Gaming
esports
How to get into Clash Royale in 2020
Clash Royale changed the mobile esports scene when it launched in 2016, but now's the time to start playing if you’re curious. Here's how.
At a time when the only real selling point of most mobile esports was that they were like games you could play on your PC or console, but were on your phone and slightly worse for it, Clash Royale came in and almost single-handedly subverted that stereotype. Nothing quite like it was available on other platforms. It was a fun and unique idea (mix card games with tower defense) that was perfectly suited to the mobile hardware and, perhaps more surprisingly, it had a ton of depth and boasted competitive aspects that made it great fun to watch. As we head into what could be the era of mobile esports, Clash Royale is going to get a lot of credit as one of the first games to really prove that portable devices can sustain top level esports.
That was back in 2016: now Clash Royale is firmly established as one of the biggest mobile esports in the world. There’s a publisher-led league with multiple regions and a gigantic world championship that brings in a huge viewership across the world and while it may not compete for the top spot on Twitch every week it certainly sits towards the upper end of the biggest esports in the world.
Of course with it being a mobile game it's arguably more accessible than many of the other major esports that require a beefy PC or console to play. Getting into Clash Royale has never been easier and with some practise you could become one of the top players in the world.
How to download Clash Royale
Clash Royale is available on both iOS (on iPhone and iPad) and Android and is free to download. All you have to do to start playing is navigate to the App Store on iOS or the Google Play Store on Android and search for Clash Royale. Once you've found the page then you just hit that big old download button and the game will be added to your device. Boot it up, create or log into your account and you’re ready to play.
How to play Clash Royale
While it can get pretty tactical and complex at the higher levels of play, the core moment-to-moment action of Clash Royale is pretty simple. Before you enter a match you create a deck of units that you want to use. Then you enter into a 1v1 competition against another real player. Each of you has three towers you need to defend – one in each of the two lanes and a final one behind those in the middle. Lose the tower at the back and you lose the game. If by the end of the time limit neither player’s back tower has fallen, the player with the most towers remaining wins. If that's still a draw, overtime kicks in.
To destroy the towers you must place down units and cast abilities that will go down each lane and attack whatever's in its way. It’s basically an auto-battler crossed with a MOBA. The skill comes from managing your resources, building unbeatable decks and unleashing attacks that your opponent can’t counter. When you first start you'll probably think it to be pretty simple, but as you learn the complexity of Elixir management, timing and top strategies, it becomes way more complex.
How to learn more complex ideas
Practice makes perfect, so you’re going to want to put in some hours playing to improve. But if you need some extra help then there’s a load of great resources to look for. Sites like clashroyalemeta.com will show you what the most popular decks right now are, while YouTubers such as Orange Juice Gaming will take you through the big updates and show you some of the more complex strategies.
The meta right now
Like all esports the Clash Royale meta is in constant flux. What is the best strategy one week may end up being the worst when the next update hits, but some things remain constant. At the highest levels of play matches rarely come down to all three towers falling, instead usually coming down to just one tower hitting the deck. That means you need to get good at playing defense and knowing exactly what you need to put down to counter an attack.
Speaking generally, control decks that allow you to dictate the pace of the game and lay down a lot of units when needed, is one of the more potent strategies right now. Cards that summon multiple units such as skeletons and goblins are always strong in these decks and a great way to learn how to play the game, as they're great both offensively and defensively in a lot of situations.
The big events to watch
When it comes to the very top levels of Clash Royale play, the Clash Royale League is what you need to be watching. It’s currently in an off-season break, but when its at its peak you can expect high level play weekly from some of the big name players and teams. It all culminates in the annual World Championship that puts hundreds of thousands of dollars on the line, where the best teams from every region compete to be crowned the best in the world. With top level production and some impressive stages for the World Championship you can be sure the spectacle of the events alone is worth tuning in for and that’s before you even think about the level of play on show.
But if you are looking for something a little different, the other major event to watch is Red Bull M.E.O. The massive global tournament is open to anyone aged 16 or over, meaning that the best of the best will compete against the unproven superstars waiting for an opportunity. Players that typically wouldn’t get a shot at the Clash Royale League will compete against players of that calibre and get the chance to show that they deserve to be in the top echelon of pro players and you can be sure the action will be impressive.
As new superstars are made on the Red Bull M.E.O. stage you’ll be sure to pick up some new strategies. With the new influx of talent that Red Bull M.E.O. will bring there are bound to be some new ideas on how to play the game and create some memorable moments. If you’re just starting your Clash Royale journey, or even if you're an experienced vet looking for a change of pace, Red Bull M.E.O. is an event you can’t afford to miss.
