Super Smash Bros. has been around for nearly 20 years and whether you’re a newbie or a pro it’s always good to brush up on the basics. Especially when it’s on a new console like the Nintendo Switch. So here we go.

Unlock The Entire Roster

I’m just putting this up front first and may be obvious to some but just go along with it. You’ll have an easier time finding your main if everybody is on the call sheet. So just go ahead and do that, don’t worry I’ll wait.

Just like with any fighting game, all of its 70 characters has its own strengths and weaknesses that you, or another player, can exploit. Try testing out each character at least a couple of times to get the basic idea of how they play. Even if you never use them again it’s important information so you know what to look for during a match. Who knows you may end up loving Princess Peach. By knowing how each character plays, you can learn how to counter them and which characters they’re weak to.

The Basic Controls

All the Super Smash Bros. games are easy to pick up but hard to master. Your main attack button is going to be A but don’t forget to use that L to grab as well. ZR or ZL to guard and flick up to jump. Your special moves are B, Up and B, Down and B, or Left or Right and B.

Now, for the most part, people enjoy mashing down A but in Super Smash Ultimate you’ll run the risk of missing a combo and leaving yourself open to attack. Also is that really how you want to play the game? Watch your timing and its best to be more cautious than aggressive.

Smash Mode

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If all you want to do with this game is pick it up and play Super Smash Bros. Ultimate in your living room with some friends, this is the mode you want. Up to eight players can join in and fight in a standard Smash battle with rules you create yourself.

You can choose from Timed, Stock, or Stamina rules and then set the specifics of those. If you’re unsure what to pick, you can leave these on the defaults and just have a timed match where the person who has the most points from KOs at the end of the time limit wins. Stock is another good standby, where each player has a set amount of “lives” after which point, they’re removed from the match.

Next, you can choose your stage – all of which are unlocked at launch. There are tons of these! If you’re struggling to find a favourite, don’t be afraid to hit Random and let the computer choose for you. If you need something easy and predictable, the first stage listed, Battlefield, is a good stage just to practice on.

Finally, you can choose your characters. At the start, you’ll only have eight to choose from, but you’ll gradually unlock more as you play more Smash. Up to eight people can Smash at a time, either real people or computer players. When you’re ready, start the match!

Spirits Mode

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The other main mode of the game you’ll want to pay attention to, especially as a beginner, is Spirits Mode. Spirits Mode has many components, but the one you’ll want to hone in on is its Adventure Mode. This Adventure is essentially a single-player story mode through which you can unlock characters, currency, items, and support characters known as Spirits who can boost your main fighters if you choose to turn their functions on in the main Smash modes.

You’ll start by playing as Kirby, and will gradually unlock more playable characters the further you get. Spirits Adventure places you on a large overworld where you’ll move along a path, fighting a series of opponents that have different quirks or augments based on what Spirits they have equipped. You yourself will gain Spirits to equip on your own that you can power up as you adventure, strengthening your fighter.

Spirits Mode is by far the best way to get used to the feel of the game, especially since you start with the easy character Kirby and unlock other easier characters (such as Mario) fairly early on. I highly recommend working through this mode on Normal or even Easy mode as an introduction to Super Smash Bros. Ultimate. Plus, by playing, you’ll unlock lots of new characters and Spirits you can use in the main Smash mode. It’s a great way to get used to the game’s mechanics and become familiar with the different fighters, and it’s very forgiving early on – if you lose, you just try again from where you left off!

Playing Online

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Welcome to the Thunderdome! First of all make sure you’ve got a stable Internet connection before you even start to contemplate going online. Online Smash has some limitations from regular Smash, but it also has some perks. By jumping into Quickplay, you can either play alone or with another locally nearby person as a team and fight in battles against random other players around the world. Winning matches will raise your Global Smash Power, which will cause you to be placed against stronger opponents while losing will make the pool a bit more even for you. You can also set preferred rules for these Smash bouts, for example, if you prefer to play Stock matches you can try to be matched with folks who also have that preference.

Playing online can be tricky for beginners, so I recommend holding off until you’re confident in your Smash powers. But once you do, it’s a great way to jump into more challenging matches without having to work at finding actual human friends.

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Okay, that’s a pretty good introduction to Super Smash Bros. Ultimate! If you don’t know which character to choose in the beginning I’d recommend Kirby, his float ability makes him easier to get back on stage if he falls. Which you’ll probably be doing early on in the game. You don’t want to have to deal with Pikachu’s quick attack nonsense when you’re starting out. Mario is also a pretty stable character. He’s got a long range as well as a cape that deflects missles. Whichever you choose just remember to have fun! And add me so I have some friends okay thanks bye.