We're big fans of Thumper here at Nintendo Life, awarding it a 9 in our review - its 'rhythm violence' approach is heart pounding, challenging and a blast on Switch. A game that made its name on PSVR, the option with Nintendo's system is to have it on the TV or on the go, preferably with a good pair of headphones plugged in.
For those that have been on the fence with this one there's a little extra incentive - a 25% discount is live in the North American and European store.
It's normally $19.99 / €19.99, so you'll be able to pick it up for $14.99USD / €14.99 until 2nd October.
Are you tempted to pick this up?
Comments 37
I’ve watched videos of it, but can’t quite grasp how it actually plays. Everything moves so fast.
This game is intense and beautiful! The rumble feels really nice too. Pick it up if you are looking for a unique rhythm experience. It's challenging but very satisfying.
@justin233 Glad to know I'm not the only one. I still don't know what it is that one does in the game. But at this price and based on reviews I'm tempted to try it.
It's good and visually entrancing but JEEZ it gets demanding
Wish there was a demo...
What exactly is the aim of the game? Because it sounds overly simplistic ("one button and a joystick") and only 9 levels for £15 or whatever it is.
Looks like a game I'd need to try before buy.
Plus have to now watch the pennies this month after forgetting to cancel my spare SNES Mini order.
I would need to try it first, I can't really tell how the game plays with the videos i've seen. A demo..please?
YES! I will pick this up. I have it on my wishlist for such a sale!!
@FX102A Pretty sure you'll have extra cash if you sell it.
Just what I was waiting for!! Thanks for telling us.
And I just put $100 for Mario, Dig 2 and this but didnt get any. Great timing!
Ten bucks is the magic number for me, so see you next year, Thumper.
As anyone who's played this can confirm, this game is really a must buy! A one of a kind experience, especially with headphones and detached joy-cons! Showcases the HD rumble in a awesome way, but can get a bit brutal on latter stages, it's exhilarating and the music + visual will leave you on a kind of trance state; just don't forget to blink or breathe!
@mauroh breathing is no issue, but I can't blink while playing this. Great game and a must buy if you even remotely interested in it.
One of the best games on the Switch
@gcunit I could but I'd only want to get my money back so at such a price likely to get snagged up by a scalper. Surprisingly not having great luck finding a buyer.
Though probably will FB it amongst friends once it arrives.
Its a belter but you do need either good headphones for handheld or a good sound system for docked as the soundtrack is a key part of the game and has lots of deep, low-end bass and beats.
Those wanting to know how it plays, you are moving very fast on a rail. You have to turn on corners and hit the button on the lot parts of the rail. This is all done in time to the music so even someone like me who sucks at games like Rock Band can do it.
Guaranteed to get the heart pumping
Played this on a mates Switch. It's a great game. And at €15 that's pretty decent. But my backlog is long enough as it is.
@FX102A You in the US or UK? I'd be down to snag it if you don't have to ship overseas.
It really is an interesting but hard rhythm game
@nab1 I don't quite get how you play the game either. I might buy the game and find out for myself.
@justin233 @nab1 @wazlon These might help you guys:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LcfoZ8iotqU
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yy9QmxC1qBA
DISCLOSURE: the guy in the first video is pretty damn excited and kind of hyperactive AND using quite a few F-bombs, but look past all that and you'll get the message of the game just fine...
The videos aren't of the Switch version, but the gameplay is exactly the same, and they do a more than decent job of explaining the game, it's purpose and it's pros and cons.
Basically, Thumper is just a rhythm game, albeit with an almost other-worldy, kind of hard rock/electric pop flavor with a sci-fi twist, and for that reason, it has already gotten the nickname of being a "rhythm violence" game.
Timing your moves right is basically continuing/making the rhythm, and in certain areas, it can definitely make your heart race with excitement. I personally think that the name Thumper is VERY appropriate...
And it's actually a great experience on a big screen, especially with a good sound set, because the beat can really draw you in while playing. People saying this is bad either just don't like rhythm games and shouldn't have bought it in the first place, or they simply don't understand it.
In it's genre, it's definitely one of the better games around, and it has rightfully been awarded multiple times for that very reason. Far as I'm concerned, it's a must buy for Switch owners, provided you like this type of game or if you're willing to try it out.
@ThanosReXXX Well, I can't be trusted with a credit card, I went ahead and bought it earlier, will try it out tonight
But thanks for the info, it makes sense. I like rhythm games, this kinda reminds me of Rez (Dreamcast/XBLA), which I absolutely adored, so I think I'll like Thumper.
@nab1 You're welcome. And I do believe I've still got a spare pair of scissors lying around somewhere, in case you wanna prevent any future impulse purchases...
Be sure to use a decent pair of headphones when playing in portable mode, it's the closest you'll get to the experience of a big screen and a surround set.
And be sure to let me know what your final verdict is.
Like others have said, if there were a demo and I could try it, I might get it. But as is I don't know enough of the game and I need to curb my impulse buys recently.
@alasdair91 If you want to know more about the game, the "Let's Play"/review videos I posted in comment #26 might help you out.
And it definitely isn't a small or short game. It is true that it "only" has 9 levels, but each level consists of several stages, and there's more stages in each level. The first one starts with 14, and from then on, numbers of stages rapidly grows per level.
And of course there's the whole "perfect score" incentive. You can go through the first few levels with a B or even a C rank, but later on, higher scores are needed to be able to continue, and let's be honest: who doesn't want to have that perfect double S score?
Here's also a good review that explains more about the levels and stages and so on:
https://www.bit-tech.net/reviews/gaming/thumper-review/1
Bottom of the first page has (some of) those numbers I mentioned...
@Heavyarms55 The comments (#26 & #30) I posted here might help you too, or at the very least tell you a bit more about the game. Hope that helps.
Sounds right up my alley. Can't pick it up this period to take advantage of the discount unfortunately but definitely down the road.
Still think it’s too much money for what it is. I might pick it up if it drops to 10
Fantastic game, visuals, HD rumble. It's 9 levels x many, many sub levels. Getting really hard after the 4th level. Intense. Must buy.
Tempting... Already bought it for VR, but with Switch I can play this on the toilet.
This is such a cool, creepy, lonely feeling game.
The discount just lured me in. So far I really like it. If you're wondering how it plays, my comparison would be if you could imagine Trent Reznor made a vertical version of Bit.Trip Runner.
It's very fast paced and I love the challenge and soundtrack. Perfect for short bursts so it won't add to your backlog so much as sidle on up to it and give it a knowing wink.
Amazing game. Get it if you haven't.
@ThanosReXXX I got through the first level night, after the boss,andI like it It seems different from other rhythm games because others require you to hit the inputs at the exact right time, whereas in Thumper with the curves and others you can hit it just before and it doesn't seem to affect the beat, and instead focuses more on having the correct reaction and not messing up (ever ). The music is great so far, and the graphics are amazingly clean.
Overall, I like it and will definitely play it a lot. It's challenging but retrying is so quick that so far it hasn't been an issue. I can only imagine how the latter levels will be
@nab1 Good to hear you like it: I would loathe to hear people being dissatisfied with a game that I more or less marketed to them...
Better do some psychological preparations and zen meditation before you dive into those later levels: they're either going to amp your excitement and heart rate up so high, you'll feel like having to rush to the ER for a safety check, or they will frustrate you to tears, to a point where controllers flying through your room may become a daily occurrence...
But seriously, though: the later levels get more expansive, with more stages, and around and after level 4 they get considerably harder, especially if you want to achieve those higher ranks. And even the shorter stages amongst them are still killing at times, with insane sequences that will require all your attention and reflexes, but practice does make perfect, or at least perfect enough to be able to finish the game, if you keep calm and stick with it.
As for the rhythm: it's true that you don't have to press EXACTLY on them all the time, but it does affect both the rhythm AND your final rank at the end of the level, so if improving yourself in this game is something you're into, it is well worth honing your skills until you DO hit them all perfectly.
The graphics actually remind me of 70's and early 80's rock and disco albums, which also had a lot of these "chrome and rainbow" graphics. And it's also the setting that makes the game great: instead of other rhythm games, you're a lonely space beetle, trying to survive in the vast endlessness of space.
Coupled with the music and the graphics that actually made quite a strong impression on me personally. It comes across as weird, a bit creepy, yet still alluring enough for me to have tried it out, and after a few levels, it had already reeled me in...
Oh, and in case you're wondering: I played it on PC, I don't have a Switch (yet) but it's the same game, so the experience will largely be the same, save for the PC not having HD Rumble, or a handheld option, obviously.
Tap here to load 37 comments
Leave A Comment
Hold on there, you need to login to post a comment...