Beginner's guide: your first hour in Machine Party
A no-fluff walkthrough of your first hour — controls, the first round, what to spend coins on, and the mistakes that kill runs before they start.
3 min
Easy
2–4
1.0
What you actually control
You play one of the Machine Party contestants in front of a Reaktor-9 control panel. Movement is on the left stick / WASD, action on the right stick / mouse, interact on the trigger. There is no tutorial wall of text — you learn by failing the first round, which is the point.
The first night
Round one is always a warm-up minigame — something you can survive with two players and a basic strategy. Don't try to be a hero. The scoring here doesn't matter; what matters is learning how the Reaktor-9 reacts when you fail. Get comfortable before round three.
What to spend coins on
Coins unlock mid-run perks in this order of priority: (1) any perk that reveals the next round's rule twist, (2) any damage-reducing perk — lethal games hurt, and a single death can chain, (3) cosmetic customisation only after you have a stable run.
Common first-hour mistakes
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Where to go next
Once you've cleared two nights, head to the secret ending guide — it requires specific round orderings that you'll only spot after you understand the rhythm.
Got through night one?
The secret ending route is the natural next thing to learn — it requires specific choices you can only spot once you understand the rhythm.