Top 8 Music Games iPhone

Music games and rhythm games are certainly among the most popular among casual gamers these days, and given the rise in casual gaming that has come with mobile platforms such as the iPhone, you would think we might have a little more choice! That is especially evident if you consider just how popular stuff like Guitar Hero on consoles is these days. Still, we took to the app store recently to come up with a Top 8 Music Games, which is really a general term that can be applied to anything that is a game experience involving music. I kind of half expected to come up with a list almost entirely comprised of rhythm games or tap-based deals, but that really wasn’t the case. Instead, we found a bunch of cool games that took existing genres such as the beat em up (The Rhythm of Fighters) and arcade shooter (Groove Coaster) and then applied the idea of rhythm to them in order to really enhance the experience. Check out our favorite music games on the iPhone below, and then suggest your own in the comments section at the bottom!

8. Beat Gather (Free)

Beat Gather is a game that I think could do with some spit and polish, but I can’t help but mention it simply because of the fact that it lets you create as well as listen and interact. Most music and rhythm games have a set tracklist to play with, and you get used to the songs and the rhythms fairly quickly. Beat Gather on the other hand lets you create your own challenges and play any song from your playlist! There is also the option to choose songs from those uploaded by other users, so never again will your music game become stale because you’ve heard it all before and don’t want to spend money on unlocking new tracks when you already have lots of music stored on your device. – Download from iTunes

7. Tap Studio 3 (Free)

Tap Studio is similar to the above in that it allows you to create your own tap patterns to any song in your iTunes catalogue. You can then share these creations with others or play along to other users’ taps if you’re perhaps bored of your own musical selection. I should note that these custom made taps aren’t nearly as good as the ones you find in the game, especially when it comes to design, but it’s a huge amount of fun to record taps to songs you already know and love – and even more fun to then upload this and get feedback from other users. It does take a while to perfect, though! – Download from iTunes

6. SongPop (Free)

SongPop did fairly well in our recent look at iOS trivia games, and so I thought I’d throw it in here to be considered among the slew of rhythm games. While it stands out from the above in that it’s just basically a name that tune game and as such can’t really be compared to the other games featured here, it’s still a huge amount of fun – especially when playing with friends. You take it in turns to name the songs or the artists as quickly as you can, with points being rewarded for those who answer the quickest and removed if you need clues. While the stock set of questions does seem somewhat dated and obviously geared towards fans of pop music and little else, there are a load of packs that you can download using coins gained in the game or for a set price as an in app purchase. – Download from iTunes

5. The Rhythm of Fighters (Free)

I mentioned this one above, and it’s perhaps the one game from this list that I’m still playing regularly. I’m a huge fan of beat em ups including those created by Capcom and SNK, so this one was really a must have once I saw that SNK had turned their hand to something slightly different. Here, you basically have to play in what is a traditional beat em up game world and with well known SNK characters, but it becomes all about rhythm and not just about button bashing. As such, there becomes a real lyrical quality to each of the moves you dish out. – Download from iTunes

4. Rhythm Control ($1.99)

I’m well aware that there is a sequel out there to this at present, but my first experience was with the original so I’d suggest checking that out first. This one has a huge amount of polish for a traditional rhythm game, and the user interface is also a joy to behold. – Download from iTunes

3. Cytus ($1.99)

Cytus is another music game that offers users something a little different, starting out under the guise of a Japanese RPG but in actual fact it is a rhythm game by Taiwanese studio Rayark. The story is perhaps the best thing about this one, in that it is set far into the future where the world is now run by robots. Thus begins something of an archiving process where robots are tasked with preserving human emotion and feeling through music, and it’s up to you to go through all the music and prevent the human race from fading away. This all seems a bit far fetched, but the game has the gameplay to back it up. And perhaps most impressive of all is the artwork which really lends a whole new approach to the classic sci fi idea. – Download from iTunes

2. BIT.TRIP BEAT HD ($0.99)

We all know of Namco by now, which is why Bit.Trip Beat perhaps shouldn’t be so surprising. Still, it surprised me when I finally download and gave this one a go. I was expecting something of a classic rhythm game, but instead found something thar was closer to an updated version of Pong! Here, you are put in control of a paddle just as gamers were back when the classic arcade game first came out, and then you must bounce back these small squares that each represent a beat in the song. I really love the retro feel of this one and the classic almost primary colors – and it’s a lot of fun! – Download from iTunes

1. Groove Coaster ($2.99)

Groove Coaster is by far the slickest music and rhythm game I’ve come across, taking the basic game world of an arcade shooter and then transforming it. The music in question is really techno or not far removed from techno, so if you’re not a fan of techno beats then that’s the only reason I could see for not giving this one a go. You basically have to follow the icon as it rolls along the path (which gives the idea of a roller coaster, hence the name) and then tap as it passes the glowing icons. The better you are, the more the screen will react to your effots and create a really kaleidoscopic world of colors and bright sparks. If there’s one thing you love your music and rhythm games to be, it’s seamless, and I think it’s safe to say that Groove Coaster is the most seamless on the iPhone. – Download from iTunes