page_title: Rhythm Tengoku
section_title: Development
hierarchical_section_title: Rhythm Tengoku / Development
context_page_description: Rhythm Tengoku is a rhythm game developed by Nintendo SPD and published by Nintendo. It was released on August 3, 2006, and was the last game developed by Nintendo for the Game Boy Advance. An arcade version of the game was reprogrammed and published by Sega on September 20, 2007. Both versions were released in Japan exclusively. The game has spawned three sequels; Rhythm Heaven, Rhythm Heaven Fever, and Rhythm Heaven Megamix. It began as an idea created by its composer and supervisor Tsunku who proposed it to Nintendo due to his belief that they could do a better job with it than he could.
  Rhythm Tengoku's gameplay focuses on audio cues rather than visual cues to convey information to players. It features a number of unique stages which have their own type of rhythm and gameplay. Players follow the rhythm until the end where they are given a score based on their performance. The gameplay and music were both well received by critics and consumers. Parallels have been drawn between it and the developer's previous work on the WarioWare series.
context_section_description: Rhythm Tengoku was released in Japan only during August 3, 2006 for the Game Boy Advance (GBA) and was developed by Nintendo SPD and published by Nintendo. Key staff members include Kazuyoshi Osawa, Tsunku (music composer and supervisor), Masami Yone (sound designer), and Ko Takeuchi (graphic designer). It was first revealed in an issue of Famitsu. The project began when Tsunku brought his proposal to Nintendo of a rhythm game that did not rely on visual indicators for its rhythm. Osawa was wary that people would enjoy it due to its lack of a music score as he felt that it might only appeal to a niche audience. It was decided to be released on the GBA due to Osawa's desire for a smaller screen and portability. The staff took dance lessons in order to improve their rhythm by the recommendation of the game's music composer Tsunku. One stage that made an impression was Rhythm Tweezers, a level that featured an onion with a face from which players pluck its hair. It was originally going to be a real face, but it was deemed "a little too gross." Another stage is called The Bon Odori and is based on the real-world Japanese Bon Festival.
  Before the game's release, a Kiosk Demo named Rhythm Tengoku: Trial Version was playable in shops, allowing people to try out the game before it was released. The Kiosk Demo only lets the player play three of the Rhythm Games from Set 1; Karate Man, Rhythm Tweezers and The Clappy Trio, as well as the Rhythm Test (only the first part of it can be played through). The Kiosk Demo also reminds the game's price of 3,800 Yen on the title screen, the Rhythm Game select menu, and even in the Rhythm Games (appearing at the end of The Clappy Trio and Rhythm Tweezers, and even in the background during Karate Man once the player reaches 50% (three hearts or more) on the Flow Meter).
  One year after the game's release, Sega approached the staff with an offer to co-develop an arcade version of the game for the Sega Naomi, which was released September 20, 2007. This was due to the popularity of the game with its development staff. Osawa brought this offer to the attention of Nintendo president Satoru Iwata and others who approved of the idea. Yone had to make adjustments in the arcade version due to the differences between arcade mechanics and console mechanics. The arcade version had remastered graphics (One rhythm game to have this change in the arcade version (most notably) was Karate Man). It also featured an extra set based on Set 1, but at 150% speed and with newly remixed music to match (Note: The vocals in the Karate Man: Tempo Up! extra stage are the same).
  The arcade also features multiplayer, even though the first main Rhythm Heaven game to have multiplayer was Rhythm Heaven Fever for the Wii. Rhythm Tengoku was also the only game licensed by Nintendo for the Sega Naomi, and it was one of the very few games developed by Nintendo and Sega respectively.
caption: The Bon Odori stage is based on the Japanese Bon Festival.
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