Released in 2012 for the Nintendo 3DS and Nintendo DS by developer Xeen, Rhythm Thief & the Emperor's Treasure is a music, puzzle, and adventure game set in Paris. Players follow Raphael, a thief notorious for stealing famous artworks and then quietly returning them. The story centers on his search for the Wristlet of Tiamat and the truth surrounding his father's disappearance. Gameplay unfolds through a variety of rhythm-based challenges that make use of the DS hardware's input options — tapping the touchscreen, swiping the stylus, and tilting via the gyroscope, all in time with the music. Between challenges, players navigate a stylized version of Paris rendered through animated sequences and colorful 3D maps. The game blends its narrative and musical mechanics across an assortment of distinct rhythm stages, each testing a different combination of timing and input control.
