It’s understated, to say the least, but it’s present enough to make an impact when it finally wraps up. There is a story behind the electric beats and colourful visuals, but there’s not really much that can be said about it without impacting the experience of playing it yourself. Note: the YouTube compression algorithm does not do this game any favours. Strangely, there is no touchscreen support here, which would’ve been a nice addition given its availability on Apple Arcade. I’d personally recommend playing with a Pro Controller if you can, it seems to make some of the tighter turns a little more manageable, but the entire game is playable from start to finish with just about any control scheme you decide to use. Any stick (or d-pad!), or any button, will do, meaning you’re able to play this with a single Joy-Con if that’s what takes your fancy. There’s just two controls you’ll need: an analogue stick, and a button. In terms of the gameplay itself, it’s a pretty simple affair. Of course, you could listen to these songs on a streaming service like Spotify, but they’re really designed to be experienced alongside the rest of the game.

Your taste in music might vary from mine, but there’s not a single song in Sayonara Wild Hearts that I couldn’t or wouldn’t listen to each and every day for the rest of my life.

That makes the secrets beneath the surface more appealing as Sayonara Wild Hearts might be one of my favorite music albums of the year in addition to being a killer video game experience.Every single one of these electronic pop songs is incredible, and absolutely bursting with energy and emotion. Like a good record from a band I like, I’ll spin this game often. It’s the absurdity and wonder of some Eurovision performances made playable. This is a full-length interactive music video that exudes joy.

While you can easily compare Sayonara Wild Hearts to other stylish rhythm games - Rhythm Heaven, Thumper, and Rez came to my mind while playing - the precise spectacle makes it stand out from similar works. Revisiting past levels is enjoyable as well, especially if you’re into chasing high scores. It’s a gorgeous work of art that ends strongly. Even when I reached the end credits quickly, I felt satisfied. Playing this pop album of a video game from front to back will only take you around an hour or so, but the joy of this whole experience lies in replaying levels to get higher scores and showcasing the visual splendor to friends.

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