I've been playing it for the past few days! I'm noticing that, at least towards the beginning of the game, the rhythm games are much shorter and easier than they've been in the previous titles. They're starting to get harder now though, and the 3DS original ones I've played so far are awesome. Really love the chameleon and sumo wrestling ones.

Seems like they're added a loooot of extra stuff to pad the game out--almost reminds me of Runner2 in a way. Some of it seems ridiculous and unnecessary--what's the point of the goat-feeding thing!?--but I'm looking forward to playing more and seeing if some of the extra challenges are worth it.

I didn't know if it was just my imagination but my perception too was that the games have been shorter so far. As for easier I guess I expect the games to start off pretty simple and I'm not far enough in yet to know what the overall challenge will be like.

I'll surely pick it up after my trip I'm on.

I played the demo, and the bottom screen feedback helps a lot with timing. The demo is such a tease at the end, lol. I'll probably grab this at some point.

Does this game not have the "remix" stages where they mix a bunch of the mini-games together?! I'm like 12 or so stages in and I haven't run into any yet. Those were my favorite stages!

@Zero

It does.

That's good to hear. Are they built into the regularly progression like they were in the Wii game or in a separate area? I noticed one of the separate areas has games you can unlock but they all looked like regular ones too.

@Zero

I haven't played the Wii game but yeah, it's in the main story progression.

I hear this game takes a while to get to the real meat. There are shorter/easier versions of several songs, but you apparently get the original full versions later.

Is this worth it for someone who already owns RH and Fever? Is the new content significant enough?

@TriforceBun

It's totally worth it! The first couple hours of the story mode are really easy and simple, but I'm just starting to hit some more complex stuff and I'm only like... a third through the game, based on the "100 rhythm games" number I've seen. Each "world" in the game consists of four rhythm games: one from the GBA version, DS version, Wii version, and a 3DS original. So, even early on, half the games you'll be playing are new, and then later you'll start to get some Remixes and other cool stuff.

@TriforceBun

It's still pretty awesome, even if you own the other versions. Even better, you get the Fever games on a system that is perfect for on-the-go. Which is how the series was always meant to be.

Sounds tempting. I might bite once I get a new SD card.

Question for those who have it: what are the controls? Buttons? Touchscreen? Some of each? Player's choice?

@nate38

Player choice. You can switch it in the options menu.

@VofEscaflowne Nice, thanks! Glad to know I can play it all with buttons. Though I do like when DS/3DS games let you play "book-style" like Rhythm Heaven DS did. Comfortable way to play.

@nate38

Yeah, I just didn't like the touch controls of Rhythm Heaven on DS at all. I had a ton of issues and it caused me to do so many mistakes thanks to them. It's why this one was pretty much an impulse buy. Much better with buttons!

@VofEscaflowne True, the comfort of book-style was offset by the not-quite-as-precise touch controls (especially if your touch-screen is at all scratched or finicky).

I got to the towers which are more akin to the way progression worked in the Wii game... a few mini-games, then a remix. It's sort of weird how progression works in this game, you start off unlocking the doors and those parts have no remixes, and then after awhile you're at these towers that do have remixes. I imagine that has something to do with not wanting to create THAT much new content or something?!

But yeah I'm happier with the towers since I love those remixes. Also things are finally starting to get tough, actually lost a few times and getting a lot of OKs.

Finished the main game. It's probably the definitive Rhythm Heaven if you have never played Rhythm Heaven before... super PACKED, way more content than the last two games. Having played it before though it was sort of a weird mix of old and new, and even the new sort of felt like it wasn't really introducing many new IDEAS, so I usually beat them first try.

I do want to go back and get high scores on everything, but I'm definitely not going to go for perfects, UGGGGG.

Challenge mode is interesting, definitely makes things a bit tougher with higher stakes. Though I hate the idea of having to spend coins on it, because if I ever do run out then I have the annoyance of having to gain new coins just to play more challenge mode, even though challenge mode is the main new thing I have left to do right now.

Is there any quick way to unlock the cafe games or do you need to play the challenge games and slowwwwwwwly earn flow gems (or whatever they're called?)

@Zero
Go for perfects.