Muse Dash Guide: Anime Rhythm Game for Switch, PC & Mobile All Costumes Unlocks

Muse Dash Guide

Muse Dash just launched on Nintendo Switch and Steam! It’s a surprisingly great Rhythm game (that even I can enjoy!) so I thought I’d share some useful information about the game in a guide! As always, feel free to comment below to add any tips, ask any questions, or just share what you think of the game!

Note of course this is a rhythm game and doing well mostly depends on your own skill. I can’t really give hands-on rhythm tutorials, so this focuses mostly on the objective informational side of the game.

I’m streaming Muse Dash tonight!

https://www.twitch.tv/sirtaptap

Muse Dash Game Info

Title: Muse Dash
Platform: iOS, Android, PC (Steam), Nintendo Switch
Language: Japanese/English
Release date: 2018-06-15 (Mobile), 2019-06-20 (PC/console)
Developer: Pero Pero Games
Price: $1 (iOS), $1.50 (Android) $3 (Steam), $30 (Nintendo Switch, all DLC included)
Season Pass DLC price: $30  (Steam), $21 (mobile)
File Size: ~600MB
Genre: Music/Rhythm Game

Muse Dash Version Differences

The versions of Muse Dash are slightly different, most notably the Mobile versions are a bit different from the PC and Switch versions.

  • Mobile versions have an option to manually trigger Fever. Oddly, the Switch version lacks this for now.
  • Switch version has separate Leaderboards
  • DLC varies by platform, same content, different distributions:
    • The Nintendo Switch version has no DLC and is sold as a single item
    • The PC Version is sold as a cheap base game with a single DLC unit of the current mobile DLC
    • The mobile version sells DLC piecemeal
  • Title Screen is different on Mobile and PC/Switch with unique art for each
  • Mobile versions include Cloud Save with Facebook, Google Play/iCloud, and XD account
    • The Steam version can import your score/progress from mobile; the Switch version cannot.
  • Mobile versions show X/100 progress on the level up bar, console versions only show a bar. XP per level is still the same.
DLC

The Switch version does not have DLC, all tracks are included in the base price.

The Steam version has a single DLC, which will include all future tracks in the single purchase price.

The Mobile version has piecemeal DLC or you can buy the same Season Pass as Steam, which gives all future packs for free.

I recommend getting the season pass if you like the game, it’s the best deal since you get future stuff free.

Which Version Is Best?

If you want to play on multiple platforms, Steam + Mobile is the best combo. Mobile is the native platform and lets you manually control Fever. If you already have it on Mobile and want to keep your progress but play with a controller, get Steam as Switch doesn’t have account import.

However the Switch version is the simplest, most complete way to get the game at once and offers nice control options, while still being portable and allowing touch and TV play. The only major downsides are the lack of manual fever (patch please!) and the lack of account connection. Switch version will get free DLC updates.

Muse Dash Quick Start Tips

In case this is your first music game or you’re jsut not great at them; start on the easy songs! Difficulty 1-3 are far, far more beginner friendly than anything 6 and up.

People have different skill levels! You might find songs crushingly difficult, or laugh at my rating of what’s the “rough” stages. The important thing isn’t Being Cool On The Internet, it’s finding songs and difficulty that you actually enjoy. Elfins/Characters can help you out a bit, but it’s best to start slow and find your groove before you try crazy hard stages and frustrate yourself.

You do not actually need to beat 6+ difficulty stages or anything to unlock any content in the game, so if you’re not having fun, play a different, easier song. You’ll get better.

WIP, more later.

Muse Dash Enemy Types

Small Enemies

The most common types of enemies, a single button press will send them flying. Helpfully color-coded. These only hurt you if they’re in your lane when you fail an input, so mostly the pink (ground) ones will hurt.

Big Enemies

Gameplay-wise, these are identical to Small Enemies except (surprise!) they’re bigger. However, some achievements require perfectly knocking back all Big Enemies specifically. Big Enemies have larger hitboxes to get Perfect on—however, it’s not nearly as big as it actually appears, so you have to aim towards the middle of it. It’s better to go by rhythm than sight on these.

Gemini Enemies

These are the Yellow dudes connected to each other; you have to press both inputs to catch them, or the other falls and hurts you. Sometimes you have to hit all of these perfectly for Achievements.

Ghosts

Ghosts appear and start to fade out about halfway towards the left side of the screen, being totally invisible when you’re trying to hit them. Time your hits carefully, the rhythm will still tell you when to hit them (though they’re often used for unexpected notes!). Practice makes perfect, just watch them and you’ll learn to estimate their timing.

Barrier

These are Buzz Saws, I have no idea why the game calls them “barriers” but if the game says “barrier” this is what they mean. You have to be on the opposite lane to dodge these, so blue saws spawn on the bottom and you hop above, and pink saws spawn on top.

Pink saws only spawn on difficulties 6 and above, they’re much harder to dodge due to hang time, but you can force yourself down from a jump by using a ground attack.

Barriers only grant a “Pass” rating instead of Perfect; it doesn’t mean your timing was off, that is the only correct judgement you can get from a Barrier.

Mash Enemies

Not named officially in game that I saw, enemies that approach with a (!) exclamation point bubble must be beaten back with rapid mashing of buttons/tapping. If you’re playing on console, it’s best to wiggle the sticks. On touchscreen, drum multiple fingers quickly. You get more score for each hit.

A single hit isn’t enough to push them back, you’ll take damage. They hit you in any lane, and Rabot cannot convert a Miss into a Great on them.

Bosses

Bosses show up in the most intense parts of a song, and most songs will have at least one—and sometimes more! Bosses actually consist of a series of all other types of enemies, though they can charge at you (with a really wonky hitbox) that can be hit back with either high or low, but will cause damage if you miss. Enemies spawned by bosses give more score if you use the Dragon Girl Elfin.

Watch out for bosses that drop Barriers (saws), they appear much more suddenly than other saws.

If you’re on Mobile, Bosses are the obvious time to start Fever. On Console/PC, you can’t do that so boo.

Sheets

Sheets are held notes. They’re very important to learn; in difficulty 6+, you’ll start to be required to hold a Sheet and rapidly attack enemies in the other lane. It takes some getting used to.

If you miss a sheet, Rabot won’t convert it into a Great. The end of a Sheet will always be perfect if you just hold the note, you can’t Miss by holding too long.

Notes

Notes are free 200 score, just be in their lane to collect them. They’re not color-coded but their positions are obvious. They won’t break your combo if you miss them, though Rabot will consume 1 charge of it’s Miss protection to catch them for you.

Hearts

Usually carried by enemies but sometimes alone, Hearts heal 80 HP if you collect them. Defeat enemies to get their hearts. Various Elfins and Characters interact with Hearts.

Characters

I’ll get some screenshots of the characters in action soon, only have a few on this PC. Unlock conditions are listed for PC: Mobile version gives one version free and has one less character, so it takes 8 less levels to unlock everything.

WIP

Rin

Bassist Rin

HP: 300
Skill: 50 More HP

Your starter character, unlocked by default. She starts with more HP than anyone (300), making her a decent beginner character.

Bad Girl Rin

HP: 250
Skill: Convert 3 Greats into Perfect

Sleepwalker Girl Rin

HP: ???
Skill: Plays automatically

Sleepwalker Rin automatically gets every hit perfect. Does NOT give you experience or let you save your score, of course. Good just to see those insane stages beaten, or just to listen to a track without playing it. Cute AF too.

Bunny Girl Rin

HP: 200
Skill: ?
Unlock: Level 128

Christmas Gift Rin

HP: 250
Skill: Can add 5% accuracy when clearing a stage?
Unlock: 131
Given instantly free on Mobile, unlocked normally on PC/Switch

Need to investigate what this actually does.

Buro

Schoolgirl Buro

Invincible during Fever. Almost useless in the Console/PC release since you can’t time your fever, but costumes are mostly for the cosmetics and she’s got a kicking backing track.

Idol Buro

HP: 200
Skill: 50% more XP
Unlock: ?

A great character to use form once you unlock her until you get the last unlock.

Zombie Girl Buro

HP: 250
Skill: Dying Mode
Unlock:?

The cutest little Jiangshi (Chinese Hopping Vampire) since Hsien-Ko.

Joker Buro

HP: 200
Skill: More combo score if Combo is over 60/70 (?)
Unlock: Level 132

Yowza. Not entirely sure what it means by “60/70” yet. May be tied to difficulty.

Marija

Violinist Marija

HP: 250
Skill: Can’t drop combos under 100
Unlock:?

A great beginner character, if you’re dropping lots of combos she’ll help keep your score respectable.

Maid Marija

HP: 250
Skill: Gain 150% more HP and get 2 seconds of invincibility when getting a red heart under 100 HP.
Unlock: ?

A cute costume, but the skill is far too situational especially with how rare red hearts are. Basically cosmetic like most costumes.

Magical Girl Marija

HP: 200
Skill: Get Fever 20% faster
Unlock:?

Hot, but again not as good on PC/Switch because you can’t trigger Fever manually.

Little Devil Marija

HP: 200
Skill: Get 25% more score knocking back enemies, lose 10 HP per second
Unlock:Level 133

Extreme hard mode character. It is impossible to survive basically any song with Little Devil Marija without using the Lilith elfin (and most are still impossible with her). Some songs with long stretches of few or no “perfectable” notes may also be impossible. She requires on average 300 beats per minute to stay alive, minus any hearts you might get before losing.

The Girl In Black

HP:250
Skill: Easily Knocks back enemies
Unlock: Level 131
Exclusive to Switch/PC early purchases

Easier to get perfect on enemies (I think). Sheets seem to be unaffected.

Elfins

Elfins are basically Passive Buffs in Muse Dash that help you gain score or try to keep you from failing songs.

WIP

Mio Sir

Extends Fever by 2 seconds. Useless on Switch/PC since you can’t control Fever.

Angela

Reduces damage by 6 each hit.

Rabot

Converts a Miss into a Great, three times per song. Does not work on Mash Attacks where you have to tap rapidly, or Sheet notes where you have to hold. A highly recommended Elfin that makes it much easier to get a Full Combo, provided you’re only a few mistakes away.

Little Nurse

Restores your HP by 10 each second for 15 seconds after your HP drops below 100, once per song only.

Little Witch

?

Dragon Girl

30% more Score when knocking back Boss attacks. Usually Lilith is better, but if a stage is mostly boss attacks she might be worth it.

Lilith

Adds 5% more score for each Perfect hit. Probably the best Elfin for score in almost all situations. Also heals Little Devil Marija 2 HP for each Perfect, a great combo. Most high-score videos use this and the Little Devil outfit.

Rank

It’s a music game, so there’s rankings, and prepare to be judged harshly. Any player with practice should be able to get up to S rankings on 5 star difficulty and below, but beyond that it starts to take increasing amounts of skill to really rank well. But don’t worry; you can unlock everything in the game (except some Master level stages you couldn’t beat anyway) by just clearing Easy tracks, no matter how well or poorly.

C

It’s actually kind of hard to score this poorly without losing the song. If you’re trying to get C rank for the achievements, try only clearing the bottom row; things only on the top row won’t hurt you, but will hurt your score, if you miss them.

B

If you barely make it through a song, you’ll get a B rank most likely. Your first tries through extremely hard songs will usually get these, so you don’t need to ‘farm’ them for the Achievements probably.

A

A perfectly presentable score, though not enough to get Master. If you get an A, you’re just a bit of accuracy away from an S, so keep practicing!

S

Often requires a Full Combo on lower difficulties, S is a rank anyone should be proud of, and enough to unlock Master difficulty if a song has one and you get an S on Hard.

Silver S

Added in an update as an upgrade to the original S, Silver S indicates an extremely high score but doesn’t have an extra unlock or do anything special.

Gold S

You’ll probably only see this if you use Sleepwalker Rin (and no you don’t get to keep your score with her). I assume it requires every beat perfect.

Achievements

Note that while the game doesn’t (yet?) have Steam Achievements, there are ingame achievements. Achievements give extra experience, making them nice ways to get unlocks quicker.

Hidden Unlocks

These aren’t listed in the Achievements page until earned, and come with unique rewards. I’ve only found one so far, let me know if you find more!

Give Up Treatment (Hidden)

Obtain: Clear a level 7+ Stage without collecting Red Hearts.
Unlocks: April Fool’s Day illustration
To get this, just beat MilK, the last of the Default Songs. It’s level 7 and has no Red Hearts anyway.

YouTube Content ID

Music games are usually the bane of YouTubers, but fairly few songs in the game seem Content ID’d. I’ll note them here.

  • Bass Telekinesis – Haloweak
    • Policy: Revshare enabled, not blocked in any countries.

Bugs

Android

After switching apps, the right side of the screen seems to refuse inputs sometimes. Restarting the game fixes it.

Addendum

Official Muse Dash Twitter Account

My Patreon

My Discord server

You can catch my Muse Dash Livestreams on my Twitch channel

Catch my past Muse Dash streams on Twitch

See articles for other Mobile Games

Support SirTapTap and these guides and articles on Patreon!
Become a patron at Patreon!
Avatar for SerTapTap

Author: SerTapTap

Gaming guide writer, content creator, streamer, UX designer, web developer, and a bunch of other stuff.

Whatcha Think?