Battles take place in two-dimensional arenas viewed from the side. The objective is to reduce the opponent’s health before the round timer expires, using normal attacks, defensive movement, and character-specific special techniques.

Players can advance through single-player fights and challenge another player in versus play. Winning battles unlocks further matchups and lets the player experience the roster’s different attack patterns and energy moves.

Learn the reach and recovery of the selected fighter before relying on special moves. Keep enough distance to punish missed attacks, then use energy techniques when the opponent is committed to an animation.

Defensive movement is important because repeated button presses are easy to counter. In single-player mode, observe each opponent’s preferred range and vary attacks rather than repeating one predictable sequence.