Tsunku Opens Up About 11-Year Wait for Rhythm Heaven Miracle Stars
Tsunku's column provides the first detailed account of why the series went dormant for over a decade, revealing that he personally turned down outside offers to make a similar game because he trusted Nintendo would eventually return to the franchise.
Key Facts
- Rhythm Heaven Miracle Stars launched on July 2, 2026, for Nintendo Switch, 11 years after the previous series entry.
- Tsunku published a free column on his note account on July 22, 2026, detailing the production and the 11-year gap.
- Tsunku said he declined offers for a similar rhythm series out of loyalty to Nintendo, believing the company would eventually make another Rhythm Heaven.
- The game is compatible with both Nintendo Switch and Nintendo Switch 2, breaking the series' pattern of new hardware coinciding with releases.
- Artists Ado and Yui Sakurai participated in the game, which Tsunku attributed to their personal connection to the series.
Reporting from 2 sources: Denfaminicogamer, Game Spark.
Tsunku, the composer and producer behind the Rhythm Heaven series, published a free column on his note account on July 22 detailing the 11-year gap between the fourth and fifth installments. The new game, Rhythm Heaven Miracle Stars, launched on July 2 for Nintendo Switch. In the column, Tsunku wrote that he had received offers to create a similar but different rhythm series over the years, but he declined each time out of loyalty to Nintendo, believing the company would eventually make another Rhythm Heaven. He also discussed his serious illness during the development period, noting that Nintendo continued working on the game without stopping, which gave him hope. Tsunku mentioned former Nintendo president Satoru Iwata, who died in 2015, saying Iwata might have been battling illness around the same time and that the thought makes him clench his fist. The column addresses the "curse of Rhythm Heaven," where new hardware releases have historically coincided with the series' launches: the Game Boy Advance came out while developing for the Game Boy, and the DS became widespread during Game Boy Advance development. This time, the game works on both Nintendo Switch and Nintendo Switch 2, which Tsunku said he takes positively. He also thanked artists Ado and Yui Sakurai for participating, attributing their involvement to their own experiences with Rhythm Heaven and a spiritual connection to his work.
Tsunku published the column on his note account on July 22. He wrote that at one point he thought the series might not continue, and that it was harder than expected to popularize rhythm games. He said he received many supportive messages and requests for a sequel from fans around the world. Some people who played Rhythm Heaven during their adolescence have since become adults and now work at game software companies.
Tsunku reflected on the rapidly changing decade, including shifts in game console hardware, ways to enjoy music, the weak yen, and AI becoming mainstream. He stated that Rhythm Heaven restarted with the same analog feel as 20 years ago. The column notes that Nintendo's official website hosts the conversation "Iwata Asks: Rhythm Heaven Gold" between Tsunku and Iwata.
Regarding the artists who contributed, Tsunku wrote that Ado and Yui Sakurai accepted the offer because of their own experiences with Rhythm Heaven and a spiritual connection to his work. He expressed gratitude to popular artists who chose to participate even when they had already started work on competing games or anime, and could not easily accept offers. A demo version of Rhythm Heaven Miracle Stars is available on the Nintendo Store.
Synthesized by Yomimono from the 2 cited sources below, including Japanese-language reporting where cited, then editorially reviewed before publishing.