Groove Coaster has always stood apart in the rhythm genre, blending reactive visuals, bold chart design and a sense of musical momentum that feels unmistakably its own. With Future Performers, TAITO has pushed the series into a new era on Nintendo Switch, expanding its soundtrack, refining its presentation and introducing new performance‑style mechanics aimed at both newcomers and long‑time fans. As the game continues to grow through free updates and DLC, Cubed3 spoke with series producer Takuma Hanagata to explore how the team approached post‑launch support, chart design, character selection and the future of Groove Coaster on modern hardware.
Adam Riley, Director at Cubed3: Future Performers launched with 50 tracks and has already grown to 63 through free updates. What guided your approach to post-launch support and song selection?
Takuma Hanagata, Producer of the Groove Coaster series (TAITO CORPORATION): We designed the title with long-term enjoyment in mind, so we plan to continue adding new songs, characters, and story content after launch. For the song selection, we first focused on tracks that are widely recognised and easy for players new to the series to enjoy. This includes popular songs, as well as music from genres such as pop, Vocaloid, and VTuber. Going forward, as we continue to support the game, we also plan to gradually expand the line-up with original songs from previous entries in the series, along with tracks from other genres (as of 23rd July, 2026, 78 tracks are included).
Adam Riley: The February and April updates added new tracks, a new Navigator, and the Variety Music Pack. How do you decide which content becomes free updates and which becomes paid DLC?
Takuma Hanagata: Our basic approach is to use free updates to provide content that helps new players get into the game, while paid DLC is aimed at players who have already enjoyed the title and want to experience even more songs, characters, and other content.
Adam Riley: Hakurei Reimu joins as a new Navigator. What role do Navigators play in shaping the identity of Future Performers, and how do you choose which characters to feature?
Takuma Hanagata: Navigators do not affect the gameplay itself, but we choose characters that can support and encourage players, allowing them to set a favourite Navigator and enjoy the game in a more personal way. When selecting characters, we give priority to those that are especially popular within the genres represented in the soundtrack, as well as characters that have a strong affinity with the game’s overall style and world.
Adam Riley: Groove Coaster is known for its reactive visual style. How did you refine the presentation and UI for modern displays on Switch while keeping the series’ signature look?
Takuma Hanagata: In the Groove Coaster series, we design the backgrounds and UI with the goal of making players feel as if they are racing through the music itself. In this title as well, we introduced new systems so that players can experience a stronger sense of unity with the music through sound, visuals, and touch. One of these is the “Special Note,” which uses the same simple controls as a normal note but triggers more pronounced sound effects and visual effects. This adds emphasis to the performance and helps deepen the feeling of being connected to the music. In addition, by switching to a horizontal screen layout, we were able to expand the musical space across the entire display, further enhancing the sense of visual immersion.
Adam Riley: Future Performers introduces new performance-style mechanics. What design goals shaped these systems, and how do they evolve the classic Groove Coaster feel?
Takuma Hanagata: We introduced two styles: Basic and Advanced. Basic Style was designed so that new players who are not familiar with the traditional Groove Coaster experience, as well as those who may find the game too difficult, can enjoy it more easily and casually. Advanced Style, on the other hand, is intended for players who are already familiar with previous entries and want to dive deeper into the game. In addition, there were certain controls in past titles that worked well on touch panels or arcade cabinets but were less suitable for home controllers. In this game, we intentionally left those elements out and aimed to evolve the series into a rhythm game that can be fully enjoyed with a controller.
Adam Riley: The series has a strong musical identity. What guided the balance between returning favourites and new material in Future Performers?
Takuma Hanagata: To ensure that players of Groove Coaster Wai Wai Party!!!! on the same platform could still enjoy a fresh experience, we prioritised songs that do not overlap with previous entries in the series. At the same time, we also included a balanced selection of tracks from earlier titles for players who want to enjoy familiar songs with new visuals and controls.
Adam Riley: Some songs and genres naturally challenge chart designers. Were there any tracks in the new updates that required unusual solutions or creative charting approaches?
Takuma Hanagata: For songs with a more repetitive rhythm, we made sure the charts would not feel dull by placing Square Notes, which are played with the newly added L and R buttons, as well as Left Notes and Right Notes that specify which hand should be used for input. This helps create a stronger sense of performance that follows changes in pitch and dynamics. Also, because the game now uses a horizontal screen layout, it became easier to create charts that work closely with a song’s music video. As a result, tracks such as “Lagtrain” from the original line-up and the newly added “Kyōen” can be enjoyed with charts that feel more closely linked to the visuals and the gameplay.
Adam Riley: Community feedback has always shaped Groove Coaster. What insights from previous releases influenced the direction of Future Performers?
Takuma Hanagata: In this title, we took into account feedback from many users gathered through social media surveys and comments, and decided to remove the invisible “Ad-lib” notes that had been used in previous entries. As a result, players no longer need to memorize Ad-lib placements, and we believe the game now offers a clearer experience where high scores can be achieved by focusing on precise timing and input.
Adam Riley: Local multiplayer is a highlight for many Switch players. What kind of experience were you aiming to create with the two-player modes?
Takuma Hanagata: Our main concept for this title is to let players fully immerse themselves in the world of music on their own, so we did not include local multiplayer. We hope players will first take the time to enjoy the game as a solo experience.
Adam Riley: Groove Coaster has a long history of cross-media collaborations. How do you approach selecting partners and themed content for Future Performers?
Takuma Hanagata: When we include collaboration music in Groove Coaster, we prioritise whether the music, visual presentation, and performance feel will come together in an interesting and engaging way. Based on that, we consider which partners to collaborate with, with the goal of creating content that both existing Groove Coaster players and new users from the collaboration side can enjoy.
Adam Riley: Switch 2 introduces new input possibilities, including the Mouse Con. Would the team consider a ‘Groove Coaster: Nintendo Switch 2 Edition’ update that takes advantage of these features or would you rather make a new game for the new system?
Takuma Hanagata: At present, our priority is to ensure that the game can be enjoyed on both Switch 1 and Switch 2, so we have not yet begun considering Switch 2-specific features. That said, we would like to explore the possibility in the future.
Adam Riley: With Future Performers continuing to grow through updates, what possibilities do you see for the series on modern hardware, and how might this release shape its future direction?
Takuma Hanagata: Rhythm games are a major genre in arcades, but we feel they are still relatively niche on home consoles. Because of that, our first priority is to continue growing the series in a way that helps more home players discover the fun of becoming immersed in music at home, even if they have not yet experienced rhythm games before. For the future of the series, we would like to continue developing it in a direction that further enhances its one-of-a-kind experience of racing through the world of music.
