Rhythm Heaven Megamix

Rhythm Heaven Megamix (リズム天国 ザ・ベストプラス), also known as Rhythm Paradise Megamix in Europe, and Rhythm World: The Best Plus (리듬 세상 더 베스트 플러스) in Korea, is the 4th game in the Rhythm Heaven Series. It was released on June 11th, 2015 in Japan; June 16th, 2016 in the west during the E3 announcement; October 21st, 2016 in Europe; October 22nd, 2016 in Australia; and on December 1st, 2016 in South Korea.

This game includes 63 Rhythm Games from the previous three Rhythm Heaven games (18 of previous ones are located at the shop), 19 new ones, 12 "short" ones, 4 Endless Games, and 10 Remixes, making for a total of 108 games in all.

Main Game
In the single player mode of the game, the player helps a character named Tibby get back to Heaven World 天の国 (Ten no Kuni, a pun on 天国 tengoku) (mispelled as "Hevven World" by Tibby) by completing various rhythm games and restoring the flow. On his way, he meets various characters, such as Boondog, Dieter, Shep, Donna, Hairold, Eglantine, Trey, Bertram, Betty, & Philip, who guide him through their various lands; as well as the Gatekeeper Trio, which consists of Saffron, Saltwater, and Paprika.

Challenge Land
Challenge Land is a new feature in Megamix. It becomes playable once the player clears the Lush Tower. It also allows up to 4 players, either through Local Multiplayer or Download Play. When clearing the course for the first time, Flow Balls are rewarded to players to spend it at Café. Those playing through Download Play cannot receive rewards, and are instead encouraged to purchase the full game.

Perfect Campaign
Perfect Campaign returns in Rhythm Heaven Megamix and up to 3 attempts are allowed before receiving the perfect. However, unlike from previous games in the series, some minor changes were made. Needing to navigate to the Rhythm Game where the Campaign is no longer necessary, as it can be accessed directly through the booth at Challenge Land. If the player missed during the attempt, the game ends with the message "You Missed..." instead of continuing like a normal game. After a "perfect" is obtained, the player no longer receives music or Reading Material; instead, each Perfect Campaign awards one Flow Ball, which can used to purchase Rhythm Items, Music, or Rhythm Games at the Shop.

List of Rhythm Games
The majority of games appear over the course of the story, where they are grouped into Stages of four; one from Rhythm Tengoku, one from Rhythm Heaven, one from Rhythm Heaven Fever, and one new. All towers have a Remix at the end as well.

The games in Honeybee Land, Machine Land, Citrus Land and Barbershop Land are shorter variants of the original games with new music and visuals. They take the original name and description of the games, while the actual original games are given new names, which in English often coincide with the Arrange games in previous installments.

Lush Tower
After the Lush Tower is cleared, the credits roll and Tibby attempts to return to Heaven World, only to crash back down. Some "powered-up" Rhythm Games also become available. The games in Honeybee Tower, Machine Tower, Citrus Tower and Barbershop Tower are actually the original games, but were renamed as the short variants in the respective lands take on the original name.

Songbird Tower
After the six towers of Lush Woods are cleared, the true credits roll and Tibby makes it back to Heaven World, but something is wrong when he arrives. Even more Rhythm Games get unlocked.

The Fourth Gate
The games at Mamarin Palace are like the Arrange games from previous titles. Karate Man Senior notably doesn't fit into this category.

From the Shop
Saffron's Shop allows the player to purchase Rhythm Items, Music and Rhythm Games. All games in the Shop are returning from previous games in the series. Some of them can be played on the Challenge Train even before they are bought.

Café
In the Café, the player can access (from left to right) the StreetPass Terrace, the Goat Stable, the Barista and other characters, the Shop, Museum, Badges, Memories, and Mascots. The first two options are unlocked after clearing Lush Tower. The last three are available by talking to the Museum Curator.

Endless Games
Endless Games return in Megamix, which includes one game from each installment, and a new one of its own. They are unlocked by completing all three Trials set by the Gatekeeper Trio on that game's Gate, after which the endless version will be available in the Museum.

StreetPass Terrace
Whenever the player gets tagged by another player, the Cafe icon will display the Barista. For each player, the game displays their Mii, Flow, and Favorite Rhythm Game. Each player can be battled in Figure Fighter VS. This mode also has each character from the story to fight for those who can't use StreetPass.

Missing Games
While most games returned in Megamix, 24 didn't make the cut. The following are the games from past installments of Rhythm Heaven that did not return for Rhythm Heaven Megamix. (Arrange games whose normal variant is in Rhythm Heaven Megamix are written in bold. Remixes, Endless Games, Games, and Two-Player Games aren't listed.) Many of these Arrange games have new patterns or new cues, which also exist in Rhythm Heaven Megamix, but are never used. It is debatable how many of these were actually intended to appear in the game or were simply leftover data from the porting process.

From Rhythm Tengoku

 * Samurai Slice_icon.png Iai Giri
 * The Bon Odori_icon.png The☆Bon Odori
 * Wizard's Waltz_icon.png Mahou Tsukai
 * Showtime_icon.png Showtime
 * Tram and Pauline_icon.png Tram to Poline
 * Built to Scale_icon.png Polyrhythm
 * RapMen_icon.png Rap Men
 * Toss Boys_icon.png Toss Boys
 * Fireworks_icon.png Hanabi
 * Bon Dance_icon.png Bon Dance
 * RapWomen_icon.png Rap Women
 * Karate Man 2 icon.png Karateka 2
 * Vegeta-Pull 2_icon.png Rhythm Datsumo 2
 * Ninja Reincarnate_icon.png Ninja no Shison
 * Night Walk 2_icon.png Night Walk 2 (Biribiriuo sprite exists, abet unusable because no code exists)
 * Marcher 2_icon.png Marcher 2 (quick turn cues are in-game; there are also pointing sprites, abet they're impossible to see in-game)
 * Hopping Road 2_icon.png Hopping Road 2
 * Toss Boys 2_icon.png Toss Boys 2
 * Built to Scale 2_icon.png Polyrhythm 2
 * Spaceball 2_icon.png Air Batter 2
 * Sneaky Spirits 2_icon.png Shiroi Obake 2 (All new cues from there exist in Sneaky Spirits' code)

From Rhythm Heaven

 * Built to Scale DS_icon.png Built to Scale
 * Moai Doo-Wop_icon.png Moai Doo-Wop
 * Love Lizards_icon.png Love Lizards
 * Crop Stomp_icon.png Crop Stomp
 * DJ School_icon.png DJ School
 * Drummer Duel_icon.png Drummer Duel
 * Love Lab_icon.png Love Lab
 * Splashdown_icon.png Splashdown
 * Space Soccer_icon.png Space Soccer
 * Rockers_icon.png Rockers
 * Built to Scale 2 DS_icon.png Built to Scale 2
 * The Dazzles 2_icon.png The Dazzles 2 (The new posing pattern is in-game)
 * Fillbots 2_icon.png Fillbots 2 (ROBO-S is coded in)
 * Blue Birds 2_icon.png Blue Birds 2
 * Lockstep 2_icon.png Lockstep 2
 * Moai Doo-Wop 2_icon.png Moai Doo-Wop 2
 * Karate Man 2 DS_icon.png Karate Man 2
 * Glee Club 2_icon.png Glee Club 2
 * Space Soccer 2_icon.png Space Soccer 2
 * Shoot-'Em-Up 2_icon.png Shoot-'em-up 2
 * Splashdown 2_icon.png Splashdown 2
 * Munchy Monk 2_icon.png Munchy Monk 2
 * Rockers 2_icon.png Rockers 2

From Rhythm Heaven Fever

 * Tambourine_icon.png Tambourine
 * Donk Donk_icon.png Donk-Donk
 * Tap Troupe_icon.png Tap Troupe
 * Shrimp Shuffle_icon.png Shrimp Shuffle
 * Night Walk Wii_icon.png Night Walk
 * Samurai Slice 2_icon.png Samurai Slice 2
 * Built to Scale 2 Wii_icon.png Built to Scale 2
 * Double Date 2_icon.png Double Date 2
 * Love Rap 2_icon.png Love Rap 2
 * Cheer Readers 2_icon.png Cheer Readers 2
 * Screwbot Factory 2_icon.png Screwbot Factory 2
 * Micro-Row 2_icon.png Micro-Row 2 (Scrapped)
 * Packing Pests 2_icon.png Packing Pests 2 (sprite and code exist, but audio cue doesn't)
 * Karate Man 2 Wii_icon.png Karate Man Combos! 2

Scrapped New Games
In the debug menu of the game and through other sources, we can see even more games were intended to be included, but for one reason or another were scrapped. For reference, the names internally use a system of categorizing games, using AGB, NTR, RVL and CTR for which installment they originate from, and S, L, A for Short, Long and Arrange games. For example, The Clappy Trio is AGBパチパチ三人衆S (agb_clap_S), The Clappy Trio 2 is AGBパチパチ三人衆L (agb_clap_L) and The Snappy Trio is AGBパチパチ三人衆A (agb_clap_A). A most curious case is Monster Tennis モンスターテニス (Monster Tennis). Unused text strings (which, curiously, only exist in the Japanese version of the Rhythm Heaven Megamix Demo) show it would play differently to normal Rhythm Games, somehow requiring the player to use the Wii Remote, suggesting it was a scrapped project for the Wii (perhaps it was supposed to appear in Rhythm Heaven Fever) intended to be revived in this game. The player(s) have to use a tennis racket to fight monsters. Additionally, it would've featured four stages, several bosses and multiplayer. In the debug menu, Remixes and Gate games are after all the others. Four of these aren't available in the Japanese version's debug menu. Oddly, Quiz Show has three trials in this list but no Endless Game.
 * Ninja_3DS_icon.png AGB忍者S (agb_tono_S)
 * Flock Step_3DS_icon.png RVL鳥の大群S (rvl_birds_S)
 * Cheer Readers 3DS_icon.png RVL図書ガールズS (rvl_book_S)
 * Double Date 3DS_icon.png RVLWデートS (rvl_date_S)
 * Fork Lifter 3DS_icon.png RVLくしざしS (rvl_fork_S)
 * Board Meeting 3DS_icon.png RVL重役会議S (rvl_rotation_S)
 * Packing Pests_3DS_icon.png RVLしわけS (rvl_sort_S)
 * Micro-Row 3 icon.png RVL小さないきものA (rvl_flea_A)
 * Locked Game 3DS_icon.png CTR階段キャッチA (ctr_step_A)
 * Locked Game 3DS_icon.png CTRザ・コマンダー (ctr_commander_00)
 * Locked Game 3DS_icon.png CTRカニカニリズム (ctr_crab)
 * Locked Game 3DS_icon.png CTRハチ (ctr_hachi)
 * Locked Game 3DS_icon.png CTRパラパラパラダイス (ctr_paradise_L)
 * Locked Game 3DS_icon.png CTRモンスターテニス00 (ctr_tennis_S00)
 * Locked Game 3DS_icon.png CTRモンスターテニス01 (ctr_tennis_S01)
 * Locked Game 3DS_icon.png CTRモンスターテニス02 (ctr_tennis_S02)
 * Locked Game 3DS_icon.png CTRモンスターテニス03 (ctr_tennis_S03)
 * Locked Game 3DS_icon.png CTRモンスターテニスマルチ00 (ctr_tennis_M00)
 * Locked Game 3DS_icon.png CTRモンスターテニスマルチ01 (ctr_tennis_M01)
 * Locked Game 3DS_icon.png CTRモンスターテニスマルチ02 (ctr_tennis_M02)
 * Locked Game 3DS_icon.png CTRモンスターテニスマルチ03 (ctr_tennis_M03)
 * Forest_Remix_icon.png リミックスLED(旧バージョン) (remix_LEDOld)
 * Locked Game 3DS_icon.png リミックス実験10 (remix_Test10)
 * Locked Game 3DS_icon.png リミックス実験11 (remix_Test11)
 * Locked Game 3DS_icon.png remix_BB00
 * Locked Game 3DS_icon.png remix_BB01
 * Locked Game 3DS_icon.png remix_BB02
 * Locked Game 3DS_icon.png remix_BB03
 * Quiz 3DS_icon.png AGBクイズ（初級） (agb_quiz_00)
 * Quiz 3DS_icon.png AGBクイズ（中級） (agb_quiz_01)
 * Quiz 3DS_icon.png AGBクイズ（上級） (agb_quiz_02)

Rhythm Heaven Megamix Demo
The Rhythm Heaven Megamix Demo (リズム天国 ザ・ベスト＋ 体験版), also known as the Rhythm Paradise Megamix Demo in Europe, was released on June 15th, 2016 in North America, along with the full release of Rhythm Heaven Megamix. The demo was also released on September 2nd, 2016 in Europe & Australia. It includes limited versions of the Rhythm Games and Challenge Land from the full version.

When choosing "Try Rhythm Games!" the player meets Tibby, who rapid-fires through several games. After this, Tibby presents the player with a "Remix" featuring several games from the full version to prompt the player to purchase it. The "Challenge Land (Multiplayer)" mode contains three courses not found in the full version; however, it is not playable solo. There are also two Rhythm Games exclusive to this mode.
 * Locked Game 3DS icon.png Introduction
 * Vegeta-Pull Story icon.png Rhythm Tweezers
 * Jumping_Road_Story_icon.png Catchy Tune
 * Rhythm Rally Story icon.png Rhythm Rally
 * Wild Woodwork Story icon.png LumBEARjack
 * Ringside 3DS icon.png Ringside (Practice only)
 * Karate Man Story icon.png Karate Man (Trial Course 1)
 * Chameleon icon.png Tongue Lashing (Trial Course 2)

Reception
This game has received a review of 34/40 on Famitsu and is known to be favorable on MetaCritic with an average score of 83.

Sales
According to a report, this game sold over 500,000 copies in Japan by the end of 2015. . As of February 2016, the total sales in Japan reached 650,000 copies.

Trivia

 * There are two Challenge Train courses, where many characters are replaced with WarioWare characters. Both series are created by the same developers.
 * Ashley also makes a cameo in the Café as a doll.
 * This game currently holds the record for the most Rhythm Games total, with 104 games (not counting 4 from gates).
 * However, only 31 of them are original, if short variants were count as "new".
 * During the real credits, the following things and characters from various games can be seen.
 * The tree from Lush Remix.
 * The Huebirds of Happiness from Flock Step.
 * The Skill Star you can collect in every game.
 * The planet from Remix 7 of Rhythm Heaven Fever.
 * The Rhythm Rockets from Launch Party.
 * The Space Umpire From Spaceball.
 * The huge machine from Working Dough. It also shines the color of the forest.
 * Play-Yan and the star from Night Walk.
 * The rice ball from Spaceball.
 * All the colors for each Remix.
 * The Rabbits from Bunny Hop.
 * The outline for the star in Star Land.
 * Rhythm Heaven itself.
 * The minigames at lands, gates and towers are lined up by their game appearance, from oldest to newest (for example, in the Lush Tower; First is Spaceball from Rhythm Tengoku, then Dog Ninja from Rhythm Heaven, then Hole in One from Rhythm Heaven Fever and finally the new one - Sumo Brothers)
 * While using Simple Tap mode, a similar character to the one in Rhythm Heaven appears on the touch screen.
 * This the first game where games have up to three variants.
 * The announcer is voiced by Marianna DeFazio, returning from Rhythm Heaven Fever.
 * After getting all of the Badges, a button with an alien-like creature on it appears. Tapping shows a picture of some of the staff.
 * This is the first game where no new Prologue jingles were made, aside from remixed ones from previous games and for Remixes.
 * This is the second time where Karate Man is the first Rhythm Game, after Rhythm Tengoku.