If you are
just getting started on your ARMS journey, you have probably quickly discovered
that this is a pretty tough game that can be difficult to get the hang of. You don’t
know which control setup to use, you don’t know which character you want to
fight as, and what is up with all those different arms? Well here are 10 tips
that can get you familiarized with the game and get you winning your fights in
no time!
Quick note: for the sake of preventing confusion, when referring to
the game, I will be using “ARMS”. When referring to the weaponized appendages,
I will be using “arms”.
1.
Play all game modes to sharpen your
skills
One of the smartest things Nintendo did with ARMS was adding
unique game modes that are cleverly designed to hone in on specific skills. If
you want to improve your overall game, the best way to train outside of battle
is to explore all of ARMS game modes. These modes include Hoops, V-Ball,
1-on-100, skillshot, and Test & Training. Each game mode was designed to
help players improve a certain skill or set of skills. For example, Hoops
allows players to focus on moving around, dodging, and executing timely grabs.
Skillshot, however, is more focused on throwing precise, well timed punches,
and also teaches you how to curve and control your punches. Every game mode
offers and unique and fun training session, so be sure to check them all out!
2.
Don’t get locked into using just 1
character
There is nothing wrong with having a main/go to character. By
now, I would think that every player likely has a favorite character. However,
there are a few reasons why you should really try to spend significant time
playing as ALL the characters. First of all, it is incredibly beneficial to
know how your opponent will approach his or her fight with you. While you can’t
know exactly how they will play, you can definitely get a jump on them by being
familiar with how their selected character plays. Someone playing as Master Mummy
will likely fight much differently than someone playing as Ninjara. It is
helpful to know your enemy, and there is no better way to do this than by being
familiar with their character. Secondly, it is important to have more than one
character that you feel confident in playing as. There are times where you will
find yourself unable to beat an opponent with your current character. Well, a
simple trip to the character selection screen may be all you need. Sometimes a
new character will be a better match up for your current fight. A different
character can force you to fight in a new way or use different arms, and this
change up may be all you needed to win! Finally, it’s just fun to play as all
the characters. The colorful and unique cast is one of the best things about
this great game. In order to get all you can out of the experience, I highly recommend
going through and giving every character their fair chance.
3.
Experiment with different arms
combinations
The combinations of mixing and matching different arms with
different characters is seemingly endless, especially once you get into unlocking
new arms for your characters. It can be very easy to feel overwhelmed with all
the options for your arsenal. This feeling can be amplified by the fact that
every arm behaves in a unique way depending on how it attacks, what is unique
about it, considering its weight, how fast it will move, and its elemental
effects. With thousands of combinations between arms and characters, there is
no way I could go into all of them and which ones are best. The best tip I can
give for this is simply experiment. Trial and error experimentation will be your
best friend in trying to figure out which arms are best used in specific
situations. Also, getting used to the system of arms will not take as long as
one might think. In fact, once you get into unlocking a lot of arms, then you
will probably start getting the hang of how the system works anyway. Even
though every arm is unique, they all follow the same basic rules: some arms
have elemental effects, some do not. Heavier arms travel slower, but do more
damage and can punch through lighter arms. Lighter arms are faster, but do less
damage and can be knocked down or punched through by heavier ones. Remember
these rules and you’ll at least always have the basics of how every arm will
behave.
4.
Don’t be afraid to give motion
controls a try
If you all are anything like me, then you are still burnt out
on motion controls from the era of the Wii. I still can’t even go back and play
Skyward Sword simply because of how much I try to avoid motion controls.
Splatoon’s tilting the gamepad version of motion controls were fine, sure, but
full blown Wii Sports boxing controls? No way. However, there is something
different about the motion controls of the Switch. Specifically how they are
utilized in ARMS. They actually feel great, meaningful, tight, natural, and
most importantly, responsive (Most of the time. I have had some trouble with
blocking being delayed.)! The thumbs up grip with the vital dash and jump being
right under your thumbs at all times just feels perfect. All other movements
and actions being mapped to motion controls makes everything feel incredibly
fluid. Certain moves, like curved punches, feel far easier to control when
using motion controls. To my surprise,
motion has become my go to control setup for ARMS. I definitely acknowledge,
though, that this is the tip that comes down primarily to personal opinion and
preference. So give both traditional and motion controls a genuine try and see
which works better for you!
5.
Perfectly time your rush attack
This is a simple one, but, in the heat of the moment, so easy
to forget. When you see your rush gauge glow yellow, all you want to do is
unleash it on your opponent for massive, 300+, damage, but patience is key. Pop
your rush attack too early, and several bad things can happen, ranging from
unfortunate to devastating. If the attack is mistimed, your opponent could hop
around the ring, always staying out of reach, or simply throw up their block
and you’ll be left doing a minimal 5 damage per hit. Worst of all, your
opponent could dodge the flurry of punches all together and counter with a rush
of their own. This is gut wrenching when it happens, so try not to let it. Rush
attacks are best used as counterattacks. Wait until your opponent is caught in
the air, or has thrown a mistimed attack of their own. If you have just dodged
an attack, look for an opening to unload on your opponent and deal maximum
damage!
6.
Watch for your opponents rush gauge
Another simple one, but also easy to forget. Keep an eye on
your opponents rush gauge! That cannot be stressed enough. Once you see that
gauge light up yellow, immediately go on the defense! If your opponent has a
fully charged rush attack, and you get caught in the air, throwing a mistimed
grab, series of punches, or rush attack of your own, then you are likely in for
some serious damage! Don’t let that happen!
7.
Be Patient
Reading your opponent and their attacks is key in ARMS.
Having the patience to hold off on your attacks is incredibly important to
this. Don’t always be in such a hurry to start throwing punches. Take a second
to move around the ring and to watch your opponent. If at all possible, let
them throw the first few attacks and try to counter (within reason, someone has
to attack eventually after all!). While it may seem natural to get the fight
going, it has to be acknowledged that ARMS is often times a slower paced fighting
game, so a defensive mindset can really pay off. Playing this way may result in
running out of time, but a TKO is better than a loss! (Note: I acknowledge that
there are players and certain characters that flourish in an offense first/up
close and personal style of fight. This is just my personal advice as a slow
paced, defensive minded player. Feel free to explore what style of play works
for you though!)
8.
Don’t jump too much
Jumping can be a great way to quickly dodge out of the way of
an oncoming attack or to just efficiently move around the ring. However, it
must be remembered that you are very vulnerable when up in the air. You can’t
block while in the air, and since your jump has already been used, your options
for dodging the attack are severely limited. Jumps should generally be used for
2 primary purposes. Purpose 1 is likely the obvious one. You should utilize
jumps to quickly dodge attacks that shouldn’t or can’t be blocked, such as a
grab. The second way jumps are best used are to quickly close the gap between
you and your opponent, or for positioning an attack of your own (usually a
counterattack). For example, your opponent sends out a grab, and rather than
punching through it, you can jump up to avoid the grab, dash forward to quickly
close the gap and improve your position, then throw out an attack of your own
(perfect time for a rush attack!).
9.
Don’t overuse grab
Likely the most common beginner mistake is the overuse of the
grab. Why not use it all the time? It does SO much damage! Well, grabs, much
like the rush attack, are things that should be well timed. Without appropriate timing, grabs leave you
very vulnerable. Grab attacks simultaneously deploy both of your arms, which
leaves you like a sitting duck until your arms return to you. You can’t dodge
or block or even throw a counter punch. Therefore, any player that has any
arsenal of skill whatsoever will be able to block/dodge the grab and utilize
your poorly timed attack against you, likely with a counter grab of their own.
I recommend that grabs ONLY be used in the case of countering your opponent
when BOTH of their arms are deployed (whether it be from a missed grab, or 2
simultaneous missed punches). Grabs are also incredibly efficient when used in
conjunction with an elemental attack, so when your opponent has disabled arms
or is frozen. Always remember though, throw out a poorly timed grab more than
once in a round, and you are likely toast.
10.
Don’t get frustrated. Just keep at
it!
The key to getting better at ARMS is simply playing it. The
phrase “practice makes perfect” really does apply to this game. You will get
beat up a LOT your first several hours of play, so just keep pushing through it
and I promise that you will get better. Also, something important to remember
is that the AI in the game, which is what most people will start out playing
against in pursuit of unlocking ranked, is much harder in a lot of ways than
online opponents are. Therefore, try not to get discouraged by the seemingly
overpowered AI. Just hang in there and eventually you WILL get better!
Well, there
you have it. By following these 10 tips, you should see your ARMS game improve
vastly, in time. Disclaimer: These tips are intended for beginners,
specifically for people who have spent less than 10 hours with the game. If you
have spent significant time in ARMS, you have likely already discovered most of
these tips for yourself, or have found your own unique playstyle. As a slower
paced, defensive minded player, these are the 10 tips that work best for me and
made me a better player. Feel free to pick and choose which of these tips work
best for you, as this style of play will NOT work for everyone. If you are
finding yourself struggling to get the hang of ARMS though, try out all of
these tips and see if they work for you! Good luck and happy fighting!
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