RIVALS Beginner Guide to Loadouts, Settings and First Wins
October 30, 2026 · 5 min read
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Start in the Shooting Range with the free loadout, change your settings once, then play 1v1 duels until you know which weapon slot feels weak. Do not spend your Keys until then. A match is first to five round wins.
How RIVALS works
RIVALS is a first-person shooter by Nosniy Games with duels from 1v1 up to 5v5. There is no match menu in the usual sense. You challenge someone by stepping on a duel pad in the lobby, and the match starts when someone else joins the pad.
It runs on desktop, phones, tablets, Xbox and PlayStation 5. Controls differ by device, so follow the on-screen layout if you are not on PC.
Your free loadout
You get four slots, and the free items are enough to learn the game.
| Slot | Free item | What it is for |
|---|---|---|
| Primary | Assault Rifle | Your main gun for most fights |
| Secondary | Handgun | Your backup when the rifle is empty |
| Melee | Fists | Very close range |
| Utility | Grenade | Pressuring a spot, or launching yourself |
PC controls
| Key | Action |
|---|---|
| WASD | Move |
| Left mouse | Fire |
| Right mouse | Aim down sights |
| Shift | Sprint (usually) |
| C or Ctrl | Crouch or slide |
| Space | Jump |
| R | Reload |
| 1 to 4 or mouse wheel | Switch weapon |
Bindings can change, so check Settings if a key does something different.
Settings to change first
Fix these before your first real match. MuMuPlayer's guide suggests the following, though menus can move between updates:
- General: turn on Auto Sprint and Easy Slide.
- Camera: set field of view to between 90 and 110, and set camera zoom effects to 0.
- Crosshair: use a shape and colour you can see easily against any background.
- Sensitivity: if your aim feels wrong, change it right away. Do not force yourself to get used to a setting that is not working.
What to do in the Shooting Range
The gun floats a little on screen, which feels odd at first. A few minutes of practice helps a lot. Try this order:
- Shoot the red targets while standing still, to learn how each gun behaves.
- Move between walls and containers while shooting.
- Practise sprinting, sliding and jumping one at a time, each with a reason, such as crossing an open gap.
- Practise switching from the Assault Rifle to the Handgun before the rifle runs dry.
If Beginner Tasks or tutorial prompts appear, follow them while you practise. Sportskeeda also notes that the range is a good place to finish weapon tasks that give Keys.
How to win more rounds
Fight from cover. Duels in the open often come down to who makes the first mistake. Show as little of your body as you can when you check a corner.
Do not peek the same spot twice. If someone saw you at one angle, move before you try again.
Keep your crosshair where they will appear. Hold it near the corner or doorway an enemy is likely to use, so you need less movement to hit them.
Aim higher when you can. Headshots do more damage than body shots. If you are new, it is fine to aim for the body first and work up to the head as your aim improves.
Switch instead of reloading. Going to your secondary is faster than reloading in a live fight. Never reload in the open, including straight after a kill, unless you are behind cover.
Keep moving, with a purpose. Strafe side to side when exposed. Jump or slide to cross space or break the enemy's aim, not every time you feel nervous.
Listen. Sound is directional, so footsteps and gunfire tell you where an enemy is.
Take the high ground. Being above your opponent makes fights easier. You can also use explosives to get there: a grenade thrown at your feet launches you upward, and your own explosives do not hurt you, according to MuMuPlayer. Practise this in the range first.
Learn one map at a time. Once you know where people usually appear, you can start shooting a spot just before they step out, which is called pre-firing.
Keys and how to spend them
Keys unlock weapons and skins. You can earn them by playing, finishing tasks and contracts, and from redeeming codes. The in-game Store sells them for Robux, but you do not need to pay to learn the game.
Better weapons cost a lot, so make each unlock solve a real problem:
- Keep losing at close range? Look for a close-range option. A Shotgun is the usual suggestion.
- Run out of ammo in long fights? Look at your secondary.
- Unsure? Keep saving and test weapons in the Shooting Range, where you can try any weapon before you buy.
Master one weapon at a time. Swapping your whole loadout every few matches makes it harder to tell what is working. Change one slot, test it, then decide.
Older guides suggest the Uzi as a secondary for finishing hurt opponents, the Trowel for building quick cover, and the Grenade as a utility. Balance changes over time, so treat those as ideas to test.
Which mode to play first
Start with regular 1v1 duels, because you can see what you did wrong in each round. If Beginner 2v2 appears in your menu, it is a small team mode with less pressure than a big match. Leave Ranked until normal rounds feel comfortable.
Stay safe
The official game page warns that cheaters are permanently banned with no second chances, and it also bans abusing glitches and sketchy farming methods. Anyone offering you a script or a farming trick is putting your account at risk. Practice is slower, but your Keys and skins stay yours.
