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Map surfing is a fun take on speedrunning custom maps from your favorite online shooters. Created by the community and popularized by tons of influencers and bloggers, surfing maps is an alternative way to play. It might appeal to you if you want to take your mind off competitive stuff, get some “background filler” gameplay for your videos, or simply try this new trendy thing everybody talks about. To avoid playing alone and maximize the game, you can find out how to play workshop maps in cs2 with friends in our guide.

Counter-Strike has a thriving surfing community, with a separate category of servers dedicated to this type of play and a huge selection of custom-created maps. 

Want to learn how to play surf in CS2? It’s a great idea! This community-fostered playing mode focuses on agility and speed instead of aim and tactical thinking. Depending on the difficulty of a surfing map, you can go for a real test of your reaction speed or relax and explore unique handmade maps. These skills will help you how to get better at cs2 and grow as a player and build a successful esports career.

If you are into gaming or video game YouTubers, you’ve probably seen influencers using surfing gameplay as a dynamic visual background for their audio (e.g., a YouTuber tells a story over a recording of map surfing). They do it because surfing can be really captivating to watch as well as play.

Wondering where to start and get to know how to surf in CS2 for beginners? It’s simple — just read the basics, join a server, and you’re good to go. Still, there are certain specifics you need to keep in mind to make the most out of this experience. We’ve prepared this beginner's guide to CS2 surf to explain such nuances to you and help you start enjoying this new mode right away.

How to Find and Join Surfing Servers?

First things first, you don’t have to go far to find and play surf servers in CS2 — the game has convenient filters and categories to help you pick exactly what you’re looking for. Just go one step at a time, and you’ll quickly get the hang of how to join surf in CS2. 

Step 1: Launch CS2

Go to your Steam library and launch Counter-Strike 2.

Step 2: Open the server browser

Hit "Play" in the top center of the menu and click on the globe icon to select "Community Server Browser" ->

The list of available community-made servers will pop up, showing all public servers you can join. 

If the list is empty, select Counter-Strike 2 in the Select game dropdown list and hit Search right next to it.

You will see all the available custom servers here.

Step 3: Filter for surf servers

Now, we are looking for a specific type of server, so use filters to highlight only the servers made for surf mode. 

For this, click on Change Filters and specify “surf” in the Server Name field. 

Every CS2 surf server is named like this — surf_[map name], so you shouldn’t have trouble picking a specific map from among listings of the surf servers. 

Step 4: Join a Server

Select a surf server from the list and click "Connect" to start surfing in Counter-Strike 2.

CS2 Surf Servers

With all that said, you may still be wondering — how to find CS2 surf servers that are relevant and match my skill level? 

There are two websites you need to monitor for the most popular and recently added server options:

  1. Server Tilt
  2. GFL Clan
These constantly register and update lists of the top servers you can surf on.

As for some particular recommendations:

  1. Surf Timer #1 Beginner server (IP: 92.119.148.18:27015). A great place to start with surfing settings and map specifics tuned for total beginners.
  2. Surf Timer 24/7 Utopia server (IP: 92.119.148.101:27015). As you figure the whole thing out and become more experienced, hit this server to hone your skills and take on some challenges.

How to Find and Launch CS2 Surf Maps?

Now that we know how to play on surf servers in CS2, there is also an alternative way to go surfing in CS2 — you can pick specific surf maps from the Steam Workshop. 

You may find this method faster and more convenient, and it certainly helps you access a wider range of exciting surf maps. 

Here’s what you need to do to find your way around such maps:

Step 1: Explore workshop maps

Visit the Steam Workshop to discover an array of CS2 surf maps. 

Type in “surf” in the workshop’s search to list only surf-ready maps.

Step 2: Subscribe to the picked maps

Subscribe to your chosen maps to add them to your collection (hit a green plus sign on the map’s thumbnail to add it). The download will start automatically.

 

Step 3: Launch CS2 and play your surf maps

Lastly, launch the game, hit Play, and select workshop maps.

CS2 Surf Maps

Another question that may strike you at this point is, which is the best place to start for surfing newcomers? Here are a few beginner map options:

  1. Surf_Beginner

    Your go-to map to kick off your surfing experience. The map’s complexity grows gradually to help you get in tune.

  2. Surf_Kitsune

    CS community’s extremely popular surf map that has been topping lists ever since its first design came out back in 2014. Just a great map overall and the classic you don’t want to miss out.

  3. Surf_Utopia

    Simple and to-the-point — a great kick-off option where no excessive obstacles or challenges stand in your way.

How to Add Your Friends?

Yes, you can totally surf in the coop, and it’s tons of fun! To enjoy CS2 surfing with friends, follow these steps:

  1. In the main menu, click on "Friends".

  2. Pick a friend you’d like to play with.
  3. Invite them to join your surf adventures.

How to Surf?

To learn how to surf in Counter-Strike 2 and master this skill, you need to understand the basics. There are a couple of essential principles you should put at the core of your practice. 

Control your movement the right way

First off, it’s all about strafing properly. All buttons you need to strafe effectively are A and D. Forget about W, and never press it once you’re up in the air — trying to go forward will only slow you down. Your main goal is to conquer those ramps by gliding over their sides. 

Stick to the “D-ramp-A” formula

The universal ramp surfing principle looks like this: 

D-/\-A

(Where “/\” means ramp)

The ramp is the center. Here’s what you must do to stick to one of its sides:

  1. Hold D to keep surfing the ramp’s left side
  2. Hold A to keep surfing its right side
This way, you can make sure you are always gliding against the side of the ramp.

Understand mouse movements

You know how to stick against the ramp with keyboard buttons, but what about the mouse?

Keep in mind that, whilst in the air:

  1. moving the mouse to the ramp’s side (looking at the ramp) moves you up the ramp
  2. moving the mouse in the opposite direction (looking away from the ramp) moves you away from the ramp

Train your sync

You need to sync your keyboard and mouse movements to really feel the flow and catch the rhythm of your surfing. 

Now that you know the basic D/\A principle, combine it with the mouse controls;

  1. Surf up and down the ramp by sticking to its side with A or D while moving the mouse toward the ramp and slightly away from it
  2. Make sure to glide up from the end of each ramp in order to be able to catch the following ramp

Try it out and “feel” the principle with your own hands. The rest is just practice. 

Tips to Improve Your Surfing Skills

Last but not least, here are some extra pro tips to help you up your surfing game. 

Halt the back button

Exercise caution with the S button, as pressing it in mid-air halts your momentum, causing an immediate descent to the ground below. Precision and timing are crucial to maintain an uninterrupted surfing flow.

Master strafing

By understanding the nuances of strafing, you'll propel your character forward and seamlessly ride the waves of any map. Strafing is the most common way to gain forward momentum on surf maps. Initiating a surf typically begins with strafing into the ramp. Direct your character's movement by pointing the mouse in the desired direction of travel. 

Master turns

The real challenge, though, lies in attempting turns. To grasp the technique of turning in CS2 surfing, go for some visual learning. Explore videos from streamers and YouTubers who demonstrate and explain the tricks they use. Mastering turns is about simultaneously strafing in mid-air and adjusting the mouse direction accordingly. 

Build speed

To achieve new levels of speed, you need to start at the apex of a ramp and descend while surfing. Keep the mouse relatively stable during descent to achieve high speed.

How to Surf in CS2: ULTIMATE Beginner's Guide

Follow the waves

Understand the flow of waves on each map. Surf along the curves and slopes to maintain momentum.

Explore layouts of maps

Get to know the layout of each surf map. Knowing the twists and turns will enhance your surfing experience.

Perfect landings

Achieving a smooth landing is also very important for a stable momentum. Practice timing your jumps to make sure you land gracefully and keep your surfing flow smooth. 

Bottom Line

That’s it! Now you know how to play CS2 Surf! With this guide in hand, you know how to join CS2 surf servers, which servers and maps are better for starters, and, most importantly, where to begin with the art of strafing, gliding, and, as a whole, surfing. We hope it will come in handy. Meanwhile, now that you’ve learned how to surf in CS2, good luck with your surfing matches!

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