Ever since Spin Rhythm XD hit 1.0 last year, I’ve been a fan of its unique approach to the rhythm game genre. I loved it so much, I put it on my personal top 10 games of 2023, the year I also played Ragnarock on the PlayStation VR 2.
Back then, I thought the Steam Deck was the perfect instrument to experience Spin Rhythm XD. The track pads feel like an intuitive, one-to-one interaction with the gameplay. It just works, and spinning the wheel feels so satisfying.
Well, on July 9, Super Spin Digital proved me wrong when it released the VR update for Spin Rhythm XD.
Step Into the Rhythm Dimension
In Spin Rhythm XD, you spin a two-colored wheel to match the notes that come down the note highway. In VR, you simply tap on the wheel to hit notes, and once you’re highlighting it, you’re able to spin it. Tapping outside the wheel hits the beats, denoted by the green lines.
These motions give it a unique mix of feeling like drumming and DJing, which feels very ODESZA. It took me a bit of time to get used to, but once I felt comfortable with the controls, it was much easier to slip into a flow state.
It’s hard to explain, but at a certain point, my level of understanding the VR controls and my ability to read the music matched up, and I was able to “feel” the music. Hitting the notes and beats, sliding the wheel side to side along a melody—it all became second nature, in a way.
And much like with the Steam Deck’s track pad, spinning the wheel proves to be the most satisfying part of the game, even more so in VR. Using my whole arm to “spin” the deck left and right with no regard for the safety of others is viscerally gratifying.
Nailing a hard song in Spin Rhythm XD feels almost euphoric. It can be tiring, sometimes with only adrenaline pulling me through, but it’s an all-encompassing musical experience, fueled especially by the immersion of virtual reality.
EDM makes up a majority of the game’s track list, and a big part of the culture is arguably visuals. Lasers, motion graphics, visualizers, choreographed LEDs—all this and more are standard fare at these shows.
Spin Rhythm XD carries that torch well, accompanying every song with unique visuals, often matching the vibe. Teminite’s “Ghost Ship” has you approach a giant skull and crossbones at the end of the note highway, while other songs have neon ships pass you by.
Everything behind the note highway reacts to the music, but it’s never enough to be distracting. Instead, it complements the overall experience, putting you in a whole new dimension of music. Pair that with a flow state and you’re golden.
Overall, if you aren’t a fan of electronic music, you won’t find a lot to love here. There’s a lot of house, dubstep, and synthwave here, though there’s the occasional chillhop or jazzy track to find too. If you’re looking for rock or metal though, you’re pretty out of luck.
A lot of the tracks come from Candian record label Monstercat, though that did leave me wanting a little more out of the track list. Overall, I found songs I really liked, but after noticing how many Monstercat artists were here, I did wish for stuff from other artists, too, like ARMNHMR, Sullivan King, or Blanke.
When It Gets a Little Too XD
There are five levels of difficulty, with the last one, XD, feeling like a huge leap. I’m usually the type to jump into the highest difficulty of rhythm games like Cytus, Voez, and DJMax Respect. But even now, some harder Expert-level songs give me some trouble.
I’ve spent more than 14 hours in Spin Rhythm XD between the PC and PS5 releases, and I still feel like I’m scratching the surface on how high the skill ceiling is, especially in VR. XD-level songs move fast, and it’ll take hours of more practice for me to get it.
Granted, moving your whole hand takes more effort than, say, flicking a stick, especially when higher difficulties demand frantic, fast movements. Sometimes, I do wonder just how possible the highest difficulty is in VR.
Luckily, Spin Rhythm XD offers multiple ways to play the game, even letting you plug in a MIDI controller for maximum DJ immersion. That player choice is one of the game’s biggest strengths. There are so many ways to play the game, including using the touchpad or gyro controls on the PS5’s DualSense controller. Keyboard or mouse are viable options, too.
It’s a fairly accessible rhythm game with a very high skill ceiling, and watching people full-combo songs on XD difficulty is almost hypnotic. But if you’re not a sweaty rhythmhead, it’s still a ton of fun on a difficulty that challenges you just enough.
Adding onto that, the PC version has access to SpinShare, a modding community with all sorts of fan-made tracks that can be loaded into the game. Combine that with the free VR update and you’ve got a new rhythm game juggernaut on the scene.
Spin Rhythm XD VR Review | Final Thoughts
Spin Rhythm XD, especially with its new VR update, easily stands as one of the most satisfying rhythm games on the market today. It’s a new spin on the note highway system that’s popular in the genre, with a lot to offer for electronic music fans.
There’s a pretty big difficulty spike between Expert and XD, but that also feels like a moot point. As long as you’re playing on a level that comfortably pushes you, you’re bound to have fun—and maybe even enter a flow state.
Spin Rhythm XD was reviewed on a PlayStation VR 2 with a code provided by the publisher over the course of 14 hours of gameplay (including previous time with the PC version). All screenshots were taken during the process of the review.
Review Summary
Pros
- Immersive yet intuitive control scheme
- Deceptively simple with a high skill ceiling
- Wonderful visuals to complement songs
Cons
- Track list is OK but leaves a bit to be desired
- Drastic difficulty curve on the XD difficulty level