Brawl Stars Beginner's Guide: Joysticks, Game Modes and Upgrading Brawlers

A starter guide to Brawl Stars: the two joysticks and Super button, what Gem Grab, Brawl Ball and Showdown actually ask of you, using bushes, upgrade order and common mistakes.

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Brawl Stars is a free mobile action game from Supercell, the Finnish studio behind Clash of Clans and Clash Royale. You pick a character called a Brawler and drop into a top-down arena, usually for 3v3 team matches or for Showdown, where everyone fights alone. Matches last a few minutes, so it works on a bus ride, but there is more tactics in it than it first seems.

This guide is for players who just installed the game, or who have played a few matches and keep losing without knowing why. It covers the on-screen controls, what the most common modes really want from you, and the order in which to upgrade your Brawlers.

The game can be played in many languages, including Turkish. We use the English menu names throughout, since those are what you will see in wikis and community videos.

Goal of the game

Every match has a goal, and it is often not simply defeating the enemy. In Gem Grab your team must collect 10 gems from the mine in the middle and hold them until a countdown ends; in Brawl Ball the first team to score two goals wins; in Heist you protect your safe while breaking the enemy's; in Bounty you earn stars by defeating opponents; in Knockout defeated players stay out for the rest of the round and the first team to win two rounds takes the match. In Showdown ten players try to be the last one standing while poison clouds close in from the edges.

Winning matches raises that Brawler's Trophies and losing lowers them; each Brawler tracks its own count, and the sum is your total. Rewards such as Coins and Power Points raise a Brawler's Power Level, and new abilities unlock at set levels: according to the Brawl Stars community wiki, Gadgets unlock at Power Level 7, Star Powers at 9 and Hypercharges at 11, while the first Gear slot opens at 8 and a second one at 10.

Controls

Key	Action
`Left-side joystick`	Moves your Brawler
`Red attack joystick on the right (drag, release)`	Aims and fires your main attack; drag back to the centre to cancel
`Quick tap on the attack joystick`	Auto-aim: fires at the nearest target (enemy or box)
`Yellow Super joystick`	Aims and fires your charged Super; a tap auto-aims it
`Green Gadget button`	Activates your Gadget (has a cooldown)
`Purple Hypercharge button`	Activates a few seconds of boosted Super when Hypercharge is full
`Top bar above your Brawler`	Health; starts regenerating after 3 seconds without attacking or taking damage
`Segmented bar above your Brawler`	Ready attacks (usually up to 3), refilling over time
`On-screen emote/quick chat button`	Sends quick messages and Pins to your team
`Settings → Controls`	Moves and resizes the joysticks

First steps

Finish the tutorial The short tutorial on first launch shows movement, aiming and the Super. Feeling the difference between auto-aim and manual aim here makes later matches much easier.
Warm up in one mode In your first days, pick one team mode such as Gem Grab or Brawl Ball and keep playing it. Seeing the same maps teaches you where the bushes and walls are; jumping to a new mode every match slows learning down.
Use auto-aim up close The tap-to-fire auto-aim is fast and reliable against nearby enemies. Against a moving enemy at range, drag the joystick and aim where they are going; auto-aim often misses moving targets.
Do not hoard your Super Your Super charges when you hit enemy Brawlers and is kept even if you are defeated. Holding it forever helps no one, though: use it to finish an opponent, stop a gem carrier or score a goal.
Focus your upgrades Power Points and Coins are limited. Instead of spreading them out, take one or two favourite Brawlers to Power Level 7 for a Gadget, then 9 for a Star Power.
Follow your Quests Quests give the XP that moves you along the Brawl Pass. Playing the Brawler or mode a quest asks for means one match pays off twice.
Claim Trophy Road rewards As your total Trophies grow, the Trophy Road unlocks rewards and features. Remember to collect them; some are new Brawlers or upgrade resources.
Join a Club From the Social tab you can join a Club, chat and set up rooms to play together. A team you can talk to is far more consistent than random teammates, especially in Gem Grab and Heist.

Tips and tactics

Bushes hide you, but not completelyA Brawler in a bush is hidden from enemies, but becomes visible if an enemy gets very close or if you attack. Before walking into a bush, assume someone may be inside and fire a shot into it first if needed.
Take full coverAccording to the community wiki, a Brawler's hitbox is the ring at its feet and is slightly larger than one wall tile. For full protection, stand behind cover that is two tiles wide.
Stop shooting to healHealth only regenerates after a few seconds without attacking or being hit. When you are low, back off and wait; pushing forward on half health hands the enemy easy points.
In Gem Grab, protect the gem carrierWhen the carrier is defeated, every gem they hold drops to the ground. If you are carrying many gems, do not stand at the very front; stay slightly behind your team, and play safe once the countdown starts.
In Brawl Ball, pass the ballAttacking while holding the ball kicks it. Passing to a teammate near the goal or taking a long shot with your Super beats dribbling alone through three opponents.
In Heist, vary your routeBrawlers hitting the safe draw the enemy's attention. Pressure one lane while a teammate reaches the safe another way to split the defence.
In Showdown, collect Power Cubes without drifting into poisonBreaking Power Cube boxes raises your health and damage for the match. The poison still closes in from the edges, and staying inside it while chasing cubes also cuts your healing.
Keep moving sidewaysLong-range shots take time to travel. If someone is targeting you from afar, strafe and change direction suddenly instead of running straight; an opponent leading their aim will miss.
Know your Brawler's roleDurable close-range Brawlers hold ground up front, long-range ones support from behind, and some can throw over walls. Picking a Brawler that fits the map and mode beats playing your strongest Brawler everywhere.
Review what went wrongAfter a loss, think about where the damage came from: which bush someone waited in, or the moment you pushed too far. Not repeating a mistake is the cheapest way to gain Trophies.

Common mistakes

Relying on auto-aim for everything: it works up close, but most shots at moving enemies at range are wasted.
Charging ahead alone in team modes: an isolated player falls quickly in 3v3, and in Gem Grab carries the team's gems straight to the enemy.
Spreading resources over many Brawlers: none of them reach Gadget or Star Power levels and all stay weak.
Staying in a fight on low health: a few seconds of retreat restores health, while being defeated leaves your team a player short.
Walking past bushes without checking them: close-range Brawlers wait there and deal heavy damage in one burst.
Forgetting the objective: in Brawl Ball and Heist the team that completes the goal wins, not the one with the most defeats.

Frequently asked questions

Is Brawl Stars free?

Yes, it is free to download and play. It has optional purchases and a paid Brawl Pass track; the free track also gives rewards.

Can I play it on PC?

Supercell publishes the game for Android and iOS; there is no official Windows version. This guide's controls are written for touch screens.

What languages does it support?

Many, including Turkish, according to its App Store listing. You can change the language through your device settings or the in-game settings.

When do Gadgets, Star Powers and Hypercharges unlock?

According to the community wiki, Gadgets unlock at Power Level 7, Star Powers at 9 and Hypercharges at 11. The first Gear slot opens at level 8 and the second at level 10.

When can I play Ranked?

The wiki says Ranked unlocks on the Trophy Road at 1000 Trophies and requires Brawlers at Power Level 9 or higher. These thresholds can change with updates; the in-game Trophy Road screen is the most reliable reference.

Can I play with friends?

Yes. You can invite friends to your team, or join a Club and create rooms to play together.

This guide was written for version: This guide reflects the live version as of September 2026. Modes rotate by season, and level thresholds and reward systems can change with updates.

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