{"rewrite":{"id":"r_e75361f0704eb095f5ff88da","clusterId":"c_def8ed8bac5053ff0faa6466","slug":"tsunku-opens-up-about-11-year-wait-for-rhythm-heaven-miracle-stars","model":"deepseek-v4-flash:free","headline":"Tsunku Opens Up About 11-Year Wait for Rhythm Heaven Miracle Stars","summary":"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.","whyItMatters":"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.","webCardHtml":"\u003cp\u003eTsunku 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 \u003cem\u003eRhythm Heaven\u003c/em\u003e during their adolescence have since become adults and now work at game software companies.\u003c/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eTsunku 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 \u003cem\u003eRhythm Heaven\u003c/em\u003e restarted with the same analog feel as 20 years ago. The column notes that Nintendo\u0026#39;s official website hosts the conversation \u0026#34;Iwata Asks: Rhythm Heaven Gold\u0026#34; between Tsunku and Iwata.\u003c/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eRegarding the artists who contributed, Tsunku wrote that Ado and Yui Sakurai accepted the offer because of their own experiences with \u003cem\u003eRhythm Heaven\u003c/em\u003e 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 \u003cem\u003eRhythm Heaven Miracle Stars\u003c/em\u003e is available on the Nintendo Store.\u003c/p\u003e","blueskyPost":"Tsunku turned down offers for a 'similar but different' rhythm series because he believed Nintendo would one day make another Rhythm Heaven. After 11 years, it finally happened.","twitterPost":"Tsunku's column reveals Nintendo kept developing Rhythm Heaven Miracle Stars even while he was seriously ill. He calls that a 'ray of hope.'","threadsPost":null,"newsletterBlurb":"Tsunku published a free column explaining the 11-year wait for Rhythm Heaven Miracle Stars. He turned down offers for a similar series out of loyalty to Nintendo, and thanked artists Ado and Yui Sakurai for joining the project.","attributionJson":"[{\"source\":\"Denfaminicogamer\",\"url\":\"https://news.denfaminicogamer.jp/news/260722j\",\"title\":\"Tsunku♂'s note about the production of 'Rhythm Heaven Miracle Stars' released for free; discusses turning down similar projects believing there would be another 'Rhythm Heaven' and the frustrating phenomenon of 'new hardware always releasing around launch time'\"},{\"source\":\"Game Spark\",\"url\":\"http://www.gamespark.jp/article/2026/07/22/169583.html\",\"title\":\"First new 'Rhythm Heaven' in 11 years: 'Rhythm Heaven Miracle Stars' - Tsunku talks about past offers for a similar series and mentions former Nintendo president Satoru Iwata\"}]","lintFlagsJson":null,"lintHits":0,"costUsd":0,"inputTokens":9441,"outputTokens":1384,"status":"published","repairAttempts":0,"nextRepairAt":null,"factsAttemptedAt":1784737548,"createdAt":"2026-07-22T16:17:30.000Z","publishedAt":"2026-07-22T16:20:45.000Z","updatedAt":"2026-07-22T16:17:30.000Z"},"cluster":{"id":"c_def8ed8bac5053ff0faa6466","canonicalTitle":"11年ぶり新作『リズム天国 ミラクルスターズ』、過去に「よく似た違うシリーズ出しませんか」との話もあった。つんく♂noteで心境語り任天堂前社長の岩田聡についても言及","representativeArticleId":"a_453245b819813968f186f3dd","sourceCount":2,"writtenSourceCount":2,"writeAttempts":1,"isSolo":false,"entitiesJson":"{\"anime_titles\":[],\"manga_titles\":[],\"work_titles\":[\"リズム天国 ミラクルスターズ\",\"Rhythm Heaven: Miracle Stars\"],\"studios\":[\"Nintendo\"],\"people\":[\"つんく♂\",\"岩田聡\",\"Ado\",\"櫻井優衣\"],\"type\":\"news\",\"domain\":\"games\",\"is_roundup\":false}","contentType":"news","status":"published","firstSeenAt":"2026-07-22T08:15:02.000Z","lastSeenAt":"2026-07-22T08:25:24.000Z","updatedAt":"2026-07-22T16:20:45.000Z"},"attribution":[{"source":"Denfaminicogamer","url":"https://news.denfaminicogamer.jp/news/260722j","title":"『リズム天国 ミラクルスターズ』つんく♂氏が制作について語るnoteが無料公開。次の『リズム天国』があると信じて似た作品の制作を断っていた話や、「いつも発売時期に新ハードが出る」という歯がゆい現象について記載"},{"source":"Game Spark","url":"http://www.gamespark.jp/article/2026/07/22/169583.html","title":"11年ぶり新作『リズム天国 ミラクルスターズ』、過去に「よく似た違うシリーズ出しませんか」との話もあった。つんく♂noteで心境語り任天堂前社長の岩田聡についても言及"}],"entities":{"anime_titles":[],"manga_titles":[],"work_titles":["リズム天国 ミラクルスターズ","Rhythm Heaven: Miracle Stars"],"studios":["Nintendo"],"people":["つんく♂","岩田聡","Ado","櫻井優衣"],"type":"news","domain":"games","is_roundup":false},"keyFacts":["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."]}