Theatrhythm Final Fantasy 3DS
User Score
8.1 out of 10

Generally favorable reviews- based on 76 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 66 out of 76
  2. Mixed: 1 out of 76
  3. Negative: 9 out of 76

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  1. NSnake151
    Jul 3, 2012
    10
    All right, I may be biased. I love final fantasy, and I love Chibi Lightning. But Theatrhytm is really good fun. The foundation of the game, the music, is not only drawn from some of the best soundtracks around, but easily some of the best in gaming; making for a fantastic rhythm game. I can easily play some of the songs over and over again, especially the Sunleth Waterscape and the Seymour Battle theme. And despite a genre which I initially expected to being non conducive to classic FF grinding and collecting, earning new songs and characters makes playing it so, so much more engaging, and adds hours and hours of playtime, even if you are not a fan of the series. In short, the game is a blast and one of the few portable games where I turn the volume to the max.
    Ps: I got the bonus sticker set, LOVIN IT.    … Expand
  2. Bluemoo27
    Jul 3, 2012
    9
    If you are an avid fan of Final Fantasy this is a must buy. The nostalgia meter is through the roof on this one, and there is a large amount of substance to the game beyond tapping along to songs. I have played many 3DS games and not one of them has ever made me motion sick. The 3D in this game coupled with the moving targets made me sick to my stomach after about 30 minutes of play. But, I powered through it because I'm a champ, and this is an awesome game! I would consider this the first decent game Square has made about Final Fantasy since XII.… Expand
  3. NirvanicPanic
    Jul 3, 2012
    10
    An excellent title for anyone who appreciates video game music of the past 25 years, fantastically addicting for the hardcore Final Fantasy fan, and by far the best rhythm-game for a handheld console to date.
  4. Dyskresiac
    Jul 5, 2012
    10
    I'm gonna make this short: There's a LOT more to this game than screenshots lead you to believe. I'm 7 hours in and not even a fraction of the way through the content. This game is a rabbit hole, and you WILL be sucked in.
  5. Chancedeath
    Jul 5, 2012
    9
    I have to admit, the high reviews of this game by users is most likely due to the fact of the nostalgia you get from the games. But that is not all. This is one of the best rhythm games I have played with tons of songs, great controls and the ability to play it for hours. It has the pick-up and play aspects and the "just one more song" that most rhythm games don't have so it is perfect for the handheld.

    Its fun, light-hearted, and way to cute. Absolutely fantastic.    … Expand
  6. ganoncrotch
    Jul 10, 2012
    10
    if you're looking for the elite beat agents for the 3ds you've come to the right place, absolutely tons to do and great scale of difficulty for rhythm fans of all skill levels, really great nostalgia trip too when it comes to the movie stages for each game where you get to play over the main theme of each game along to a movie of cut scenes from the game playing in the background.

    Paid     dlc from the store too which comes at a cost of 1euro a pop in Europe anyway, we checked out the cosmo canyon dlc which had 2 versions of the song so yeah if you want to extend the library of songs it's not going to set you back too much, when compared to the 3euros a song guitar hero or rock band games dlc.… Expand
  7. Mysticales
    Jul 5, 2012
    10
    Excellent! Easy to get the DLC songs and hopefully more to come. A true tribute to FF Music lovers without a FF series being left out. Something for everyone and enough eye candy to keep you entertained! If you loved Elite Beat Agents. You will love this game with its improved features for a rhythm game!
  8. jasonpresents
    Aug 19, 2012
    9
    OK let's get the obvious out of the way, if your a Final Fantasy fan keep reading, if not don't bother with this game at all. I have personally played every FF bar XI, and XIV is not present in this game, and I can safely say the game achieves exactly what it sets out to do. It is a homage to FF games of days gone past, dealing with numbered iterations ranging from I to XIII, set to a backdrop of a rhythm action game. The rhythm action elements are simplistic at first, not getting in the way of all the nostalgia, but speaking as someone who has unlocked all 64 in-game trophies, I can safely say the game poses a serious challenge later on. There is a hidden depth to this game in regards to the RPG elements and a chaos shrine; the former I didn't even begin to grasp until at least 20 hours in, and the latter adds an interesting twist to the game play which I will discuss later. The game play itself is split into battle stages, field music stages and event stages, with each providing a different twist on the rhythm action set pieces. Your characters also gain experience and level up after each stage; as well as this successful completion of each stage is rewarded with rhythmia points which unlock more and more songs, characters etc. In the chaos shrine two random songs are picked comprising of a field stage followed by a battle stage, these two random songs comprise a note and the note is based on your characters level. In the second stage you fight one of three bosses depending on your performance across the two stages, with the third boss dropping crystal shards which are necessary to unlock more characters. In the first stage you must have high agility stats to travel far to get to fight the second or third boss, and in the second stage you must have high attack and magic stats to defeat the bosses, so a balanced party is in order. The reason for the long explanation in a review is the most amount of criticism thrown at this game in reviews seems to be in regards to the RPG elements in the game, as most don't seem to understand the point; well, there is one and it adds a whole lot more depth to the game if your willing to learn. For those of you who just want to hear your favorite tunes and take a more passive approach to the game, 80 percent of the games songs are unlocked from the start and there for you to play, not to mention almost 40 downloadable songs now available. If your a FF fan I really don't think you will be disappointed unless you despise rhythm action games. There is a never ending polemical debate as to what the best FF is, but the one element that brings cohesion to all these debating groups is the music. Square Enix recognizes this and made a clever decision to have it as the focus of it's 25th anniversary tribute to the franchise. My only minor criticism of the game is in regards to the event stages, as although these are the most instantly gratifying (rhythm piece set to the backdrop of FMV sequences from the iteration of the game you are playing) these become tiresome after a while due to their repetitive nature. I personally clocked up 106 hours unlocking all the in game content and trophies, and feel like I got my moneys worth. 9/10… Expand
  9. IrishChai
    Dec 28, 2012
    10
    I love this game! I was never a big Final Fantasy fan, but the music has been undeniably remarkable for the RPG industry as a whole. I am also a big rhythm/music genre fan so I was looking forward to what they would do with this title. It's inspiring me to go back to play the older Final Fantasy games that I missed years ago. You don't need to be a fan of Final Fantasy games to enjoy this, but be warned that you might become a fan based on the music and glimpses of classic JRPG on show here. It also adds a lot of replay value by gaining loot and levels every time you play a song, with the goal of beating the most enemies with the least mistakes in rhythm. Once beating a song on one level, there's an expert version and the ultimate version. Then you also have dark notes, DLC, unlockable FF characters, collectible digital cards, and more to keep you coming back. It's a great purchase overall and very entertaining.… Collapse
  10. Happymonk
    Sep 25, 2012
    9
    Theatrhythm: Final Fantasy is a fantastic game, and this is coming from someone who has only played Final Fantasy: III, IV, and the sequel to XII on the DS. The music is what makes the game (obviously), and it is all very good and fun to listen to through headphones. What I was surprised by is the amount of content in the game, 39 songs doesn't sound like much, but there are three modes to play these songs: Series, this is kind of the "main" mode in the game and consists of you playing the songs from each Final Fantasy game in order. There are three difficulty options, Basic, Expert and Ultimate. Basic is very easy and is really recommended for those new to the game, Expert can put up quite a challenge but is still not too hard, as I was able to play every song up to at least an "A" grade, and Ultimate can get very difficult, but not to the level of snapping your 3DS in half. Challenge mode is just playing the songs any way you like it, but it has the aim of getting an "A" rating in order to unlock the next difficulty, which most people shouldn't have a major problem with, other than replaying a few tracks to get that "A". The third mode gives you two random songs to play at a very high difficulty level called Dark Notes, in order to unlock another Dark Note you have to simply finish both songs, but this is a challenge in of itself (there are 99 Dark Notes to unlock and play). On top of these modes, you collect Rhythmia for every song you finish, which leads to general unlocking of songs to listen to, videos to watch, and extra characters to play as. Each song is one of three types, Field, Battle and event, and each type plays differently enough so you don't get bored (Battle is my personal favorite). You have a "team" of four characters of your choice, and each one levels up accordingly, but I don't feel enough was done with the RPG elements of the game, as if they were more developed the game would be spectacular. I'm sure someone who has played a lot of Final Fantasy games would appreciate the game more than I do, but the amount of content and very fun gameplay would make anyone like the game a fair amount at least. The best rhythm game on the 3DS? I think so (have not played Rhythm Thief) and it comes easily recommendable to anybody who owns a 3DS. 90/100.… Expand
  11. MrWhiggy
    Jul 12, 2012
    9
    This game is a trip down memory lane; a very enjoyable one at that. At least one character from every game is available from the start, with the ability to unlock at least one other per title (for some, two more), which is great because you can pick your favourites from the start. Each title starts with three songs, but as you play more you'll unlock new songs. Normally, I'd be angry at DLC in a game like this. But Japan has already received obscure tracks, like 'Somnus' from Versus XIII, which I'd love to get my hands on. Any rhythm or Final Fantasy fan will enjoy this game - a fan of both will love it.… Expand
  12. HarpLeaf
    Sep 20, 2012
    9
    What a great game. The gameplay is very addictive and the visuals are very nice. The game has challenges and truly makes one want to get the highest possible score on every event. I enjoy the fact that you can choose and unlock characters from all the games and that there really isn't a difference between a level 70 player and a level 5 player. the only thing i think is wrong with the game is that you don't really have time to observe the beautiful animations and scenery because the game requires so much concentration.… Expand
  13. Svampriket_se
    Jul 17, 2012
    9
    If you don't have any relation to at least a couple of Final Fantasy games, then you probably won't get a lot of out Theatrhythm. But if you don't, then this game isn't really for you. No, this is purely for the fans of the series. And since I have strong relations to the music in VI, VII, IX, and XIII, I love it. I read that someone complained that the entire songs aren't played. But in those cases, you usually get the "extended version" of the song if you play it well enough. I also saw one user review complain that there's only three songs per game. That's not true at all. There are thirteen games, and over 70 different songs. You do the math. Now, of course everyone will have a song they miss. Personally, it's You Are Not Alone from FFIX. I want it in there, but so far I haven't seen it. So I'll just have to check the DLC or hope to unlock it in the future. But all in all, this is a must buy for anyone who loves the Final Fantasy music. Now if we could only get a game like this for Zelda!… Expand
  14. PMD_RODNEY
    Jul 8, 2012
    10
    This is the first game for the 3DS that I have had to force myself to stop playing. This superb title has enough achievements and collectables to keep you playing well into the night. Addictive rhythm gameplay coupled with the great sounds of the Final Fantasy series makes this a must have for 3DS owners.
  15. Chipzahoy
    Sep 12, 2012
    10
    My first biased review. Could this game be any more addicting! *WARK* Probably the best time killing game I have palyed in a long time, and it helps that I am a huge fan of the music! *WARK*
  16. jugglaj91
    Jul 18, 2012
    10
    I say this game is must get on the 3DS. The library of games is small and lacking and this game really does shine. While the songs are on the short side (which is not always a bad thing considering it is FF) it is really fun. I am in no way a FF addict or avid player to be honest but I keep finding my self back playing this game until my system is dead. It helps to be a fan of the series but I think any rhythm game fan would enjoy this equally as much. The songs are great and the game play is fun and engaging and you can unlock higher difficulties to really push the threshold.… Expand
  17. SoCalWingFan
    Aug 7, 2012
    9
    Of all the many Final Fantasy games out there I've only played one to completion, and that's the ever-popular Final Fantasy VII. Did my lack of familiarity with the other titles in the series detract from my enjoyment of the game? Not one bit. The music is great, the controls are satisfying, and the ability to change and equip your party make this game highly addicting and a joy to play.
  18. Magustamer
    Aug 8, 2012
    9
    I got to say that this game is surprisingly loaded with tons of content. from extra songs to extra characters. the songs are amazing and stay true to their original score. the game play is fun and simple to play. the entire game s touch only so no need for the buttons. just a good stylus to use. the songs may not be the entire 100 minute long intro or boss fights like we remember, but they are enough to give you that feeling of your childhood and make you want t play the game again. I highly suggest to any fan of Final Fantasy or music based games is to buy it. This is a great addition to any Final Fantasy collection.… Expand
  19. Sepharite
    Aug 16, 2012
    9
    Great game! If you are a fan of the Gitaroman series or familiar to the music genre AND a fan of Final fantasy, you will have a blast with this one. You should probably play at least 3-4 of the Final Fantasy games if you really want to experience the awesomeness of this setting. Nostalgia Overload, is what this game should be called.
  20. ExprS
    Sep 18, 2012
    9
    This is a game for fans, if you are a fan of final fantasy you will surely love this one, it has some beautiful chibi characters and the impressive soundtrack that has enchanted us all this years!
  21. xTreeCutterx
    May 11, 2013
    9
    Before I begin this review, I'd like to point out that I have never played any final fantasy game, except for the remake of FF1 for the PSP.
    I really had a blast playing this game. I've always been into rhythm games, and this one was exactly what I was looking for. The style is very cute and the backgrounds are gorgeous, especially when the 3d is turned up. The controls are very fluid, an    d the notes are very well synced with the songs (which are great btw, perfect for rhythm). It has easy level difficulties for beginners, with increased difficulty settings once players are more experienced.
    Though there's been a couple of reviews that complain about this game's rpg system, they must have never been to the Chaos Shrine. It's basically a set of songs that feature a boss at the end, and it's preferable to have high levels and stronger skills in order to survive, or at least kill it enough to gain access to unlockables. You may have heard that there are bonus points for de-equipping all your skills, thus rendering skills useless, but in the Chaos Shrine, your scores are not even recorded, so there is no incentive to make it nullify skills.
    This is a great game, and it should not be missed by anyone who enjoys a good rhythm game.    … Expand

Critic Reviews

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Metascore
78 out of 100

Generally favorable reviews - based on 60 Critics

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 46 out of 60
  2. Mixed: 14 out of 60
  3. Negative: 0 out of 60
  1. GameCritics
    Feb 13, 2013
    60
    Theatrhythm: Final Fantasy starts off as a celebrated adventure through the musical history of the long-running Final Fantasy series, and the fanservice is apparent and appreciated. However, after only a few hours, the nostalgia wears off and the experience loses its luster. There's just too little to drive this title forward, and without more substance, even the best fanservice in the world will start to lose its appeal.
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  2. Gamer.no
    Oct 27, 2012
    80
    Theatrhythm Final Fantasy is a surprisingly solid rhythm game that both Final Fantasy fans and general video game music enthusiasts should try.
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  3. D+PAD Magazine
    Oct 3, 2012
    80
    Watching the cute little characters cutting down cute little enemies, using familiar abilities and items, exploring old themes… It's done something I never thought possible. It's made me nostalgic for Final Fantasy games. Even Final Fantasy XIII. Again, I love the idea of the Final Fantasy saga, and this allows me to explore it and remember all the things that made it great, all while having a great rhythm game, to boot. There are enough unlockables to keep you going back for 'just one more song'.
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