I don’t play music rhythm games very often so I was not expecting an action-packed intergalactic rhythm game from Super Spin Digital to completely take over my gaming diet over the last week. The gameplay of Spin Rhythm XD is straightforward enough; you slide a wheel at the bottom of the screen to match the blue and red colored beat pads coming down the track in the center.
But playing through the predominantly EDM tracks was incredibly satisfying thanks to the game’s crisp visuals and fluid controls. There are a total of 60 licensed tracks in the game and while there are a few to play at the start, most of the songs are unlocked through leveling up. Plus with 5 difficult levels (Easy, Normal, Hard, Expert, and XD), the game can be enjoyed by newcomers like me and more experienced players like our very own Nick., who enjoyed the game so much he cleared all 60 songs in just two days.
You can play Spin Rhythm XD with a simple keyboard and mouse or an advanced MIDI DJ turntable, but I played the game entirely on the gamepad via the Steam Deck. Not only does it run well, but the handheld reinforces how much fun this game is to just pick up and play. And while I can’t comment on the performance, I imagine it’s just as fun on the Nintendo Switch.
Other than an odd bug where the music beat pads stop appearing halfway through a song, there aren’t many negatives to note about this game. It got me spinning, flicking, and tapping like I haven’t before and despite playing through all the songs multiple times, the quest for high scores keeps pulling me back. There are also UI customization mechanics that let you change color schemes and track designs to keep the visuals fresh. To put it simply, Spin Rhythm XD feels like an iteration of the classic arcade rhythm game formula.
Spin Rhythm XD has been out on Nintendo Switch and PC and is now available on PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 5. The game also has VR support for both the PS VR 2 and Steam VR. The new Chillhop Music DLC, featuring 10 groovy new tracks from L’Indecis, Ian Ewing, Eli Way, and more, is available on all platforms. A review code was provided by the publisher.
