Invincible VS Beginner Guide – Basic Controls and Combat

Invincible VS is a 3v3 tag fighting game based on the Invincible comic and animated series. While it looks approachable at first, thanks to autocombos and simplified controls, the game has an incredibly deep combo system, advanced tag mechanics, and layered defensive options that reward practice and creativity.

If you are completely new to fighting games or just starting with Invincible VS, this guide explains all the important mechanics you need to understand before jumping online.

Basic Controls and Combat

Invincible VS uses a three-button fighting system:

• Light Attack
• Medium Attack
• Heavy Attack

The game follows a “magic series” combo structure:

• Light attacks chain into medium attacks
• Medium attacks chain into heavy attacks
• You can naturally string attacks together for easy combos

A very basic combo looks like this:

1. Light
2. Medium
3. Heavy
4. Down + Heavy to launch
5. Air combo
6. Down + Heavy in the air to spike
7. End with a super move

Down + Heavy acts as a universal launcher on the ground and a spike attack in the air.

Movement and Mobility

Movement is extremely important in Invincible VS.

Most characters can:

• Dash forward and backward
• Air dash
• Super jump
• Perform diagonal air movement

Viltrumite characters especially have very strong aerial mobility.

Diagonal air dashes are useful for fast overhead attacks because you can quickly approach from above.

Blocking Basics

Invincible VS uses traditional fighting game blocking:

• Hold back to block mids and overheads
• Hold down-back to block lows

Jumping attacks are usually overheads, meaning they must be blocked standing.

Standard vs Motion Controls

The game includes two control styles:

Standard Controls

Standard controls simplify special moves into single button presses.

Advantages:

• Easier execution
• Faster reactions
• Better for beginners
• More reliable defensive reactions

Motion Controls

Motion controls use traditional fighting game inputs like quarter circles and dragon punch motions.

Advantages:

• Slightly more damage
• Better combo optimization

However, the damage difference is relatively small. Standard controls are perfectly viable even competitively.

Understanding Boost Meter

The yellow Boost Meter is one of the most important mechanics in the game.

Every character has their own independent boost gauge.

Boost Meter is used for:

• Boost Dashes
• Enhanced special moves
• Combo breakers
• Push blocks
• Heroic strikes
• Combo extensions

Meter Regeneration

Boost Meter regenerates very slowly while the character is active.

However, it regenerates much faster when that character is tagged out.

Because of this, constantly rotating your team is extremely important.

Boost Dash Explained

Boost Dash enhances your normal dash by spending boost meter.

Benefits include:

• Faster movement
• Closing distance instantly
• Escaping zoning
• Extending combos
• Canceling recovery animations

Boost Dash also lowers the combo meter during combos, letting you continue longer strings.

This mechanic is one of the core foundations of high-level offense.

Defensive Mechanics

Combo Breaker

If you are getting comboed, you can spend:

• 2 Boost Bars
• One available assist

This immediately breaks the combo and resets to neutral.

However:

• Your assists go on cooldown
• You lose important resources

Still, avoiding huge damage is usually worth it.

Push Block

Push Block costs one meter and pushes the opponent away while blocking.

Good uses include:

• Creating breathing room
• Escaping pressure
• Forcing enemy attacks to whiff
• Creating punish opportunities

Well-timed push blocks can completely reverse momentum.

Heroic Strike

Heroic Strike works similarly to an alpha counter.

While blocking, spend meter to perform an armored counterattack.

The strongest part is that you can combo afterward by tagging into teammates.

This turns defense into major damage opportunities.

Recovery Rolls

After being knocked down:

• Hold forward to roll forward
• Hold back to roll backward

This helps escape corner pressure.

However, hard knockdowns prevent rolling.

Throws and Their Importance

Throws are much stronger in Invincible VS than in many other fighting games.

Forward Throw

Forward throws can lead directly into tag combos and major damage.

Back Throw

Back throws allow solo combo follow-ups.

Some throws also cause:

• Hard knockdowns
• Ground splats
• Setup opportunities

Throws are a major offensive tool, not just a small damage option.

Understanding Assists

Each character has multiple assist options.

Neutral/Forward Assist

Usually:

• Faster cooldown
• Utility-focused
• Roughly 3-second cooldown

Back Assist

Usually:

• Stronger effect
• Longer cooldown
• Around 6-second cooldown

Assists can:

• Control space
• Extend combos
• Create pressure
• Lower combo meter
• Support neutral game

Good assists are essential for strong team building.

Tag Mechanics

Tagging is one of the defining systems in Invincible VS.

Raw Tag

Hold the assist button to swap characters.

Combo Tags

During combos, tagging allows:

• Combo extensions
• Meter regeneration
• Pressure resets
• Additional damage

Tags also lower the combo meter, enabling extremely long combo routes.

Counter Tag System

The defender can counter incoming tag attacks.

If timed correctly:

• The combo ends immediately
• No meter is required

However, attackers can mix up timing by:

• Delaying tag attacks with Heavy
• Faking tags entirely
• Baiting counter attempts

This creates a rock-paper-scissors mind game during combos.

Combo System Explained

Invincible VS has one of the most flexible combo systems in fighting games.

Specials Into Normals

Unlike many fighters, this game allows:

• Normals into specials
• Specials back into normals

This creates extremely freeform combo structures.

Combo Meter

As combos continue, the combo meter rises.

Once it flashes:

• The next normal hit will end the combo

To continue combos, players must:

• Tag
• Call assists
• Boost Dash cancel
• Use enhanced moves

Enhanced Moves

Enhanced special moves are incredibly important because:

• They do more damage
• Some ignore combo break rules
• They can continue combos even after the meter is maxed

This creates highly creative combo routes.

Super Moves

Every character has:

• Two Level 1 supers
• One Level 3 super

Level 3 supers:

• Deal massive cinematic damage
• Have better minimum scaling
• Are excellent combo finishers

Long optimized combos often chain multiple supers together.

Snapback Mechanic

Snapback forces the opponent to switch characters.

You can:

• Choose which enemy assist enters
• Lock out another character temporarily
• Disrupt team synergy
• Prevent assist usage

Snapback is extremely useful for controlling momentum.

Charge Medium Attacks

Many characters can charge their medium attacks.

Charge mediums often gain:

• Crumple effects
• Super armor
• Extra range
• Frame advantage
• Better combo starters

These vary greatly from character to character.

Learning your character’s charge medium is very important.

Arena Shift Mechanic

If you snapback an opponent during a crumple state, you trigger an Arena Shift.

Arena Shift effects include:

• Stage transition
• Opponent assist lockout
• No combo breaker access for opponents
• Massive boost meter regeneration for your team

This creates incredibly explosive offense.

Because boost regenerates so quickly during Arena Shift, players can perform combo routes that are impossible under normal conditions.

However, Arena Shift can only happen once per match.

Beginner Tips

1. Learn One Team First

Avoid constantly switching characters early on.

Focus on:

• One main point character
• One reliable assist
• One simple backup character

2. Use Standard Controls

Standard controls are beginner-friendly and competitively viable.

Do not feel pressured to use motion controls immediately.

3. Tag Frequently

Your boost meter is strongest when characters rotate often.

Do not stay on one character too long.

4. Save Meter for Defense

New players often spend all meter on offense.

Always try to keep enough meter for:

• Combo breaker
• Push block
• Heroic strike

5. Practice Tag Timing

Tag interactions are central to the game.

Understanding:

• Tag timing
• Counter tags
• Delayed tags
• Fake tags

will dramatically improve your gameplay.

6. Experiment With Combo Creativity

The combo system rewards experimentation.

Try:

• Boost dash cancels
• Assist extensions
• Enhanced move loops
• Tag routes

The game allows enormous freedom once you understand the rules.

Final Thoughts

Invincible VS combines approachable controls with some of the deepest tag mechanics and combo freedom seen in modern fighting games. While beginners can enjoy simple autocombos and easy inputs, mastering boost meter management, tag mind games, and combo optimization opens up a completely different level of gameplay.

The game strongly rewards creativity, team synergy, and system knowledge. Once you understand how tags, assists, boost mechanics, and combo scaling interact, the combat becomes incredibly expressive and rewarding.