While the Rhythm Heaven Series boasts a large number of Rhythm Games, there also also many that did not make the cut. Below is a list of these scrapped games.
Several ideas for Rhythm Games that were not implemented in the final version of Rhythm Tengoku are known to exist. It is mentioned that there are over 20 games cut from the game, which are listed below[1]. These games were rejected because regardless of how well-made they are, if the rhythm doesn't feel right, they had to go[2]. Some games have remnants in the final game, while others were removed completely.
- There was a Rhythm Game where the player would press a button to swing a stick to strike things, then release it to return the stick back. However, the act of releasing the button to the rhythm was found to be unexpectedly difficult to understand, leading to the game being cut[3]. Ninja Bodyguard in Remix 5 and Ninja no Shison show a character that slices rocks with a stick, which may have been inspired by this idea.
- Kuma (『くま』?, Bear): This game has leftover sound effects, labeled "s_kuma_hit", "s_kuma_miss" and "s_kuma_sakana" (Sakana meaning "fish"). The last of these was repurposed for Iai Giri.
- Fighter (『ファイター』?, Faitā)
- Rhythm Batting (『リズムバッティング』?, Rizumu Battingu): This game has one leftover sound effect, labeled "s_rythm_bat_miss".
- Awakudaki (『あわくだき』?, Awakudaki)
- Drum Robo (『ドラムロボ』?, Doramu Robo)
- Pickupper (『ピックアッパー』?, Pikkuappā)
- Phrase (『フレーズ』?, Furēzu)
- Box Man (『ボックスマン』?, Bokkusu Man)
- Happa (『はっぱ』?, Happa)
- Rhythm Taisō (『リズムたいそう』?, Rhythm Gymnastics)
- Rhythm Cooking (『リズムクッキング』?, Rizumu Kukkingu)
- Block (『ブロック』?, Burokku): This game has leftover sound effects, labeled "s_block_gotin", "s_block_hit" and "s_block_walk". The second of these was repurposed for Showtime and Sick Beats.
- Block 2 (『ブロック２』?, Burokku 2): This game has leftover sound effects, labeled "s_block2_block" and "s_block2_fast".
- Yurikago (『ゆりかご』?, Cradle): This game has leftover sound effects, labeled "s_yuri_naki" and "s_yuri_yurasi". The former was repurposed as one of the results sounds in Rhythm-kan Check.
- Uki (『ウキ』?, Float): This game has leftover sound effects, labeled "s_uki_water1", "s_uki_water2" and "s_uki_water3".
- Rhythm Art (『リズムアート』?, Rizumu Āto)
- Heartbeat (『ハートビート』?, Hātobīto)
- Guardman (『ガードマン』?, Gādoman)
- Kawasemi (『かわせみ』?, Kingfisher): This game has leftover music, labeled "s_kawasemi_bgm" and "s_kawasemi_frase".
- Key Toy (『キートイ』?, Kī Toi): This game has leftover sound effects, labeled "s_keytoy_count1" and "s_keytoy_count2". These sound similar to the timer sound effects used in Quiz Show.
- Rockband (『ロックバンド』?, Rokkubando)
- Tanuki & Monkey (『たぬき＆モンキー』?, Tanuki & Monkī): This game is the only one from this group to be partially implemented, but innacessible.
- Don to Tan no Kankei (『ドンとタンの関係』?, Releationship Between Don and Tan): This game has leftover sound effects, labeled "s_dontan_count" and "s_dontan_water". The former was repurposed as the cowbell noise used in Night Walk, which has since been used as a counting sound in various other games.
The following games are found within the Sequence Test, and are not mentioned by the developers.
- Dance Lesson 1 (ダンスレッスン １?, Dansu Ressun 1): This game is an earlier version of Remix 1, where Tap Trial replaces Rhythm Datsumo and the remix itself is much longer[4].
- Rhythm o Shuji 2 (リズムお習字 ２?, Rhythm Calligraphy 2): This game is mentioned in an unused gameplay history screen in Rhythm Tengoku, found in the Sequence Test, which lists all the games and things in the Omaku Corner, the average score the player currently has (using a numbering system from 0 to 1000 which is hidden from the player in normal gameplay), and the amount of plays. This game appears in the list, and the player's score is kept track on it, however no other content exists.
- Rap Women (by KAZU) (ラップ ウィメン（ｂｙ ＫＡＺＵ）?, Rap Women (by KAZU))[5]: This game is a different version of Rap Women which contains many more offbeats. The used version in contrast is named Rap Women (by YONE) (ラップ ウィメン（ｂｙ ＹＯＮＥ）?, Rap Women (by YONE)) in Sequence Test.
- Metronome (メトロノーム?, Metoronōmu)[6]: Here, the player must press Ⓐ as the needle passes over the bird on the top, playing basically the same as the first test in Rhythm-kan Check. It was reworked into Mr. Upbeat in the final game.
There are multiple Rhythm Games referenced in the sound banks of Rhythm Heaven, with multiple sound effects, which are never used in the game.
| SEQARC_SKA
|
| SE_SKA_BRASS_SHORT_L
|
| SE_SKA_BRASS_SHORT_C
|
| SE_SKA_BRASS_SHORT_R
|
| SE_SKA_BRASS_SHORT_L_D
|
| SE_SKA_BRASS_SHORT_C_D
|
| SE_SKA_BRASS_SHORT_R_D
|
| SE_SKA_BRASS_SHORT_L_F
|
| SE_SKA_BRASS_SHORT_C_F
|
| SE_SKA_BRASS_SHORT_R_F
|
| SE_SKA_BRASS_SHORT_L_G
|
| SE_SKA_BRASS_SHORT_C_G
|
| SE_SKA_BRASS_SHORT_R_G
|
| SE_SKA_BRASS_SHORT_L_Am
|
| SE_SKA_BRASS_SHORT_C_Am
|
| SE_SKA_BRASS_SHORT_R_Am
|
| SE_SKA_BRASS_LONG_L
|
| SE_SKA_BRASS_LONG_C
|
| SE_SKA_BRASS_LONG_R
|
| SE_SKA_BRASS_MISS
|
| SEQARC_TAP1
|
| SE_TAP_STAMP
|
| SE_TAP_TOE
|
| SE_TAP_HEEL
|
| SE_TAP_V_DOWN
|
| SE_TAP_V_KICK
|
| SE_TAP_V_TOE
|
| SE_TAP_V_AND_UP
|
| SE_TAP_V_AND_DOWN
|
| SE_TAP_V_ISSHONI
|
| SE_TAP_V_MINNADE
|
| SE_TAP_V_GOISSHONI
|
| SE_TAP_V_HI
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| SE_TAP_V_MOHITOTU
|
| SE_TAP_V_MAENI
|
| SE_TAP_V_USIRONI
|
| SE_TAP_V_NOMAMADE
|
| SE_MONKY_GOOD
|
| SE_MONKY_NORMAL
|
| SE_MONKY_BAD
|
| SEQARC_TAP2
|
| SE_TAP2_YOTU
|
| SE_TAP2_TAMETE
|
| SE_TAP2_UUN_TEI
|
| SE_TAP2_UTON
|
| SE_TAP2_IKUYO
|
| SE_TAP2_N_TEI
|
| SE_TAP2_KEIKAI
|
| SE_TAP2_TOTOTO
|
| SE_TAP2_COUNT1
|
| SE_TAP2_COUNT2
|
| SE_TAP2_COUNT3
|
| SE_TAP2_COUNT4
|
| SE_TAP2_KAZU1
|
| SE_TAP2_KAZU2
|
| SE_TAP2_KAZU3
|
| SE_TAP2_KAZU4
|
| SEQARC_PAPET
|
| SE_PAPET_LION_GA
|
| SE_PAPET_LION_OU
|
| SE_PAPET_RAT_CHU
|
| SE_PAPET_RAT_CHUU
|
| SE_PAPET_FISH
|
| SE_PAPET_CAT
|
| SE_PAPET_DOG_WOO
|
| SE_PAPET_DOG_WAN
|
| SE_PAPET_SPACE_MAN
|
| SE_PAPET_RAKKO
|
| SEQARC_TONTS
|
| SE_TONTS_TON1
|
| SE_TONTS_TON2
|
| SE_TONTS_TON3
|
| SE_TONTS_TO1
|
| SE_TONTS_TO2
|
| SE_TONTS_TO3
|
| SE_TONTS_TOO
|
| SE_TONTS_N
|
| SE_TONTS_PIN1
|
| SE_TONTS_PIN2
|
| SE_TONTS_QUHA
|
| SEQARC_PICK
|
| SE_BASS
|
| SE_STL_GTR
|
| SE_DIS_GTR
|
| SE_DIS_GTR2
|
| SEQARC_EFFECT1
|
| SE_TEST_AWA
|
| SE_TEST_KURK
|
| SE_TEST_KURK_LOOP
|
| SE_TEST_FUKIDASI
|
| SE_TEST_KAMI
|
| SE_TEST_KANZUME
|
| SE_TEST_KEY
|
| SE_TEST_KINZOKU
|
| SE_TEST_MOLES
|
| SE_TEST_PISI
|
| SE_TEST_RENGA
|
| SE_TEST_SENNUKI
|
| SE_TEST_TARAI
|
| SE_TEST_WATER
|
| SE_TEST_WATER_INTO
|
| SE_TEST_WATER_JABA
|
| SE_TEST_WATER_SOSOGI
|
| SE_TEST_WINDOW
|
| SE_TEST_WOOD
|
| SE_TEST_YUMI
|
| SE_TEST_CAR
|
| SE_TEST_WIND
|
| SE_TEST_SCRATCH
|
| SE_TEST_KARATE_BGM
|
| SE_TEST_KARATE_HATI
|
| SE_TEST_KARATE_HIT
|
| SE_TEST_KARATE_MISS
|
| SE_TEST_KARATE_PUNCH
|
| SEQARC_EFFECT2
|
| SE_TEST_BALL_RALLY
|
| SE_TEST_BALL_ATTACK
|
| SE_TEST_GT_NONE1
|
| SE_TEST_GT_EF1
|
| SE_TEST_GT_NONE2
|
| SE_TEST_GT_EF2
|
| SE_LAUGH
|
| SE_LAUGH_RELOAD
|
| SE_TEST_VOICE_A
|
| SE_TEST_VOICE_O
|
| SE_TEST_VOICE_E
|
| SEQARC_NAWA_TOBI
|
| SE_NAWA_JUMP
|
| SE_NAWA_JUMP_COM
|
| SE_NAWA_DON
|
| SE_NAWA_KICK
|
| SE_NAWA_FLOWER1
|
| SE_NAWA_FLOWER2
|
| SEQARC_AMBIENT
|
| SE_GTR1
|
| SE_GTR2
|
| SE_GTR3
|
| SE_VOICE_AH
|
| SE_VOICE_STOP
|
| SEQARC_SNOW
|
| SE_SNOW_PUSH
|
| SE_SNOW_BALL
|
| SE_SNOW_MISS
|
| SE_SNOW_MISS_DOG
|
| SEQARC_KAO
|
| SE_KAO_KISS_LONG
|
| SE_KAO_KISS
|
| SEQARC_VOLLEY
|
| SE_VOLLEY_SERVE1
|
| SE_VOLLEY_SERVE1_ADD_A
|
| SE_VOLLEY_SERVE2
|
| SE_VOLLEY_SERVE2_LONG
|
| SE_VOLLEY_SERVE2_FADE
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| SE_VOLLEY_RECEIVE
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| SE_VOLLEY_TOSS
|
| SE_VOLLET_ATTACK
|
| SE_VOLLEY_ATTACK_SARU
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| SE_VOLLEY_SUKA
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| SE_VOLLET_ONCE_MORE
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| SE_VOLLET_SONOMAMA
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| SE_VOLLET_BALL_NET
|
There are multiple Rhythm Games referenced in the sound banks of Rhythm Heaven Fever, with multiple sound effects, which are never used in the game.
| ROLLER
|
| SE_ROLLER_ROLL_PLAYER
|
| SE_ROLLER_ROLL_OTHER
|
| SE_ROLLER_SLIDE_PLAYER
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| SE_ROLLER_SLIDE_OTHER
|
| SE_ROLLER_MISS_ROLL
|
| SE_ROLLER_MISS_SLIDE
|
| BOOMERANG
|
| SE_BOOMERANG_THROW
|
| SE_BOOMERANG_FLY
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| SE_BOOMERANG_CATCH
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| SE_BOOMERANG_MISS
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| SE_BOOMERANG_BALLOON
|
| HEITAI
|
| SE_HEITAI_FOOT1
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| SE_HEITAI_FOOT2
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| SE_HEITAI_SPEAR
|
| SE_HEITAI_POSE
|
| SE_HEITAI_MISS
|
- Seika Relay (青果リレー?, Seika Rirē): This is an unused and unfinished Endless Game in Minna no Rhythm Tengoku. It is only accessible in the debug menu, placed between Clap Trap and Basket.
- The three games seen exclusively in Endless Remix (Basket (バスケット?, Basuketto), Kaeru Tobi (カエル跳び?, Frog Jump) and Chameleon (カメレオン?, Kamereon)) all have unused "standalone" versions in the debug menu. They use a standard drum beat as music (also heard in Seika Relay) and are also very simple, implying they were only made for testing. Notably, Basket has a feature where it zooms in on the basket, and then zooms out, which does not occur in Endless Remix.
- There is unused text suggesting Chameleon was intended as an "Ⓐ + Ⓑ Test" of sorts for Rhythm Heaven Fever[7][8][9], similar to "Practice Flicking". The final version instead has a modified version of Rhythm-kan Check (with the third test dummied out) while Chameleon was made part of Endless Remix.
In the debug menu of Rhythm Heaven Megamix, it can be seen that even more games were intended to be included, but for one reason or another were scrapped. While most of these games only have their presence on the debug menu to prove their existence, some also have unused strings for their Rhythm Items, most of which are blank or the same as another game's. Some games with unused short versions have unused text to add the word かえってきた (Kaettekita?, Returns) to the prologue, like in the used games.
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 version 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). Note that the icons used here are of the closest applicable version, as with the exception of Micro-Row (Arrange), none of these games have icons. As such, this list will use the equivalent long version's icon if available.
AGB忍者S (agb_tono_S?, Ninja Bodyguard (Short))
RVL鳥の大群S (rvl_birds_S?, Flock Step (Short))
RVL図書ガールズS (rvl_book_S?, Cheer Readers (Short))
RVLWデートS (rvl_date_S?, Double Date (Short))
RVLくしざしS (rvl_fork_S?, Fork Lifter (Short))
RVL重役会議S (rvl_rotation_S?, Board Meeting (Short))
RVLしわけS (rvl_sort_S?, Packing Pests (Short))
RVL小さないきものA (rvl_flea_A?, Micro-Row (Arrange))
CTR階段キャッチA (ctr_step_A?, Catchy Tune (Arrange))
CTRザ・コマンダー (ctr_commander_00?, The Commander)- CTRカニカニリズム (ctr_crab?, Kani Kani Rhythm)
- CTRハチ (ctr_hachi?, Hachi)
- CTRパラパラパラダイス (ctr_paradise_L?, Para-Para-Paradise)
A most curious case is Monster Tennis (モンスターテニス?, Monsutā Tenisu). Unused text strings (which, curiously, only exist in Rhythm Tengoku: The Best+ Taikenhan) show it would play differently to normal Rhythm Games, somehow requiring the player to use a Wii Remote[10], suggesting it was a scrapped project for the Wii 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 placed after all the others.
リミックスLED(旧バージョン) (remix_LEDOld?, Remix LED (old version))- リミックス実験10 (remix_Test10?, Remix Experiment 10)
- リミックス実験11 (remix_Test11?, Remix Experiment 11)
Four of these aren't available in the Japanese version's debug menu.
- remix_BB00
- remix_BB01
- remix_BB02
- remix_BB03
Oddly, Quiz Show has three trials in this list but no Endless Game.
AGBクイズ（初級） (agb_quiz_00?, Quiz Show (Saffron Trial))- AGBクイズ（中級） (agb_quiz_01?, Quiz Show (Saltwater Trial))
- AGBクイズ（上級） (agb_quiz_02?, Quiz Show (Paprika Trial))
References
- ↑ ほぼ日刊イトイ新聞 - 樹の上の秘密基地。 (Hobo Nikkan Itoi Shinbun - A secret base on a tree.)
- ↑ "When we made Rhythm Tengoku for the Game Boy Advance, a large number of the individual rhythm games got rejected. Even if one was well-made, the theme was rhythm, so if it didn't feel right, the whole thing had to go." Satoru Iwata ~ Iwata Asks - Rhythm Heaven - Page 5
- ↑ "ボタンを押すとキャラクターが棒を振って、さらにボタンを離すとその振った棒を戻す。その棒の動きで、ものを「しばく」というリズムゲームがあったんです。 しかし、リズムに合わせてボタンを離すという行為が意外とシビアでわかりにくかったんですよね。「これは遊んでいても気持ちよくないだろう」ということで、製品版には入れずにボツにしたんです。ネタとしてはおもしろかったんですけど（笑）。 ちなみにボツになったリズムゲームは全部で20個以上もあるのですが、そのなかには、このようなタイトルの作品がありました。" (When the button is pressed, the character swings a stick, and when the button is released, the swinging stick is returned. There was a rhythm game in which you "strike" things with the movement of the stick. However, the act of releasing the button in time with the rhythm was unexpectedly severe and difficult to understand. We decided not to include it in the production version because we thought it wouldn't be pleasant to play. It was interesting as a story (laughs). Incidentally, there are more than 20 rejected rhythm games in total, among which there was one with a title like this.) ~ Kazuyoshi Osawa, ほぼ日刊イトイ新聞 - 樹の上の秘密基地。 (Hobo Nikkan Itoi Shinbun - A secret base on a tree.)
- ↑ Dance Lesson 1, Perfect Play
- ↑ Rap Women (by KAZU) Perfect Play
- ↑ Metronome
- ↑ "ⒶとⒷの使い方を練習しよう。" (Practice how to use Ⓐ and Ⓑ.) ~ Unused text, Rhythm Heaven Fever
- ↑ "飛んできたハエを、Ⓐでつかまえてみて。" (Try using Ⓐ to catch the flies.) ~ Unused text, Rhythm Heaven Fever
- ↑ "tutorial" ~ directory filename for Chameleon's textures
- ↑ "Wiiリモコンを振って、ボールを打ってネ。" (Swing the Wii Remote, and hit the ball.) ~ Unused Text for Monster Tennis, Rhythm Tengoku: The Best+ Taikenhan
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