Nuclear Throne's Meta (Advanced Guide)
Nuclear Throne has a metagame that has evolved over the years allowing players to push the game far beyond the original intention. Throne was meant to be played from L0-L2, with Loop 3 being the last new content being added. However certain mechanics being used allowed for many players to reach Loop 10+, with the world record pushing the game as far as Loop 30.
When should I start learning meta?
This guide typically applies to Loop 3+ gameplay, so generally it's best to only start considering learning how to play meta if you can semi-reliably reach Loop 2, as it is a sign that loop mechanics are well understood.
What new content is in Loop 3?
Popo Freaks will replace all IDPD that spawns in the level, and Vans will immediately explode upon stopping. The only things that change after this point are things that scale by loop - the volume of enemies, their HP amount, additional IDPD/Van spawns and specific boss attacks scaling.
What does 'meta loops' on this site mean? Deeploops?
There are a few terms that have been generally adopted by the community to describe certain points of the game. As with all things, language changes over time.
- Meta Loops: Used on IDNTG to describe Loops 3+, as meta is typically necessary to survive at this point. Usually just called 'L3+' in the community.
- Deeploop: Community term to refer to L6+. The most notable change at this point is Popo Freaks taking 2 Ultra Shovel swings to kill with Scarier Face.
- Abyssal Loops: Community term to refer to L12+. Bosses become serious threats at this point requiring more specific strategies to handle. Only a bit less than a hundred players have achieved this distance.
- Master Loops: Community term to refer to L18+, although is sparsely used. Only around 25 players have reached this point and is very difficult.
- ('Preloop' is used for Loop 0 while 'Loops' typically refer to Loops 1 & 2 specifically.)
Why have so few players gotten this far?
Nuclear Throne is generally an unforgiving game, and meta runs require a lot of free time. Runs that last over an hour can still end in a moments notice due to a simple mistake on the player's part, which is why practice and skill is needed to become good.
Will these pages help me get a world record?
The purpose of these guides will be to explain why meta works and general strategies to surviving meta loops, it will not directly help with getting any WRs but pave the path to get there eventually. The best ways for further advanced learning is to discuss the game in the NT Discord, watch top player streams and most of all dedicate time towards gradual improvement.
As always this is advice, NOT law. There is never one right way to play Nuclear Throne, this simply explains how people have been able to reach absurdly high loops with specific loadouts. This is not instructions on how to play the game, but rather give a frame of reference.
Meta Pages
The following is a list of pages that introduce every aspect in meta loops. It is suggested to read the first four in order for first time readers as some mechanics build off of each other.
Main Guides |
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|---|---|
| Setup | Gives an outline on which versions are used by the community, an introduction to record sheets and some general rules. Also explains setgrinding, dailies and grillskills. |
| Survival | Survival guide is an overview of every major mechanic that appears in deeploop.
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| Meta Mutations | Explains why specific mutations belong in meta while others fall short, and brief character overviews. |
| Bosses | Gives an explanation on bosses scale by each loop, which will be a more advanced guide and is not as important to read early on. This page is a work in progress, only boss tech is currently listed. |
Additional Guides |
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| Setgrinding | This is a supplementary guide and not required to understand meta. Setgrinding is a strategy to continually grind out vanilla runs until a desired mutation set is found. This was largely done pre-2021 before the Grillskills mod caught on which removes mutation RNG. This guide catalogues the various strategies that were used, even if they fell out of favor. |
| Characters & Crowns |
Each character page includes a meta section to give specific advice, largely around how their abilities/ultras play into that part of the game. Each crown page includes a (much shorter) meta section to give general tips, mostly about weekly runs that force the crown to be run. |
| Radstarving | Radstarving is a strategy to avoid leveling up to gain the benefits of Crown of Destiny while circumventing the downside in order to get a full 9 mutation set optimally. This guide is useful for any non-Grillskills runs. |