Chained Together is a physics driven climbing game from Anegar Games, published by Secret Mode on 19 June 2024 and priced around five euros. One to four players are literally chained to each other and have to climb roughly 3,600 metres from The Hell Cliffs to The Garden, with a fully simulated chain that catches on geometry and drags teammates off ledges. Falling is shared, so one bad jump can undo everyone's last twenty minutes. The map runs through 10 named sections, gated by height rather than by loading screens, and there are three modes: Normal with no checkpoints, Beginner with three checkpoints, and Lava with rising flames chasing you. Leaderboard runs only count in Normal and Lava.
This guide covers everything you need: core mechanics, the best builds, equipment worth investing in, location progression, and the tips that actually make a difference.
Core Mechanics
Simulated chain physics
The chain is a real physics object, not a leash with a fixed radius. It catches on ledges, wraps over platform edges and can be used deliberately as an anchor, which means an experienced pair uses it as a tool while a new pair treats it as the enemy.
Shared fall punishment
Because everyone is attached, a fall drags the whole group down with you. Losing 200 metres of climb because one player mistimed a jump is the standard experience, and it is why the game rewards one player waiting still while another moves.
Height gated zones
The 10 sections appear based on your altitude rather than through doors, spaced roughly every 400 to 500 metres. The Hell Cliffs cover 0 to 300 metres, The Subway Station runs 600 to 1,100, The Harbor 1,600 to 2,100, and The Garden closes the climb at 3,200 to 3,600.
Three difficulty modes
Normal has no checkpoints and full difficulty. Beginner adds three checkpoints, at heights around 576 in The Whispering Vault, 1,675 in The Harbor and 2,757 in The Deities, and softens some obstacles. Lava mode adds rising flames that force pace. Leaderboards only accept Normal and Lava runs.
Launchers and swing points
Later zones add catapult launchers and grab points that fling the group upward. They save enormous time when used correctly and cost enormous time when the player behind you is not ready, so calling them out before triggering is mandatory.
For a deeper dive into how these systems interact, see our Chained Together combat guide.
Builds Overview
| Build | Tier | Playstyle | Key Stats |
|---|---|---|---|
| The Anchor | A | Versatile approach | Balanced stats |
| The Jumper | A | Versatile approach | Balanced stats |
| The Caller | A | Versatile approach | Balanced stats |
| Solo Climber | A | Versatile approach | Balanced stats |
| The Fourth Weight | A | Versatile approach | Balanced stats |
For full build breakdowns with gear and stat priorities, see our Chained Together builds guide. For rankings, check the tier list.
Equipment Guide
| Equipment | Why It Matters | Best For |
|---|---|---|
| Standard jump | The basic hop that covers short gaps. | The Hell Cliffs and any short gap where precision matters more than distance |
| Long jump | The running jump that covers real distance. | Everything above The Whispering Vault, where gap sizes exceed the standard jump |
| Chain swing | Using the chain as a pendulum by anchoring one player and swinging the other. | Gaps that are wider than a long jump, especially around The Harbor's crane sections |
| Launcher catapult | Catapults placed in later zones that fling players upward. | Fast vertical gain in the upper zones and Lava mode runs where time is the constraint |
| Partner drag | Deliberately using your own weight to pull a teammate across a gap they cannot jump. | Rescuing a partner who is hanging, and short assists where a jump is not possible |
Standard jump: The basic hop that covers short gaps. Its range is short enough that most ledges in the upper zones cannot be cleared with it, which catches out players who never learned the long jump.
Long jump: The running jump that covers real distance. Learning it in Solo mode before co-op is the single highest value thing a new player can do, because a failed long jump in co-op drags a partner down too.
Chain swing: Using the chain as a pendulum by anchoring one player and swinging the other. It is not a documented mechanic so much as an emergent one that falls out of the physics simulation.
Launcher catapult: Catapults placed in later zones that fling players upward. Check what is above you before triggering one, because launching into a ceiling or a hazard sends the whole chain back down.
Partner drag: Deliberately using your own weight to pull a teammate across a gap they cannot jump. Effective and also the most common cause of accidental group falls, so it needs a countdown.
Full breakdowns in our Chained Together weapons guide.
Location Progression
| Location | Level Range | Key Rewards |
|---|---|---|
| The Hell Cliffs | 0 to 300 metres | Chain physics familiarity, basic jump and long jump practice |
| The Subway Station | 600 to 1,100 metres | First real test of the anchor and jumper method, entry to The City |
| The City | 1,100 to 1,600 metres | Access to The Harbor, the halfway psychological marker of the climb |
| The Harbor | 1,600 to 2,100 metres | Second Beginner checkpoint at height 1,675, entry to The Temple |
| The Garden | 3,200 to 3,600 metres | Run completion, leaderboard time in Normal or Lava mode |
The Hell Cliffs: The opening zone and the burning bottom of the map. Short gaps and simple geometry, which makes it the place to learn chain behaviour before it starts costing you real height.
The Subway Station: The longest of the lower zones at 500 metres of climb. Enclosed geometry means the chain catches constantly, which is where most first attempts stall out.
The City: A 500 metre urban stretch above the subway. More open than the station below it, with longer falls as the trade off for easier chain management.
The Harbor: Crane hooks and swinging sections dominate here, and the Beginner mode checkpoint sits at roughly height 1,675 on the far side of the crane crossing.
The Garden: The final zone and the top of the climb, the calm counterpoint to the bone and fire imagery at the bottom. Reaching it ends the run.
See our maps & locations guide for detailed area breakdowns and our walkthrough for the optimal progression path.
Tips That Actually Matter
- The map is 10 sections and roughly 3,600 metres, from The Hell Cliffs at 0 to 300 metres up to The Garden at 3,200 to 3,600. Knowing which zone you are in tells you roughly how far you have left.
- Beginner mode's three checkpoints sit near heights 576 in The Whispering Vault, 1,675 in The Harbor and 2,757 in The Deities. Nothing else in the game saves your progress.
- Checkpoints do not exist in Normal or Lava mode, and only those two modes count for leaderboards, so a checkpointed run is practice rather than a record.
- Play Solo mode first. Without a chain partner the game is a straightforward precision platformer, and route knowledge learned solo transfers directly to co-op.
- The anchor and jumper pattern is the whole game at two players. One person plants, the other jumps, and you swap roles rather than both moving.
- The chain catches on geometry rather than passing through it, so a partner standing on the wrong side of a pillar will stop your jump dead mid air.
- Check what is above a launcher before you use it. Launching into an obstacle throws the whole chain back down and can cost several hundred metres.
- Lava mode's rising flames make the climb a memory test, not an exploration one. Do not attempt it before you can clear the first 1,100 metres from memory.
- Four player runs are far harder than two player runs, not four times more fun. Move one player at a time and never let two people jump simultaneously.
- At five euros with 16 achievements, this is a short game by content and a long one by attempts. The frustration is the product, and the store page is honest about it.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Both players jumping at the same time, which removes any anchor and turns a small mistake into a fall for everyone.
- Starting on Normal mode for a first run, giving up all three checkpoints before you have learned a single zone.
- Triggering a launcher without warning the rest of the chain, sending the group into a hazard nobody was looking at.
- Treating the chain as a fixed length leash rather than a physics object that wraps over ledges and snags on geometry.
- Adding a third and fourth player early on the assumption it will be easier, when each extra player multiplies the coordination cost.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can Chained Together be played solo?
Yes. Solo mode removes the chain problem and leaves a precision platformer, which makes it the best place to learn routes before bringing in a partner. The game supports 1 to 4 players.
How tall is the map?
Roughly 3,600 metres across 10 named sections, starting with The Hell Cliffs at 0 to 300 metres and ending in The Garden at 3,200 to 3,600 metres. Zones change based on height rather than through loading screens.
Where are the checkpoints?
Three, and only in Beginner mode: around height 576 in The Whispering Vault after the aqua maze, around 1,675 in The Harbor past the crane crossing, and around 2,757 in The Deities on the path to the temple.
Do Beginner mode runs count for the leaderboard?
No. Leaderboard placement is valid only in Normal and Lava modes, which is the trade off for using checkpoints.
Does it have split screen?
Yes. Local co-op with split screen is supported alongside online play and Steam Remote Play Together, so a couch pair does not need two copies.
More Chained Together Guides
- Chained Together Best Builds
- Chained Together Tier List
- Chained Together Walkthrough
- Chained Together Beginner's Guide
- Chained Together Tips & Tricks
- Chained Together Weapons Guide
- Chained Together Combat Guide
- Chained Together Boss Guide
- Chained Together Maps & Locations
- Chained Together Crafting Guide
- Chained Together Classes & Characters
Similar Games
If you enjoy Chained Together, check out these related guides:
- Red Dead Redemption 2 Guide: adventure game with similar mechanics
- Sea of Thieves Guide: adventure game with similar mechanics
- Dredge Guide: adventure game with similar mechanics
