Think about when and where to use Ultimates most effectively. Yes, you might get a double or even triple with a well-placed Ultimate, but that's probably overkill, and you'll likely end up knocked out before you can charge the shot anyway. In a skirmish, sometimes it's more to your team's benefit to just throw a ball form ally like a regular ball, rather than trying to charge up an Ultimate.
If you see this red border, be prepared to either dodge out of the way, or catch an incoming ball. A white spot on the border will tell you which direction the shot will come from. This appears because an opponent is targeting you. While playing, you might notice a red border on the perimeter of your screen. Pass, or you will fail! The Red Border Warns You of Danger If your teammate is already holding a ball, pass your ball to them anyway, as it will return back to you with that same speedy energy. When you pass, the ball is going to travel faster when thrown at an enemy. This is most useful when your teammate is in a tight spot and needs a weapon, but there are other benefits. It's easy to forget it's there, but you can pass a ball you're holding to a teammate, and you absolutely should be doing so. Below, we've outlined some useful tips and tricks we've learned from our time playing the game. How can you up your game in Knockout City? There are a number of ways to get the edge on opponents. Passed balls will travel faster when thrown at opponents! This lets you get a dodgeball into the hands of an ally who might need one, and passing comes with other benefits too. Press L1 with a teammate in sight, and you'll throw it over to them. You can pass the ball you're holding to a teammate. This gets you out of trouble in a pinch, and you can also use this move to tackle opponents if they're too close. Press the button and hold a direction to dodge whichever way you need. With a press of Square, you'll initiate a generous dodge move. This is known as Overcharge, and the ball can speed up in this way numerous times. If you time your catch perfectly (just before it hits you), the ball will build energy, and you can throw it much faster back at your opponent. You catch by pressing L2, but you'll need to time the button press so the ball lands in your character's open arms.
When you catch a ball, you stop the incoming attack from dealing any damage, and it means you now have a ball with which to retaliate. Catching balls is just as important as throwing them.