Thumper
Better Than Tubthumping
Thumper, in concept, is absurd. It’s a rhythm game, but it ignores the licensed songs and catchy melodies of traditional rhythm games in favor of an unforgiving, pulsating electronic/noise rock soundtrack. With its Lovecraftian monsters and foreboding atmosphere, Thumper plants its feet in the horror genre, a far cry from Just Dance and its ilk. The fact that this game was created by only two people further belies how amazing Thumper is.
In its entirety, the game is exhilarating. Exhilaration means my pulse races, my hands sweat, and my breath becomes ragged. My doctor alleges this is due to health problems, but I see these symptoms as evidence of butt-clenchingly intense experiences. When you fight a final boss, are neck-in-neck in a race, or are alive by the skin of your teeth, that’s exhilaration. Thumper dials you to that setting and beats you until you like it.
What is it?
Similar to Audiosurf, you take control of a beetle-like thing as it speeds down a seemingly endless path toward the void. You use only the control stick and A button throughout the game to accomplish turns, hit glowing buttons, jump over spikes, and shift lanes. As is expected of a rhythm game, these obstacles correspond to soundtrack’s heavy beat, and your successful (and perfect) moves add clanks, scrapes, and (dare I say) thumps to the music. Some obstacles, if flubbed, will damage your beetle, causing him to lose his protective outer shell. Land another mistake, and your beetle is decimated and sent back to the last checkpoint.
Apart from the first few levels, the game is crushingly difficult, so you will appreciate that checkpoints are frequents. Checkpoints also serve to split each of the game’s nine levels into bite-sized chunks. Each level features a mid-boss and a final boss, the latter of which returns for each level with an increasingly mutated and horrifying form. These bosses form the most challenging sections of Thumper because they require you to hit all glowing buttons in order to vanquish your foe, all the while navigating increasingly difficult obstacles. If you miss one button, you will be cycled through the same section until you thump each button consecutively and successfully.
Each level has its own leaderboards, allowing you to chase for the number one highscore and notice how many people gave up after the third level. Additionally, after completing the first level, the same stage is unlocked in Play+ mode, where you have to beat the whole sequence without checkpoints. Unlike in the normal mode, you cannot regain your outer shell should you lose it. True masochists will find their home here.
What’s good?
- The difficulty is fair even if it is brutal. Generally, a new mechanic is added at the beginning of each level in a brief tutorial section. Although you will die often, the majority of sections are short enough for you to identify the tricky spots, plan your next attempt, and reach the checkpoint. Some people will certainly dislike the level of difficultly, but with enough practice and patience, any section can be overcome.
- Bosses are fantastically dreadful and fun. Some appear as abstract geometric shapes; others manifest as monstrous creatures. Combined with the challenge they pose, landing the final blow is a satisfying feat.
- The ending is extraordinary. I will not give details because it is best to go in knowing as little as possible, but Thumper’s conclusion is one of the best I have ever experienced.
What’s bad?
- Both the environments and soundtrack could use a little more variety. This is a minor complaint because both elements effectively establish the game’s tone, atmosphere, and pace. However, at times, sound and setting can feel a little too familiar.
- When you suck, it sucks. Thumper reaches its peak when you pass obstacles in sync with the beat, but if you’re not on point, you can still hit turns and buttons slightly off-sync and live. When you’re off-sync, it can be difficult to regain the rhythm, which often results in damage later on. When you are damaged, the screen fills with your debris, obstructing your view and increasing your likelihood of crashing again and being sent to the last checkpoint.
- Turning in the air doesn’t feel as intuitive as the rest of Thumper’s mechanics. Later in the game, you are encouraged to nail perfect turns while flying, which allows you to continue flying and hit point-giving arches. Unlike the other mechanics, it took me some time (and a considerable amount of damage) to nail this move.
What’s the verdict?
Thumper deserves numerous accolades for its soundtrack, creativity, atmosphere, and unrelenting gameplay. My only wish is that I could experience this fever dream on the Playstation VR, but even on the Switch (docked or undocked), the whole trip is visceral. Thumper is the disturbed cousin of typical rhythm games—a distinction its developer embraces by labeling its own game as “rhythm violence”—and because of that, it’s a refreshing and innovative experience. Although this game may not be for everyone, for those who can stomach the difficulty, Thumper is the best non-Nintendo game you can grab on the Switch today.
Arbitrary Statistics:
- Score: 9
- Time Played: Over 10 hours
- Number of Players: 1
- Games Like It on Switch: VOEZ, Deemo