Trombone Champ: Unflattened captures the comedic spirit of the hit rhythm game well, and it's out now for Quest, PC VR, and PS VR2. Here's our full impressions.
Holy Wow Studios had an undeniable hit back in 2022 with its 2D rhythm game Trombone Champ and two years on, Flat2VR Studios has taken this hilarious premise even further. Following Raicuparta's previous mod, Trombone Champ: Unflattened feels more like a brand-new game than a flatscreen port, building upon the existing foundations well to deliver ridiculously silly fun.
Trombone Champ: Unflattened gameplay footage on Quest 3 captured by UploadVR
I went hands-on before today's launch with the Quest 3 version, and I remain impressed at how well this adaptation's been handled. Moving from 2D flatscreen levels to a 3D concert hall, you'll perform for an audience of Mii-like characters that aren't afraid to go from euphoric approval to outright disgust. You've got a difficult crowd to please, and seeing your performance well received feels great.
The core mechanics are pleasingly close to the original game. In Double Mode, notes appear on your left and right, and you can only toot for so long before running out of breath. Maintaining combos is pleasingly rewarded with a score multiplier, gradually filling out a 'CHAMP meter' that awards more points. You're then ranked from F to S, and your highest scores are then uploaded to the online leaderboards for a more competitive edge.
However, you may recall that my biggest problem in my impressions several months ago was the controls. I initially struggled with the disconnect between your physical movement — the trombone's slider needs you to move your hand forward and backward — and the notes appearing up and down the screen. My initial belief was that this would feel better with practice, and while it's still a slight issue, this turned out to be true.
Perhaps helped by playing in the comfort of my own home over a shorter demo, I've gradually become more attuned to this unique control scheme and I stop thinking about it after a while. One gameplay option that really helps is 'Classic Mode,' which presents the notes in a single lane, much like the original Trombone Champ. Double Mode makes better use of the 3D environment, but it's a welcome alternative if you're struggling to keep focus between two lanes at once.
Quest 3 screenshots taken by UploadVR
There's also mixed reality support that lets you place the concert hall in your play space. Trombone Champ isn't a game that requires any real physical movement beyond the immediate motion controls, so MR isn't as essential as games where you risk running into nearby objects or potentially hitting your wall. That said, it's a nice idea if you're someone who prefers tooting away in your living room.
You'll likely spend most of your time in the campaign, which involves clearing challenges like getting a certain rank, hitting notes perfectly a set number of times, or reaching a certain combo length. It's not too in-depth, not that it needs to be, and these challenges are a pleasant motivation to practice. Reaching the final boss requires clearing every single one of them, which is becoming quite tedious, and I'm currently about 50 away from completion.
If mopping up challenges isn't for you, there's good replayability across the additional modes. Free Play mode lets you freely choose from this mostly classical selection of tracks, going from all-timers like When The Saints Go Marching In to unusual takes on modern genres like Ska. I'm still laughing even when butchering songs, as proven by my horrible rendition of Night on Bald Mountain. Elsewhere, the Improv Mode is a good way to freely try out different ideas.
Clearing songs earns you 'Toots', the in-game currency used for buying new collectible cards. In turn, cards are then used for unlocking new trombones and the differences are purely cosmetic. Between decorating the trombones with paint and physically holding the cards is a great touch, and it's clear the developers got creative with officially adapting this for VR.
Quest 3 screenshots taken by UploadVR
Looking back at my Gamescom demo, it's clear that I needed more time with Trombone Champ: Unflattened to better appreciate what's being offered here. It's a rare game that can get me laughing at my own failures. Despite my control issues, it's a great debut effort from Flat2VR Studios that's highly charming and after five hours, I'm having a great time.
Trombone Champ: Unflattened is out now for $15 on the Meta Quest platform, Steam, and PlayStation VR2.
