Trombone Champ
Review

Trombone Champ (2022) is a rhythm-action game where you play a trombone in time to on-screen directions. Play is unlike other music games, because you can play a trombone note at any time and the focus is on fun musicality rather than accuracy. It stands out because of how approachable it is, and how anyone can create a rendition of classic songs with little experience.

You work through a growing number of tracks, aiming to hit both the note (controlled by the mouse position) and the blowing (controlled by a button. The challenge it combining the note position to match the note-track of the song and then timing when and how long to blow.

Though it probably won't help you clear the hardest songs, Steam Deck designer Lawrance Yang recently tweeted out footage of him playing the game using the system's gyro controls. They "may not be the most accurate for Trombone Champ," he said, "but they're definitely the most fun."

The results is a game that is as endearing as it is frustrating. Although many younger players (and adults) find this really tricky to play, the result of their efforts that can be shared online are surprisingly compelling to watch. It's a great game to watch as well as play, particularly if the player commits to singing the lyrics while they play.

Our examiner, Andy Robertson, first checked Trombone Champ 14 months ago. It was re-examined by Jo Robertson and updated 4 weeks ago.