In Gravity Storm, you start with all the abilities. Mastering all of them gives you a lot of options to demolish your way through the game, but using them all is not required. 

Shooting, dashing and flipping gravity are your main tools:

Your most powerful weapons are the super abilities, which are enhanced versions of your regular abilities, and are limited to your power bar. They aren't necessary to beat the game, they are thought as optimization tools. However, they make your life easier, and they look cool.

The super abilities are the following: 

• The Super Laser deals lots of damage, and destroy enemy projectiles, you move slower when using it, and It lowers your power bar slowly.

• The Super Flip allows you to flip gravity and transforms you into a fire ball at the same time. Deals a good amount of damage to your enemies and also destroy their projectiles. It takes a third of your power bar.

• The Super Dash allows you to dash in the air, goes further and faster than the regular dash and also you are inmune to damage. It also has the effect of stunning any enemy if they happen to touch you. It takes a third of your powerbar.