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.
- Shibaku (「しばく」?, Strike): 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): This game may have been developed from the initial prototype for Rhythm Tengoku, in which the player would drum in a rockband[4][better source needed]. The prototype itself was reworked into Drum Lesson in the final game[5], with Rockband possibly being reworked into Live.
- 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 inaccessible.
- 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 Datsumō and the remix itself is much longer[6].
- Rhythm o Shūji 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, though it does not have an entry of its own. From the name, it would have been the arrange version of Power Calligraphy. The save file does keep track of the player's score on this game, and there is a description for the Game Select, reusing the description from Power Calligraphy as a placeholder, however no playable content exists.
- Rap Women (by KAZU) (ラップ ウィメン（ｂｙ ＫＡＺＵ）?, Rap Women (by KAZU))[7]: 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.
- Drum Girls (ドラムガールズ?, Doramu Gāruzu): An unused version of Live, in which the Drum Girls play the song from Bunny Hop[8][better source needed]. It also contains a graphic not used anywhere else, reading "BUSY", used during the eight-beat rests in the latter half of the song.
- Metronome (メトロノーム?, Metoronōmu)[9]: 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 (Ska?): Presumably this game would've been based around playing a brass instrument.
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| SE_SKA_BRASS_SHORT_L
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| SE_SKA_BRASS_SHORT_C
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| SE_SKA_BRASS_SHORT_R
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| SE_SKA_BRASS_SHORT_L_D
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| SE_SKA_BRASS_SHORT_C_D
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| SE_SKA_BRASS_SHORT_R_D
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| SE_SKA_BRASS_SHORT_L_F
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| SE_SKA_BRASS_SHORT_C_F
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| SE_SKA_BRASS_SHORT_R_F
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| SE_SKA_BRASS_SHORT_L_G
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| SE_SKA_BRASS_SHORT_C_G
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| SE_SKA_BRASS_SHORT_R_G
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| SE_SKA_BRASS_SHORT_L_Am
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| SE_SKA_BRASS_SHORT_C_Am
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| SE_SKA_BRASS_SHORT_R_Am
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| SE_SKA_BRASS_LONG_L
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| SE_SKA_BRASS_LONG_C
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| SE_SKA_BRASS_LONG_R
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| SE_SKA_BRASS_MISS
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- SEQARC_TAP1 (Tap 1?): Some of the voice clips here where repurposed for Space Soccer, and later Board Meeting. There is a BGM track as well as an accompanying voice track, "BGM_TAP" and "VOICE_TAP" respectively. "VOICE_TAP" makes use of some of the voice clips found here, giving an idea of what kind of cues may have been used.
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| SE_TAP_STAMP
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| SE_TAP_TOE
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| SE_TAP_HEEL
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| SE_TAP_V_DOWN
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| SE_TAP_V_KICK
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| SE_TAP_V_TOE
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| SE_TAP_V_AND_UP
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| SE_TAP_V_AND_DOWN
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| SE_TAP_V_ISSHONI
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| SE_TAP_V_MINNADE
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| SE_TAP_V_GOISSHONI
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| SE_TAP_V_HI
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| SE_TAP_V_MOHITOTU
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| SE_TAP_V_MAENI
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| SE_TAP_V_USIRONI
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| SE_TAP_V_NOMAMADE
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| SE_MONKY_GOOD
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| SE_MONKY_NORMAL
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| SE_MONKY_BAD
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|
|
| SE_TAP2_YOTU
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| SE_TAP2_TAMETE
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| SE_TAP2_UUN_TEI
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| SE_TAP2_UTON
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| SE_TAP2_IKUYO
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| SE_TAP2_N_TEI
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| SE_TAP2_KEIKAI
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| SE_TAP2_TOTOTO
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| SE_TAP2_COUNT1
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| SE_TAP2_COUNT2
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| SE_TAP2_COUNT3
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| SE_TAP2_COUNT4
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| SE_TAP2_KAZU1
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| SE_TAP2_KAZU2
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| SE_TAP2_KAZU3
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| SE_TAP2_KAZU4
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|
|
| SE_PAPET_LION_GA
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| SE_PAPET_LION_OU
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| SE_PAPET_RAT_CHU
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| SE_PAPET_RAT_CHUU
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| SE_PAPET_FISH
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| SE_PAPET_CAT
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| SE_PAPET_DOG_WOO
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| SE_PAPET_DOG_WAN
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| SE_PAPET_SPACE_MAN
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| SE_PAPET_RAKKO
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|
|
| SE_TONTS_TON1
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| SE_TONTS_TON2
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| SE_TONTS_TON3
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| SE_TONTS_TO1
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| SE_TONTS_TO2
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| SE_TONTS_TO3
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| SE_TONTS_TOO
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| SE_TONTS_N
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| SE_TONTS_PIN1
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| SE_TONTS_PIN2
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| SE_TONTS_QUHA
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- SEQARC_PICK (Pick?): Presumably a game based around using a guitar pick.
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| SE_BASS
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| SE_STL_GTR
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| SE_DIS_GTR
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| SE_DIS_GTR2
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- SEQARC_EFFECT1 (Effect 1?): A sound test, meant primarily to test sounds related to tapping the screen, sliding the stylus around, and flicking[10].
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| SE_TEST_AWA
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| SE_TEST_KURK
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| SE_TEST_KURK_LOOP
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| SE_TEST_FUKIDASI
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| SE_TEST_KAMI
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| SE_TEST_KANZUME
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| SE_TEST_KEY
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| SE_TEST_KINZOKU
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| SE_TEST_MOLES
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| SE_TEST_PISI
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| SE_TEST_RENGA
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| SE_TEST_SENNUKI
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| SE_TEST_TARAI
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| SE_TEST_WATER
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| SE_TEST_WATER_INTO
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| SE_TEST_WATER_JABA
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| SE_TEST_WATER_SOSOGI
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| SE_TEST_WINDOW
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| SE_TEST_WOOD
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| SE_TEST_YUMI
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| SE_TEST_CAR
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| SE_TEST_WIND
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| SE_TEST_SCRATCH
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| SE_TEST_KARATE_BGM
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| SE_TEST_KARATE_HATI
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| SE_TEST_KARATE_HIT
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| SE_TEST_KARATE_MISS
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| SE_TEST_KARATE_PUNCH
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- SEQARC_EFFECT2 (Effect 2?): More sound effects for the above sound test.
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| SE_TEST_BALL_RALLY
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| SE_TEST_BALL_ATTACK
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| SE_TEST_GT_NONE1
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| SE_TEST_GT_EF1
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| SE_TEST_GT_NONE2
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| SE_TEST_GT_EF2
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| SE_LAUGH
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| SE_LAUGH_RELOAD
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| SE_TEST_VOICE_A
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| SE_TEST_VOICE_O
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| SE_TEST_VOICE_E
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- SEQARC_NAWA_TOBI (Jump Rope?): Presumable this game would be about playing jump rope, possibly with a CPU controlled character alongside the player.
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| SE_NAWA_JUMP
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| SE_NAWA_JUMP_COM
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| SE_NAWA_DON
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| SE_NAWA_KICK
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| SE_NAWA_FLOWER1
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| SE_NAWA_FLOWER2
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- SEQARC_AMBIENT (Ambient?): This game has an accompanying BGM track, "BGM_AMBIENT".
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| SE_GTR1
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| SE_GTR2
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| SE_GTR3
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| SE_VOICE_AH
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| SE_VOICE_STOP
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- SEQARC_SNOW (Snow?): Presumably this game would be about snowballs.
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| SE_SNOW_PUSH
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| SE_SNOW_BALL
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| SE_SNOW_MISS
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| SE_SNOW_MISS_DOG
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- SEQARC_KAO (Face?): Presumably this game would be about a kissing face.
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| SE_KAO_KISS_LONG
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| SE_KAO_KISS
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- SEQARC_VOLLEY (Volley?): Presumably a game based on volleyball.
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| SE_VOLLEY_SERVE1
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| SE_VOLLEY_SERVE1_ADD_A
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| SE_VOLLEY_SERVE2
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| SE_VOLLEY_SERVE2_LONG
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| SE_VOLLEY_SERVE2_FADE
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| SE_VOLLEY_RECEIVE
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| SE_VOLLEY_TOSS
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| SE_VOLLET_ATTACK
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| 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
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- There is an unused sprite (the one meant to be seen on the Endless Games menu) internally named "demo_game_passboys". The sprite itself is blank.
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 (Roller?): Presumably this game would've involved the player controlling a character in a group of roller skaters, with a "roll" and "slide" cue of some kind.
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| SE_ROLLER_ROLL_PLAYER
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| SE_ROLLER_ROLL_OTHER
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| SE_ROLLER_SLIDE_PLAYER
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| SE_ROLLER_SLIDE_OTHER
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| SE_ROLLER_MISS_ROLL
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| SE_ROLLER_MISS_SLIDE
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- CHORUS MEN (Chorus Men?): Presumably this game would've been a remake of Glee Club, or possibly a new game based on it.
|
|
| SE_CHORUS_VOICE_AH_PLAYER
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- BOOMERANG (Boomerang?): Presumably this game would've revolved around the player throwing and catching a boomerang.
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| SE_BOOMERANG_THROW
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| SE_BOOMERANG_FLY
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| SE_BOOMERANG_CATCH
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| SE_BOOMERANG_MISS
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| SE_BOOMERANG_BALLOON
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- HEITAI (Soldier?): Presumably this game would've featured a soldier of some kind wielding a spear.
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| SE_HEITAI_FOOT1
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| SE_HEITAI_FOOT2
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| SE_HEITAI_SPEAR
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| SE_HEITAI_POSE
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| SE_HEITAI_MISS
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- 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[11][12][13], 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+ Taikenban) show it would play differently to normal Rhythm Games, somehow requiring the player to use a Wii Remote[14], 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 shakes a stick, and when the button is released, the character returns the stick. There was a rhythm game in which the character would use the movements of the stick to “hit” objects. 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 final version because we thought it would not be pleasant to play. It was fun as a story (laughs). Incidentally, there are more than 20 rhythm games that were rejected, and among them was one with this title.) ~ 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.)
- ↑ Rhythm Tengoku (Rhythm Heaven) GBA Prototype
- ↑ "つんく♂さんから企画書の持ち込みがあり、実際に『リズム天国』の構想がスタートしたのは2004年からなんですけど、じつは、その２年前の2002年にディレクター＆チーフプログラマーである大澤がたまたま試作で、ボタンを押してドラムを叩くというドラムソフトを制作していたんです。 これは、『リズム天国』に収録されている『ドラムレッスン』の原型となっています。 当時、「こういうリズミカルなゲームをいつか出したいね」と話していたんですけど、そういう意味では、『リズム天国』のはじまりは、４年もまえになるんですよね。" (Tsunku♂ brought in a proposal and the actual conception of "Rhythm Tengoku" started in 2004, but two years before that, in 2002, the director and chief programmer Osawa happened to be working on a prototype of drum software, which involved pressing a button to beat a drum. This was the prototype for the "Drum Lesson" included in "Rhythm Tengoku". At the time, we were talking about how we wanted to release a rhythmical game like this one day, and in that sense, "Rhythm Tengoku" began four years ago. ~ Katsuya Yamano, 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
- ↑ Drum Girls: Bunny Hop (Unused) - Rhythm Tengoku
- ↑ Metronome
- ↑ Rhythm Heaven Sound Test
- ↑ "Ⓐ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+ Taikenban
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