Rhythm Tengoku

Rhythm Tengoku (リズム天国) is a rhythm game developed by Nintendo SPD. It was only released in Japan on August 3, 2006, and also the last game Nintendo had developed for the Game Boy Advance. This is the first installment of the Rhythm Heaven Series.

An arcade version was co-developed by Sega.

Gameplay
The core gameplay of all of the minigames is based on rhythm. Every minigame has its own set of rules.

Rhythm Games
Rhythm Games is the main core of Rhythm Tengoku. The object of this mode is to unlock each rhythm game, or mini-game, by achieving a decent score based on how well the player kept in the rhythm of the previous one. After unlocking and completing the first five games, a Remix will appear that combines previous games, usually those featured in the last Stage. Once the remix is completed, the next game will be unlocked as well as four other games waiting to be unlocked in its Stage and so forth. Stage 6 has a twist where each of the minigames are rearranged versions of the last minigame of each Stage before it. After that, there are two more Stages with harder versions of other minigames.

Once a "Superb" rank is achieved on a rhythm game, a chance to go for a "Perfect" will be available at random times. Other things can also be accessed in this mode during game progression such as the Café, Drum Lessons and Rhythm Toys. Everything unlockable in these areas can be obtained by earning Medals or achieving perfects.

List of Rhythm Games
After Remix 6 is cleared, the Credits roll and harder mini games are unlocked.

Menu
The Menu (メニュー) is unlocked after the player clears Rhythm-kan Sokutei the first time on a new file. The options give the player access to Rhythm Games, Rhythm-kan Sokutei, Rhythm Shiryo Shitsu, Studio and Options.

Rhythm Games goes to the Game Select menu, where all of the unlocked Stages and the Omaku Corner are accessed.

Rhythm-kan Sokutei is a replay of the test given at the start of the game. The player can Pause and Quit this time.

Rhythm Shiryo Shitsu is where the player can read various things, received as a Gift from the Perfect Camapaign on certain games.

The Studio meanwhile allows the player to listen to the music they've received also as Gifts, as well as drum to them.

Options is where the player can change their sound preference to "stereo" (for headphones or DS speakers) or "mono" (for GBA speakers), or delete all of their saved game data.

Rhythm Tengoku Trial Version
Rhythm Tengoku Trial Version (リズム天国 体験版) is a demo version of the game, which was playable in kiosks up until the game's release. It reminds the player of the price of the final game in all 3 available games (Karateka, Rhythm Datsumo and Pachi Pachi Sanninshu), the price being 3,800 yen, or 33.53$ in USD. It also includes a shortened version of Rhythm-kan Sokutei directly in the Game Select.

Trivia

 * This is the first ever rhythm game to have multiple gameplay styles.
 * A strategy guide for this game was released in Japan only.
 * This is the only Rhythm Heaven game to have 5 Rhythm Games and a Remix in each Stage.
 * This is also the only game to have only 8 stages, instead of the usual 10.
 * This game does not have a variant of Munchy Monk.
 * The Trial version, unsurprisingly, has the data for everything else from the final version. There are however, some things that go unused exclusively in this version.
 * Marcher has the "リズム天国 おねだん ¥３,８００" text appear on the conveyer belt at the end, while in Air Batter, it appears on the last zoom-out. Marcher 2 has glitchy sprites instead of the actual text. Finally, Karateka 2 has the text in the background the same way the original does.
 * Although the Menu can be accessed through the debug menu, the Stereo/Mono options are non-functional. The game is locked to Mono sound regardless of which option is chosen.