Trombone Champ Brings Its Unique Brand of Rhythm Game Fun to Nintendo Switch
When Trombone Champ first emerged on Steam last September, it sparked a wave of internet excitement. This rhythm game is similar in concept to Guitar Hero, but with a few key differences. Instead of wielding an electric guitar, players take on the challenge of mastering a trombone. If you can’t quite get the hang of it, be prepared for some hilariously bad renditions of classic songs like "Auld Lang Syne" or Beethoven’s symphonies.
The game has now made its way to the Nintendo Switch, and based on the trailer unveiled during the recent Nintendo Direct livestream, we can expect even more laughs. Players will have two different methods at their disposal to control the trombone using Joy-Con motion controls. The first option allows for hand movement in conjunction with the Joy-Con, mimicking the slide action of a real trombone. Alternatively, players can simply move the Joy-Con up and down.
These controls are reminiscent of the motion-controlled games that were popular on the Wii back in the day. While it may take some time to get accustomed to this unique control scheme, the end result is sure to be entertaining for both experienced gamers and newcomers alike.
But don’t worry if you’re not quite ready to step up to the challenge just yet – there are those who have already mastered the art of Trombone Champ. In fact, some creative individuals have taken it upon themselves to create custom mods that add notoriously difficult songs like "Megalovania" from the cult classic Undertale to the game’s library (see: one of my favorite videos on the internet). As one YouTube commenter so aptly put it, "Internet rule 100: if it exists, there’s a Megalovania of it."
Not everyone has been as fortunate in their attempts at mastering Trombone Champ, but for those who have genuinely enjoyed the game, it’s clear that it has its fans. A reviewer from PC Gamer went so far as to call it "a game of the year contender," and even included a short video of themselves playing the game in their review.
"It’s not often I paste a short video of me playing a game into the PC Gamer work Slack and other writers immediately buy it on Steam," they wrote.
And now, for those who don’t have access to a PC, there’s finally a chance to join in on the fun. Trombone Champ is set to launch on the Nintendo Switch this Thursday, with a price point of $14.99 – the same as its Steam counterpart. The aptly named expansion pack, "Wow I Might Refer To This As Tooting: The Trombone Champ Soundtrack Collection Vol. 1," will also be available for purchase at a price of $3.99.
While this expansion pack may not currently be available on the Switch (at least, not yet), players can look forward to enjoying over 50 songs in the base game. For those looking to mod their experience and add even more challenging tracks to the mix, it’s worth noting that Trombone Champ might prove a bit more difficult to customize on the Switch than it was on PC.
So, without further ado – let the brassy fun begin!
