Clash of Critters beginner's guide - Top Tatari tricks to start your journey right

Even after I initially thought this was a Pokémon-esque game and realised it was anything but, I still kept playing Clash of Critters because it's just that compelling. Sure, the ads were what got my interest piqued at first, but the gameplay itself was what made me stay, so really, kudos to Farlight Games (of Dislyte and AFK Journey fame) for this colourful portrait-mode adventure.

But while the visuals are vivid and the art style makes it seem incredibly accessible, the unholy amount of things happening - and there are a LOT of things happening - here might still put off intimidated newbies. Hopefully, this Clash of Critters beginner's guide should purge any doubts you might have about the whole thing!

What exactly is Clash of Critters?

By now, we already know that it's not a monster-taming RPG where you chuck magic balls at innocent creatures in the wild. But it does still have plenty of creature-collecting elements - but instead of Poké Balls, they come from capsules, and instead of Pokémon, they're called Tatari.

If there's one main genre this mix of genres is most similar to, I'd say it's probably tower defence. Because, said Tatari, once collected, can be deployed onto the battlefield to fend off a zombie invasion (because why not?), and you can do so effectively by strategising where their positions are.

From there, it's a matter of clever auto-chess where your unit attacks automatically to fend off hoards of enemies across each level. There's a little bit of Coin Master in there too, because the resources you use to level up and the capsules you use to catch Tatari come from a pinball machine, which is the lifeblood of Clash of Critters. 

Then, to help boost your pinball machine, you also need to build your camp to add structures that will generate pinballs for you. Just be careful not to get Raided while you're away, because people are mean and they can do that when you're not looking!

Tip #1 - Let's focus on the combat, then?

I did tell you that it's a mix of genres that's hard to explain, but just roll with it. The important thing is that you've got the combat system down pat in this Clash of Critters beginner's guide, which is a rock-paper-scissors affair with elemental affinities.

It goes like this: Water>Fire>Leaf>Earth>Lightning>Water

Pay attention to your Tataris' roles in combat: DPS, tank, guardian, support, specialist. There's also a thumbs-up and thumbs-down icon you'll see when you deploy Tataris on the grid, which tells you if you're placing them in the right position or lane. The helpful preview shows you the kind of enemies you'll face and where they'll come from, so you can strategise your AoE attacks, ricocheting projectiles, and splash damage accordingly.

Tip #2 - Boss Fights need proper preparation

Now, you'll eventually unlock the auto-progress feature too, which means you can keep going across stages as long as you win. But there'll be a boss fight for every ten stages, and that one will require you to re-think your comps before you move on - and it really will matter!

Never underestimate the power of a properly positioned healer, for instance - I can't tell you how many times I was defeated with the same lineup only to succeed after swapping one Tatari out for a healer.

Tip #3 - Concentrate on dupes first

While it may be tempting to want to catch new Tataris each time, personally, I've found it's better to concentrate on dupes once you have a few good ones in your party. Dupes help you level up your Tatari so they can take up more difficult stages, and eventually, you get to evolve them and feed them as you go along too.

Oh, and by the way, on the battle pass, aim to get to the Pinball Tree as fast as possible, because this gives you more pinballs you can passively generate!

Tip #4 - A daily a day keeps the doctor away

And finally, don't sleep on your dailies, as these are the best and fastest way to grab free resources as you progress. There are camp raids to worry about, after all, as well as different raid dungeons such as the Boss Challenge, the Gold Rush, and the Badge Dojo that you can take on for more currencies. Some of them will only be available for a limited time, so you'd best get on it while you can!