osu!stream icon
osu!stream: Comprehensive Review of the Mobile Rhythm Game Experience

by Dean Herbert

3.3
IOSMusic Games
A free iOS rhythm game featuring community-created beatmaps with three gameplay modes. Tests timing and coordination through tapping, sliding, and spinning mechanics. Appeals to rhythm game enthusiasts seeking challenging mobile gameplay.

Detailed Review

osu!stream represents the mobile adaptation of the popular PC rhythm game osu!, developed by Dean Herbert for iOS devices. This free-to-play title maintains the core rhythm gameplay mechanics while optimizing them for touchscreen interfaces, positioning itself as an accessible entry point to the rhythm game genre. The app distinguishes itself through its community-driven content model and unique adaptive difficulty system. The application features three distinct gameplay modes: Standard, which follows traditional rhythm game patterns; Relax, offering a lower-pressure experience; and the signature Stream mode that dynamically increases difficulty based on player performance. Each mode requires precise timing for tapping, sliding, holding, and spinning gestures synchronized to musical beats. All beatmaps are community-created through a meticulous curation process, ensuring diverse content across multiple music genres and difficulty levels. The game's scoring system emphasizes combo maintenance and accuracy, with visual feedback provided through timing rings and hit circles. User experience varies significantly by device generation, with older iPhones providing stable performance while newer models encounter technical issues. The interface employs a clean, minimalist design with pulsating visual elements that correspond to musical rhythms. During gameplay, the screen displays concentric circles that contract toward hit targets, requiring precise finger coordination. Real-world usage patterns show players typically engage in short, intensive sessions due to the game's high concentration demands and physically engaging touchscreen interactions. User feedback reveals consistent praise for gameplay mechanics alongside persistent technical complaints. Reviewer 123xss23 (June 17, 2024) notes immediate crashing on iPhone 14 devices, while Chuck_chuck_curk (July 1, 2024) reports repeated application crashes during gameplay. Conversely, peyton the uwu (March 13, 2025) praises the refreshing experience and challenging difficulty curves. Multiple reviewers including Hdcbvkushebvkhjfdbvhkusfdhv (February 19, 2024) request expanded beatmap support through osz file imports. The application demonstrates strengths in gameplay depth and community content, though technical stability issues significantly impact modern devices. The adaptive Stream mode provides exceptional replay value for skilled players, while the free access model removes financial barriers. Limitations include inconsistent performance across iOS hardware and absence of custom beatmap import functionality. Ideal use cases involve rhythm game enthusiasts using supported older iOS devices seeking challenging, music-driven gameplay experiences without monetization pressures.

Key Features

  • Adaptive Stream mode dynamically increases difficulty based on player performance, ensuring continuous challenge progression
  • Community-created beatmaps offer diverse musical genres and difficulty levels, curated through meticulous selection processes
  • Three distinct gameplay modes (Standard, Relax, Stream) accommodate different skill levels and playstyle preferences
  • Precision scoring system emphasizes combo maintenance and timing accuracy with visual feedback mechanisms
  • Multi-touch gesture recognition for tapping, sliding, holding and spinning motions synchronized to musical rhythms
  • Completely free access model with no advertisements or in-app purchases, supported by open-source code availability

Why Users Love It

Community-driven content library
No monetization barriers

Perfect for: Rhythm game enthusiasts seeking free, challenging touchscreen gameplay

Screenshots

osu!stream screenshot 1osu!stream screenshot 2osu!stream screenshot 3osu!stream screenshot 4osu!stream screenshot 5

User Reviews

peyton the uwu
Mar 14, 2025

I’ve been playing regular osu with a mouse and keyboard since 2020 (so about 5 years now) and just now decided to give this version a try on my old iPhone, and wow is this an amazingly refreshing experience! I was not expecting the standard difficulty maps to be kicking my butt this hard!! The way the different mechanics are integrated into some of the maps is very fun and breaks my brain a little, forcing me to relearn some mechanics that I thought I was plenty familiar with. It actually dig up some bad habits that I didn’t even know that I had from playing the PC version. I also really enjoy how the “expert” difficulty is only playable after getting a good score on the “standard” difficulty, and honestly, as controversial of a change it would be, I really wish they did this in the main PC version of the game as well. Refreshing experience for osu players! I’ve been playing regular osu with a mouse and keyboard since 2020 (so about 5 years now) and just now decided to give this version a try on my old iPhone, and wow is this an amazingly refreshing experience! I was not expecting the standard difficulty maps to be kicking my butt this hard!!The way the different mechanics are integrated into some of the maps is very fun and breaks my brain a little, forcing me to relearn some mechanics that I thought I was plenty familiar with. It actually dig up some bad habits that I didn’t even know that I had from playing the PC version.I also really enjoy how the “expert” difficulty is only playable after getting a good score on the “standard” difficulty, and honestly, as controversial of a change it would be, I really wish they did this in the main PC version of the game as well.

Hdcbvkushebvkhjfdbvhkusfdhv
Feb 20, 2024

Hey its a good app but could you add osz support to import osu maps Good app but Hey its a good app but could you add osz support to import osu maps

Chuck_chuck_curk
Jul 1, 2024

I would like to play Osu!Stream again but it keeps kicking me out, I hope the app gets fixed or I hope it will get updated again. Because I really do miss playing Osu!Stream. It keeps kicking me out I would like to play Osu!Stream again but it keeps kicking me out, I hope the app gets fixed or I hope it will get updated again. Because I really do miss playing Osu!Stream.

123xss23
Jun 18, 2024

Great game I’ve seen it before but can you PLEASE make iPhone 14 users able to play this because when this got downloaded it crashed immediately. PLEASE and thank you. please make it able to play my device Great game I’ve seen it before but can you PLEASE make iPhone 14 users able to play this because when this got downloaded it crashed immediately. PLEASE and thank you.

Jaxxattaxx8008
Jan 14, 2024

This game never lacks to challenge you, the soundtrack is pretty decent, mechanics are easy to understand (idk how some of yall are confused just play the game) some of the songs are amazing imo just to listen to as music, the frame rate almost never lacks, maybe its just nostalgia for me but this game will always be on my phone 100% Been playing about 10 Years now This game never lacks to challenge you, the soundtrack is pretty decent, mechanics are easy to understand (idk how some of yall are confused just play the game) some of the songs are amazing imo just to listen to as music, the frame rate almost never lacks, maybe its just nostalgia for me but this game will always be on my phone 100%

App Details

Developer

Dean Herbert

Platform

ios

Rating

3.3

Last Updated

9/7/2025