SUPERSTAR ATEEZ

Review by eFreeware

If you already listen to ATEEZ and you like the idea of turning those songs into something you can practice, score and compete at, SUPERSTAR ATEEZ is the obvious place to start. It is a free rhythm game from Dalcomsoft that runs on the group's own catalog, from the earliest releases through to the newest, and it has been built for people who want a reason to replay a track rather than just stream it once.

The pitch is straightforward: tap along to the music, collect cards of the members, and measure yourself against other players in weekly and seasonal competitions. Nothing here asks you to know music theory or own a console. The install base sits above half a million, and the average rating of 4.9 across roughly 36,000 ratings suggests the people who play it tend to stay with it.

What I find appealing about this setup is that the music is the point, not a backdrop. The developer promises a new song every week, which gives the whole thing a reason to be reopened rather than finished and forgotten. That rhythm of fresh material is what separates a fan game like this from a one-off download.

One group, one catalog, no filler

This is a single-artist game, and it makes no apology for that. Everything in it is ATEEZ: the tracks, the card art, the voice clips, the themes. If the group's discography is what you want to play through, that focus works in your favor, because the developer is not spreading attention across a dozen acts.

The song list is described as spanning debut material up to the latest releases, with new additions arriving weekly. That matters more than it might sound. A rhythm game lives or dies on whether the music keeps coming, and a weekly cadence keeps a catalog from going stale.

Difficulty is handled with a range from EASY through to HARD, and the developer frames it as something you customize for yourself. That is a sensible way to run a game like this, because the gap between someone who has never played a rhythm game and someone chasing a world record is enormous. Being able to sit at a comfortable level and move up when you are ready is what keeps a broad audience playing the same tracks.

The game arrived in mid-August 2021, so there is a real backlog of songs behind it rather than a launch-day handful. For a fan picking it up now, that means the early weeks are less about waiting for content and more about working through what is already there.

How a session actually runs

The core loop is the familiar one for this genre: pick a song, pick a difficulty, and tap notes in time with the music. The developer describes difficulty levels running from EASY to HARD, so the same track can serve as a warm-up or as a genuine test depending on where you set it.

Around that sits the card system. You collect cards of the ATEEZ members, including limited themes that are tied to particular songs, and you upgrade them into more elaborate and more powerful versions. The cards are not just decoration, which gives the collecting a purpose beyond filling a gallery. The limited cards are the ones tied to specific releases.

There is also a moving photo card feature and ATEEZ voice running through the game from start to finish. For a fan, that is the layer that turns a rhythm game into something more like a small piece of the group's world.

One practical note from the developer: if notes are not registering smoothly, there is a display setting option to check. That is a useful thing to know before you conclude the game is broken, and it costs nothing to try.

Leagues, records and the weekly routine

Competition is where the long-term pull sits. There is a weekly league where you aim for a high ranking and collect rewards for it, and a monthly My Records challenge that asks how far you can push yourself. On top of that, the developer runs seasonal world record attempts, which is the closest thing here to a leaderboard you can point at.

Those three cycles operate on different clocks, which is a smart design choice. A weekly league gives you a short-term target, the monthly record gives you a medium one, and the seasonal competition gives you something to build toward over a longer stretch. If you respond well to having a score to beat, this is the structure that will keep you coming back.

Missions and events fill in the gaps. Weekly missions come with rewards, plus special rewards around artist comebacks and anniversaries. Prizes are said to include limited theme cards and signed CDs, which is a notably fan-oriented reward rather than an in-game currency.

The competitive framing is worth thinking about honestly. Ranking systems reward consistency, so the players who do best are usually the ones who show up every week rather than the ones who are naturally gifted. If you enjoy that kind of routine, the league structure gives it a shape.

What it costs and what comes with it

SUPERSTAR ATEEZ is free to download, and the developer is upfront that some paid items carry a charge. In-app purchases are part of the package, and the game also carries advertising.

Notification access is optional, and the app can be used without agreeing to the optional permissions, though some functions may be limited if you decline.

A support email is available for questions, which is a reasonable sign for a game that runs on events and timed rewards. If something goes wrong with a reward or a purchase, having that channel matters.

The most recent update changed the app icon and addressed several bugs while improving stability. That is housekeeping rather than new content, but it does indicate the game is being kept in working order.

Where the appeal wears thin

The clearest limitation is the one built into the concept: this is ATEEZ and nothing else. If you are not already invested in the group, the card collecting, the voice clips and the themed rewards will not carry much weight, and the rhythm gameplay on its own is a well-worn formula.

The weekly and seasonal structure also asks for a certain kind of attention. Leagues, monthly records and comeback events all reward showing up regularly, which suits players who like a routine and sits less comfortably with anyone who wants to dip in occasionally. That is not a flaw so much as a shape, but it is the shape you are signing up for.

Advertising and in-app purchases are both present, and certain items cost money. How much that matters depends on how you play, but it is part of the deal from the outset.

Finally, the permission list is longer than some players will be comfortable with. The optional notification permission can be declined, but the required set is required.

A rhythm game for the already-converted

SUPERSTAR ATEEZ knows exactly who it is for, and it serves that audience well. If ATEEZ's music is already part of your listening, this turns it into something you can practice, collect around and compete at, with a steady supply of new songs and a competitive structure that rewards regular play.

The card system gives the collecting a mechanical purpose, the leagues and records give you something to chase, and the reward pool leans toward things a fan would actually want. The free download, the ads and the in-app purchases are the trade-offs, and they are stated clearly enough that you can decide before installing.

I would point this at fans of the group who enjoy score chasing and do not mind a weekly routine. For anyone outside that audience, the single-artist focus is the whole experience, and it is not pretending otherwise.

What's new in version 3.32.3

The app icon has been changed. Fixed several bugs and improved stability.