Nintendo Confirms Release Date for Upcoming Switch Exclusive

Nintendo confirmed that Rhythm Heaven Groove will be released on July 2, 2026. The game was originally revealed during the March 2025 Nintendo Direct, which was one of the final presentations dedicated to new Nintendo Switch games and updates.

This rhythm game series, known as Rhythm Heaven in the US, Rhythm Paradise in Europe and Australia, and Rhythm Tengoku in Japan, features quick, bite-sized rhythm games. There are currently four games in the series, with a fifth, Rhythm Heaven Groove, on the way. It first started in 2006 as a game only released in Japan for the Game Boy Advance. A few years later, Rhythm Heaven came to the US and Europe as a Nintendo DS exclusive, receiving excellent reviews. Rhythm Heaven Fever followed in 2011 for the Nintendo Wii, and Rhythm Heaven Megamix launched on the Nintendo 3DS in 2015. The series has consistently been well-received by critics, with the last three games all scoring an 83 on Metacritic.

Rhythm Heaven Groove Releases on July 2, 2026

The popular Rhythm Heaven series is coming back after ten years! Rhythm Heaven Groove will be released on July 2, 2026, and will only be available on the Nintendo Switch. It will likely work on the future Nintendo Switch 2 thanks to backwards compatibility, but Nintendo hasn’t announced if there will be a special version for the new console or a free update to make the game look and run better on it.

Nintendo surprised fans by announcing the July 2nd release date for Rhythm Heaven Groove with a quick post on social media, rather than a big event like a Nintendo Direct. Along with the date, they shared a new trailer showing off the “Slice N Dice Kitchen” minigame, where players catch vegetables in time with the music. While Nintendo hasn’t said exactly how many minigames will be in the full game, trailers have already revealed eight different ones.

Rhythm Heaven Groove Could Be Just One Part of a Big Summer for Nintendo

Last month, a leaker named NateTheHate shared a list of games Nintendo is reportedly developing. This included several Switch and Switch 2 titles without confirmed release dates, but NateTheHate predicted they would be released in the summer of 2026. One of those games, Rhythm Heaven Groove, now has a confirmed release date of July 2nd, fitting within that predicted timeframe. NateTheHate also suggested that Splatoon Raiders and Fire Emblem: Fortune’s Weave would be released by that summer.

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2026-04-09 17:40