Pizza Tower: Complete Guide

Everything you need to go from "what is a mach run" to chasing P ranks: movement tech, how scoring and ranks work, a floor-by-floor level map, boss notes, achievements, and the Noise content.

Researched September 2026 — current as of patch v1.1.28 (July 2025). Live games change; check the linked sources if something differs.

Quick Start

• Speed is everything. Peppino builds momentum the longer he runs. At full speed (mach) he runs up walls and plows through enemies and metal blocks that stop you at walking pace. Most of the level design assumes you are dashing.
• Every level has the same skeleton: go deep into the level, find the John Pillar at the end, destroy it to trigger Pizza Time, then race back to the entrance before the timer runs out and Pizzaface catches you.
• Rescue the five toppins (walking pizza toppings) in each level. You need them to open the boss door on each floor, so don't skip them on your first pass.
• Each level hides three secrets and one treasure. Secrets are warp-like hidden rooms; the treasure is usually tucked behind something that needs a detour.
• Combos drive your score. Killing an enemy starts a combo; collecting points or killing more enemies keeps it alive. A fresh combo lasts about seven seconds, and bumping into obstacles knocks time off it, so keep moving.
• Ranks run D, C, B, A, S, P. S needs a high score; P needs S-level score plus all three secrets, the treasure, and one unbroken combo through a Lap 2.
• Lap 2 is optional. During the escape a portal appears near the start. Taking it sends you back to the end of the level for a second escape run and bonus points, at the cost of more time pressure.
• You can't really "die" normally in levels — taking hits costs points and breaks combos. The real fail state is running out of escape time.
• Taunting is a parry. Taunt right as an attack or projectile connects and you deflect it. It's also how you finish some achievements.
• Don't stress score on the first run. Go for completion, learn the layout, and come back for ranks once you know the escape route.

Controls and Movement

Controls are fully rebindable under Options, and controllers are supported. On keyboard the defaults are arrow keys plus a small cluster (jump, grab, dash, taunt) — check the Controls menu to see what your build uses, since many players rebind immediately.

Action | What it does | When to use it

Jump | Standard jump; hold for height | Everything

Grab | Grab or shoulder-bash enemies; throw them after grabbing | Starting combos, killing enemies quickly

Dash (hold) | Builds speed into mach run | Most of the time

Up + Grab | Uppercut | Hitting enemies or blocks above you

Down (in air) | Body slam / ground pound | Breaking floors and blocks below you

Down (on ground while running) | Slide / crouch roll | Getting under low gaps without losing speed

Up while at mach (on ground) | Charge a superjump | Vertical shafts, secret areas above you

Taunt | Pose; acts as a parry if timed on a hit | Parrying projectiles and attacks, some achievements

Up + Taunt (when charged) | Supertaunt — clears enemies on screen | Becomes available after you build up a long enough combo (your character visibly powers up)

Mach levels explained

• Mach 1 – a quick run. Breaks nothing special.
• Mach 2 – you're dashing; you can run up walls by running into them.
• Mach 3 – top speed, recognizable by the changed running animation and after-images. Plows through enemies and breakable metal blocks, and lets you clear long gaps.

Keep speed by jumping instead of stopping, and use slides to pass under low ceilings. Turning around cancels momentum, so plan your route so you rarely reverse.

Superjump and wall climbing

• A superjump launches you straight up and breaks ceilings. Aim it before committing — it's hard to steer.
• Running into a wall at mach speed turns into a wall run. Jump off the top to keep momentum.

Transformations

Many levels hand you a temporary form that changes your moveset: a ball form in Pizzascape, knight armor, guns, a ghost form in Wasteyard, and more. Transformations usually unlock the route forward or open secrets, so if a room seems impossible, look for the item that transforms you. Gustavo (riding his rat Brick) is playable in some levels with his own moveset.

Scoring, Combos and Ranks

Points

You earn points from:

• Collectibles (small toppings lying around, bigger pizza pickups)
• Killing enemies and extending combos
• Secrets, treasure, and rescued toppins
• Finishing the escape and Lap 2

Combos

A combo starts with your first kill. The meter at the top drains; any enemy kill or collectible pickup refills it. Big tip: collectibles count, so routes lined with toppings let you bridge long stretches without enemies.

Heat meter

Playing aggressively raises your "heat," which increases point values and makes enemies more aggressive. Getting hit cools it down. Separately, a long combo charges the supertaunt.

Rank requirements

Rank | Requirement (summary)

D to A | Scaled score thresholds per level

S | Reach the level's top score threshold

P | S-level score + all 3 secrets + treasure + one unbroken combo that lasts through Lap 2

The P rank is the real endgame. You must never let the combo drop from the first kill to the finish — including through Lap 2. Plan a "combo route" that strings enemies and collectibles together, and learn where the combo is most likely to die (long empty corridors, transformation segments, secret rooms).

Floor and Level Overview

The tower has five floors reached from the hub. Floors 1–4 have four levels plus a boss; the fifth floor has three levels and leads to the finale. The order below follows the in-game hub.

Floor | Levels | Boss

1 | John Gutter, Pizzascape, Ancient Cheese, Bloodsauce Dungeon | Pepperman

2 | Oregano Desert, Wasteyard, Fun Farm, Fastfood Saloon | The Vigilante

3 | Crust Cove, Gnome Forest, Deep-Dish 9, GOLF | The Noise

4 | The Pig City, Peppibot Factory, Oh Shit!, Refrigerator-Refrigerador-Freezerator | Fake Peppino

5 | Pizzascare, Don't Make A Sound, WAR | Leads to the final climb and Pizzahead

A tutorial level teaches the basics and is worth replaying if you haven't internalized mach running.

Level-by-level tips

• John Gutter – The opener. Short enough to learn routing on. The "Let's Make This Quick" achievement wants it done in under two minutes; "Primate Rage" asks for a 99+ combo here, which is great combo practice.
• Pizzascape – Medieval castle; features the knight armor and ball transformations. Forknights can be parried.
• Ancient Cheese – Crumbling cheese platforms and bombs. Enemies drop bombs you can use against rats.
• Bloodsauce Dungeon – Pizza cutters and lava. The escape features a long superjump section.
• Oregano Desert – Totems you can reactivate with a mach dash, and cows that knock you around.
• Wasteyard – Ghost transformation; you surf corpses and dodge the John Ghost.
• Fun Farm – Introduces Mort, the chicken, who rides on you and changes how you move.
• Fastfood Saloon – Cards, buttons and beer bottles; lots of precise switch puzzles.
• Crust Cove – Pirate level with cannon goblins and buried treasure guys.
• Gnome Forest – Gustavo and Brick segments, bees, archer goblins, wood blocks.
• Deep-Dish 9 – Space level with UFOlives, asteroids and a long tunnel after the John Pillar.
• GOLF – Knock a ball into goals across the level; enemies can help you score.
• The Pig City – Town full of pig citizens; photograph them for "Say Oink!"
• Peppibot Factory – Peppino robots, priests that remove your boxed form, and a nasty first secret.
• Oh Shit! – Ninjas, cardboard pizza boys, and Mr. Pinch chasing you on the escape.
• Refrigerator-Refrigerador-Freezerator – Ice physics, pits, frozen birds, fake Santas.
• Pizzascare – Ghosts, skull blocks, and the King Ghost's traps.
• Don't Make A Sound – Stealth; set off alarms and you get jumpscared.
• WAR – A timed level with guns. Two achievements are about taking few hits and missing few shots.

Bosses

Boss doors need toppins collected from that floor's levels. General rules for all bosses:

• Bosses have health pips. You usually damage them by grabbing and throwing, by body-slamming, or by using whatever they throw at you.
• Parry with taunt when a boss's projectile or charge is about to hit — it's often the safest opening.
• Getting hit drops points but you can keep fighting; watch patterns before going aggressive.
• Phase transitions change attack patterns; the second half of each fight is noticeably faster.

Boss | Notes

Pepperman | A giant bell pepper who charges around the arena. Dodge the charge, then counter while he recovers.

The Vigilante | A cheese cowboy showdown. Stay mobile and punish after his attacks.

The Noise | Fast and erratic. Patience wins — let him commit, then hit back.

Fake Peppino | A twisted imitation of Peppino; learn his patterns rather than trading hits.

Pizzahead / Pizzaface | The finale after the fifth floor, following a final climb up the crumbling tower. Multiple phases.

The Noise Update and Swap Mode

A free update (v1.1, released March 12, 2024) made the Noise fully playable. He has his own save file, a different moveset built around a skateboard and jetpack, remixed music and UI, and changes to some bosses. Everything works across the full campaign, so it's effectively a second playthrough with new tech.

Swap Mode unlocks after you finish the game as the Noise. It's a competitive two-player mode: one player is Peppino and the other the Noise, and you compete for points. Control switches when the active player gets hit or grabbed, or voluntarily hands over. It's couch play, so grab a second controller.

Collectibles and Completion Checklist

For each level:

• 5 toppins
• 3 secrets
• 1 treasure
• A rank (aim for S, then P)

Other things to find:

• Achievements tied to level-specific challenges (see below)
• Hub secrets such as the bacon room ("Pan Fried") and the Mort Cube ("Cube Menace")
• Seasonal and hidden content: the "Pumpkin Munchkin" and "Tricksy" achievements are tied to hidden seasonal content

Achievement Tips

There are 74 Steam achievements. Most are "do something specific in a level," so knock them out while learning the route.

Achievement | Requirement | Tip

John Gutted | Destroy all dead john blocks in John Gutter | Take the slow route on your first run

Let's Make This Quick | Finish John Gutter in under two minutes | Skip secrets and toppins; just route

Primate Rage | 99+ combo in John Gutter | Great practice for P-rank combos

Very Very Hot Sauce | Finish Bloodsauce Dungeon without touching lava | Go slower than you think

Unsliced Pizzaman | Finish Bloodsauce Dungeon without being hurt by a pizza cutter | Learn cutter timing

Alive and Well | Surf every corpse in Wasteyard | Ghost form segments

Good Egg | Complete Fun Farm without getting hurt while Mort is on you | Play carefully in Mort sections

Royal Flush | Touch every card in Fastfood Saloon | Explore every branch

Primo Golfer | Highest rank in GOLF's courses | Fewer strokes per goal

Say Oink! | Photograph every Pig City citizen | Check every house

Jumpspared | Don't get jumpscared in Don't Make A Sound | Stealth; move only when safe

Trip to the Warzone | Finish WAR with more than a minute left | Practice the level first

S Ranked #1–#5 | S rank all levels on each floor | Do these before P ranks

P Ranked #1–#5 | P rank all levels on each floor | The hardest set in the game

Common Mistakes to Avoid

• Walking. If you're not dashing, the game fights you. Hold dash by default.
• Taking Lap 2 without enough time. The portal is tempting, but on a first run it can cost you the escape. Only lap when you know the route.
• Chasing P rank blind. You need to know where every secret and the treasure are first, then design a combo route. P rank is a routing puzzle, not a reflex test.
• Ignoring the combo drain during secrets. Secret rooms can eat time; enter them with a fresh combo and grab collectibles inside.
• Reversing direction. Turning around kills mach speed. Overshoot slightly and keep going rather than stopping.
• Forgetting toppins. Missing one means backtracking before you can fight the floor's boss.
• Button-mashing bosses. Every boss has readable tells and parry windows.

Advanced Tips

• Collectibles are combo fuel. When routing for P rank, note which corridors have enough toppings to bridge gaps between enemies.
• Parry projectiles back. A timed taunt deflects many threats, which keeps you moving at speed instead of dodging.
• Supertaunt at chokepoints. When the meter is full, save the supertaunt for screens with several enemies — it can even clear enemies you can't reach, which one achievement asks for in Fun Farm.
• Cancel into slides to pass under low ceilings without losing mach 3.
• Superjump for shortcuts. Some escape routes are much faster if you superjump through ceilings.
• Learn the escape backwards. The escape changes parts of the level; practice the return path, since that's where time runs out.
• Watch the TV. The TV in the corner reacts to what you're doing (combo, heat, danger), which is a quick visual cue for your state.
• Play the Noise after Peppino. His faster, stranger moveset makes old levels feel new and teaches alternate routes.

FAQ

How many levels are in Pizza Tower? Nineteen main levels across five floors (four per floor on floors 1–4, three on floor 5), plus the tutorial, five bosses, and the final climb.

What do I need for a P rank? S-rank score, all three secrets, the treasure, and one continuous combo from start to finish that includes Lap 2.

Is Lap 2 required? Not to finish the game or for most ranks — it's required for P rank and worth bonus points otherwise.

How do I unlock the boss on each floor? Rescue enough toppins from that floor's levels; the boss door checks your toppin count.

Is the Noise update free? Yes. It added the Noise as a playable character with his own save and moveset, plus Swap Mode.

Does Pizza Tower have controller support and other languages? Yes on controllers. As of v1.1.1 (August 2024) it supports eleven additional languages, including Italian, Japanese, Korean, Russian and both Chinese variants.

Is there a physical or Switch version? A Nintendo Switch physical edition exists, with a Collector's Edition announced for preorder in May 2025.

Sources

• Pizza Tower on Steam
• Pizza Tower Steam news (patch notes v1.1.28, v1.1.1, v1.1.063)
• Pizza Tower global achievements on Steam
• Pizza Tower on Wikipedia