Nintendo has revealed a release date for Rhythm Heaven Groove, which will debut on Nintendo Switch and Switch 2 this summer.
The game’s launch date, July 2, backs up the recent major leak that laid out Nintendo’s slate of games for the rest of 2026. Most notably, that leak included mention of an unannounced The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time port due to arrive this Christmas, as well as a new Star Fox game due sooner, set to be announced at some point this month.
Intriguingly, the leak also mentioned that Rhythm Heaven Groove would be given a summer release — something that has now been proven accurate.
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Did you catch all that? #RhythmHeavenGroove comes to #NintendoSwitch on July 2! pic.twitter.com/WrWiyC7Yqn
— Nintendo of America (@NintendoAmerica) April 9, 2026
The latest entry in Nintendo’s long-running Rhythm Heaven series, Groove was first announced all the way back in March 2025, during last spring’s big Nintendo Direct. It’s the fifth entry in the offbeat musical franchise, and will be the first in over a decade — since Rhythm Heaven Megamix for the 3DS.
A trailer, released today via the Nintendo Today app and social media, shows a minigame where a character chops vegetables and catches extra ingredients while bopping along to a catchy beat. A cat sits nearby, watching.
Fans have spotted that this is the same minigame which appeared in last year’s early look at the game, albeit now with different visuals that are far more akin to the cartoony look of past Rhythm Heaven games.
Also of note is the game’s price, which has been listed at $39.99 on the Nintendo eShop. This price is listed for both the digital and physical versions of the game, as while Nintendo has said it will no longer charge the same price for digital and physical games, this policy only applies to Switch 2 exclusives.
As well as Star Fox, Zelda: Ocarina of Time and Rhythm Heaven Groove, last month’s Nintendo leak also mentioned that long-awaited Splatoon adventure spinoff Splatoon Raiders and Fire Emblem: Fortune Weave were both also set for summer launches. A new Switch Sports game was also mentioned, though its release sounds less certain. Finally, other Switch 2 Edition re-releases are also expected — for the excellent Pikmin 4, as well as Xenoblade 2. The leak even went on to briefly mention Nintendo’s next 3D Mario project, which is reportedly set for 2027. Nintendo is yet to comment on the report.
Tom Phillips is IGN’s News Editor. You can reach Tom at [email protected] or find him on Bluesky @tomphillipseg.bsky.social
