10 Best Rhythm Game Apps in 2022 (Deemo, Love Live, and More)
Though, of course, different games work better in different situations – some games are better for sitting down and playing for hours at a time, while others are great for when you’re stuck waiting in a line. Keeping these things in mind, we’ve prepared a buying guide and handpicked our favorite rhythm games for both Android and iOS, with Cytus II taking first place.
Quick List - Top Rhythm Game Apps
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How to Choose Rhythm Game Apps
Consider Screen Size When Picking a Movement-Intensive Game
With smartphone screen sizes ranging from 4 inches up to nearly 7 (larger if you’re planning on playing on a tablet), it’s important that you consider how much you really want to move your hands and whether you might even need to set your phone down in order to play.
For those with smaller phones, this may not be much of an issue, but for larger screens, you should definitely take some time to think, as a high movement game might make it harder for you to play on the go.
On the other hand, certain games are optimized for larger screens. The gameplay tends to be more challenging and engaging, but when downloaded onto a smartphone, it may be difficult to hit the buttons correctly.
Find a Game With Your Preferred Music Type
Many games will come with a number of songs across a wide range of genres and can be appreciated by most people. A lot of rhythm games come from Asian countries and thus feature Asian (normally Japanese, Chinese, and Korean) music. Regardless, given the beat-based nature of these games, you should expect a lot of electronic music.
Some games even let you upload your own music and beatmaps. Just pay attention, as many apps will give you a certain number of free songs and then ask you to buy single songs or packs after that.
Storylines and Extra Features Compel You to Continue Playing
If you’re the type of person who appreciates games that are more woven together, picking a rhythm game that has a story will probably make it more enjoyable for you.
Other games feature Gacha, where you can roll for your favorite characters, or special events with limited edition prizes. Just be careful, as many of these types of games are stamina-based, meaning that to play a song, you have to use up a certain amount of stamina. Once you run out, you have to wait quite a while before it restores.
On the other hand, if you just want a game to play in your downtime or while waiting in line, feel free to go with a game without a story. In fact, not having a story is probably better for those who find themselves easily distracted.
Play Anywhere, Any Time With Offline Availability
While wifi and cell data are almost universally available now, there may be times when you don’t have service – like if you’re in a basement, on a road trip through the countryside, or just ran out of data for the month.
In these cases, you’ll probably still want to be able to play your games, so it’s important to look for games that have offline availability and don’t require data to work. Just note that games with offline availability tend to have larger file sizes, so if you’re short on memory space, you might not be able to download these.
10 Best Rhythm Game Apps Ranking
Products | Image | Click to purchase | Key features | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Rayark International Cytus II | | Over 100 Songs Featured in This Storyline-Driven Game | |
2 | RobTop Games Geometry Dash | | A Platform Game With Custom Levels | |
3 | Rayark International Deemo｜iOS | | Emotional, Piano-Based Melodies and a Touching Storyline | |
4 | OutOfTheBit Planet Quest | | Play Original Music in a Short-Sprint Rhythm Game | |
5 | KLab Love Live! School Idol Festival | | Bond With the Characters and Story | |
6 | LoadComplete Ride Zero | | Best RPG Shooter-Style Game | |
7 | Skytree Digital Hachi Hachi | | Play Competitively Against Other Real Life Players | |
8 | Iowiro Arcaea | | Regularly Updated With Free Songs | |
9 | Cheetah Games Dancing Line | | Casually Pass Time By Exploring a New World | |
10 | Broken Rules Interactive Media Eloh | | Enjoy a Peaceful Gaming Experience by Solving Puzzles |
Over 100 Songs Featured in This Storyline-Driven Game
This game involves tapping all around the screen to the beat of music across all genres, including classical, rock, and pop - though you should expect to hear more electronic music than anything else, including music from Hatsune Miku. The tunes are composed by people from all around the world, ranging from Taiwan to the US.
Reviewers do note that there are a lot of in-app purchases and, though you can play without them, it's a lot more fun with the extra content. But most reviewers love the game and say that the story is very engaging, the characters are well fleshed out, and the music choices are plenty.
A Platform Game With Custom Levels
Unlike most rhythm games, there are no in-app purchases, and once you pay the $1.99, you have access to everything. If that’s too much, there’s also a Lite version.
Reviewers say that the app hasn't been updated in years and that there have been login and registration issues. Levels can be challenging and you can also create your own stages to challenge others with. Reviewers love how the game is difficult and how much content it has.
Emotional, Piano-Based Melodies and a Touching Storyline
Gameplay involves tapping to the beat at the bottom of the screen, but you’ll still need two hands to get it right. It
There is a storyline, but it isn’t too apparent as you’re playing and you will have to puzzle the bits together to unravel it.
Reviewers warn that it is easy to lose your data in the app when uninstalling and reinstalling the app. Also, new updates can also cause the game to crash. However, reviewers love that the game is relatively simple, but has a deep and emotional storyline.
Play Original Music in a Short-Sprint Rhythm Game
This app is completely free to play through all levels (though feel free to go ad-free with an in-app purchase). On top of that, it’s beautifully designed and features all original music.
Some reviewers experience calibration issues, where the music doesn't match up with the rhythm. However, reviewers like that it's simple to play, fun, addicting, and similar to Rhythm Heaven, an old Nintendo DS rhythm game.
Bond With the Characters and Story
While there are in-app purchases, you can basically play through everything without them and don’t need to buy anything unless you’re trying to get to the top of the leaderboard.
Reviewers express frustration with the updates applied to the game - especially involving saves. It also occasionally crashes or pauses. Despite these issues, reviewers like that it's a beginner-friendly game and really addicting to play.
Best RPG Shooter-Style Game
However, it’s important to note that this game has a lot of “bubblegum” pop music, so if high-pitched, upbeat tunes aren’t your cup of tea, it might be best to steer clear.
Reviewers say that the game experiences crashing issues, but many others enjoy the story and the beautiful designs.
Play Competitively Against Other Real Life Players
While this game is free to download and play a few levels, you will hit a paywall pretty quickly, and it’s significantly easier to progress by buying coins. So if you’re not interested in spending money, this may not be the game for you.
Reviewers say that there are connection issues when logging into the game. On the other hand, they enjoy that the game is challenging - requiring the use of two fingers sometimes - and they like that you can unlock songs as you play.
Regularly Updated With Free Songs
The mechanics require you to tap, hold, and slide along with the music but allows your hands to stay in one portion of the screen. Some reviewers note that this game is much better when played on a larger screen, like a tablet. But, overall, reviewers love the detailed song charts and how there's plenty of free content.
Casually Pass Time By Exploring a New World
Most of the music is completely free, and watching ads can help you buy more lives. However, reviewers note that there can sometimes be too many ads and that the upgrade to remove them is quite expensive. However, they also like the catchy music and the art.
Enjoy a Peaceful Gaming Experience by Solving Puzzles
This game is pleasing to both the eyes and ears. There are no in-app purchases, and once you buy it, it’s completely available offline.
Reviewers say that the game is quite short, with under 100 levels, but they like that it's easy to handle, has charming tunes, and is relaxing to play.
Looking for More Games?
Games are a great way to escape into a fantastical story and experience a new world through the convenience of a mobile device or a game system. There are many genres out there, and if you're still looking for more to play, take a look at the articles below for our recommendations!
The descriptions of each product are referenced from content available on manufacturer, brand, and e-commerce sites.