Common Mistakes When Playing Maimai

Have you ever wondered, "Why can't I upgrade my playing skills?" "Why am I stuck to a certain difficulty level?" Well, you might have these common mistakes which I've observed from experience. What are those?

1. Playing too often

We love Maimai, we know that. But your body needs rest. If you've played more than 5 times a day, chances are you'll not see much improvement since your body is tired already. This is an issue that many players, including me, struggle on, even to this day. Know your limits. If you think you've performed your best, rest and try again tomorrow. Playing too often, especially if you're a master, can lead to some serious consequences. I've come across many cases of players breaking their fingers/bones and straining their muscles due to forcing their body in order to get good results.

2. Barely playing

On the other extreme, if you play just once or twice a month, chances are you're not going to get good  fast. If you think of Maimai only as a hobby and you can settle with playing less frequently, then it's okay. But if you really want to get better at the game, you have to start playing more often.

3. Incorrect posture

When you play, your legs should not be too close or too wide apart. It must be just right in order to give your body stability. Your body must be upright and slightly leaned forward. Don't slouch, because then it'll be difficult to hit the buttons. Also, don't be too close to the machine to keep your eyes healthy. Your hands must always be near the buttons. This is so that when a note appears, your hands are ready to hit it. A common mistake is to rest your hands. When a note comes, you'll be surprised and not get PERFECT judgment.

4. Spamming

What I mean by spamming is to play one song numerous times without stopping. Although you like a song or want to get a better score, do not play the same song over and over again. Unless you're a master, spamming won't improve your gameplay. Put some variation and play other songs. Usually, when you play a song you haven't played for a long time, your achievement will improve significantly.

5. How to HOLD

A lot of beginners have trouble regarding the hold note. They usually hold the note correctly, but when the time comes to let go of the hold, they don't let go. This will usually give them a GOOD judgment, hence decreasing their achievement. If you see the hold note, hold it, and keep an eye on when the hold note will end. Just before it ends, let go of the note. You should get PERFECT judgment.

6. Sliding too fast or too late

Slides are one of the most difficult aspect of the game. When you see a slide, your feelings have to get involved. Slides usually fills a portion of the melody, bass, or even emptiness. If you're not sure whether the slide will be fast or slow, don't make assumptions. Keep your hands on the button and observe the blue star. If you see it going fast, catch it up with your hand, and vice versa.

7. Thinking that a song is over

When the song stops, don't think that it's over. Many newbie to intermediate players have been fooled countless times by Sega into thinking that the song is over. When the song stops, stay focused for a while in the case that some extra notes might pop up. They are usually worth around 0.5-1% of your achievement, so missing all of that would be a waste.

8. Rage Quit

Rage quit is where you feel that a song is too hard and you just stop playing, skip the track (yes you can do that!) or even bang the machine. Although many expert players often skip the track when they feel it's too hard or they performed poorly, in my opinion you should never skip track. You've paid to play the game, so why would you skip the song? It would be a waste of money. When you feel like having too much goods or misses, or if the song is too hard, just keep playing and try your best. Consider it as practice. And one more thing: Maimai is a game. Don't take it too seriously!

So, did you do any of those eight common mistakes? I hope you learn a lot from this article, keep on playing!