New rhythm games where the beat does more than tap

The newest rhythm game from a big studio is Rhythm Heaven Groove, out July 2, 2026 on Switch. The best rhythm games now go beyond tapping notes: you fight, drive or dance on the beat. Here they are, sorted by what the music controls.

New and recent rhythm games

Rhythm Heaven Groove. Nintendo's first all-new Rhythm Heaven since 2011, out July 2, 2026 on Switch. Short, silly minigames that each teach a new beat.
Rift of the NecroDancer. Brace Yourself Games' 2025 three-lane rhythm game where every note is a monster.
Fortnite Festival. A Guitar Hero-style mode inside Fortnite with real licensed songs, free to play.
Hi-Fi Rush. Tango Gameworks' 2023 action game where every hit lands on the beat.
Muse Dash. PeroPeroGames' side-scrolling rhythm runner on phones. Two buttons, fast songs.

Rhythm games by what the beat drives

Most rhythm games make you tap. The newer ones turn the beat into a different action. Here is each type with a Roam game you can play now on iPhone.

Driving. Play the Ceiling lets you drive the music on a road that goes up the walls. Ride the Chorus is a motorcycle highway on the beat.
Brawling. Hit On The One makes you punch on the beat, and enemies hit back if you miss. Punch the Drop runs you down a boardwalk hitting every beat.
Dancing. Disco Legends: hit the beat and the dancer hits the floor.
Working. Backbeat: Junktown has you toss the trash on the beat from a garbage truck.

Make the beat drive something new

Roam is a free iPhone app where you describe a game in a sentence and it comes back playable, with the sound included. Pick something nobody puts on a beat yet, like cooking, skating or a pillow fight, and say what happens when you miss.

Play it on Roam

Make your own rhythm game with Roam

Describe what you do on the beat and what happens when you miss. Roam builds the game, the music and the rules. Roam is rated 13+ on the App Store.

Try: "rhythm game in my kitchen, chop vegetables on the beat, miss and the pan catches fire, 3 songs, friends can play the next round"

Create it with Roam Pre-register on Android See Roam

Roam ("Roam - Make Games" on the App Store) is an iPhone app where you play games and make your own by describing them or from a photo. It is free to download and play, and making games works without a subscription; optional Spark and Reality plans and credit packs add more creation. Android: pre-register on Google Play.

Questions people ask

What is the newest Rhythm Heaven game?

Rhythm Heaven Groove, released July 2, 2026 on Nintendo Switch. It is called Rhythm Paradise Groove in Europe.

What are good rhythm games on phones?

Muse Dash is a long-running favorite, and Roam has rhythm games like Play the Ceiling and Hit On The One on iPhone.

What is a rhythm hybrid?

A game where the beat controls another genre, like fighting in Hi-Fi Rush or driving in Play the Ceiling, instead of only tapping notes.