Trombone Champ is a trombone-based rhythm game developed and published by Holy Wow Studios,[2][3] released on September 15, 2022.[4] Similar in gameplay to rhythm game titles Guitar Hero and Wii Music, players are tasked with timing their input to music note prompts as they appear on screen, with greater accuracy yielding more points and a higher score.[5][6][7] The debut indie title reached widespread popularity on Steam after becoming an Internet meme.[8][9][10] It was nominated for the British Academy Games Award for Debut Game,[11] as well as Family Game of the Year during the 26th Annual D.I.C.E. Awards.[12]
| Trombone Champ | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Developer(s) | Holy Wow Studios |
| Publisher(s) | Holy Wow Studios |
| Director(s) | Dan Vecchitto |
| Engine | Unity[1] |
| Platform(s) | Windows macOS Nintendo Switch |
| Release | Windows September 15, 2022 macOS January 23, 2023 Nintendo Switch September 14, 2023 |
| Genre(s) | Music, rhythm |
| Mode(s) | Single-player |
A standalone virtual reality version, Trombone Champ: Unflattened, is set for release by the end of 2024.
Gameplay
editTrombone Champ is a rhythm game in which players use a virtual trombone to play along to various songs, ranging from classical and public domain songs to original tracks and remixes. Players move the mouse to change the pitch of the trombone and use either the mouse button or keyboard keys to play. Players earn points by successfully hitting notes as they slide across the screen, with more points earned by maintaining successive combos and filling a meter that activates Champ Fever when filled, earning even more points. Missing notes, however, will cause the player to lose their combo multiplier and Champ Fever, as well as potentially lose points. Players will also momentarily run out of breath if they hold a note for too long.
At the end of each song, players receive a rank from F to S based on their score, as well as an in-game currency known as Toots. Toots can be spent on in-game trading cards known as Tromboner Cards, which contain humorous and sometimes fictional trivia about musicians, trombones, and game lore. Unwanted or duplicate cards can be transformed into Turds, which can then be spent to create new cards. Hidden throughout the game are non-playable characters who assist the player in becoming the eponymous Trombone Champ. By fulfilling requests such as offering a certain amount of Toots or Turds or trading specific Tromboner Cards, players can unlock additional playable characters, trombone colors, and sound sets. There is also a secret boss level that requires certain conditions to fully defeat and claim the title of Trombone Champ.
Development
editCreator Dan Vecchitto had long thought of an arcade video game based on moving a trombone-like slide controller, but the idea was always a joke. He later got the idea of using the mouse cursor to act as the trombone slide, and realized that there was a game concept behind that. His studio, Holy Wow Studios, was a group of part-time developers and while Vecchitto had thought it would take only about six months to realize the game, it ended up taking four years. Two features of the game forced the longer development time: the introduction of the Tromboner Cards, which was to parody loot box systems in other games, and a loose story involving baboons, which Vecchitto created in parody of the Dark Souls series' narratives.[13]
The studio ran a small open playtesting of the game a month ahead of its planned release, from which they received a far greater amount of feedback than expected. When the game was first fully released in September 2022, the reaction to the game went viral, drawing in more players and feedback. Due to this, Vecchitto said they were considering more features as well as potential console ports of the game.[13]
Initially released only for Windows, Trombone Champ became available for macOS users in January 2023.[14] A port for the Nintendo Switch was announced during a Nintendo Direct on September 14, 2023, and released on the same day.[15] The Switch version features alternative control schemes that use the gyroscopic and infrared sensors of the Joy-Con to play the game.[16]
Localization was added to the game on March 14, 2024, with support for ten languages.[17]
Trombone Champ: Unflattened, a VR adaptation by Flat2VR Studios supporting Meta Quest, Steam VR, and PlayStation VR2, is planned for release by the end of 2024.[18]
Track listing
editAs of September 9, 2024, Trombone Champ has a total of 67 playable tracks: 56 arrangements of public domain music, 9 original compositions, and 2 contributed compositions by third-party artists.[19][20] Developer Holy Wow Studios has expanded the number of playable tracks through free updates, and expressed interest in using future downloadable content to expand the tracklist as well.[21] In addition to the first-party included tracks listed below, there are unofficial mods that allow custom tracks such as "Through the Fire and Flames" and "One-Winged Angel" to be loaded into the game.[22][23][24]
Public domain Original Contributed
References
edit- ^ Saver, Michael (December 27, 2022). "Made with Unity: 2022 in review". Unity Technologies. Retrieved July 31, 2023.
- ^ "Trombone Champ's developers want to take the game "farther than we originally planned"". The Verge. September 22, 2022. Retrieved September 22, 2022.
- ^ Christopher Livingston (September 22, 2022). "Trombone Champ creator sounds off about baboons, trombone traphouse, and Goku vs Vegeta". PC Gamer. Retrieved September 23, 2022.
- ^ Carey, Kirsten (September 22, 2022). "The Internet Is Obsessed With the Absurdity of This Trombone Rhythm Game". The Mary Sue. Retrieved December 9, 2022.
- ^ Korn, Jennifer (September 22, 2022). "The internet's new favorite video game is like 'Guitar Hero' but with trombones". CNN. Retrieved September 22, 2022.
- ^ Clark, Nicole (September 21, 2022). "There is no song that cannot be improved by Trombone Champ". Polygon. Retrieved September 23, 2022.
- ^ "Play The Trombone Game, It's Great". Kotaku. September 21, 2022. Retrieved September 23, 2022.
- ^ "Trombone Champ is a new game that's exactly what it sounds like, and the videos are hysterical". For The Win. September 21, 2022. Retrieved September 22, 2022.
- ^ "Trombone version of "Guitar Hero" goes viral: "Best video game ever made"". Newsweek. September 21, 2022. Retrieved September 22, 2022.
- ^ "Trombone Champ is the internet's new favorite video game. The developer never expected the toots to go viral". NBC News. September 22, 2022. Retrieved September 23, 2022.
- ^ "2023 BAFTA Games Awards: The Nominations". BAFTA. March 2, 2023. Retrieved March 2, 2023.
- ^ "D.I.C.E. Awards By Video Game Detail Trombone Champ". Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences. Retrieved July 18, 2023.
- ^ a b Disndale, Ryan (September 30, 2022). "How Trombone Champ Evolved from an Inside Joke to a Viral Success". IGN. Retrieved September 30, 2022.
- ^ Holy Wow Studios (January 23, 2023). "Mac Version Now Available!". Steam. Valve Corporation. Retrieved September 15, 2023.
- ^ Silberling, Amanda (September 14, 2023). "The very memeable 'Trombone Champ' is coming to Nintendo Switch". TechCrunch. Retrieved September 14, 2023.
- ^ Hauges, Alana (September 14, 2023). "Trombone Champ Makes Noise On Switch With Gyro Controls Today". Nintendo Life. Retrieved September 15, 2023.
- ^ Holy Wow Studios (March 14, 2024). "Trombone Champ 1.20 Brings Localization to the Game!". Steam. Valve Corporation. Retrieved March 14, 2024.
- ^ https://www.engadget.com/gaming/trombone-champ-is-coming-to-vr-headsets-this-fall-193041345.html?src=rss
- ^ Pace, Emma (September 22, 2022). "Trombone Champ – Full Song List". Pro Game Guides. Retrieved September 22, 2022.
- ^ "'Terrible music and absurdity': introducing Trombone Champ, the internet's new favourite video game". The Guardian. September 23, 2022. Retrieved September 23, 2022.
- ^ Wait, Christian (September 22, 2022). "Trombone Champ Song List - All Tracks Confirmed". HITC. Retrieved September 22, 2022.
- ^ Wallace, Chris (October 11, 2022). "'Trombone Champ' offers its greatest challenge yet with 'Through the Fire and Flames' mod". NME. Retrieved November 7, 2022.
- ^ Petrovich, Erik (October 10, 2022). "The Most Infamous Guitar Hero Song Comes To Trombone Champ". SVG. Retrieved November 7, 2022.
- ^ Campbell, Cody D. (October 19, 2022). "Final Fantasy 7 Meets Trombone Champ In Hilarious Mod". SVG. Retrieved November 7, 2022.
- ^ Holy Wow Studios (September 21, 2022). "Trombone Champ - v1.03 is live!". Steam. Retrieved October 31, 2022.
- ^ Holy Wow Studios (September 29, 2022). "Trombone Champ - New Track: "Jarabe Tapatio," The Mexican Hat Dance!". Steam. Retrieved October 31, 2022.
- ^ Holy Wow Studios (October 15, 2022). "Trombone Champ - v1.07 is live!". Steam. Retrieved October 31, 2022.
- ^ Holy Wow Studios (October 30, 2022). "Trombone Champ - v1.08 is live!". Steam. Retrieved October 31, 2022.
- ^ Holy Wow Studios (November 14, 2022). "Trombone Champ - v1.085 is live!". Steam. Retrieved November 15, 2022.
- ^ Holy Wow Studios (November 30, 2022). "Trombone Champ - v1.087 is live!". Steam. Retrieved December 1, 2022.
- ^ Holy Wow Studios (December 7, 2022). "Trombone Champ - v1.088 is live!". Steam. Retrieved December 8, 2022.
- ^ Holy Wow Studios (December 15, 2022). "Trombone Champ - 1.089 is live, with Holiday Tracks!". Steam. Retrieved December 16, 2022.
- ^ Holy Wow Studios (January 3, 2023). "Trombone Champ - Version 1.0897 is live!". Steam. Retrieved January 4, 2023.
- ^ Holy Wow Studios (January 16, 2023). "Trombone Champ - v1.091 is live!". Steam. Retrieved January 17, 2023.
- ^ Holy Wow Studios (January 31, 2023). "Trombone Champ - Version v1.093 is now live!". Steam. Retrieved February 1, 2023.
- ^ Holy Wow Studios (February 10, 2023). "Trombone Champ - Update v1.095 is live!". Steam. Retrieved February 11, 2023.
- ^ Holy Wow Studios (February 24, 2023). "Trombone Champ - v1.096 is live!". Steam. Retrieved February 24, 2023.
- ^ Holy Wow Studios (March 17, 2023). "Trombone Champ - 1.098 is live!". Steam. Retrieved March 20, 2023.
- ^ Holy Wow Studios (April 1, 2023). "April 1st Update!". Steam. Retrieved April 7, 2023.
- ^ Holy Wow Studios (April 25, 2023). "Trombone Champ - v1.10 is out!". Steam. Retrieved May 1, 2023.
- ^ Holy Wow Studios (June 2, 2023). "Trombone Champ - Update v1.11 is live!". Steam. Retrieved June 3, 2023.
- ^ Holy Wow Studios (August 11, 2023). "Update v1.13 Brings a Trombone Customizer, New Track, and More!". Steam. Retrieved September 14, 2023.
- ^ Holy Wow Studios (September 13, 2023). "Update 1.14 brings "Down By the Riverside" and other improvements!". Steam. Retrieved September 14, 2023.
- ^ Holy Wow Studios (October 11, 2023). "Update 1.15 brings two new tracks and other improvements!". Steam. Retrieved October 11, 2023.
- ^ Holy Wow Studios (October 27, 2023). "Trombone Champ - 1.16 Brings Two New Tracks & Under-the-Hood Improvements!". Steam. Retrieved October 28, 2023.
- ^ Holy Wow Studios (November 17, 2023). "1.17 Brings Two New Tracks & Even More Improvements". Steam. Retrieved November 17, 2023.
- ^ Holy Wow Studios (December 12, 2023). "1.18 Brings Two New Holiday Tracks & Other Improvements!". Steam. Retrieved December 12, 2023.
- ^ Holy Wow Studios (January 25, 2024). "1.19 Brings Two New Tracks and Other Good Stuff Too". Steam. Retrieved January 25, 2024.
- ^ Holy Wow Studios (April 16, 2024). "Update 1.21 brings two new tracks and more!". Steam. Retrieved April 16, 2024.
- ^ Holy Wow Studios (June 4, 2024). "Update 1.22D brings three new tracks and more!". Steam. Retrieved June 4, 2024.
- ^ Holy Wow Studios (September 9, 2024). "Version 1.23 Brings 2 New Tracks, Better Solos... and a Level Editor Beta!". Steam. Retrieved September 9, 2024.
