tutorial and realize just how punishing this title really is. A single mistake will cause players to fail an entire level regardless of where they lost, which can make for a brutal affair.
There's a reason why so many people called it the Dark Souls of rhythm games, as laughable as that moniker may be. Not only is the gameplay challenging yet satisfying, but Thumper also features some great tunes that will make players bob their heads to the beat as they face a game over multiple times before perfecting their input in a level.
5 Geometry Dash
Geometry Dash is easily the simplest game on this list, but it's the amazing set-dressing and tough-as-nails gameplay that has made it such a fan-favorite in the eyes of many. The game has a dedicated community that tries its hardest to get through the many tough levels in this title by the skin of their teeth while trying to set records along the way.
A single mistimed tap or button press can spell a player's doom as their perfect run is destroyed in one fell swoop. Players are so serious about the game that they prefer playing it on PC since the feedback of a button press feels more accurate and satisfying than just tapping a touch screen.
4 Super Hexagon
One of the hardest titles that any fan can check out, Super Hexagon oddly labels itself as a rhythm game even if timing one's movements to the beat of the song isn't what secures victory. However, the pulse-pounding gameplay does a great job of making the simple task of getting through a stage as engrossing as possible.
The sense of achievement that players attain from this game is stupendous, with each level upping the ante in difficulty and forcing players to sharpen their reflexes as much as possible. Players who master the game's toughest stages can go through the first few levels and absolutely boss it, showing just how much their reflexes have been honed by playing this masterful game.
3 Taiko No Tatsujin
A lot of people don't know about Taiko no Tatsujin unless they frequent arcades. This rhythm game features two drums that players need to beat to the rhythm of a song. The easy stages are about as laidback as they come... but it's the hardest setting in Taiko no Tatsujin that really throws many players for a loop.
Players not only have to manage two different drums, but they also have to make sure that they're correctly hitting both the inner and outer rings. Suffice it to say, managing all these things at once is easier said than done, and even the most skilled masters around have a tough time with the harder tracks in this game.
2 Guitar Hero
Pretty much everyone knows about the legendary Guitar Hero series. Each and every title in this franchise features some great songs that push players to the very limit as they try to master the song and its beats without losing too frequently.
The hardest songs in the series look downright insane, and it takes some great skills to master these tracks without tearing one's hair out. It takes some time, but players who become well-versed with the gameplay loop of Guitar Hero will find its roughest tracks to be a relative breeze... so long as they practice these songs regularly, that is.
1 Dance Dance Revolution
The three letters DDR have become synonymous with the gaming industry, to the point where even people who aren't up-to-date with this genre know what Dance Dance Revolution is all about. As is the case with most tough rhythm games, the difficulty is dependent on the player and how much they decide to test themselves.
It's not uncommon for players to break out into a sweat as they try to nail the steps without tripping on their own feet. The hardest songs in DDR make for a truly chaotic time, especially when two skilled players compete against each other for bragging rights!