Rhythm Doctor will launch for Nintendo Switch 2 and Nintendo Switch in December 2026, developer 7th Beat Games has confirmed. The rhythm game, which challenges players to treat patients by timing their actions to musical beats, received a new console announcement during Nintendo’s October 28 Indie World presentation. Both versions are scheduled to arrive in December, although an exact release date has not been announced.
Nintendo also confirmed that Rhythm Doctor will receive a dedicated Nintendo Switch 2 Edition. Players who purchase the original Switch version will be able to download a free upgrade pass to continue playing on Switch 2. The upgrade will become available alongside the game’s December release.
Rhythm Doctor is a single-button rhythm game built around an unusual medical premise. Players take the role of a doctor treating patients whose heart conditions can be corrected by delivering precisely timed defibrillator shocks. The central mechanic requires pressing a button on the seventh beat of a musical sequence, with each successful input helping restore a patient’s heartbeat.
Although the controls are deliberately simple, the game introduces increasingly complex rhythmic patterns. Players must recognize polyrhythms, irregular time signatures, and other musical variations while dealing with visual distractions and disruptive effects that make following the beat more difficult.
Each patient presents different challenges, with the game’s music and visual presentation changing to reflect their condition. The experience combines rhythm-based challenges with a character-driven story involving hospital staff and patients.
Rhythm Doctor includes more than 20 handcrafted levels, each designed around a different rhythmic concept. The game also features challenging Night Shift variations, which introduce additional difficulty for players who have mastered the standard stages.
Beyond its single-player campaign, Rhythm Doctor supports drop-in, drop-out local multiplayer, allowing two players to experience the story together. A level editor also lets players create and share custom stages using their own music, with numerous visual effects and backgrounds available for customization.
The Nintendo release has been a long time coming. Rhythm Doctor was originally announced for Nintendo Switch in 2018, but the console version remained unreleased for several years. The December 2026 launch window now gives Nintendo players a clearer indication of when they can finally play the game.
The announcement also adds another title to Nintendo’s expanding lineup of independent releases, which includes the recently confirmed Switch 2 and PC release of BAKUDO.
Nintendo has confirmed regional digital pricing for Rhythm Doctor, including NT$328 in Taiwan and 21,500 won in South Korea. Pricing for other regions has not yet been established in the announcements reviewed.
Rhythm Doctor is scheduled to launch digitally for Nintendo Switch and Nintendo Switch 2 in December 2026, with the free Switch 2 upgrade available to owners of the original version.
