Playing Free Fire for the first time can be a very daunting experience especially for those who are new to the genre of mobile first-person shooter games.

The controls are very different from many FPS games you play on PC. Having different controls, gameplay, and strategy means learning everything from scratch.

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And while Free Fire is your standard mobile FPS game, there are still so many new things to learn about the game, especially for beginners. Here are some tips on how to play Free Fire effectively as a beginner.

  • Learning the Basics
  • Get to Know Your Weapons
  • Make Good Use of the Minimap
  • Don’t Just Stand There
  • Wear Your Headphones
  • Talk to Your Team
How to Play Free Fire - A Tutorial for Beginners
Image Source: TalkEsport

Learning the Basics

After downloading the game, you can immediately play the game or go through the tutorial. The best way to understand the game is to train through the tutorial.

The tutorial teaches you all the fundamentals of the game and it is when you’re matched against other beginners that this experience becomes very real.

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You’ll be dropped from an airplane high above the island and you get to use your hoverboard to glide through the air until you reach your drop location. Once you arrive at your location, you will need to gather weapons and other items such as health packs to help defend yourself. 

It is at this point in the game where you start to eliminate other players until you get to be the last one standing to win the game.

Choose a Character

Free Fire features different characters and each of them offers unique abilities that you can take advantage of during battle. Some characters tend to have an aggressive skillset with some characters having faster reloading time. 

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Others are quite tanky wherein they absorb more damage than other characters. Some provide utility such as having faster driving speed while others offer supportive abilities for your team by reviving your teammates with more health. 

You can unlock these characters through the in-game currency or diamonds.

Get to Know Your Weapons

There are a lot of items and weapons used in Free Fire. Most of them are used for offensive purposes such as the submachine gun or the shotgun but other items can protect or put other players at a disadvantage. 

How to Play Free Fire - A Tutorial for Beginners
Image Source: Sensor Tower

Learning how weapons are being used in Free Fire will help you use them effectively. For example, shotguns are better at close-range combat as they can deal large amounts of damage towards an opponent. 

Sniper rifles are also great at eliminating an opponent from afar but it will take a lot of practice, skill, proper positioning, timing, and accuracy to pull it off. 

Choose which weapon you would like to use in battle and be familiar with how they are used.

Understanding What Weapon Attachments Do

You’ll also find that aside from weapons and throwables, Free Fire also has weapon attachments or items that you can attach to your weapon to either increase its firepower or provide better utility. 

There are five different weapon attachments that you can use in this game. A silencer is a great tool for you to avoid getting noticed or hearing as you try to shoot your enemies. 

The muzzle allows your bullets to deal even greater damage over long distances while the foregrip increases your accuracy. The magazine increases the clip size while the scope lets you zoom in further on your target.

Make Good Use of the Minimap

Now that you have chosen a specific character, a good weapon, and you know the basics of the game, it is time for you to understand playing the game through the minimap

How to Play Free Fire - A Tutorial for Beginners
Image Source: Throneful / YouTube

The minimap is your guide to the lay of the land. Checking the minimap from time to time will give you information on where you are on the island. Learn to familiarize yourself with your location by checking the minimap constantly. 

It also gives you more details about your opponents as they can be seen through the minimap when they are nearby. 

While they can be seen on the map, you won’t be able to see where they are facing so you still need to be careful with where you’re going.

The Playzone Becomes Smaller

You will also notice that the game announces that the map will get smaller the longer you stay in the game. 

For this reason, it is always best to check out the minimap as it will also provide you information on the location of the safe zone. Make a run for the safe zone the moment the game informs you of the location. 

Always make sure that you move near the edge of the play zone to avoid other players as much as possible.

Don’t Just Stand There

Whenever you encounter an opponent in the game, make sure that you try to move or run while shooting at them. 

How to Play Free Fire - A Tutorial for Beginners
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It does take some time to get used to this maneuver but this is one of the skills that you will need to adapt quickly to survive.

Never stand still while you’re shooting or being shot by the enemy. Standing still will only make you an easy target. Jump around or crouch if you must. 

Running around will help you dodge bullets from your opponents. Whatever you do, don’t just stand there waiting to be killed.

Take Cover

There are a lot of buildings and other structures within the island that can help you survive. Some of them offer long-lasting protection while others are just temporary. 

Whenever you feel like you are taking a beating from your opponents, try to duck to the nearest structure or object for cover. Whether it is a crate, a wall, or a nearby building, make good use of your surroundings to protect yourself from further damage. 

This is also the reason why you need to check your minimap from time to time to see where the nearest places that you can take cover.

Wear Your Headphones

It should be obvious by now that while you are playing Free Fire, you should always wear your headphones. Having headphones allows you to listen to the game’s sound. 

How to Play Free Fire - A Tutorial for Beginners
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This also means that you get to hear your opponent’s footsteps and gunshots. It will help you know their location so you can either run away from the brawl or position yourself to eliminate them. 

Your enemies can also hear you as you move around the game. Make sure to avoid making too much noise especially when you’re surrounded by enemies by crouching as you move.

Drive Around

You will also notice that there are a lot of vehicles scattered across the island. You can get to drive around the island by getting inside the vehicle. 

It is quite useful to use a vehicle to get to a certain area in the game without having to deal with the long run towards your destination. Vehicles are also very useful when you have your squad with you. 

If you find yourself too far away from the play zone and the map is getting smaller, hop inside a vehicle and drive your way to the nearest safe area.

Talk to Your Team

There are a lot of game modes to choose from when playing Free Fire. You can either play Solo mode if you want to play alone or duo with a friend. 

How to Play Free Fire - A Tutorial for Beginners
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You may also invite two more players to form into a three-man squad

Whenever you are playing with a friend, make sure that you talk to them all the time. It is very important that you provide them with the information on where you want to go or what you want to do. 

Always make sure that you are on the same page as your duo or squad so you won’t leave yourself vulnerable to other opponents in the game. Teamwork is always going to be the key to getting more wins.

Take Advantage of Practice Mode

Practice is the reason why many players get better in the game. Whether you have previous experience with other mobile FPS games, training and practicing will generally help you get better at Free Fire. 

Fortunately, the game also has a Practice Mode where you can improve your skills as a beginner. 

This means you can practice aiming and shooting your weapons accurately, learn the best places to drop on the island, get to know key areas in the game, and check the best locations to camp out enemies in the game.

Conclusion

Starting in Free Fire is a complex experience but with these beginners tips, you can be better. It can be very easy for those who already have experience playing other FPS games but everyone should know that Free Fire is a very different mobile game. 

Everyone needs to start from the bottom as a beginner and work their way up to become a seasoned player. Free Fire is now available to download on mobile devices at the Google Play Store and the App Store.