GAME · RELEASED
Thumper
Guide a metal beetle down a fast, musical track, timing thumps, turns and slides to survive each stage.
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Game Overview
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Developed · Drool
Thumper is a rhythm-action game about a small metal beetle racing along a track. You look forward from behind the beetle and react to shapes coming toward it. A white rectangular marker is a thump: press the action button as you pass over it. A bend in the track asks you to hold the button and steer into the turn. A red bar can be passed by holding the button to slide. The movement is fast, but the first level introduces actions one at a time rather than asking you to know everything immediately.
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The soundtrack and impacts are part of the timing. It helps to watch the next marker on the track instead of staring only at the beetle. Missing a thump can break your scoring streak, and a crash can damage your protective shell. You can finish a section without a perfect rank; replaying for an A or S is a separate challenge after you know how to survive. Later stages add jumping, pounding, lane changes and tougher boss patterns. The gallery below shows the beetle, the track, a looming boss and the changing colours around the route. Our illustrated first-level guide explains what each early obstacle looks like and which controller or keyboard input it needs.
Drool developed and published Thumper. The original release arrived on PC and PlayStation 4 on October 10, 2016, with a PlayStation VR version at launch. The game also works on an ordinary screen; VR is an optional way to experience it, not a different game. Drool recommends a traditional controller on PC, though the official manual lists keyboard inputs too. That manual is the best reference if you want the exact button mapping for your device.
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