The quirky fighter Skullgirls has an app version that’s just as fun as the original game. There plenty of fighters you can unlock, but they each have an element like other fighting mobile games. You can also set your own special moves, level up, and use a skill tree for each of your fighters.
I’m going to go over the basics you need to know when getting started in this version of Skullgirls.
This guide will go over getting started in the Skullgirls mobile app including:
- Fighting Basics: How fighting works in the world of Skullgirls.
- Elemental Strengths and Weaknesses: Each element in the game and how they affect each other.
- Character Progression and Customization: How you can strengthen and customize your fighters.
- Game Modes: Each game mode and what you can do in them.
- Extra Fighting Tips: Some tips to give you an edge on your competition.
Fighting Basics
Skullgirls is an old-school fighting game and has simple controls. Tapping the screen performs normal attacks, which turn into combos when you keep tapping. You can also make gestures to move around and perform different maneuvers:
- Swipe Left: Dash away
- Swipe Right: Dash towards your opponent with an attack
- Swipe Down: Perform a crouch attack
- Swipe Up: Juggle your opponent in the air.
- If you tap immediately after knocking the opponent in the air, you will follow with an aerial combo.
- Swipe Anywhere with 2 Fingers: Throw the opponent
- Hold the Screen with 2 Fingers: Block
Special Moves and Blockbusters
Each character can get several special moves and powerful attacks called Blockbusters.
Special moves can be performed by tapping their icons on the bottom left of your screen. These have cooldown timers, so you will need to wait until you can use them again.
Blockbusters are performed the same way, but they don’t have a timer. Instead, you must fill the meter up by attacking or getting attacked until the move is available. After you use it, you must fill the meter up again.
Elemental Strengths and Weaknesses
There are 5 different elements each fighter can have. Each element has a strength and weakness.
- Fire: Weak to Water and strong against Air.
- Water: Weak to Air and strong against Fire.
- Air: Weak to Fire and strong against Water.
- Light: Strong against Dark.
- Dark: Strong against Light.
When you use an element that’s weak to another one, you deal 20% less damage. When you use an element strong against another, you deal 20% more damage.
Light and Dark elements are special. These 2 will deal 20% more damage to each other, but they will not deal 20% less damage to anything.
Character Progression and Customization
You can equip multiple types of special moves and Blockbusters on your characters to make them unique. The only thing you need to do is unlock them.
Special Move and Blockbuster Equipping
Each character start with 2 slots for moves and a set amount of Move Points. Each move requires a certain number of move points to equip. So if you have one that take up 8 points and you only have 10, you can only equip other moves that equal to 2 or less.
Each move can either be Bronze, silver, or Gold Tier. The higher the tier, the better the move. The good news is that a move will always take up the same amount of move points, regardless of tier.
You can upgrade all moves by spending coins and some moves give additional effects when upgraded.
Skill Tree
Each character also has their own skill tree. As you level up a character, they will earn experience and skill points. You can use these skill points to unlock bonuses in the skill tree. You must also spend coins when unlocking skills.
Each character has the same things in their skill tree, with the only exception being the character ability section. This part depends on the character you are using. The other sections allow you to increase their damage, reduce the energy cooldown so you can use them more often, increase their max health, unlock more move slots, and increase the max amount of move points.
Leveling and Powering Up
When you participate in fights you get experience. With enough experience, you will level up and get stronger.
You can also fuse unwanted fighters into another fighter to earn experience. If you fuse the same type of fighter, such as 2 Parasouls, you will get extra skill experience.
Each fighter can also be Bronze, Silver, or Gold — like your moves. You can raise a Bronze or Silver fighter to the next level by fusing the same character types and reach max level.
- For example: You can evolve a bronze Parasoul into a silver by fusing 3 other bronze Parasouls into the desired one and leveling it to 30. They don’t have to be the same element, just the same character.
Game Modes
Training
This mode allows you to practice with up to 3 fighters. The A.I. won’t fight back, so you can spend the whole time practicing moves and strategies.
Story Mode
This is the main story of the game and how you will get most of your unlocks. There are multiple chapters and difficulties — and you get rewards for 100% completion of each chapter.
Prize Fights
This mode uses a separate energy system and has you playing against randomly generated teams based on your team’s overall power. The fights change periodically, as well as the rewards.
Daily Events
These events change daily, of course, and focus on one character. You will be able to gain skill points and moves for the featured character by completing the battles. You will also be required to use the featured character in some of these battles.
Store and Relics
Every day you get 3 challenges that will reward Gems upon completion. You can use these gems to buy more coins or relics.
Relics are how you unlock more characters and moves. You can collect relics by completing chapters and other events, buying them with gems, and getting them for free daily. Each day there is a special relic you can buy to give you a character featured in the daily event.
There is also a relic you can get for free after you have unlocked enough characters. This one will give you either a silver or gold tier fighter.
Extra Fighting Tips
You Can Equip Multiple Blockbusters, or None at All
You have complete control over your moves — the only limiting factor is the amount of move points you have. You can use multiple Blockbusters if you want, or even none if you rather use normal special moves.
Take Advantage of Elements
Sometimes you will fight with 2 or 3 fighters, while other times only 1. You could even have 1 against multiple fighters. The bonus you get for being strong against another element is huge, and can help you win even if the opponent is stronger.
Link Special Moves and Blockbusters With Your Combos
Many moves can be executed in the middle of a combo, and will guarantee you hit with it. Make sure you do this so you don’t end up missing these power attacks.
Also watch out for blockbusters labeled as “unblockable”. If you use these, you will always hit — provided you are within range of your opponent.
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That’s all I have for getting started in Skullgirls mobile. Let me know if you have any questions! And stay tuned for more guides!
