Cadenza

A zero-dependency browser rhythm game built around public-domain music and Web Audio synthesis.

Experience

Cadenza is a four-lane browser rhythm game implemented in vanilla JavaScript. Each chart encodes pitches and durations, so tiles are both gameplay objects and the score: tapping a tile synthesizes its notes immediately through Web Audio.

Original banner from the public Cadenza repository.

Implementation

The game has no runtime dependencies or prerecorded audio. A compact chart DSL represents notes, rests, chords, holds, and two-lane events; a validator and continuous-integration check protect the chart library. Deterministic lane assignment makes charts reproducible while applying playability constraints.

Music, homage, and boundaries

The repository accepts public-domain compositions and traditional melodies, transcribed into its chart format by the author. Cadenza is an unofficial open-source homage inspired by Piano Tiles 2 and is not affiliated with Cheetah Mobile. It does not contain audio, artwork, code, or other assets from the original game. Public-domain status concerns the underlying compositions; the project’s transcriptions and code are provided under the repository license.

Artifacts and provenance