Rhythm Thief & the Emperor’s Treasure is a more substantial story told with cartoons interwoven with rhythm-action challenges. You play an 18-year-old boy with a secret identity as an art-thief. He’s searching for his father and, in order to find him, visits various French locations by completing music-rhythm challenges.

There is an abridged port for iOS devices, titled Rhythm Thief & the Paris Caper. This plays in a similar fashion although the story elements are more streamlined and the game combines the tapping and visual progression onto one screen.