The video game industry is more competitive than it's ever been right now. Developers are constantly looking for new ways to impress their audiences, through striking visuals, innovative gameplay mechanics, or unique experiences. The rhythm-based genre has always fallen into the latter category, forming something of a niche for itself over the many years since its inception. PaRappa The Rapper is remembered by most as the first time the rhythm-based genre was introduced to a mainstream audience, with the title debuting on PS1 in Japan in 1996. The recent releases of rhythm-based duo Metal: Hellsinger and Trombone Champ have sparked renewed interest in the genre and signal a bright future ahead for fans of these types of games.
The first of these, Metal: Hellsinger from developer The Outsiders, combines Doom-style FPS mechanics with rhythm-based gameplay, challenging gamers to shoot enemies to the beat of heavy metal music. It has proved to be something of a hit with both gamers and critics, who are in agreement that the game provides an adrenaline-fueled experience for fans of the FPS genre, metal music, or rhythm-based games. The title's inclusion on Xbox Game Pass as a Day One game has helped to ensure it reaches a wider audience than it may otherwise have. The success of Trombone Champ, on the other hand, is a bit more unexpected, though both games signify a mini-resurgence for the rhythm game genre.
Metal: Hellsinger and Trombone Champ Have Breathed Life into the Rhythm-Based Genre
Combining eye-catching characters that look conspicuously like Nintendo Wii avatars with tongue-in-cheek humor which pokes fun at things like loot grinding, the game strikes a perfect balance between fun, humorous and challenging. Many rhythm games try to be faster and more challenging than their predecessors, but this isn't the case with Trombone Champ. The game is satisfying in its simplicity, and this is where its appeal lies. While no console ports have yet been announced, it wouldn't come as too much of a surprise if Holy Wow were to release the game on consoles in the future.
The roaring success of the all-conquering Guitar Hero series in the 2000s paved the way for titles such as Trombone Champ. The game re-aligned people's expectations of how immersive a rhythm-based game could be, with its impressive guitar peripheral and star-studded soundtracks. Each iteration of the series seemed to grow its scope exponentially. Then came Beat Saber, which was released in 2019. The game seemed to be the next natural evolution of Guitar Hero, implementing VR technology to create an incredibly immersive experience for people of all ages to enjoy. Players are tasked with striking colored blocks using PS Move controllers to the beat of increasingly fast music. The multi-platform game has proven to be one of VR's most popular titles, and one of the all-time classic rhythm-based games.
With Metal: Hellsinger and Trombone Champ both proving to be fun, unique experiences that many people are enjoying, it's safe to say the rhythm-based video game genre is alive and kicking once again. While it is still considered to be a niche genre, these titles are certainly making a positive impact so far, and with Final Fantasy Theatrhythm: Final Bar Line also on the horizon, it's an exciting time to be a fan of rhythm-based games right now.
Trombone Champ is available now for PC. Metal: Hellsinger is available now for PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X/S.