GameWiki
GET YOUR BEARINGS
About Rivals of Aether
Rivals of Aether is an indie platform fighter where each rival commands one of the classical elements—Fire, Water, Air, Earth—or animal‑inspired movement. Players pick a rival and battle in a variety of modes that stress timing, positioning, and the unique elemental tools each character provides.
The game supports local drop‑in co‑op, online versus, ranked ladders, and several single‑player experiences such as Story, Abyss, and dedicated training tools. Each mode centers on the same core combat of timing, positioning, and elemental tools, so skills practiced in one setting can inform your approach in others.
01 / THE GUIDE
Versus Mode
Versus Mode lets you fight 1v1 or 2v2 matches, including free‑for‑all battles. The mode offers drop‑in local co‑op, so a friend can join at any moment without restarting the match.
Online Versus extends the same combat to the internet, letting you set custom rules or compete in Ranked Mode where your results appear on Steam Leaderboards.
- Try a quick local drop‑in to feel a rival’s moves before entering ranked online.
- Experiment with custom rule sets in Online Versus to discover new strategies.
02 / THE GUIDE
Story Mode
Story Mode presents the backstory of each rival, gradually revealing the hidden mysteries of Aether. It is a single‑player experience that introduces characters, their elemental themes, and narrative motivations.
Story Mode focuses on narrative context rather than competition, providing background that can help players anticipate a rival’s typical tactics.
- Play Story Mode first to learn each rival’s elemental theme before competitive play.
- Take brief notes on lore to remember which rivals align with which elements.
03 / THE GUIDE
Abyss Mode
Abyss Mode challenges you to survive successive waves of shadowy fighters, tracking how many you can defeat. You may attempt it alone or with a friend, and the highest wave reached is recorded on leaderboards.
Before each run you can customize an Abyss build, allowing you to select moves and strategies that suit the endurance‑focused challenge.
- Use a friend in Abyss Versus to share wave load and increase survivability.
- Test different builds to discover which combination yields the longest run.
04 / THE GUIDE
Tetherball Mode
Tetherball is a sport‑themed mode played on a beach setting. Although it appears casual, the mode contains depth, and opponents treat each rally with serious focus.
Tetherball offers a change of pace from standard fights, so adapting your timing and positioning to the mode’s objective‑based scoring is key.
- Approach Tetherball like a regular match to improve timing and positioning.
- Watch how opponents modify elemental attacks to suit the sport’s mechanics.
05 / THE GUIDE
Training Tools
Tutorial Mode offers step‑by‑step lessons that guide beginners through basic moves and progress to advanced techniques. It is designed for solo practice, letting you focus on one concept at a time.
Practice Mode provides frame data and hitbox visualizations for every rival, giving a controlled environment to study spacing and timing without opponent pressure.
- Start with Tutorial Mode to build a solid foundation before moving to Practice Mode.
- Use hitbox visualizations to understand spacing for each rival’s attacks.
COMMUNITY
Player discussion