Top Combo Crew tips and tricks for smashing high scores

Combo Crew is a beat 'em up game designed specifically for mobile play. The name of the game is all about building the largest combo you can during each level. The bigger your combo, the greater your score, plus you'll unlock great rewards. Choosing from a variety of characters (including guests from Street Fighter and Another World) and then setting out to pound the hordes of enemies is a fierce good time. Combo Crew costs 99 cents in the Google Play Store and has in-app purchases.

Unlike most beat 'em ups, Combo Crew isn't just about knocking out enemies and clearing the level. You'll need to keep that combo up and complete various missions in order to unlock everything the game has to offer. Our all-new tips and tricks guide will help you hit the ground running in this classic game of fisticuffs.

1. Pick the right control style for your device

Combo Crew offers two control styles: "One Hand" and "Thumb" (two hands). The choice between one hand or two isn't so much a matter of preference as using the appropriate style for your device. If you're playing on a phone, Thumb style is probably a good option. You can comfortably grip the phone and still be able to hit enemies on either side of the screen using your thumbs.

On a tablet however, you just won't be able to reach many of your opponents with both of your hands gripping the sides of the device. That's too much screen real estate for normal human thumbs! So pick One Hand style and let your dominant hand do all of the attacking while the other holds the device in place.

2. Master the basic attacks

Before you worry about building giant combos, you need to master each form of attack. The primary way to attack is simply to swipe an enemy with one finger. You can do this as quickly as you want, jumping from enemy to enemy.

Sometimes enemies block though, in which case you'll have to step up your attack. Tap and hold your finger on the blocking opponent to begin a charge attack. The longer you keep your finger pressed down, the stronger the attack will be. Just make sure you release and execute the attack before your combo meter depletes or another enemy attacks from behind. Releasing too early will whiff the attack.

Charge moves can also help group enemies and keep them where you want them. When you charge to attack a blocking enemy, try to release just as another enemy walks behind him. You'll knock them both against the wall, where you can conveniently continue your pummeling.

3. Be prepared to counter your foes' attacks

When an enemy is about to launch a strike, you'll see an exclamation mark appear above his head. It's like reverse Spider-Sense. If you do nothing, that enemy will hit you and end your combo; nobody wants that.

Countering is relatively simple. Instead of swiping, just tap the enemy before he hits you. Counters count as hits, so they won't end your combo. When multiple enemies are preparing to attack, you can even tap them all at once before resuming your swipe-based attacks. That's the safest way to deal with things when you're still learning the ropes.

While countering does extend your combo, it won't pay off with big score bonuses. Counters provide a smaller boost to your score than any other attack. As you get better at dealing with groups, you'll want to try attacking enemies instead of countering them. The offense will pay off, as long as you don't mess up and take a hit.

4. Kick it up a notch with "combos" and aerial attacks

Each fighter starts with four unique moves called combos (not to be confused with your combo counter). You'll want to draw on them frequently during battle, as they earn good points and help boost your Super meter.

To perform a combo attack, swipe up, down, left, or right on an enemy while using two fingers. Each direction performs a different combo attack. Learning the best situations for each move will help you maintain control of the battlefield.

Some combos act as launchers – attacks that knock enemies up into the air. After launching an enemy, be sure to perform a one-finger swipe on him in order to score an extra hit. Don't try a two-fingered swipe on a juggled enemy; it won't connect in time.

5. Know when to use a Super Move and when to save it

As you build your combo counter by continuously attacking enemies without taking a hit, your Super meter will charge as well. It fills faster by mixing in the eight different attack types (regular, charge, counter, four combos, and juggles).

Once the meter fills, you can bust out a Super combo by tapping the Super button at the top corner of the screen. At that point, you have a few seconds to repeatedly swipe the enemies on screen as fast as you can. Swiping two separate enemies with two fingers will net you double the swipes (and points), so use those digits!

Sometimes you might need the Super just to get through a tough group of enemies, but if you can afford it you might want to hold onto that Super. The meter continues to grow even after filling up, creating a huge multiplier. Your normal hits will pull in more points as long as it stays filled. Then you can unleash the multiplied Super on a group of enemies to rake in another hefty score bonus.

The downside to holding onto Supers is that if your combo breaks, you lose the entire Super meter. It's kind of a frustrating design element. Just keep practicing and learn to keep the combo going throughout the entire level, and holding onto your Supers will net you incredible scores.

6. Complete goals to unlock new combos and characters

Each level of the Tower presents you with an optional goal, such as performing a certain number of juggles. Completing these goals needs to be a priority, because each one unlocks the ability to buy a new Combo for your characters. The Combo you unlock might not be for the specific character you're using, but trying out new characters and moves is all part of the fun.

7. Spend your coins on perks before buying boosters and skins

Visit the shop and you can spend the coins you earn on several things: boosters, perks, and skins. Perks need to come first because they grant permanent upgrades that will benefit you every time you play. Save up some gold and you can buy upgrades to your life and damage, making everything else easier and more profitable.

Boosters are power-ups that can help you get farther, but you shouldn't buy any until you have every perk unlocked. Skins are just for fun.

8. Find friends before engaging in Combo Crew Mode

Building a crew means inviting friends to the game via Facebook or e-mail. Once someone is in your crew, you'll see his or her leaderboard scores when you pick levels. That adds a nice competitive element, but it's not the main reason to build a crew. The real reason is so that your friends can rescue you in the endless Combo Crew Mode. When you go down, a friend can take over and complete the level. Doing so will put you back in the game, allowing you to delve even further into the bad guys' lair.

Adding people to your crew is easy. They don't have to accept the invite, they just need to have played the game. You can add the developers: combocrew (at) thegamebakers (dot) com. If you're looking for more friends, share your e-mail address in the comments below!

Your top tips and tricks for Combo Crew?

Those are all of the tips we have to offer for those getting started with Combo Crew, but we want to hear what you guys have to say. Combo Crew is a great game, and if you've put any time into it, let us know how you're faring in the comments.

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