Awesomenauts: Beginner-to-Advanced Guide

This guide covers where Awesomenauts stands after Atari's 2025 premium relaunch, how a match works, roles and beginner-friendly Nauts, maps, upgrade loadouts, and team play.

Researched September 2026 — current as of Update 5.0.1a (31 December 2025), following Atari's October 2025 premium relaunch. Live games change; check the linked sources if something differs.

Current State (2025 to 2026)

Awesomenauts had a rough few years. Here's the short history:

Date | What happened

2012 | Original release by Ronimo Games (consoles in May, PC on 1 August)

2013 to 2016 | Starstorm expansion (crowdfunded in 2013) and Overdrive expansion (3 March 2016)

24 May 2017 | The PC version went free-to-play

August to September 2023 | Ronimo declared bankruptcy (August 2023) and the original servers were closed (15 September 2023)

2023 to 2024 | Atari took over the game (Atari's January 2025 post dates its acquisition to "last October")

January 2025 | Rolled back to version 3.2.8 for stability, missing several Nauts and features

June 2025 | Premium relaunch build on the "premium-beta" branch

28 October 2025 | Premium version moved to the main branch

31 December 2025 | Update 5.0.1a (performance, invisible-character fix, skin unlock fixes)

What you get now:

• The game is premium again (listed at $19.99 for new buyers at relaunch). Existing owners updated for free.
• All characters unlocked, including the Starstorm and Overdrive expansion content, which is now part of the base game.
• Previously removed content and skins are back (the January 2025 3.2.8 rollback had temporarily pulled Nauts such as Snork Gunk, Qi'Tara, Commander Rocket, Smiles, Dizzy, and Samuel "Deadlift" Gains), and in-game chat is re-enabled.
• Update 5.0.1a also fixed the special skin unlocks for Creeper Clunk and Augmented Ayla, so check your armory if those failed to unlock before.
• Moderation has three strikes: a one-week timeout, then a one-month timeout, then a permanent ban. Reports go through the ticket system in the Atari Club Discord.
• Some achievements that became impossible were removed (Rings for the Sky 1-10, Master of the Universe!, Awesomenauts roll out!, Welcome back!). The SlowWolf Announcer, formerly tied to "Welcome back!", is now available to everyone. That means 100% achievements is possible again.

Quick Start

• The goal is to destroy the enemy's Solar Collector (their base core). Get there by pushing through each lane's turrets.
• Solar is your currency. You earn it from droids (creeps), kills, and Solar pickups around the map. Spend it at your base shop on upgrades.
• Never push a turret without droids. Turrets target Nauts when no friendly droids are soaking the shots. Walk in behind your droid wave.
• Go home to heal and shop. Your base heals you and it's where you buy. Teleporting home is safer than limping around.
• Pick a role your team needs. A good team has some mix of damage, sustain (healing or tanking), and control.
• Collect health and Solar on the map. Health packs and Solar pickups respawn. Knowing where they are wins long games.
• Fight with your team. Three Nauts together beat three Nauts arriving one at a time.
• Learn two or three Nauts well rather than dabbling in all of them.

How a Match Works

• Teams: 3v3 (Red vs Blue) on a 2D side-scrolling map with lanes, usually top and bottom.
• Droids: Waves of AI droids march down the lanes. They tank turret shots and give Solar when killed.
• Turrets: Each lane has turrets guarding the way to the base. Destroying them opens the path and gives your team Solar.
• Solar Collector: The final objective in each base, guarded by base defenses.
• Leveling: Buying upgrades is your progression within a match. There's no permanent stat power between matches.

The shop and loadouts

• Each Naut has an auto-attack, two abilities, and a utility row (health, movement speed, and similar general upgrades), and each has several upgrades to choose from.
• Before a match you set up loadouts, a limited set of upgrades you can buy in that game. Build loadouts for different situations (vs healers, vs tanks, and so on).
• Upgrade order: Most players get a core damage or survival upgrade early, then build toward their Naut's main combo. Health and movement upgrades are rarely wasted.

Roles and Beginner-Friendly Nauts

Role | What you do | Beginner picks

Pusher / ranged damage | Clear droids, poke, pressure turrets | Sheriff Lonestar, Derpl Zork (siege mode), Raelynn (sniper)

Assassin / diver | Pick off isolated enemies | Leon Chameleon (cloak and tongue grab), Froggy G (dash)

Tank / bruiser | Absorb damage and start fights | Clunk (explode and bite heal), Skølldir (grab and throw)

Support / healer | Heal, shield, control | Voltar (heals and drones), Yuri (flying support), Genji (butterfly shield)

Controller | Area denial, slows, displacement | Vinnie and Spike (smoke cloud), Gnaw (weedlings)

Starter recommendations

• First Naut: Sheriff Lonestar or Clunk. Both are simple and forgiving, and they teach lane fundamentals.
• Learning to kill: Froggy G teaches engages and disengages.
• Learning to support: Voltar. Keep your team alive and the game is much easier.
• Advanced: Leon Chameleon (stealth decisions), Raelynn (positioning), Swiggins (anchor control).

Maps

The classic competitive maps include Ribbit IV, AI Station 404, and Sorona, plus Aiguillon. Community tournaments (such as Nutty Nauts 6 in 2023) have also used reworked versions of AI Station 205 and Starstorm maps.

Each map has its own quirks (hazards, jump pads, special Solar sources, or map events). Learn:

• Where health packs and Solar pickups spawn.
• Safe paths back to base.
• Where enemies ambush on each map.

Laning and Macro Play

• Early game: Last-hit droids for Solar, collect pickups, and don't overcommit. Two-versus-one lane pressure is fine when your teammate is roaming for picks.
• Turret control: Push turrets only with droid support or when the enemy is dead or away.
• Rotations: When the enemy is down a Naut, group and push the nearest turret.
• Teleport home when low instead of dying. A death gives the enemy Solar and time.
• Snowballing: Leads compound. When you're ahead, keep up map pressure. When you're behind, defend under your turrets and farm.

Team Fighting

• Focus fire. Pick one target and kill it together.
• Protect your healer. Healers keep fights winnable.
• Save crowd control for key moments, like stopping an enemy dive or catching a fleeing Naut.
• Peel for your damage. Tanks should shield carries rather than chase kills.
• Know your cooldowns. Fights are won in the window where the enemy's key ability is down.

Modes and Features

• Online matches (3v3) with matchmaking, and custom games.
• Local splitscreen for up to 3 players, online or offline.
• Bots for practice.
• Map editor with Steam Workshop integration. Build and share custom maps and game modes.
• Awesomepoints unlock customization options such as skins and announcers.

A Practice Routine for New Players

• Bots first. Play a few bot matches with your chosen Naut to learn its combo, range, and jump arc without pressure.
• Loadout drafting. Build two loadouts per Naut, a standard one and a survival one, and name them clearly so you can switch in the lobby.
• Last-hitting drills. In early lane phases, focus only on securing droid kills and pickups. Solar lead wins games more often than early kills.
• Watch your deaths. After each match, ask why you died. It's usually overextending, fighting without droids, or ignoring an enemy you'd lost track of.
• Learn a second role. A Naut in a different role lets you fill whatever the team needs.

Settings Worth Checking

• Controls: Rebind abilities to keys you can hit while moving and jumping. Controller play is fully supported and popular with splitscreen players.
• Announcer: The SlowWolf Announcer is now available to everyone (it used to be tied to the removed "Welcome back!" achievement).
• Chat: Chat is enabled again since the relaunch. Keep it civil, because reports are acted on under the three-strike rule.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

• Diving turrets alone. Turrets hurt. Always bring droids or teammates.
• Not buying upgrades. Spend your Solar when you go home, since unspent Solar does nothing.
• Chasing kills too far. Overextending leads to getting picked or turret-shot.
• Ignoring pickups. Health and Solar pickups are free resources.
• Playing five Nauts badly instead of two or three well.
• Being toxic in chat. Chat is back, and so is the three-strike moderation.

Advanced Tips

• Solar tempo: Plan base trips so you arrive with enough Solar for a meaningful upgrade.
• Vertical space: The 2D map lets you attack from above or below. Many abilities and jumps use this.
• Wave management: Holding a droid wave near your turret sets up a later push.
• Counterpick loadouts: Keep a loadout ready against healer-heavy or stealth-heavy teams.
• Ambush spots: Every map has predictable routes to base. Stealth and burst Nauts can lurk there.
• Communicate: A simple "going top" or "I'm low" prevents most lost fights.

FAQ

Is Awesomenauts still online in 2026? Yes. Atari relaunched it as a premium game with restored online play. The premium build reached the main branch on 28 October 2025, and Update 5.0.1a followed on 31 December 2025.

Do I need to buy the Starstorm or Overdrive DLC? No. Both expansions are now included in the base game, and all characters are unlocked.

Is it free-to-play? Not anymore. It was free-to-play from 2017, but the 2025 relaunch made it premium again (listed at $19.99 for new buyers at relaunch). Owners before that got the update free.

Why can't I get some achievements? Atari removed achievements that became unattainable after the relaunch changes, so 100% is achievable again.

Can I play offline or with friends locally? Yes. Local splitscreen supports up to three players, and bot matches are available.

How do I report a toxic player? Through the ticket system in the Atari Club Discord server, per the official announcement.

Sources

• Awesomenauts on Steam
• Awesomenauts Steam News: premium relaunch, achievement update, Update 5.0.1a
• Awesomenauts on Wikipedia