The Jurassic World Alive meta is ever-changing. Whether it’s because of the recent update, your current arena level, the new dino you recently unlocked or even just that favorite dino you are determined to use, it is often difficult to know how to get ahead and stay ahead in the arena. While players at higher levels/arenas in the game may have this all figured out (as much as we can!) those just starting out or trying to claw their way up through the mid-tier arenas may continue to get frustrated and wonder “What’s the secret?”

While unfortunately there is no great secret to climbing the ranks, there are a few basic things that players can consider if they want to succeed and move up in the battle arenas. While we know this guide may not be beneficial for players at 4000+ trophies, it can be incredibly helpful for low to mid arena players who are still trying to master the art of battling in the JWA arena…

Today, we are going to over 3 key elements for struggling players to consider at the very start of any given match that may help you come off on top.

Analyze your current hand

Every match starts the same… four face-down cards that can either mean an easy win or a difficult struggle, depending on how they flip! Regardless, formulating a plan within that small window of roughly 15-25 seconds isn’t easy. We highly recommend doing some friendly battles to practice the multiple varieties of 4 card combinations you may get so that when you get certain combos you already know how to use it effectively.

When those four cards flip over during a battle you first want to look at what redundancies you have, or Dinosaurs that fulfill the same or similar roles. The logic is that if, for example, you have two dinosaurs will nullifying abilities, then losing one of them is less likely to cost you the game. We are creatures of habit and tend to throw out dinosaurs that we’ve become comfortable using instead of giving a few seconds pause to look at what your hand can do. Taking those few extra seconds to give your current hand some thought will help you be prepared for the later stages of a match when you may need a hard counter to a powerful dinosaur.

Become Familiar with Turn One Favorites

The Metahub tier list for dinosaurs in Jurassic World Alive is extremely helpful for players to identify turn one favorites. There is a natural progression for most players (without huge bank accounts) that determine what kind of dinosaurs players have and what level they are.

Certain dinosaurs are more accessible and thus are leveled more quickly in the beginning and are going to be encountered more often in the arena. Knowing what these most commonly used dinosaurs can be determined if you look at what you currently have unlocked or almost have unlocked. These dinosaurs will give you a solid base of what you will be going up against in the lower to mid-level arenas and will give you an idea of what your opponent may be throwing out turn one.

Additionally, certain dinosaurs are easier to use and don’t require as much foresight to have success. Dinosaurs that fall into this category tend to be auto-included for player decks. Stegosaurus, Velociraptor, Stegoceratops, and Einiasuchus are examples of dinosaurs that players starting out to mid-level players will be using and throwing during the 1st or 2nd turns.

Having this kind of insight and forethought puts you already several steps ahead of the competition and you should quickly churn through the novice players as they make routine plays that you are able to read before they happen.

Get Into Your Opponents’ Head

The last thing to consider is more about the psychological decisions we tend to make while playing games against another human player. You can start to get into your opponents head simply by considering what you would do in their situation with your team of Dinosaurs. Will you switch to a tank to absorb some damage? Perhaps a decent counter attacker that will finish off those last few health points to give you a lead? Maybe you throw out a Dinosaur to take the fall for your other Dinosaurs to fight on and win the match?

Questions such as these go through a player’s head during the heat of battle and being conscious that your opponent is thinking that the same thing is going to prove beneficial. Taking preemptive measures are risky but taking a logical approach helps with clarity and being able to make the play to give the highest odds of success.

While the battle screen says “Defeat 3 Dinosaurs to Win!” it should say be the first to mentally defeat your opponent to win. There are times when players simply give up after losing their first dinosaur after a bad RNG roll – don’t do this! We have all had games where we thought we were doomed but came back to win. In addition, the consequence of losing isn’t that heavy as you can simply jump back in after a tough loss to try and earn your trophies back.

Parting Words

Similar to a game of chess, the first player to make a minor mistake in JWA can spur the other to gain momentum and eventually lead to their victory. Take note of what dinosaurs your opponent reveals to you, what you have to counter their hand, and what your opponent will switch to in order to get into your opponent’s head and think a few moves ahead to give you the VICTORY!

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