Level up

Timing and rhythm

The beat under every good jump.

Punch-Out!! is a rhythm game in boxing gloves. So is most of Mega Man, and every combo in a fighting game. Press early and you whiff. Press late and you eat it. Right on the beat and it feels like music.

Timing is something you feel before you understand it, which is why the game is such a good teacher.

Train it on purpose

1. Turn the music up and play to it. Many old games time their enemies to the soundtrack loop.
2. Practise one hard jump twenty times in a row. Notice when it starts to feel automatic.
3. Try a game with the sound off. You will learn how much you were listening.

Off the couch

Dancing, sport, music, and the big one: comedic timing. Knowing when to land a joke, when to stop talking and when to make your move is the same instinct. People with good timing seem relaxed, because they are not rushing.