The Warner Bros. platform fighting game MultiVersus has a rich and expansive list of playable characters from decades of comics, cartoons, and television, which is just one of many reasons why it's so much more than a clone of Smash Bros. The iconic cat and mouse duo of Tom & Jerry, hailing from cartoons that stretch back to the 1940s, team up to work together and form one such amazing character in the MultiVersus roster.
Working together, Tom & Jerry form a character in the Mage Class, the smallest character class in MultiVersus. Bugs Bunny is the only other Mage character currently available. Also, much like Bugs Bunny, Tom & Jerry's style of play is based around their over-the-top cartoon humor, so learning how to control and master them can be a potential challenge for MultiVersus players not used to that style. While MultiVersus is currently experiencing a drop in players compared to when it first launched, there are still more than enough new and remaining players who might need a hand learning the ins and outs of how to play as Tom & Jerry.
What to Know About Tom & Jerry's Moveset
As a Mage, most of Tom & Jerry's moves rely on ranged projectiles, so the duo works best when fighting from a distance. The obvious advantage here is that the duo becomes harder to hit in a fight when they can spend most of the match avoiding opponents. On the other hand, however, this means that Tom & Jerry can be one of the harder characters to master, as the projectile style of fighting requires some extra level of skill against the moving targets.
Tom & Jerry's most basic move consists of Tom swinging a tennis racket. While it's a decent enough attack with a fair amount of range on its own, where this attack truly shines is its ability to reflect projectiles away from the duo. Other basic ground attacks include a slow mallet hit, an attack where Tom bounces a paddle ball above his head, and a pouncing attack with the ability to remove armor. Aerial attacks include a midair version of the tennis racket attack, scratching with Tom's claws, slamming a pair of trash can lids together, and spiking down to the ground with an iron pan. Both the trash can lid and iron pan attacks are particularly strong.
Finally, the special attacks include shooting Jerry out of a slingshot, a rocket, or tied to a fishing line. When Jerry is separated from Tom, Jerry can be used separately from Tom to fire champagne corks at enemies or throw tennis balls back and forth with Tom to create a stronger attack. The final special lays down a mousetrap.
Strategies and Combos for Playing as Tom & Jerry
The main thing to keep in mind when strategizing with Tom & Jerry is keeping track of the cooldowns. Tom & Jerry have a lot more cooldowns in their moveset than most other characters. Combine that with the fast pace of a Mage character who constantly runs around the map, and it's easy to become overwhelmed by all the attacks that have cooldowns. For example, if Jerry gets knocked out when he is away from Tom, it will be around 12 to 13 seconds before he is revived. This is a major factor to take into account, as much of the moveset relies on using Jerry in some capacity.
While Jerry is vulnerable when he's away from Tom, many of the most powerful moves in the Tom & Jerry moveset rely on utilizing him. In fact, if enemy players stop long enough to deal with the stationary Jerry, that could open up a window of opportunity for Tom to do some massive damage against them. Be sure to stay aware of the lengthy cooldown for Jerry to be revived, but sometimes, the sacrifice might be worth it.
Ideal Partners for Tom & Jerry
Tank characters like the Iron Giant or Wonder Woman can make Tom & Jerry almost unstoppable. The Tank character can keep the enemy distracted while Tom & Jerry shoot at them from afar.
This combo is even better when Jerry is separated from Tom, as an ally can pick Tom up off the ground and obtain a special buff that increases their damage and speed. Again, this is a bit of a trade-off, as most of Tom & Jerry's best attacks work when Tom uses Jerry, and Tom won't be able to use Jerry when he's in the hands of an ally. Still, it's a great combo to set up near the end of a MultiVersus 2v2 battle when a few more solid hits from the Tank could outright win it.