The Top 10 Best Rhythm Game Songs

It isn't often that the first stage in a rhythm game can totally blow you away. But Gitaroo Man's "Flyin' To Your Heart" grips you immediately with its thumping J-Pop sensibilities and ridiculously catchy lyrics. You're thrown into a musical battle as you strum along with U-1, and it's practically otherworldly. Whether you listen to the song in English or Japanese, there's plenty to love about it.

Bandai Namco's Groove Coaster is in a class all its own when it comes to addictive rhythm gaming. Once you've played your first couple of songs, it's nigh impossible to forget about the experience. The same can be said of "DX Choseinou Full Metal Shojo," a song that's hyper, zany, and full of voice snippets from a Japanese voice actress chanting phrases over and over. It's a challenging stage, but it's also a ridiculous earworm that you'll be thinking of long after you leave the machine. And then you'll want to come back and perfect your score, again and again and again. At least, that's how it makes me feel. I surmise you'll feel the same, too.

Okay, just hear me out. Rhythm Heaven is one of the greatest rhythm games of all time. And when you get to "Fan Club," you'll understand why. Though the English voice actress doesn't exactly sound like she's putting her all into the singing, this catchy little tune is all about a pop singer whose fan club is cheering her on while she croons her heart out. Yes, they're monkeys. Yes, they're absolutely adorable. You'll never get the little "I suppose!" quips out of your head. It's just a sweet little song that really makes you wish you were an idol, too.

In the rain or in the snow, you've got the funky flow. That's how you'll be feeling after you listen to Prince Fleaswallow's flea market rap in PaRappa the Rapper. This reggae-centric groove is so smooth, so fluid, and with such a vibe, that it'll quickly become your favorite song in the entire game. In fact, who cares about what PaRappa needs to do to make money? Prince Fleaswallow's flow is so cold that there's no way you won't be impressed by the bars he and PaRappa spit. Seriously, this is the best song of the game by far, no contest.

Let's get on, let's get on! This Lammy guitar groove is timeless. When our favorite lamb rocker runs into Chief Puddle, who's working to put out a fire, she stops to give him a hand. It has an old-school, jazzy feel that's less like a grungy rock tune and more like a cross of classic swing music and oldies mixed together. Plus, the lyric "Fireman's daily work can't be done!" is accompanied by an insane run of buttons you need to press on your controller that just feels incredibly satisfying to pull off.

Bust A Groove's Pinky Diamond may be one of the coolest rhythm game characters to ever exist. She's a hairstylist, an assassin, a stripper, and a fortune-teller. So her personal song should reflect everything that makes her this awesome. And guess what? It does. This soul-infused bop lets us know everything we need to know about Pinky, such as the fact that she's "strong and sexy, too" and that she knows and can see all. If this song doesn't get you up out of your seat and dancing until you can't stand up any longer, then you probably just don't like music.

Admittedly, Bust A Groove 2's Tsutomu may be one of the lamest characters on the roster. He's kind of a nerd, and he's very quiet. But don't count him out in terms of absolute bops. His song, "Got To Be Happy" is an anthemic banger about living your life to the fullest, getting in the groove, and totally killing it at everything you do. It's impossible to listen to without feeling pumped up, and that's the mark of an excellent song, rhythm game, or otherwise.

There's something creepy about this tune, and it's undoubtedly the fact that it sounds like a stalker calling someone up and asking "Where are you?" over and over. But it's also so hype, with the voice samples going "I am all you need" throughout the song, becoming more insistent as the steps ramp up in difficulty so it feels like you're running away from this mysterious individual. By the end, when the phone sounds like it's been picked up and you hear "We are connected," there's a sense of foreboding -- did the stalker win, or what? Doesn't matter, because this song slays so hard.

If you're more of a Pump It Up fan than a Dance Dance Revolution devotee, you've no doubt gotten down to this BanYa classic: "Will o' the Wisp". It sounds like it's been plucked straight from the Twilight Zone, but it'll give you a great workout.

What would a list of rhythm game songs be without at least one good "Paranoia" mention? This tune is a staple of Konami rhythm titles, especially Dance Dance Revolution and Beatmania, and this particular mix is everything fans know and love about the song, pumped up to the max. It combines techno, house, electro, and samples to make the perfect combination for you to dance to and lose your mind while swaying in your seat. Try not to listen to every single "Paranoia" remix after you hear this one. I dare you.