Celeste is a precision platformer by Maddy Makes Games, built by Matt Thorson and Noel Berry and released on 25 January 2018. Madeline climbs a mountain with three tools: a jump, a wall grab limited by stamina, and a single air dash that only recharges when she touches ground or a crystal. Every screen is a self-contained problem, deaths restart the screen instantly, and the game counts your deaths without ever punishing them. An Assist Mode ships in the options menu and lets you change speed, stamina, dash count and invincibility, and Chapter 9, Farewell, was added free in September 2019.
Combat in Celeste rewards knowledge over reflexes. Understanding how each mechanic works (and how they interact) is what turns a struggling player into a dominant one. New here? Start with our beginner's guide for the basics.
Core Combat Mechanics
1. One air dash with eight directions
Madeline has a single dash by default, aimed in any of eight directions, and it refills when she lands, grabs a refill crystal or touches certain surfaces. Some chapters hand out a second dash through pink crystals, but the base rule never changes, so almost every screen is built around spending one dash at exactly the right moment. Because the dash also cancels your fall, holding it until the last instant is usually safer than spending it early.
Why it matters: This is the foundation of all combat. Everything else builds on this.
2. Climbing on a stamina meter
Holding the grab button sticks Madeline to a wall and drains a stamina bar that recovers only when she is on the ground. She flashes when the bar is nearly empty, which is the game telling you to jump rather than keep hanging. New players burn the entire bar holding on while thinking, which is why so many early deaths are falls rather than spikes.
Why it matters: The most underrated mechanic. Players who master this early have a massive advantage.
3. Assist Mode toggles in the options
Assist Mode is a menu, not a difficulty setting, and each option is separate. Game Speed can be lowered, Infinite Stamina removes the climb limit, Air Dashes can be locked to two or infinite, Dash Assist freezes time while you aim a dash, and Invincible removes hazard damage. The game marks that assists were used and otherwise leaves you alone, so it is a tuning panel rather than an easy mode.
Why it matters: Unlocks a new layer of gameplay depth once understood.
4. Strawberries, hearts and cassettes
There are 175 ordinary strawberries across the eight main chapters, and they only count once Madeline lands safely on solid ground rather than the moment she touches them. Winged strawberries fly away if you touch the ground, seeded ones require collecting every seed in a room first. Each chapter also hides one cassette tape, which unlocks that chapter's B-Side, and one crystal heart, which is what gates access to the later chapters.
Why it matters: The tactical edge that separates average players from advanced ones.
5. Momentum tech: hypers, supers and wavedashes
Underneath the simple controls sits a set of movement tricks the game never teaches. A super is a jump out of a horizontal dash for extra distance, a hyper is the crouched version that trades height for a long low leap, and a wavedash is a diagonal-down dash into a jump that fires you along the ground. The Farewell update added the demo dash, a crouched dash input that makes several of these easier to trigger, and none of them are needed to finish the story.
Why it matters: The endgame optimization mechanic. Small improvements here compound into massive gains.
How These Mechanics Combine
Understanding how mechanics interact is where real optimization happens:
One air dash with eight directions + Climbing on a stamina meter
Madeline has a single dash by default, aimed in any of eight directions, and it refills when she lands, grabs a refill crystal or touches certain surfaces. When combined with Climbing on a stamina meter, holding the grab button sticks madeline to a wall and drains a stamina bar that recovers only when she is on the ground. This combination is the core of every effective build.
Assist Mode toggles in the options + Strawberries, hearts and cassettes
Assist Mode is a menu, not a difficulty setting, and each option is separate. Paired with Strawberries, hearts and cassettes, there are 175 ordinary strawberries across the eight main chapters, and they only count once madeline lands safely on solid ground rather than the moment she touches them. This is why the tier list favors builds that leverage both.
Momentum tech: hypers, supers and wavedashes as a Multiplier
Underneath the simple controls sits a set of movement tricks the game never teaches. A super is a jump out of a horizontal dash for extra distance, a hyper is the crouched version that trades height for a long low leap, and a wavedash is a diagonal-down dash into a jump that fires you along the ground. The Farewell update added the demo dash, a crouched dash input that makes several of these easier to trigger, and none of them are needed to finish the story. This system amplifies everything else. The better your Momentum tech: hypers, supers and wavedashes optimization, the more your other mechanics pay off.
Combat by Role
Each role approaches combat differently:
Story climber (A-Tier)
Combat approach: Balanced combat style. Key weapons: Dash Primary mechanic: One air dash with eight directions
Story climber offers a solid combat experience. Full setup in our builds guide.
Strawberry completionist (A-Tier)
Combat approach: Clear a chapter for the story first, then return through chapter select and sweep the side rooms with the layout already in your head. Key weapons: Wall climb Primary mechanic: Climbing on a stamina meter
Targets all 175 ordinary strawberries across the eight chapters. Full setup in our builds guide.
Assist Mode climber (A-Tier)
Combat approach: Balanced combat style. Key weapons: Wall jump Primary mechanic: Assist Mode toggles in the options
Assist Mode climber offers a solid combat experience. Full setup in our builds guide.
B-Side cassette runner (A-Tier)
Combat approach: Finish an A-Side, grab its cassette, then run the B-Side while the chapter's central mechanic is still fresh. Key weapons: Dream Block Primary mechanic: Strawberries, hearts and cassettes
Each chapter hides one cassette tape, and collecting it unlocks a much harder remixed version of that chapter. Full setup in our builds guide.
Golden Strawberry runner (B-Tier)
Combat approach: Practise the individual hard screens through chapter select until they are automatic, then attempt the full run and expect dozens of resets. Key weapons: Feather Primary mechanic: Momentum tech: hypers, supers and wavedashes
A Golden Strawberry asks you to clear an entire chapter from the first screen to the last without dying once. Full setup in our builds guide.
Advanced Combat Techniques
Damage Optimization
- Match your weapons to your role's stat priorities
- Exploit One air dash with eight directions for maximum damage windows
- Chain Climbing on a stamina meter and Assist Mode toggles in the options for combo damage
- Use Strawberries, hearts and cassettes to create openings
Survivability
- Learn enemy patterns before committing to attacks
- Tap the grab button to reposition rather than holding it, because stamina only refills when Madeline touches the ground and holding while you think is the most common cause of falls.
- Position using One air dash with eight directions to control spacing
- Save defensive options for guaranteed survival, not comfort
Boss Combat
Bosses test your understanding of every mechanic. See our boss guide for fight-specific strategies.
- Phase awareness: Most bosses change behavior at health thresholds
- Patience over aggression: One extra hit per opening beats dying to greed
- Build preparation: Swap gear and weapons for specific fights when needed
Common Combat Mistakes
- Button mashing: Committed attacks have recovery frames. Mashing locks you into animations.
- Ignoring Climbing on a stamina meter: This mechanic exists for a reason. Players who use it take significantly less damage.
- Wrong weapons for the situation: Check our weapons guide for situational picks.
- Not learning from deaths: Every death teaches something. If you don't know why you died, you'll die the same way again.
- Overcommitting: Trading hits works in Forsaken City but will get you killed in Mirror Temple.
More Celeste Guides
- Celeste Celeste Overview
- Celeste Best Builds
- Celeste Tier List
- Celeste Walkthrough
- Celeste Beginner's Guide
- Celeste Tips & Tricks
- Celeste Weapons Guide
- Celeste Boss Guide
- Celeste Maps & Locations
- Celeste Crafting Guide
- Celeste Classes & Characters
Similar Games
If you enjoy Celeste, check out these related guides:
- Helldivers 2 Combat Guide: action game with similar mechanics
- Black Myth: Wukong Combat Guide: action game with similar mechanics
- Monster Hunter Wilds Combat Guide: action game with similar mechanics
