Exactly three decades after the franchise’s first release, id Software’s classic 90s shooter has officially made its debut on mobile devices. Mighty DOOM is the latest installment in the long legacy of DOOM games created over the years. But unlike its predecessors, the mobile game takes a totally different approach with the implementation of top-down shooter mechanics.
Image: Bethesda Softworks
Veterans of the series may think that’s not an issue, but take it from experience, the feeling of helplessness kicks in as soon as you boot up the app on your device, similar to the situation Vampire Survivors puts you in. The cartoony mobile graphics, although great, are more than enough to throw you on edge, and without a proper beginners guide to break the ice, Mighty DOOM will prove to be tougher than it already is. So if you’d like a head start in this amazing action game, then look no further.
The Fundamentals of Mighty DOOM
Before we get into the tips and tricks part about Mighty DOOM, it’s important to take you through the fundamentals of the game and explain precisely why it’s different.
Gameplay
The biggest change in Mighty DOOM is the utilization of a top-down perspective system where players only have to move around the Mini Slayer as he continues to shoot his primary weapon automatically. Grenades, Secondary Weapons, and Ultimates on the other hand have to be manually activated, and they do have a cool-down time as well.
Image: Bethesda Softworks
In its entirety, Mighty Doom has 10 chapters or missions that you will need to complete to beat the game. And each chapter includes a set of either 40 or 20 randomized stages that must be cleared. Every 10 stages you’ll also have to fight a unique boss, which is as enthralling as it is frightening. One wrong move will result in a game over and will send you back to the beginning of the chapter, so caution is highly advised.
Fun Fact: On average, it takes 5–8 hours to beat Mighty DOOM.
Currencies
There are 3 major currencies in Mighty DOOM:
Image: Bethesda Softworks
- Energy is required to play a chapter, and every time you start a run, you’ll lose some energy regardless of whether you completed the chapter or not. But don’t worry as it regenerates over time.
- Crystals are the rarest currency in Might DOOM. They allow you to buy crates, equipment, and cosmetics.
- Coins are used to upgrade Masteries, Gear, and the Mini Slayer. They can be earned by playing the game.
Rewards
just like every other mobile game, Might DOOM is riddled with rewards to hook you in. Cosmetics, currencies, power-ups, you name it. Getting rewards isn’t that difficult either, some require you to beat a chapter, while other rewards can be collected from the “Daily Missions” or “Stage Rewards” checklist pages. There are a variety of reward systems in the game, so be sure to read through all of them.
Image: Bethesda Softworks
Tip: There is also a dedicated “Daily Rewards” tab, so be sure to log in every day to get those extra goodies.
Microtransactions
If there’s one thing we gamers hate, it’s microtransactions. Unfortunately, Mighty DOOM does have them, but they are completely optional and don’t impact gameplay that much. It’s only just a couple of cosmetic items, loot crates, and suits like the Call of Duty games that are locked behind in-app purchases.
Image: Bethesda Softworks
That’s another reason which distinguishes it from previous DOOM games. Since the microtransactions don’t offer much, and the game is foremost a single-player experience, it’s best if you avoid them completely.
Weapons & Upgrades
Weapons are always the highlight of any DOOM game, and here it’s no different. Mighty DOOM offers a plethora of unique and exciting weapons which you can unlock, upgrade, and unload on your foes by playing the game.
Unlocking New Weapons
When you first play the game, you will have only a single weapon. But as you clear out stages, and then entire chapters, more and more of the classic DOOM weapons such as the Plasma Rifle, and Rocket Launcher will unlock. There are essentially 4 types of equipable weapons:
Image: Bethesda Softworks
- Primary Weapons are automatically used by the Slayer. They have no cool-down time but differ in fire rate. Plasma rifles and the basic shotgun are two primary weapons.
- Secondary Weapons have to be manually shot with the press of a button. Cool-down times and fire rates differ depending on the weapon equipped. The Super Shotgun and Rocket Launcher are two secondary weapons.
- Ultimate weapons have to be charged before they can be used. Killing enemies across stages will fill up the charge meter, and once it’s full, you can unleash a special attack for high damage. And yes, that includes the BFG 9000 and The Crucible.
- Launchers are weapons such as Frag Grenades or the Flame Belch which automatically fire at set intervals.
Image: Bethesda Softworks
Tip: Ultimates take a long time to charge and do massive damage, so save them up for the boss battles that happen every 10 stages.
Glory Kills
Mighty DOOM has the Glory Kills feature from the main games too. Occasionally, when enemies are brought to zero health, they will start to flicker yellow and blue instead of dying. This is an indication that a Glory Kill is possible, so simply go near such an enemy, and the Glory Kill will automatically happen.
Image: Bethesda Softworks
When performing Glory Kills, the Slayer is invincible for the duration of the animation, hence it has a great strategical importance. Enemies that are Glory Killed also drop health pick-ups, so always perform them if you’re running low.
Abilities & Masteries
Whenever you successfully complete a stage, you gain experience points. When the experience gauge is filled, you’ll automatically be prompted to pick an Ability. This varies from options that increase damage, the amounts of bullets you fire, and bullet ricochet between enemies to them bouncing off walls.
Image: Bethesda Softworks
Alternatively, Masteries are permanent upgrades that can be bought from the “Masteries” tab on the game’s home page. They can be unlocked with coins, and upon purchase, you’ll get a random Mastery upgrade. They are vital perks, and without them, Mighty DOOM will be a lot more difficult, so make them your top priority.
Weapon Fusion
Another new concept introduced in the mobile adaptation is Weapon Fusion. It does exactly what the name implies: Fusing weapons. But what’s so special about that? Well, Fusion allows you to upgrade the rarity of any armament you currently have available.
Image: Bethesda Softworks
However, it’s not as simple as it sounds. If you want to perform a Weapon Fusion, you must have three weapons of the same type available in your inventory, and they also need to be of the same rarity. Increasing your weapon’s rarity vastly increases its strength, and taking down enemies becomes all that easier.
Equipment Buffs
Gear pieces are a big addition to Mighty DOOM. Completing certain tasks, opening crates, and clearing out chapters get you rewards, and sometimes, you’ll be getting armor pieces. Apart from the obvious aesthetic changes, armor pieces grant you various buffs.
Image: Bethesda Softworks
Some help you charge your Ultimate faster, while others increase damage tenfold. They are very handy if you need an extra edge during battle, so keep completing tasks and opening as many crates as you possibly can.
Mighty DOOM: Tips & Tricks
Now comes the most important part of this Mighty DOOM Beginners guide, the tips and tricks section. Shooters aren’t that easy, to begin with, and the DOOM franchise in general is considered the crème de la crème of hard games.
Image: Bethesda Softworks
You could definitely rip and tear your way throughout the story, but why be reckless when strategy can save you hours of pain? So here are some gameplay tips you should know.
Movement Is Your Best Friend
If this is your first DOOM game, you may not be aware of how important of a role movement plays in the franchise. The AI is smart, and most enemies fire projectiles that home in on your location. You’re also fighting dozens of enemies at a time, so the arena is always crowded with enemies.
Image: Bethesda Softworks
Basically, you could get hit absolutely anywhere, and the only proven way to avoid this is by moving around all the time. It’s hard to master, but practice it long enough, and your muscle memory will always have the Mini Slayer dodging bullets left and right.
Find The Best Mix of Abilities
As mentioned above, Abilities are lifesavers in Mighty DOOM. They heavily modify your weapon and make it so much more powerful. But here’s something the game doesn’t tell you: abilities can actually be stacked.
Image: Bethesda Softworks
In chapters, you’ll have the option to choose at least 10 abilities. Let’s say you first choose the Triple (Spread) Bullets ability, and then later when you get more points, you choose the Ricochet ability. Now not only will your primary weapon fire 3 bullets at once, but all of them will also bounce between enemies as well.
Image: Bethesda Softworks
This way Mighty DOOM opens up endless possibilities to what can be achieved with weapons. Try out every combination you can think of, and who knows, you just might create something so destructive that beating bosses becomes a breeze.
Image: Bethesda Softworks
Tip: The Spread Pattern firing ability and Bullets Bouncing off walls ability are by far the craziest fusion.
Kill Enemies Strategically
As fun as Mighty DOOM can be when playing mindlessly, developer Alpha Dog Games does want you to learn how the game works. All enemies, including the bosses that appear every ten levels, have a moveset. Some bosses have two attacks, whereas others have five terrifying strikes that could insta-kill you. They may seem random at first, but in fact, everything is following a fixed pattern. If you’re continuously dying to a boss, study its moveset and learn the attack patterns.
Image: Bethesda Softworks
Strategically playing also includes knowing when the best time is to use your Secondary and Ultimate attacks. Secondary weapons have a short cool-down time, so using them in all stages is totally fine. But Ultimates take super long to recharge, and that’s why you should always save them for bosses in case you get caught in a pinch.
Use The Environment To Your Advantage
Strategy is something Mighty DOOM pushes on you with full force. While it’s true that the stages in the game follow a randomized pattern and get tough with each encounter, in select stages, a handful of blockades and walls will be present. In essence, these walls are supposed to be supportive objects.
Image: Bethesda Softworks
They incentivize playing smart by acting as a cover for the player. Enemies appear in large groups, and dealing with them head-first is all but guaranteed death, so staying behind cover instead and picking the perfect moment to attack makes the environment a deadlier weapon than those you carry. Other environmental boons like jump ramps and portals will also spawn in different stages. Learn to make the most out of them, and always pay attention to your surroundings.
Frequently Upgrade
Last but not least, never underestimate upgrading in Mighty DOOM. The damage increase may look negligible at first, but when those small upgrade buffs add up over time, they have a distinctive impact on your Mini Slayer’s capabilities. That extra bit of Splash damage on the Rocket Launcher works wonders.
Image: Bethesda Softworks
And the fastest way to gain Coins, and Crystals for upgrades is by completing the challenges, collecting the daily rewards, and clearing out chapters, so do keep an eye on the rewards checklist.
That’s a wrap on the Mighty DOOM beginners guide. If you’ve already finished up on the game or just don’t resonate with it, and are looking for a new addiction, here’s a list of the best pixelated shooter games you should play.
