Divekick is out on PS3 and PS Vita Tuesday! By now, many of you are starting to realize just how deep and competitive this game really is. Online ranked play is going to be filled with killers in no time, so to help you get a head start, we’ve compiled a few tips from the top 3 finishers at EVO 2013. Additionally, we’ve included a quick character bio for our final fighter, Kenny, to complement our first two PS.Blog roster updates (see them here and here).
5 Tips from EVO Champion Mean Saltine
- Know your spacing. Every character in the game has a different angle on their divekick. It is critical that you know how close you can get to your opponent without getting kicked in the face. You know you are at the perfect range when you can react to an opponents attack with an attack of your own.
- Be patient. It might seem natural to go crazy with your divekicks, but it is much more effective to wait for your opponent to make a mistake before you strike. Playing too aggressive is very dangerous against patient opponents!
- Use your special moves. Every character has two special abilities in the game. Sometimes knowing when to use these moves can turn a defeat into a big win. Experiment with different ways to use special moves to surprise your opponent.
- Watch the clock. When the time reaches zero seconds, the character closest to the center of the stage will win the round. When time is short it is usually wiser to play for a win via time out than to aggressively pursue your opponent.
- Manage your meter. Your kickfactor meter is needed to execute your special moves, but if you hold off on using those, you can fill you meter for a massive (but temporary) bonus in jump height and kick speed. Use this opportunity to push your opponent into the corner for an easy win.
5 tips from EVO Runner Up Kerahime~<3
- Think: If you find yourself dying to the same things repeatedly stop for a minute and try to figure out why you’re dying and what you can do to counter it.
- Meter is Life: Meter gives you Kick Factor and access to special moves which gives you an advantage over your opponent (and vice versa). Look for opportunities to build meter while also remaining a threat to your opponent.
- Headshots can Change Everything: One well-placed kick nets you or your opponent a headshot, this takes away all meter and more or less secures you the next round if not more. If your opponent is guarding the line and your aggression will likely result in a headshot it’s often worth it to just concede the round on time and build meter while letting him have the round.
- Control Space: If your opponent is just building meter try to force them into the corner as this will take away their options to safely build meter and put you in a highly advantageous position.
- Play Everyone: If you can’t figure out how to win against a certain character try playing as that character and look for the weaknesses of what you were losing to. You’ll often find that something that at first seemed unbeatable when playing against is actually quite weak and leaves you vulnerable.
Name: Kenny
Health: 1234
Power: 9,862,212
Bio: After a very close loss to superstar Dustin Weinburger in his very first Divekicking competition, Kenny mystereously fell ill and lost his life later that day. Someone had unleashed a vile of the dreaded Foot Dive bacteria into Kenny’s shoes, but Kenny could only watch from the heavenly world above as the culprit was acquitted. Kenny went on to win five straight Divekicking tournaments in heaven, earning him a second chance on Earth. He now fights to prove that he has the right to exist.
Date of Birth: 10/15/1984
Place of Birth: Fresno-ish, California
Blood Type: O
Likes: Puzzles, Breakfast, Randomness, Video Games
Dislikes: Hypocrites, Trick Questions, Hand Stance
5 tips from EVO 3rd place Adelheid Stark
- Use all your character’s moves. They’re all pretty good! This isn’t a game where characters have 30 moves and which ones are worth using are an exercise for the reader, this is a game where you have “dive,” “kick,” “ground special,” and “air special,” maybe sometimes an extra air action like double kick (shoals) or double dive (stream, s-kill). Specials weren’t in the original game but they aren’t an afterthought. The difference between a Redacted that effectively uses walljump and one that doesn’t at all, or a Shoals using flight cancels vs not, is staggering.
- Play a little with everyone and understand how they work. This isn’t a game where new characters are particularly difficult to pick up and understand. And if you want to play well, you need to consider both “What can I do?” And “What can my opponent do?” Even if you only really like playing a small amount of characters, it’s a lot easier to know “what can my opponent do?” If you’ve been there yourself, so you should definitely try everyone at least a bit.
- Don’t stay still if you don’t have to. Sometimes, you may not want to be rushing at your opponent, but standing still is generally a bad habit for most characters. Most of the time, quickly kicking in place lets you make small adjustments to your position and can put you closer to where you’re more comfortable being without spending too much time in a state where you can’t react to your opponent. As well, it gets you meter, which you can use on special moves or for kick factor to turn things in your favor.
- Keep your options open. If you get caught at time when there’s only one thing you can do, you pretty much lose – for your opponent, that’s “Time to do the thing that beats the only thing they can do.” Most characters can’t escape the corner easily, so being backed into a corner is terrible – even if the opponent can’t necessarily safely rush you down, if you’re cornered, they’re going to win at time-out. And if you commit too much to punishing something you thought they would do when they didn’t, especially with a slower character, they have all the time in the world to get you into a bad position or hit you for free. Try to avoid that by doing as much as you can keep stay in situations where you can better read and react to them.
- Cross your arms while playing. For strength.
- (Actually). Keep pressure on the opponent. What “pressure” means varies from character to character, but one thing that will guarantee your loss is just letting them do whatever they want to be doing. This goes hand in hand with keeping your options open – restricting your opponent’s options. Slowly advance and try to back them into a corner if you can, while avoid letting them do the same to you. Use what you have to make them scared to approach you. You don’t necessarily have to play very actively, but don’t play passively, waiting for the opponent to do something stupid. Stronger players aren’t going to just make mistakes on their own. You have to force them to make mistakes. That’s when you get the perfect reads and take them down.
5 tips from Adam “Keits” Heart, Divekick creator
- Try to think of the five rounds you can lose as health, and try to think of health as a resource. Sometimes, you’ll be in a position where you will lose a round no matter what you do. In these situations, a risk can sometimes help you escape, but might get you hit in the head. Getting headshot can cost you several rounds (more health), so recognizing these situations and just accepting the single round loss is often a great move.
- Each time my opponent headshots me, I tell myself that I just lost two rounds and accept that fact mentally. My goal, during my concussion, is not to win. It is to avoid getting concussed again.
- Moving yourself backwards too quickly during concussion is a really dangerous play. Hold your ground as best you can, because you are cornered before the four seconds are over, you are in big trouble.
- Think of that wild, super unsafe wake-up Dragon Punch you might see someone do in Street Fighter. Doing this is unsafe, but it sends a message to your opponent that you might do something crazy at any given moment. In Divekick, once in a while, you need to do something a little crazy to force your opponent to respect you in a similar way. Just make sure you don’t get hit in the head when you do it.
- The closer you are to the corner, the harder sneaking under your opponent will become. If you need to make a play to escape the corner, you should do so before you actually get cornered. This will keep your opponent off guard and make you much less predictable.
I’ve been thinking about getting my hands on this game, it looks like fun for my ps vita
damn. forgot this came out tuesday….wonder if ill have money to grab it. its only $10 right? if not ill get it in a month or two for sure.
Cant wait, to get my hands on the game, to select my “duds” and start kicking people on their face, This game is gonna be a blast when my friends reunite to play games Cant wait!.
Well done keits well done.
I love Cross-buy. Will definitely put lots of hours in on the Vita.
Will monday esports shows still go on? Also chance for a 4 player lobby in the future?
Wait, what comes after ‘Dive’?
“Kick”
Still not sure about this game, yet it seems to be unique. Just maybe DooDS.
Go to Google
Search “Let’s Get FlatOut Head On PS Vita Compatible”
Click on the first result.
Sign the petition please.
Thank you
This game is so funny, I can’t even take it seriously. Will definitely buy this game on the Vita for sure.
@YorlecmNwahs I’m not going to sign your stupid petition on a game that will never be on PSN. Stop advertising it at every single blog post.
this game looked soo horribleee on the youtube gameplay i saw. if its above 5 il be shocked.
It’ll be above five I think the game play will be highly addictive after reading what was said about the fighting strategy, going to wait till plus sale only because DOA and UMVC3 are on ten buck sale can’t miss on those for that price, but yea as soon as it offers some kinda plus discount(add ons maybe) I’ll be picking it up. Awesome game guys can’t wait to play it
@PainOfSarrow, I think your being a bit generous. I wouldn’t pay a thing for this garbage. I doubt I would waste the Mb to download it even if it was free. I think this joke has gone on long enough guys, It’s not funny anymore.
@ 13 Why are you here again if you loathe it so? I personally think this game needed to be made. Day 1 for me and other people with good taste.
TrueLord , What can i say. im a generous guy.
@ PainOfSarrow
So you just couldn’t stop yourself from posting here and trashing someone else’s work?
Can you do better? Where’s your game? You probably couldn’t even recreate Pong.
If you’re not interested, why didn’t you just pass on by?
By the way, do you have lazy fingers? Whyyy doooo alll yourrrr postsss lookkkkk likeeeee thissssss?
how much is this going be?
@13; Why so defensive. Simply stating what I think about the game. Your entitled to your opinion as much as I am mine. Not saying anything negative about anyone who plans to buy it, If your one of those people, good for you. As far as why I’m here again… I’m here for the same reason others are, to call a spade a spade (this is comments not “positive comments” sunshine). Really don’t see why the insult on taste was necessary, anyway…
@PrimerolIncognito; while I can appreciate the sentiment of not being cruel to someone’s hard work, I’m sick and tired of that specific argument your making. Its ignorant. We do not hold the video game industry or any industry for that matter up to the standards of our OWN skills. We hold them up to the standards of the skills of their peers. Do you see a movie in the theaters and find yourself satisfied with camcorder backyard video quality? No, of course not, You want something professional that you paid for. You ask if PainOfSarrow can make a game himself… who gives a $h@t. He’s not on the blog hyping a game that looks like it belongs in a web browser window. The developer is. And yes I realize this is indie.
F#%! the haters.
I’m getting this. This looks FUN.
Thanks for bringing this to the vita! You are amazing. Will definitely buy
well said TrueLordX, well said. dont worry about prime. the dude is constantly kissing ass every week. if one person says anything negative about any game he goes far beyond to kiss ass even more.
Thank you for giving us some tips, also glad you guys could play for charity,that was great.