1v1.LOL has blown up because it nails the build-and-shoot formula without all the extra stuff that slows other games down. You drop into quick matches where it's just you versus one other player, and whoever combines better building with better aim wins. No teams to carry, no excuses—just pure skill.
The building mechanics are what separate good players from great ones. Sure, anyone can shoot, but can you throw up a wall mid-fight to block incoming shots? Can you build a ramp to get high ground while your opponent's reloading? That's where the skill ceiling goes through the roof, and why people spend hours in practice mode perfecting their edit speed and build sequences.
Movement works like any shooter—WASD to walk around, mouse to aim and shoot. The building hotkeys (Q for walls, C for floors, V for stairs, X for roofs) take some getting used to, but once they're in your muscle memory, you'll be cranking 90s like a pro.
The edit button (F by default) is huge. You can modify your structures on the fly to create windows for shots, doors to escape through, or reset your builds when you messed up. Top players edit so fast it looks like their structures are just disappearing and reappearing.
Start in practice mode. Seriously. Don't jump straight into ranked matches unless you enjoy getting destroyed. Practice mode lets you work on your build speed without pressure. Focus on one building pattern at a time—maybe just wall-ramp combos at first, then add more complex edits once those feel automatic.
Sensitivity matters more than you think. If you're on mouse and keyboard, experiment with your DPI and in-game sens until you can do a clean 180 without overshooting. Controller players should mess with their build and edit sens separately from their look sens.