The circle 
of life doesn’t stop — even in the video game world. No matter how popular a game genre might be, it’s always in danger of becoming irrelevant.
Sometimes, that’s due to oversaturation, or perhaps interests have simply shifted elsewhere. While no video game death is permanent, several genres are in deep hibernation — and others are threatening to join them. Here are five game types in serious need of some extra lives.
Just when the music 
game genre was going stale, Groove Coaster comes along and not only turns it on its ear, but delivers a wonderful breath of fresh air. Rather than staying put and waiting on the notes to come to you, you’ll hop onto a winding track, touching the screen as your icon crosses flashing beats. That not only gives the game a sense of motion, it keeps you on your toes as your perception is challenged. (Is the next beat far away or just over the next hill?) That winding sense also helps to visualize the music. The firework-like explosion of light that accompanies successfully hitting each beat makes things even more challenging — but also much more fun.
How enjoyable is this game? It’s one of the very few you’ll sit through the credits for multiple times — since even those are playable.
Judged solely on the gameplay elements, Tap Tap 
Revenge 4 is a wonderful app. The familiar tap-the-screen-in-time-with-the-music style of play doesn’t get old, and the developers have picked a good selection of songs as a starter pack. Unfortunately, other elements, such as out of control commercialism and a chat room that resembles the wild west make it entirely inappropriate for young players. Ads are plastered everywhere, and the game regularly tries to convince players to buy additional songs. Chat rooms, meanwhile, are self-moderated — and offensive actions generally aren’t reported, since so many people are doing the same thing. That’s sad, because online gameplay is actually a lot of fun, letting you compare your skills to others.
Read more at Common Sense Media
[With Def Jam Rapstar, Konami and Autumn 
Games are trying to break into a genre whose peak may have already come and gone — Gamasutra editor-at-large Chris Morris looks at the risks.]
Launching a new IP is always risky. Launching it in the fourth quarter is doubly so. But launching it in the fourth quarter in a genre that peaked two years ago? That, some might argue, borders on madness.
4mm Games and Terminal Reality are giving it a whirl, though, with Def Jam Rapstar set to hit shelves on October 5.
Chris Morris: Journalist 