Magical Battle Arena NEXT/Controls
This page serves to explain the various buttons' functions as well as the notation used in this wiki. If you're wondering how to set up your controls, refer to the Controls section in the Configuration page.
Introduction
When browsing this wiki, for the sake of convenience, a notation system will be used when annotating combos and inputs. For directional inputs, numpad notation will be used. Here are the digital directional inputs possible in this game:
| 🡼 | 🡹 | 🡽 |
| 🡸 | ｎ | 🡺 |
| 🡿 | 🡻 | 🡾 |
Knowing this, we can overlay those directions with the numbers on a number pad to make those directions correspond to a numpad layout. For instance, 5 represents the lever neutral position, and 8 represents towards the same direction the camera is facing.
| ７ | ８ | ９ |
| ４ | ５ | ６ |
| １ | ２ | ３ |
Notation
| Combo Notation Help | |
|---|---|
| Disclaimer: Combos are written by various writers, so the actual notation used in pages can differ from the standard one. For more information, see System Mechanics. | |
| A | Indicates an Attack input. |
| S | Indicates a Shot input. |
| G | Indicates a Guard input. |
| step | Indicates a Step input. |
| t.X | Indicates that X input is used in conjunction with the Trigger input. |
| X > Y | X input is cancelled into Y. |
| X >> Y | X input is Step Cancelled into Y. |
| X, Y | X input is linked into Y, meaning Y is done after X's recovery period. |
| X dl Y | Indicates that Y has to be delayed for the rest of the combo to connect. |
| X+Y | Buttons X and Y must be input simultaneously. |
| X/Y | Either the X or Y input can be used. |
| X~Y | Input X is used with Y follow-up input. |
| X(w) | X input must not hit the opponent (whiff). |
| (X) | X is optional. Typically, the combo will be easier if omitted. |
| [X] | Input X is held down. Depending on the character, this can indicate that this button is held down and not released until indicated by the release notation. |
| ]X[ | Input X is released. Will only appear if a button is previously held down. This type of input is referred to as Negative Edge. |
| {X} | Button X should only be held down briefly to get a partially charged version instead of the fully charged one. |
| :X | X must be released on a just frame, a precise timing where the button being released will give an enhanced version of the attack. |
| X(N) | Attack "X" should only hit N times. |
| (XYZ)xN | XYZ string must be performed N times. Combos using this notation are usually referred to as loops. |
| (XYZ^) | A pre-existing combo labelled XYZ is inserted here for shortening purposes. |
| E | Indicates an Extra activation. |
| SD | Indicates a Synchro Drive activation. |
| DA | Indicates a Drive Attack. |
| ADA | Indicates an Accelerator Drive Attack. |
Basic Movement
This section is a work in progress.
Aside from the basic movement stuff up/down/left/right and ascend/descend, it could be a little unclear what these controls do.
Step is the term for "dashing" in this game. Press it to get a burst of speed (plus invuln?) and press it again during a step to do a Step Avoidance for momentum change and invulnerable frames.
If you hold Step you do a Boost, which makes you go very fast and become unable to see anything because it sucks. Highly recommend not pressing this if you have epilepsy or other vision related impairments. It probably won't be dangerous (hopefully) but it will not be pleasant.
Guard prevents you from moving and holds out a directional barrier for a short period of time.
Pressing Step + Guard does a Quick Turn. It's a parry... of some sort. (We don't know what it does.)
Shoot shoots your basic bullets. Most characters can also charge their shot to fire a more powerful bullet or more of them.
Attack is your melee button. Most characters have 3-5 hits in their no-directional-input combo. There are also different combos for holding up, down, and sides.
Lock-on changes your target in a 2v2 match. You are always locked onto one of your enemies.
Trigger is like an "alt" key. Holding Trigger and doing Shot or Attack does Trigger Shot or Trigger Attack. These are extra moves that may also be charged depending on the character.
Pressing Trigger + Guard does your character's Extra. What this Extra is and what it does is dependent on your character; please check their page for more details.
Synchro Drive is like your burst. When you have enough meter such that it turns orange, you can enter Synchro Drive, which lets you press your Drive Attack by by pressing Trigger + Step.
Sync(hro) Actions are like assists you can only press when a circular prompt shows up. Please check the synchro actions page for details.
Macros
These are the default inputs for certain moves that can be macroed to their own buttons instead:
- Quick Turn — Step + Guard
- Trigger Attack — Trigger + Attack
- Trigger Shot — Trigger + Attack
- Extra — Trigger + Guard
- Drive Attack — Trigger + Step (Drive Attack can only be done while in Synchro Drive)
