Wave Survival Guide

Table of Contents

• The Mindset: Survive First
• Spacing Rules (Your Real Health Bar)
• Threat Priority (Who to Shoot First)
• Movement Patterns That Don’t Get You Trapped
• Reload Discipline (When It’s Safe)
• Grenades: Timing & Value
• Upgrades & Economy During Waves
• Common Mistakes
• A 10-Minute Practice Plan

The Mindset: Survive First

Wave shooters punish greed. The moment you chase one target too far, you open your back to the rest of the wave. Your goal is to keep the fight in front of you, keep distance, and take safe damage trades.

Think in three questions:

• Where is my escape route? Always keep an open lane to reset the fight.
• Who can kill me fastest? Remove high-threat enemies before farming easy ones.
• Am I about to get surrounded? If yes, reposition now—don’t wait.

Spacing Rules (Your Real Health Bar)

In wave survival, distance is the real health bar. Even if you’re at full health, being close to multiple enemies is “low health” in practice. Use these spacing rules:

Threat Priority (Who to Shoot First)

The easiest way to survive longer is to aim your attention, not just your crosshair. Use this priority list as a default:

1. Fast closers that reduce your spacing quickly. If they reach you, you lose.
2. High-ground shooters that chip you down while you deal with others.
3. Explosive / area threats (if present in your version). One mistake can erase a run.
4. Everything else—farm safely while maintaining distance.

Tip: if a target is hard to hit and not immediately dangerous, reposition first. Better angle beats stubborn aim.

Movement Patterns That Don’t Get You Trapped

Most deaths happen because movement becomes reactive (panic). Use patterns that keep you in control:

• Strafe + micro-steps: small left/right steps maintain aim while making you harder to hit.
• Wide kiting: run wide arcs around the arena so enemies stack into a line behind each other.
• Reset points: pick 2–3 “safe spots” where you can break line of sight and reload.
• Rotate early: when enemies start appearing from multiple angles, rotate before you’re surrounded.

When in doubt: move first, shoot second. One second of safe repositioning is often worth more than one extra kill.

Reload Discipline (When It’s Safe)

Reloading at the wrong time is the most common beginner death. Use this simple rule:

• Reload only after you create space (or after the wave thins out).
• Reload behind cover whenever possible.
• Reload between waves even if your mag is half full.

If you find yourself reloading in the open, it’s usually because you waited too long. Make reload a planned action, not a desperate one.

Grenades: Timing & Value

Grenades are most valuable when they save you time and space. Don’t throw them “because you have them.” Throw them when they achieve one of these goals:

• Create breathing room: clear a cluster that blocks your escape route.
• Finish a dangerous group quickly: reduce the number of guns pointed at you.
• Start a wave strong: if enemies spawn packed, an early grenade can prevent a snowball.

If your version includes explosive enemies or throwers, keep grenades for “panic resets” rather than chasing perfect value.

Upgrades & Economy During Waves

Most versions of Squid Shooter reward you with money (or progress) that you can convert into better weapons. The key is to upgrade at the right time, not “as soon as possible.”

For a deeper breakdown of weapon types and purchase timing, read: Weapons & Upgrades Guide.

Common Mistakes

• Chasing one enemy and letting the rest flank you.
• Reloading in the open because you waited until empty.
• Backing into a corner without an escape route.
• Not rotating when enemies start coming from two directions.
• Buying upgrades randomly instead of solving a specific problem (range, reload, control).

A 10-Minute Practice Plan

This routine is short enough to repeat daily, and it targets the exact skills that matter for wave survival.

1. 2 minutes: movement-only. Strafe, rotate, and keep distance without shooting.
2. 3 minutes: controlled bursts. Shoot in short bursts while moving (avoid spraying wildly).
3. 3 minutes: priority drills. Force yourself to eliminate high-threat targets first.
4. 2 minutes: reload discipline. Reload only behind cover or after you create space.

If you want aim-specific drills (tracking + strafing), continue with: Aim & Movement Guide.