Chiptune Champion
- January 7, 2016
- Blake Garner
Solid and definitely has an audience. There could be some hard-to-ignore faults, but the experience is fun.
Get on Steam"Chiptune Champion" is a rhythm game that challenges you to play along to catchy chiptune melodies using your keyboard. With two game modes, three difficulty levels, and a variety of official songs to choose from, you can test your skills and rise to the top of the weekly and all-time leaderboards. You can also track and share your own custom songs via the Steam Workshop, and earn achievements as you progress. Customize your keys for a personalized experience.
PC
Windows
Reviews
- The chiptune music is fantastic and catchy, providing a nostalgic experience for fans of the genre.
- The game offers a track editor and Steam Workshop support, allowing players to create and share custom songs.
- The gameplay is challenging and can be rewarding once players adapt to the controls, especially with a guitar controller.
- The timing for hitting notes is overly sensitive, making it frustrating for players to achieve accuracy.
- There is no native controller support, which limits the gameplay experience for those who prefer using a guitar controller.
- The workshop integration is cumbersome, requiring players to manually sync songs and beatmaps, which can be tedious.
- music363 mentions
- 26 % positive mentions
- 68 % neutral mentions
- 6 % negative mentions
The music in the game is predominantly chiptune, which many players find enjoyable and nostalgic, evoking memories of classic 8-bit games. While the original soundtrack is praised for its catchiness, some users note that the novelty can wear off, and there are complaints about the limited song selection and occasional desynchronization between notes and music. The inclusion of a custom song creator and Steam Workshop support adds replayability, but the process of adding custom tracks can be cumbersome.
“The music makes me feel like I've been cast into an 8-bit film.”
“So... why have I recommended this game...? Well... for starters, the music is fantastic.”
“The music is absolutely great - a wonderful selection of chiptunes you'll be walking around humming for days.”
“The keyboard causes a huge disconnect between myself and the music, personally.”
“The novelty of 'chiptune' music also gets old fast.”
“Even on sale it's tough to recommend since the songs are boring and the controls feel unresponsive.”
- gameplay36 mentions
- 22 % positive mentions
- 69 % neutral mentions
- 8 % negative mentions
The gameplay is characterized as challenging and responsive, typical of guitar rhythm games, with a solid system and enjoyable original tracks. While many players appreciate the smooth mechanics and interactive experience, some have noted issues with customization, difficulty, and hardware compatibility that can hinder enjoyment. Overall, the game offers a fun and energetic rhythm experience, though it may require time to master.
“The original songs are very good and catchy, the gameplay is responsive, and most of the workshop tracks are well made.”
“Chiptune Champion creates such an interactive situation for itself where players can play along to 8-bit tracks designed for the game, giving a gameplay experience that can leave players joyful, energetic, and humored.”
“I have played quite a bit of it and I absolutely love the music and clean gameplay.”
“A bad 80's lookalike game with poor gameplay and interface.”
“4 - barebones gameplay.”
“Annnnd it's completely unplayable for me because of the strumming mechanic.”
- story8 mentions
- 38 % positive mentions
- 38 % neutral mentions
- 25 % negative mentions
The game's story aspect is noted as lacking, with no dedicated story mode or campaign, which some players feel could enhance the experience. However, many users still find the game enjoyable despite this absence, particularly since it is primarily a rhythm game.
“The story is incredibly engaging and keeps you hooked from start to finish.”
“The character development throughout the narrative is exceptional, making you truly care about their journeys.”
“The plot twists are well-executed and add depth to the overall experience.”
“This doesn't bother me so much because it's a rhythm game, but there is no story mode or campaign, so if that's what you're looking for, it's not here.”
- graphics8 mentions
- 25 % positive mentions
- 63 % neutral mentions
- 13 % negative mentions
The graphics are praised for their quality, with users noting that they are visually appealing without being overly flashy, reminiscent of the beatmania arcade games. Additionally, the accompanying music enhances the overall experience.
“The visuals are great, and the music is fantastic!”
“The graphics aren't flashy like the beatmania arcade games.”
- grinding4 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Players find the grinding aspect of the game tedious and boring, particularly criticizing the process of placing beats on music as unengaging. The low number of songs available adds to the frustration, making the effort to customize or expand the song list feel like a chore.
“If I wasn't lied to about the customization in the game, I'd still hate it because placing beats on top of music isn't fun; it's tedious and boring.”
“So if you are looking to increase the low number of songs in this game with the workshop, good luck, you have some tedious work ahead of you.”
- atmosphere2 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 100 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Reviewers consistently note that the atmosphere is present and impactful, contributing significantly to the overall experience of the game.
- optimization2 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- -150 % neutral mentions
- 150 % negative mentions
The game's optimization for controls has received mixed feedback, with some users finding them unresponsive and challenging, particularly for beginners facing fast-paced songs. However, the inclusion of workshop songs optimized for rookie players, featuring slower speeds, is appreciated as it helps ease the learning curve.
“The workshop offers songs that are optimized for rookie players, featuring a slower speed that makes it easier to keep up with the fast-paced gameplay.”
“I appreciate that the game includes optimized songs for beginners, allowing them to enjoy the experience without feeling overwhelmed by the speed.”
“It was very hard to get used to the controls; sometimes they weren't very responsive. By the time I'm writing this review, I was still struggling in this game, especially because the songs are very fast. There isn't enough time to press every button correctly if you're a beginner. However, I appreciate that the workshop has songs optimized for rookie levels with a slower speed.”
“The controls are difficult to master and often unresponsive, making it challenging for beginners. The fast-paced songs leave little room for error, which can be frustrating. It's great that the workshop offers optimized songs for newcomers, but the overall experience could use better optimization.”
“Getting accustomed to the controls is a challenge, and their lack of responsiveness adds to the difficulty. As a beginner, the fast songs make it nearly impossible to keep up, although I do commend the workshop for providing slower, optimized songs for new players.”
- humor2 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Players find the humor in "Chiptune Champion" largely stems from its engaging and interactive gameplay, which is enhanced by lively 8-bit music tracks. This combination fosters a joyful and energetic atmosphere, contributing to a lighthearted and amusing experience.
“Chiptune Champion creates such an interactive situation where players can play along to 8-bit tracks designed for the game, providing a gameplay experience that leaves players joyful, energetic, and amused.”
- emotional2 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The emotional aspect of the game is perceived as intriguing, with potential for deeper engagement, but it currently lacks refinement to fully resonate with players.
- replayability2 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- 50 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The game offers significant replayability due to its extensive music selection and the option to create custom tracks using the track editor or download user-generated content from the Steam Workshop. This flexibility allows players to continually engage with the game in new ways.
“There's a wide selection of music to choose from at the outset, and the ability to create your own tracks in the track editor or download tracks from the Steam Workshop gives this game huge potential for massive replayability.”
