If you love music and video games, the music rhythm genre is likely to be one of your favourites.
We’ve been fans of music rhythm games ever since PaRappa the Rapper captured our attention many years ago, and since then we’ve seen the genre grow and flourish. It’s even gone in directions we never expected.
If you own a PS4, there are many music rhythm games worth your time of day. But as they’re pretty niche, you might not be aware of everything that’s available. Hopefully we can help. We’ve put together a list of the 10 best music rhythm games currently available on PS4 for your perusal. All of these games are just as much fun to play as they are to listen to. Well, providing you’re good at them, anyway.
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1. Avicii Invector
If you’re a dance music fan – and you particularly enjoy Avicii’s music – then this is undoubtedly one of the best rhythm games you can buy on PS4. It plays like a traditional music rhythm game: hit the notes as they appear on screen. But it’s presented with gorgeous, futuristic visuals. Follow a rocket along a track, hitting the notes as it reaches it. It’s a visual spectacle, quite honestly.
Avicii Invector is rather poignant, too, being made in Avicii’s memory, with his father helping Hello There Games. It’s a wonderful tribute to his work, and these uplifting, rhythmic songs are simply a joy to play along to.
Read our review of Avicii Invector
Check latest prices of Avicii Invector
2. Kingdom Hearts: Melody of Memory
There’s a Kingdom Hearts game for just about every mood these days, including a music rhythm game. And honestly? It’s rather good, particularly if you’re a fan of Kingdom Hearts characters and the music of the game.
Watch Sora, Donald and Goofy sprint down a track littered with shadow enemies and other obstacles. Hit the right button at the right time for them to attack, keeping the music going as you do. It’s a bit of a twist on the typical music rhythm game formula, but it still makes for one of the best on PS4. It’s colourful, it’s fun, it has an epic soundtrack – and it’s littered with Disney characters. What more could you want, really?
Read our review of Kingdom Hearts: Melody of Memory
Check latest prices of Kingdom Hearts: Melody of Memory
3. Fuser
Fuser is more than just a music rhythm game. It’s a music creation tool, and an experience like no other. It puts you in the shoes of a budding DJ, and it’s your job to keep the crowds happy by mixing together tunes. You’ll need to drop a new beat just at the right time to keep the party going, so having some sense of rhythm is important.
There’s a huge selectin of songs here, with plenty available as additional DLC. No matter what your genre – dance, rock, pop, hip-hop – Fuser has a beat with your name on it. It looks great, it sounds fantastic, and it’s unlike any other game on this list of best music-rhythm games on PS4. Therefore, you really don’t want to miss it.
4. PaRappa the Rapper Remastered
PaRappa the Rapper is a classic, and it’s been spruced up for PS4 to make it a little bit more palatable for modern audiences. It’s still dated, mind. Don’t pick up PaRappa the Rapper if you want a game that has complex mechanics and immeasurable depth. You simply press the required buttons to rap to the music, and after six songs the credits are rolling. But PaRappa has charm, and if you perform well enough you can express your creativity with a bit of freestyle rapping.
It’s not the most expansive music rhythm game available on PS4, nor is it the best looking, but if you want a game that still remains unique despite being over 20 years old, PaRappa the Rapper deserves a place in your PS4 game library.
Read our review of PaRappa the Rapper Remastered
5. Superbeat: Xonic EX
Some music rhythm games takes no prisoners. Superbeat Xonic EX is one of them. Featuring over 65 tracks to master, Superbeat: Xonic EX is challenging but hugely rewarding. Notes hurtle toward the screen at an impressive pace, and only the most coordinated will be able to keep up. Honestly, on its hardest setting, Superbeat: Xonic EX is… well, rather sadistic.
With a variety of modes and a range of effects to keep the experience fresh though, Superbeat: Xonic EX is undoubtedly one of the best music rhythm games available on PS4. You just need to put some time and effort in to get the most out of it.
Read our review of Superbeat: Xonic
Check latest prices of Superbeat: Xonic
6. Rock Band 4
During the days of the PS3, we spent more time with plastic guitars in our hands than we probably should have done. We miss those days now, though you still can make beautiful music with plastic instruments on PS4 thanks to Rock Band 4.
While getting the Rock Band 4 software on your PS4 is pretty easy thanks to it being available digitally, getting your hands on instruments to play it with can be troublesome. They’re no longer being manufactured, and sell for ludicrous amounts of money on the secondhand market. Still, if you ever spot a guitar or drums on the cheap and love music rhythm games, you know what to do. Rock Band 4 really does let you unleash the rock god within.
Check latest prices of Rock Band 4
7. Thumper
There aren’t many music rhythm games that can be described as harrowing, but Thumper sure is. As you take control of a metallic beetle-like object, you speed down a track. Only by navigating around corners and avoiding obstacles can you continue your endeavours, but to proceed you also need to deal with grotesque creatures blocking your path. Press the required buttons at the right time and you’ll fire at them, eventually banishing them to the abyss. But can you overcome them all?
There’s something otherworldly about Thumper. It’s haunting and somewhat horrific, yet also mesmerising. And did we mention that it also supports PSVR? Definitely give it a try if you have a PS4 and love music rhythm games.
Check latest prices of Thumper
8. Rez Infinite
Originally released on the Dreamcast and PS2, Rez has acquired a cult following over the years. In 2015, it was brought to PS4 as Rez Infinite, an expanded release that is a must-have for music rhythm fans.
An on-rails shooter, Rez Infinite demands you effectively target enemies as they appear on screen. Succeed and your character will evolve, and the music playing in the background will also change. The result is an incredibly immersive experience, especially when played in VR thanks to the game’s PSVR support.
With an extensive range of extras, including Area X which truly is mind-blowing, Rez Infinite should strike a chord with both music rhythm and shooter fans.
Read our review of Rez Infinite
9. Taiko no Tatsujin: Drum Session!
If you like the idea of beating a drum, Taiko no Tatsujin: Drum Session! is undoubtedly the game for you. Featuring over 70 songs, including some from shows such as Dragon Ball Super and films like Frozen, Taiko no Tatsujin: Drum Session! provides fun for all the family. A drum peripheral is available if you don’t mind splashing the cash and want a more arcade-like experience, but you can play the game perfectly well with Dualshock controllers.
Co-op and adversarial play is catered for, and you can even see how your skills compare to others online. Unlocking everything Taiko no Tatsujin: Drum Session! has to offer will take considerable time, too. And finally, the availability of a wealth of DLC means you can expand the range of songs available even further if you find yourself hooked.
Check latest prices of Taiko no Tatsujin
10. Sayonara Wild Hearts
Sayonara Wild Hearts is almost just as much of an experience as it is a game. With an hour’s worth of music, your adventure through Sayonara Wild Hearts is essentially a series of playable music videos. Moving your character around the screen, you primarily need to avoid obstacles, though sometimes you’re required to press the correct sequence of buttons under pressure. The repercussions aren’t great if you fail though; you just won’t get the best grade when you reach the end of the track.
You’re likely to return to Sayonara Wild Hearts again and again if you’re a score chaser, but it’s undoubtedly best enjoyed with no pressure. Thanks to its brilliant music, it’s a great music rhythm game to just unwind with.
Read our review of Sayonara Wild Hearts
11. Crypt of the Necrodancer
Dungeon-crawling and rhythm-based gameplay don’t sound like they should go hand in hand, but Crypt of the Necrodancer proves that they do.
In Crypt of the Necrodancer you have to move to the beat or suffer defeat as you explore ever-changing dungeons. You can adventure as the game’s stellar original soundtrack by Danny Baranowsky bombards your ears, or select one of the other four additional soundtracks that are included if you fancy a change. Either way, you’re sure to have an experience that’s unlike anything else you’ve ever played.
Once you’ve battled your way though Crypt of Necrodancer, a prequel is available via DLC. Be sure to consider them both on PS4 if music rhythm games bring you joy.
12. Persona 3: Dancing in Moonlight / Persona 5 Dancing in Starlight
When the characters of multiple Persona games find themselves transported to a realm in which they’re asked to dance, surprisingly they decide to just go with the flow.
Both Persona 3: Dancing in Moonlight and Persona 5: Dancing in Starlight pretty much play the same: notes appear on the screen, and you’re required to press them with expert timing. Perform well enough and you might just enable fever mode which allows you to boost your score. They each feature their own unique story, however, and the Persona characters from their respective games.
If you’re a fan of both the Persona series and music rhythm games, then you can’t go wrong with any of the Persona Dancing entries. If you want them all, however, pick up Persona Dancing: Endless Night Collection which also includes the PS4 port of Persona 4: Dancing All Night.
Read our review of Persona 3: Dancing in Moonlight and Persona 5: Dancing in Starlight
Check latest prices of Persona Dancing: Endless Night Collection
13. Hatsune Mike: Project DIVA Future Tone / Project DIVA X
Hatsune Miku is a superstar. No, she really is. And so it should come as no surprise that she’s at the front of multiple great music rhythm games available on PS4.
Hatsune Miku: Project DIVA Future Tone and Hatsune Miku: Project DIVA X aren’t all that dissimilar to each other in terms of gameplay, but you might choose one over the other based how they deliver their content. Project DIVA X is the older of the two, so its visuals are a little less impressive, but once purchased, digitally or physically, you have a vast number of tracks at your disposal. Future Tone, on the other hand, can only be downloaded, and while a basic version can be sampled for free, you need to buy song packs to build a library of tracks.
Whichever you choose, you’re bound to have a good time. The Hatsune Miku games are some of the most entertaining music rhythm games available, especially if you’re a fan of the world-famous Vocaloid.
Read our review of Hatsune Miku: Project DIVA Future Tone | Read our review of Hatsune Miku: Project DIVA X
