LTTP: Thumper (This game is hard!)

Camstun187 · Apr 10, 2018

so I bought this for the Switch the other day, and it's a blast! The music and the simple but stylish graphics are intense as hell. It's what Nintendo should have done if they ever wanted to make a rhythm-based F-Zero game!!

I'm on 4-29 as we speak, and I must say, it's getting difficult getting higher than a C these days, and from the looks of it, it's the 4th of 9 chapters that I'm on.

I can only imagine how bonkers this game is going to get in difficulty.

Your thoughts on this underrated gem?

ghibli99 · Apr 10, 2018

Still on chapter 2, I think. I just gave up, and I consider myself to be pretty good at rhythm games. The icon mocks me when I look at my installed Switch backlog. It's something I do want to go back to someday, because I did enjoy what I played before it pissed me off. LOL

Camstun187 · Apr 11, 2018

No one else play this game?

I'm on the boss of chapter 4.

This is getting very very steep

Kaz Frankenstein · Apr 11, 2018

Loved it. Found it pretty easy tbh (1 S rank short of the platinum), but i think that's because i played it in VR. It's widely acknowledged to be the easier way to play it. Absolutely mesmerizing experience.

Ferrio · Apr 11, 2018

Camstun187 said:
Your thoughts on this underrated gem?

If you're not playing it in VR you're not getting the true Thumper experience. You become one with the beetle.

NateDrake · Apr 11, 2018

It's a brilliant game and can be incredibly challenging, yet rewarding. At one time I had a Top 5 score on the first stage, but have slipped to the Top 100.

Camstun187 · Apr 11, 2018

It is brilliant, but I'm starting to wonder if I got the chops to finish it off!

Mr.Deadshot · Apr 11, 2018

It gets harder with every level. I am still surprised that I could beat it because I normally suck at rythm games. But this game in VR was simply amazing so I was pretty motivated.

upandaway · Apr 11, 2018

I enjoyed it in the beginning but stopped playing around chapter 8 (after trying to force myself to play it since chapter 5). I was disappointed by it. It feels more like a fast reaction game than a rhythm game. I can't feel any specific beat so it just boils down to me just reacting to the visual cues, which gets old and boring really fast. The visuals are really pretty and cool but they get old too.

Maybe I'm missing something and there actually is a specific beat to the gameplay but I honestly couldn't figure it out, maybe I'm just not playing it right dunno. It doesn't feel like a rhythm game to me if I can't play to some kind of music

NateDrake · Apr 11, 2018

Camstun187 said:
It is brilliant, but I'm starting to wonder if I got the chops to finish it off!

Stick with it. Stage 5 can be pretty brutal, but soon the challenge mostly becomes trying to maintain your multiplier. You'll fail along the way, but if you aren't looking to rank an S/A on a segment, you will be able to complete a stage.

Ossom · Apr 11, 2018

I love it. On stage 5 I think, but need to get back in. I think I remember someone saying that the stage number is the time signature. That may be why some people struggle to follow the music on some stages. Not sure if true.

Deleted member 23046 · Apr 11, 2018

Camstun187 said:
Your thoughts on this underrated gem?

I don't think it's underrated, it is ? It's also available for iOS.

Beef Stallmer · Apr 11, 2018

Ferrio said:
If you're not playing it in VR you're not getting the true Thumper experience. You become one with the beetle.

So true. I feel bad for people who have to play it on a phone, a small tablet, or any non-vr medium really.

The game is still great imo, but this is one of those cases where I cannot go back to playing it without the headset

c0Zm1c · Apr 11, 2018

Just watching the Giant Bomb quick look was enough for me. It looks brilliant but too intense (for me.)

plngsplsh · Apr 11, 2018

It's great. I finished it recently - even managed to get the platinum, after some struggles. Persevere, you will get in the zone eventually. If you are stuck, then try to S-rank previous chapters. This way you will gradually learn to even hit the tricky parts, which is essential for later stages.

Quample · Apr 11, 2018

It's really cool in VR. It's been a while since I've played it. It's the kind of game I play for hours a day for a few days and then quit for a while due to the challenge, plus it's fairly repetitive and trying to perfect it gets a little old. Not that I was getting it perfect, I feel like from Stage 5 and on the vast majority of my scores were "C". I still haven't beat it yet. How many stages are there, 10? I think I'm on 7 or 8.

Edit: Looking at Steam looks like I only have 6 hours clocked. Feels like a lot longer, haha. I guess I only had maybe 3 real sessions with it.

san00ake · Apr 11, 2018

It is one of the most thrilling and intense games I've ever experienced, and that's saying something.
I can't believe I managed to finish that game, and I can't wait to try it out in VR soon :)

Deleted member 31873 · Apr 11, 2018

It's hard at first, but it can be done with practice. I S-Ranked every stage and got the Platinum.

That said, I'm not sure if I could've done it without VR. I tried playing it on my OLED C7 (21ms input lag) and for some reason I just can't play as well as I can in PSVR.

Maliq · Apr 11, 2018

I'm on last boss of stage 6. I really like it and yes, It's really hard. Has a great use of HD Rumble too.

Vinegar Joe · Apr 11, 2018

Ferrio said:
If you're not playing it in VR you're not getting the true Thumper experience. You become one with the beetle.

Yeah, the sensory deprivation makes it such an intense experience. There's nowhere to look but the never ending track and the music (amazing as it is) just creates a sense of doom.

Honestly, it sounds bad but it actually helped me concentrate. I won't say I'm any good at it though!

Deleted member 15428 · Apr 11, 2018

I have shit skill but keep at it and you'll finish it eventually. You might get shitty ranks but you can get to the end of the game if you're persistent enough. I did it and so can you!

butzopower · Apr 11, 2018

I love it, but can't play for more than a half hour before feeling stressed out. I think I'm around the end of chapter 4 or 5 and my fingers just start sweating to the point where I start missing beats.

I once got two of those perfect timings in a row where you drop from above on the second beat and it makes a massive bass sound that ripples through the track. Shit was satisfying and mildly synesthetic.

Teletext Dreamer · Apr 11, 2018

Kaz Frankenstein said:
Loved it. Found it pretty easy tbh (1 S rank short of the platinum), but i think that's because i played it in VR. It's widely acknowledged to be the easier way to play it. Absolutely mesmerizing experience.

Why is it easier in VR? Is it because of the sense of depth?
I've only played the Switch port.

Someone said in another thread that playing Thumper on Switch while travelling by train was amazing because of the added sense of (real) movement. I should try that someday.

Deleted member 31873 · Apr 11, 2018

Teletext Dreamer said:
Why is it easier in VR? Is it because of the sense of depth?

I think it's because the field-of-view in VR matches that of your eyes, which gives a much more accurate sense of distance.

There is also a visual effect in the non-VR version that distorts the view to appear kind of squished inwards from the sides, which makes it even worse. An effect like that wouldn't work in VR, so it was removed.

RoarOfTheEarth · Apr 11, 2018

The HD Rumble for this game is great on the Switch. I beat it, but I don't think I beat it very good. At around stage 7, I just started getting all C's and barely being able to beat it. I recommend that you keep going, it's a great game.

Otherist · Apr 11, 2018

I'd love to play it in VR someday. I'm happy with the Switch version for now though. Currently stalled somewhere in level 9 (a bit amazed I've even gotten this far, tbh). The boss battles are real assholes, Level 6's had me flummoxed for a while.

?oe?oe · Apr 11, 2018

I got it on Switch and I haven't touched it in a while. I'm on the final stretch and it's insane.

It's a gem though. A beautiful and haunting gem

Camstun187 · Apr 11, 2018

Glad you guys have given me hope.

Wozman23 · Apr 11, 2018

I originally made the OT on GAF, and returned to it at the beginning of this year to platinum it. I originally gave up because of the input lag on my TV, but I picked up a new TV late last year - the TCL 605 with its low input lag - so I figured I could probably give it another go, and I made it.

It is crazy immersive in VR. When it released, I tried it on a friend's VR setup and found that I could just see everything much better, mainly being able to anticipate the turns better, especially the ones that are in quick succession. I breezed through a couple levels on it, but found myself struggling again when I went back to my TV.

I remember the 5th stage giving me trouble originally because it introduces another mechanic. Some of the later ones get pretty insane too, especially when the are built around odd time signatures in meters of sevens and nines.

Nemesis Warlock · Apr 11, 2018

I could only do one or two levels in VR.

Crakhed is FUCKING SCARY AS HELL when you're riding behind the beetle in VR...

Alek · Apr 11, 2018

Ferrio said:
If you're not playing it in VR you're not getting the true Thumper experience. You become one with the beetle.

Hmm, I disagree with this. I had a VR gaming session with friends a little while back and almost all agreed that VR really added the least to Thumper, when compared to the other titles. It makes it visually more intense, but it doesn't add much else. Heck, the area behind you and to the side of you is a black void, there's absolutely no reason to look around, or need to adjust the camera perspective in a way that VR offers. It's arguably more immersive, but I don't think it offers much more than that and if anything, looking around with the headset is likely to break your immersion (compared to games like Rez, where adjusting the camera via the VR headset is integrated as a core mechanic).

One thing I will say about the VR headsets is that they are typically much more responsive than your average TV, so that may be a factor in what makes the game easier, but overall I don't find it any harder on my 4K monitor, or in the VR headset. If anything I get more visual fidelity on the 4K display, and as the monitor is designed for a lag free experience, the controls feel the same as they do in VR.

Deleted member 24550 · Apr 11, 2018

I loved the game up until world 5 when the one hit kill mechanic just destroyed all the fun I had as it turned into an annoying trial and error game.

Dr. Lucien Sanchez · Apr 11, 2018

This game is mind-blowing in VR. Was probably the experience that convinced me regarding VR.

Deleted member 9486 · Apr 11, 2018

It is tough by fun. I was also somewhere in world 4 on PC when I stepped away.

Rebought on PSVR and think I'm on world 3 there. I need to get back to it as it's incredible in VR.

Just too many great games out and pick up and play ones like this tend to get lost in the shuffle for me.

If you have a fight stick, it's a ton of fun to play with that. Slapping the button in rhythm is really satisfying!

Jahranimo · Apr 11, 2018

I got it last year when it hit the Switch. What an incredible game! Haven't felt so intense during a game ever before, and the HD rumble made all the beats and explosions feel really cool.

World 5 is where the game really started turning up for me. I still need to go through the last few worlds and get all S rank. Keep going OP and try to link together the combos when landing on the glowing spots. That's how you get your S ranks.

mindatlarge · Apr 11, 2018

Got to level 3 after downloading the game when it was on sale. Really enjoyed my time with it, especially once it clicked with me in terms of what the hell I was supposed to do. I think the game does a good job of ramping up the difficulty but it also doesn't hold your hand. Also stressed me out, haha. I'll probably fire it up again at some point and see if I can knock out some more levels.

Ferrio · Apr 11, 2018

Chronospherics said:
Hmm, I disagree with this. I had a VR gaming session with friends a little while back and almost all agreed that VR really added the least to Thumper, when compared to the other titles. It makes it visually more intense, but it doesn't add much else. Heck, the area behind you and to the side of you is a black void, there's absolutely no reason to look around, or need to adjust the camera perspective in a way that VR offers. It's arguably more immersive, but I don't think it offers much more than that and if anything, looking around with the headset is likely to break your immersion (compared to games like Rez, where adjusting the camera via the VR headset is integrated as a core mechanic).

One thing I will say about the VR headsets is that they are typically much more responsive than your average TV, so that may be a factor in what makes the game easier, but overall I don't find it any harder on my 4K monitor, or in the VR headset. If anything I get more visual fidelity on the 4K display, and as the monitor is designed for a lag free experience, the controls feel the same as they do in VR.

Well me and a few others in this thread think otherwise. Yes I agree on paper VR doesn't add much, but extra depth perception plus the isolation makes the game way easier in VR for me. It actually kinda surprised me since I didn't really expect that. I was playing in VR doing great one day. The next day I didn't want to set-up my VR equipment since I just wanted a quick session and I completely sucked and this was on a low latency monitor. Seems consistent to with all the times I've played it VR vs Non-vr. Thought maybe I was weird, but like I said this seems to be a fairly common observation from people who've played both versions.

Add a bit of weed and it's even crazier.

crazillo · Apr 11, 2018

This game on PVR was a defining gaming experience, being totally sober I almost felt like on drugs playing it, very hard to explain.

MegaSackman · Apr 11, 2018

Played the first two lvls last night and it's amazing! although you need to enter in zen state to play it but damn it is good.

TheIdiot · Apr 11, 2018

My problem with this game was the fact that there were "levels" and whatnot. You would play for 20 seconds and then get a rank, score, etc. complete with arcade-like video game sounds that broke up the flow of the dark atmosphere and music the game was creating.

Maliq · Apr 11, 2018

spekkeh said:
I loved the game up until world 5 when the one hit kill mechanic just destroyed all the fun I had as it turned into an annoying trial and error game.

Agree. That laser thing has turned the game from "hard to get good ranks" into "frustrating to complete levels". I still love the atmosphere of the game though.

Molto · Apr 11, 2018

Amazing game. I got the Switch version first and then double dipped when I got my PSVR. There's nothing wrong with the Switch version, it's a great port, but man...this game in VR is just next level. Seeing those bosses tower over you with the trippy visuals just encompassing you...so good

Camstun187 · Apr 12, 2018

I'm on level 8

Yeah, I agree with Spekk, the laser ring is not an enjoyable mechanic.

Still though, loving it!

ronaldthump · Apr 15, 2018

Btw, I couldn't be fucked putting on the PSVR headset the other day and tried to play thumper.

It's a big fat nope in 2D. Really needs to be played in VR.

FlashbladeERA · Apr 15, 2018

Beat it without vr on ps4 then again in vr and again on switch

Love this game!

upandaway said:
Maybe I'm missing something and there actually is a specific beat to the gameplay but I honestly couldn't figure it out, maybe I'm just not playing it right dunno. It doesn't feel like a rhythm game to me if I can't play to some kind of music

The visuals are a distraction, the sound is the key. Each type of obstacle has its own unique sound. You could almost play it blindfolded. Although, it can be a bit difficult since alot of the sounds run together, at that point you can fall back on what you see.

Arkage · Apr 15, 2018

Chronospherics said:
thing I will say about the VR headsets is that they are typically much more responsive than your average TV, so that may be a factor in what makes the game easier

Yep. Was much easier to get perfect slides and etc in VR due to the elimination of video lag. I imagine playing it on switch in handheld mode gives a similar benefit.

Though I would also say some of the sharp rapid corner turns are easier to read in VR even compared to a 4k TV due to VR giving a less congested/narrow view of the track.

Dmitriivanalexeipavel · Apr 15, 2018

i loved this game, it was like getting slapped in the face to rhythm

Cajun · Apr 15, 2018

I played through the game in one sitting the week it came out, and I was mentally exhausted by the end of it. Such a uniquely intense experience. Wasn't incredibly difficult though, and I played without VR. Going for high scores is the real challenge, with planning out stomps, extending airtime to grab rings, etc. Great game.

Bufbaf · Apr 15, 2018

Loved the Demo on PSVR and played a ton of it, it was hard, but once in the groove, I had no issues. On Switch on the other hand, I'm having immense problems, always reacting late, always missing upcoming obstacles. It's really frustrating, and I don't know why.

Kientin · Apr 15, 2018

Got to level 8 before getting distracted by something else. Gotta go back and finish it up.

LTTP: Thumper (This game is hard!)

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