2XKO beginner's guide: how to play Riot's tag fighter

Quickstart

2XKO is Riot's 2v2 tag-team fighting game built on the League of Legends roster. It's the first new F2P fighter since Rising Thunder shut down, and it's already got a competitive scene with the 2XKO Champions Queue running 12 months a year.

The core idea: you pick 2 characters, swap between them mid-fight using the tag button, and build meter to call in your partner for combo extensions. It's simpler than Marvel vs Capcom, deeper than Pokken, and has the best netcode of any F2P fighter.

Step 1: Pick your main pair

The roster is 12 characters and growing. The 4 best pairs for beginners:

• Ahri + Yasuo (ranged zoning + sword pressure)
• Jinx + Ekko (chaos + setplay)
• Ahri + Darius (zoning + big-body anchor)
• Vi + Caitlyn (rushdown + keepaway)

Pick one pair and learn the basic 4-button combo for each character before touching anything else.

Step 2: Learn the 4 universal mechanics

Every 2XKO character shares these:

• Light / Medium / Heavy (the 3 attack buttons)
• Special (the 4th button, costs meter)
• Tag (swap to your partner, can be done mid-combo)
• Assist (call partner in for one attack, costs meter)

Master these before learning character-specific specials. Every round in Diamond+ is decided by tag and assist timing.

Step 3: Play the neutral game

2XKO is more about neutral than combos. The 30/30/40 rule applies here too: 30% approach, 30% block, 40% actual engagement. New players mash buttons — veterans walk forward, block, and punish the mash.

Step 4: Use the input buffer

2XKO has a 4-frame input buffer (lenient by FGC standards). Mash your combos. The game rewards aggressive play. The training mode has a "buffer display" that shows you how many frames early you can input.

Step 5: Don't burn meter early

Meter is the win condition. The character with more meter at round 3 wins 70% of matches. Save your Specials and Assists for round 2-3, not round 1.

What's next

Once you can do 4-button combos for both your characters and you're winning neutral exchanges, the meta shifts to setplay — using knockdowns to force the opponent to guess on wakeup. The 2XKO Discord has a "Setplay 101" video series that transitions you from neutral to mixup-heavy play.

FAQ

Is 2XKO free-to-play?

Yes, fully F2P on PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X|S. All characters are free. The monetization is a $10 battle pass with cosmetics only — no pay-to-win, no locked characters.

What's the difference between 2XKO and Marvel vs Capcom?

2XKO is simpler (4 buttons vs 6), more tag-focused, and has better netcode. Marvel vs Capcom is deeper mechanically but has steeper execution. If you like Marvel but bounced off the execution, try 2XKO.

How long is a 2XKO match?

A ranked set is first-to-2, with each game lasting 2-5 minutes. A full set is 5-15 minutes. Ranked queues are 30-90 seconds in Diamond+.

Can I play 2XKO with a controller?

Yes, fully. The default controller layout is well-balanced and used by most of the pro scene. Fight sticks work but aren't required.

What characters are in 2XKO?

As of August 2026: Ahri, Darius, Ekko, Yasuo, Jinx, Vi, Caitlyn, Illaoi, Braum, Sett, and 2 more added in the 2026 season pass. All characters are free.