Trombone Champ Switch Review

It was earlier this week when I reviewed Sonar Beat that I proclaimed that rhythm games are few and far between on the Switch… That was until the Nintendo Direct earlier this week when they announced a rather odd rhythm game I simply had to try out. So charge your controls, get your earplugs, and prepare to toot as Trombone Hero is here on the Nintendo Switch in all its glory! Trombone Champ has everything for the Trombone enthusiast… Baboons, Hot Dogs, Questionable facts about Trombones, and a Dark Souls. Inspired. Story? Hold up, I think we better take a deeper dive here.

Trombone Champ is very similar to the Guitar Hero series where you line up notes and toot away to 50 songs ranging from Mozart classics, Baseball songs, and even the American National Anthem if you’re feeling particularly patriotic. The game is absolutely hilarious as you toot away to the Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy, with neon lights and the Trombone salute sounding in the background as you hit those perfect notes. I found myself unable to contain my laughter as I played through the songs on offer in this ludicrously fun game.

When you complete a song, you are awarded “toots” which allow you to buy packs of trading cards. You can also convert double-ups to “poops” and use that currency to craft new cards to max out your collection. Some cards are informative, documenting the lives of history’s most significant Trombone players and their exploits, whereas others like the “Blue Eyes White Baboon” serve more as a humourous look into the wacky world of Trombone Champ

It’s this level of humour and absurdity that kept me laughing out loud while playing, so much so, I had to pause playing it as it was late at night and I didn’t want to incur the wrath of my neighbors by tooting and laughing all night. It’s this humour that makes Trombone Champ such a blast to play. Whether it be the funny animations, the comical sound of trombones, or the questionable facts on the loading screens, there’s a very quirky and fun vibe to the game which doesn’t take itself too seriously.

But on a more serious note, Switch owners have been blessed with several control options and accessibility features so the game is fun for people of all skill levels. Control schemes are well thought out for both docked and handheld modes, and the difficulty can be tweaked, which allowed me to play this hilarious game with my kids. Control methods range from using the right stick, tilt controls, or full-blown motion controls for the ultimate trombone experience!

Multiplayer is a simple affair, that sees up to 4 players (who can choose their preferred control method) and chaotically play through the entire list of songs to somewhat disastrous results. My only complaint here is that it can be hard to see your markers in 4-player mode, but that really adds to the fun when things go sideways during a performance. You still unlock toots for trading cards while playing in Multiplayer too, fast-tracking your way to completing the collection.

Trombone Champ is very fun, especially as a party game. There are plenty of songs you may not know by name, but once the screeching toots of your trombone hits the notes, you will sense the familiarity in most of the songs available to play at launch. It’s competitively priced at $15 AUD and will have you laughing at the absurdity of the frantic and fun action while playing a song. The inclusion of trading cards and generous accessibility options means the game will keep you coming back for more. If you’re looking for something a bit different from the norm, Trombone Champ should be your next E-shop purchase.

So What’s it like?

Trombone Champ is like Guitar Hero crossed with Wii Music.