Clustertruck
Developer(s)	Landfall Games
Publisher(s)	tinyBuild
Director(s)	Wilhelm Nylund
Designer(s)	Wilhelm Nylund
Programmer(s)	Petter Henriksson Wilhelm Nylund Philip Örum Westre
Artist(s)	Wilhelm Nylund
Composer(s)	Karl Flodin
Engine	Unity
Platform(s)	Windows, Mac, Linux, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch
Release	Win, Mac, Linux, PS4, XONE: 27 September 2016 Switch: 15 March 2018
Genre(s)	Platformer
Mode(s)	Single-player

Clustertruck is a 2016 platformer game developed by independent Swedish studio Landfall Games and published by tinyBuild. In the game, the player jumps on trucks to avoid the ground and other obstacles. The concept for Clustertruck was formulated when Wilhelm Nylund was stuck in traffic; on his way home from Gamescom, Nylund pictured himself jumping on trucks to escape it. The game was released for Microsoft Windows, Mac, Linux, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One in September 2016 and for the Nintendo Switch in March 2018. Clustertruck has been met with a mixed reception, being praised for its enticing gameplay and original soundtrack but criticized for its controls on the Nintendo Switch port.

Gameplay

Clustertruck is a first-person platformer game. ^[1] Throughout nine worlds with ten levels each, ^[2] the player must jump across trucks moving towards a goal. ^[3] During a level, the player may sprint or slow down time, ^[4] and trucks may tip over. ^[5] Touching the ground or any obstacles triggers a game over. ^{[1] [6]} A new obstacle is introduced in each world. ^[2] The player can earn bonus points by skipping trucks or staying mid-air, which can be can be spent for powerups, ^[6] including grappling hooks, double jumps, and speed boosts. ^[7] Outside of the main game, the player can use the level editor to build and share custom levels. ^[8]

Development and release

Development began in 2015 and spanned one year. ^[9] While traveling home from Gamescom, Wilhelm Nylund, the lead designer and CEO of Landfall Games, was in traffic, and trucks surrounded his car. Nylund imagined himself jumping on the trucks as a way to get home faster, inspiring him to develop the prototype of Clustertruck. ^[9] Each additional feature would be playtested and discussed within the team on whether or not it would be implemented into the game. ^[9] Landfall Games ultimately added powerups such as double jumps, air dashes, and a jet pack, as well as obstacles including lasers and wheel spokes. ^[9] After a few months in development, an early public alpha build released. ^[9] Feedback from Discord users made the game more optimal for speedrunning. ^[9]

Landfall Games planned to release Clustertruck by April 2016. ^{[5] [10]} However, Nylund clarified that the team had extended development due to the game's popularity during alpha testing. ^[5] At PAX South 2016, it was announced that Landfall Games had signed a publishing deal with tinyBuild. ^[11] On 27 September 2016, the game released for Windows, Mac, Linux, ^[3] PlayStation 4, and Xbox One. ^[12] It had garnered 65,000 sales by its first month of release. ^[9] In October 2016, Clustertruck was updated with a Halloween-themed map. ^[13] On 15 March 2018, the game released for the Nintendo Switch. ^[14]

For an April Fools prank, Landfall Games created a parody of Superhot called Super Truck in 2016; similar to the original game, time will only move forward when the player does so. ^[15] The studio had asked permission from the development team of Superhot before producing it. ^[16]

Reception

Clustertruck received a "generally favorable" score on Metacritic for the PC version ^[17] and a "mixed or average" score for the Xbox One and Nintendo Switch ports. ^{[18] [19]} On OpenCritic, the game has a 50% approval rating. ^[20]

The gameplay was well received among several critics, with some comparing it to the children's game the floor is lava. ^{[4] [8]} Emily Sowden of Pocket Gamer called Clustertruck "brutal, unfair at times" but "addictive", adding on that the game was "super simple to pick up" for any player. ^[2] Nintendo World Report's Donald Theriault felt satisfied after finishing a challenging level. ^{[1] [12] [21]}

Clustertruck was praised for its original soundtrack. ^[11] Nintendo Life's Gonçalo Lopes felt that the "catchy tunes" fit with the chaotic gameplay, ^[4] and Theriault appreciated how the music did not restart with the game. ^[1]

The controls of the Nintendo Switch port were mostly criticized. Some critics stated that turning the game's camera with the right Joy-Con's analog stick was too sensitive. ^{[2] [12] [21]} While Theriault thought the game "ran fine" on the console, ^[1] Peter Bathge of PC Games found it "almost impossible" to jump and rotate the camera at the same time. ^[12]

References

External links

• Official website
• Clustertruck at MobyGames