Choose Beginner for checkpoint-assisted learning, Normal for the standard climb, or Lava for a climb under pressure from rising flames. These are the three core difficulty choices described by the current Steam store. 2v2 Race is a separate competitive format, while Workshop is a way to play custom content rather than simply a fourth difficulty level.
The best Chained Together modes choice depends on your session's goal: learning, completing a standard run, pursuing eligible rewards, competing or exploring a custom map. Agree on that goal before the host starts. The recommendations below are editorial advice based on the official descriptions, not a claim that we have tested each mode in the current build.
01
Compare the three core difficulties
| Difficulty | Officially described difference | Choose it when your group wants to... |
|---|---|---|
| Beginner | Checkpoint assistance | Learn unfamiliar sections and build a shared movement routine |
| Normal | The standard climb | Attempt the main challenge with its standard consequences |
| Lava | Rising flames create time pressure | Apply a familiar route while making decisions more quickly |
Beginner can be a useful starting point even for someone comfortable with platform games. In a group, everyone must also learn how their movement affects the shared chain. Practicing that cooperation is a separate task from learning an individual jump.
Normal is the natural choice when your goal is a standard completion attempt and everyone accepts the challenge. Do not select it only because the label sounds like the expected option. A group that wants a relaxed practice session should make that preference explicit.
Lava adds a reason to keep moving. If your team still needs long discussions to identify every destination, first work on those decisions in a mode suited to learning. A faster setting does not automatically create a faster team.
02
Check reward rules before committing to a run
The current official Steam store says leaderboard scores and achievements are valid only in Normal and Lava. That gives you a clear planning rule: use Beginner to practice, and choose an eligible mode when a specific achievement or recorded run is the session's objective.
A July 2024 player-authored achievement guide described Beginner eligibility differently. That historical account conflicts with the current official listing, so this guide follows the current store rule. Treat an old unlock trick or video demonstration as dated evidence rather than a promise for your installed version.
Eligibility also does not mean that every completed session earns every reward. Read the condition for the achievement you actually want. See the achievement guide for the official definitions, and the wings guide before assuming that an assisted setup meets a particular run's requirements.
03
Use Beginner to learn a repeatable team routine
A practical Beginner session can focus on one obstacle at a time. Name the landing area, agree who moves when, and identify a safe place to regroup. After a failed attempt, change one part of the plan rather than replacing every decision at once.
For example, your group might realize that the first player continues while the last player is still landing. The next attempt can keep the route unchanged but add an explicit “everyone across” check. That produces a testable improvement instead of a general instruction to be more careful.
Checkpoint assistance and restoring a saved session are different questions. Do not assume that the mode name establishes how quitting and returning will work. Check saving and checkpoints before relying on a long session's progress, especially when the host or group setup may change.
04
Move to Normal or Lava with a specific goal
Before starting Normal, ask whether everyone understands the sections you intend to attempt and agrees on the pace. You do not need a perfect route to begin, but you should know whether the group is experimenting or trying to complete a serious run.
Use a simple readiness call before unfamiliar jumps. If someone needs to adjust their camera, wait for their response rather than treating the countdown as a deadline they must catch. The controls guide explains the historical Start Countdown feature and why you should check its current binding.
For Lava, prepare the decisions that commonly stop your team: which platform to aim for, where to pause and what signal cancels an attempt. This is a coordination recommendation, not a guarantee of a particular survival time. Avoid relying on an unverified shortcut simply because a video makes it look quick.
After the session, review one recurring delay or failure. Fixing that specific problem is a more useful next goal than changing difficulty repeatedly without understanding the result.
05
Understand the separate 2v2 Race format
The September 2026 official announcement introduced 2v2 Race Mode: two teams of two compete to climb the highest within 30 minutes. Its objective is a height comparison over a defined period, so it should not be confused with completing the original escape route.
Choose Race when your group wants competition and has the four players required for its announced two-team format. Discuss teams before launching, especially if some players are learning while others already know the movement well. For a cooperative introduction with fewer people, use the original game's supported one-to-four-player options instead; see player count and solo play.
The September 21 hotfix explained that the “super jump” in Race Mode was intended behavior. It also discussed trampoline adjustments and fixes involving teleporter lag, cars and moving obstacles. These notes describe the scope of that patch; they do not establish that every listed problem remains present today, or that a Race-specific movement behavior applies unchanged to every mode.
06
Treat Workshop as custom content with its own context
The official Workshop announcement describes subscribing to community content, selecting Workshop when creating a game and choosing the subscribed item. That selection concerns the content you are playing. It is not an official statement that every custom map shares one new difficulty or reward rule.
Read the chosen item's description with the group before starting. Check its intended experience and any instructions the creator provides. Do not assume that a walkthrough of the original climb describes the custom map's route, finish condition or collectible placement.
For a first Workshop session, prioritize a clearly described item that matches what your group wants to do. Treat “explore this creator's map” as the goal rather than automatically comparing the result with an original-map completion. The Workshop guide covers the official subscription and hosting workflow.
07
Make the choice before the host starts
A short discussion prevents avoidable restarts. Ask: are we learning or completing, do we care about a particular reward, do we want cooperation or competition, and are we using the original map or custom content?
Then name the selected difficulty or format aloud and let the host confirm it. Test your input setup near the start and check that the group shares the same plan. If a friend expected a relaxed practice climb while everyone else selected a competitive run, resolve that mismatch before investing more time. The beginner guide provides a practical first-session routine once the mode is agreed.