Coming to grips with the controls is always challenge number 1 for new players. Each button may do different things depending on whether your press it or hold it. Or if your weapon it sheathed or drawn. Or if you press a direction at the same time. Gathering/preparation tutorial is challenge 2 and weapon specific combat controls/proficiency is challenge 3. These all have to be learned one after another, which forms a high wall to deter a lot of people.
Controls
L button: (tap) recenter camera to the direction you're facing (or towards the monster if you've pressed the monster look button)
(hold) then tap Y or A buttons to cycle through usable items in your inventory
R button: (hold - weapon sheathed) To sprint. Consumes stamina. Press B while sprinting near a large monster to evade dive. Diving has many invincible frames but a lengthy recovery.
(weapon drawn) Weapon action button. There are many weapon commands that involve holding the R button and pressing X and/or A at the same time.
Y button: (weapon sheathed) Use selected item.
(weapon drawn) Sheath weapon.
X button: (weapon sheathed) Draw weapon. Draw into an attack by hitting a direction along with X.
(weapon drawn) Weapon action button.
B button: (weapon sheathed) Crouch. This is used to gather/carve faster, to sneak up on sleeping monsters, etc. Press a direction and B to evade roll.
(weapon drawn) Weapon specific evasion button
A button: (weapon sheathed) Interact button. Use to gather, climb walls, etc.
(weapon drawn) Weapon action button.
Remember that you can hit the home button to access the manual for these controls and other information.
Also, I'd recommend picking one weapon type and learning it in the beginning. If you bounce from one to another it'll be difficult to learn basic combat flow, let alone each weapon in question. I generally recommend picking switch axe and staying in axe mode if you're brand spanking new.
As far as user interface goes, the health and stamina bars are pretty self explanatory. Just be sure not to go into red stamina while running or you'll slow down. Sharpness is the blade icon in the upper left corner. For the purposes of the demo, you'll generally want to use a whetstone to re-sharpen if you fall below green into yellow. Of course, when you first start the full game, your weapons won't even have green sharpness at all! Maintaining a high sharpness is important since it is what determines whether you can cut through a monster's specific parts or if you bounce off.
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