Dojo Duel is a one-on-one fighting game in the style of classic 3D fighters, playable for free in your browser. If you've never played a fighting game before, it can feel like the opponent always hits first. The good news is that a handful of basic ideas will win you far more rounds than fast fingers. This guide covers them in the order you should learn them.
How a match works
You win a round by emptying your opponent's health bar. The first fighter to win two rounds wins the match. If the 60-second timer runs out, the fighter with more health left takes the round, so a small lead plus careful defence can be enough.
Step 1: Learn to block high and low
Blocking is the foundation of every fighting game. In Dojo Duel:
- Hold back (away from your opponent) to block high and mid attacks.
- Hold back and down to block low attacks.
Crouching also ducks under high attacks completely. That makes it a great answer to an opponent who keeps throwing jabs. But low attacks like sweeps and low punches will catch you if you stand, and mid attacks hit crouching players. Reading which one is coming is what fighting games are really about.
Step 2: Punish blocked attacks
Every attack has recovery: a moment after it ends when the attacker can't do anything else. Big attacks have long recovery. When you block a slow attack like a power punch or a launcher, that's your turn to hit back. This is called a "punish," and it's how good players turn defence into damage.
Step 3: Use simple combos
Attacks chain into strings when each hit lands or is blocked, and the game announces the combo's name when you pull one off. Every fighter shares these basic strings:
- Triple Punch: J J J
- Whirlwind: J J K
- One-Two Kick: J K
- Double and Triple Kick: K K and K K K
- Kick Punch: K J
- Power Combo: forward+J, then K
- Low Rush: down+J, down+J, down+K
On top of these, every fighter has a signature 4-hit finisher on J J J K. Learn one or two strings well rather than trying everything.
Step 4: Launchers and juggles
Forward + kick is a launcher. If it hits, it pops your opponent into the air, and you can keep hitting them before they land. This is called a juggle. Each extra hit does a little less damage, but a launcher plus two or three follow-up hits is one of the best damage options in the game.
Launchers are risky, though: if your opponent blocks one, you're open to a punish. Use them when you're confident they'll hit, for example right after the opponent whiffs an attack.
Step 5: Throws beat blocking
Throws can't be blocked. If your opponent blocks everything, mix in a throw. Once they start worrying about throws, they'll stop blocking so much, and your normal attacks get through. This back-and-forth is the core of fighting game strategy.
Special meter
Every fighter builds special meter by landing and taking hits. When it's at least half full, you can spend half of it on your fighter's special move. Save it for moments when it's guaranteed to hit, like right after you block one of their slow attacks.
The eight fighters
- Kenji is the all-rounder. His Rising Dragon uppercut can't be interrupted at the start, which makes it a great answer to pressure.
- Vex is the fastest fighter, with Shadow Dash, a flying kick across half the stage.
- Tank hits hardest. His Earthquake shockwave has to be blocked low.
- Lin has the longest legs and a three-hit Cyclone Kick.
- Rosa fights capoeira style; her Ginga Sweep spins low for three hits.
- Bruno is a masked wrestler whose Bear Hug grab reaches further than normal throws and can't be blocked.
- Mei is a ninja who vanishes with Smoke Step and strikes from behind.
- Ace is a boxer with the heaviest hands and a rushing Comet Punch that ends in a launch.
If you're new, start with Kenji: his tools are simple and his uppercut gets you out of trouble.
Modes to practise in
Versus CPU lets you choose easy, normal or hard opponents, which makes it the best place to practise one skill at a time. Arcade sends you through three random fighters and then a Shadow version of your own fighter on hard; your best run can go on the leaderboard when you're signed in. You can also play two players on one keyboard, with two gamepads, or online by room code or Quick Match.
A simple practice plan
- Play a few rounds on easy where you only block and punish.
- Add one combo string, like J J K.
- Add the forward+K launcher and one juggle follow-up.
- Move up to normal difficulty and start mixing in throws.
Play Dojo Duel and try the plan, one step at a time.