Your first battle in Relay Rivals, step by step

Your first ten minutes in Relay Rivals go like this: pick a save slot, play the short Learn by playing lesson, win a Training battle, then start the campaign with battle 1, First spark. This page walks you through each step, so you always know what to press.

Step 1: open the game and pick a save slot

When the game opens, a short intro plays. You can skip it. Then you see Choose your adventure, with three save slots: Save 1, Save 2 and Save 3. An empty card says "Not played yet". Choose New game on one of them.

Each slot keeps its own stars, crew and rewards. A brother or sister can use another slot. Read more on settings and saving.

Step 2: look around the title card

The title card is your home base. You will see:

• Your journey: how many battles you finished, out of 12, and how many stars you have, out of 36.
• Learn by playing: the guided lesson. Once you finish it, the button says Replay tutorial.
• Campaign: the map with all twelve battles.
• Build your crew: choose your six cards.
• Your rewards: paint and decorations, with your ribbon count out of 24.
• Daily relay: today's challenge.
• A list of practice rivals: Training, Balanced crew, Quick crew and Guard crew, with the Practice battle button.
• How to play, Credits and ⚙ Settings, plus your Battles and Wins count.

Step 3: play Learn by playing

Choose Learn by playing. It is a calm lesson in five steps. The rival sends no robots, so you can take your time. The lesson only lets you play the card and pad it asks for. If you try something else, a hint tells you what to do.

1. Pick your shield. Choose the Shield Cart, the second card. It can take hits while your other robots follow.
2. Send it to the middle. Send it from pad B, the middle pad. Your card costs charge, and charge fills up again on its own.
3. Capture the relay. Your Shield Cart walks to the round relay in the middle. Wait while it holds the relay for four seconds.
4. Use your new forward pad. Choose the Rivet Ranger, then send it from the arrow pad (⇥) near the relay. The Ranger can hit flying robots too.
5. Watch your ranger attack. Lines show attacks, and rings mark targets. Break the rival turret to reach the core.

At the end, choose Ready to battle. The lesson gives no stars and does not change your crew. You can skip it at any time with Skip tutorial (T on a keyboard, X on a controller).

Step 4: win a Training battle

Back on the title card, choose Training in the list, then press Practice battle. The Training rival is slow: it waits about six seconds before its first robot, and then sends one every five seconds or so. That gives you time to think.

Try this simple plan:

1. Send a Shield Cart from pad B.
2. Right after, send a Rivet Ranger from pad B. It shoots from behind the cart.
3. When the relay is yours, send new robots from the forward pad.
4. If the rival sends two Boltlings, answer with a Broom Bot. It hits robots that stand close together.
5. Keep going until the rival's turret falls, then its core.

You win when the rival's core reaches 0%. Practice battles never change your campaign stars, so there is nothing to lose. See game modes for the other practice rivals.

Step 5: start the campaign

Choose Campaign. The map shows three chapters with four battles each. Choose battle 1, First spark. Before the battle you see a briefing called YOUR NEXT MOVE, with:

• the rival's crew, so you know which robots are coming;
• the rival's style and a tip for this battle;
• the star rules: win, keep 75% core health, finish under 2 minutes.

Press Send your crew to start. The rival in First spark only has Boltling pairs and Rivet Rangers, and it waits ten seconds before its first move. Send a Shield Cart and a Ranger down the middle, take the relay, and push. Every battle is on the campaign page.

Step 6: after the battle

When the battle ends, you see your stars and your bonus goals. From here you can choose:

• Next battle to go on (after a win);
• Play again to try for more stars;
• Review battle plan to look at the briefing again (after a loss);
• Watch replay to see the battle again;
• Your rewards or Campaign map.

Lost? That is fine. You never lose stars you already won. The result card gives you a tip for that battle and says "Or try a different crew."

Common first-battle mistakes

More beginner help is on tips for beginners.

Next

Learn all the controls, read how a battle works, or go and play Relay Rivals.

• About Relay Rivals
• All game guides