Yesterday Nintendo had a Direct that focused mainly on ARMS and Splatoon 2 for the Nintendo Switch. During the ARMS portion of the Direct, a lot of new aspects of the game were on display. This article covers some basic Nintendo Switch ARMS Global Testpunch information to give you an advantage once the game releases. You’ll be able to hit the ground running and have an upper hand on your friends and opponents. We’ll have more Nintendo Switch ARMS Global Testpunch advice, including information on each of the ARMS characters coming after the game has released, but for now you can brush up with the information below.
Note: If you’re looking for more complete and in-depth information and strategies we have another article based on the final version of the game.
There are several different types of AMRS, many of which were covered in the Nintendo Direct. Each ARM type has a special ability to make them unique, and each falls into a specific attribute as well. If that weren’t enough, each ARMS fighter has unique abilities as well. You can mix and match the ARMS to have one type as your right ARM and a completed different type as your left ARM. Couple this with the differences in fighters and you can make some very interesting combinations.
The different fighters and ARMS will cater to various play styles. For example, the Tribolt ARM has a wider attack range and can stun opponents making it a much easier ARM for newcomers to use. Meanwhile the Boomerang ARM can maneuver around arena obstacles and still hit opponents, but it takes a bit more time to master such a technique making them better for veteran players.
While you can dodge or sidestep in the air to avoid attacks, when you attack with an ARM your character pauses their movement for a moment. This means you need to pick and choose when you attack to ensure that your opponent doesn’t dodge and counter attack while your movement is limited. Keep in mind, you can attack with one ARM, wait for your opponent to dodge, then hit them with your other ARM before they can retaliate.
Using the special attributes of each ARM you can also knock opponents to the ground, slow their movement and more. Pay close attention to the element associated with each ARM so you know what kind of abilities to expect. A big part of ARMS will be matching a fighter with two ARMS that complement your play style.
ARM Types
- Standard Glove – Balanced ARM for beginners.
- Multi-Shot – Attacks multiple times.
- Curve – Can curve around obstacles and other objects.
- Heavy – Hits harder than other ARM types.
- Whip – Add a slight curve to your attacks to catch opponents off guard.
ARM Attributes
- Fire – Knocks opponent to the ground.
- Wind – Knock opponents away.
- Ice – Freeze opponents to slow down movement speed.
- Blind – Make it harder for an opponent to hit you.
- Explosion – Hit opponents for big damage
Known ARMS
- Toaster (Fire) – Good balance of offense and defense.
- Sparky – Able to stun opponents.
- Popper – Surprise spin attack.
- Tribolt (Stun) – Wide attack range, fast attack speed, able to slow down opponents.
- Boomerang (Wind) – Maneuver around obstacles to hit opponents.
- Revolver (Electric) – Fires off three electric shots in rapid succession.
ARM Fighters
- Spring Man – Charges up when below 25 percent health and deflects attacks with charged ARM.
- Ribbon Girl – Can quickly drop to the ground from mid-air.
- Ninjara – Fast movement speed.
- Master Mummy – Can take a lot of hits with his sturdy body.
- Mechanica – Doesn’t flinch when hit by punches.
- Min Min – Can throw opponents, deflects attacks with kicks, and has a Dragon ARM that maintains a longer charge.
ARMS releases on June 16, 2017 for the Nintendo Switch. Stay tuned to Prima Games as we offer a more in-depth look at ARMS as soon as the game is available.
