Hi-Fi Rush is a game that I simply cannot stop talking about. From its shadow drop reveal to its meteoric success that took the gaming world by storm, this game has managed to become a staple among action and rhythm game fans. So, of course, I might as well compile the 10 best special moves that are available in the game. Special moves are unique moves that can be enabled whenever Chai has two or more bars of Reverb.
When used correctly, these special moves can annihilate any opposing forces that dare stand in your way. As is the case in Wccftech, we’re going to look at the deepest and most technical intricacies of them and prioritize them over the visual appeal and the aesthetics. It’s important to make this distinction as some Special Moves are better than others, so we’ll prioritize practicality over everything else.
Without further ado, let’s kick this list off big time and make some noise.
10.- STEAL THE SHOW
This is one of the most visually appealing Special Moves in Hi-Fi Rush. Who doesn’t love that cute booper of a cat that is known as 808? After all, even the community is asking to have her become the new Xbox mascot. She does a few cute poses and, with the power of adorableness, stuns the audience of robots. This allows Chai and Co. to take as long as they need to take down enemies. It’s good when you need a breather, but unfortunately, some people are immune to cat adorableness, like bosses. That said, you still will get some hilarious dialogue easter eggs if you attempt to use it on them.
9.- RIP AND TEAR
Easily one of the most unique Special Moves in Hi-Fi Rush, Rip and Tear is a projectile that can easily rack up your combo score should you feel like you want to meet the requirements for the S Rank. Unfortunately, it also loses a lot in terms of practicality when you realize that this move cannot tear down shields, and it also has a hard time killing enemies, especially those bigger in size. At the cost of 3 gauges of Reverb, there are much better ways to use this Special Move.
8.- GUITAR RIDE
Surfin’ along to the number 8 spot on our list is this Special Move that sees Chai putting down his Guitar and skating along while dragging whatever is near him down the road. This Special Move will consume all of your available Reverb Gauge while it’s active, and there’s no way to stop the ride until it ends. However, it can easily help you build massive combos and provide a stylish finisher should you be at the final point of an enemy wave.
7.- 808 GIGAWATT CAT ATTACK
Easily one of the best and worst Special Moves in the whole of Hi-FI Rush is this attack which puts an Extreme Risk/Reward scenario for Chai as he uses 808s claws to kill whatever enemy dared get in their way. Being a point-blank range move, it will tear down any shield, take down any enemy, and give you a score boost through its 10x multiplier. Unfortunately, this usefulness is gimped whenever she faces off against boss enemies. So, this won’t be a ‘get out of jail for free’ card for Chai if he wants to slack off and let the cat handle the situation.
6.- TWIN ASSAULT
This is one of those supers that exist for those people who essentially want to say “screw the rhythm” in Hi-Fi Rush and just want to bash some enemies’ heads in while doing a lot of damage. Believe it or not, this move also can hit around Chai and Korsica as it’s being executed, so if you have some enemies running in, they will be hit (or even KO’d) by the hit barrage. This move won’t be very useful against flying enemies, but you can make it work by stunning them or keeping them grounded with an assist from Peppermint or Macaron.
5.- DOUBLE RIFF
Chai and Peppermint team up to take out some bad guys with this Special Move. While the damage output isn’t that great compared to other Special Moves, its range is downright obscene, and its AoE capability can guarantee a massive combo buildup against hordes of enemies. While this Special cannot take down Z-Shields, it can still damage them heavily, leaving Macaron with an easy shield to break. Using this move strategically can help ramp up your score through an easy combo that looks incredibly stylish as a finisher.
4.- OVERDRIVE SLASH
This is a Special Move that takes 4 bars to execute alongside a small rhythm sequence that has to be played out for maximum damage output. However, doing it all perfectly allows you to watch in awe as Chai destroys whatever he comes across. This move can decimate any type of shield and deal massive damage to enemies. Unfortunately, it’s hard to combo into and even tougher to position yourself just right to take down every enemy in the vicinity. If the enemies have a habit of stepping out of the way, you will regret spending that much Reverb on this move.
3.- PICK SLIDE
In concept, this move is quite simple. Chai slides forward, does a rockstar move, and everything around him explodes. However, this move becomes much better in execution compared to even OD Slash. The best part about Pick Slide is that it can downright stun some bosses without consuming 4 Reverb gauges. Additionally, this move is also very effective at breaking shields and dispatching enemies at a very generous range compared to other Special Moves found in Hi-Fi Rush.
2.- HIBIKI
The mother of all 4-Gauge Supers. This incredible AoE attack just destroys everything that can be in its path. While the range pales a bit in comparison to OD Slash, its destructive potential makes even the toughest robot shake in its mechanical legs. Hibiki is just a strong destructive super that’s as stylish as it is lethal. You can almost never go wrong with what could arguably be the best investment for four Reverb Gauges.
1.- HIGH-PITCH PUNCH
And here’s what’s essentially the best Special Move in Hi-Fi Rush. Not only does this come at a very generous cost of 1 Reverb Gauge, but it also has no problem destroying any shield and staggering the majority of enemies without the need for a parry. While the range is short, it still can surprise you by hitting all around Chai. Don’t be surprised if you end up hitting a bunch of enemies and suddenly find yourself surrounded by three additional robots that you just uppercut’d into the air.
This also is effective as an anti-air tool that can stagger any aerial enemies, and if all of that wasn’t enough, this move is also capable of interrupting bosses. On top of all that, this can be a great way to start off a combo, as Aerial Combos are the easiest to execute in Hi-Fi Rush. Top a Korsica Tornado with this particular move, and there won’t be a score S-Rank you will miss.
HONORABLE MENTIONS
- Barrier Wall
- Pick Me Up
- Air Guitar/Power Chord
While these options are great in their regard, their usability can be summed up as “easy to use for beginners”. Barrier Wall and Pick Me Up, especially, are two moves that exist to help beginners ease off and get some breathing room. However, a health restore and a shield will become less useful for players that are tackling the tougher challenges and are already way more experienced in the game. Hi-Fi Rush is available exclusively on Xbox Series X|S and PC.
