Character Movelist FAQ A very big thanks to FSGamer for his help on the character section! .-----------------------------. | Copyright 2007 Steven Marr | | By Steven Marr (aka Xenomic)| | xenomic@bigstring.com | | kushara@bigstring.com | | entity_of_chaos@hotmail.com| | ankoku.no.ryu@gmail.com| | ankoku_no_ryu@yahoo.com| | AIM: Xenomic, AnkokuRyu | | YIM: Ankoku_no_ryu| | MSN: ShinXenomic@hotmail.com| | | '-----------------------------' --------------------------------- Legal Script --------------------------------- All copyrights and trademarks are acknowledged where are not specifically mentioned. If you wish to reproduce this document AS IS, you may do so after asking my permission, and not for profit. If I see fit, I, however, will revoke permission and ask for it to be taken down if necessary. For some combo videos for characters, check out Badmash's site. Not bad videos at all, and they might help you out as well! http://www.youtube.com/profile?user=PeoplesBadmash Also, there is a Wiki on this game (though not complete) that some of the data found here in this faq is from. The link to the Wiki is here: http://www.shoryuken.com/wiki/index.php/Capcom_vs_SNK_2 **SPECIAL NOTE!!!*** For anyone who would like to help with this faq, feel free to contact me via one of the messengers found in my profile on GameFAQs or up above!!! Unless you have a list full of things to send to me (which I'd prefer email for), then by all means, go ahead and contact me (MSN or AIM is the most preferred). ***SPECIAL NOTE TO KIBAGAMI!!!*** If you are reading this, and wish for me to have my Quotes section taken down, let me know via email or one of my messengers if you so choose! --------------------------------------------------- Version History --------------------------------------------------- March 18, 2008 - Ver. 0.50: Still a Work In Progress, but still working on this. Will update this faq with more info as time goes by. March 31, 2008 - Ver. 0.60: Updated with info on Joe, Kim, King, Kyo, and what little there was to Orochi Iori. April 2, 2008 - Ver. 0.65: Updated with info on Rugal, Raiden, Rock, Ryo, and Terry. April 7, 2008 - Ver. 0.70: Updated with Todo, Vice, and Yuri. April 9, 2008 - Ver. 0.75: Updated with more info on Yuri. Updated with info on Modes of Play and Unlockables. Added in a new section called "Sub-Systems: Deciding What is Better". Updated Grooves section. April 14, 2008 - Ver. 0.76: Updated with info on Nakoruru finally. ^^ April 16, 2008 - Ver. 0.85: Super big update with info on Nakoruru, Eagle, Geese, and Akuma. Big thanks to Shoryuken.com and Helion for use of their Wiki. Link to Wiki can be found above the Version History section. April 21, 2008 - Ver. 0.93: Updated with info on Guile, Hibiki, King, and Kyo. April 23, 2008 - Ver. 0.99: Updated with info on Kyosuke, Maki, and Rock. Updated quotes section. --------------------------------------------------- Table Of Contents --------------------------------------------------- 1. Introduction [001] 2. Legend Key [002] 3. Breakdown of Attacks [003] 4. Tier Listings [004] 5. Character Movlists [005] -Capcom- I. Akuma [CAP01] II. Balrog [CAP02] III. Blanka [CAP03] IV. Cammy White [CAP04] V. Chun-Li [CAP05] VI. Dan Hibiki [CAP06] VII. Dhalsim [CAP07] VIII. Eagle [CAP08] IX. E. Honda [CAP09] X. Evil Ryu [CAP10] XI. Guile [CAP11] XII. Ken Masters [CAP12] XIII. Kyosuke Kagami[CAP13] XIV. Maki Genryusai[CAP14] XV. M. Bison [CAP15] XVI. Morrigan Aensland[CAP16] XVII. Rolento [CAP17] XVIII. Ryu [CAP18] XIX. Sagat [CAP19] XX. Sakura Kasugano [CAP20] XXI. Shin Akuma [CAP21] XXII. Vega [CAP22] XXIII. Yun Lee[CAP23] XXIV. Zangief [CAP24] -SNK- I. Athena Asamiya [SNK01] II. Benimaru Nikaido[SNK02] III. Chang Koehan[SNK03] IV. Geese Howard [SNK04] V. Haohmaru [SNK05] VI. Hibiki Takane[SNK06] VII. Iori Yagami [SNK07] VIII. Joe Higashi [SNK08] IX. Kim Kaphawn [SNK09] X. King [SNK10] XI. Kyo Kusanagi [SNK11] XII. Mai Shiranui [SNK12] XIII. Nakoruru [SNK13] XIV. Orochi Iori [SNK14] XV. Raiden [SNK15] XVI. Rock Howard [SNK16] XVII. Rugal Bernstein [SNK17] XVIII. Ryo Sakazaki [SNK18] XIX. Terry Bogard [SNK19] XX. Todo Ryuhaku[SNK20] XXI. Ultimate Rugal [SNK21] XXII. Vice [SNK22] XXIII. Yamazaki Ryuji[SNK23] XXIV. Yuri Sakazaki [SNK24] 6. Grooves [006] 7. Modes of Play [007] 8. Unlockables [008] 9. Sub-Systems: Deciding What is Better [009] 10. Quotes & Special Intros [010] 11. Other Things [011] 12. Credits [012] ----------------------------------------------------------- 1. Introduction [001] You're probably thinking "Why are you doing another Movelist FAQ for this game when it has all of these faqs for it to begin with?" or "Why do a FAQ for a game that's 5 years old?". Well, let's just say I have a lot of time on my hand, so why not use it for something that's interesting to both me and everyone else, can help everyone else (perhaps...), and gives me a reason to keep doing faqs in the first place? Right? Well, with that out of the way..... This faq is here to, of course, help use the 48 fighters in Capcom Vs. SNK 2, and what Grooves to use and with who. Though don't always take my word on the Grooves, as I'm still testing out which ones work better (though I tend to stick to C- and N-Groove anyways...). Just a fair warning now, when reading the Match-Up section for characters, keep in mind that these are aimed at CPU opponents, and not Human players. Trying these tactics against Human players will more than likely get you killed!! However, I will try and come up with tactics for Human players to add to this faq at a later date. Also note that while I DO have something for everyone in this faq, I'm not an expert at all of the characters in this game, and there are times that I don't play this game for weeks on end, which ends up with me being rusty at the game from time to time. So, while I point out things, note that not always will they be accurate to the tee. If you have any further questions about specific characters or strategies with characters, I HIGHLY recommend asking around on Shoryuken.com, as some of my knowledge on these characters came from them. So, without further adieu, let us begin this monstrous faq! ------------------------------------------------------------ 2. Keys [002] Use this Legend to help you understand the different definitions that I will be using throughout this FAQ. u=up f=forward d=down b=back df=down-forward db=down-back uf=up-forward ub=up-back qcf=quarter-circle forward qcb=quarter-circle back hcf=half-circle forward hcb=half-circle back 360=360 degree rotation of directional pad 720=720 degree rotation of directional pad fdp=Forward Dragon Punch (forward, down, down-forward) bdp=Back Dragon Punch (back, down, down-back) LP=Light Punch MP=Medium Punch HP=Heavy Punch LK=Light Kick MK=Medium Kick HK=Heavy Kick PPP=Three punches together KKK=Three kicks together Ch.=Charge move (air)=Move can be done in air. (AIR)=Must be performed in air CC=Custom Combos RC=Roll Cancel SC=Super Cancelables JD=Just Defend --------------------------------------------------------------- 3. Breakdown of Attacks [003] Here is a breakdown of what category each attack that each fighter in this game uses. Consult this chart if you're unsure as to what attack falls into what category. Moves that meet certain special requirements will be listed by their name. -Projectiles- Moves that can be fired in a fireball-type style, and can hit from across the screen. The following attacks fall into this category: Gou Hadoken (Akuma) Messatsu Gou Hado (Akuma) Tenma Gou Hado (Akuma) Zanku Hadoken (Akuma) Crystal Shoot (Athena) Psycho Ball Attack (Athena) Kikouken (Chun-Li) Kikou-Shou (Chun-Li) Gadoken (Dan) Shinku Gadoken (Dan) Yoga Fire (Dhalsim) Hadoken (Evil Ryu) Metsu Hadoken (Evil Ryu) Double Wind Slice (Geese) Wind Slice (Geese) Sonic Boom (Guile) Secret Cyclone Slash (Haohmaru) Dark Thrust (Iori) Hurricane Upper (Joe) Screw Upper (Joe) Hadoken (Ken) Double Venom Strike (King) Venom Strike (King) Cross Cutter (Kyosuke) Super Cross Cutter (Kyosuke) Kachou Sen (Folding Fan Fandango) (Mai) Swan's Ranpango (Mai) Soul Fist (Morrigan) Soul Phoenix (Morrigan) Shichikapu Kanui Inushika (Nakoruru) Dark Thrust (Orochi Iori) Cyclone Sock (Rock) Double Gust Punch (Rock) Kaiser Wave (Rugal) Wind Slice (Rugal) Haoh Sho Koh Ken (Conquering Crunch) (Ryo) Tiger Flame Punch (Ryo) Hadoken (Ryu) Shinku Hadoken (Ryu) Tiger Cannon (Sagat) Tiger Shot (Sagat) Ground Tiger Cannon (Sagat) Ground Tiger Shot (Sagat) Shinku Hadoken (Sakura) Gou Hadoken (Shin Akuma) Messatsu Gou Hado (Shin Akuma) Tenma Gou Hado (Shin Akuma) Zanku Hadoken (Shin Akuma) Power Wave (Terry) Ultimate Ecstasy Crunch (Todo) Kaiser Wave (Ultimate Rugal) Wind Slice (Ultimate Rugal) Haoh Sho Koh Ken (Conquering Crunch) (Yuri) Rai Oh Ken (Yuri) Tiger Flame Punch (Yuri) -Anti-Air- Moves that are used to counter air attacks and jumping opponents. Typically bad when blocked or when they miss. The following attacks fall into this category: Messatsu Gou Shoryu (Akuma) Psycho Sword (Athena) Buffalo Head Butt (Balrog) Lightning Fist (Anti-Air) (Benimaru) Super Lightning Kick (Benimaru) Vertical Rolling (Blanka) Hoyoku-Sen (Chun-Li) Kouryuken (Dan) Kouryurekka (Dan) Messatsu Gou Shoryu (Evil Ryu) Shoryuken (Evil Ryu) Somersault Kick (Guile) Somersault Strike (Guile) Secret Crescent Moon (Haohmaru) Slash of Supreme Judgment (Haohmaru) Fire Ball (Iori) Double Cyclone Upper (Joe) Tiger Kick (Joe) Shinryuken (Ken) Shoryuken (Ken) Fire Ball (Kyo) New Wave Smash (Kyo) Spinning Kick (Kyo) Lightning Upper (Kyosuke) Shadow Out Kick (Kyosuke) Super Lightning Upper (Kyosuke) Super Shadow Out Kick (Kyosuke) Carpinal Blade (Morrigan) Shadow Blade (Morrigan) Lela Mutsube (Nakoruru) Fire Ball (Orochi Iori) Rising Tackle (Rock) Destroyer Cutter (Rugal) Total Annihilation (Rugal) Koho (Tiger Blast) (Ryo) Shoryuken (Ryu) Tiger Uppercut (Sagat) Messatsu Gou Shoryu (Shin Akuma) Rising Tackle (Terry) Rising Ecstasy Crunch (Todo) Destroyer Cutter (Ultimate Rugal) Total Annihilation (Ultimate Rugal) Yuri Double Upper (Yuri) Yuri Super Upper (Yuri) Aerial Russian Slam (Zangief) -Air- Moves that are done while in the air. Great against Rush attacks and some Other attacks, but bad when against Anti-Air attacks. The following attacks fall into this category: Hyakki Goudan (Akuma) Hyakki Gousai (Akuma) Hyakki Goushou (Akuma) Hyakki Goutsui (Akuma) Hyakki Gouzan (Akuma) Hyakkisu (Akuma) Phoenix Arrow (Athena) Phoenix Fang Arrow (Athena) Hazan Shu (Chun-Li) Aerial Taunt (Dan) Gaia Slash (Geese) Flying Kick (Kim) Heavenly Phoenix Kick (Kim) Shadow Wave (Kyosuke) Devil Reverse (M. Bison) Head Stomp (M. Bison) Kanui Mutsube (Nakoruru) Mamahaha Attack (Nakoruru) Mamahaha Release (Nakoruru) Mamahaha Slash (Nakoruru) Shichikapu Ai (Nakoruru) Crimson Firebird Diver (Mai) Flying Squirrel Dance (Mai) Ajaratengu (Maki) Hassoukyakku (Maki) Tengu Daoshi (Maki) Dark Smash (Rugal) Flower Kick (Sakura) Oukakyaku (Sakura) Sakura Otoshi (Sakura) Shunpu Kyaku (Sakura) Air Ecstasy Crunch (Todo) Dark Smash (Ultimate Rugal) Flying Barcelona Attack (Vega) Flying Barcelona Special (Vega) Izuna Drop (Vega) Rolling Izuna Drop (Vega) Sky High Claw (Vega) Rave Fest (Vice) Zessho Hohou (Yun) Nishou Kyaku (Yun) -Rush- Moves that force the character to dash and attack at the same exact time. These are vulnerable to a lot of attacks, those being Projectiles, Anti-Air, and Air, but can be useful against Other attacks. These also help the character get across the screen faster. The following attacks fall into this category: Crazy Buffalo (Balrog) Dash Ground Straight (Balrog) Dash Ground Uppercut (Balrog) Dash Straight (Balrog) Dash Uppercut (Balrog) Gigaton Blow (Balrog) Turn Punch (Balrog) Discharge Spark (Benimaru) Back Step Rolling (Blanka) Direct Lightning (Blanka) Ground Shave Rolling (Blanka) Rolling Attack (Blanka) Onimushu (E. Honda) Super Zutsuki (E. Honda) Evil Illusion Slam (Geese) Secret Earthquake Slice (Haohmaru) Heavenly Spirit of Victory (Hibiki) Dark Crescent Slice (Iori) Maiden Masher (Iori) Slash Kick (Joe) Shinpu Jinraikyaku (Ken) Shoryuu Reppa (Ken) Final Showdown (Kyo) Deadly Ninja Bees (Mai) Super Deadly Ninja Bees (Mai) Hayakage (Maki) Saka Hayakage (Maki) Knee Press (M. Bison) Knee Press Nightmare (M. Bison) Psycho Crusher (M. Bison) Mega Psycho Crusher (M. Bison) Darkness Illusion (Morrigan) Valkyrie Turn (Morrigan) Annu Mutsube (Nakoruru) Dark Crescent Slice (Orochi Iori) Maiden Masher (Orochi Iori) Hard Edge (Rock) Rage Run-Type "Dunk" (Rock) Rage Run-Type "Save" (Rock) Rage Run-Type "Shift" (Rock) Shining Knuckles (Rock) Gigantic Pressure (Rugal) God Press (Rugal) Lightning Legs Knockout Kick (Ryo) Ryuko Rahou (Furious Fandango) (Ryo) Tiger Crush (Sagat) Tiger Destroyer (Sagat) Tiger Raid (Sagat) Midare Zakura (Sakura) Sakizakura Ken (Sakura) Shoouken (Sakura) Burning Knuckles (Terry) Buster Wolf (Terry) Gigantic Pressure (Ultimate Rugal) God Press (Ultimate Rugal) Last Judgment (Ultimate Rugal) Rugal Execution (Ultimate Rugal) Rolling Crystal Flash (Vega) Scarlet Mirage (Vega) Flying Phoenix Kick (Yuri) Scalding Steam Blast (Yuri) The 100 Blows (Yuri) Flying Powerbomb (Zangief) -Other- These are moves that don't really fall into any one category, and can be classified by their own self. How these moves work against others depends on the situation at hand. The following attacks fall into this category: Zenpou Tenshin (Akuma) New Psycho Reflector (Athena) Shining Crystal Bit (Athena) Heaven's Blast Flash (Benimaru) Iaido Kick (Benimaru) Lightning Fist (Benimaru) Electric Thunder (Blanka) Surprise Back (Blanka) Surprise Forward (Blanka) Spinning Iron Ball (Chang) Hyakuretsu Kyaku (Chun-Li) Spinning Bird Kick (Chun-Li) Aerial Taunt (Dan) Back Taunt (Dan) Chohatsu Densetsu (Dan) Dankyaku (Dan) Forward Taunt (Dan) Hissyo Buraiken (Dan) Yoga Blast (Dhalsim) Yoga Flame (Dhalsim) Yoga Stream (Dhalsim) Yoga Tempest (Dhalsim) Hyakuretsu Harite (E. Honda) Super Hyakkan Otoshi (E. Honda) Tatsumaki Senpukyaku (Evil Ryu) Raising Storm (Geese) Total Wipeout (Guile) Fake Cyclone Slash (Haohmaru) Flame of the Conqueror (Haohmaru) Distance Slash (Hibiki) Narrow Escape (Hibiki) "One-For-The-Road" Blast (Iori) Inazuma Kakate Kick (Ken) Kamabaral Kick (Ken) Nataptoshi Kick (Ken) Oosotomawashi Kick (Ken) Ryusankyaku (Ken) Tatsumaki Senpukyaku (Ken) Zenpou Tenshin (Ken) Crime Grawfest (Kyo) Flashing Slash (Kyo) Nine Scars Maker (Kyo) Poison Grawfest (Kyo) Punishment Grawfest (Kyo) R.E.D. Kick (Kyo) Rusting Eight Combos (Kyo) Serpent Wave (Kyo) Seven Hurting Combos (Kyo) Wicked Chew (Kyo) Ryu En Bu (Dragon Flame Romp) (Mai) Rappukyaku (Maki) Elelyu Kamui Risse (Nakoruru) Kamui Risse (Nakoruru) Mamahaha Grab (Nakoruru) Shirikoro Kanulmomi (Nakoruru) Raising a Storm (Rock) Raksasa (Rock) Mine Sweeper (Rolento) Scouter Jump (Rolento) Dark Barrier (Rugal) Crazy Tiger Thunder Attack (Ryo) Tatsumaki Senpukyaku (Ryu) Shinku Tatsumaki Senpukyaku (Ryu) Sunpu Renkyaku (Sakura) Crack Shot (Terry) Power Dunk (Terry) Power Geyser (Terry) Ecstasy Crunch (Todo) Dark Barrier (Ultimate Rugal) Back Slash (Vega) Short Back Slash (Vega) Kobokushi (Yun) Sourai-Rengeki (Yun) Tetsuzankou (Yun) You-Hou (Yun) Zenpu Tenshin (Yun) Atomic Suplex (Zangief) Double Lariat (Zangief) Final Atomic Buster (Zangief) Green Glove (Zangief) Spinning Pile Driver (Zangief) -Teleport- These moves can move the character across the screen, and at anywhere on the screen, depending on which version and button the player used to initiate the move. The following attacks fall into this category: Ashura Senku (Akuma) Psychic Teleport (Athena) Yoga Teleport (Dhalsim) Ashura Senku (Evil Ryu) Psycho Vanish (M. Bison) Ashura Senku (Shin Akuma) Ultimate Lane (Ultimate Rugal) -Counter- These moves are used to counterattack against an opponents move. The following attacks fall into this category: Canterbury Blue (Eagle) Lower Body Blow (Geese) Middle Body Blow (Geese) Upper Body Blow (Geese) Melding Being Blade (Hibiki) [May only be useuable against Mid-High attacks] Crack Counter (Rock) Mind's Eye Slingshot (Todo) Taunt & Counter (Yamazaki) -Throws- These are moves that turn into throws when used. The following attacks fall into this category: Oocihou Nage (E. Honda) Orochi Kudaki (E. Honda) Essential Crunch (Hibiki) Scum Gale (Iori) Destruction Drop (Raiden) Thunder Crush Bomb (Raiden) Evac Toss (Rock) -Close- These are moves that will only hit when close to an opponent. The following attacks fall into this category: Benimaru Collider Crunch (Benimaru) Blec-Trigger (Benimaru) No Fear Feint (Hibiki) Deadly Flower (Iori) TNT Punch (Joe) Final Grade Remix (Kyosuke) Sun Fire Samba (Mai) Deadly Flower (Orochi Iori) Heaven Blaze Punch (Ryo) Zan Retsu Kan (Whiplash Bash) (Ryo) Shin Shoryuken (Ryu) G-End (Ultimate Rugal) Saiha (Yuri) -Combos- These are moves that hit more than once in one sititng. The following attacks fall into this category: Deadly Rave (Geese) Neo Deadly Rave (Rock) Going My Way (Root-1) (Hibiki) Going My Way (Root-2) (Hibiki) Going My Way (Root-3) (Hibiki) ------------------------------------------------------------ 4. Tier Listings [004] (Tier listings courtesy of Bucktooth from the Shoryuken forums) Do note that even though this list shows which characters are best in what Grooves, don't take it too seriously. The types of Grooves that each character is good in varies from player to player, and some players may not even use the same Grooves as those listed in this list and still play just as well as these. I will go into more detail on each individual character Grooves in each of their respective section. Top Tier: C-Sagat A-Sakura P-Cammy A-Bison several different flavors of Blanka C/N-Chun-Li C-Guile C-Honda High-Mid Tier: A-Hibiki C-Rolento N-Iori K-Geese K-Rock P-Kyo A-Vega C-Ken Mid Tier: A-Todo N-Maki N-Vice C-Rugal C-Kim C-Yamazaki C-Dhalsim C/A-Eagle N-Akuma N-Mai K-Nakoruru C-Yun A-Joe C/N-Ryu N-Morrigan K-Chang A-Athena Low-Mid Tier: A-Yuri A-Terry A-Benimaru K-Zangief C-Balrog K-Raiden A-Dan K-Ryo C-Kyosuke A-Haohmaru Low Tier: N-King All the characters in the High-Mid Tier can be (and often are) considered Top Tier among different respected players. Here is an additional list that lists all of the character's Grooves, from best to worst. Note that this is also subjective to opinion and the experience and style of each player, so as with the previous tier list, don't take it TOO literally! (Courtesy of tetsuye00 and the rest at Shoryuken.com) Top Tier: A-Bison (A, S, C, K) C-Sagat (C, K, A) A-Blanka (A, C, K) ??? A-Sakura (A, C, K) P-Cammy (P, K, C, A) ??? C/N-Chun (C/N, A, K) C-Guile (C, A, K) ??? C-Honda (C, A, K) High-Mid Tier: A-Vega (A, C, P, N, K, S) C-Ken (C, K, A) ??? A-Hibiki (A, K, C) C-Rolento (C, A, K) N-Iori (N, A, C, K, P, S) K-Geese (K, P, N, A, C, S) K-Rock (K, C, A) P-Kyo (P, K, A, C) ??? Mid Tier: A-Todo (A, N, C, K, S, P) N-Maki (N, K, C, A) ??? N-Vice (N, C, A, K) C-Rugal (C, K, A) C-Kim (C, A, K) ??? C-Yamazaki (C, K, A) C-Dhalsim (C, A, K) C/A-Eagle (C/A, K) N-Akuma (N, K, C, A) ??? N-Mai (N, K, A, C, S, P) K-Nakoruru (K, A, C) ??? C-Yun (C, A, K) A-Joe (A, C, K) C/N-Ryu (C/N, K, A) N-Morrigan (N, K, C, A) ??? K-Chang (K, C, A) A-Athena (A, C, K) Low-Mid Tier: A-Yuri (A, C, K) ??? A-Terry (A, C, K) ??? A-Benimaru (A, C, K) ??? K-Zangief (K, C, A) C-Balrog (C, K, A) ??? K-Raiden (K, C, A) A-Dan (A, C, K) K-Ryo (K, C, A) ??? C-Kyosuke (C, K, A) ??? A-Haohmaru (A, C, K) Low Tier: N-King (N, A, C, K) Note: ??? indicates that the ranking of C, K, and A Groove are uncertain. ------------------------------------------------------------ 5. Character Movlists [005] Now, for the beast of the faq! The characters themselves! Note now that it'll go in alphabetical order, from fighters first from Capcom, then SNK (no, I'm not being prejudice here either). So, if you want to find a character fast, then use the Table of Contents and use Cntrl + F and type in what's in the bracket to find that specific character. The following table is a breakdown of each character's fighting type (from what I know....any corrections here would be useful): -Character Type- --Rush Down-- Akuma Shin Akuma Rugal Bernstein Ultimate Rugal Mai Shiranui Yuri Sakazaki Ryo Sakazaki Kim Kaphawn Maki Kyo Kusanagi Iori Yagami Orochi Iori Cammy White Chun-Li Morrigan Haohmaru Yun Vega Balrog --Turtling-- Guile Blanka Dhalsim E. Honda Zangief Chang Raiden --Defensive-- Ryu Evil Ryu Eagle Yamazaki Todo --All Around-- Ken Masters Athena Asamiya Hibiki King Joe Higashi Geese Howard Rock Howard Terry Bogard Kyosuke Nakoruru Benimaru M. Bison Sagat Sakura Kasugano Dan Hibiki ----------------------------------------------------------- ---CAPCOM FIGHTERS--- ------------------------------------------------------------ I. Akuma [CAP01] -Introduction- The Raging Demon from Street Fighter makes another appearance in the fighting game world. Akuma's lost some of his umph, but still retains his top-tiered fighting style. You'll have to watch him for his devastating combos and powerful attacks! -Movelist- -Special Normals- Dive Kick (AIR).........................................D-F + K (at the top of Akuma's jump) -Specials- Gou Hadoken.............................................QCF + P Shakunetsu Hadoken................................HCB + P Zanku Hadoken (AIR)...............................QCF + P Gou Shoryuken...........................................DPF + P Tatsumaki Zanku Kyaku (air)...................QCB + K Hyakkisu......................................................DPF + K Hyakki Gouzan (during Hyakkisu)...........(No button pressed during Hyakkisu) Hyakki Goushou (during Hyakkisu).........P Hyakki Gousai (during Hyakkisu).............F or B + P near head Hyakki Goudan (during Hyakkisu)...........K Hyakki Goutsui (during Hyakkisu)...........F or B + K near head Zenpou Tenshin..........................................QCB + P Ashura Senku...............................................DPF or DPB + Px3 or Kx3 -Super Specials- Messatsu Gou Hado....................................HCBx2 + P Tenma Gou Zanku (AIR)..............................QCFx2 + P Messatsu Gou Shoryu..................................QCFx2 + P Shungokusatsu (Level 3 & MAX)..............LP, LP, F, LK, SP -Movelist Breakdown- --Normal Attacks-- -STANDING- LP (Quick Jab) -Great for speed, but horrible for damage. However, this can help in raking up damage if you combo other attacks into this move. This can also be used to knock certain fighters out of attacks, like Akuma's Shungokusatsu. However, this is not recommended. Distance: Far: X Mid: X Close: O LP Close (Quick Elbow) -Very fast, and excellent to chain into other normal moves. Also works well with comboing into Super Specials and Specials. Distance: Far: X Mid: X Close: O MP (Palm Thrust) -Decent in both speed and damage. However, kinda hard to combo into... Distance: Far: X Mid: X Close: O MP Close (Mid Punch) -Pretty fast and efficient, and also works well as a combo starter. Distance: Far: X Mid: X Close: O SP (Fierce Punch) -Somewhat slow, but does good damage. Hard to combo off of though. Distance: Far: X Mid: X Close: O SP Close (Fierce Uppercut) -Great for damage, and the speed of the move is pretty fast. However, kind of hard to combo off of. Distance: Far: X Mid: X Close: O LK (Shin Kick) -As with the LP, fast and good combo starter, but not good damage at all. Distance: Far: X Mid: X Close: O MK (High Kick) -Same as with the MP. Distance: Far: X Mid: X Close: O MK Close (High Knee) -This move is decently fast and strong, and can actually combo into a HP or HK, depending on where Akuma is after this move. Distance: Far: X Mid: X Close: O SK (Roundhouse Kick) -Great for hitting airbourne opponents. However, it is rather slow, so be cautious. Distance: Far: X Mid: X Close: O SK Close (High Scissor Kick) -This move actually hits twice: One high, and one low. However, don't expect to combo off of this move, as it'll never happen. Distance: Far: X Mid: X Close: O -CROUCHING- LP (Low Quick Jab) -Once again, fast and good to combo into, but low in damage. Great combo starter, however, and can lead directly into a Shungokusatsu or other Super Special move. Distance: Far: X Mid: X Close: O MP (Low Palm Thrust) -Nice in terms of speed and damage, and a decent combo starter, but it lacks the range to do any real good to players unless they're close to the opponent. It's best to use some other attack other than this move. Distance: Far: X Mid: X Close: O SP (Uppercut) -Great for Anti-Air purposes, and it does pretty decent damage. Distance: Far: X Mid: X Close: O LK (Quick Low Kick) -Practically the same as the Standing LK, except that it hits low. Distance: Far: X Mid: X Close: O MK (Long Reach Kick) -A tiny fragment slower than the Crouching LK, but still great to combo off of. Distance: Far: X Mid: X Close: O SK (Sweep) -Excellent when it comes to corner battles. If the opponent blocks this move, you can combo a Gou Shoryuken, Gou Hadoken, Tatsumaki Zanku Kyaku, or a Super Special off of it to make them pay. However, note that more often than not (especially true against human players), this strategy won't work the majority of the time. Distance: Far: X Mid: X Close: O -JUMPING- LP (Quick Punch) -Has the same property as the Standing and Crouching LP. However, you can't abuse this constantly like those two, as in the air you can only use one attack at a time. This lasts the whole time that Akuma is in the air, and can be used either jumping straight up or back or towards an opponent. Distance: Far: X Mid: X Close: O MP (Left-Handed Diagonal Punch) -Has the same property as the Standing and Crouching MP. This move works wonder against some attacks. However, note that it is not always the best move to use, as it can lead into trouble. Great when you want to go on the offensive against someone who uses attacks similar to Tatsumaki Senpukyaku. Distance: Far: X Mid: X Close: O SP ( Fast Left-Handed Diagonal Punch) -One of the better moves, and an excellent combo starter. This move should take priority (only second to the Jumping LK and Jumping MK), as it tends to knock opponents out of moves rather easily. Distance: Far: X Mid: X Close: O LK Straight Up (Heel Kick) -This lasts the whole time that Akuma is in the air. Nice to start a combo, and also good when you don't want to jump into a move but still want to hit. Distance: Far: X Mid: X Close: O LK (Knee Punch) -This move has the highest priority (up there with Jumping MK) with knocking opponents out of moves (especially moves like Shungokusatstu). Low damage, but great combo starter. Distance: Far: X Mid: X Close: O MK Straight Up (Quick Heel Kick) -Same as the LK Straight Up, except that it only last about a second or two in the air. Distance: Far: X Mid: X Close: O MK (Straight Kick Punch) -Great in the sense that it can take out opponent's moves very easily, and the fact that it even works well on opponents from below. It can even combo right into Super Specials like Messatsu Gou Hado and Shungokusatsu! Distance: Far: X Mid: X Close: O SK (Quick Straight Kick Punch) -A great move in terms of damage, but don't overabuse it, as human opponents will most likely be able to counter this move rather easily. It's similar to the MK, but only lasts about half as long. Distance: Far: X Mid: X Close: O -Throws- <- OR -> +SP (Seoi Nage) -Another Throw. You have to do the directional input first in order to do this throw. Distance: Far: X Mid: X Close: O SK + <- OR -> (Tomoe Nage) -Akuma's Throw. Simple enough, right? Distance: Far: X Mid: X Close: O --Special Moves-- -Gou Hadoken- -Speed depends on the P button you used. Try mixing up slow and fast Gou Hadokens to confuse your opponent. STRONG VS. All Anti-Air attacks All Rush attacks All Other attacks NO EFFECT VS. Most Projectile attacks (Cancels out with them) All Teleport attacks Mamahaha Grab (Nakoruru) Narrow Escape (Hibiki) WEAK VS. All Air attacks Other attacks -New Psycho Reflector (Athena) -Dark Barrier (Rugal/Ultimate Rugal) All Super Special Projectile attacks Misc attacks This is a great move to stall opponents and to play keep-away games. You'll definentely want to use this the moment you see a projectile, as this move will cancel them out (with the exceptions of Super Art specials, in which the opposite occurs...). However, do note that sometimes, it is not always the best course of action when it comes to projectiles. If you think you can land another move quicker than using Gou Hadoken, then by means, try and go for it (such as jumping at the opponent and using Zanku Hadoken or, better yet, Tenma Gou Zanku). Distance: Far: O Mid: O Close: O Best Distance: Any -Zanku Hadoken- -The speed of the fireballs depend on the P button pressed. STRONG VS. Anti-Air attacks (if they miss) (Somersault Kick, Shoryuken, etc.) Dash attack (Flash Chop, Achilles Rush, etc.) Most projectiles (Hadoken, Kikoushen, etc.) NO EFFECT VS. Super Arts.... WEAK VS. Air attacks A very good move in the fact that it's one of the few air moves that can't really be stopped by Anti-Air attacks, and instead punishes them. This can work both offensively and defensively. Offensively, you can use this move to help combo into other moves, as by the time the fireball are blocked or hit your opponent, Akuma will be back on the ground, which can lead into a Super Special. Defensively, it works as a way to spread both fighters out across the level, as this move is rather hard to dodge while moving forward. Distance: Far: O Mid: O Close: O Best Distance: Any -Shakunetsu Hadoken- STRONG VS. Same as Gou Hadoken. NO EFFECT VS. Same as Gou Hadoken WEAK VS. Same as Gou Hadoken A bit stronger than Gou Hadoken, and it has knockback effect to boost. Great for mixup games when using Zanku Hadoken and Gou Hadoken. However, it has a bit of slow startup, and it signals the opponent when it's about to be used, so it's not to be abused. However, it can be used when mixing LP and HP versions together. Distance: Far: O Mid: O Close: O Best Distance: Any -Gou Shoryuken- -How far up Akuma goes up depends on what P button you press. STRONG VS. Missed Anti-Air attacks Dash attacks just as they close in on Akuma Air attacks NO EFFECT VS. None........ WEAK VS. All projectiles Any attacks if misses The typical Dragon Punch move. Excellent against air attacks and Rush attacks, but bad if your opponent blocks the move or if you miss them completely. It's great, however, for mixup games as well, especially if you use the LP version quite often, then follow up with a LK or HK version of Tatsumaki Zanku Kyaku. Distance: Far: X Mid: X Close: O Best Distance: Close -Tatsumaki Zanku Kyaku- STRONG VS. Blocked or missed Anti-Air attacks Rush attacks NO EFFECT VS. Most Super Arts WEAK VS. Projectiles Anti-Air -Great for Rush attacks (Flash Chop, Achilles Rush, etc.), and is great to punish missed or blocked Anti-Air attacks. Bad, however, if the opponent ducks under it or is far away when used. Distance: Far: X Mid: O (only with HK) Close: O Best Distance: Mid -Hyakkisu- STRONG VS. All Rush Attacks Most Projectile attacks Other attacks NO EFFECT VS. Teleport moves WEAK VS. Super Special Projectile attacks Anti-Air attacks -Great for confusing your opponent when they expect a Zanku Hadoken. The move input isn't too difficult, and this move does quite a bit of damage. Rather nice to get around most projectiles and the like too. -Hyakki Gouzan- STRONG VS. Same as Hyakkisu NO EFFECT VS. Same as Hyakkisu WEAK VS. Same as Hyakkisu Distance: Far: O Mid: O Low: X Misc. Data: --- This move is great for mix-up games, since there are so many variations to Hyakkisu. This one hits low, so if you try and mix this up with Hyakki Goushou and Hyakki Goudan, then you should be able to frustrate your opponent to where they'll try anything to stop Akuma from using this move, which is where you punish them with Tatsumaki Zanku Kyakus and Gou Shoryukens. -Hyakki Goushou- STRONG VS. Same as Hyakkisu NO EFFECT VS. Same as Hyakkisu WEAK VS. Same as Hyakkisu Distance: Far: X Mid: X Close: O Misc. Data: --- Here, Akuma will come down with his fist (same animation as with Zanku Hadoken, minus the fireball). Great as long as your opponent doesn't use an Anti-Air attack on you. This move is relatively strong, but use it at your own risk. -Hyakki Gousai- STRONG VS. Same as Hyakkisu NO EFFECT VS. Same as Hyakkisu WEAK VS. Same as Hyakkisu Distance: Far: O Mid: O Low: X Misc. Data: ---- Another great mix-up move, but the downside is that you have to be close to your opponent in order to pull it off, and by that time, the opponent can counter with an Anti-Air move or something worse. I'd recommend not using this move, unless your opponent is one who likes to turtle a lot. -Hyakki Goudan- STRONG VS. Same as Hyakkisu NO EFFECT VS. Same as Hyakkisu WEAK VS. Same as Hyakkisu Distance: Far: O Mid: O Close: O Misc. Data: ---- Just as with the previous two moves, great for mix-up. Here, Akuma will come down from the top of his jump into a diving kick. Great for stalling against some projectiles, but it leaves him open to any other attack, and it's easy to see coming. It can only be blocked by standing, so that's always a plus for those who try to block it low. Pretty strong, but don't overabuse it. -Hyakki Goutsui- STRONG VS. Same as Hyakkisu NO EFFECT VS. Same as Hyakkisu WEAK VS. Same as Hyakkisu Distance: Far: X Mid: X Close: O Misc. Data: --- The last move that can be used only during Hyakkisu. It's very similar to Hyakki Goushou in the fact that you have to do it right when Akuma is near the head of his opponent. And it carries the same downside as Hyakki Goushou, so I'd avoid using it. -Zenpou Tenshin- STRONG VS. All moves NO EFFECT VS. Nothing.... WEAK VS. Contineous moves (i.e. Shoryureppa, Messatsu Gou Shoryu) Distance: Far: X Mid: X Close: X Misc. Data: Special movement This move isn't that great at all. You can simply use Roll instead of this, and it's far safer than this move. Ignore it altogether. -Ashura Senku- STRONG VS. All attacks NO EFFECT VS. None WEAK VS. None -Great in that it grants invulnerability to attacks while teleporting, and the fact that it allows teleport. Great to get out of corners. Easy to combo attacks off of this move as well. Distance: Far: O Mid: O Close: O Best Distance: Any --Super Special Moves-- -Messatsu Gou Hadou- STRONG VS. All Rush attacks All projectiles (except Super Special projectiles) All Anti-Air attacks NO EFFECT VS. None WEAK VS. None -Excellent in that it rips through all other projectiles (except Super Special projectiles...) and it repels virtually any attack. Distance Data: Far: O Mid: O Close: O Best Distance: Any -Tenma Gou Zanku- STRONG VS. Most Anti-Air attacks Most Projectile attacks All Rush attacks NO EFFECT VS. None WEAK VS. None -As with the Messatsu Gou Hadou, this move is great against all other projectiles, AND is perfect against Anti-Air attacks. However, many players will expect this move, so use it sparingly. Distance Data: Far: O Mid: O Close: O Best Distance: Any -Messatsu Gou Shoryu- STRONG VS. Most Anti-Air (if blocked or miss) All Rush attacks NO EFFECT VS. None WEAK VS. All Projectiles (unless timed correctly) -Great against Rush attacks, but not the best of choice against Projectile users. However, it does make for a nasty counterattack as a Wakeup move. Distance Data: Far: O Mid: O Close: O Best Distance: Mid -Shungokusatsu- STRONG VS. Rush attacks only! NO EFFECT VS. None WEAK VS. Anti-Air attacks Projectile attacks -The infamous Raging Demon to some and Instant Hell Murder to others. Great due to its speed and being an Unblockable. Unfortunently, everyone who has fought Akuma or Shin Akuma knows about this move and know how to avoid it. However, try using it as a Wakeup Counter. You might be able to surprise your opponents. Distance Data: Far: O Mid: O Close: O Best Distance: Close --Strengths & Weaknesses-- Akuma's strength definently lies in his ability to rush down on his opponents. Tatsumaki Zanku Kyaku and Gou Shoryuken are the key here, and Hyakkisu is great to throw in from time to time. Zanku Hadoken also limits what the opponent can do, for if they try to either jump or run under it, they'll more than likely get hit by it. Most of Akuma's regular moves, like his Crouching SP and Standing SP, have decent enough range on them that they can knock opponents out of moves that normally you'd have to block (such as Super Deadly Ninja Bees or Deadly Rave). Sadly though, when it comes to defense, Akuma as always has problems. His vitality isn't exactly that great, and he takes damage like a little baby. The only really good moves to counter with are Gou Shoryuken and Tatsumaki Zanku Kyaku, as Hyakkisu will only land him in trouble. Messatsu Gou Hado and Tenma Gou Hado are great on the run, but Messatsu is easily avoided, and Tenma says when it's coming most of the time. Messatsu Gou Shoryu is great, but only if you can hit your opponent when they aren't expecting it. Shungokusatsu is perfect, but the downside is, it's extremely easy to avoid and counter, and many great players will know exactly how to do that. So, all in all, you'll have to avoid having Akuma get pressured, and make sure that he's pressuring his opponents as much as possible. Tick-damage may be the way to go, so alternate between Gou Hadokens, Shakunetsu Hadokens, and Zanku Hadokens if you're not close enough, and bust out Tatsumaki Zanku Kyakus when you are close. Use Gou Shoryuken ONLY when the opponent tries to jump at Akuma, as if you try to use it anytime else, the opponent could just block it and counter with anything. ---Groove Choices--- Akumas best groove is considered to be N groove. In order to be at his most potential, he needs run, and this groove offers that. What it also offers is Roll Cancelled red fireballs, and a way to store his raging demon for when he needs it. This puts it above the rest of the pack. His second best groove is K groove, where his ability to pull off damage increases greatly. By making the opponent scared of eating a raging demon, he is able to actually land more bread and butter combos than normal. The rage mode also allows him to suck up a bit more damage than he otherwise would be able to, and access to 2 raging demon attempts a round helps him out a lot. His third best groove would be a tie between C groove and A groove. Both of these lack run, which is important to his game plan, but they both offer up something in exchange. C gives him level 2 cancels which can do a lot of damage to an opponent, and A gives him a guaranteed hit into custom combo (by doing c.lk, lk hurricane kick, activate, juggle). However, the lack of mobility from run really hinders him here. Lastly would be S and P. S gives him run, but his lack of good level 1's and the handicap of having Raging Demon available only when he's about to die hurt him. As well, P doesn't give him much to work with, with no run or Roll Cancelled moves. The only exception is in CvS2 EO (such as on X-Box Live), where the P-groove cancel glitch allows him to do some damaging verifiable damage. Still not worth playing him in P groove. ---Akuma's Combos--- (opp standing) c.lk(or c.lp) x2, lk hurricane, dp (or lk hurricane again) (opp crouching) note: all these combos also work on standing opponents too 1) c.lk x2, hp fireball 2) c.mk, hp fireball 3) c.lk, lk hurricane, dp 4) (c.lk/c.lp), c.lp, c.hk, lk hurricane, dp (or lk hurricane) Note: The d.LP, d.HK link is only for when you're fishing for counter hits with d.LP anyway. It's just as easy to hit confirm a counter hit crouching jab and link it into sweep xx qcb+LK 5) c.lp, c.hp, hp fireball Note: all of these combos can be done after a crossup fireball setup. If the fireball hits you can do the standing combos because the fireball will cause your opponent to stand. for all intents and purposes these are all the NON meter b&b combos. there are many variations of these that you can use but its just personal style from here. ---Akuma's Super Combos--- 1) c.lk x2 or 3, qcfx2 + p 2) c.lp, c.hp, qcfx2 + p 3) c.lk, c.lp, c.mk, qcb x2 + p and as usual you can add jump ins and modify these combos slightly for different situations. ---C-Groove Specific Combos--- Although these all start with 'j.hp, c.hp', that's not the only way to land them. That's the best way to land them as you get the most damage out of it, but you won't get a free jump in that often. When they're dizzy though go for it ;). More practically though you can replace the 'j.hp, c.hp' with 'c.lk, c.lk' or 'c.mk' to start any of these. Here are some of C-Groove Akuma's most damaging combos in a variety of situations. Level 2, Anywhere on Screen j.hp, c.hp, qcfx2+mp xx (last hit, but you still on ground) qcb+lk, dp+hp (2 hits) Damage:7902 Level 3, Anywhere on Screen j.hp, c.hp, qcfx2+mp xx (last hit, but you still on ground) hcbx2+lp Damage:8715 Level 2, Opponent In or Near Corner j.hp, c.hp, qcfx2+mp xx (2nd last hit) hcb+hp, dp+hp (2 hits) Damage:8086 Level 3, Opponent In or Near Corner j.hp, c.hp, qcfx2+mp xx (2nd last hit) hcbx2+lp, dp+hp (2 hits) Damage:9571 Level 2, Mid-Screen, Pseudo Combo Most damage with lvl2, does not work in corner, DOES NOT COMBO: j.hp, c.hp, qcfx2+mp xx (2nd last hit) dp+lk, f+hp xx dp+hp (2 hits) Damage:8715 Level 3, Mid-Screen, Pseudo Combo Most damage with lvl3, does not work in corner, DOES NOT COMBO: j.hp, c.hp, qcfx2+mp xx (2nd last hit) dp+lk, f+hp xx qcfx2+lp (4hits) Damage:8925 NOTE: Those last two have a hole in the combo between the lvl2 super cancel and the grab off the demon flip. Each of them is actually two comboes. The point of listing this is that 9.99993% of players getting hit with the traditional lvl2 combo will either: sit back and do nothing. hold on block in case you're too slow on a cancel and miss it. This means that if you cancel the lvl2 into demon kick and command grab them, they will NOT react in time to you doing so. Hence they will get grabbed and you can continue the combo as listed. These two do more damage than the traditional lvl2 cancels, but are risky. They are to only be used extremely scarcely as gimmicks in casual, or if you know that you only need 100 more damage to kill off a character. In which case they can be used. Generally though do the first 4, as the more consistent you are with them, the less they will expect the mixup ones. ---Akuma's Custom Combos--- Mid Screen (Hit confirmable) C.lk, C.lk, lk hurricane kick, lk hurricane kick (juggle), activate, lk hurricane kick (juggle) x N (repeat until they are in the corner), Red Fireball (FP) x N (Time these to keep them juggled in the air), end with HCB HCB + P (Fireball Super) Corner (hit confirmable) C.lk, C.lk, lk hurricane kick, activate, FP (juggle), Red Fireball (FP) x N, end with HCB HCB + P (Fireball Super) Mid Screen (Hit Confirmable) Demon Flip + P Near opponents head (to throw), lk hurricane kick (juggle), activate, lk hurricane kick x N (juggle) until opponent is in corner, Red Fireball (FP) X N, HCB HCB + P (Fireball Super) Guard Crush String (Corner) Activate, Red Fireball (FP) X N, once guard is crushed, follow up with HCB HCB + P (Fireball Super) Guard Crush String (Mid Screen) Activate, Dragon Punch (FP) X N until crushed, follow up with QCF QCF + P (Uppercut super) ---The Masters' Combos--- choi special (corner only) c/s.mk, hp red fireball, lp dp (1 hit), hp dp (1 hit). Osiris: J.Hp,land S.Lp,S.Hp into HCBX2(lV.1), QCB.Lk, QCF.Mp(LV.2) and while akuma is coming down QCB.HK and finish with DP.HP Air Juggle j.mp -> j.hk hurricane, land, lk hurricane (juggle), Dragon Punch any strength(Juggle) Fireball Juggle (Corner Only) All grooves except A C.mk, HCB HCB + FP (Level 3 super fireball), juggle afterwards with lk hurricane kick, juggle with Dragon Punch (LP) for one hit Double DP Juggle Anti-Air a move with a Dragon punch that only hits with one hit (i.e. you hit them high). When you land, run forward a little and do another dragon punch, this will allow you to land 2 more hits. Only works in run grooves, though sometimes they are "Deep" enough to not need to run forward a bit. Triple DP Juggle This is more for show than for damage. Get the opponent into the corner, and on their wakeup, do a Raging Demon. If they jump straight up to get away (like most do), do a Dragon Punch (lp) for one hit, follow up with a Dragon Punch (lp) for a second hit, and then finally throw out a Deep Dragon Punch (lp) for the third hit. It does more damage to just do the first Dragon Punch (lp), followed by a Deep 2 hit Dragon Punch (lp). ---The Key to Akuma: Getting Close to Rush Down--- Akuma sometimes has a hard time getting close to opponents with good pokes. There are a variety of different ways to earn your position, but he doesn't have any of the "One button" strategies like the top tiers have. In other words, there is no magical crouching fierce or standing roundhouse to get the job done. It requires a bit of work, and a bit of luck. ---Crouching MK--- Poking wise, his basic nice mid-range poke is crouching mk. This can link to a fireball if it connects. To capitalize on this, throw out the c.mk and immediately do a fireball. If it hits, it will cancel to the fireball. Be warned if they block the c.mk and the fireball comes it, they can roll on reaction from the fireball. ---Crouching HK--- Not quite as much range as a MK, but this one knocks down. Use for punishment and whiffs. Much like the buffer into fireball trick above, buffer this move into a lk hurricane kick. The RH -> Hurricane Kick can be followed up by a dragon punch. ---Mid-Screen Red Fireball--- Not good if they are expecting it, but good for punishment and whiffs. Scores a knockdown if it hits. Good chip/Guard Crush damage if it is blocked. Don't throw these out predictably unless you want to eat an RC or a Jump in combo. ---Standing RH--- Nice distance, good for punishing low jumps and jump ins. Will beat out a handful of low pokes. ---Tiger Knee Fireball--- This is one move you MUST learn in order to play Akuma. In A groove and C groove, this is possibly the most important aspect of his footsies game due to his lack of mobility. The concept of "Tiger Kneeing" a move basically means that you do a special move as close to off the ground as possible. It comes from the fact that in SF: Championship Edition, Sagats "Tiger Knee" move was d df f fu + kick. This is the same motion you need to do for his fireball. Input D, DF, F, FU + Punch. Akuma will leap off the ground and throw an air fireball instantly. For best results, use MP or LP fireballs, as the FP fireball is generally too fast. The goal here is to have the fireball come out, and then akuma flies over his opponent, crossing them up. The fireball hits them in the back as Akuma hits them in the front. Even if they block the fireball, it allows Akuma to move in close for free (Except for Alpha counters, or S groove dodge attacks through the fireball). If it hits, it allows Akuma to follow up with a bnb combo, setting up another knockdown and putting him into prime position above them. ---The Advanced Akuma Player: How to become the Best You Can--- With Akuma, you really need to get close and deal some damage. Luckily, he is provided with a lot of mixup options to help you get the job done. You need to think Rushdown with Akuma. Rushdown implies the fact that you are constantly keeping the pressure on your opponent, forcing them to make quick decisions and take big damage if they guess wrong. It is basically the opposite of turtling. 1) Step one in a basic match is to score a knockdown. How can he do this? Well, he has a few options Red Fireball (3 hits) Knocks down c.lk, lk hurricane kick, juggle with dragon punch (lp) c.RH (sweep) c.mk, fireball (FP) knocks down up close dragon punch any jump in The goal is to score the knock down, then run in close over the opponents body, and set up stage two. 2) Step two, now that you're standing over the opponents body, throw in some mix ups. Again, he has a few options. c.lk (as they wake up), lk hurricane kick, dragon punch (lp) juggle lk hurricane kick(over their body) into cross up, c.lk, lk hurricane kick, dragon punch (lp) juggle lk hurricane kick(over their body) for fake cross up, c.lk, lk hurricane kick, dragon punch (lp) juggle low jump mk (cross up), c.lk, lk hurricane kick, dragon punch (lp) juggle Punch throw, Teleport (F D DF + PPP) to their body. You recover before they do Raging Demon setup (See Raging Demon setup section) low jump empty jump (Cross up), c.lk, lk hurricane kick, dragon punch (lp) juggle (corner only) Teleport (F D DF + PPP) into corner. Akuma will glitch, and you will cross them up and come out of the teleport instantly. Follow up with c.lk (as they wake up), lk hurricane kick, dragon punch (lp) juggle (corner only) Teleport (F D DF + PPP) into corner. Akuma will glitch, and you will cross them up and come out of the teleport instantly. Follow up with lk hurricane kick (Cross up) c.lk, lk hurricane kick, dragon punch (lp) juggle Block. Used if expecting a wake up uppercut/super, though a late teleport also cures this (usually) From here, if you succeed, then step 2 loops back around to itself. You should still be over their grounded body. If not, go back to step 1 and score another knockdown. ---The "Every Game Must Have For Akuma" Raging Demon Setups--- A lot of Akumas power comes from the fact that one mistake the opponent makes can lead to big damage from his Raging Demon. Akuma luckily has a lot of way to set up these guessing games, and land his raging demons for huge damage. 1) [blocked] crossup MK, land, s.lp, s.fp, whiff lk hurricane, land, demon 2) [after BnB], small pause, TK mp FB crossup (whiffs), land, demon. 3) [blocked] c.lp, c.lp, dash > demon 4) Knockdown your opponent in the corner. From here, DP + PPP teleport into the corner. This will cross them up, and also give Akuma a nice glitch where he instantly comes out of the teleport. From here, pull the Raging Demon (by buffering the command within the teleport). Mix this up with Teleport -> Hurricane Kick -> Dragon Punch so that if/when they try to jump the demon, they get caught with this instead. Because of this, it sets up a 50/50 mind game with the opponent. Also, teleport -> Fireball super works when they jump, expecting a Raging Demon, but instead eat a level 3 fireball super. 5) Back to corner, RDP + PPP Telport in place, Demon. Most people don't expect it, but don't get used to using this. 6) C.lk, lk hurricane kick (all blocked), demon as you land. Not 100% safe, but with perfect timing, you can catch a lot of punishment attempts. 7) While opponent is knocked down, throw out S.mp. This is Akumas 2 hit overhead. From here, cancel into the Raging Demon BEFORE it connects with the opponent. At point blank range, if they are crouching, this is un-escapable. 8) [N-Groove Only] Walk up, break stock/pop (HP + HK), into Raging Demon. This is the ultimate in quick Demon inputs. For tips, Pop with your pinky+thumb, start the LP quickly with your index finder, and then practice doing F (joystick hand) -> LK (thumb) -> HP (Ring finger/Pinky). --Matchups-- -Vs Akuma- This can be nasty and long, depending on how good your opponent is. If both of you play defensively, then it'll take forever, unless one or the other doesn't know how to utilize all of Akuma's fireballs. If you both play offensively, that's where it can get nasty. You'll want to watch for Gou Shoryuken and Tatsumaki Zanku Kyaku the most, block them or avoid them, and then counter with your own move. Messatsu Gou Hado makes for the best punisher for those two moves, as does Tenma Zanku Hado. If you don't have any Super Meter for those, then go with Zanku Hadoken, Shakunetsu Hadoken, or Tatsumaki Zanku Kyaku. Watch for Shungokusatsu, and counter that with Messatsu Gou Hado or Messatsu Gou Shoryu. All in all, simply put; watch, block, counter. You never want to try and rush down Akuma, unless you know you can avoid his Gou Shoryuken and other close-ranged moves. -Vs. Athena- The only real threat with Athena is her New Psycho Reflector, which is a pain in the ass when you use Messatsu Gou Hado. Other than that, you can easily counter Athena's moves with Gou Shoryuken or Tatsumaki Zanku Kyaku. Watch for Phoenix Arrow and Phoenix Fang Arrow, as the last hit hits low. Crystal Bit is no problem, as long as you fire Gou Hadoken at her during that time, or use Tenma Zanku Hado. Psycho Sword is nasty, but as with Gou Shoryuken or any other dragon punch move, you can easily avoid it by just simply staying out of range. Problem is, Psycho Sword can also be used in the air, which can create problems if you don't use Zanku Hadoken or Tatsumaki Zanku Kyaku in the air. Don't worry about her Psycho Ball Attack, as it's easy to dodge. Don't bother with Shugokusatsu, as it's not worth it in this fight. Instead, use Messatsu Gou Shoryu for the times that you block Phoenix Arrow and Phoenix Fang Arrow, and Messatsu Gou Hado for the times that you block Psycho Sword. -Vs. Balrog- Balrog is pathetically easy to beat, even if you run into a good Balrog player. Balrog has to be close to even damage Akuma, so all you really need to do is fire Gou Hadokens, Shakunetsu Hadokens, and Zanku Hadokens. If Balrog somehow finds his way to Akuma, use Ashura Senku to get away from him, or you can try and fight back (Akuma style!) with Tatsumaki Zanku Kyaku and Messatsu Gou Shoryu. Gou Shoryuken works well for times that Balrog jumps over a projectile. Shungokusatsu is the worst thing you can do in this fight, as Balrog can easily snuff Akuma out of it. -Vs. Benimaru- This can be a pretty harsh fight. Benimaru has some rather strong, fast, moves that can counter a lot of what Akuma does. Akuma will have problems getting in close due to Benimaru's Heaven's Blast Flash and Lightning Fist attacks, along with his Super Lightning Kick. You'll probably have to resort to fireballs here, but if you do somehow manage to get in close, try tacking on a Shungokusatsu in the middle of you attacking him with normal attacks. Hopefully, Benimaru won't counter with Discharge Spark or Heaven's Blast Flash. When next to Benimaru, watch for Benimaru's Collider Crunch and Blec-Trigger, as those will severly cripple Akuma. Iaido Kick is nothing to worry about, so long as you block low to avoid it. -Vs. Blanka- For Blanka, don't bother getting in close, since he'll more than likely use Electric Thunder. Here, you'll want to use your fireballs to get you through. If Blanka jumps over them, just counter with Gou Shoryuken. Use Messatsu Gou Hado only as your Super Special of choice. Other than that, this fight is rather easy. -Vs. Cammy- Cammy's speed outmatches Akuma, so you'll need to be quick on your toes and your fingers to keep up. Watch for times that Cammy is flying through the air, and try to counter her with Gou Shoryuken or Gou Hadoken. If Cammy tries to use Cannon Spike, Spin Drive Smasher, or Reverse Shaft Breaker, IMMEDIATLY use Messatsu Gou Hado or Tenma Zanku Hado to counter, as those will cripple Akuma. Most of Cammy's other moves are easily blocked, and can be countered with Tatsumaki Zanku Kyaku. -Vs. Chang- Chang has more reach than Akuma, but you can avoid that by simply throwing fireballs. If you don't want to do it the cheap way, then try using a Hyakkisu to get in close. Watch for Spinning Iron Ball, as that can really hurt Akuma if you're not careful. Chang's Super Specials aren't nothing, as long as you use TatsumakI Zanku Kyaku to counter them. Most of Chang's other Specials can be blocked rather easily and countered with Gou Shoryuken. Watch for him being close though, as that's when he can be a big threat. Stick to normal attacks when he does, and try to save up for Shungokusatsu in those instances. -Vs. Chun-Li- Chun-Li has a speed advantage over Akuma, but if you utilize his Ashura Senku, you should be fine. Spinning Bird Kick is easy to dodge simply by ducking and countering with Gou Hadoken, and Hyakuretsu Kyaku can be countered by blocking and countering with Tatsumaki Zanku Kyaku. For Kikou-Shou and Houyokusen, use Ashura Senku (to go back) and counter with Messatsu Gou Hado, if you have the time do it. You can even try to Ashura Senku behind Chun-Li during that time that she uses those specials and use Shungokusatsu. Against Hazan-Shu, you can simply Gou Shoryuken her. -Vs. Dan- Dan isn't much of a threat compared to Ryu, Ken, Mai, and Rugal. Gadoken has virtually no range, and can be easily blocked and countered with basically anything but Shakunetsu Hadoken. Kouryuken is just as easy to block and counter, and Dankyaku can be countered with Gou Shoryuken. His Taunts are pretty much useless (as always....), so the only real threat are his Super Specials, which can actually smash through Akuma's life if you're not careful. Messatsu Gou Hado and Tenma Zanku Hado are your best bet against Shinku Gadoken and Hissyo-Buraiken, and for Kouryurekka, you can easily block it and counter with Akuma's Messatsu Gou Shoryu. Not a tough fight at all. -Vs. Dhalsim- Dhalsim's range can be a little problematic, but you can also use that to your advantage by utilizing Gou Hadoken and Shakunetsu Hadoken, as if they hit Dhalsim's arms or legs, he takes damage. None of his attacks are threatening unless you get close enough to where Yoga Flame, Tempest, Stream, and Volcano can really get you. Yoga Fire can be easily countered with Gou Hadoken and Zanku Hadoken, while Yoga Teleport, while being a teleport move, hurts Dhalsim more in the long run as it leaves him vulnerable to Shungokusatsu and Messatsu Gou Hado. Not a tough fight either. -Vs. Eagle- This fight's easy as well. Eagle needs to be close to be of any threat to Akuma, so you can easily tick-damage him with fireballs. For those of you who'd rather fight honorably, jump right at Eagle with Zanku Hadoken and Tatsumaki Zanku Kyaku. When up close, try using Standing SP and MP, and Crouching SK. Don't bother with Gou Shoryuken unless you want to, since you can easily use Crouching SP for the same purpose. Make sure to watch for Eagle's Manchester Gold, as that'll wreck havoc on Akuma's life. -Vs. E.Honda- Here, you can easily smash Honda. The only thing to watch for are his Oochihou Nage and Orochi Kudaki, as those will really hurt. The rest can either be countered with Gou Hadoken or Gou Shoryuken. Easy victory for Akuma. -Vs. Evil Ryu- This is a nasty fight. Evil Ryu's just as strong, if not stronger, than Akuma, and has Metsu Hadoken, which is far worse than anything Akuma has, AND it can go through anything Akuma throws its way. Try and stay clear of Evil Ryu, and try to bait him into coming to you with Ashura Senkus, aerial Tatsuamkis, or just by jumping, and counter with Tatsumaki Zanku Kyaku and/or Zanku Hadoken. NEVER USE SHUNGOKUSATSU! Evil Ryu can, and will, punish you for trying to! You may want to use Ashura Senku to try and stay away from Evil Ryu. However, for those of you bold enough to try and fight him head-on, here's some tactics for you. Try leaping in with a Zanku Hadoken, then combo that into a Standing SP to Standing MP, then that into a LK Tatsumaki Zanku Kyaku. Hopefully, your opponent won't try to trip you after that, and instead will try to counterattack you. Here, block and then try to counter with Messatsu Gou Shoryu. Keep in mind; Evil Ryu takes double damage than any other character (aside from Orochi Iori, Ultimate Rugal, and Shin Akuma). -Vs. Geese- Geese is rough. Maybe a little too rough.... You need to watch for Wind Slice, Double Wind Slice, and Gaia Slash, and THEN hope that Geese doesn't try and go for a Evil Illusion Slam or try any of his Body Blows when you try to counter. Avoid getting too close at any given time, because you don't want to be caught up in Geese's Raising Storm, as that can chop off half of Akuma's life, if not more. Ashura Senku your way to him, then if you see him trying to use Raising Storm, Ashura Senku away from him and try to counter with Messatsu Gou Hado. Tenma Zanku Hado only works against Wind Slice, Double Wind Slice, and Evil Illusion Slam (and his Body Blows, I suppose, if you want to get technical) so use that when you see those moves. Deadly Rave is only dangerous if you don't block it and counter with Shungokusatsu. If you try to use Gou Shoryuken or Tatsumaki Zanku Kyaku, don't be surprised if Geese counters them with a Middle or High Body Blow. Your best bet is to stay back and bait Geese into coming at you, then counter accordingly. -Vs. Guile- You don't want to sit around and try to tick-damage Guile. Then again, you don't want to fall for Guile's baits. So, what to do? Ashura Senku your way up to him after walking to where you think your opponent will try to use an attack, then counter with Tatsumaki Zanku Kyaku or Messatsu Gou Shoryu. You'll also want to try to use Hyakkisu here, but if you find that Guile counters that too much, then back off of it and go for Zanku Hadoken instead. This fight will take some time, but Akuma shouldn't have any trouble. -Vs. Haohmaru- Don't let Haohmaru hit Akuma! He does way too much damage with most of his attacks for Akuma to handle. You can counter several of Haohmaru's moves with Gou Hadoken, but watch for Secret Crescent Moon and Slash of Supreme Judgment! Block those or Ashura Senku through them, then counter with Tatsumaki Zanku Kyaku or Messatsu Gou Hado. For times when Haohmaru tries to use Flame of the Conqueror, Ashura Senku through it and counter with Shungokusatsu. Watch for Haohmaru's Standing and Crouching SP, as those will do the most damage out of all of Haohmaru's regular attacks. Secret Earthquake Slice is another problem, but as long as you counter that with Gou Shoryuken, you should be fine. -Vs. Hibiki- Hibiki's a double-edged sword; it just depends on how your opponent chooses to play her. What you really need to keep an eye out for, though, is her Distance Slash, as that can catch you off guard quicker than anything else. Also, watch for all of her SP and SK regular attacks, as those come out pretty fast. As long as you stay away from her, you won't have to worry about her No Fear Feint, and you'll be able to counter her other Super Specials via Messatsu Gou Hado or Messatsu Gou Shoryu. However, if your opponent decides to rush Akuma down, that's where you'll need to hammer on Tatsumaki Zanku Kyakus and Zanku Hadokens. Hibiki's attacks are much quicker than Akuma's, so you don't want her up close and personal with him. -Vs. Iori- Iori is like the SNK version of Akuma, except he lacks air projectiles and a Tatsumaki attack. However, don't let those throw you off; Iori's a beast that you don't want to mess around with! Dark Thrust is pretty quick and is dangerous for Akuma, and if you try to jump at Iori, he can just counter with Fire Ball. Your bet is to Ashura Senku the moment Iori uses Dark Thrust, and try to hit him with a Tatsumaki Zanku Kyaku or Messatsu Gou Shoryu. Make sure you time the Ashura Senku right though; if you time it too late, Iori can counter with Deadly Flower to Maiden Masher, which isn't good for Akuma. Also, watch out for "One-For-The-Road" Blast, as that can land Akuma in a crapload of hurt. Zanku Hadoken works nicely for times that Akuma is in the air, but watch for Iori dashing through it and countering with Fire Ball. Shungokusatsu is a no-no here! -Vs. Joe- Joe has nothing on Akuma! Tiger Kick is easily beaten by Gou Hadoken, Gou Shoryuken, and Zanku Hadoken, and any other move of Joe's aside from Hurricane Upper can be countered by a simple timing of Gou Shoryuken, Tatsumaki Zanku Kyaku, and Gou Hadoken. Just watch it when you get too close to Joe with his Super Meter at maxed, as his Double Cyclone Upper can, and will, break Akuma. Aside from that, Akuma can handle Joe very easily. -Vs. Ken- Ken's a challenge for Akuma. He has a lot of moves that he can utilize to beat Akuma, and can easily counter anything Akuma throws at him. If you end up facing a good Ken player (like I have...) and they utilize strategy well, then you may be in trouble if you don't know how to use strategy with Akuma. Your best bet is to STAY AWAY from Ashura Senku and Shungokusatsu, and stick to attacks like Zanku Hadoken, Gou Hadoken, and Tatsumaki Zanku Kyaku. When up close, don't bother with anything other than regular attacks. Make sure to keep an eye out for Ken's Shoryuken and Tatsumaki Senpukyaku, as those pose the biggest threat and can be comboed into his Shoryu Reppa, Shinryuken, or Shinpu Jinraikyaku, which is VERY bad for Akuma. Utilize the Roll ability, if you have it, Dodge, or even Akuma's Tenshin Zenpout move to dodge and weave through Ken's attacks. Only use Messatstu Gou Shoryu if you know it's going to connect all the way through; otherwise, stick to Tenma Zanku Hado and Messatsu Gou Hado. -Vs. Kim- Kim's a little nasty, but not compared to those like Geese, Terry, Mai, and Rugal. Most of Kim's moves are easily counterable by Gou Shoryuken, and any of Kim's Super Specials are easily avoidable by simply using Ashura Senku. You can easily pressure him by using Tatsumaki Zanku Kyakus and regular attacks alone. Nothing hard here at all, but avoid using Shungokusatsu. -Vs. King- King's not that bad for Akuma. Venom Spike and Double Venom Spike are easily avoidable with a jump or Ashura Senku, and most of King's moves will only hurt Akuma if they're close to him, save for King's Illusion Dance, which is predictable anyways. You can easily pressure King with Akuma, and if things gets too bad, Ashura Senku your way back and fight with Gou Hadoken. Simple fight. -Vs. Kyo- Mr. I-like-really-big-combos is back.....and guess what? He's a pain for Akuma if he pressures him. Therefore, guess what you do? Pressure him back! Or better yet, wait until he tries to do his 'big' combo, then Ashura Senku to the other side of him and let him have it with a Shungokusatsu. Kyo's nothing for Akuma as long as you avoid the Wicked Chew combo, and of course, his Final Showdown. -Vs. Kyosuke- Kyosuke's a really tough customer for Akuma, simply because Akuma cannot get close to him. Lightning Upper prevents Akuma from running or jumping towards him, and Cross Cutter keeps Akuma from even using projectiles. And even if Kyosuke doesn't use Lightning Upper, he still have his Shadow Out Kick to use against him. Not easy, to say the least. However, what you can do is try to bait Kyosuke to come to you instead of going to him, which is probably what a Kyosuke-player would expect from an Akuma-player. Don't go for that bait! When you do get Kyosuke to come at you, watch when countering with Gou Shoryuken, as Kyosuke can counter that with Cross Cutter. Ashura Senku will come in handy for times when Kyosuke tries to counter you with Lightning Upper or Shadow Out Kick, in which case you can counter in turn with Messatsu Gou Hado. Take caution in this fight with Akuma! -Vs. Mai- This one's a pain in the ass, just because Mai is so much faster than Akuma. However, her vitality and defense are just as bad as Akuma's, and her attacks are much weaker than Akuma's, so as long as you can pressure Mai and hit her, you should be able to win. Flying Squirrel is easy to counter and see coming, and a Gou Shoryuken will take care of that. Deadly Ninja Bees and Super Deadly Ninja Bees has nothing against Gou Hadoken and Messatsu Gou Hado, and Kachou Sen can't hold its own against Gou Hadoken or Zanku Hadoken. You'll need to watch out, however, for the times that Mai uses Swan Ranpango and Crimson Firebird Diver, as you never know when she'll use them, and Crimson Firebird Diver is one of the worst things Akuma can get hit with by her (right under Super Deadly Ninja Bees). Ashura Senku is nice and all, but don't use the Far version, as it tends to lead to very bad results against Mai. Shungokusatsu is only good if you block Deadly Ninja Bees, Super Deadly Ninja Bees, Crimson Firebird Diver, or Flying Squirrel and you do the move right before Mai gets a chance to move. -Vs. Maki- Once again, another ninja who's fast, but nowhere as annoying to beat as Mai. You can easily counter every one of Maki's moves (save for Rappukyaku) with Tatsumaki Zanku Kyaku or Gou Shoryuken. None of Maki's Super Specials are particularly threatening, unless you get too close to her or let her get close to you, in which case you'll end up taking a ton of damage in the process. This fight shouldn't be hard for Akuma at all, as long as you keep the pressure on Maki, and not let Maki pressure Akuma. -Vs. M.Bison- Bison? Who's that? Oh, the guy who like to get Gou Hadokens in the face from a Psycho Crusher? Seriously, this guy is very easy for Akuma to beat. Against Psycho Crusher, just use Gou Hadoken, and against Mega Psycho Crusher, Messatstu Gou Hado works. His Knee Press, Knee Press Nightmare, Devil Reverse, and Head Stomp are all counterable by Gou Shoryuken and Zanku Hadoken, and Psycho Vanish isn't even anything to worry about. Simple fight for Akuma to win. -Vs. Morrigan- Morrigan's not too hard for Akuma, but she's not that easy either. Soul Fist comes out faster than Akuma's Gou Hadoken, and her aerial Soul Fist is a little bigger than Akuma's Zanku Hadoken. Still, try fighting her as if she was Akuma, minus the Tatsumaki and Ashura Senku. Just watch out for Darkness Illusion, as that can really damage Akuma's life. Counter Morrigan's Shadow Break (if blocked0 with Akuma's Gou Shoryuken, and try to Ashura Senku through her Carpinal Blade and Soul Phoenix. Don't bother with Shungokusatsu in this fight. -Vs. Nakoruru- Nakoruru's just as fast as Mai and Maki are, so you'll have to keep your guard up at all times. The majority of Nakoruru's attacks come out very fast, so you'll have to be able to block and counter at any given moment. If you see her on her hawk, try to counter by walking up to her and using Ashura Senku the moment she tries to attack you. This fight isn't going to be easy, and there really isn't a sound tactic for Nakoruru, so you'll have to fight it all out here if you hope to win. -Vs. Orochi Iori- Just fight Orochi Iori like you would Iori, except at a much faster pace. Keep an eye out on Orochi Iori's Hellfire Wave, as that'll chop out a good portion of Akuma's life. Otherwise, fight him like Iori. -Vs. Raiden- All I can say here is never get close to Raiden! He's based purely on close-ranged fighting; therefore, if you get close to him, expect to get hit very hard. If you want to live to fight another day, stay on the other side of the arena and fire Gou Hadokens and Zanku Hadokens. If you're feeling extremely brave, try to Ashura Senku around him when he goes to attack and use a Super Special. Shungokusatsu is very risky, but worth it if you can pull it off. -Vs. Rolento- Rolento's not that tough for Akuma, aside from his constant jumping around and attacking. You'll want to use Gou Shoryuken for the times that Rolento actually jumps at Akuma, and use Zanku Hadoken or Gou Hadoken for the times that Rolento jumps away from Akuma. Never use Tatsumaki Zanku Kyaku unless you're close to Rolento; otherwise, Rolento can counter with Minesweeper or another Super Special that'll smash through Akuma. Ashura Senku isn't really needed, but it helps if Rolento decides to go on the offensive. -Vs. Rock- Rock can be rough, especially if you land into his Rising Tackles and Raging Run-Type "Dunk" a lot. Use Ashura Senku a lot in this fight to keep Rock away, but don't overuse it; otherwise, you may find that Rock will start hitting Akuma the moment Ashura Senku ends. Zanku Hadoken is great here, as is Hyakkisu and all of its additional attacks, but watch for Raising a Storm, as that'll definently turn the tides against you. Neo Deadly Rave isn't anything to be afraid of, as Tatsumaki Zanku Kyaku, Gou Shoryuken, and Messatsu Gou Shoryu will take care of it. -Vs. Rugal- Fighting Rugal is almost like fighting Geese....almost, except that Rugal's a bit tougher than Geese. Kaiser Wave is your biggest threat here, but you can simply avoid that by Ashura Senku, Tenshin Zenpout, or Roll. Try to avoid jumping at Rugal unless you have Air Guard; otherwise, you could be jumping right into a Dark Smash, Destroyer Cutter, or even worse, Genocide Cutter. Rugal's Wind Slice isn't that big of a threat, as you can jump over it and try to counter with Zanku Hadoken or Tenma Zanku Hado. God Press is easy to counter if you use Gou Shoryuken, Messatsu Gou Shoryu, or Tatsumaki Zanku Kyaku; the same applies to Gigantic Pressure, but try to use Gou Hadoken or Messatsu Gou Hado for that attack. Shungokusatsu is too dangerous to use in this fight, so ignore it. Pressuring Rugal isn't easy, since he has a more versatile movelist and longer reach with regular attacks than Akuma, so your best bet is to just hang back and fire Gou Hadokens, then if Rugal tries to rush at you or use a Kaiser Wave, simply Ashura Senku behind him and start attacking him with regular attacks and/or Tatsumaki Zanku Kyaku. -Vs. Ryo- Ryo can be tough, if you let him, but I guess that's true with anyone. You'll want to watch for Haoh Sho Koh Ken, as only Akuma's Tenma Zanku Hado and Messatsu Gou Hado can stop it (of course, you can always Ashura Senku through it, then counter with Shungokusatsu if you'd like). Zan Retsu Kan can be pretty painful, but you'd have to be pretty close to Ryo for it to even connect, so as long as your not that close all the time, you won't have to worry about that attack. Stay clear of Heaven Blaze Punch as well (which is also close-ranged), as that'll take off about half of Akuma's life in a single blow. Lightning Legs Knockout Kick and Ryuko Rahou are Ryo's most dangerous moves in this fight (Koho would be, but it's easy to avoid, if you know how to dodge dragon punches), but as long as you block them, you should be able to counter with any Super Special move and not worry about retaliation from Ryo. Keep an eye on Ryo, and if you see that the player using Ryo utilizes Roll a lot, then use Ashura Senku to stay away from Ryo, as he is pretty good at pressuring his opponents. In this case, try to stay away from him, but also get in a few good hits before moving away. -Vs. Ryu- A classic Street Fighter battle. This can go either way, depending on how each player fights. Ryu is more based around using Hadokens and countering with Shoryukens than anything else, so keep that in mind when you fight him. You can try and fight using Ryu's tactics, but Akuma's not made for that; therefore, do what Akuma knows best....ATTACK! Hyakkisu over Hadokens and hope that Ryu doesn't have the time to counter with Shoryuken. If you find that you cannot pull off Hyakkisu, then stick to Zanku Hadoken and/or Tenma Zanku Hado. Ashura Senku is nice, but it tends to land Akuma in trouble here, especially since Ryu can counter with Tatsumaki Senpukyaku, Shinku Tatsumaki Senpukyaku, or even worse, Shin Shoryuken if Akuma teleports too close. -Vs. Sagat- This fight is just more annoying than anything else. Focus on dodging Sagat's Tiger Shots, then if you get close enough to where you're out of Sagat's Tiger Uppercut range, try to Ashura Senku right behind him and use regular attacks, then combo into a Messatsu Gou Shoryu, if Sagat hasn't countered this tactic yet. Don't worry about Tiger Cannon, as you can easily avoid that, but pay close attention to see if Sagat will use Tiger Raid or Tiger Destroyer, as those are the most dangerous attacks that Akuma will have to deal with. Never bother with Shungokusatsu here, as Sagat can easily counter it with Tiger Uppercut or Tiger Crush. -Vs. Sakura- Goes to Akuma. Sakura's Hadoken will only hit if Akuma is close to her, and that is easily avoidable. Shunpukyaku and Oukakyaku can be countered with Gou Hadoken, Messatsu Gou Hado, or Gou Shoryuken, and Shoouken can be countered by Roll and Tatsumaki Zanku Kyaku. None of Sakura's Super Specials are threatening to Akuma, as Ashura Senku eliminates that threat, and you can even possibly counter with Shungokusatsu against Midare Zakura and Haru Ichiban. Easy fight. -Vs. Shin Akuma- Goes to Shin Akuma. Even though Shin Akuma takes twice as much damage as Akuma, he moves twice as fast and is twice as strong as Akuma. Unless you can utilize Akuma's tactics and use them like Shin Akuma is you, then you probably won't win, and even then, it's a tough fight. Shin Akuma loves to use Ashura Senku, so your best bet is to try to catch him off guard when he gets out of the final teleportation step with a Crouching SK or a Messatsu Gou Shoryu. Shin Akuma also loves to spam Gou Hadoken and Zanku Hadoken, so you'll want to try and counter his Gou Hadoken with your Zanku Hadoken, and his Zanku Hadoken with your Gou Hadoken. Don't use Ashura Senku unless you absolutely have to, as Shin Akuma will punish you for it! -Vs. Terry- Terry would be tough, if his moves didn't have some slow recovery times to them. Rising Tackle can easily be blocked and countered with Shungokusatsu, Messatsu Gou Shoryu, or any other move, as can Burning Knuckles. Power Wave can be dodged easily by jumping and countering with Zanku Hadoken, and Crack Shot can be countered with Gou Shoryuken. Your biggest threat will be Power Geyser and Buster Wolf, so use Ashura Senku to avoid those attacks immediately! A Level 3 Buster Wolf can easily chop off about 1/3 to half of Akuma's life, and you don't want that here. If you get in close to Terry, watch for him countering with Power Dunk! -Vs. Todo- Goes to Akuma. Todo simply doesn't have the edge to him to keep Akuma away, with the exception of his Mind's Eye Slingshot, which has to be timed right for it to even come out (in which case, it will work if you keep attacking him and don't back off). None of his Ecstasy Crunches are too troublesome, save for Rising Ecstasy Crunch when you jump at him. You can try to fight him via Gou Hadoken and Zanku Hadoken, but it's best to get up close to Todo and beat him down with regular attacks and Tatsumaki Zanku Kyaku. Shungokusatsu will prove to be valuable here for once, unless your opponent is smart enough to either jump or punch Akuma.... -Vs. Ultimate Rugal- Goes to Ultimate Rugal. He just has too many ways to counter Akuma, and his speed is so much greater than Akuma's. For Akuma to win, you'll have to block and counter, and hope that Ultimate Rugal doesn't strike back. However, this is the CPU we're talking about. Now, about players.... Unless an Ultimate Rugal player uses the same tactics as the CPU, you should be just fine. Kaiser Wave and Rugal Executions are your biggest concerns, so as long as you can dodge those and counter, you should be just fine. The rest is just like fighting Rugal, except make sure that you don't stay too close to him when his Super Meter is at Level 3 and MAX. Otherwise....you may end up dying from a G-End or a Last Judgment.... -Vs. Vega- This one can actually go either way, but favors Akuma more due to more variety in attacks. Vega has more speed than Akuma, but suffers due to lack of any projectiles and Anti-Air moves whatsoever. Plus, he has to get close to Akuma to do any real damage. Akuma can easily counter Vega's constant jumping attacks with Gou Shoryuken or Zanku Hadoken, and the rest of Vega's moves are easily counterable with Tatsumaki Zanku Kyaku and Messatsu Gou Shoryu. However, make sure that Akuma doesn't get pressured by Vega, as that'll lead to Akuma getting hurt pretty badly in the long run. -Vs. Vice- Akuma should easily be able to tear Vice apart, so long as you avoid Vice's Mayhem move. Counter all of Vice's Super Specials with Gou Shoryuken, and don't let her get close to Akuma! If she does, use Ashura Senku to get away from her, then try to get the jump on her by using Tatsumaki Zanku Kyaku and Zanku Hadoken. Be careful to not land into Outrage or Rave Fest, as those can hurt Akuma a little bit. This fight isn't too tough. -Vs. Yamazaki- Goes to Akuma. Yamazaki has more range than Akuma on attacks, but if he tries to attack Akuma with Serpent Slash and Akuma uses Gou Hadoken, Yamazaki will end up taking damage. Taunt & Counter may be the only thing to worry about here, so long as you watch for Guillotine and Drill. -Vs. Yun- Goes to Akuma. Yun can be easily countered, as long as you don't let him get too close to Akuma and let him pressure him. Counter all of Yun's moves with Tatsumaki Zanku Kyaku and Gou Shoryuken, and if Yun's too far away, well....chase him down and beat him to a bloody pulp, Akuma style! Shungokusatsu is a no-no here, so ignore it in favor of Messatsu Gou Hado, Messatsu Gou Shoryu, and Tenma Zanku Hado. -Vs. Yuri- Favor Akuma 70-30. Yuri's only a threat if she manages to somehow pull off a string of combos one after another against Akuma, or if Akuma somehow never gets close enough to hit her. Yuri Super Upper and Yuri Double Upper are easy to counter with Gou Hadoken or Zanku Hadoken, and the rest of Yuri's Supers (aside from The 100 Blows) can be dealt with by Gou Hadoken and Zanku Hadoken alone. For The 100 Blows, counter using either Mesasatsu Gou Shoryu, Gou Shoryuken, or Tatsumaki Zanku Kyaku. Keep an eye out for Haoh Sho Koh Ken and Scalding Steam Blast, as those are Yuri's most deadliest attacks. Flying Phoenix Kick is easy to counter by blocking and using Shungokusatsu. -Vs. Zangief- Favors Akuma 70-30, so long as you don't let Zangief get near you. If you do find that Zangief is next to Akuma, get out of there quickly with Ashura Senku. Zangief relies on being in close, and can do an extreme amount of damage to Akuma with his grappling moves. Never use Gou Shoryuken against him unless he's in the air, or else Zangief can counter with a grappling move. Stay back and use Gou Hadoken and Zanku Hadoken to play it safe. If you're feeling really bold, mix in some Tatsumaki Zanku Kyakus and Hyakkisus as well, but don't be surprised if Zangief counters them. ------------------------------------------------------------ II. Balrog [CAP02] -Introduction- The American boxer returns, and you really have to ask why? He wasn't that great in the Street Fighter series at all, so why bring him to here? Well, all I can say is....good luck trying to win with Balrog... -Movelist- -Specials- Dash Straight........................................Ch. B, F + P Dash Uppercut......................................Ch. B, F + K Dash Ground Straight..........................Ch. B, D-F + P Dash Ground Uppercut........................Ch. B, D-F + K Turn Punch............................................Hold Px3 or Kx3, then release Buffalo Head Butt.................................Ch. D, U + P -Super Specials- Crazy Buffalo..........................................Ch. B, F, B, F + P (then K to change move) Gigaton Blow..........................................Ch. B, F, B, F + K (Level 3 & MAX only) -Movelist Breakdown- --Normal Attacks-- -STANDING- LP (Straight Jab) -Comes out pretty fast. Good for combo starters, but not very useful as a move by any means. MP (Uppercut) -Balrog swings upwards. Nice as an Anti-Air type move, but other than that, it doesn't have very much use. SP (Fierce Forward Punch) -This move has good range on it, but it has slow startup time. Use it only when your opponent is rushing at Balrog. LK (Quick Jab) -This is much faster than Balrog's LP, so use this when you want to pressure your opponent with regular attacks. MK (Low Jab) -This hits lower than the LK, and moves a bit slower. Only use this when you're up close to your opponent, trying to pressure them. SK (Fierce Swing) -This move has a slow startup and recovery time to it, but it's good for knocking opponents out of their moves, especially moves such as Shungokusatsu and Last Judgment. It's also good for many Rush moves, and if used at the right time, even some Other moves like Shunpukyaku. -CROUCHING- LP (Straight Jab) -Same as with the Standing LP. MP (Straight Punch) -Balrog punches straight at his opponent's shin. There's nothing really special about this move... SP (Rising Uppercut) -Balrog stands up and uppercuts his opponent. This is a great Anti-Air move, and it's also great for knocking opponents out of moves like Tatsumaki Senpukyaku and Spinning Bird Kick. Recommended for fighting aerial fighters such as Vega and Chun-Li. LK (Low Straight Jab) -This move is exactly like the LP, but it hits lower. Still can be blocked the same way as with the Crouching LP. MK (Foot Punch) -Balrog punches the opponent's foot. Nuff' said. Nothing special about this move. SK (Punch Trip) -Balrog trips the opponent with his fists. Nothing else special about this move. SK Close (Strong Uppercut) -Not bad except for the fact that you have to be next to your opponent for the move to come out, and since there are many other options available, don't waste your time with this move. -JUMPING- LP (Hook) -Balrog does a cross hook in the air. Only good if the opponent is in the air. Straight-Up LP (Diagonal Punch) -Balrog punches downwards at the opponent. Nice for knocking opponents out of moves, but other than that, useless. MP (Quick Hook) -Same as with the LP, but moves a heck of a lot faster. Straight-Up MP (Palm Thrust) -Balrog swings his palm outwards. Nothing really good about this move at all. SP (Fierce Diagonal Punch) -Balrog punches fierecely in front of him. Nothing special.... Straight-Up SP (Strong Palm Thrust) -Same as with the Straight-Up MP, but does a bit more damage. LK (Hook) -Same as with the Jumping LP. MK (Quick Hook) -Same as with the Jumping MP. SK (Fierce Diagonal Punch) -Same as with the Jumping SP. -THROWS- F or B + SP (Abdomen Punch) -Balrog grabs the opponent and hits them once in the gut with a fierce punch. Now, how he grabs someone with gloves on....nobody will ever know... F or B + SK (Ground Slam) -Balrog picks up his opponent and slams him/her into the ground. --Special Moves-- -Dash Uppercut- STRONG VS. Rush attacks Other attacks (depending) NO EFFECT VS. Teleport moves WEAK VS. Projectile attacks Anti-Air moves Air moves Other attacks (such as Tatsumaki Senpukyaku) -Balrog dashes at the opponent and punches them square in the face. This move is alright, if you can avoid getting counterattacked. You'll want to mix this move up with Dash Uppercut, Ground Dash Straight, and Ground Dash Uppercut to make the most use of it, because if you spam this move by itself, you'll only end up being punished for it. -Dash Uppercut- STRONG VS. Air attacks (except for Zanku Hadoken and Tenma Gou Zanku) Rush attacks Some Other attacks NO EFFECT VS. Teleport moves WEAK VS. Projectile attacks Anti-Air attacks Some Other attacks -Balrog dashes at his opponent and does an uppercut, which knocks the opponent back. Pretty nifty move, but only if you use it in conjunction with the other Dash attacks. The downside is that it's very prone to Projectiles. -Dash Ground Straight- TRONG VS. Rush attacks Other attacks (depending) NO EFFECT VS. Teleport moves WEAK VS. Projectile attacks Anti-Air moves Air moves Other attacks (such as Tatsumaki Senpukyaku) -Balrog dashes at his opponent and strikes their legs, thus knocking them down. Only good if you use it in conjunction with the other Dash moves. -Dash Ground Uppercut- STRONG VS. Air attacks (except for Zanku Hadoken and Tenma Gou Zanku) Rush attacks Some Other attacks NO EFFECT VS. Teleport moves WEAK VS. Projectile attacks Anti-Air attacks Some Other attacks -Balrog dashes at his opponent and uppercuts them from the ground. Only good when used in conjunction with the other Dash moves. -Turn Punch- STRONG VS. Varies... WEAK VS. Varies.....but Projectiles are a constant weakness -The neat thing about this move is, if you charge it with one button (Px3 or Kx3), you can still attack the opponent with regular attacks using the other sets of buttons (for example, if you hold down Px3, you can still attack normally with all of the K buttons, then use this move). The problem is that you can't use any other Special or Super Special moves while you're doing this, and you can't use this move if you're forced to block real quick. Plus, it has a bit of slow startup, so it's a little easy to block. Only launch one of these out if your opponent decides to rush at Balrog. -Buffalo Head Butt- STRONG VS. Air attacks (except Zanku Hadoken and Tenma Gou Zanku) Rush attacks Majority of Other attacks WEAK VS. Projectile attacks Anti-Air attacks (if blocked or miss) -Balrog leaps into the air at a 45 degree angle and knocks the opponent down. A good quick and powerful move to launch out during the middle of a combo with regular attacks, or during the middle of another attack like Dash Straight or Crazy Buffalo. However, note that it's unsafe on block. --Super Special Moves-- -Crazy Buffalo- STRONG VS. Dash attacks Some Other attacks (Tatsumaki Senpukyaku for example) WEAK VS. Projectile attacks Anti-Air attacks Air attacks -A pretty powerful move (and the only non-Level 3 move that Balrog has). It's pretty much a serious of Dash Straights in a row, and is very good for countering your opponent's Super Specials (such as Akuma's Shungokusatsu and Ken's Shoryu Reppa). However, if blocked, it'll leave Balrog open for a short time, which can be more than enough for an opponent to pull out something like Shin Shoryuken or G-End. Try to use this as a counterattack while being pressured. -Gigaton Blow- STRONG VS. Dash attacks Anti-Air attacks Other attacks WEAK VS. Projectile attacks Air attacks -Balrog simply throws one, big punch, which hits multiple times and does a big chunk of life to the opponent. Great as a counterattack or Wakeup Counter, but dangerous when blocked. --Strengths & Weaknesses-- Balrog suffers a lot from not having anything other than Dash attacks (aside from Buffalo Head Butt, which is still considered a Dash attack). Therefore, he gets punished a lot from players who spam Projectile attacks and Anti Air moves. None of Balrog's normal moves, save for Crouching SP, is really worth using at all. On the upside, Balrog does have some pretty decent attack power, along with some nice mix-up tactics with all of his Dash moves. On the downside yet again, Balrog needs to really get in close to do any real damage to his opponent; therefore, it is worth noting that Balrog is a true Pressuring and Offensive fighter. --Battle Strategies-- OFFENSE Here, you'll want to focus on getting in close to the opponent and just wailing away with regular attacks. Use Roll to get through any Projectiles, and while you're pressuring your opponents, make sure to charge up at least one of Balrog's Dash moves, or one of his Super Specials, to let you opponent have it when you start to back away. Avoid jumping too much, as Balrog is clearly a ground fighter. DEFENSE Balrog isn't that great on defense; he has basically no moves aside from Gigaton Blow and Buffalo Head Butt to protect him from oncomers. Your best bet is to try to not make it so that Balrog has to defend at ANY time during a fight. --Matchups-- -Vs Akuma- Balrog is at a huge disadvantage here. Akuma just has way too many ways of getting around Balrog's attacks and countering him. Your best bet is to try and corner Akuma. If he uses Ashura Senku, chase him down with Balrog using a Dash attack AFTER he has phased past you (if Akuma goes towards Balrog), and hope that Akuma doesn't counter with Gou Shoryuken. Counter Shungokusatsu with Gigaton Blow or Crazy Buffalo, and counter Messatsu Gou Shoryu with Gigaton Blow as well. Try to avoid Gou Hadoken and Zanku Hadoken by using Roll, and counter with Buffalo Head Butt. -Vs. Athena- As long as you watch out for Psycho Ball and Psycho Sword, you'll be just fine. You can punish Phoenix Arrow badly using Gigaton Blow or Buffalo Head Butt, and you can punish basically anything else Athena throws (aside from Psycho Ball and Psycho Sword) with Balrog's Dash attacks. Try to use Crazy Buffalo as your Wakeup Counter if you run into a Psycho Sword. You'll want to stick close enough to Athena so that you can still hit her with anything, but watch out for her countering with Psycho Sword. Shining Crystal Bit is something else that you'll want to watch out for when you get in close (which you should be able to block if you're not in the middle of an attack). -Vs. Balrog- This is a fun fight, simply because it's just a "who hits first" deal. Try to make Balrog attack you, then block his attacks while charging up yours, and let him have it! -Vs. Benimaru- Benimaru has Balrog on this one. Unless you can somehow bypass his Lightning Fists, Iaido Spin Kicks, and Heaven's Flash Blast, you won't win here with Balrog. Your best bet is to either Roll through every single one of Benimaru's attacks and make sure to get out of range of his Benimaru's Collidor Crunch and Blec-Trigger. You'll want to avoid all of Balrog's Dash attacks, since those will land him in more trouble than help him. -Vs. Blanka- The only real threat here are Shout of Baron and Electric Thunder. As long as you block and counter all of Blanka's Specials and Super Specials with Dash attacks and/or Super Specials, you'll be able to trounce Blanka easily. Up close, you'll want to try and charge up Turn Punch while using regular attacks, but make sure to watch out for Electric Thunder and Shout of Baron. -Vs. Cammy- This can go either way. You'll have to watch out for Cammy's constant jumping by Rolling, and try to counter with Buffalo Head Butt or Gigaton Blow. You'll want to try and pressure Cammy a lot in this fight, but make sure to back out every now and again to try and land some Dash attacks, so you can avoid Cammy turning around and pressuring Balrog even harder. -Vs. Chang- Can go either way. You'll want to watch out for Spinning Iron Ball, as that'll put a halt to all of Balrog's Dash attacks. Gigaton Blow is the way to go against Chang as long as you use it as a Counterattack, and as long as you don't use it while Chang is attacking. You'll want to stay close to Chang the whole time to avoid him getting any advantages against Balrog, and focus using regular attacks and sometimes throw in a Turn Punch or two. -Vs. Chun-Li- Chun-Li can handle Balrog pretty easily. Spinning Bird Kick and Kikouken are all she needs to stop him in his tracks. Your best bet is to counter Spinning Bird Kick with Buffalo Head Butt. Hyakuretsu Kyaku and Hoyoku-Sen may be a bit of a problem for Balrog's Dash attacks, but Gigaton Blow will blow right through both of them. For Kikou-Shou, your best bet is to either not be close enough for it to hit, or to just block it and counter with Crazy Buffalo. -Vs. Dan- Dan can win this one pretty easily, but this isn't for Dan, now is it? Balrog needs to focus on trying to get in close and just wailing away with regular attacks, rather than using any Dash attacks, since Dan can counter those with either Gadoken or Kouryuken. Shinku Gadoken and Kouryurekka are also bad for Balrog here, so, in other words, DON'T USE DASH ATTACKS! Gigaton Blow is even not that great, unless Dan tries to use Dankyaku or something retarded. -Vs. Dhalsim- Dash attacks are once again useless, so your best bet is to just rush Dhalsim down and beat him up with regular attacks. Watch for all of his Super Specials and Yoga Flame, and try to block and counter with Gigaton Blow or Crazy Buffalo, if possible. Try using Roll when next to Dhalsim to avoid some of his attacks, and punish him from there. If Dhalsim uses Yoga Teleport, chase him down and beat him up! -Vs. Eagle- Here, it can go either way. Eagle has to time some of his attacks right to stop Balrog's Dash attacks, and Balrog has to time some of his attacks to stop Eagle's attacks. Your best bet here with Balrog is to make Eagle come to you, block his attacks, and counterattack with anything that you can think of. -Vs. E.Honda- Here, your best bet is to block and counter his attacks with Balrog's Dash attacks. Watch out for Ooichou Nage and Orochi Kudaki when in close. Just pummel Honda with regular attacks when in close, and watch for any of Honda's Specials and Super Specials and counter them accordingly. -Vs. Evil Ryu- This will be a very, very tough fight for Balrog to win, if not impossible. Though Evil Ryu takes double damage from attacks (one Gigaton Blow is enough to nearly kill, if not, kill him), he has everything that he needs to stop Balrog dead in his tracks. Your best bet is to try and track him when he uses Ashura Senku, or let him come to you, block, and counter. Don't expect to win that much against Evil Ryu with Balrog. -Vs. Geese- This one goes to Geese. There's nothing that Balrog can really do against him except Roll and hope to counterattack. Wind Slice, Double Wind Slice, and Gaia Slash are all Geese needs to beat Balrog down like a little redheaded step-child.... -Vs. Guile- This may take a while. Don't bother with Dash attacks, as Guile can counter with Sonic Boom or Somersault Kick. Your best bet is to just get in close and nail Guile with regular attacks. Be prepared to block and counter with Gigaton Blow whenever Guile goes for a Somersault Kick. -Vs. Haohmaru- Here, you'll want to watch for Haohmaru's Standing SP and Crouching SP, as those will stop Balrog's Dash attacks quickly and do a ton of damage to Balrog. Try to get in close without the use of Dash attacks and hammer away with Turn Punches, Buffalo Head Butts, and Crazy Buffalos. Use Gigaton Blow only when you block Secret Crescent Moon Slice, Slash of Supreme Judgment, or Flame of the Conqueror (if you're close enough during Flame). You can easily get through Secret Cyclone Slash by jumping or Roll, but make sure to watch out for Secret Earthquake Slice or Secret Crescent Moon Slash. -Vs. Hibiki- This is a tough one for Balrog, simply because Hibiki can hit him from across the screen using Distance Slash. Your best bet is to jump at her and attack (even though that's not Balrog's cup of tea) to avoid the majority of her Specials and Super Specials. Once you get in close, keep beating her down with regular attacks and Gigaton Blow. Watch out for No Fear Feint and her Going My Way Super Specials! -Vs. Iori- Can go either way, as long as your smarter than Balrog is. Jump or Roll through Dark Thrusts, and block and counter Fire Ball with Gigaton Blow or Crazy Buffalo. For Maiden Masher, counter with Gigaton Blow or Buffalo Head Butt. The rest can be dealt with by simple block and counter tactics. Avoid using Dash attacks here. -Vs. Joe- Once again, Balrog's Dash attacks are useless due to Cyclone Upper, Tiger Kick, TNT Punch, and other attacks that Joe have. Therefore, you'll need to rely on block and counterattack tactics to win against Joe. Try to use Gigaton Blow against a blocked Golden Heel Hurter or Tiger Kick, and use regular attacks in conjunction with Dash attacks and Buffalo Head Butt when in close. Watch for Screw Upper and Double Cyclone Upper when in close against Joe! -Vs. Ken- Against Ken, Balrog will have to play a little more strategically than usual. You'll have to utilize Roll a lot to dodge a lot of Ken's attacks (Hadoken, Shoryu Reppa, Shinpu Jinraikyaku) and counter with Crazy Buffalo or Gigaton Blow. Jumping at Ken is just a bad idea, so try to avoid that as much as possible. Hadoken, Shoryuken, and Tatsumaki Senpukyaku are Balrog's worst enemy here, so try to block them or dodge them, and counter accordingly (don't use any Dash attacks!). -Vs. Kim- Here, Balrog should be able to beat Kim without having to worry too much. You'll want to watch for Comet Cruncher and Flying Kick out of his Specials, and for his Super Specials, be wary of all of them! Dash attacks are only helpful as long as your opponent doesn't counter with Flying Slice or Sand Blaster (or a Super Special). Try to nail regular attacks in conjunction with Specials and Super Specials when in close. -Vs. King- Your worst enemy here is the fact that King is based a lot off of mind games and mix-up strategies. You'll have to watch for King's moves, block, and counter accordingly with the right move. If King jumps and attacks with an attack, block and counter with Buffalo Head Butt, and if King dashes at you, block and counter with a Dash attack or Gigaton Blow. -Vs. Kyo- You should be able to kill Kyo pretty easily, save for Final Showdown, Serpent Wave, and Fire Ball being the threats here. You can easily get pass Serpent Wave and Fire Ball by using Roll, but Final Showdown is pretty hard for Balrog to avoid, especially with his Dash attacks. If you want to avoid Kyo's Wicked Chew or Poison Grawfest combos, simply use Super Jump or Roll to get around to the other side and punish Kyo while he's still in the middle of his stupid combo that missed Balrog a while back. -Vs. Kyosuke- Goes to Kyosuke 80-20. Unless you can somehow get close to Kyosuke, you won't stand a chance. Lightning Upper, Shadow Out Kick, and Cross Cutter will keep Balrog away for sure, and even if you do get close, you'll have to put up with Final Grade Remix, Super Shadow Out Kick, and Super Lightning Upper. This fight is tough, but not downright impossible to win. You'll be using Roll or Dodge a lot here (Dodge is very useful except for Super Lightning Upper). Avoid Dash attacks at all costs, and don't bother with Buffalo Head Butt due to Shadow Out Kick and Shadow Wave. Stick to regular attacks and Super Specials, and don't let Kyosuke get away from Balrog at any time! -Vs. Mai- Mai's speed is annoying here. She can quickly escape Balrog's attacks and counter with Flying Squirrel or Crimson Firebird Diver, or just stay back and use Kacho San and Swan's Ranpango to attack Balrog. For this one, you'll want to either Jump or Roll through the Kacho Sen (Super Jump especially over Swan's Ranpango) and Roll through her Flying Squirrel and Crimson Firebird Diver. You can counter her Deadly Ninja Bees and Super Deadly Ninja Bees by using Turn Punch or Gigaton Blow, so don't worry too much about those. When up close, be careful of Ryu En Bu and Sun Fire Samba. Simply block them and counter with a Dash attack or regular attack, or better yet, a Super Special. -Vs. Maki- You should be able to beat Maki senseless, but that's not to say that she can't put up a good fight. Watch out for her Genko and Rappukyaku attacks, along with her Ajaratengu and Tengu Daoshi attacks. The rest can be punished pretty easily by Balrog's Dash attacks (especially Hayagake attacks). If you get in close to Maki, make sure to use regular attacks in conjunction with Turn Punches, Buffalo Head Butts, and both of Balrog's Super Specials. This fight shouldn't be that hard for Balrog to win. -Vs. M.Bison- Bison can outdo Balrog easily by abusing Psycho Crusher and Knee Press. You'll want to Roll or block those attacks, then counter with any Dash attack or Crazy Buffalo. When up close, NEVER attempt to use Buffalo Head Butt, since if it gets blocked, you can end up getting hit by Mega Psycho Crusher or the likes. Stick to regular attacks and Crazy Buffalo/Gigaton Blow when up close, and utilize Roll when Bison tries to pressure Balrog. Dodge is useful as well, and if you know how to use it, try Parry above all else. -Vs. Morrigan- This fight will remind you of figthing Akuma/Ryu here. Your best bet for fighting Morrigan is to treat her as like your fighting a combination of Ryu and Akuma. The only difference here will be to watch out for Morrigan's Carpinal Blade and Darkness Illusion specials (I guess you can include Valkyrie Turn, if you want to get technical with it...). Use Roll or Block against Carpinal Blade, and simply block the Darkness Illusion and Valkyrie Turn attacks, then counter with Gigaton Blow (if you have it) and/or Crazy Buffalo or Buffalo Head Butt. This fight shouldn't be too tough for Balrog if you can handle the likes of the two Shotokan fighters. -Vs. Nakoruru- This fight can get very nasty for Balrog, simply because Nakoruru is so much faster than him. Your best bet is to block and counter the entire time. Don't bother rushing at Nakoruru, and instead let her rush at you. Block and counter her Annu Mutsube and Kamui Mutsube with Dash attacks and/or Buffalo Head Butt (save Gigaton Blow and Crazy Buffalo for Kamui Risse and Elelyu Kamui Risse). -Vs. Orochi Iori- Fight Orochi Iori as you would Iori. -Vs. Raiden- Here, Dash attacks work well as long as you avoid Poison Spray and Flame Breath. Gigaton Blow can counter any of Raiden's other attacks, so save up your Super Meter for that Super Special. When up close, watch out for Crazy Train, Thunder Crush Bomb, and Destruction Drop! Also, when in close, try to attack using just regular attacks combined with Turn Punches and Super Specials, then block and counterattack with a Dash attack. -Vs. Rolento- Buffalo Head Butt will help you out here a lot, especially since Rolento loves to jump a lot. You may want to stay away from Dash attacks, as those can get punished easily by the majority of Rolento's attacks. Instead, try to Roll your way towards Rolento (watch out for Mine Sweeper!), and use regular attacks in conjunction with Turn Punches and Super Specials. Don't be surprised if you can't bait Rolento into coming to Balrog, since Rolento's nasty about attacking from anywhere basically. -Vs. Rock- This favors Rock a lot more than it does Balrog. You have to watch out for Cyclone Sock and Double Gust Punch when far away, and when in close, your main concern should be Rising Tackle, Raising a Stomr, Evac Toss, the Crack Counters, and Shining Knuckle. Not too favorable to Balrog at all, so your best bet is to try to land as many attacks as you can while you're close to Rock, then back away from Rock and try to bait him into coming to you. If he does come to Balrog, try to punish him using Dash attacks and Buffalo Head Butt (make sure that the Buffalo Head Butt will connect, otherwise you'll just end up in a world of pain...). If he doesn't fall for the bait, then try again. -Vs. Rugal- Even worse for Balrog here than with Rock! In addition to Wind Slice, Rugal can attack Balrog using his devastating Kaiser Wave and his annoying Dark Smash. And if Balrog goes to use any of his Dash attacks, Rugal can counter using God Press or Gigantic Pressure attacks (or Total Annihilation, just to make you even madder). Your best bet here is to block and counter whatever Rugal throws at you (except for his Projectiles and Dark Smash, in which case, Roll through them and counter). If Rugal starts to play keep-away, then chase him down using Super Jump and Roll. Gigaton Blow is nice, but stick to Crazy Buffalo unless Rugal tries to do a sneaky attack like Gigantic Pressure or Dark Smash. -Vs. Ryo- This is also a tough fight for Balrog, since Ryo has Tiger Flame Punch, Koho, Lightning Legs Knockout Kick, Zan Retsu Kan, Haoh Sho Koh Ken, and Heaven Blaze Punch. For this fight, try to avoid jumping at Ryo, as that will trigger Koho (unless you have Air Block, in which case, go right ahead and jump at him). Parry is also very nice here, if you know how to use it. Use Dash attacks only if you know that Ryo can't block or counter them, and stick to Crazy Buffalo instead of using Gigaton Blow (unless you block Ryo's Koho, then unless the Gigaton Blow!). -Vs. Ryu- Very bad for Balrog, since Ryu can counter EVERYTHING that he does. Your best bet here is to try and bait Ryu, but 9 times out of 10, Ryu won't fall for that. In that case, you'll have to somehow bring the fight to Ryu. Roll and Parry are your best friends here, so use them well! Avoid staying too close to Ryu all the time, as Ryu can counter any of Balrog's blocked Dash attacks with Shinku Tatsumaki Senpukyaku or Shin Shoryuken. -Vs. Sagat- Just as bad, if not far worse, than Ryu. Tiger Shot and Tiger Cannon are Balrog's worse enemy here, as are Tiger Uppercut and Tiger Destroyer. You'll need to learn how to Parry well and utilize Roll and Air Guard here in order to survive this beast. Try to use Gigaton Blow against blocked Tiger Uppercuts, Tiger Raids, Tiger Destroyers, and Tiger Crushes, and don't bother with Dash attacks at all. Turn Punches are a waste of time here as well, so ignore them. If you're using S-Groove with Balrog, try to find a place where Sagat won't be able to counter you so much, and charge up your Super Meter as much as possible so that you can unleash a barrage of Crazy Buffalos at him. -Vs. Sakura- This fight is a little less harder than Ryu, but can still be a bit of a pain if you're not used to fighting Sakura. Here, Hadoken is of little threat unless she starts to counter your Dash attacks with it all the time. Shoouken and Shunpukyaku are also hazardous to Dash attacks, so, in other words, avoid using them here in this fight as well. Turn Punches and Buffalo Head Butts are the better alternative to Specials here, and you can smash through Sakura's Haru Ichiban and Midare Zakura with Gigaton Blow easily (in other words, try using C-Groove for her, if you can). For Shinku Hadoken, either Super Jump or Roll through it, then counter with Crazy Buffalo or Gigaton Blow (if you're close enough to her). -Vs. Shin Akuma- Don't even try to beat Shin Akuma with Balrog, because it's never going to happen. Shin Akuma is far too strong and has way too many advantages over Balrog that Balrog can't stand against him. Unless you can somehow manage to throw in a Gigaton Blow when Shin Akuma leasts expects it, then you're not going to last that long here.... -Vs. Terry- Try to fight Terry in the same manner that you fight Rock, except expect to block and counter a lot more than against Rock due to Buster Wolf, Power Geyser, and Burning Knuckles. You can easily counter Burning Knuckles and Buster Wolf with Gigaton Blow, but for Power Geyser, your only hope to not taking any damage from that is to Roll through it or try to Parry it. When up close, focus on using regular attacks and Turn Punches, then back out and try to blast some Dash attacks at Terry. If you find that Terry is countering all of your Dash attacks, then stop using them and instead just focus on using regular attacks. -Vs. Todo- Todo is actually rough for Balrog due to all of his Ecstasy Crunch attacks. You'll want to try and use Roll and Parry the most here, and avoid using Guard. Don't use ANY Dash attacks, as those will be punished very badly. Up close, you can abuse the Dash attacks, as long as Todo doesn't counter with Mind's Eye Slingshot. Regular attacks and Turn Punches are most effective here yet again for Balrog. -Vs. Ultimate Rugal- This fight is hardly fair for poor little Balrog. Unless you can bust out Gigaton Blows and Crazy Bufflos, don't expect to survive very long against this demon.... -Vs. Vega- Buffalo Head Butt=Best friend. Gigaton Blow=Best Friend. It's that simple. Since Vega is an aerial fighter more or less than a ground fighter, the Buffalo Head Butt and Gigaton Blow will punish him pretty good (unless Vega uses Air Guard, in which case, you'll have to use tactic #2). If Vega has Air Guard, then you'll have to make him come to you and try to bash him with Dash attacks and Turn Punches combined with regular attacks and Super Specials (Crazy Buffalo would be the best one to use in this situation. Save Gigaton Blow for when you block Rolling Crystal Flash and the like). -Vs. Vice- This fight is rough, due to the fact that Balrog's Dash attacks are once again useless due to Outrage. You'll want to try and either Jump over Vice and use Dash attacks that way, or Roll through her attacks and use regular attacks coupled with Super Specials to beat her silly. However, don't stay close to her too long, as she does have Command Throws that'll beat right through your Guards. -Vs. Yamazaki- Yamazaki is a odd fellow to fight; he is pretty unpredictable, so you'll have to think of some way of getting close to him without having to rely on Dash attacks (since Yamazaki has too many ways to counter them.....go figure....). Roll and Jump are nice, but Serpent Slash can be easily used to counter those when timed right. Once again, stick to regular attacks and Turn Punch, and save your Super Meter for Crazy Buffalo. -Vs. Yun- With Yun, Dash attacks and Buffalo Head Butt work really well. Try to time each Dash attack whenever Yun uses a Special move (Turn Punch works even better against Yun's attacks, as does Gigaton Blow). Up close, you can easily hammer Yun away with regular attacks, but watch out for all of Yun's Super Specials! Not a hard fight for Balrog, really. -Vs. Yuri- Unlike Yun, Yuri's actually tough to beat for Balrog. The 100 Blows can be easily countered, but Yuri Super Upper, Saiha, Rai Oh Ken, and Tiger Flame Punch are all hazardous to Balrog's plans. Also, Haoh Sho Koh Ken and Scalding Steam Blast can put a halt to all of Balrog's moves, with the exception only being Gigaton Blow against Scalding Steam Blast (for Haoh Sho Koh Ken, use Roll or Super Jump to avoid it). Up close, stick to regular attacks to avoid being counterattacked while using a Dash move, and try to block and counter all of Yuri's moves if possible. If Yuri tries to play keep-away, then chase her down. -Vs. Zangief- This fight is deadly, since Zangief also relies on being in close, but can deal a lot more damage than Balrog can. Your best bet is to try to avoid using ALL Dash attacks, and stick to regular attacks by jumping in and out constantly while avoiding Zangief's powerful grappling attacks. You can try to land a Crazy Buffalo or Gigaton Blow if Zangief goes for a Final Atomic Buster or Spining Lariat, but only when you think that Zangief won't block the attack and counter. ------------------------------------------------------------ III. Blanka [CAP03] -Introduction- The Green Beast shows up for another game, but he's not as tough as he was back in Street Fighter II. Plus, it seems that the programmers got lazy with the lightning effects from when he hits people with his Electric Thunder....oh well. You'll have to play Blanka strategically to win with this beast! -Movelist- -Specials- Electric Thunder.......................................Tap P rapidly Rolling Attack...........................................Ch. B, F + P Back Step Rolling.....................................Ch. B, F + K Vertical Rolling.........................................Ch. D, U + K Surprise Forward......................................Kx3 Surprise Back............................................B + Kx3 -Super Specials- Direct Lightning.......................................Ch. B, F, B, F + P Ground Shave Rolling.............................Ch. B, F, B, F + K (Chargeable) Shout of Baron........................................Ch. D-B, D-F, D-B, U-F + P (Level 3 & MAX only) -Movelist Breakdown- --Normal Attacks-- -STANDING- LP (Slap) -Blanka takes his hands slaps the opponent pretty much. Nothing very special about this move at all, and it's not even that useful for comboing into any of Blanka's moves. MP (Palm Jab) -Blanka strikes the opponent with his palm. Has more reach than the LP, but is slower, and isn't all that useful. SP (Dual Jaw Smack) -Blanka takes both of his hands and swings upwards at the opponent's face. Nice reach and poke range, but is pretty slow and easy to block. LK (Low Kick) -Name should be self-explanatory. Moves rather quick, but has crappy range, and isn't all that useful. MK (Slow Low Kick) -Same as the LK, except slower. Nothing else is different besides speed and a little bit more damage. SK (Flip Kick) -Has nice range on it, and is good for poke measure. Still, it's easy to block and counter, so be careful if you try to use this move. Good as an Anti-Air attack. -CROUCHING- LP (Claw Swipe) -Has a decent range to it, but isn't all that fast nor that great of a move. You can substitue this move for better moves like Crouching MK, Crouching SK, and Crouching MP. MP (Upper Torso Swipe) -Has good reach, but is pretty slow on recovery. Nice against some Other attacks, if used at the right moment. SP (Upper Torso Fist) -This has great reach on it, and is also nice to counter Other attacks like Spinning Bird Kick. Also good as an Anti-Air attack. However, the move is a little unsafe on block. LK (Foot Kick) -A kick to the opponent's foot. Nothing very special about this move, as it has limited range and use. MK (Forefoot Kick) -This move has only one advantage over the LK, and that's the slight extra range that it has. Otherwise, useless. SK (Backfoot Trip) -This is a nice move and all, but the only good thing about it is it's reach potential. It's unsafe on block and is a little slow on startup, so you have to be able to know when your opponent won't expect it for it to work. -JUMPING- LP (Falling Claw) -This move is very useless unless you use it to knock an opponent out of an attack in the iar. It moves too fast and has crappy range for it to be of any use. MP (Diagonal Punch) -This move is nice due to the fact that it can hit both aerial and ground opponents. However, note that it moves rather quickly, so you'll have to time it for it to connect on the opponent. Still, a nice move. SP (Double Swipe) -This move isn't that great really, unless you use it to counter your opponent's move. It comes out slower than the rest of the Jumping attacks, but it doesn't have that much use. Straight-Up SP (Claw Swipe) -This move is basically there to annoy your opponents who try to jump at Blanak. It has good reach, and is great for knocking opponents out of moves. However, it's not safe on block, and can result in counteratttacks easily. LK (Aerial Heel) -This move isn't useful in any manner, so I'd avoid it at any cost in favor of SK or MP. MK (Aerial Foot) -The only real advantage this move has on the LK is the fact that it has more range than the LK. Other than that, useless. SK (Double Aerial Kick) -A very nice move in the fact that it has excellent poke range and can hit both grounded and aerial opponents when timed right. -Throws- F or B + SP (Vicious Bites) -Blanka jumps on the opponent and bites him/her 7 times. Not very strong at all. F or B + SK (Rolling Throw) -Blanka leaps on the oppnent, rolls with him/her, then throws them. --Special Moves-- -Electric Thunder- STRONG VS. Rush attacks Anti-Air attacks Other attacks Close attacks WEAK VS. Air attacks (Zanku Hadoken, Tenma Gou Zanku only) Projectile attacks -A traditional Blanka move, and a devastating and annoying one at that. Blanka can keep a lot of opponents away, and if he gets them in a corner, then it makes it really hard to counterattack. The only downside is that Blanka is vulnerable to anything that doesn't go to hit him directly (Hadoken, Kikouken, Kacho San, etc.). Still, it's a great move overall, and great to pull out when on the defense. -Rolling Attack- STRONG VS. Dash attacks Other attacks (when they aren't timed correctly) Air attacks (except for Zanku Hadoken and Tenma Gou Zanku) WEAK VS. Anti-Air attacks Projectile attacks -This is great to pull out on the defensive as well, especially if your opponent is too busy trying to hammer away at Blanka. The move comes out pretty fast, but note that it's unsafe on block and only goes forward. The distance is also determined by which P button you use for the attack. The move is also vulnerable to a lot of attacks too, so be careful when you pull it out on opponents (especially expert players). -Back Step Rolling- STRONG VS. Same as previous move.... WEAK VS. Same as previous move.... -The only difference between this move and Rolling Attack is that Blanka jumps back before he launches himself at the opponent. Otherwise, there's no real difference except in startup time. Not that great of a move at all when compared to the fast-paced Rolling Attack. -Vertical Rolling- STRONG VS. Air attacks (except for Zanku Hadoken and Tenma Gou Zanku) Other attacks Rush attacks (only when used close) WEAK VS. Projectile attacks Anti-Air attacks -This move is different from Rolling Attack in the fact that it goes diagonally upwards at the opponent. Other than that, use it like you would Rolling Attack. -Surprise Forward/Surprise Back- There's nothing special about these moves at all except for the fact that they can evade attacks a bit, and they move Blanka really quick. Not really worth the time and effort to use though. --Super Special Moves-- -Direct Lightning- STRONG VS. Same as Electric Thunder WEAK VS. Same as Electric Thunder -This move is just a souped-up version of Electric Thunder that moves relatively quick. Pretty powerful, but only useful if you can catch your opponent off-guard with it. Otherwise, you'll be wasting a Super Meter on the move. -Ground Shave Rolling- STRONG VS. Rush attacks Other attacks Air attacks (except for Zanku Hadoken and Tenma Gou Zanku) Close attacks WEAK VS. Projectile attacks Anti-Air attacks -A souped-up version of Rolling Attack combined with Electric Thunder. Nice when your opponent is trying to hammer away at Blanka, but bad due to its horrible recovery time when blocked. -Shout of Baron- STRONG VS. Same as Electric Thunder.... WEAK VS. Same as Electric Thunder.... -A super powered Electric Thunder! Use it the same way as you would Electric Thunder. The only downside to this move is that it has that wierd button combination you have to do for it.....which never seems to work in this game.... --Strengths & Weaknesses-- Blanka's major strength lies in his ability to push opponents away and beat them senseless with his powerful Specials. He also has great poke abilities with his Standing SP and SK, Crouching SP, and Jumping SK. However, Blanka suffers a lot more than what he gains. His attacks can be easily countered, all of his attacks are vulnerable when blocked and are easy to block at any given time (especially for expert players), and he's pretty predictable. You'll have to work on playing him defensively in order to get any real good use out of him, as on offense, Blanka doesn't have much going for him.... --Battle Strategies-- OFFENSE Not Blanka's cup of tea, to say the least. The only thing that'll help Blanka on the offense is his Electric Thunder, as that can come out pretty quickly, while everything else has to be charged in order to use. Your best bet, if you insist on using this style, is to use Blanka's Standing SP and SK, Crouching SP, and Jumping SK as much as possible, and when you get in close, try to nail the opponent with regular attacks combined with Electric Thunders. And while you're doing Electric Thunder, try to charge up one of Blanka's other moves to use the moment the opponent goes to attack Blanka. DEFENSE This is Blanka's best asset no doubt. You need to bait your opponent here as much as possible (by playing keep-away), but when you use any of Blanka's Specials or Super Specials, make sure to watch how far away your opponent is, as if your too far away, your opponent will have time to block and counterattack all of Blanka's moves. Surprise Forward and Surprise Back is nice here, as that'll confuse the opponent and might give you the time to pull out a surprise attack. --Matchups-- -Vs Akuma- Blanka is somewhat at a disadvantage due to Akuma having so many Projectile attacks. Your best bet here is to try to go after Akuma, since Akuma will most likely not go after Blanka. Here, try to use Surprise Forward and Surprise Back to get through Akuma's attacks, and use Roll and Parry to beat through Akuma's Projectiles (save for Tenma Gou Zanku and Messatsu Gou Hado, which you should Super Jump over or Block). -Vs. Athena- Athena's not too tough, so long as you dodge Psycho Ball and Shining Crystal Bit. Electric Thunder works well against the majority of Athena's attacks, but don't just use that move the whole fight. You'll want to throw in some Rolling Attacks and the like if she starts to spam Psycho Balls. Getting in close is key, and trapping her is the best thing you can do. Unfortunantely, Athena has Psychic Teleport to save her from that, so don't rely on keeping her cornered for long. You'll still want to stick close to her to avoid her Psycho Balls (but watch out for Psycho Sword and Shining Crystal Bit!) -Vs. Balrog- This can be rough, but only if you don't abuse Electric Thunder during Balrog's Dash attacks (and even then, those attacks may still break through). All of Blanka's Rolling attacks can be countered or double-hit with all of Balrog's moves, so this is pretty much a slugfest. You'll have to block and counter to the best of your ability, and go from there! -Vs. Benimaru- Benimaru is just plain nasty for Blanka, as all of his attacks can pretty much counter everything that Blanka does. You'll have to neglate Blanka's Rolling attacks and Electric Thunder in favor of regular, old attacks. Roll and Parry are your best friends here, as you'll have to play defensively to win offensively. In other words, when you try to get close to Benimaru, and he tries to attack you, play defensively and use Roll or Parry to beat through his attacks and counterattack. There's nothing else you can really do except try to land a Shout of Baron or Direct Lightning when you counterattack. -Vs. Blanka- Here, you'll be pretty much in a slugfest as you were with Balrog. Most of your attacks will double hit with Blanka's, so expect this one to be real close regardless! -Vs. Cammy- Cammy's not so tough for Blanka, since Electric Thunder shuts down all of her Specials and Super Specials pretty much; she just can't get in close to hit him while under that attack. Shout of Baron, if timed right, is far more dangerous for her if she's in the middle of an attack, so practice that move until you can pull it off with no problem, and Cammy will be easier to beat. All of Blanka's Rolling attacks are great against her, but be careful to not spam them, as she can counterattack if at the right moment. -Vs. Chang- Spinning Iron Ball........and Choi. Those are your two biggest threats in this fight. You can't stop Choi with anything, so just block and move on. As for Spinning Iron Ball....well.....Electric Thunder is not a good idea to be in at that time. Against Chang, Rolling attacks are a bad idea, due to Chang's little buddy who can counterattack what Blanka does. You'll want to try and go in with your fists or.....er........claws, in Blanka's case....and beat down Chang the hard way. -Vs. Chun-Li- Here, you'll have to watch for Kikouken, Kikou-sho, and Hyakuretsu Kyaku. The rest of Chun-Li's attacks can be diverted with Electric Thunder or Rolling attacks (however, with Spinning Bird Kick, you'll want to try and go with Vertical Rolling Attack). For Kikouken and Kikou-Sho, just block and counter with something like Ground Shave Rolling. If anything else, stick to Electric Thunder and try to corner her as much as possible. -Vs. Dan- With Dan, Gadoken and Shinku Gadoken are your biggest threats. You can easily thwart all of Dan's other attacks using Electric Thunder, Ground Shave Rolling, and Shout of Baron with no problem. As long as you avert those two attacks, you can easily whack Dan away with regular attacks and Rolling attacks. Nothing to fear here really. -Vs. Dhalsim- Those Yoga attacks are Blanka's worst enemy. You'll want Parry and Roll the most in this fight. Try to not jump at Dhalsim, since he's based around Anti-Air moves the most anyways. When in close, you'll want to be on your guard at all times, because you never know when Dhalsim will try to pull out a Yoga Flame or Yoga Tempest. This fight will take time if you do it right. -Vs. Eagle- Eagle has some advantage over most fighters against Blanka, due to that he uses a weapon that can keep him from getting damaged from Blanka's Electric Thunder when used correctly. You''ll want to try and trap Eagle quickly and focus on using Rolling attacks, but if you find that Eagle is countering them easily, then stop using them and go with regular attacks. Parry helps a lot here against Eagle. -Vs. E.Honda- The only thing to really worry about here is Honda's Hundred Hand Slap. Nothing else that he does can really touch Blanka's Electric Thunder, so thunder away. If you can manage to trap him, don't bother with Electric Thunder, and instead go with regular attacks. Rolling attacks are dangerous here if blocked due to Honda's Specials (and his Throws). Shouldn't be too hard for Blanka regardless. -Vs. Evil Ryu- This fight is hardly fair for Blanka. Evil Ryu can smash through Blanka like butter gets spread on bread; in other words, Blanka doesn't have much chance here if he uses any of his Specials or Super Specials, unless he uses them at the right moments when Evil Ryu is coming out of Ashura Senku or missed Blanka with an attack. -Vs. Geese- Once again, hardly fair for Blanka. Geese's Wind Slice and Gaia Slash can easily stop Blanka's attacks in their tracks, and Raising Storm is just bad all around. You'll want to try to get in close to Geese and bash him with regular attacks, but watch out for his Counter moves and his even more deadly Rashomon! -Vs. Guile- This will be one long borefest....Guile and Blanka are both turtlers, so either both of you stay where you are the whole match, or one attack the other. If Guile doesn't start coming to you, then go to him, because chances are, he'll just sit there and throw Sonic Booms at you. Ignore all Rolling attacks and Electric Thunder, and go for the gusto with regular attacks. Use Shout of Baron or Ground Shave Rolling if Guile messes up and misses with anything. -Vs. Haohmaru- This is a toughie. Haohmaru's Standing SP can break through Blanka's Electric Thunder, and his Crescent Moon Slash and Cyclone Slash will eat through all of Blanka's moves too. Ignore Blanka's Special moves yet again and try to beat Haohmaru down with regular attacks coupled with ocassional Ground Shave Rolling and Shout of Barons if you can spare them. -Vs. Hibiki- Hibiki is even worse than Haohmaru, just because of her Distance Slash alone. However, she doesn't really have anything to stop Blanka's Rolling attacks, so you should be safe to use them. The only real problem is if you get in too close to Hibiki to where she can strike you with No Fear Feint and Going My Ways easily. For times that you're close to her, make sure to be on your guard at all times! -Vs. Iori- Iori can easily trounce Blanka simply by spamming Fire Ball and Dark Thrust. For him, you'll want to focus more on Parry and regular attacks than anything else. When in close, try to throw in some occasional Electric Thunders and Shout of Baron, if time allows you to. -Vs. Joe- This fight's nasty. That's all there is to it. Joe can counter all of Blanka's Specials and Super Specials with Hurricane Upper, so your best bet is to use Parry and Roll to avoid all of Joe's attacks, then try to bash down on Joe with regular attacks coupled with Rolling attacks and Shout of Baron. Be careful when fighting in close, as you don't want to get hit by Joe's Double Cyclone Upper or Exploding Hurricane Tiger Talon! -Vs. Ken- Not good for Blanka due to Ken's ability to counter all of Blanka's moves. You'll be using Parry and/or Roll a lot here, and Air Guard comes in use against incoming Shoryukens and Tatsumaki Senpukyakus. Try to hammer on a Shout of Baron whenever Ken misses with a Shoryuken or you block his Tatsumaki Senpukyaku, Shippu Jinraikyaku, or Shoryu Reppa. For Hadoken, just Roll through it and block Ken's counterattacks, then counter with either Ground Shave Rolling or Electric Thunder, or, if you wish, Parry the Hadoken and try to get Ken to come to Blanka. Either way you look at this fight, it's going to be a tough one. -Vs. Kim- Without projectiles to beat Blanka's Electric Thunder, Kim doesn't have much to go with. However, don't just limit yourself to Electric Thunder only. Try to blast out some Rolling attacks whenever you see the opportunity. This fight really isn't that hard, as Electric Thunder will take care of most, if not all, of Kim's moves. -Vs. King- The only real threat here are Venom Strike and Double Strike; the rest can be dealt with via Electric Thunder and Shout of Baron. Try to hammer on Rolling attacks whenever King tries to jump at you, and use regular attacks coupled with Electric Thunder when in close. Keep an eye out for King's Silent Flash when in close though! -Vs. Kyo- Just as with Kim, Kyo really can't get in close to Blanka, but he can still hammer him with Serpent Wave. You'll want to be wary of that, and instead of using Electric Thunder all day, try to tackle on some Rolling attacks, but MAKE SURE that they're not blocked! You don't want to end up on the receiving end of Kyo's Wicked Chew combo! Final Showdown is also very bad in that predicament. When in close, if you EVER see Kyo going for a Wicked Chew combo, immediately go into Electric Thunder or Ground Shave Rolling to stop him! -Vs. Kyosuke- Just as with the majority of fighters in this game, Blanka's going to have trouble beating Kyosuke due to Kyosuke's powerful counter maneuvers. Parry your heart out and get in close to attack Kyosuke with regular attacks and Electric Thunders. However, don't try to spam Electric Thunder, as Kyosuke can simply counter with Shadow Out Kick or Cross Cutter. Watch for being in close as well, as Kyosuke can try to use Final Grade Remix! You'll have to have a lot of patience and mind-game tactics to be able to pull your way out of this fight with Blanka! -Vs. Mai- Mai's a bit tricky to fight, since she can counter Electric Thunder with Swan's Ranpango and Kacho San, and counter the Rolling attacks with Sun Fire Samba and Ryu En Bu. You're best bet is to make Mai come to you, Parry and/or Block, and counter with Electric Thunder, Shout of Baron, or any Rolling attack in general. Just watch out for Crimson Firebird Diver, as that can halt Blanka's attacks pretty easily. Deadly Ninja Bees and Super Deadly Ninja Bees are best avoided via Roll or Super Jump. -Vs. Maki- Here, you should be able to smash through Maki as long as you watch out for her Rappukyaku, Genko, and Sushin Gouralna. Also, be wary if you decide to attack from the air, as Maki can try to counter with Tengu Daoshi or Ajaratengu! You can stick to Rolling attacks as long as they're not blocked. This fight isn't as hard as you would think it is. -Vs. M.Bison- You shouldn't have too much problem with Bison. Rolling attacks will stop Knee Press, and Electric Thunder is enough to halt Devil Reverse. Psycho Crusher is your biggest threat here, but you can easily Parry that or Roll through it, then counter with a Rolling attack. If you're close enough to Bison when you Block/Roll/Parry Psycho Crusher, and you have the Super Meter for it, try to pull out a Shout of Baron on him. Ground Shave Rolling also works just fine too. -Vs. Morrigan- Try fighting Morrigan like you're fighting Akuma here. You can easily stop her Darkness Illusion with Electric Thunder or Ground Shave Rolling, but all of her other attacks can stop Blanka's moves easily. Parry is key here, except with Carpinal Blade and Soul Phoenix, which you should either Block or Super Jump over. Her Valkyrie Turn isn't that big of a threat, unless you're not smart enough to block or Run to the other side of the screen. This fight may take some time before you actually win though, seeing as Morrigan can counter Blanka easily. -Vs. Nakoruru- Nothing seems to stop Nakoruru here....Ambe Yataro pierces Electric Thunder and Shout of Baron, and Lela Mutsube stops all of Blanka's Rolling attacks dead in their tracks. How to win? You'll just have to rely on luck with Specials and Super Specials, and focus a lot more on defense and regular attacks to survive this fight. -Vs. Orochi Iori- Fight Orochi Iori the same way that you fight Iori. -Vs. Raiden- Here, you'll want to avoid Rolling attacks simply because Raiden can, and will, counterattack any blocked Rolling attacks with any of his powerful attacks. Therefore, neglect them and Electric Thunder (since Poison Spray and Flame Breath will just eat through that), and stick to regular attacks and Parry. Nothing really else to say here, except counter a blocked Crazy Train with Shout of Baron (which you should have, if you've been saving your Super Meter). -Vs. Rolento- Rolento's a bit tough, but only because he can pierce Electric Thunder with dumb stuff like his Taunt and Steel Rain. You'll want to try and use Rolling attacks frequently in this fight, but wary of Mine Sweeper! There's really nothing to this fight, so take it easy and bust down on Rolento's sorry hide! -Vs. Rock- Nasty.....Cyclone Sock and Double Gust Punch by themselves are bad enough, but Rising Tackle takes the cake for stopping Blanka. Raising a Storm and Shining Knuckles are also very hazardous to any Blanka player, so your best bet is to try and Parry what you can, and counterattack with Ground Shave Rolling or regular attacks. You'll need a lot of patience to win this fight! -Vs. Rugal- All in Rugal's favor. There's really nothing that Blanka can do to even get close to Rugal due to Wind Slice, Dark Smash, and Kaiser Wave. You'll have to really learn the Parry system or use Roll a lot in order to get in close enough to damage him, and even then you'll have to watch out for Destroyer Cutter and God Press. Have fun trying to beat through this beast of a demon! -Vs. Ryo- Goes to Ryo, 70-30. Blanka just can't overcome Koho, Tiger Flame Punch, or Shrike Gale, and nothing he does except Roll or Parry will help him against Haoh Sho Koh Ken. For Ryuko Rahou, your best bet is to block and counter with Shout of Baron or Ground Shave Rolling. For the rest of Ryo's attacks, just use Roll or Parry to beat through them, and counter with Electric Thunder (for attacks that are close) and Rolling attacks (for attacks like Aerial Tiger Flame Punch). The rest should be cake. -Vs. Ryu- Ryu can easily beat Blanka. The thing to remember here is that Electric Thunder when not close to Ryu=BAD! Hadoken and Shinku Hadoken will see to that! When trying to use a Rolling attack from afar, you'll have to watch for Shoryuken counters. Your best bet is to try and get in close, watch for Shoryukens and Tatsumaki Senpukyakus, block, and counter with a Rolling attack or use regular attacks. This fight is tough no matter how you look at it... -Vs. Sagat- Now this isn't hardly a fair fight at all. Sagat has everything he needs to counter Blanka's moves and more. So, what you'll have to do is utitilize Roll and Parry A LOT in this fight, get in close to Sagat (very dangerous for Blanka), and just go at him with regular attacks. Ignore all of Blanka's Specials and Super Specials UNLESS you know that they'll hit or your opponent is playing stupid with Sagat. -Vs. Sakura- This fight can be hard, but not so much as with the other Shotokan fighters. You can easily fight her like Ryu, but make sure to note that Sho Oh Ken is NOT like Shoryuken! That can punish Blanka's Rolling attacks if used at the right moment, so be careful! Shinku Hadoken and Hadoken also present a big threat here as well, so utilize Parry and Roll like no tomorrow, but watch out for Midare Sakura and Haru Ichiban, unless you know how to Roll Cancel. -Vs. Shin Akuma- This fight isn't even worth mentioning, since Shin Akuma is just way too powerful to even touch (especially the ridiculous CPU). However, against human players, a few timed Rolling attacks might do the trick if you can watch out for all of the flying Hadokens that Shin Akuma can do and his Ashura Senku.... -Vs. Terry- Terry's among the worst of the opponents Blanka has to face. He can counter ANYTHING and EVERYTHING....it's not even funny. You'll want to try and bait Terry to come to Blanka, then use Roll and Roll Cancel into Electric Thunder or block and counter with regular attacks and Rolling attacks. If all else fails, just go in fighting and hope that you don't take too much damage. -Vs. Todo- Todo's only big thing against Blanka are his Ecstasy Crunches....if it weren't for those, then you can easily smash Todo. However, you'll want to lay off of the Rollings and go in with regular attacks to beat Todo down. Other than that, nothing really to this fight. -Vs. Ultimate Rugal- As with Shin Akuma, this fight is ridiculous to win with Blanka. You'll have to figure out your own strategy to winning, since Ultimate Rugal can counter anything that you throw at him.... -Vs. Vega- This can go either way really, but as long as you use Electric Thunder to counter Izuna Drops, you'll be fine. For Sky High Claw, try to Parry it and counter with Ground Shave Rolling or any Rolling attack in general. Against Scarlet Terror.....well, just be ready to block and counter with regular attacks. Standing SK is nice to counter a lot of Vega's moves, as is Crouching SP. Don't abuse Electric Thunder in this fight, since Vega's poke game can beat through it. Shout of Baron is only useful IF you can stay close enough to Vega and do the motions for the move at the same time.... -Vs. Vice- Vice is nasty.....her moves can easily beat through all of Blanka's. You'll want to focus a lot on getting in close to her instead of turtling and baiting here, and don't use any Rolling attacks unless you see an opportune moment to do so. As long as you watch for Outrage, Rave Fest, and Da Cide, you'll be just fine. -Vs. Yamazaki- The only true threat from Yamazaki is his Serpent Slash. The rest of his moves can be countered using any Rolling attack in general. However, I'd recommend staying away from Electric Thunder, as Yamazaki can easily counter it (it's embarassing to have it stopped by a Sand Scattering...). As for Yamazaki's Guillotine and Drill Super Specials, try to Roll through them and counterattack with Ground Shave Rolling or any regular attacks in general. -Vs. Yun- For Yun, Blanka shouldn't have any trouble, unless Yun starts to counter all of Blanka's Rolling attacks, in which case you should just ignore them and go in with regular attacks and Electric Thunder. Standing SP and SK are good enough to counter most of Yun's Specials, but for his Super Specials, you'll want to block (or Parry, if you're really good with it), then counter with Ground Shave Rolling or Direct Lightning. This fight isn't really that tough at all. -Vs. Yuri- Yuri's rough due to her Tiger Flame Punch, Rai Oh Ken, and Yuri Super Upper Specials, as they can all beat through Blanka's Specials. In other words, don't bother using any of his Rolling attacks, and save Electric Thunder for times when you're close to Yuri. Try to counter The 100 Blows using Electric Thunder or Direct Lightning. For Haoh Sho Koh Ken, use Roll and then Roll Cancel into Ground Shave Rolling or any Rolling attack, and for Scalding Steam Blast and Flying Phoenix Kick, try to use Surprise Forward to pass through them, or use Roll and Roll Cancel into any attack (however, for Scalding Steam Blast, it may be wiser to just block and counter with Direct Lightning). -Vs. Zangief- You'll want to play hit-and-run in this fight. Never stay too close to Zangief, as he relies on being in close. Rolling attacks are your friend here, until Zangief starts to counter them with Spinning Lariat or blocking them and countering with Standing SP. In that case, you'll have no choice but to go in and beat him down using regular moves. However, you'll still want to play hit-and-run even at that time. ------------------------------------------------------------ IV. Cammy White [CAP04] -Introduction- Fast and pressure is what Cammy's about here in this installment. Try to use her to constantly barrage your opponents with Spiral Arrows, Cannon Spikes, and Hooligan Combinations! However, make sure that Cammy doesn't get pressured back! -Movelist- -Specials- Spiral Arrow...........................................QCF + K Cannon Spike.........................................QCB + K (while in air) Axel Spinning Knuckle..........................HCB + P Hooligan Combination...........................D-B, QCF, U-F + P Fatal Leg Twister (during Hooligan Combination) ...............................................................F or B near head or crouched opponent Cross Scissors Pressure (during Hooligan Combination) ...............................................................F or B near body or enemy in air Razor Edge Slicer (during Hooligan Combination) ....................................................................No input Cannon Strike (AIR)................................QCF, D, D-F + K -Super Specials- Spin Drive Smasher..................................QCF, D, D-F + K Reverse Shaft Breaker..............................QCBx2 + K (Tap) -Movelist Breakdown- --Normal Attacks-- -STANDING- Far LP (Quick Jab) -The basic LP move. Quick and is good for combo starters, but has little to no reach and does little damage. Close LP (Elbow) -Can only be used when right next to the opponent. Only good for starting combos, as it carries all of the properties of the LP move. Far MP (Straight Punch) -Has some decent reach and does a little more damage than the LP move, but is a little slow. Not bad to knock opponents out of moves like Shungokusatsu. Pretty fast for a Standing MP, has frame advantage after it. Decent poke but Far Standing SP is better. Close MP (Uppercut) -Can only be used when right next to the opponent. Nothing special about this move at all. Far SP (Spinning Back Knuckle) -Has a little extra range and damage compared to the MP move. Good, however, for knocking opponents out of move if timed right. Has massive frame advantage after it (+9 on hit/block) which makes it completely safe. It comes out in 3 frames \(same as Close SP), can be linked into Level 3 Supers, thus meaning it's also a great hit confirm move. Has priority good enough to beat several ground moves. The fact that it can be linked into Level 2/3 Supers makes opponents scared to try to hit Cammy out of this move when she has meter, because if they are hit by this move, they'll end up eating a big combo. However, it's more difficult to link CCs after far SP due to its range, but it's still an overall great move. Close SP (Double Fist Smash) -One of Cammy's best moves. Comes out pretty fast, has massive frame advantage (+10 on hit/block), which makes it possible to chain Far Standing SK after it, which can then be cancelled into a Level 3 Super. Can also be cancelled and even linked into Supers, thus making it a great hit confirm move. Canceleable into Specials as well (useful in punishment situatios). It's also possible to link CCs after it. Far LK (High Kick) -Has little range and does little damage. Close LK (Knee) -Can only be used when right next to the opponent. Nothing special about this move other than that it's good for starting combos. Cancelable into Supers. If you're close to the opponent, use Standing SP instead, better move overall. Far MK (Fast Mid Kick) -Moves relatively fast and does a little more damage than the LK move, but doesn't have that good of reach. Close MK (Mid Kick) -Can only be used when right next to the opponent. Other than that, nothing special about this move. Far SK (Sweep) -Fairly fast for a Standing SK, and if done at the proper distance it's very difficult to punish (save for fast Level 3 Supers and such). Great range and priority (more range and priority than Far Standing SP), cancelable into Supers, can be linked off Close Standing SP (which results in a crapload of damage, especially if you use K-Cammy). Just like Standing SP, opponents will be very scared by this move when Cammy has meter. It's her most important move from midrange, very important to her ground game and footsies. Close SK (Handstand Dual Kick) -Can only be used when right next to the opponent. Nothing special about this move at all. -CROUCHING- LP (Quick Jab) -Same as with the Standing LP. MP (Straight Punch) -Fast, good range, has good frame advantage after it, safe on block. Can be linked into another Crouching MP, into Far Standing SP, and even into Supers. Cancelable into Specials/Supers. SP (Upwards Palm Thrust) -Has a kind of slow start-up, but it has a +4 frame advantage, meaning it's pretty safe on block. Standing SP is better however. LK (Foot Kick) -Very quick and good for starting combos. However, has horrible reach and does little damage. Cammy's main hit confirm move. Cancelable into Specials/Supers. MK (Extended Leg Kick) -Has more reach and does a little more damage than the LK, but isn't that good for starting combos. Good range, can be linked off Close Standing SP, cancelable into Specials/Supers. SK (Dual Leg Sweep) -Good for tripping opponents, and has much better reach than the previous kicks. However, bad recovery time when blocked. -JUMPING- LP (Falling Hand) -Only good for when you're trying to knock the opponent out of a move or while the opponent is in the air. Otherwise, useless. MP (Karate Chop) -As with the LP, only good if you're trying to hit the opponent in the air. Other than that, useless. SP (Aerial Fierce Punch) -As with the MP, only good if you're trying to hit the opponent in the air. Other than that, useless. Good in jump-in combos in punishment situations since it does more damage than Jumping SK. LK (Aerial Kick) -Decent range, but does little damage and isn't very reliable. Easy to counter. Cross-up (pretty good one), stays out for the entire duration of the jump. Good after knocking the opponent down. MK (Split Kick) -Cammy's best jump-in. Good range and hitbox, very useful in Grooves with low jump. In P/K Grooves, you can alternate with empty jump-in to Parry/JD mix-ups. SK (Back Kick) -Nothing great about this move, and while it does have good reach and does a bit more damage than the rest of the Jumping moves, there are much better move to use than this. --Throws-- F or B + SP (German Suplex) F or B + SK (Leg Crush) Throws are very handy in K-groove. People are scared to eat a lvl 3 super, which many times results in them staying on the defensive too much and eating a lot of throws. Doesn't sound like much but when you see how much damage a ranged throw does, you see why some people hating playing against K-Cammy. Cammy has two air throws as well (any direction except up+HP/HK). Air throws are instant and cannot be teched. Good against people trying to parry/JD air attacks. --Special Moves-- -Spiral Arrow- STRONG VS. Rush attacks Projectile attacks WEAK VS. Anti-Air attacks Air attacks Other attacks -This move is pretty useful in the fact that it can be used to go under any projectile, and can even go under Ground Projectiles if RC'ed into, and hit the opponent. The downside to this move? It's very unsafe when blocked, leaving Cammy wide-open to a world of pain, except when used far away. It'd probably be best to use this as a counter move rather than as an actual move. -Cannon Spike- STRONG VS. Air attacks (sans Zanku Hadoken and Tenma Gou Zanku) Rush attacks Other attacks WEAK VS. Projectile attacks Anti-Air attacks -Contrary to Spiral Arrow, which attacks low, Cannon Spike attacks high, and carries the same downside as its ground counterpart. Once again, timing is everything! Whiffs against a lot of jump-in attacks. Useful in combos in punishment situtations. -Axel Spinning Knuckle- STRONG VS. Rush attacks WEAK VS. Projectile attacks Air attacks Anti-Air attacks Other attacks -This move isn't all that useful, even in the most convient situations. It's best to avoid it, since all it does is slow Cammy's game down.... -Holligan Combination/Fatal Leg Twister/Cross Scissors Pressure/Razor Edge Slicer- STRONG VS. Rush attacks WEAK VS. Other attacks Anti-Air attacks Air attacks Projectile attacks -This move is purely situational, but can be spammed if used properly. Hooligan Combo also ends up going into 3 different techniques as well, depending on the input and the timing of the input. However, this move still falls victim to projectiles and other such attacks of that nature. -Cannon Strike- STRONG VS. Rush attacks Air attacks WEAK VS. Anti-Air attacks Projectile attacks Other attacks -This move can also be used after a Hooligan Combo, but it's probably best not too, unless you're playing against a rather inexperienced player. This move is unsafe on block, so you'll have to time when you use it, like with every other move Cammy has. If done at the right range, it's safe and it's safe however, and it's even possible to link combos after it. Useful in C-Groove Level 2 Cancels. --Super Special Moves-- -Spin Drive Smasher- STRONG VS. Air attacks (sans Zanku Hadoken and Tenma Gou Zanku) Rush attacks WEAK VS. Anti-Air attacks Projectile attacks Other attacks -Cammy's most practical Super. Not too bad of a move by any means; however, if blocked, it leaves Cammy wide-open to attacks. It's best to use this move as somewhat of a Wakeup Counter rather than bust it out in the middle of a fight. Combos off all of Cammy's important moves (up close and far away), good damage, useful in C-Groove Level 2 Cancels. -Reverse Shaft Breaker- STRONG VS. Rush attacks Other attacks WEAK VS. Projectile attacks Anti-Air attacks Air attacks -As with Spin Drive Smasher, this move is very unsafe on block, and is best used as a Wakeup Counter. Other than that, nothing really special about this move. -Groove Choices- (From FSGamer) Most players agree that Cammy's best groove is P, followed closely by K. P has parry, which adds to her ground game (eg: parry > far s.HK xx lvl 3 super) and gives her another jump-in option. Dash result in her being able to corp hop over opponents after knocking them down, setting up nice mind games. The downside of P is that it takes longer to have access to super moves than in other grooves. K-Cammy can build meter very quickly when played right. Just like parry, JD adds a lot to her game. Once she has meter, she can mix-up between super combo set-ups and throw set-ups (raged throws > too good). She can also do stuff like run > block, or if she feels like the opponent will throw out a poke she can do run > far s.HK xx lvl 3 super. Like P, K has low jumps, which help her put pressure on the opponent. Obviously, one cannot forget about K-groove's nice 35% damage boost when meter is full. C-Cammy would be third. No parries & no JDs dimishes her ability to control the ground considerably, but she still have her good normal moves. Her lvl 2 cancels are fairly easy to set-up and execute and they do good damage. C-Cammy is good but not nearly as good as P/K-Cammy. A-Cammy & N-Cammy are kind of tied in 4th IMO. A-Cammy has easy damaging CCs, and good set-ups for them. N-Cammy can put pressure with low jumps in addition to her ground game and the 20% damage boost is helpful too. --Strengths & Weaknesses-- Cammy relies on her speed in order to beat her oppponents, since her defense and vitality aren't that great, and her strength is rather low compared to several of the other fighters in the game. You'll need to figure out how to abuse her speedy attacks and mind-game tactics in order to truly utilize Cammy's fullest potential. Having a whole bunch of safe moves is one of her strengths. Not only are they safe but some of them lead to easy links (like close/far s.HP & c.MP). Combine that with Cammy's fast walking speed and the high priority in some of her moves, and you'll get her annoying, tight, ground poke game, which puts pressure on the opponent and shuts down a lot of characters offenses. Once she has meter, one clean hit can lead to victory (far s.HP/HK xx lvl 3 super). far s.HP/HK result in her outzoning a lot of characters pokes and shuting down their offenses. On the other hand, she has low stamina, so a few mistakes will get you killed. She doesn't have any reliable RC moves, which is another downside. Characters with good RC moves can get through her ground pokes and put pressure on her. Good A-groove players can also give her a lot of trouble. --Battle Strategies-- OFFENSE This is defeiinently something that you'll want Cammy to be on. Use Cammy's regular attacks to pressure your opponents, while using Cammy's normal moves to attack the opponent. DEFENSE For defense, stay away from Cammy's Specials if you're being rushed down, unless you want to lose. P/K Cammy has Parry/JD, learn to anticiapate moves and punish them. C/A/N-Cammy has Alpha Counters. Cammy's Crouching MP and Standing SP have good speed, range, and priority, which should help her get out of nasty situations. --Matchups-- -Vs Akuma- For Akuma, try to utilize Roll Cancels into Hooligan Combinations. If this doesn't work, then stick to regular attacks for pressuring, while you use Cannon Spike to counter Akuma's Hyakki Shus, and Spiral Arrow to counter Shungokusatsu. Parry works well here too against Zanku Hadoken and Gou Hadoken, and is an excellent way to get Spin Drive Smasher to connect after parrying a Gou Shoryuken or Tatsumaki Zanku Kyaku. Above all else, try to make sure that Akuma DOES NOT corner Cammy; otherwise, you'll have no real means to defend yourself from Akuma's wrath. -Vs. Athena- Cammy has better luck against Athena than with most fighters. You can easily beat through Psycho Ball by using Spiral Arrow, and for Phoenix Arrow and Phoenix Fang Arrow, counter using Reverse Shaft Breaker or Cannon Spike. For Shining Crystal Bit, there's really nothing Cammy can do to counter it, so just avoid it altogether. -Vs. Balrog- Balrog's attacks, aside from Crazy Buffalo and Gigaton Blow, can be countered using Spiral Arrow or Cannon Spike. However, at those times you'll want to counter them using Spin Drive Smasher. You'll want to try and bait Balrog into coming to Cammy instead of trying to get in close and trying to beat through him, since Balrog has much more strength than Cammy. Use your mind-game tactics with Cammy to get the better of Balrog and to force him to make mistakes that you can counter. -Vs. Benimaru- Cammy will have a pretty hard time beating Benimaru due to Benimaru's ability to counter all of Cammy's moves using Lightning Fist, Super Lightning Kick, and Iaido Kick. Your best bet is to somehow get Benimaru to come after Cammy, but not corner yourself in the process. So, what you should do is whenever Benimaru goes to use Iaido Kick, use Spiral Arrow to beat through that, and whenever Benimaru goes for a Discharge Spark, counter using Spin Drive Smasher. In other words, you'll want to counter a lot in this fight in order to survive. You can also try to go in fighting; however, expect a real tough fight that way. -Vs. Blanka- Blanka's a toughie if you're not careful, since Ground Shave Rolling and Electric Thunder both can halt all of Cammy's moves very easily. What you'll have to do is counter everything that Blanka throws at you, which means you'll have to force Blanka to attack you. Aside from this, there's really not too much to this fight. -Vs. Cammy- Treat this fight as a simple mirror image of yourself. -Vs. Chang- You'll want to stay clear of Chang's powerful attacks, but not all the time, since Cammy has no way of getting to Chang from long range. Here, Parry will be your best friend, and utitlizing Roll Cancels will help tremendously. Try not to use Hooligan Combination too much, since Spinning Iron Ball will stop Cammy dead in her tracks. Use Spiral Arrow to break through that attack, as well as Wild Ball Attack. For Tornado Ripper, just block and counter using Reverse Shaft Breaker or Spin Drive Smasher. Nothing really to this fight aside from block and counter. -Vs. Chun-Li- Several of Cammy's moves can be halted by Hyakuretsu Kyaku and Kikousho. So, what you'll have to do is learn to stay clear of these moves and try to bait Chun-Li into making as many mistakes as possible, then punish her for making those mistakes. For Hazan Shu and Spinning Bird Kick, Cannon Spike is the way to go, while against Kikoken, use Hooligan Combination, but don't expect this to work all the time, since Chun-Li may or may not go right into a Hyakuretsu Kyaku or Kikosho. -Vs. Dan- Dan's actually a little rough due to his inexcessive ability to counterattack all of Cammy's moves (especially if you play against any half-decent Dan fighter). You'll want to be careful when using ANY of Cammy's Special moves, since they are counterable as shown in the next table: Hooligan Combo: Counterable by Kouryuken, Gadoken, Shinku Gadoken, Kouryurekka, Dankyaku Cannon Spike: Counterable by Kouryuken, Kouryurekka, Gadoken, Shinku Gadoken Spiral Arrow: Counterable by Hissyo Buriaken, Kouryuken, Kouryurekka As you can tell, Kouryuken and Gadoken are the biggest threats here (they can also stop Reverse Shaft Breaker and Spin Drive Smasher as well). What you should try to do, therefore, is NOT use any of Cammy's Specials unless Dan messes up and doesn't have time to do any other attacks (such as, if you Roll through his Dankyaku or Parry his Kouryuken), THEN counterattack with any Special or Super Special. That way, you're guaranteed to hit him. Parry is also a great weapon in this fight! -Vs. Dhalsim- Aside from the annoying Yoga Fires and Yoga Flames, you can easily beat down Dhalsim using regular attacks alone. Avoid Hooligan Combination, since Yoga Fire, and more importantly, Yoga Inferno and Yoga Volcano, can really wreck havoc on Cammy's life. As for Spiral Arrow, Yoga Stream is your enemy. So, what to do? DON'T USE THOSE MOVES! That's right, you'll want to avoid them unless you can Parry one of Dhalsim's Yoga Flames or Yoga Blasts, then toss one of them out if you'd like. Parry WILL be your biggest asset here, since most of Dhalsim's moves are ridiculously slow and easy to Parry. Nothing really to this fight! -Vs. Eagle- Eagle's nothing to beat with Cammy. The only real threat here will be his Manchester Black and Manchester Gold, and as long as you either avoid those or block them and counter, you should be fine. The rest of his moves can really be countered using either Cannon Spike or Spiral Arrow. If you're using S-Groove Cammy, try to charge up your Super Meter and use a Super Special on Eagle, just so long as you keep an eye out on him trying to come after you, which you should use to your advantage. If you're using A-Groove Cammy, immediately go into a Custom Combo when you get the chance and start pressuring Eagle with non-stop regular attacks! -Vs. E.Honda- Honda's a little rough since he can counter all of Cammy's moves using Hundred Hand Slap and Sumo Headbutt. Your best bet is to Parry his Sumo Headbutt and Sumo Smash, and avoid his Hundred Hand Slap. Once again, A-Groove Cammy will rock here if you go into Custom Combo! Nothing to this fight really. -Vs. Evil Ryu- This is nasty, but doable, especially with a S-Groove Cammy or C-Groove Cammy. You'll want to try and avoid Evil Ryu's nasty counters and powerful pressuring abilities (he tends to go nuts when you're up close to him...), while at the same time, trying to pressure him (Even though A-Groove would be great for this particular situation, due to Evil Ryu's tendency to counter everything, it would just hurt you more than help you...). Try to force Evil Ryu to make mistakes, and punish him for them! Parry helps a lot here as well (especially if you're good enough to Parry his Tatsumaki Senpu Kyaku). Try to Parry all of his Shoryukens, and counter using Reverse Shaft Breaker (Don't bother too much with Spin Drive Smasher...). Just bait Evil Ryu into making as many mistakes as possible, then try and counter them. -Vs. Geese- Geese is a pain....just because his Wind Slice, Gaia Slash, and Raising Storm are all he needs to stop Cammy in her tracks (as usual...). Your best bet is to once again try to bait Geese into coming to Cammy (or you go to Geese, which is more hazardous, but most likely better) and hammer away at him with regular attacks (just watch out for his Body Blows!) and try to hammer on a Hooligan Combination for times that Geese goes for a Wind Slice or Double Wind Slice. Try using Parry to block his Gaia Slash and counter that using Reverse Shaft Breaker, and use Roll to get pass Deadly Rave and counter using Spin Drive Smasher. -Vs. Guile- This fight just takes a while to finish...you'll have to also avoid using Hooligan Combination in this fight, since Guile can easily counter using Somersault Kick or Double Somersault Kick. Sonic Boom is nasty for Reverse Shaft Breaker and Spin Driver Smasher, but Sonic Hurricane is far worse to run into. You'll have to try and bait Guile into coming to Cammy, or go to Guile and Parry/Block everything he throws at you and counterattack. Either way, this fight's gonna take a long time to finish... -Vs. Haohmaru- A dangerous fight due to Cammy's low Vitality and Haohmaru's high attack power. You'll need to keep a careful eye on what Haohmaru is going to do to avoid taking too much damage in one shot. Avoid Hooligan Combination yet again, since Secret Cyclone Slash and Secret Crescent Moon Slice can easily counter it. Reverse Shaft Breaker and Spin Driver Smasher are only really useful if you Roll through Haohmaru's Flame of the Conqueror, Slash of Supreme Judgment, or Secret Earthquake Slice. A-Groove works well for Cammy here, since Custom Combo wrecks havoc on Haohmaru (as long as you watch out for him countering with Secret Crescent Moon Slash and Slash of Supreme Judgment), but stick to C-Groove if you're going to fight him...that is, IF you can help it. -Vs. Hibiki- Hibiki isn't really that tough for Cammy to beat. Hooligan Combination works very nicely against all of Hibiki's Specials (and most of her Super Specials, if you Roll right through them and use this move, but why use that when you can counter with a Super Special?). Parry is your best friend here as well, since the only attacks that Hibiki possesses that hits more than once are her Going My Way Super Specials. Not a very tough fight by any means, and an A-Groove Cammy can easily smash Hibiki. -Vs. Iori- Iori's really not that hard for Cammy to beat. The following table shows what you can counter and what Iori can counter with: Against Iori: Fire Ball: Parry and counter using Cannon Spike or Reverse Shaft Breaker, or if it's too far away to even hit you, use Spin Drive Smasher. Deadly Flower: Reverse Shaft Breaker, Spiral Arrow, Cannon Spike. Maiden Masher: Anything really works here! Dark Thrust: Hooligan Combination Iori's Counters: Hooligan Combination: Fire Ball, "One-For-The-Road" Blast Cannon Spike: Fire Ball Spiral Arrow: Fire Ball, "One-For-The-Road" Blast, Deadly Flower Reverse Shaft Breaker: "One-For-The-Road" Blast, Fire Ball So, as you can see, Fire Ball and "One-For-The Road" Blast are the attacks to watch for the most in this fight. Since you can easily avoid Fire Ball by simply Parrying or staying out of reach, that problem is easily solved. The "One-For-The-Road" Blast, however, is a bit harder to avoid. The only good way to dodge it, aside from TRYING to Parry all of the hits, is to just block it and take the pitiful chip damage that it deals, then go on with the fight. There's really not too much to do with this one. Note that a C-Groove Cammy is probably the best choice for this fight, as Iori can easily knock Cammy out of a Custom Combo in A-Groove. -Vs. Joe- Joe's a tough customer due to his blasted Hurricane Upper and Tiger Kick attacks (not to mention Double Hurricane Upper and Screw Upper...). You'll probably want to utilize Roll the most here, since Parry can sometimes lead you into trouble (especially if Joe gets very aggressive with you). Avoid using Hooligan Combination at all costs in this fight; it's just far too risky to try and use. Reverse Shaft Breaker and Spin Drive Smasher are ONLY useful if Joe messes up, such as he uses a move and misses you. Any other time, expect to run into a Hurricane Upper or something to that extent. A-Groove Cammy is not the best to use here, so try and go with C-Groove. -Vs. Ken- Ken can be annoying due to his incessive Hadoken to Shoryuken combo that'll kill the opportunity to use Hooligan Combination. Spiral Arrow works pretty well, though it's also prone to Shoryuken, and worse yet, Shoryureppa. Therefore, avoid using any Specials, and save your Super Meter for times that you Parry Ken's Shoryuken and counter using Reverse Shaft Breaker. If you try to Parry Tatsumaki Senpukyaku, then I hope that you're pretty damn good at it....since it hits 6 to 8 times. Shippu Jinraikyaku can be a problem ONLY if you let Ken pressure you into a corner and let him constantly attack. C-Groove is best to use here. -Vs. Kim- Kim's a little rough due to his countering abilities as well. You'll want to try and be the one to counter Kim the most, so in other words, make Kim be the one to attack you first, then counterattack him using whatever you can at the time (Reverse Shaft Breaker works best as the Super Special of choice here). Parry is a nice way to get around Kim's moves (though it's pretty hard to counter his Flying Kick move using Parry). You can counter the majority of Kim's moves using Spiral Arrow and Cannon Spike, but be careful not to use them at the wrong times (as in, if Kim isn't close enough for a Cannon Spike, then don't use it), since Kim can easily smash Cammy with any of his Super Specials. Other than that, this fight really isn't that difficult. -Vs. King- King may pose a bit of a threat due to her speed and tricky attacks. Using some of Cammy's moves (Spiral Arrow, Cannon Spike) can prove to be quite hazardous, especially if King has at least 1 Super Meter built up, in which case she can easily counter using Silent Flash or Illusion Dance. Here, you'll want to try and pressure King, but be on your guard as you'll want to avoid Surprise Rose and Tornado Kick when up close. When away from King, you'll most likely have to put up with Venom Strike and Double Strike (most likely Double Strike), which is bad for you since Cammy has no way to counter those attacks except by either Parrying or Jumping over them (Rolling for a Double Strike is just a really bad idea). A C-Groove Cammy works well here, but as long as you can use any of the Grooves, then this fight should be pretty easy for Cammy to win. -Vs. Kyo- The only real way that Kyo's going to stop Cammy's attacks is with his Serpent Wave, Fire Ball, Final Shodown, or Spinning Kick. His Wicked Chew combo fails against Cammy's Cannon Spike and Spiral Arrow attacks, and his Grawfest Combo suffers the same fate. As for the attacks that can actually get to Cammy, Parry usually works to stop them (or Roll Cancel into a Hooligan Combination or Super Special). Either way, this fight isn't that hard. -Vs. Kyosuke- Kyosuke is a tough one for Cammy to beat, especially since all he has to do is wait for Cammy to attack and counter with Shadow Out Kick or Cross Cutter. Your best bet here is to ignore Cammy's Specials and try to take on Kyosuke using regular attacks instead. However, make sure to be on your guard and block or Parry Kyosuke's Shadow Out Kick, Super Shadow Out Kick, and Final Grade Remix, then counter using any Super Special (though with Shadow Out Kick and Super Shadow Out Kick, you may want to wait until Kyosuke is about to land on the ground to use the Super Special, since you';ll more than likely miss if you don't). Lightning Upper and Super Lightning Upper are a big threat if you don't watch out for them. A-Groove would work well for Cammy if Kyosuke didn't have so many counters, so stick with either C-Groove or S-Groove for this fight! -Vs. Mai- Mai's rough, since she's faster than Cammy is, and her attacks can easily counter Cammy's. You'll need to try and pressure Mai with regular attacks (Throwing is nice in this battle, but don't try to use that too much), and save Super Specials for times that Mai goes for a Deadly Ninja Bees, Super Deadly Ninja Bees, Flying Squirrel, or Crimson Firebird Diver. With Ryu En Bu, there's not much you can do to stop it except to either Parry it altogether or Jump and attack Mai. With Sun Fire Samba....there's nothing Cammy can do to stop it except try to hit Mai with a regular attack (but not up close!). C-Groove or S-Groove is probably best here, but P-Groove may also work well! -Vs. Maki- Maki's just about as bad as Mai is. You'll be able to fight her much easier though, since Maki doesn't really have anything to counter Cammy's attack with aside from Rappukyaku and her Super Specials. Be wary when using Cannon Spike or any of Cammy's Super Specials, as Maki can simply block those and counter using Tengu Daoshi or Ajaratengu. A-Groove works nicely here, as long as you avoid Rappukyaku when you activate the Custom Combo mode. C-Groove and S-Groove are most likely the best Grooves to go with here, but K-Groove is also pretty decent, IF you know how to utitlize it right with Cammy. -Vs. M.Bison- This is a pretty interesting fight. Bison can crush all of Cammy's moves using Psycho Crusher alone, but as for the rest of Bison's attacks (save for Mega Psycho Crusher and perhaps Knee Press Nightmare), Cammy can easily counter them with Cannon Spike, Spiral Arrow, or either of her Super Specials. However, where the fight gets really interesting is where either fighter is in a corner. Here, you'll want to try and trap Bison in the corner the most, but don't expect him to stay there long, as he'll more than likely use Bison Warp to escape. If you find yourself in a corner, use Roll to get out of the corner and Roll Cancel into a Super Special (if Bison is in the middle of an attack) or into a Hooligan Combination (if Bison is guarding). If Bison's in the corner, be prepared to go on the defense in a flash or Parry really fast, since you never know when you'll run into a Psycho Crusher out of nowhere (or a Mega Psycho Crusher). Head Stomp is also something to watch for when cornering Bison, since you'll probably be more focused on attacking him than defending. Try to use A-Groove or K-Groove for this fight! -Vs. Morrigan- Morrigan isn't that tough really. You can easily counter Soul Fist (the ground version) using Spiral Arrow, and you can easily counter Shadow Break by Parry or Roll, then going into a Super Special. Darkness Illusion can be countered using Spiral Arrow or a Super Special, and Valkyrie Turn is a joke to Cammy. Not a very hard fight at all. -Vs. Nakoruru- This fight is going to be very tough to win. Nakoruru has superior speed, and her attacks are ridiculously fast. Don't bother with Specials that much, since Nakoruru can easily counter using Lela Mutsube or Anuba Yatoro. Kanui Risse and Elelyu Kanui Risse are also a threat here (especially if you try to pressure Nakoruru), and Shichikapa Kanui Irushika is just plain bad for Cammy. You'll have to pressure Nakoruru and NOT let her attack at all in order to stand a chance. Try to keep her in a corner and use regular attacks to beret her (save your Super Specials for times that Nakoruru tries to attack Cammy and misses or is blocked). Watch out for Nakoruru's pressuring abilities, however, as you don't want to be on the receiving end of your own tactics! Don't bother with A-Groove in this fight, but stick with C, S, or K-Groove. -Vs. Orochi Iori- For Orochi Iori, you'll want to fight him a bit different. Unlike Iori, you'll want to try and make him attack you as much as possible, while you Parry and counterattack with your Specials and Super Specials. The reason for this here is that Orochi Iori is much stronger and faster than Iori (and Cammy, for that matter), so you'll want him to come to you and make him make mistakes that you can exploit. Other than that, it's not too tough beating him. -Vs. Raiden- With Raiden, even though normally I would say stay away, you can't. Cammy HAS to be in close to do any real damage (since Raiden can easily counter the majority of Cammy's moves, save for really Spiral Arrow, with Poison Spray and Flame Breath). Try to tack on some regular attacks, then back out of the fight and let Raiden chase you while throwing out occassional Hooligan Combinations and HOPING that Raiden doesn't counter or react to it with Poison Spray/Flame Breath. You'll also want to utilize Roll Cancels a lot in this fight, but use them AFTER Raiden has gone into a powerful attack like Crazy Train; otherwise, you'll just wind up getting hit by the attack in the long run. A-Groove is possibly the best Groove for this fight, but it's up to you what you want to use here. -Vs. Rolento- Rolento's tricky, since he can counter several of Cammy's attacks with his own sneaky little attacks. You'll have to be careful when using Spiral Arrow in this fight, since if it's blocked, Rolento can simply counter using Take No Prisoner or Mine Sweeper. Patriot Circle is what will stop most of Cammy's attacks (save for her Super Specials), so you'll need to try and use regular attacks the most to fight Rolento. Cornering him is the best option, but don't expect to keep him there too long. If you need to, back out of the fight and let Rolento come to you. -Vs. Rock- Rock will be hard to beat through, especially since his attacks are far more powerful and he can easily counter all of Cammy's moves (Rising Tackle and Cyclone Sock are the big factors here, along with Raising a Storm). You'll need to rely on regular attacks to try and beat through Rock, but launch a Hooligan Combination every now and again for good measures (and hope he doesn't use Raising a Storm or Rising Tackle). For Cyclone Sock and Double Gust Punch, use Hooligan Combination, and for Hard Edge and Shining Knuckle, Roll Cancel into a Super Special. For Neo Deadly Rave, you can easily counter that using any Special or Super Special of your picking. -Vs. Rugal- Rugal's a tough cookie, since Gigantic Pressure and God Press can stop all of Cammy's moves basically (save for maybe Spiral Arrow), and his constant Destroyer and Genocide Cutters are a nuisance. You'll have to forgo using Specials and Super Specials and go for the gusto using regular attacks to avoid being countered all the time by Rugal. A-Groove is probably the best Groove to use, save that you'll have to watch out for both Destroyer and Genocide Cutters. Stick to C and S-Groove for pressuring tactics, and use P and N-Groove for tactical tactics. -Vs. Ryo- For Ryo, you'll have to watch out for Koho and Tiger Flame Punch the most, as those can stop Cammy's attacks pretty easily. Try to launch a Hooligan Combination during the middle of launching a barrage of regular attacks, and use Spiral Arrow to get past the Tiger Flame Punch. For Haoh Sho Koh Ken, just Roll through it and Roll Cancel into a Reverse Shaft Breaker. This fight really isn't that hard for Cammy to win. -Vs. Ryu- Good ol' Ryu is still as much of a bastard as he was when he first appeared. You'll have to try to use Spiral Arrow to bypass Hadoken (or Hooligan Combination), and use Cannon Spike to beat Tatsumaki Senpukyaku. For Shinku Hadoken, Roll through it and Roll Cancel into any attack of your choosing, and for Shoryuken and Shin Shoryuken, Parry and counter using Spin Drive Smasher. This fight isn't too tough, as long as you don't let Ryu get inside your head. -Vs. Sagat- Here, don't bother using ANY of Cammy's Specials, since Sagat simply counters with Tiger Shots or Tiger Uppercuts. Save your Super Specials for the times that you block Sagat's Super Specials (save for Tiger Cannon and Ground Tiger Cannon). Parry and Roll are your best friends here, so utitlize them well! Try to Roll through one of Sagat's Super Specials, then Roll Cancel into a Super Special if possible. A-Groove is not the best Groove for this fight, since Custom Combos are practically useless, and S-Groove really doesn't help that much. Stick to C or K-Groove for this one. -Vs. Sakura- Sakura is actually tougher to beat using Cammy than Ryu is. Try using Hooligan Combination to break through Sakura's Shunpu Kyaku, and use Cannon Spike against Sho-Oh-Ken. For Hadoken, simply Parry and counter using a Super Special. For Sakura's Super Specials, Roll through them and counter however you want. Not a very tough fight actually.... -Vs. Shin Akuma- This fight will take a lot of patience and guts to win. You'll need to learn to utilize Parry and Roll like no tomorrow, and try to avoid using Specials very much since Shin Akuma will simply knock Cammy out of them. Crouching SK tends to work well, and making Shin Akuma attack you while you block seems to be the most ideal way of fighting him with Cammy. -Vs. Terry- Terry's VERY rough. He can counter anything that Cammy does, so you'll want to forgo Special attacks until you can figure out the proper timing to use them. Utilize the following chart to help you: Power Wave: Use Hooligan Combination Burning Knuckle: Use Spiral Arrow Rising Tackle: Parry or Block and counter Crack Shoot: Use Cannon Spike Power Dunk: Roll and counter Buster Wolf: Use Cannon Spike Power Geyser: Block or Roll and counter Using regular attacks works well here too, as long as you can corner Terry and keep him from attacking Cammy back. Other than that, nothing really to this fight. A-Groove is nice, but stick with C or N-Groove. -Vs. Todo- Todo's only annoying in this fight since he can counter all of Cammy's Specials and Super Specials with his damn Ecstasy Crunch attacks. You'll want to ignore using those in favor of pounding Todo to the ground using regular attacks instead. Watch for when Todo has a Level 3 Super Meter to avoid his Mind's Eye Slingshot Super Special! Just keep your cool and attack Todo with regular attacks, and try to respond with any missed or blocked attacks with Super Specials. -Vs. Ultimate Rugal- Good luck here....this fight is ridiculously hard to win with using Cammy, regardless of which Groove you use. You'll probably have to resort to letting Ultimate Rugal attack you and counter his blocked attacks with your own attacks. Save your Super Specials for those times! -Vs. Vega- Vega's another annoying fighter for Cammy, and he's much faster than her. You'll want to save Hooligan Combination for times that you block his Sky High Claw and other such attacks, and use Super Specials to counter Rolling Crystal Flash and Rolling Izuna Drop. Cannon Spike is great against the majority of his attacks, and Spiral Arrow is good for only Rolling Crystal Flash. Vega also loves to spam Crouching SK, so Parry that and counter using Spin Drive Smasher or Reverse Shaft Breaker. Not that hard of a fight. -Vs. Vice- This fight can turn out to be a total bloodbath. Both fighters are fast and have moves that can counter each other. You'll want to try and make Vice attack you, but in the end, that isn't going to work due to Vice having special Throws that bypass blocking. Therefore, it is up to you to bring the fight to her. Try to utilize Roll Cancels a lot during this fight, and be prepared to block when rushing in at Vice, since she'll more than likely be setting up for an Outrage or Rave Fest. Also, beware of Withering Force when rushing in! You'll need to rely on regular attacks a lot in this fight, but don't neglect Cannon Spike and Spiral Arrow, as those can help from time to time. Hooligan Combination is just a bad idea in this fight, and save your Super Specials for times that you block Vice's attacks or if Vice misses Cammy. -Vs. Yamazaki- Yamazaki shouldn't be too tough of an opponent unless you let him pressure Cammy too much. Avoid using Hooligan Combination though, since Yamazaki can easily counter it. For Yamazaki's Super Specials, simply Roll through them and counter using Spin Drive Smasher. There's nothing really to this fight, and any Groove works well for Cammy here. -Vs. Yun- Here, you can simply smash Yun using Cannon Spikes and Spiral Arrows. Utitlize the concept of Parry and countering to break Yun's spirit! Nothing really to this fight at all! -Vs. Yuri- Yuri's tough....her attacks can easily stop Cammy's attacks. Try using Hooligan Combination when Yuri uses Tiger Flame Punch, and use Spiral Arrow for The 100 Blows and Yuri's Super Upper. Against Yuri's Super Specials, use Roll and counter using Super Specials. Regular attacks work very well here as well, as long as you watch out for Yuri's Super Upper and Scalding Steam Blast. -Vs. Zangief- As with Raiden, you'll have to get in close to beat down on Zangief. Try fighting Zangief like you do with Raiden; jump in, land a few hits, then back out of the fight. This is especially true for Zangief, since his Spinning Pile Driver and Final Atomic Buster attacks are the last thing you need. ------------------------------------------------------------ V. Chun-Li [CAP05] -Introduction- Speed is the key when using this fighter! Don't rely too much on combos, as they aren't as effective with Chun-Li, and instead focus on moving in and out of the fight! -Movelist- -Special Normal Moves- Senjou Shou...............................F + MK Yoku Senkyaku..........................F + SK Tenshin Shuu Kyaku................DF + SK Yousou Kyaku (AIR)...............D + MK -Special Moves- Kikouken...................................HCF + P Hyakuretsu Kyaku...................Press K rapidly Spinning Bird Kick..................Ch. D, U + K Hazan Shu................................HCB + K -Super Special Moves- Hoyoku-Sen.............................QCFx2 + K Kikou-Shou..............................QCFx2 + P -Movelist Breakdown- --Normal Attacks-- -STANDING- Far LP (Hand Thrust) -This is Chun-Li's poke move. This is the move you want to use to combo into other moves. LP Close (Quick Elbow) -A standard Close move. Pretty quick and has great combo potential, but the damage is low (as expected). You can probably only get 2 of these off before you go back into the regular LP. MP (Abdoment Punch) -Has decent reach and pushes the opponent back if it connects, but comboing off of this move is not as easy as you would think. Chun-Li's best ground move in terms of range. It easily combos into her Hoyouku-Sen (any Level, just do QCF + MP, QCF +K). Rather fast for a MP, and because of its speed and range, it's the perfect whiff punisher. Safe on block. Play footsies, bait a move, and when your opponent whiffs his move go for Far Standing MP to Hoyouku-Sen. Far SP (Strong Fist) -The reach on this move is pretty good, but it's got both slow start-up and recovery time, and by the time your opponent blocks this move, they can most likely counterattack right away. I'd recommend not using this move at all. Close SP -Useful in combos (into Kikouken or Hoyouko-Sen) and block strings (Spinning Bird Kick trap). LK (Heel Kick) -Once again, as with most LP and LK, this move is great for combos and speed priority. It's not nearly as fast as most LKs, but it's still a pretty decent move. Far MK (Roundhouse Kick) -Decent in that it can be used somewhat as an Anti-Air move, but it's pretty slow and has bad recovery time. Comboing off of this move is a very low priority as well. MK Close (High Kick) -This move is alright, but not recommeneded, as you can simply use the extended version and do more damage. However, this can be good to use for mix-up games when up close. If you abuse the extended version, then use this move instead of that move, then your opponent may not move fast enough to counter any other actions that you may do after you get the chance to attack. Far SK (Back Roundhouse Kick) -This is similar to the MK in just about all aspects, except that it hits a bit higher than the MK. Don't try to combo off of this move either, as it's not worth the risk of taking damage. Close SK -Decent Anti-Air, cancelable into Specials/Supers, Super Jump cancelable. -CROUCHING- LP (Quick Punch) -One of the fastest moves in the game (comes out in 2 frames, which is the fastest speed for normal moves in CvS2). Has more range than most other Crouching LPs. Combine its range and its fast start-up speed with its ability to link into another Crouching LP or Crouching MP, and you have Chun-Li's best tool when up close. Very good in scoring counterhits. Counterhit Crouching LP easily links into Crouching MP or Far Standing MP. Chun-Li's main opening in combos when up close. MP (Foot Punch) -Chun-Li punches the opponents foot. Along with Far Standing MP, this is one of Chun-Li's best whiff punishers. Good range, comes out fairly fast, decent recovery, cancelable into specials and supers, and most important of all, it goes under a lot of other moves (Shotos Fireball, Guile's Sonic Boom, Cammy's Far Standing SK, Sakura's Far Standing SK, etc) SP (Backhand Chop) -This move executes relatively quick, but comboing off of it is pretty low, as you can get punished for trying. Still, it's nice to knock opponents out of moves, but once again, I'd recommend not using it that much. LK (Foot Kick) -Very limited range and low damage, but great combo starter, poke move, and speed priority move. It's pretty fast compared to the other LP and LK moves that Chun-Li has too. MK (Extended Foot Kick) -Has a little better reach than the LK, but is a lot slower. You can try to combo off of this move as well, but the best thing you can really do is combo it into a Hyakuretsu Kyaku to Houyokusen. SK (Handstand Kick) -Chun-Li stands on one hand and trips the opponent. Surprisngly, this move has pretty good range and could be used in a mix-up game as well. Decent Anti-Air. Cancelable into Kikosho (good combo against P and K Grooves). -JUMPING- LP (Falling Fist Diagonal) -Lasts the whole time that Chun-Li is in the air until she hits the ground. It doesn't do that much damage, nor is it good for combos (as far as I know), but it's great for knocking opponents out of moves. LP Straight Up (Falling Fist) -Same as the LP. Nothing different here. MP (Quick Falling Fist Diagonal) -This move is the fast version of the LP. It lasts about half a second, and for it to hit grounded opponents, you'd have to time it right. It's still good for knocking opponents out of moves, and not bad for going into combos. SP (Strong Punch) -It's got decent speed and range, but not one of the better moves that you can use while jumping. It becomes pretty obsolete when you try to hit a grounded opponent who can use Anti-Air (like Ryu or Terry), so your best bet is to go with some other move. Good move in air-to-air situations. Chains into another SP (useful against P and K Grooves and in combos after Hoyouko-Sen). SP Straight Up (Strong Hook) -This move is surprisingly fast for a HP, and it's great for knocking opponents out of moves too. However, the downside is that you HAVE to jump straight up for you to use this move, and against opponents like Akuma and Rugal, that's not going to cut it. LK (Air Kick) -As with both of the LP, this move will last the whole time that Chun-Li is in the air. It's good for combo starters once you get back to the ground, but other than that, I wouldn't mess with this move. Great cross-up, good priority, beats several Anti-Air moves when timed properly. Especially useful in Grooves with Low Jump. LK Straight Up (Falling Leg) -Same deal here. However, this is more useful than the LK, as you can use this to knock opponents out of moves, whether they're on the ground or in the air (with the exception of moves like Akuma's Zanku Hadoken). MK (Quick Air Kick) -The fast version of the LK. As with the MP, you'd have to time it right to hit grounded opponents. Otherwise, the rest is the same as with the MP. MK Straight Up (Quick Falling Leg) -Same deal here as with the MK. SK (Slash Kick) -This is very fast, and has great reach. It's also very good for combo starters, surprisingly enough. It's also safe on both start-up and recovery, which makes this move one of the better ones that you can use. SK Straight-Up (Split Air Kick) -An interesting move, nonetheless, but it lasts about a second. Compared to some of the other moves that Chun-Li has, I wouldn't bother with this move that much. -Special Normal Moves- -Tenshin Shuu Kyaku- -This move is odd, simply in the fact that I haven't seen it do any damage at all. It's more of a flip move than anything else, but not all that useful, as it leaves Chun-Li open to attack. -Throws- SP + <- or -> (Turn Throw) SK + <- or -> (Kick Throw) -Chun-Li's Throws are a big part of her offense in CvS2 (combined with Crouching LP, Low Jump LK, RC Hyakuretsu Kyaku, etc). --Special Moves-- -Kikouken- STRONG VS. Anti-Air attacks Rush attacks Other attacks NO EFFECT VS. Teleport moves Projecitle attacks (cancels with them) WEAK VS. Super Special Projectile attacks Air attacks -Chun-Li's only projectile (aside from her Kikosho). It's speed depends on which P button you use to fire it off. When RC'ed, it's a good poke and Anti-Air move. Button used affects speed and range of move (SP version has the shortest range, LP version has the longest range) -Hyakuretsu Kyaku- STRONG VS. Rush Attacks Other attacks NO EFFECT VS. Teleport moves WEAK VS. Projectile attacks Air attacks Anti-Air attacks -This is the move that makes Chun-Li infamous. However, it's not as potent as it used to be, as it's pretty tough to combo off of and into. However, it's still potent nonetheless. You just have to mash the K button in order to make sure that the move comes out. When RC'ed, good ground poke, good Anti-Air, good meaty attack. SK version links into Crouching MP which then can be cancelled into Hoyouko-San. Can easily be comboed off Jumping LK or Close Standing SK. The easiest way to get this move is to drum your fingers over the kick buttons (something like LK~MK~SK~LK~SK, or LK~MK~SK~LP+LK~SK if you want to RC it). The same trick applies for any button tap type of move (Honda's Hundred Hand Slap, Blanka's Electric Thunder, etc). -Spinning Bird Kick- STRONG VS. Rush attacks Other attacks NO EFFECT VS. Teleport moves WEAK VS. Projecitle attacks Air attacks Anti-Air attacks -Another one of Chun-Li's infamous moves. It's actually pretty safe to use compared to some of the other moves, although if blocked, it can still be used against you. Not to mention that a lot of attacks can beat this move. Avoid using it from far away, unless you're trying to trick your opponent. --Super Special Moves-- -Hoyoku-Sen- STRONG VS. Rush attacks Other attacks NO EFFECT VS. Teleport moves WEAK VS. Air attacks Anti-Air attacks -Not one of the strongest moves, but you can pretty much combo this move off of almost anything that Chun-Li does. It's nice to do it off of a Hyakuretsu Kyaku, but you have to be able to time it just right in order to pull it off. Not bad by any means. Great to go through Projectile attacks. Nobody in their right mind would throw a Fireball at you if you have a Level 2 or Level 3 Super ready to go, since both Level 2 and Level 3 Hoyoku-Sen will go through Fireballs. Combine this Super with Chun-Li's Crouching MP (which goes under a lot of Projectiles and it's cancelable into Specials and Supers) and you'll discourage people from throwing any Projectiles at you. The last hit of the Super is Super Jump cancelable, which opens up options for extra damage and/or resets. Chun-Li's best Super and one of the best Supers in the game. -Kikou-Shou- STRONG VS. Projectiles that are not Super Specials Rush attacks Anti-Air attacks Air attacks Other attacks NO EFFECT VS. Teleport moves Super Special Projectiles WEAK VS. None -One of Chun-Li's best Super Specials in this game (yes, I know. She only has 2....leave me alone!) and possibly her most damaging Super Special. This is also a great move to do chip damage to opponents who like to block a lot as well. You can use a lot of attacks to try and combo into this move, but don't bother, as you most likely won't succeed. --Strengths & Weaknesses-- Chun-Li isn't nearly as powerful as Ryu, , nor does she have the vitality of Zangief. She does, however, have speed to back her up in fights. So, is this enough to pull her through? Actually, it can very well be! Like in the other games that Chun-Li has been in, her speed is the one thing that'll keep her opponent's on their toes at all times (a bit reminiscent of Mai...but that's for another day...). Chun-Li also have a number of options to use when up close to her opponent (Crouching LP, Throws, Low Jumps, Counterhits, Guard Crush, etc.), her ability to punish whiffs with Far Standing MP and Crouching MP, and the damage potential she has when she has meter (even at Level 1). Her weaknesses are her low stamina and her inability to cause any decent damage when far away (characters who outrange her such as Vega pretty much kill her for free) --Battle Strategies-- OFFENSE Your main goal with Chun Li is to get up close. From there you have enough tools to trick your opponent into making a mistake and giving out an opening. c.LP is your best tool in this situation. Because it’s such a fast move it will score a lot of counterhits. If they don’t press any buttons and just keep blocking they’ll eventually get guard crushed. c.LP, c.LP, c.MP xx Kick Super is your main combo with meter. c.LP, close s.HP x Kikouken is your main comb without meter. Counterhit c.LP, far s. MP xx Kick Super if c.LP hits as counterhit. Poke the hell out of your opponent with c.LP, c.MP & far s.MP (and j.LK depending on who you’re fighting against). Mix it up with throws too. DEFENSE Kikouken, Hyakuretsu Kyaku, and Kikousho work very well here. The EX version of Kikouken is very good in terms of its speed, as it moves rather slowly. You can change in the Aggressive Style from there if you feel the need to. If your opponent gets too close, use Souren Shou and Hakkei to push them back some. Get trapped in a corner? Use Tenshin Shuu Kyaku to get out of the corner. Don't rely on Chun-Li's defense to get you through this fight, as she doesn't have very much vitality compared to the rest of the fighters. If you’re trapped in a tight spot, c.LP, RC Lightning Legs, Alpha Counter, or a well timed roll will get you out of it. Learning to keep pressure and to zone your opponent is Chun Li’s best defensive tool. --Matchups-- -Vs Akuma- Chun-Li will have to resort to lots of Hazan Shus and jumping around to avoid Akuma's Gou Hadokens and Tatsumaki Zanku Kyakus to survive. You'll want to bust out some Kikoukens and Kikou-Shos from time to time during Akuma's outrages of TatsumakI Zanku Kyakus and Messatsu Gou Shoryu, just to calm him down some. Spinning Bird Kick is not that useful in this fight, and Hyakuretsu Kyaku/Hoyoku-Sen won't help very much due to Akuma's Gou Shoryuken and Ashura Senku. Don't worry too much about Shungokusatsu, unless you don't attack very often or jump very much. Use Kikou-Sho for chip damage at the very least, or Hoyoku-Sen to push Akuma back when he least expects it. -Vs. Athena- This can be rather interesting, but it favors Chun-Li, 65-35. While Athena does have Psycho Ball and Psycho Sword, both are easily avoidable, and none of Athena's other attacks have enough umph to them to really pose a threat to Chun-Li. However, make a note to yourself to not let Athena get too far away from Chun-Li, as in when Athena uses Psychic Teleport, FOLLOW HER! If not, then you'll have to dodge and weave through a lot of Psycho Balls and whatnot. The biggest threat to Chun-Li here will be Phoenix Arrow and Phoenix Fang Arrow, but as long as you don't jump around too much at an airborne Athena, you'll be fine. Block low, then counter with Hyakuretsu Kyaku/Hoyoku-Sen or Kikou-Sho. -Vs. Balrog- Favors Chun-Li 70-30. As long as you put the pressure on Balrog and don't let Balrog pressure you or counterattack you too much, Chun-Li should do just fine. Utilize Kikouken and Spinning Bird Kick here, along with Hazan Shu, to annoy Balrog. If you really want to punish him, try blocking his attacks, then countering with Hyakuretsu Kyaku/ Hoyoku-Sen or Kikou-Sho. Not a tough fight at all. -Vs. Benimaru- This fight can get really nasty, really quick. Chun-Li's speed and power is equally matched by Benimaru's powerful, quick attacks. You can't really jump at Benimaru due to Lightning Fist and Super Lightning Kick, and you can't really expect to rush at him either due to Lightning Fist and Iaido Kick. If you do somehow manage to get in close, then you'll have to worry about Benimaru's Collider Crunch and Blec-Trigger. Your best bet here is to back up and bait Benimaru into coming to you. Use Kikoukens to get him to jump at you, then try to counter with Hazan Shu or Spinning Bird Kick. Kikou-Sho works well here too, unless your opponent has Air Guard. While doing this, make sure to watch for Discharge Spark and BLOCK it! You'll take some chip damage, but it's better than trying to counter it (unless you use Kikou-Sho to do so). Use Hyakuretsu Kyaku/Hoyoku-Sen if you manage to get Benimaru in a corner, and just use regular attacks from there and block to try and beat Benimaru. -Vs. Blanka- Can go either way, but since Chun-Li has a projectile at least, she has somewhat of a slight advantage over Blanka. Use Kikouken when Blanka uses Electric Thunder, and for everything else, Hyakuretsu Kyaku works just fine. Watch for Direct Lightning, as Hyakuretsu Kyaku won't stop it (Kikou-Sho will though). The rest is pretty simple. -Vs. Cammy- Can go either way. Cammy's speed will be a problem, even with Chun-Li's speed. You'll want to use Roll a bit more in this fight to avoid all of Cammy's moves, and try to counter with either Hyakuretsu Kyaku/Hoyoku-Sen, Spinning Bird Kick, or Kikouken/Kikou-Sho. Try to corner Cammy and use repeated Hyakuretsu Kyakus and regular attacks, but make sure that Cammy doesn't pressure Chun-Li. -Vs. Chang- Chun-Li can bust Chang down pretty easily using Hyakuretsu Kyaku and Hoyoku-Sen. Kikoken is also a great way to fight Chang, especially if you don't want to get in close to fight him. Use Kikou-Sho as your Super Special of choice, since even if Chang blocks it, it still deals a ton of chip damage, which can be the difference between victory and defeat. Parry as many attacks that Chang throws at you and counter using Hyakuretsu Kyaku! -Vs. Chun-Li- Fight Chun-Li as if she's a mirror of you. -Vs. Dan- For Dan, save Kikouken for times that he tries to use Dankyaku or Kouryurekka, and use Hyakuretsu Kyaku for when he goes to use Hissyo Buriaken or any of his taunts. This fight really isn't nothing for Chun-Li, as you can easily beat Dan using regular attacks alone. -Vs. Dhalsim- Here, try to fight Dhalsim using a combination of Jumping SK, Standing SP, Souren Sho, and Hyakuretsu Kyaku. Kikoken works well here when you're far away from Dhalsim. Up close, use Kikou-Sho as your Super Special of choice. Other than that, this fight is a piece of cake. -Vs. Eagle- Eagle's not tough at all for Chun-Li to beat. Kikoken is good enough to fight Eagle when you're not up close, but beware of the Kikoken coming back at you. Spinning Bird Kick is a great way to counter some of Eagle's jumping attacks, and Hyakurestu Kyaku works well for the majority of Eagle's attacks (save for his Super Specials). For the times that Eagle goes berserk on you, use Kiko-Sho to blast him away. Hoyoukosen is nice, but shouldn't really be needed unless you're pressuring Eagle, and even then Kiko-Sho takes priority over it. Not too tough of a fight for Chun-Li. -Vs. E.Honda- Honda shouldn't be that much of a challenge for Chun-Li. Kikoken stops his Sumo Headbutt and Hundred Hand Slap dead, and Spinning Bird Kick should be more than enough to stop Sumo Smash. The only thing to really watch for are Honda's Ooichou Nage and Orochi Kudaki, and that's only if you're real close to him (which most of the time you'll most likely be with Chun-Li). Still, this fight should be a walk in the park to win. Kiko-Sho will be your key weapon to bringing down Honda. -Vs. Evil Ryu- This fight can be tough as usual, but Chun-Li stands more of a chance against Evil Ryu than most fighters. Kikoken whenever Ryu uses Ashura Senku or Hadoken, and use Hyakuretsu Kyaku for the times that Ryu uses Ashura Senku to get pass your Kikoken. Kikosho will prove valuable as long as Ryu doesn't use Ashura Senku to escape at the last moment. Hoyoukusen is great for whenever you pressure Evil Ryu, but the problem with using that attack is that Evil Ryu can easily counter with Ashura Senku and use Shungokusatsu or Metsu Hadoken. So, just stick to using Kikosho as your weapon of choice. Spinning Bird Kick is useful only if Evil Ryu tries to jump at Chun-Li. C-Groove or S-Groove may be the best Groove to use with Chun-Li here. -Vs. Geese- Geese is tough for even the best fighters no matter what you do. Here, try to use Kikoken to counter Geese's Wind Slice, but make sure to jump over his Double Wind Slice and be prepared to block any incoming Gaia Slashes or Raising Storms. Deadly Rave is nothing to Kiko-Sho or Hoyoukosens, so don't worry about that attack. Be wary of Geese's Body Blow counters, and just pressure him with Hazan Shus, Heel Stomps, and Hyakuretsu Kyaku, and use Kiko-Sho as your finishing attack. C-Groove or K-Groove may be best here. -Vs. Guile- This fight just takes a while to finish, that's all. Kikoken Guile into submission, and if he tries to come after you, use Hazan Shu or Kikosho to punish him. Hyakuretsu Kyaku is a nice way to deal damage, but it's too easily countered by Sonic Boom and Somersault Kick. Stick to the basic old beat-down tactics to win this fight. Not hard at all. -Vs. Haohmaru- Haohmaru's pretty rough for Chun-Li, especially if he combos his Standing SP into his Flame of the Conqueror or Supreme Slash of Judgement. His Secret Earthquake Slice and Secret Crescent Moon Slash are also a nuisance to Chun-Li in this fight. You'll want to try and bait him into coming into you (though he plays rough that way) and fight him using regular attacks combined with Hyakuretsu Kyakus, Heel Stomps, and Hazan Shus. Use Kikoken as your finisher to deal chip damage at the very least, and be prepared to use Roll or Parry a lot in this fight. C or S-Groove works best here. -Vs. Hibiki- Hibiki's pretty easy to beat. Kikoken works well for times that you aren't near Hibiki, while up close, just stick with normal attacks and the good old Hyakuretsu Kyaku and Kiko-Sho. Nothing to this fight at all really. -Vs. Iori- Iori's a little rough, but not that much compared to other fighters. You can stomp through his Dark Thrust using Hazan Shu and his Fire Ball using Hyakuretsu Kyaku or Kikoken. Deadly Flower and Maiden Masher both fall victim to Kikosho and Kikoken. This fight is really pretty simple. -Vs. Joe- Joe's pretty rough for Chun-Li to beat. You'll have to definently avoid using Hazan Shu and Hyakuretsu Kyaku in this fight, since Joe can counter both of those with ease. Spinning Bird Kick is also a bad idea, so avoid all three at all costs. Kikosho wrecks havoc against Joe, but Joe's Screw Upper eats through that like it's nothing. You'll want to try and force Joe to come to you, then attack him using Hyakuretsu Kyaku or Spinning Bird Kick. Kikosho will be your best bet to combatting him, since you'll probably wound up being counterattacked if you attempt to use Hoyoukosen. -Vs. Ken- A classic fight, and not that tough really if you learn to Parry and watch Ken's moves. Kikoken doesn't really help much here unless Ken slips up, and Hyakuretsu Kyaku is only good if you can keep Ken in a corner. Hazan Shu is a nice way to counter Hadoken and Tatsumaki Senpukyaku, so use that often. For Ken's Super Specials, counter using Kikosho, since he'll more than likely run into the attack. Hoyoukosen isn't needed here. Nothing hard. -Vs. Kim- Kim isn't that tough either. Kikoken stops a majority of his attacks, save for Climbing Kick, which can be halted using Kikosho or Spinning Bird Kick. As for Kim's Super Specials, tack on an immediate Kikosho or Hoyoukosen to hammer at Kim. You'll want to be on the offensive the most in this fight, to make sure that Kim doesn't get a chance to attack (though you'll have to watch for his counters, since he's good at that). Any Groove works well here. -Vs. King- King can be a pain, especially with her Double Strike and Surprise Rose. Your best bet here is to still go after her, but utilize the hell out of Parry and Roll Cancels (depending on which Groove your in). C, S, and K Groove work well here, but A Groove is probably the best for Chun-Li in this fight. Tack on a Custom Combo while doing multiple Standing MK and Crouching MK, while tacking on Hyakuretsu Kyakus at the same time, makes for a devastating combination. Roll is good here in that the majority of King's attacks (save for Double Strike) you can bypass and Roll Cancel into a Hyakuretsu Kyaku or better yet, Kikosho or Hoyoukosen. Not a tough fight by any means though. -Vs. Kyo- Kyo's a piece of cake to bust down. Kikoken takes care of basically all of his attacks save for Final Showdown and Serpent Wave, which you can Roll through and either Roll Cancel or just go into a Kikosho or Hoyoukosen. When up close, be wary of his Wicked Chew combo, and try to Parry the very first hit of the combo and counter using Hyakuretsu Kyaku. Nothing tough at all. -Vs. Kyosuke- Kyosuke can be a menace to Chun-Li, as with everyone else. Try to make Kyosuke come to you as normal, but instead of doing what you would normally do (play defensively), once you're cornered by Kyosuke, immediately rush him down with regular attacks combined with Hazan Shus and Heel Stomps. Parry helps a lot in this fight as well as Roll, so utilize both of them well. You can opt to use Hoyoukosen in place of Kikosho if you see that Kyosuke slips up with a Shadow Out Kick or you Roll or Parry one of his attacks. Nothing to this fight at all. -Vs. Mai- This is one of those "dream" fights for people who've wanted a game like this: to have the two biggest females from Capcom and SNK duke it out. Well, now they get what they want, and this fight can prove to be a very dangerous one for both fighters. Deadly Ninja Bees and Super Deadly Ninja Bees can easily be averted with a Kikoken or Hyakuretsu Kyaku, and Flying Squirrel and Crimson Firebird Diver fall victim to Kikosho. As for Ryu En Bu, there's not much Chun-Li can do against it except Parry and counter using Hyakuretsu Kyaku or a Super Special. Kacho San is nothing to worry about, since you can easily avoid it. However, do note that Mai is much faster than Chun-Li and can tack on a lot more hits as well. Therefore, it's best to not let Mai pressure Chun-Li very often, or even corner her. -Vs. Maki- Maki's almost as bad as Mai....almost. Her speed is just as great as Mai's, but she doesn't have nearly as much attacks that can annoy Chun-Li. Your biggest threat are the many different combinations that Maki can do off of Hayakage move. However, you can easily stop that attack using Hazan Shu or Kikosho, so don't let it bother you too much. As for the rest of Maki's attacks, try using Kikoken to make her Roll or Jump over them, then counter using a Jumping MK to Hyakuretsu Kyaku or Heel Stomp. Save Hoyoukosen for times that Maki goes to use Hayakage, and use Kikoken or Kikosho to combat Maki's Super Specials. Nothing to this fight at all. -Vs. M.Bison- Bison's more annoying than anything else. Psycho Crusher is easily stopped by a Kikoken, and Mega Psycho Crusher can be stopped with a Kikosho. Therefore, save your Super Meter just for the times that you see Mega Psycho Crusher. The rest of Bison's attacks can be halted with by either Hazan Shu or Hyakuretsu Kyaku, so no worries there. The thing that you'll want to keep in mind is whenever Bison teleports, chase him down and try to keep him cornered. Go with a Crouching SK at those times, since he doesn't neccesarily have enough time to block them. Nothing really to this fight either. -Vs. Morrigan- Fight Morrigan simply as though you're fighting Akuma. Nothing to this fight really. You can simply counter Soul Fist with Kikoken and Shadow Break with Kikosho or Roll and cancel into a Hoyoukosen or Hyakuretsu Kyaku. For Valkyrie Turn and Darkness Illusion, Kikosho is your best bet, or you can use Hazan Shu to counter. Nothing really hard here. -Vs. Nakoruru- Nakoruru's pretty hard to beat, even with Chun-Li. Kikoken is easily dodge by Nakoruru's Annu Mutsube, while Anuba Yatoro can easily smash through Hyakuretsu Kyaku and all of Chun-Li's other attacks. Your best bet is to try and smash through Nakoruru using Hazan Shu to counter Annu Mutsube, and use Kikoken to combat Kamui Risse and Lela Mutsube. Hyakuretsu Kyaku isn't really needed in this fight, unless you somehow manage to corner Nakoruru. Use Kikosho as your weapon of choice when it comes to Super Specials. However, when it comes to using Kikosho, make sure that it hits; otherwise, Nakoruru may just counter using Shichikapu Kamui Irushika. Use C-Groove for this fight. -Vs. Orochi Iori- Fight Orochi Iori as you would Iori. -Vs. Raiden- For Raiden, try using Hyakuretsu Kyaku to avoid him grabbing you, but make sure to use it ONLY if you're close to Raiden, or you can end up with a Poison Spray or Flame Breath in your face. Kikoken is a great way to fight long-distance, but don't rely on it too much. Try to corner Raiden, but don't stay TOO close to him, since you don't want to end up on the receiving end of a Thunder Crash Bomb or Destruction Drop. C-Groove should suffice here, as this isn't that tough of a fight. -Vs. Rolento- As always, Rolento is just more annoying than hard. Kikoken works decently here, but try to stick to Hazan Shus and Hyakuretsu Kyakus (especially if you manage to get Rolento in a corner and keep him there for a little while). Rolento's attacks can be countered rather easily, but I'd suggest a Groove that supplies Roll in it more than a Groove with Parry, since you can easily counterattack after Rolling through one of Rolento's attacks. Kikosho is probably the better choice yet again, but you'll want to throw out a Hoyoukosen from time to time, especially whenever you Roll through one of Rolento's attacks. Nothing hard here. -Vs. Rock- Rock's really not that hard for Chun-Li to beat. For his Hard Edge and Shining Knuckle, you can easily use Kikoken or Kikosho to counter, and for his Cyclone Sock and Double Gust Punch, just Roll or Parry them, then counter using Hyakuretsu Kyaku or Hoyoukosen, or Jump over it, go into a MK to Heel Stomp, then when you touch ground, go into a Hyakuretsu Kyaku to Kikosho if possible. Rising Tackle may prove to break that chain, but don't worry about it too much. Hazan Shu is only useful if you use it against Rock's Run attacks. For Raising a Storm, just block it and counter using either Super Special. Nothing to this fight. -Vs. Rugal- Rugal can be hard, but only if you're not used to fighting him. Don't bother too much with Kikoken, since Rugal can reflect it back at you, and instead just rush him down. Watch for Genocide and Destroyer Cutter (jumping isn't that good of an idea in this fight, especially if you don't have Air Guard or Parry), and be prepared to block Kaiser Wave. God Press and Gigantic Pressure shouldn't be much of a threat if you use Kikosho or Kikoken to counter, or Roll and Roll Cancel into a Hyakuretsu Kyaku or Hoyoukosen. For Dark Smash, simply Parry or Roll, then counter with whatever you feel like punishing Rugal with. C-Groove is good, but N-Groove works well with Chun-Li here too. -Vs. Ryo- Ryo can prove to be a bit of a pain for Chun-Li, especially if you're not used to doing Roll Cancels or Parrys. Tiger Flame Punch becomes a big nuisance in this fight, so you'll want to try and avoid it. However, if you can, try to make it so that you force Ryo to come after you. This way, you don't run the chance of jumping or Rolling right into a Koho or, worse yet, Haoh Sho Koh Ken or Heaven Blaze Punch. Lightning Legs Knockout Kick can occur surprisingly fast, so be ready to Roll and counter using Kikoken or Kikosho, and as for Zan Retsu Kan, just stay out of reach and use Kikoken to get Ryo. C-Groove is perfect for this fight. -Vs. Ryu- Yet another classic fight. Ryu's pretty predictable: Stay away, fire Hadoken, counter with Shoryuken, or rush down with Crouching SK, Standing SP, Tatsumaki Senpukyaku and Shoryuken, and use Shin Shoryuken or Shinku Tatsumaki Senpukyaku. You can easily Roll through the majority of Ryu's attacks and counter using basically any attacks, but make sure that you don't Roll right into a Shoryuken or Shin Shoryuken. For Hadokens, just Parry them, and as for Shakunetsu Hadokens, Parry ONLY if you're good at it (takes about 3 Parries in a row to stop it). If not, then jump over them and try to go for a Heel Stomp or block and counter. The rest of Ryu's attacks can be stopped using Kikoken and Kikosho. Nothing too hard here at all. C-Groove is perfect for this fight. -Vs. Sagat- Sagat's annoying. That's all there is to him. You can easily Roll through his Tiger Shots, or Parry them. If you attempt to Roll, be prepared for a Tiger Uppercut or Tiger Knee. For Sagat's Super Specials, blast him away with a Kikosho. Nothing really to this fight, but if you're not in close, you'll more than likely have to put up with Sagat's annoying poke abilities. -Vs. Sakura- Sakura's not that tough to beat. Kikoken stops basically everything save for Shinku Hadoken and Flower Kick, and Hazan Shu works well for countering Shinku Hadoken (if timed right), and Hyakuretsu Kyaku works decently against Flower Kick. You can pretty much shut Sakura down by keeping her in a corner and using Hyakuretsu Kyaku with Kikoken, Heel Stomp, Hazan Shu, and a combination of Souren Sho, Standing LK, Standing SP, and Crouching SK. Nothing hard at all...yet. -Vs. Shin Akuma- This fight will just take a little bit of patience. Try using C-Groove for this one, and save your Super Meters for Kikosho (for the times that Shin Akuma uses Ashura Senku). For the rest of Shin Akuma's attacks, just Parry or Roll, and be ready to block a Tatsumaki Zanku Kyaku or Gou Shoryuken, then counter with Hyakuretsu Kyaku or a Super Special. Be wary of Misogi, as you can never tell when exactly it'll come, and it's really hard to block if you're in the middle of an attack... you'll need a lot of patience, and you'll probably more than likely die a lot against the CPU, but like they say, practice makes perfect. -Vs. Terry- Chun-Li can actually stand up to Terry without that much problem. Kikoken stomps Burning Knuckle and Crack Shoot, along with Buster Wolf. For Power Wave, just Parry it or Roll and Roll Cancel into a Hoyoukosen if you're close enough. Power Geyser is about as dangerous as you'll get in this fight, and you can easily Parry it or block it. Rising Tackle is a joke as long as you block it and counter using Spinning Bird Kick or Hyakuretsu Kyaku (Kikosho is the ultimate answer to this attack). C-Groove fits perfectly here. -Vs. Todo- There's not much that Todo can do to stop Chun-Li. As long as you Parry or Roll through his Ecstasy Crunches, then you have it made. In fact, there's not much reason to give a strategy to beat him; just bust him down with whatever you feel like using. -Vs. Ultimate Rugal- As with Shin Akuma, this fight takes patience to win. The worst attack that you'll have to worry about is Rugal Execution, but as long as you keep Hyakuretsu Kyaku and Kikoken ready, you can easily smash through that attack. As for Ultimate Lane, do as what you would with Shin Akuma; wait until Ultimate Rugal comes close to coming out of his teleportation, then slam a Kikosho in his face. The rest should be fairly easy to go with, since he fights just like regular Rugal. -Vs. Vega- Vega's annoying speed is easily hampered by Chun-Li's Spinning Bird Kick, Hazan Shu, Kikoken, and Hyakuretsu Kyaku. The only thing that you need to be careful of is fighting Vega in close. Scarlet Terror is the worse that you can take, and Chun-Li doesn't take that very well either, so try to avoid it whenever possible. If you knock Vega's mask and claw off, try to keep him from getting them back by pressuring him to a corner or moving the screen away to where Vega can't get them back unless you move with him. That way, you can decrease his poking abilities and weaken his defenses. Nothing really to this fight. -Vs. Vice- Vice is a push-over with Chun-Li. You can easily slam her down using Kikoken as a counter to Rave Fest and Outrage, and Hyakuretsu Kyaku pretty much shuts down her Nail Bomb and Withering Force. You'll still have to be careful of her Da Cide and Mayhem attacks, as those can easily bypass Kikoken and Hyakuretsu Kyaku easily. Try to get in close and hammer away using Hyakuretsu Kyaku and Hoyoukosens, while at the same time busting out some Heel Stomps and Souren Shos from time to time. C-Groove is perfect here. -Vs. Yamazaki- Yamazaki can be a pain with his Serpent Slashes, especially if you can't get to use your Heel Stomps or Hazan Shus against his otherwise easy-to-avoid moveset. Kikoken and Hoyoukosen takes care of that problem easily. Save Kikosho for times that Yamazaki tries to use one of his Super Specials. There's nothing really to this fight, so just hammer away using regular attacks and the good ol' Hyakuretsu Kyaku to win this fight outright. -Vs. Yun- Yun can be a little pain, especially whenever he abuses his Jumping Down-Forward + K move. You can easily destroy the majority of Yun's attacks simply by Kikoken and Hyakuretsu Kyaku alone, so don't bother using really any of Chun-Li's other attacks aside from Spinning Bird Kick and her Super Specials against Yun. C-Groove works just fine here, but N-Groove also does the job well too. -Vs. Yuri- Yuri's inconsistent attacks will keep you on your toes at all times. Don't rely on any one move in this fight, since Yuri can easily counter them with any of her attacks. Use this chart to help you know which attacks are counterable by which of Yuri's attacks: Kikoken: Rai Oh Ken, Haoh Sho Koh Ken Hyakuretsu Kyaku: Tiger Flame Punch, Rai Oh Ken, Haoh Sho Koh Ken, Scalding Steam Blast Hazan Shu: Yuri's Super Upper, Scalding Steam Blast, Saiha Spinning Bird Kick: Yuri's Super Upper, Tiger Flame Punch, Rai Oh Ken, Haoh Sho Koh Ken, Scalding Steam Blast, Saiha Kikosho: Haoh Sho Koh Ken Hoyoukosen: Tiger Flame Punch, Rai Oh Ken, Saiha, Haoh Sho Koh Ken, Yuri Super Upper (possibly), Flying Phoenix Kick (possibly) As you can tell, Tiger Flame Punch, Rai Oh Ken, and Haoh Sho Koh Ken are the most dangerous attacks in Yuri's arsenal. Your best bet is to ignore Chun-Li's specials and save her Super Specials for times that Yuri messes up and misses with an attack or one of her attacks is blocked or Parried by you (Kikosho is the best one to use at this time). N-Groove will be your best friend here as well, but C-Groove works just as well. -Vs. Zangief- Zangief isn't too much of a problem here. You can easily smash through the majority of his attacks using just Kikoken and Hyakuretsu Kyaku, but Zangief can easily break through Kikoken using Banishing Punch. You'll want to try and get in close to hammer on some regular attacks, then back out and throw Kikokens to avoid being hammered by a Spinning Pile Driver or Final Atomic Buster. Stay away from Spinning Bird Kick, Hazan Shu, and Hyakuretsu Kyaku, since if they get blocked, Zangief can easily counter with one of his powerful grapple moves. Hoyoukosen should also be avoided unless you are sure that it'll connect. Save Kikosho as your finisher of choice, and use it regardless whether or not Zangief is blocking. C-Groove is probably the best Groove to go with here. ------------------------------------------------------------ VI. Dan Hibiki [CAP06] -Introduction- The parody of Ryo from King of Fighters and the most underrated fighter in the Street Fighter series returns yet again. And this time, he puts up a bit more of a fight compared to back then in Alpha 3... -Movelist- -Specials- Gadoken...........................................QCF + P Kouryuken.......................................DPF + P Dankyaku (air).................................QCB + K Forward Taunt.................................QCF + Taunt Back Taunt.......................................QCB + Taunt Aerial Taunt (AIR)..........................Taunt -Super Specials- Shinku Gadoken................................QCFx2 + P Kouryurekka......................................QCFx2, D, D-F + K Hissyo Buraiken................................QCBx2 + K Chohatsu Densetsu..........................QCFx2 + Taunt (Level 1 or higher guage required. Consumes all of guage) -Movelist Breakdown- --Normal Attacks-- -STANDING- LP (Palm Jab) -The basic LP move. Quick and is good for combo starters, but has little to no reach and does little damage. MP (Low Punch) -Not as quick as the LP, but has a bit more of reach. Only really good for combo starters. SP (Karate Chop) -Slow startup and a little slow recovery time makes this move not really worth using. The range on this move isn't that impressive either. Best to ignore it all together. LK (Knee) -A classic attack from most fighters. Comes out very quick and can be chained together for a string of perhaps 3 attacks max. Good to combo into other attacks from the first hit or possibly the second hit. MK (High Foot Kick) -Dan kicks the opponent in the jaw basically with this move. The range is a bit better than the LK, but the startup is a lot slower and the recovery time isn't nearly that good. HK (Head Foot Kick) -Dan kicks the opponent in the head. Nuff said. Nothing special about this move, but it may be possible to use it as an Anti-Air attack. -CROUCHING- LP (Quick Jab) -The basic LP move. Quick and is good for combo starters, but has little to no reach and does little damage. MP (Punch) -A simple punch. What more is there to say? Actually, this move is pretty much like the Standing MP. Nothing special about it at all. SP (Uppercut) -This is a great Anti-Air move to use, but aside from that, there's not much use for it. LK (Foot Kick) -Comes out very quickly, but has very limited range and does little damage. Great to combo into a Dankyaku or Shinku Gadoken. MK (Slow Foot Kick) -Even worse than the LK. Don't bother with this move at all, since there are far better attacks to use than it. SK (Sweep) -This is a classic move by itself. Trips the opponent if it connects, and has better range than the LK and MK. -JUMPING- LP (Diagonal Punch) -Dan punches diagonally down at the opponent. Nothing special about this attack other than it comes out very fast, but does little damage. MP (Slow Diagonal Punch) -Not really worth using, since it's much slower than the LP version. However, it may be useful if you want to have the attack last the whole way down. SP (Chop) -Dan does a karate chop. Comes out very fast and does pretty decent damage, but only good if you can hit the opponent with it. The range is pretty lousy, so most other attacks can easily destroy it. LK (Back Kick) -Dan kicks the opponent with the back of his foot. Nothing special about this move at all. MK (Aerial Kick) -The classic "Flying Karate Kick". Nothing special about it other than that it's useful against some aerial attacks. SK (Strong Aerial Kick) -The only difference from this and the MK version is that this does more damage. That's all. --Throws-- F or B + SP (Shoulder Throw to High Taunt) -Dan grabs the opponent and throws them over his shoulder, then taunts them. Classic. F or B + SK (Shoulder Throw to Low Taunt) -Dan grabs the opponent and throws them over his shoulder, then taunts them again. --Special Moves-- --Gadoken-- STRONG VS. Rush attacks Close attacks Air attacks Other attacks NO EFFECT VS. Projectile attacks Teleport moves WEAK VS. None.... -Dan's pitiful projectile attack. It doesn't go but a foot in front of Dan, then disapates. However, this is good, since opponent's can't quickly jump over it when they go to use a Rush attack (like Geese's Evil Illusion Slam). Nice to combo into a Dankyaku or Shinku Gadoken, if you can pull it off fast enough. --Kouryuken-- STRONG VS. Air attacks (save for Zanku Hadoken and Tenma Gou Zanku) Rush attacks Other attacks NO EFFECT VS. Teleport moves WEAK VS. Projectile attacks -Dan's pitiful Shoryuken attack, which doesn't go but a foot in front of him, and has virtually no vertical range at all. Still, it's good for Anti-Air purposes, and great for hitting Rushing opponents with when they get close to Dan. --Dankyaku-- STRONG VS. Rush attacks Other attacks Air attacks NO EFFECT VS. Teleport moves WEAK VS. Projectile attacks Anti-Air attacks -Dan's version of Tatsumaki is actually pretty good. You can use the LK version to hit once, the MK version to hit twice, or the SK version to hit 3 times. It also helps to use it in the air when Dan gets cornered, since it moves him clear across the screen if you use the SK version of it. --Forward Taunt/Backward Taunt/Aerial Taunt-- STRONG VS. Nothing! NO EFFECT VS. Nothing! WEAK VS. EVERYTHING!! -Dan's big specialty will only get you in trouble in here, since boosts your opponent's Special Guage like a madman. Only use these when you feel confident about winning, or to really make your opponent mad after you hit them with a Gadoken! --Super Special Moves-- --Shinku Gadoken-- STRONG VS. Rush attacks Other attacks Close attacks WEAK VS. Air attacks -Dan's Super Special form of Gadoken. Not bad, as it has more range than Gadoken, and does a crapload of damage for it being Dan. However, it pretty much gives itself away, so use it when the opponent is in the middle of an attack. --Kouryurekka-- STRONG VS. Air attacks (save for Zanku Hadoken and Tenma Gou Zanku) Rush attacks Close attacks Other attacks WEAK VS. Projectile attacks -Dan's version of Shoryureppa, but it doesn't go very far. It hits up to 5 times max, but does a decent amount of damage (still not as much as his Shinku Hadoken or his Hissyo Buraiken). Decent, but stick to Shinku Gadoken if the opponent tries to rush at you. --Hissyo Buraiken-- STRONG VS. Close attacks Rush attacks WEAK VS. Everything else... -Dan goes on a rampage and just starts attacking left and right, then finishes with a Kouryuken. Does a lot of damage, but you have to be pretty close in order for it to hit fully, and it has pretty slow startup, which means you'll probably have to stun the opponent in order to actually get this move to work properly. --Chohatsu Densetsu-- STRONG VS. NOTHING! WEAK VS. EVERYTHING! -The ultimate taunt! It takes at least 1 Super Meter to use it, and when you do use it, Dan goes into a frenzy of Taunts! It also fills up the opponent's Super Meter fully! Great to use right before you kill the opponent and the opponent is stunned! --Strengths & Weaknesses-- Dan has always been the joke character of the Street Fighter series, and was made originally to poke fun at the SNK fighters (mostly Ryo and Robert). And because of that, Dan has....well....a pitiful set of attacks that makes anyone laugh at him. And his taunts are just too much.... But enough of that, what really makes Dan worth coming back again and again in fighting games aside from his comic relief? Well, to put it bluntly.....he IS a pretty damn good fighter, when used properly. He's great as a rush character, but he's just as deadly as a mind-game fighter. However, even though he's great for tricking the opponent with his attacks, he suffers from low....everything. His attacks aren't that strong until you use his Super Specials, and his defense is pitiful. However, he has the best Stun recovery in the game (along with Geese), making it really hard to keep him down, and he seems to be really good at Stunning the opponent very quickly. --Battle Strategies-- OFFENSE Here, try to rush the opponent with Dankyaku, then combo into a Kouryuken. Or, simply throw out a Gadoken at the end of a Standing SP to Crouching SK combo. You basically want to hit the opponent hard and heavy with regular attacks, and combo in Gadokens and Dankyakus with Hissyo Buraikens and Shinku Gadokens. DEFENSE Here, Gadoken and Kouryuken are your way of fighting back. Try to actually get Dan backed in a corner so that these attacks will be of more use to you. Use Dankyaku in the air to escape if things to wrong, and continue the process. Use Shinku Gadoken and Kouryurekka as your Super Specials of choice to fight back as well. --Matchups-- -Vs Akuma- Here, you'll have to focus on being offensive with Dan in order to really stand a chance against Akuma. Using Parry is a great idea to bypass the majority of Akuma's attacks (but only if you are good at Parrying). Otherwise, stick to blocking and countering most of Akuma's attacks. Try to bust out a Custom Combo on Akuma and really show him the Saikyo-Style by pummeling him with relentless regular attacks and ending with lots of Dankyakus. Save Gadoken for times that Akuma tries to use Tatsumaki Zanku Kyaku or Messatsu Gou Shoryu. For Shungokusatsu, just smash him with a Shinku Gadoken. As for Tenma Gou Zanku and Messatsu Gou Hado, just Roll through them and try to hit Akuma with a Kouryurekka or Hissyo Buraiken if possible. -Vs. Athena- For Athena, you don't have to worry about New Psycho Reflector, since Gadoken will never make it that far. Psycho Ball isn't too much of a threat to good old Dan, and you can easily avoid Psycho Sword by staying just a tad out of range and throwing a Gadoken for Athena to land on. Dankyaku is good if you find yourself cornered, but Athena can easily catch up to you using Psychic Teleport. Try to pummel Athena using the standard Offensive tactics (see Offensive section), and save your Super Special for Shinku Gadoken only, as Kouryurekka and Hissyo Buraiken are too easily counterable with Athena. -Vs. Balrog- For Balrog, Gadoken is the way to go! Whenever Balrog doesn't use one of his Special attacks, go with a Kouryuken (if he jumps) or Dankyaku. Save Shinku Gadoken for the times that Balrog tries to use a Super Special. Other than that, a very easy fight. A-Groove is the way to go, but C and S-Groove work just as well. -Vs. Benimaru- For Benimaru, you'll want to try and get him to come to you. Gadoken is only useful against Discharge Spark, and Kouryuken is only useful against Super Lightning Kick. Dankyaku is just a bad idea, since Benimaru can easily counter it with one of his many attacks. Back Dan up into a corner, then use Rolls to get close to Benimaru and try to hammer away at him using regular attacks combined with Dankyakus. Save Shinku Gadoken for Discharge Spark! Don't stay too close to Benimaru either, since you don't want a Blec-Trigger in Dan's face! A-Groove is recommended here! -Vs. Blanka- Blanka's a piece of cake to beat. Gadoken stops all of his attacks, and Shnku Gadoken stops Blanka's Super Specials dead cold. Don't get too close to avoid Electric Thunder! A very easy fight to win! -Vs. Cammy- Cammy's a bit tough, but not that much. Gadoken and Kouryuken both stop all of Cammy's attacks cold, and Hissyo Buraiken is just a dead-brain answer to a blocked Cannon Spike or Super Special. Nothing to this fight at all. Go with the standard Offensive tactics to win this fight. -Vs. Chang- You can't really get in close to Chang, but you have to in order to deal any damage. Avoid trying to play defensively here, as Chang can really destroy Dan. Get in close with Rolls and use regular attacks in conjunction with Dankyakus to pester Chang. If you're using A-Groove, bust out a Custom Combo on Chang, then go at him! Nothing to this fight either. -Vs. Chun-Li- Chun-Li's rough. Dan can't really get in close without suffering a lot of damage in the process. Try to use the Defensive tactics to fight Chun-Li here. For Spinning Bird Kick and Hazan Shu, use Dankyaku, and for Hyakuretsu Kyaku and Hoyoukosen, use Gadoken or Shinku Gadoken. As for Kikoken, just Roll through it and cancel into a Hissyo Buraiken if you're close enough. For Kikosho, you'll have to block it, as Dan has nothing to counter it or stop it. -Vs. Dan- Fight Dan as if you're fighting yourself. Stick to the Offensive tactics to win this fight easily. -Vs. Dhalsim- Dhalsim is a little rough, but not that much. You just have to jump over the majority of his attacks and attack him with Jumping SK to Dankyaku. For Yoga Blast or Yoga Flame, block and then try to Roll at Dhalsim and hit him with a Kouryuken. For the rest of Dhalsim's attacks (particularly his Super Specials), just stay out of range and you'll be fine. A-Groove is spectacular here! -Vs. Eagle- You can smash Eagle pretty hard using just Gadoken alone. Shinku Gadoken and Kouryurekka are the answers to Eagle's powerful Super Specials. Pressure Eagle with Custom Combos, and try to finish it off with a Hissyo Buraiken if you get the chance! -Vs. E.Honda- Honda's a snap to beat! Gadoken stops Hyakuretsu Harite, Super Zutsuki, and Onimushu Chi, and Kouryuken stops Super Hyakkan Otoshi. However, if you decide to rush down on Honda, be careful to not stay TOO close to him. You don't want Dan to end up on the receiving end of an Ooichou Nage or Orochi Kudaki! A-Groove works well here too. -Vs. Evil Ryu- This is hardly fair to poor Dan. Use Gadoken to counter Ashura Senku, Tatsumaki Senpu Kyaku, and Messatsu Gou Shoryu. For Metsu Hadoken and Shinku Hadoken, just jump over them and attack Evil Ryu using Jumping SK to Dankyaku. As for Shungokusatsu, save Shinku Gadoken to blast in Evil Ryu's face. Crouching SK is always good to use for when Evil Ryu comes out of Ashura Senku. Don't bother with A-Groove here, and instead go with C or S-Groove. -Vs. Geese- Geese is really tough to beat with Dan. None of Dan's attacks can even hit Geese (save for Evil Illusion Slam and Deadly Rave, which are counterable by Gadoken, Kouryuken, Shinku Gadoken, or Kouryurekka). You'll have to get in close by using Roll and Parry, but be wary of Raising Storm! Dan CANNOT afford to take a single hit of that! Stick to regular attacks comboed with Dankyaku to fight Geese, and watch out for Geese's Body Blows. A-Groove is not recommended for this fight, so stick with C or S-Groove for this fight. -Vs. Guile- This fight is very dull. You'll want to make Guile come after Dan to avoid his Somersault Kick and Sonic Boom tricks. In fact, there's really no real strategy to this fight. A-Groove Dan wrecks havoc on Guile here. -Vs. Haohmaru- This fight can be gruesome for Dan. You'll want to avoid Haohmaru's Standing SP to Slash of Supreme Judgement or Flame of the Conqueror combo, since that can nearly kill Dan. For Secret Earthquake Slice, counter using Kouryuken, and for Secret Crescent Moon Slash, use Gadoken. Flame of the Conqueror should be Rolled through and countered using Hissyo Buraiken (if you're close enough to use it) or Shinku Gadoken. For Slash of Supreme Judgement, just Roll through it as well and counter with whatever you like. A-Groove is very nice here. -Vs. Hibiki- You'll have a tough time here, just because Dan can't use any of his Special attacks to hit Hibiki with. Gadoken is countered by Distance Slash, and Kouryuken is useless altogether. Dankyaku would be useful if Hibiki's Standing SP didn't counter it. You'll need to try and make Hibiki come to you, and then go at her with regular attacks and Shinku Gadoken. -Vs. Iori- Iori's not too tough for Dan to beat. You can easily counter his Deadly Flower and Maiden Masher using Gadoken and Shinku Gadoken, and his Dark Thrust can be easily avoided by a Parry, Roll, or Jump. For his Fire Ball, just stay out of reach and counter using Kouryuken, and for his "One-For-The-Road" Blast, just Roll through it and hit Iori with a Dankyaku. A-Groove is nice, but Iori can easily knock Dan out of his Custom Combo, so don't bother with it. C or S-Groove work just fine. -Vs. Joe- Be careful with Joe! Dan cannot counter his Hurricane Upper at all, and his Screw Upper and Double Cyclone Upper spell doom for Dan. You can easily counter the rest of Joe's attacks using Gadoken and Kouryuken respectively though, so nothing to worry about there, right? Well....the problem is, Joe's attacks come out REALLY quickly; therefore, you HAVE to time Gadoken just right in order to even hit Joe. Kouryuken works well, but not against TNT Punch. Save Shinku Gadoken for Exploding Hurricane Tiger Talon and for times that Joe misses with one of his attacks. A-Groove works fine with Dan here, but I'd suggest going with C-Groove, as Joe can easily knock Dan out of his Custom Combo. -Vs. Ken- For Ken, try Parrying his Hadokens, or Roll through them and Roll Cancel into a Dankyaku (careful with the timing though, since if you wait too long or are not close enough, Ken can simply counter with Shoryuken or Shinryuken). Kouryuken isn't all that useful here, so don't bother too much with it. Dankyaku helps for escaping corners, so keep that in mind, as you'll most likely see Dan in the corner if you're not experienced at playing offensively with him. Shinku Gadoken wrecks havoc on Ken's Super Specials (particularly Shoryureppa and Shippu Jinraikyaku), but for Shinryuken, if you block it, wait until Ken gets close to the ground and land a Hissyo Buraiken on him to really hit home. Aside from this, Ken isn't that tough of an opponent, as long as you can keep him from pressuring Dan. -Vs. Kim- Dan can handle Kim rather well. Gadoken is once again the bane in this fight; Kim's attacks just simply cannot get pass them, save for maybe Comet Cruncher, and Shinku Gadoken just kills Kim's life. Kouryuken is also a great way to punish Kim, but you'll have to time that a little more to make it effective in this fight. You'll want to block or Roll through Kim's Phoenix Flatterner and Heavenly Phoenix Kick, and counter using Hissyo Buraiken (if you manage to block it), or Kouryurekka (if you Roll through it). A-Groove is perfect for this fight, as long as you watch out for Sand Blaster while in Custom Combo mode. -Vs. King- Double Strike can be a pain, but thanks to SK Dankyaku, Dan doesn't have to worry about it that much. Gadoken and Kouryuken can stop King's attacks very well, but you'll need to get in close to take down King, as she can just simply fling Double Strikes at you all day, and counter you jumping at her with Trap Shot or a Super Special. Don't bother playing defensively, as it won't matter much to Dan since he will not get King to come to him. Go at King using Dankyaku first, and if that doesn't work, Hyper Jump over to King and use Jumping SK or Jumping MP, then combo into a Standing LP to Crouching LK to Shinku Gadoken or Kouryurekka. This fight shouldn't be hard aside from avoiding King's traps. -Vs. Kyo- Kyo isn't that hard at all, but can be a bit of a pain if you don't utilize Gadoken during Kyo's Wicked Chew combo. Kouryuken is only useful when Kyo uses R.E.D. Kick, Spinning Kick, or New Wave Smash. Dankyaku is very useful here once Kyo starts his combo, but don't use it any other time, since Kyo can counter it using Serpent Wave or Fire Ball. Save your Super Meter for Shinku Gadoken, and be sure to stay a little ways away from Kyo to avoid Final Showdown! A-Groove is perfect for this fight! -Vs. Kyosuke- This is a tough fight, since Dan's Gadoken doesn't go that far to hit Kyosuke from far away. You'll need to try and get Kyosuke to come to Dan (which is going to be hard to do), and follow the Defensive tactics for Dan. However, odds are, you'll be the one who'll have to get in close to Kyosuke, so utilize Roll (if you have it) and Parry (if you have it) to get in close, but watch out for Kyosuke's Super Specials while doing both of these. Dan can't afford to take too many of any of Kyosuke's attacks at all. Most of Kyosuke's attacks will counter all of Dan's specials, so don't bother using them at all. Save your Super Meters for Shinku Gadoken as usual, but also be prepare to launch a Hissyo Buraiken if Kyosuke's Shadow Out Kick or Super Shadow Out Kick is blocked or misses. A-Groove is possibly the best Groove for Dan here as well. -Vs. Mai- This fight is not that easy at all. Mai's speed is a very big factor in this fight, and she can avoid all of Dan's attacks with relative ease. More than likely, she'll be pressuring Dan, so you'll need to rely on the Defensive tactics for Dan to pull out of this fight. Save Gadoken for the times that Mai goes to use Deadly Ninja Bees or Super Deadly Ninja Bees (Shinku Gadoken works just as well here), and use Kouryuken to counter Flying Squirrel. For Crimson Firebird Diver, you'll want to just block or Roll through it, then counter using Hissyo Buraiken (if blocked) or Shinku Gadoken (if you Rolled through it). For Ryu En Bu, there's nothing that Dan can really do except try to use Gadoken, but it's not worth it. For Kacho San, just jump over it and use SK or MP to attack, and for Sun Fire Samba, just use Gadoken or Shinku Gadoken to hit her. A-Groove is the preferred Groove here, but K-Groove works fine as well. -Vs. Maki- Maki's almost as bad as Mai, except her attacks are far easier to counter than with Mai's. Her Hayakage combos can be stopped easily by using Gadoken or Kouryuken (use Kouryuken for the times that you see Maki jump at you, since Gadoken won't hit her then). As for her Super Specials, Shinku Gadoken has it covered. Nothing really else to say about this fight, since it's nowhere near the difficulty of Mai. A-Groove is fine here, but also C-Groove works. -Vs. M.Bison- Bison's a little tough, but the pitiful Gadoken can easily stop Mr. Psycho Crusher's attacks easily. Save Shinku Gadoken for times that Bison goes into a Mega Psycho Crusher. You can easily smash Bison up close by using Dan's Standing LP -> Crouching LK -> Dankyaku -> Hissyo Buraiken, as long as Bison doesn't Bison Warp during the end of Dankyaku. A-Groove is the best way to deal with Bison, but be careful when you go into Custom Combo and you start to attack Bison, since you can never guess when Psycho Crusher or Knee Press will show up. -Vs. Morrigan- Morrigan can be very tough for Dan to beat. Soul Fist will be a problem here for Dan, since Morrigan can use it both on the ground and in the air. If you don't have Roll, Parry works well, but Roll is suggested for this fight. Whenever Morrigan uses Soul Fist, either jump over it (and be prepared to block an incoming Shadow Blade) or Roll through it and go into a Dankyaku -> Hissyo Buraiken or Kouryurekka. For Shadow Blade, just block it and counter using Gadoken, and for Darkness Illusion and Valkyrie Turn, bust out a Shinku Gadoken on Morrigan. As for Soul Phoenix, you'll want to jump over that using a SK Dankyaku to avoid jumping into a Shadow Blade. A-Groove works perfectly here for Dan. -Vs. Nakoruru- This is just a ridiculously hard fight for Dan. Gadoken doesn't help AT ALL here, and Kouryuken is just about as useless as Gadoken. Dankyaku is also asking for trouble, so you'll have to rely on Dan's brute and fierce strength to win this fight. Save your Super Meters just for Hissyo Buraiken for whenever you block Nakoruru's Annu Mutsube or Kamui Mutsube. The other two Super Specials won't help that much in this fight, but use them if the opportunity arises. Try to counter Nakoruru's quick attacks by blocking then using Kouryuken as a counterattack (if you can Parry just one of her attacks, then immediately go into a Kouryurekka). A-Groove is the Groove that you'll want to use here. -Vs. Orochi Iori- Fight Orochi Iori as you would Iori. -Vs. Raiden- This fight's going to be rough, because you'll be forced to get in close to Raiden in order to do any real damage, and Raiden's attacks do more damage than Dan's does to him. Try getting in close (watch out for Poison Spray) and use a few regular attacks, then use Gadoken and get the heck out of dodge by jumping back using Dankyaku. Try to stay out of range to avoid Raiden's Destruction Drop and Thunder Crush Bomb attacks, but be ready to pull out a Gadoken or Shinku Gadoken whenever you see Raiden use Crazy Train! For Giant Bomb and Super Drop Kick, use Kouryuken as your counter. A-Groove is great here, since you'll want to hit Raiden as much as you can before you back out. -Vs. Rolento- Rolento can be mean, but you can take him rather easily with Dan. Try to use Gadoken as your main weapon against Rolento's ground attacks (save for Mine Sweeper and Take No Prisoners, as you WANT to block those), and use Kouryuken against ALL of Rolento's jumping attacks. Make sure that you don't use Kouryuken whenever Rolento uses Steel Rain, as you'll just end up taking some damage from that mistake. Nothing hard about this fight at all as long as you keep Rolento cornered. -Vs. Rock- Rock's a push over really for Dan. Use Gadoken and Shinku Gadoken for all of Rock's Dash attacks (Hard Edge and Shining Knuckle in particular). For Cyclone Sock and Double Gust Punch, just jump over them and watch out for Raising Storm or Rising Tackle. Try to keep Rock cornered as much as you can, and hammer away at him with Custom Combo (which is why you want A-Groove for this fight...). If you find yourself cornered, stay in the corner and fire Gadokens unless Rock stays away and fires off Cyclone Socks and Double Gust Punches at you. In that case, you'll have to abadon the Defensive tactics and return to your Offensive tactics. Be very wary of Neo Deadly Rave, especially if one of your attacks is blocked and Rock has a full Super Meter! -Vs. Rugal- Rugal's tough. Plain and simple. Gadoken is great to stop God Press and Gigantic Pressure, but doesn't really help against any other attacks, and Kouryuken doesn't neccessarily work that well against Dark Smash. Dankyaku is nice to escape corners, but Rugal can counter that with his Genocide Cutter or Destroyer Cutter. You'll need to get in close and avoid Rugal's Kaiser Wave and Wind Slice by using Roll and Roll Canceling into a Dankyaku -> Shinku Gadoken (this works very well after you Roll through a Kaiser Wave). Don't worry about Dark Barrier unless you use Shinku Gadoken, since you can easily avoid your own attack, and keep on Rugal with regular attacks combined with Gadoken and Dankyaku. For the times that Rugal starts pressuring you, try to counter his Standing SP or Crouching SK with Kouryurekka. A-Groove is very nice here. -Vs. Ryo- With Ryo, Tiger Flame Punch is the biggest problem here. Dan simply has nothing to counter it with aside from blocking, Parrying, or Rolling. What you'll want to try to do in this fight is to play defensively and make it so that Ryo will come to you. Trying to go to him will just result in Dan getting hurt pretty badly, unless the person using Ryo isn't that good with him. In any case, while you're in a corner, Parry or block Ryo's Tiger Flame Punch (and watch out for Haoh Sho Koh Ken in general), then when he gets in close, pelt him with a Custom Combo and just keep attacking him with regular attacks and Dankyaku. After the Custom Combo wears off or you've been knocked out of it, keep attacking Ryo with regular attacks while avoiding his Koho, Zan Retsu Kan, and Lightning Legs Knockout Kick. You can easily counter Lightning Legs Knockout Kick and Ryuko Rahou using Shinku Gadoken or Kouryuken, and for Zan Retsu Kan, use Shinku Gadoken or Gadoken. As for Crazy Tiger Thunder Attack, a simple block to Kouryurekka is in order. -Vs. Ryu- Ryu is meant to be played defensively, but most players will play him offensively. Try to make it so that Ryu comes to Dan, and use Kouryuken to counter his Tatsumaki Senpu Kyaku or anything he does in the air. For Hadoken, just jump over it and counter with Jumping MP or SK, and for Shoryuken, stay out of reach and fire a Gadoken or Shinku Gadoken to punish Ryu. Shinku Hadoken isn't that big of a threat, as you can easily jump over it, but Shinku Tatsumaki Senpukyaku can pose to be a really big threat in this fight. My advice: Don't be too close to Ryu if you see him winding up for a long Tatsumaki, and if you are close to him at that time, just block and counter with Shinku Gadoken afterwards. With Shin Shoryuken, you just have to hope that you're not in the middle of attacking when he launches it at Dan. A-Groove works best here. -Vs. Sagat- This is the fight that Dan has wanted since Street Fighter Alpha. However, expect it to be a very tough fight for Dan. You'll need to duck the high Tiger Shots, and jump over the Ground Tiger Shots, then be prepared to block any incoming Tiger Knees or Tiger Uppercuts that'll more than likely be heading your way. Gadoken and Kouryuken are useless in this fight, and Dankyaku doesn't help much either. You'll need to rely on Roll Canceling from time to time (especially after Rolling through a Tiger Shot and you're close enough to land a Hissyo Buraiken) and blocking to win this fight with Dan. For Sagat's Super Specials, just block and counter using Shinku Gadoken or Kouryurekka, or Roll through them and try to land a Hissyo Buraiken or go into a Dankyaku ->Shinku Gadoken combo. A-Groove is your Groove of choice here! -Vs. Sakura- With Sakura, you'll need to be careful. She can be pretty rough for Dan, especially if you let her pressure you and don't keep an eye on what she's doing. For Shunpu Kyaku and Sho-Oh-Ken, counter with Gadoken, and for her Flower Kick, use Kouryuken. For her Hadoken, you'll need to block it in order to be able to do anything (using Gadoken won't work, and trying to jump AT her directly will only result in you being hurt). For her Shinku Hadoken, either Roll or jump over it, and go into a Dankyaku -> Shinku Gadoken combo. For Midare Zakura and Haru Ichiban, Shinku Gadoken or Kouryurekka will take care of those. In this fight, you'll want to avoid being cornered, as an A-Groove Sakura can easily destroy Dan in that predictament. Use A-Groove here with Dan to use Custom Combo and go to town on Sakura with a barrage of regular attacks and Dankyakus! -Vs. Shin Akuma- This fight is not fair to Dan. Unless you have an extreme amount of patience and luck, count Dan out of this fight. You can attempt to use Gadoken and Shinku Gadoken for times that Shin Akuma is about to come out of an Ashura Senku (same for the times that Shin Akuma uses Shungokusatsu, but you'll have to be quick to stop it!). The rest of his attacks, you'll need to try and block and counter using Kouryurekka or Hissyo Buraiken if you get the chance. No particular Groove is good here, so use whatever you feel is the best for Dan. -Vs. Terry- You'll need to be careful against Terry. Terry is capable of smashing through all of Dan's attacks with relative ease. Here's a chart to how to counter Terry's attacks: Power Wave: Roll through and Roll Cancel into a Dankyaku, or just jump over it and go into a Jumping LK -> Standing MP -> Dankyaku -> Shinku Gadoken or Kouryurekka. Burning Knuckles: Gadoken or Shinku Gadoken Crack Shoot: Kouryuken, Gadoken, Shinku Gadoken Rising Tackle: Block and counter with Hissyo Buraiken after Terry lands, or stay a bit away and use Gadoken, Kouryuken, or Dankyaku. Power Dunk: Kouryuken Buster Wolf: Gadoken or Shinku Gadoken The only thing that Dan can't counter is Terry's Power Geyser. For that, you can simply either opt to block or Roll through it and Roll Cancel into a Dankyaku -> Shinku Gadoken. If you can, bust in a Custom Combo and start going to town on Terry with massive barrages of regular attacks coupled with Dankyakus and Shinku Gadokens. This fight isn't really that tough by any standards. -Vs. Todo- Todo can be hard for Dan, simply because Dan has to get in close to do any real damage, while Todo just sits back and throws Ecstasy Crunches at Dan. Roll and Parry are your best friends here, so pick a Groove that utilizes either one (C, A, and N-Groove for Roll, and P-Groove for Parry) and go to town on Todo. If you use Parry, be sure that you watch out for an Ultimate Ecstasy Crunch while Parrying a normal Ecstasy Crunch (unless you are very good at Parrying). With Roll, you can easily evade and counterattack all of Todo's attacks by Roll Canceling into a Dankyaku (if you're a decent distance away from Todo) or at the very least get closer to Todo. When up close (and if you're in Custom Combo mode), watch out while attacking Todo, especially if he has a full Super Meter. You don't want to end up on the receiving end of his Mind's Eye Slingshot counter! You can win this fight rather easily, as long as you stay close to Todo and use Roll to avoid his Ecstasty Crunches. A-Groove is the best Groove to use here personally. -Vs. Ultimate Rugal- Another ridiculous fight for Dan, even moreso than with Shin Akuma. You can still try to use Shinku Gadoken as a counter to Ultimate Rugal's Ultimate Lane, but for the rest of Ultimate Rugal's attacks, try to fight him as you would regular Rugal (save for Rugal Execution and Last Judgement, which you should counter with Shinku Gadoken, and his G-End, which you should avoid at all costs). However, don't expect to win that much as Dan against Ultimate Rugal. If you have Ultimate Rugal unlocked, try to fight him in Vs Mode or Practice Mode, and see how you can counter his moves as oppossed to Rugal. A-Groove would be the best way to go around this fight. -Vs. Vega- Vega's pretty hard for Dan, just because of his super speed and great poking abilities. Gadoken isn't going to help that much here, but Dankyaku and Kouryuken can save you quite a bit, IF you time them right. Save your Super Meters for Shinku Gadoken (in case you manage to catch Vega in the middle of a Rolling Crystal Flash or Sky High Claw) and Kouryurekka (for the times that you escape one of Vega's air throwing attacks). A-Groove is nice, but Custom Combo isn't going to help all that much against Vega, so I'd suggest going with C-Groove or K-Groove for this fight. Try to corner Vega as much as you can, and if Vega gets out of the corner, then leave Dan in the corner and go with the Defensive tactics for him. As long as you don't get frustrated at Vega, you should be able to win easily. -Vs. Vice- This fight is going to be tough, simply due to Vice's ability to counter all of Dan's moves. Gadoken only works against Outrage and Rave Fest, but Kouryuken and Dankyaku are basically worthless in this fight. Don't waste your Super Meter on Kouryurekka or Hissyo Buraiken either, since those are pratically worthless as well. For Kouryuken to even work, you'd have to wait until Vice goes to use her Negative Gain or Withering Force, and you can easily counter those by using Roll and going into a Dankyaku -> Shinku Gadoken. Keep an eye out for Vice's Da Cide attack; you don't want to be caught in the middle of an attack when she uses this, and it can bypass any attacks. A-Groove is your best bet here. -Vs. Yamazaki- Yamazaki can be or won't be tough for Dan, depending on how he fights. If Yamazaki spams Serpent Slash, then Dan doesn't stand too much of a chance, since he can't get in close enough to really hit Yamazaki. If Yamazaki doesn't use Serpent Slash all that often, then Dan can stand a chance. If you see the spamming of Serpent Slash, you'll need to learn how to Parry or Roll to Roll Cancel to beat through Yamazaki (however, Roll is much better, since you can lead right into an attack out of it). Save Shinku Gadoken for the times that Yamazaki uses one of his Super Specials, and don't waste your time with any other Super Specials unless you're close enough for them to connect. Dankyaku will be very useful here against most of Yamazaki's attacks (save for Serpent Slash). Use Custom Combo if you're using A-Groove, and blast Yamazaki with a barrage of regular attacks combined with Dankyaku. -Vs. Yun- You can easily smash Yun as long as you watch his moves carefully. If you see Yun going for any of his Special moves, use Gadoken (unless Yun's in the air, in which case you use Kouryuken). As for Yun's Super Specials, save your Super Meter for just Shinku Gadoken. There's nothing really to this fight aside from not letting Yun pressure Dan. The Defensive tactics can be used here, but it's better to go on the offense with Dan. A-Groove is the best Groove here. -Vs. Yuri- Yuri can be rough for Dan. You have to be careful if you use Dankyaku, simply because Yuri can counter with Tiger Flame Punch, Yuri's Super Upper, or Rai Oh Ken (or even worse, Haoh Sho Koh Ken). As for Gadoken....well....it's only really good against Flying Phoenix Kick, The 100 Blows, Scalding Steam Blast, and Yuri's Super Upper (if not close), and the same applies to Shinku Gadoken. Don't bother with Kouryuken at all, since it'll just land you in more trouble than help you (the same applies to Kouryurekka), unless you do it right before Yuri lands a The 100 Blows on Dan. Hissyo Buraiken is ONLY useful after you block one of Yuri's attacks that have a long recovery time (Yuri's Super Upper, Flying Phoenix Kick, The 100 Blows). A-Groove is the best Groove possible for this fight (like you expected anything else to be with Dan?). Use Custom Combo to pester Yuri, and try to keep her cornered throughout the entire fight to avoid letting her get any advantages on Dan. -Vs. Zangief- This fight is going to be hard for Dan, simply because Dan CANNOT take any of Zangief's attacks at all. Don't use Dankyaku at all, because if Zangief blocks it, he can easily counter with Spinning Pile Driver or Final Atomic Buster. Kouryuken and Kouryurekka are also a big no-no in this fight, so don't use them! Hissyo Buraiken is ONLY good if you manage to catch Zangief off-guard. You'll want to stick to Gadoken and Shinku Gadoken as your weapons of choice, and follow the Defensive tactics section for Dan to come out of this fight, even if it is a little bit alive. A-Groove would be nice, but considering that you don't want to be close to Zangief, I'd suggest going with C or S-Groove. ------------------------------------------------------------ VII. Dhalsim [CAP07] -Introduction- Mr. Stretch Armstrong is back, and you have to ask, why again? -Movelist- Yoga Fire.............................................QCF + P Yoga Flame..........................................HCB + P Yoga Blast............................................HCB + K Yoga Teleport (air)..............................DPF (DPB) + Px3/Kx3 -Super Specials- Yoga Stream.........................................QCFx2 + P Yoga Volcano......................................QCFx2 + K Yoga Tempest.....................................HCBx2 + P (Level 3 & MAX only) -Movelist Breakdown- --Normal Attacks-- -STANDING- LP (Jab) -A simple jab. Pretty slow though....and not all that useful for any of Dhalsim's moves. B + LP (Chop) -Dhalsim chops the opponent.....that's all. Still, not a good move, and probably best ignored. MP (One Arm Stretch Punch) -Dhalsim attacks the opponent with one arm halfway across the screen. Nice for poking games, but bad due to the fact that it has slow recovery and that it's easy to damage Dhalsim during this time. B + MP (Upper Chop) -Even worse than the Chop, IMO. There's no real use for this move, so ignore it. SP (Double Arm Stretch Punch) -Same as with the MP, except Dhalsim attacks using both arms. B + SP (Headbutt) -This move is only useful if you're close to your opponent (hence, why it's there....). It can hit for a total of twice, and is pretty strong. However, it has horrible recovery time.... LK (Extend Foot Kick) -Only good if the opponent isn't close to Dhalsim, but isn't too far away. Can be bad due to recovery time.... B + LK (Shin Kick) -Dhalsim kicks the opponent in the shin. Nuff said. Good for starting what combos Dhalsim has. MK (Extend Head Kick) -The best Anti-Air regular move that Dhalsim has (with SK being right there). However, it's very vulnerable to all attacks (especially Projectiles), so be careful when you use it! B + MK (Foot Kick) -Dhalsim kicks the opponent's foot. Easy enough. Nothing that great about this move at all. SK (Fierce Extend Head Kick) -Has more range and reach, but is also slower and more prone to attacks than the MK version. B + SK (Rising Knee) -Dhalsim hits the opponent in the gut with his knee. Only useful if you're close to the opponent and don't want to use any of the regular attacks that would otherwise miss up close. -CROUCHING- All Punches (Extend Punch) -All 3 punches do the same thing.....Standing MP. Nothing special ehre at all.... B + P (Jab) -Same as Standing LP. All Kicks (Slide) -With the exception of the SK, which trips the opponent, all of the Kicks are the same here. Bad if blocked.... B + K (Foot Kick) -Once again, save for SK which trips the opponent, all of the Kicks are the same. Not all that useful either.... -JUMPING- LP (Down Extend Punch) -Only good for against grounded opponents. Otherwise, useless. B + LP (Short Down Punch) -This move is more ideal for when you run into aerial fighters. Nice to knock opponents out of moves as well. MP (Straight Extend Punch) -This move is even more ideal for aerial fighters who aren't that close to Dhalsim. However, very bad for when trying to hit grounded opponents... B + MP (Short Straight Punch) -This is just like the MP, except it's best for closer aerial fighters. Still carries the downside of the MP..... SP (Diagonal Extend Punch) -Best for grounded opponents who aren't underneath Dhalsim. Still, it has horrible recovery time and startup time... B + SP (Short Diagonal Punch) -This is the move to use when coming down on opponents. Great for knocking opponents out of moves as well! D + SP (Drill Headbutt) -Great for speed and damge, but bad due to being easy to counterattack... use at your own discretion! LK/MK (Diagonal Extend Kick) -Nothing special here at all....just like Dhalsim's Standing MK/SK, except that it goes downwards. Bad due to lack of recovery. B + LK/MK (Low Foot Kick) -Simply useless.....never bother with this move...ever.... SK (High Extend Kick) -This move is pretty pointless, as it's the same as Standing SK. Who's going to jump that high when Dhalsim's in the air? B + SK (Foot Kick) -Same as with the Standing B + MK move.... D + SK (Drill Kick) -Same as with the D + SP move....with all advantages and disadvantages.... -Throws- F or B + SP (Fierce Blows) -Dhalsim grabs the opponent and smashes them in the head 6 times. F or B + SK (Shoulder Toss) -Dhalsim throws the opponent over his shoulder. --Special Moves-- -Yoga Fire- STRONG VS. Anti-Air attacks Air attacks Rush attacks Other attacks Close attacks Combo attacks WEAK VS. Air attacks such as Zanku Hadoken -Dhalsim's classic move. Don't ever get into a fireball fight using this move, because like Guile and Mai, you'll lose everytime. If you use this move right next to an opponent, you can knock them away from Dhalsim, which can set up for Dhalsim's turtling maneuvers. -Yoga Flame- STRONG VS. All attacks WEAK VS. Nothing....except Super Special Projectiles! -This move is great due to the fact that nothing can get through it save for Super Special Projectiles. However, if blocked, it leaves Dhalsim wide-open to punishment. Only use it as a last resort when defending! -Yoga Teleport- STRONG VS. All WEAK VS. All -This move is circumstancial. If you use it right, you can avoid all damage. However, if your opponent knows how to fight teleporting opponents, then this move won't be of much use to you. -Yoga Blast- STRONG VS. Air attacks Rush attacks Other attacks Anti-Air attacks WEAK VS. Projectile attacks -This move is just an Anti-Air version of Yoga Flame. --Super Special Moves-- -Yoga Stream- STRONG VS. Rush attacks Other attacks Close attacks WEAK VS. Projectile attacks -A pretty neat Super Special, though it doesn't work so well against aerial fighters. It's best to use only when the oppponent is rushing at you, or is has just missed with an Anti-Air attack. -Yoga Volcano- STRONG VS. Air attacks Anti-Air attacks Close attacks Other attacks WEAK VS. Projectile attacks -The Anti-Air move version of Yoga Stream. Use it the same way that you would use Yoga Stream. -Yoga Tempest- STRONG VS. Rush attacks Close attacks Some Other attacks WEAK VS. Projectile attacks Anti-Air attacks Air attacks -Not a bad move.....problem is, you have to be able to connect with it and not have it blocked, as it leaves Dhalsim wide-open to attacks. Only use when you know that your opponent cannot react to it. --Strengths & Weaknesses-- --Battle Strategies-- OFFENSE Here, you'll want to use Drill Headbutt and Drill Kick to bash down on your opponent, while Yoga Tempest is your Super Special of choice. Only use Yoga Flame if you find that Dhalsim is being pressured too much. Problem with this style is that Dhalsim is NOT a big offensive fighter. DEFENSE Here is Dhalsim's specialty. Yoga Flame and Yoga Fire are the way to go, while Yoga Blast helps against Aerial fighters. Use Yoga Teleport to escape any opponents who pressure Dhalsim too much. --Matchups-- -Vs Akuma- Don't expect to win that much here....as Akuma can easily beat the crap out of Dhalsim no matter what you do. If you expect to fight Akuma with Dhalsim, then try to get Akuma to fall for all, if not most, of Dhalsim's mind tricks. Try to bait Akuma into jumping a lot at Dhalsim by using Yoga Fire, then counter his jumping using Yoga Flame or Yoga Blast. Use Yoga Tempest only when you block Akuma's Tatsumaki Zanku Kyaku, Gou Shoryu, Messatsu Gou Shoryu, or when he comes out of an Ashura Senku. -Vs. Athena- Here, try to abuse Dhalsim's poke ability by using Standing SP and SK to beat through Athena's defenses. However, watch out for her Psycho Ball, which can still cut through Dhalsim's attacks. Use Yoga Flame only if she tries to get in close to you, and keep Yoga Fire on standby unless you need to go into a fireball fight against Athena, which you shouldn't have to. If you want, go in using Drill Headbutt or Drill Kick, then bash down on Athena using Yoga Blast and Yoga Flame. -Vs. Balrog- You'll want to stay on the defense for this fight. Use Yoga Flame to counter all of Balrog's attacks, and Yoga Fire to bait Balrog into a Yoga Volcano or Yoga Tempest. Yoga Teleport shouldn't be needed in this fight at all. Nothing else to really say about this fight. -Vs. Benimaru- This will be a very long fight, due to the fact that you'll want to keep away from Benimaru. Use Yoga Fires and Standing SP and SK to fight your way through Benimaru's attacks (though you may still take damage if Benimaru counters the Standing SP or SK with Lightning Fist). If Benimaru gets in too close, fight using Yoga Flame and Yoga Blast (save your Super Meter for Yoga Volcano if you can). Try to avoid Benimaru's Super Specials if possible (using Yoga Flame or Yoga Fire works well against them, as well does Yoga Teleport). -Vs. Blanka- This fight will take some time to finish...you'll want to counter all of Blanka's Rolling attacks using Yoga Flame, Yoga Fire, Yoga Blast, and Yoga Volcano. Other than that, just stick to the normal Dhalsim strategy of playing keep-away and use Standing SP, Standing SK, and Crouching SP to beat through Blanka. Nothing too tough, just as long as you watch for Blanka's moves. -Vs. Cammy- This is nasty, due to Cammy's speed. You'll want to use Standing SK and Yoga Flame a lot here, and Yoga Blast and Yoga Volcano also work wonders against her. Try to spam Yoga Volcanos and Yoga Flames the most here to annoy Cammy, but make sure to use Yoga Teleport whenever you get trapped in a corner. You don't want Cammy to pressure Dhalsim, as Dhalsim has no way to get her away from him aside from Yoga Flame and Yoga Blast. -Vs. Chang- This fight actually shouldn't be too tough for Dhalsim. Stay away (like a good Dhalsim player you are...) and spam those Standing SP and SK attacks, combined with Yoga Fires. If Chang decides that he's going to rush in (which odds are, he will), be prepare to fire off a Yoga Flame, and if Chang blocks it, go with a Crouching SK or Yoga Stream to get through Chang's defenses. Watch out for Chang's attacks, as all of them will inflict a lot of damage to Dhalsim (darn you Dhalsim for your pitiful defense!). All in all, just try and stay away from Chang while using Yoga Fires. Yoga Teleport only if you find it neccessary. -Vs. Chun-Li- This fight is not in favor of Dhalsim at all; in fact, it's a 90-10 favor for Chun-Li. You'll want to try and focus on Parryiing the most here, and countering with Yoga Flame or Yoga Blast. Avoid using any of Dhalsim's regular attacks, unless you use the B + P or K moves, which are meant for close-ranged combat. If Chun-Li is not close to Dhalsim, you still don't want to use any of his regular attacks, since Chun-Li can easily counter those using Kikoken. If you're feeling brave or lucky, jump at Chun-Li using Drill Headbutt or Drill Kick and combo it into a B + SP to Yoga Stream. -Vs. Dan- This fight is bad for Dhalsim, simply because you can't really rely on any of Dhalsim's regular attacks due to Kouryuken and Gadoken. So, what you'll want to do is to try and bait Dan into coming after Dhalsim and use the basic Dhalsim tactics (Yoga Fire to bait, Yoga Flame or Yoga Volcano to counter, Yoga Teleport to escape if pressured). If Dan tries to use Hissyo-Buraiken, block or Roll through it, and counter using Yoga Tempest (you can also do this for Kouryurekka). -Vs. Dhalsim- The CPU likes to spam Yoga Fires and Yoga Flames, so you'll have to get in close and beat down the CPU using Drill Headbutts and Drill Kicks combined with Yoga Flames and Yoga Blasts. When you're not close, you'll also have to watch out for the CPU's Standing SK and Standing SP, along with Drill Headbutts, Drill Kicks, and Yoga Teleports. Counter the Headbutts and Kicks using Yoga Blast or Yoga Volcano, and counter Yoga Teleport using Yoga Tempest. -Vs. Eagle- Avoid using Yoga Fire too much, since Eagle can deflect it back at you. You'll want to save Yoga Flame for when Eagle tries to pressure you with his Specials and Super Specials. Just use the basic Dhalsim tactics to fight your way out of this battle. -Vs. E.Honda- Here, you should spam Yoga Fire and Yoga Flame like your life depended on it. Also, use Standing SP and Standing SK, along with Crouching SP, to annoy Honda. Nothing really to this fight! -Vs. Evil Ryu- This fight is unfavorable to Dhalsim (95-5 odds in Evil Ryu's favor...). Unless you can time your Yoga Flames and Yoga Volcanos right, then there's no way that you can even begin to touch Evil Ryu using Dhalsim... -Vs. Geese- This is yet another very difficult fight, in which the odds are overwhelming. You'll need to use Yoga Teleport along with Parrys a lot to survive. Yoga Fire is obsolete, since Geese can cancel it out using Wind Slice and Double Wind Slice. Yoga Flame is ONLY useful if Geese goes for an Evil Illusion Slam or Deadly Rage, and don't expect to pull off Yoga Tempest that often unless you block Raising Storm. Try to focus on using Drill Headbutt and Drill Kick combined with Standing MP and Crouching MP to beat through Geese. -Vs. Guile- This fight WILL and CAN take forever to finish, since both fighters are designed for turtling in mind. You'll want to fire off countless Yoga Fires to deal tick-damage, and use Yoga Flame, Yoga Blast, or Yoga Volcano if Guile ever misses with his Somersault Kick. For Double Somersault Kick, try to use Yoga Tempest as your weapon of choice. You'll need a lot of patience here to win! -Vs. Haohmaru- This fight is actually relatively easy as long as you keep Haohmaru from getting too close to Dhalsim (as normal). Yoga Fire helps counter Haohmaru's Secret Cyclone Slash, and if Haohmaru misses with Secret Crescent Moon Slash or Slash of Supreme Judgement, you can easily counter using Yoga Tempest. For Secret Earthquake Slice, throw out a Yoga Flame, Yoga Blaset, or better yet, Yoga Volcano to counter it. Yoga Stream shouldn't really be needed in this fight at all, and Yoga Teleport isn't that much of a neccesity unless Haohmaru traps Dhalsim in a corner. You don't want to jump around too much, since Haohmaru can easily counter that using Secret Crescent Moon Slash. -Vs. Hibiki- This fight is actually easy to win. Just stick to the basic Dhalsim tactics, and you should be able to come out of this fight with hardly any scratches. NEVER let Hibiki get in close to Dhalsim at any time, since she will take advantage of it, and you don't want to end up on the receiving end of a No Fear Feint or any of the Going My Way attacks. -Vs. Iori- This is just a nasty fight all around. You'll have to watch out for spamming Yoga Fire, since Iori can counter it much faster using Dark Thrust, and you have to avoid using any of the stretch attacks Dhalsim has due to Iori's Fire Ball attack that can counter it. Try to avoid getting in too close to Iori, since his Deadly Flower and Scum Gale tends to make a nasty combo against Dhalsim. If you try to bait Iori, use Yoga Fire sparingly and try to nail a Yoga Blast whenever you see Iori try to jump towards Dhalsim. If Iori Rolls through Yoga Fire, then go for a Yoga Stream. Whenever Iori tries to go for a Maiden Masher, try to block it and counter using Yoga Tempest if you can. If not, then IMMEDIATELY use Yoga Volcano or Yoga Stream to counter it. -Vs. Joe- For Joe, you'll want to keep Yoga Flame on standby the whole match, since Joe likes to rush at his opponents with his Specials and Super Specials. Against Hurricane Upper, there's not much you can do except block or use Yoga Teleport. Try to stay away from Joe if he ever has his Super Meter at Level 3, so that you can avoid his Double Cyclone Upper move. If Joe goes for a TNT Punch, just Yoga Fire him... -Vs. Ken- This fight is as tough as the one with Akuma. You can't rely on any of Dhalsim's normal attacks due to Hadoken and Shoryuken, and you don't want to spam Yoga Fire due to Hadoken being much faster. Yoga Flame is only useful if Ken misses with a Shoryuken or goes for a Tatsumaki Senpukyaku. If Ken misses with Shoryureppa, Shippu Jinraikyaku, or Shinryuken (or if you block them or Roll through them), counter immediately with Yoga Tempest (if you have the Super Meter for it) or use Yoga Volcano in its stead. -Vs. Kim- Yoga Fire and Yoga Flame should really be the only thing you need in this fight, but Standing SP, Standing SK, and Crouchng MP, combined with Drill Headbutt and Drill Kick, to beat down Kim. Most of Kim's moves can be countered using Yoga Flame and Yoga Blast, so keep that in mind. A pretty straightforward fight. -Vs. King- Just as with Kim, try to stick to the basic Dhalsim tactics, with one exception; don't spam Yoga Fire, since King can easily beat that using Double Strike. Otherwise, this fight really isn't any different than with Kim. -Vs. Kyo- Kyo can be beaten pretty easily. Stick to Yoga Flame and Yoga Fire to beat through Kyo's pitiful close-range attacks, and use Yoga Stream for times that Kyo decides to try to go in with a Wicked Chew combo. For times that you block Kyo's Final Judgement and Fire Ball, use Yoga Tempest if you have it. -Vs. Kyosuke- This fight is very tough, due to the fact that Kyosuke can easily beat through Dhalsim's regular attacks using Cross Cutter and Lightning Upper, and his Yoga Fire stands no chance against Cross Cutter or Super Cross Cutter. You'll have to somehow bait Kyosuke into going after Dhalsim while using Standing SP and Standing SK to hit him, while at the same time using Yoga Fire and Yoga Flame. Watch for Kyosuke getting in too close, as that's the worst thing you can possibly let happen in this fight (and in most fights, to be exact). Use Yoga Tempest after you block a Super Shadow Out Kick or Final Grade Remix! -Vs. Mai- This fight is pretty tough due to Mai's speed and quick attacks. Your best bet is to use Yoga Fire to battle Mai's Deadly Ninja Bees, Super Deadly Ninja Bees, and Ryu En Bu, while using Yoga Flame and Yoga Blast against Flying Squirrel , Crimson Firebird Diver, and Ryu En Bu. Try to avoid using any of Dhalsim's stretch moves, since Mai can counter those using Ryu En Bu, Deadly Ninja Bees, Kacho San, and Swan's Ranpango pretty easily. Yoga Teleport will come in good use, especially when you end up cornered by Mai. Parry helps a lot here too, if you know how to utilize it. -Vs. Maki- Maki's as bad as Mai; however, you can combat the majority of her moves using either Yoga Flame or Yoga Blast. You want to keep Maki as far away from Dhalsim as possible, so try to use all of Dhalsim's stretch moves along with Yoga Fire to do the job. When you block ANY of Maki's move (or Parry them, whichever), use Yoga Volcano or Yoga Tempest to counterattack. You'll want to watch out for Tengu Daoshi and Ajaratengu the most, as you can't block those. However, you can still counter them using Yoga Blast or Yoga Volcano. -Vs. M.Bison- Bison can be beaten with relative ease, as long as you don't spam Yoga Fires too much, or as long as Bison doesn't pressure you too much. Yoga Flame and Yoga Blast are all you really need to counter all of Bison's Specials and Super Specials, so keep that in mind. There's really nothing to this fight. -Vs. Morrigan- Like always, treat Morrigan as if you were fighting Ryu and Akuma both. As long as you remember this, you can beat Morrigan rather easily. Nothing to really say about this fight except that to counter Morrigan's Valkryie Turn and Darkness Illusion with Yoga Flame or Yoga Volcano. Nothing really to this fight as long as you watch out for Soul Fist and Soul Phoenix. -Vs. Nakoruru- Keeping Nakoruru away from Dhalsim is a problem, especially due to her massive speed. Also, Yoga Fire and Yoga Blast are worthless against Anna Mutsube. Yoga Flame can possibly be countered using Anna Mutsube, so what you'll need to do is block the attack and counter using Yoga Stream or Yoga Tempest. For the rest of Nakoruru's attacks (such as Lela Mutsube and Kanui Mutsube), Yoga Flame and Yoga Blast works just fine. Anuba Yataro is impossible for Dhalsim to break through, and don't even try to break through Shichikapu Kanui Irushika. -Vs. Orochi Iori- Fight Orochi Iori as you would Iori. -Vs. Raiden- Here's where you'll be glad to have Dhalsim. Use Yoga Fire to bait Raiden into coming to you, then counter using Yoga Flame, Yoga Blast, or Yoga Volcano. You can also use Standing SP and Crouching SP to smash through Raiden, Try to avoid having Raiden get in too close to Dhalsim at any time. Other than that, this fight's pretty straightforward; Yoga Fire, Yoga Blast/Yoga Flame/Yoga Volcano. -Vs. Rolento- Rolento's a bit nasty due to him being able to escape a lot of Dhalsim's attacks. You'll want to use Yoga Fire to bait Rolento into jumping at Dhalsim, then follow up with the usual Dhalsim tactics. For times that Rolento, stays away from you, you'll have to get in close (use Drill Headbutt or Drill Kick to accomplish this) and bash down on Rolento using B + P/K moves or Yoga Blast/Yoga Flame. You'll want to keep on your guard though just in case Rolento decides to go on the offensive and attack you constantly. -Vs. Rock- This fight is very tough due to Rock's ability to counter everything that Dhalsim can do, and deal much more damage than Dhalsim can. Try to use Yoga Fire to counter Shining Knuckles and Hard Edge (or Yoga Flame), and Yoga Blast to counter Rising Tackle (however, Yoga Tempest works best as a counter in that situation). Don't bother with Yoga Teleport too much unless you find yourself cornered and you can't counter or escape any other way. -Vs. Rugal- This fight is far worse than with Rock. You'll have to watch out for Wind Slice, Dark Barrier, and Kaiser Wave the most, and since Kaiser Wave can slice right through Yoga Fire, you'll have to ignore it and use Roll to escape Kaiser Wave. In fact, don't use Yoga Fire at all in this fight; instead use Yoga Flame and Yoga Blast to counter Rugal's powerful moves (those being Dark Smash, Destroyer Cutter, Genocide Cutter, Gigantic Pressure, and God Press). For Dark Barrier, you'll just want to use Standing SP or SK to beat through it. If that doesn't work, then just don't attack. You'll probably will have to go in and bust down on Rugal. In that case, go with Drill Headbutt and Drill Kick, and if Rugal counters that, then use Roll and Roll Cancel into Yoga Tempest or Yoga Stream. -Vs. Ryo- For Ryo, your best bet is to get him to fall for your traps. Use Yoga Fire to bait him, then use either Yoga Blast or Yoga Flame (mix them up from time to time). Use Yoga Volcano and Yoga Stream only as a last resort, or when you find that Ryo has left himself wide-open. If you somehow find that Ryo isn't going for any of your traps, then you'll need to go in and bust him down. Use the basic Dhalsim tactics in that case to fight. -Vs. Ryu- This fight is similar to that with Ken. However, you'll never really get Ryu to fall for any of Dhalsim's traps, so you'll have to bring the fight to Ryu. Be careful when using Drill Headbutt or Drill Kick as your way of getting to Ryu, as he can counter using Shoryuken. You can use Roll and Roll Cnacel through one of Ryu's Hadokens using Yoga Tempest or Yoga Stream. -Vs. Sagat- This fight is heavily against Dhalsim, as Sagat can easily beat through Dhalsim's moves by spamming Tiger Shots. You'll have no choice but to get in close and fight Sagat; however, the problem here is that Sagat is even more deadlier when in close. You'll have to really work your Parry and Roll Cancels here in order to win this fight against Sagat. -Vs. Sakura- Sakura is a little tough, but a bit easier since you can bait her more than you can Ryu and Ken. Use Yoga Flame or Yoga Fire to counter Sakura's Shunpu Kyaku and Sho-Oh-Ken attacks, and save Yoga Volcano and Yoga Stream for Midare Sakura and Haru Ichiban. For Shinku Hadoken, just Roll through it and Roll Cancel into Yoga Tempest if you can. If not, then Roll Cancel into Yoga Volcano for at least chip damage. -Vs. Shin Akuma- Unless you can REALLY utilize Yoga Teleport, Parry, and Roll Cancel, don't expect to win this fight ever.... -Vs. Terry- Against Terry, you'll want to use Yoga Flame and Yoga Volcano the most to counter his Buster Wolf, Burning Knuckles and Crack Shot attacks. Save Yoga Tempest for times that you block Terry's Rising Tackle or Roll through his Buster Wolf. For Power Wave and Power Geyser, simply Parry them and use Yoga Fire to counter. Not much else to this fight. -Vs. Todo- This fight is just annoying, and one of the few that Todo can actually win if you don't fight him right. You'll have to ignore all of Dhalsim's specials and save his Super Specials for when you block Todo's attacks. Avoid using any of Dhalsim's stretch attacks, since he can easily counter those using his Ecstasy Crunch attacks. -Vs. Ultimate Rugal- Don't even bother trying to win this fight, since you'd have to basically block, Parry, and Roll through everything that Ultimate Rugal does, and even then, Ultimate Rugal can counter Dhalsim's moves.... -Vs. Vega- For Vega, Yoga Blast and Yoga Volcano will be your best friend, since Vega loves to jump a lot. Save Yoga Stream for times that Vega goes for a Rolling Crystal Flash or Rolling Izuna Drop. Scarlet Terror can be countered using Yoga Flame or Yoga Tempest (if you block it or Roll Cancel into it). You won't have any problems getting Vega to come to you, since Vega depends on getting in close to fight. You can use Standing SK to also counter Vega's obnoxious jumping abilities. -Vs. Vice- For Vice, you'll want to stay clear and bait her; however, you don't want Vice to stay close to Dhalsim, since a couple of her moves can only be used while in close. So, if you somehow find that Vice is avoiding all of Dhalsim's attacks and is using her close moves, then use Yoga Teleport to escape and continue using the basic Dhalsim tactics. -Vs. Yamazaki- Yamazaki isn't that hard, considering that you can beat all of his attacks using Yoga Fire and Yoga Flame alone. If you want to risk it and go in fighting, use Crouching SK to Yoga Flame to Yoga Stream to try and trick your opponent, or just use Drill Headbutt/Drill Kick into B + SP into Yoga Volcano for even more results. This fight isn't really that hard to win. -Vs. Yun- This fight is just as easy as the fight with Yamazaki. Spam Yoga Fire, Yoga Flame, and Yoga Blast, and Yun can't really get in close to Dhalsim. You'll want to use Yoga Teleport from time to time to avoid Yun's pressuring abilities, especially since you never know when he'll Roll through any of your attacks. Yoga Tempest works best after you block an attack and counter with it. This fight is pretty straightforward, as long as you stick to the basic Dhalsim tactics. -Vs. Yuri- Here, you'll need to get Yuri in close to really do some damage. Watch out for Rai Oh Ken and Haoh Sho Koh Ken, as you can't really stop them aside from using Roll. You'll want to try and avoid Yuri's Flying Phoenix Kick by using Yoga Stream and Yoga Volcano. For Scalding Stream Blast, try to stop it using Yoga Flame and/or Yoga Volcano. The rest of her attacks should be easy to get through as long as you stick to the basic Dhalsim tactics. -Vs. Zangief- For Zangief, stick to Yoga Fire, Yoga Flame, and Yoga Stream/Yoga Volcano, for beating through Zangief's devastating attacks and defense. As long as you don't let Zangief stay too close to Dhalsim, you should be just fine. Stick to the basic Dhalsim tactics to beat through Zangief. ------------------------------------------------------------ VIII. Eagle [CAP08] -Introduction- One of the first Street Fighters finally returns, and he does put the pain on his opponents! -Movelist- -Specials- Manchester Black....................................QCB + P Canterbury Blues (Chargeable)..............QCF + P (LP=High, MP=Mid, SP=Low) Oxford Red.................................................HCF + K Liverpool White........................................QCB + K Saint Andrews Green...............................DPF + P -Super Specials- Manchester Gold.......................................QCBx2 + P Union Jack Platinum..................................QCFx2 + P -Movelist Breakdown- --Normal Attacks-- -STANDING- LP (Quick Jab) -The basic LP move. Very quick and good for combo starters. However, has short reach and does very little damage. MP (Baton Thrust) -Has a pretty decent reach and does a little more damage than the LP. However, not as fast as the LP move. SP (Baton Swing) -Excellent range and reach, but slow and vulnerable to attacks when blocked. Best used whenever you try to counter a move. Close SP (Hammer Baton) -Pretty great, and does decent damage, but can only be used if you're close to the opponent. Aside from that, it'd probably be better just to stick to the other moves rather than use this. LK (Low Baton Strike) -Strikes low, but does little damage and has little range. MK (Low Baton Poke) -Has a little more range than the LK move, and does a little extra damage. Nothing special here. SK (Fierce Low Baton Swing) -Just as with the SP, this move has excellent range and reach, but is also slow and vulnerable to attacks when blocked. Close SK (Double Baton Strike) -Hits twice, and does decent damage. Downside is that you have to be next to the opponent for it to come out, and it has bad recovery time. -CROUCHING- LP (Quick Jab) -Same as with the Standing LP. MP (Double Baton Strike) -A pretty decent normal move. Has a decent range on it, and does a decent amount of damage for a normal move, but is slow and vulnerable to attacks if blocked. SP (Baton Upper) -Slow and has limited range, but great as an Anti-Air counter move. LK (Low Baton Strike) -Same as the Standing LK. MK (Strong Low Baton Strike) -Same as with the Crouching LK, but deals a bit more damage and is a little slower than the LK variation. SK (Baton Flapjack) -Trips the opponent, and has great reach. The problem is is that it has a little slow startup. -JUMPING- LP (Baton Fall) -Comes out very quickly, but only lasts for about a second. This move does very little damage, but is great for comboing into a Manchester Black or Manchester Gold after you use it before you hit the ground. MP (Quick Baton Fall) -This is just an extremely fast version of the Jumping LP. Nothing else is different. SP (High Baton Swing) -Comes out rather slowly, and can only really hit opponent's who also happen to be in the air. Does a decent amount of damage and has decent range, but not worth using that much. LK (Baton Head Strike) -This is an ok move, but not one that you'll want to use that much. It's good for leading into combos, but does pitiful damage and is easily counterable. MK (Quick Baton Head Strike) -The faster version of the Jumping LK attack. Nothing else is different from this and the LK version aside from the fact that this move comes out much faster. SK (Double Baton Head Strike) -Has excellent range and does pretty decent damage, and is also great for knocking opponents out of moves. Has a little slow startup and recovery time, but other than that, an all-around great move. --Throws-- B or F + SP (Impaling Baton) -Eagle impales the opponent on his baton, then flings them across the screen. B or F + SK (Headlock Baton) -Eagle grabs the opponent in a headlock, then bashes them in the head with his batons. --Special Moves-- -Manchester Black- STRONG VS. Close attacks Rush attacks Some Other attacks WEAK VS. Air attacks Anti-Air attacks Other attacks (such as Tatsumkai Senpu Kyaku) Projectile attacks -A pretty decent move, as you can use this whenever you're cornered to get Eagle into his pressuring tactics. Does pretty decent damage, and has pretty good range on it as well. Great for Wakeup tactics! RC LP version for a solid AA, especially against crossovers that are not meaty. The multiple hits make jump in parries/JDs more difficult. Avoid using the MP and FP versions in the corner against grooves with safe fall, as an opponent can safe fall and punish Eagle before he recovers. -Canterbury Blue- STRONG VS. Rush attacks Other attacks WEAK VS. Projectile attacks Anti-Air attacks Air attacks -This is a pretty good move, since you can charge it up and release it when ready (most of the time...). And, depending on which button you used to charge with, Eagle will hit in one of three ways; High (if you used LP), Middle (if you used MP), or Low (if you used SP). This is not a true counter as it utilizes autoblock with a counter attack that comes out regardless of whether or not a move was 'countered'. Positioning of the stick and resulting counter attack are determined by the strength used. The autoblock stance can be held for about 2 seconds and will absorb multiple normal and special move hits, including projectiles. Supers cannot be countered. Eagle can be hit out of the counter attack, even the start up, because it has no invincibility frames. Because this counter ignores high/low hit properties, a move is countered as long as its hitbox touches the autoblock area. In general, the MP strength is most useful because it catches most moves. -Oxford Red- STRONG VS. Rush attacks Other attacks WEAK VS. Projectile attacks Anti-Air attacks Air attacks -A rather decent move, but is way too easy to counter. Eagle leaps at the opponent and slams them with his batons, resulting in a knock down. The only way that this move will really connect is if your opponent is in the middle of an attack and can't cancel out of it (such as Ryu's Tatsumaki Senpu Kyaku, Mai's Deadly Ninja Bees, or Terry's Rising Tackle). Other than that, this move really isn't worth using. The strengths do 5, 7 and 9 hits. The last hits of any strength will whiff if the move is done from too far away. This move is not safe on block and looks like it would be good for a chip damage KO, but there is a gap between the initial hit and the pokes that an opponent can exploit with rolls, DPs or parries/JDs. This special is mostly meant for combos, with MK being the best strength to use because FK is too slow to combo off normals and LK does less damage. Oxford Red combos give a good chunk of meter. RC the FK version to go through projectiles midscreen. Don't do this full screen because the last hits will whiff. -Liverpool White- STRONG VS. Rush attacks Close attacks WEAK VS. Projectile attacks Anti-Air attacks Air attacks -A decent move as a Wakeup counter, but other than that, this move isn't all that useful. A slow aerial overhead that's not safe on block, easily Eagle's worst special. It travels over fireballs, but so does a super jump into free combo. The only time this move should be in a match is when the player messes up an RC lariat and gets this move RCed instead. -Saint Andrews Green- STRONG VS. Projectile attacks (if timed right) Close attacks Rush attacks Some Other attacks WEAK VS. Air attacks Anti-Air attacks -An all-around great move. If timed correctly, you can deflect Projectiles back at your opponent (though against Super Special projectiles...that may be another story). It's also great for times that you want to mix-up attacks with Manchester Black. Does great damage, but has low range. Reflects fireballs in a direction of choice depending on strength of punch used. LP returns the projectile horizontally with the MP and FP launching at higher angles. The swing itself does the same damage no matter which strength is used, but interestingly enough weaker versions launch the opponent higher in the air. Every version is punishable on block. This does not work on supers outside of Kyosuke's super fireball. --Super Special Moves-- -Manchester Gold- STRONG VS. Close attacks Rush attacks Some Other attacks WEAK VS. Air attacks Anti-Air attacks Other attacks (such as Tatsumkai Senpu Kyaku) Projectile attacks -Not very practical outside of K-Groove. For the most part, the Union Jack Platinum makes this super useless in combos as it does less damage. As an AA it will only juggle a few times for pitiful damage, especially at level 3 since the last hit will not come out unless the opponent is grounded. This super is best used for finishing an opponent in the air or as chip. Only the level 3 version is safe, leaving Eagle at +1. -Union Jack Platinum- STRONG VS. Close attacks Rush attacks Some Other attacks WEAK VS. Air attacks Anti-Air attacks Other attacks (such as Tatsumkai Senpu Kyaku) Projectile attacks -Easy to combo with good damage. This is not safe on block at any level and has atrocious recovery if whiffed. Level 1 has unusually high invincibility and will trade with meaty normals. Level 2 is one of the harder hitting level 2s in the game and will fully connect at any distance except counter hitting extended limbs. Level 3 can be used in combos, but landing this super at max range will cause the last hit to whiff. --Strengths & Weaknesses-- Eagle is a very powerful fighter, when up close. The best thing about him is his ability to pressure his opponent and not giving them too much of a chance to strike back, and also the ability to counterattack what the opponent is going to do. He's also one of the few fighters who can deflect projectiles back at the opponent. Eagle also has a rather decent defense, vitality, and stun guage to boot. So, what's the downside to Eagle? Well, Eagle can't neccessarily fight long distance battles, since he has no projectiles at his disposal. This puts him in a great disadvantage when paired up against fighters like Akuma, Geese, Rugal, and Rock. Also, you have to be precise on the timing of Eagle's attacks in order for them to fully function the way they're supposed to. Otherwise, you leave Eagle wide-open to a world of pain. --Battle Strategies-- OFFENSE Manchester Black and Canterbury Blue are your ultimate weapons of choice in this style. Use Manchester Black (mixed in with Liverpool White or Saint Andrews Green) as a Wakeup Counter to get opponent's off of Eagle's back, and save Canterbury Blue for times that the opponent goes to use an attack that has a delayed recovery time to it (such as Ryu's Tatsumaki Senpu Kyaku or Mai's Deadly Ninja Bees). For Super Specials, Manchester Gold is the best that you'll get. DEFENSE There's nothing better here than Canterbury Blue and Saint Andrews Green. Canterbury Blue is great simply because, depending on which button you used to initiate the move, you can hit the opponent from basically anywhere. As for Saint Andrews Green, for those annoying projectile users (Ryu, Ken, Akuma, Dhalsim, and Terry, to name a few), you can simply deflect them back at them (though with Super Specials, it's best to either block or Roll through them). Liverpool White is nice in case the opponent is in the air, and you don't think that Manchester Black or Saint Andrews Green will help you. Save Oxford Red for times that you want to go on the offensive and don't want to risk using Manchester Black. ---Eagle Basics: Learning What is What--- ---Pokes--- » c.MP Hits low. First hit can be canceled into sticks to combo. The second hit cannot be canceled but has long reach. Don't spam this as the opponent can psychic jump this normal for a free combo. » s.MK Use this to stuff certain anticipated pokes (like Vega c.MP). » c.MK Decent speed and priority and somewhat safe to whiff. » s.FP Long reach heavy hit. Use sparingly since it can be rolled and punished on block by characters with quick supers. K-Groove can punish at any distance with a JD. » c.FK Same as above, only it knocks down. Good to punish whiffs. ---Anti-Airs--- » s.MP Use against low jumps. Time this so the second hit is the AA. » s.FP This hits opponents jumping just short of Eagle's position. » sc.FP This feels like it has a lot of priority. The hitbox is deceptive because it initially hits far above and just ahead of Eagle before he brings the sticks to his sides. Use start on the console to help see the beginning hitbox animation. » c.FP Controls the space directly above Eagle's head. Use to intercept cross ups. » j.MP or j.FP Both are very effective air-to-air attacks. » RC Lariat See Special Moves section. » LP Counter Use against low jumps. The autoblock can help but is not necessary, just release the button. » MP Counter Use only if the jump in will hit Eagle's midsection. ---Eagle's Combos--- » c.LP, c.LP, s.MK xx HCF + MK Eagle's easiest B&B, but c.LP can be blocked high. Use for quick punishes. Remove a c.LP if needed for distance. » c.LK, c.LP, s.MK xx HCF + MK This combo is slightly harder because of the c.LK to c.LP link and does the same damage as the combo above, but c.LK must be blocked low. The jab can be left out, linking c.LK to s.MK is more difficult than c.LP to c.MK. » c.MK, s.MK xx HCF + MK This is a nice hit confirm. If c.MK hits, go straight into s.MK xx sticks. » c.MK, s.FP Only works if c.MK is a counter hit. Good damage for two buttons. » j.FP OR j.FK, c.FP xx HCF + MK The most damaging combo Eagle can do without meter. j.FP does slightly more damage but is best used only on dizzied opponents since it can be ducked by most of the cast. Some Eagle players like to substitute c.MP for s.MK in combos. The first hit of c.MP can combo into the sticks. This trades damage in exchange for distance and a different style of execution which may be easier to some players. ---Eagle's Super Combos--- Take any of the combos above and replace the Oxford Red (HCF + MK) with any level Union Jack Platinum (QCFx2 + P). Be careful on distance when using the level 3 because the last hits will whiff at max range. Union Jack Platinum links from c.MK when close enough. It's useful, although the timing isn't as easy as Cammy's s.FP super link. c.MK, s.MK xx super is also possible. Grooves with short jump can j.FK into either super. Union Jack Platinum does more damage, but spinny super is safe if the combo is botched. ---Groove Specific Combos--- » C-Groove Eagle's level 2 Union Jack Platinum is one of the better level 2s of the game with solid damage and effective cancels. All level 2 cancels are done on the last hit (12th) or hit before last (11th, the final fast stick pokes). 11th xx (QCFx2 + P) Level 2 to level 1. 11th xx (HCF + K) This does slightly less damage than the entire super but adds stun and helps build some meter back. 12th xx (DP + K) Corner only. This gets the full damage of the level 2 and then some. All strengths of the bat do the same damage, but the distance the opponent is launched in the air is different. Use the different timings for different meaty shenanigans. » A-Groove Eagle has no problem using meter in A-Groove with ground, anti air and guard crush customs. s.HK x3 xx HCF + MK (1 hit) xx s.HK x3 xx HCF + MK x3 xx QCFx2 + P Ground custom. Alternatively, start with an Oxford Red (HCF + MK) to fly through a fireball with CC invincibility. c.MK xx s.HK x2 xx HCF + MK (1 hit)... Trip guard custom. Replace the first s.HK of the ground custom with c.MK and continue from there. [s.HK x3 xx HCF + MK]xN Guard crush custom. Be sure to end with a s.HK. QCB + FP (1 hit) xx c.FP x2 xx roll, [c.FP x3]xN, super Anti air custom. If the opponent is juggled to the corner: [j.MK x3, j.MP]xN until super. The Liverpool White (QCB + K) can be used as an overhead reset, but it is easily escapable. » P-Groove Fish for parries to land Oxford Red (HCF + K) or Union Jack Platinum (QCFx2 + P) combos. HCF + K xx QCFx2 + P Only works in CvS2 EO. QCF + P xx QCFx2 + P Only works in CvS2 EO. Counter something and super cancel the counterattack. ---What Leaves the Eagle Open--- » s.FP Eagle can be punished when this is used too close. This is safe on block at max distances except to fast level 3s (like Balrog's and Bison's). The opponent can avoid with a roll and get a free combo. » c.FK Can be rolled just like s.FP. At point blank range this will completely whiff on smaller opponents, but it should only be used from afar or as a whiff punisher anyway. » Manchester Black This IS punishable on the ground, even in the corner against blocking big characters. Opponents with safe fall can recover and punish Eagle before the FP strength recovers near the corner. » Canterbury Blue Punishable on block and possibly on hit at close range by fast moves (like quick level 3s and Vega's c.MP). » Oxford Red There is a gap between the first hit and the stick barrage. An opponent can roll/dp/super/parry/JD at that point. The recovery is terrible. If this move lands from too far, the last hits will whiff. » Liverpool White You should be punished for using this move. Slow, roll bait and punishable on block. » Rolling Eagle has a slightly below average roll: long distance, 20 total invincibility frames, 3 high invincibility frames, and 4 recovery frames. » Just Defend s.FP and c.FK are punishable if JD'd. c.FP used as anti air can be punished depending on how deep the JD is. ---The Advanced Eagle Player--- Dash Eagle's dash is moderately fast and hops high enough to cross over downed opponents and ground fireballs (except Geese's Double Reppuken). » Run Average run that's good enough for run c.LPs and c.MKs. » Short Jump sj.FK xx super. Short jump creates more opportunities to land a cross up j.FK. » Rolling and Roll Cancel Eagle's roll is slightly below average, but his roll cancels are very effective with RC lariat as anti air and RC sticks as a response to mid screen projectiles. » Alpha Counter Uses the s.FK animation. It will trade with Sakura's custom. Note that the hitbox will not catch attacks that are very low to the ground (like Blanka's slide). --Matchups-- -Vs Akuma- Akuma loves to spam Gou Hadoken and Zanku Hadoken, so use Saint Andrews Green anytime that you see those two attacks. However, don't expect Zanku Hadoken to go back the way it came; it'll just down down back to the ground towards Akuma. Don't bother that much with Manchester Black or Oxford Red, since Akuma can counter both of those with Tatsumaki Zanku Kyaku or Gou Shoryuken. Save Canterbury Blue for times that Akuma does use Tatsumaki Zanku Kyaku or Messatsu Gou Shoryu. For Shungokusatsu, counter with Union Jack Platinum or Manchester Gold. Use C-Groove if you just want to hammer on powerful Supers, or use A-Groove if you want to hammer away with constant regular attacks. -Vs. Athena- Athena's not that tough for Eagle to beat down. You can easily deflect her Psycho Ball back at her using Saint Andrews Green, and you can easily stop her regular attacks with a combination of Manchester Black and Liverpool White. For Psycho Sword, just stay out of reach and counter using Oxford Red. For Shining Crystal Bit, just block it and counter using Manchester Black (Manchester Gold, if you're close enough). For Athena's Phoenix Arrow and Phoenix Fang Arrow, you should just Roll through it and counter accordingly. Use A-Groove for this fight. -Vs. Balrog- Balrog's a cinch to beat through. Whenever Balrog goes to use one of his Specials, counter with Manchester Black or Liverpool White, and when Balrog uses a Super Special, counter with Mancehster Gold or Union Jack Platinum. Not really that hard of a fight actually, as long as you stick with A or C-Groove with Eagle. -Vs. Benimaru- For Benimaru, don't bother with Saint Andrews Green that often, since it won't hit Benimaru that often anyways, and Benimaru doesn't use any Projectiles. Be careful when you use Manchester Black or Manchester Gold, as Benimaru can easily counter with Lightning Fist or Heaven Blast Flash. As for Canterbury Blue and Oxford Red, it's best not to use them, since you won't hit Benimaru with them very much in this fight anyways. Basically, you'll need to stick to your regular attacks to win this fight, and rely on your ability to Roll Cancel or Parry. If you're halfway decent with Roll Cancel, then you can try to use Manchester Black or Manchester Gold on Benimaru. A-Groove would be splendid to use here though with Eagle, since you can pester Benimaru pretty well after you go into Custom Combo mode. This fight requires some patience to win with Eagle. -Vs. Blanka- This fight CAN be a little tough, but you can easily counter Blanka's Rolling attacks using Manchester Black or Saint Andrews Green. Liverpool White takes care of the Rolling attacks extremely easily. Avoid Oxford Red in this fight, as it doesn't help much. Save Manchester Gold for the times that you block one of Blanka's Rolling attacks, or when Blanka goes into an Electric Thunder attack. Union Jack Platinum is nice, but only if you manage to pull it out after blocking a Rolling attack. A-Groove is the recommended Groove for this fight. -Vs. Cammy- Here, Canterbury Blue and Saint Andrews Green are going to be your best friends in countering Cammy's attacks. You'll really want to block her Cannon Spike and Spiral Arrow though, so that you can punish her with Manchester Black and Manchester Gold. Oxford Red is just asking to get hit by a Spiral Arrow or Spin Drive Smasher/Reverse Shaft Breaker, so avoid using it. Union Jack Platinum is nice to use, but only if you can block one of Cammy's Super Specials or Cannon Spike. A-Groove is best to use here, but C-Groove works just as well. -Vs. Chang- Once again, Oxford Red is a bad move to make here, since Chang can easily counter it, and Liverpool White is not that useful either. Manchester Black and Saint Andrews Green are most likely going to be your Specials of choice, while Manchester Gold is your ultimate weapon in this fight. Canterbury Blue isn't going to help too much, since Chang doesn't need to get in too close to really do any damage to you. Save Union Jack Platinum for times that you block Chang's attacks, or when Chang tries to use his Wild Ball Attack Super Special. You'll want A-Groove for this fight, just so that you can pressure Chang as much as you can! -Vs. Chun-Li- Chun-Li's not too difficult to beat with Eagle. For the times that Chun-Li uses Hyakuretsu Kyaku, counter with Manchester Black or Manchester Gold, and for Hazan Shu, use either Saint Andrews Green or Canterbury Blue. With Spinning Bird Kick, use Oxford Red, and with Kikoken, make it go back at her using Saint Andrews Green. Save Liverpool White and Union Jack Platinum for times that Chun-Li uses Hoyoukosen. You can use A-Groove here if you want, but C-Groove is the better choice for this fight, just because you want to inflict as much damage with your counters as you can, as Chun-Li can easily knock Eagle out of Custom Combo. -Vs. Dan- Dan is relatively easy to beat using Eagle. For Gadoken, either use Saint Andrews Green (just to spite Dan), or wait and counter with Manchester Black. For Dankyaku, use Canterbury Blue or Liverpool White, and for Kouryuken, just block and counter with whatever you feel like using. For Shinku Gadoken, if you can, use Saint Andrews Green, or Roll Cancel through Shinku Gadoken and counter with Manchester Gold. As for Hissyo Buraiken and Kouryurekka, stay a little out of range, let the attack finish, then go into a Union Jack Platinum. A-Groove will be your best bet to slaughtering Dan! -Vs. Dhalsim- Dhalsim is tough to beat for Eagle, simply because Dhalsim can counter all of Eagle's attacks very easily with Yoga Flame and Yoga Blast alone (Yoga Fire would just result in Eagle countering with Saint Andrews Green, so that's no problem). So, what you want to do is avoid using any Specials when you're NOT close to Dhalsim, and try to get in close using regular attacks and Rolls (Parrys if you're using A-Groove). -Vs. Eagle- Fight Eagle as you would fight yourself basically. -Vs. E.Honda- Here, Liverpool White and Canterbury Blues are your best weapon against Honda. Save your Super Specials for times that you block any of his attacks (save for his special Throws). There's not much to this fight really. Use A-Groove to really pound Honda! -Vs. Evil Ryu- This fight isn't as hard as you would think. For times that Evil Ryu uses Hadoken or Shakunetsu Hadoken, use Saint Andrews Green, and for Metsu Hadoken and Shinku Hadoken, just either Jump or Roll through them, then hit Evil Ryu with a Manchester Black or Manchester Gold. Save Canterbury Blues for times that Evil Ryu uses Tatsumaki Senpu Kyaku, and use Liverpool White for times that Evil Ryu uses Ashura Senku (or just get out of dodge). For Shoryuken and Messatsu Gou Shoryu, just block and counter with Union Jack Platinum. A-Groove is your best bet to winning this fight! -Vs. Geese- Geese is tough regardless of who you use, but with Eagle, he becomes slightly easier to beat. For Wind Slice, Double Wind Slice, and Gaia Slash, use Saint Andrews Green, and for Evil Illusion Slam and Deadly Rave, counter with Manchester Black or Manchester Gold (Union Jack Platinum or Liverpool White works just as well here too). For Raising Storm, there's not much you can really do except block and counter using Manchester Gold if you get the chance (which odds are, you won't). You'll want to stick to C-Groove here, though A-Groove is also a great way to approach Geese (as long as you watch out for his Body Blow counters!). -Vs. Guile- Guile's a snoozefest. You can easily beat through him as long as you watch out for his Somersault Kick and Sonic Hurricane. If you wait it out, just Saint Andrews Green his Sonic Booms back at Guile, then go in and attack Guile relentlessly with constant attacks (throwing in Manchester Blacks and Canterbury Blues for good measures). If Guile tries to go on the offense, just counter him with Canterbury Blues and Liverpool White. A-Groove is your best bet to winning this fight! -Vs. Haohmaru- Haohmaru's tough to beat here. You'll want to deflect his Secret Cyclone Slash using Saint Andrews Green, and counter his Secret Earthquake Slice with Liverpool White. For Secret Crescent Moon Slash, just block and counter using Liverpool White or Union Jack Platinum. You'll want to counter Slash of Supreme Judgement with Union Jack Platinum as well, and for Flame of the Conqueror, just Roll through it and counter using Manchester Gold. With Haohmaru's regular attacks, you'll need to watch out his Standing SP and Crouching SP attacks the most, so Roll through those and counter with Manchester Black or Manchester Gold. A-Groove is recommended for pressuring tactics, while C-Groove is recommended for countering tactics. -Vs. Hibiki- Hibiki is annoying just because she has crazy range with some of her attacks. You'll need to be careful when you use Manchester Black, Canterbury Blue, and Liverpool White due to Hibiki's Distance Slash, and be careful when up close, since you DON'T want to have a No Fear Feint in Eagle's face. Malding Being Blade can also pose a threat in this fight if you're not careful, as can a lot of Hibiki's regular attacks. You'll want to use Oxford Red a lot in this fight to bypass several of Hibiki's attacks, but you'll want to stick to your regular attacks a lot in this fight. Use A-Groove in this fight. -Vs. Iori- Iori's not that tough to beat. You can swat his Dark Thrust back at him with good ol' Saint Andrews Green, and for his Deadly Flower and Maiden Masher, you can easily counter with Liverpool White or Manchester Black/Gold. For Fire Ball, just block and counter with whatever you want. Up close, watch out for Scum Gale, and focus on comboing in Standing MP, Standing SP, Crouching MK, and Crouching SP with Canterbury Blues and Liverpool White. This fight is pretty straightforward in itself, so you shouldn't have any problems beating Iori. A-Groove is the best Groove for this fight. -Vs. Joe- Joe's rough, just due that it can be really tough to deflect both of his Hurricane Uppers, and that he can smash through most of Eagle's attacks using Screw Upper or Double Cyclone Upper. For the majority of Joe's attacks, you can easily smash through using Liverpool White or Canterbury Blue (use Manchester Black to counter Golden Heel Cruncher, and use Liverpool White to counter everything else). For Exploding Hurricane Tiger Talon, use Union Jack Platinum to counter it (Manchester Gold may just result in you getting the butt end of Joe's attack). You could use A-Groove, but you'll probably want to stick to C-Groove for this fight. -Vs. Ken- Ken isn't that tough really. Deflect his Hadoken using Saint Andrews Green, and counter his Tatsumaki Senpu Kyaku using Liverpool White or Oxford Red. Shoryuken is easily counterable by blocking and using any attacks, and as for the rest of Ken's crazy kick attacks, just use Liverpool White. Now, with Shoryureppa and Shippu Jinraikyaku, either Roll through them and counter using Manchester Gold, or block and counter using Union Jack Platinum. For Shinryuken, you shouldn't need to be that close. In fact, you should actually try to make Ken make mistakes in this fight. A-Groove is the best to use here. -Vs. Kim- In this fight, you can pretty much dominate Kim as long as you keep a careful eye on his attacks. You can pretty much counter everything he does with Manchester Black or Canterbury Blues, even most of his Super Specials. In other words, this fight is very straightforward; wait till Kim attacks, watch for the right time, then counterattack. A-Groove is the best Groove to use here if you decide to go on the pure offense, but use C-Groove for the countering methods. -Vs. King- You can swat King's Venom Strike back at her, but for Double Strike, it's best to not try to swat them back....and instead just jump over them and attack King. For the rest of King's attacks, you can easily smack her with Manchester Black and Liverpool White (you could use Canterbury Blue if you want, but Liverpool White hits faster). For her Super Specials, counter with Union Jack Platinum. Use A-Groove to pester King. A pretty easy fight. -Vs. Kyo- Kyo's not that tough to beat either. For his Wicked Chew combo, just block it and counter with Union Jack Platinum (if you have it, if not, then use Manchester Black). The rest of Kyo's attacks aren't that deadly, save for Serpent Wave and Final Shodown, which still aren't that dangerous if you block or Roll through them and counter with Manchester Gold or Union Jack Platinum. This fight is extremely straightforward, so you shouldn't have that much problem beating Kyo. Use A-Groove just to annoy him even more. -Vs. Kyosuke- Kyosuke is a bit easier to beat with Eagle. You can deflect his Cross Cutters back at his face, and counter his Shadow Out Kick by blocking and countering with Liverpool White. For Lightning Upper, just roll through it and counter with Manchester Black or Liverpool White. The rest of his attacks you should block and counter accordingly with Manchester Black/Gold. Not a very tough fight by no means, and you can easily hammer away Custom Combo at Kyosuke if nothing else. Oh, and did I forget to mention.....A-Groove is your best bet to winning this fight? -Vs. Mai- Mai is pretty hard for Eagle, but not that much as she is to other fighters. You can deflect her Kacho Sans via Saint Andrews Green, and for her Deadly Ninja Bees and Super Deadly Ninja Bees, you can easily use Canterbury Blue or Manchester Black to counter. For Ryu En Bu, just block and counter using Liverpool White or Union Jack Platinum, and for her Flying Squirrel and Crimson Firebird Diver, just block or Roll, then counter using Union Jack Platinum or Manchester Gold. For her regular attacks now, you'll want to save Manchester Black for times that Mai misses with one of her attacks. Use A-Groove in this fight if you want to pressure Mai, or use C-Groove if you want to counter everything that Mai does and punish her with a Super Special. -Vs. Maki- Maki's pretty easy to beat with Eagle. You can punish the majority, if not all of her moves, using just Manchester Black, and Liverpool White alone. For her aerial attacks, use LP Canterbury Blue to counter. Use A-Groove to really punish Maki up close, but it's better to stick to C-Groove for your countering tactics. Very straightforward fight. -Vs. M.Bison- For Bison, be careful when you use any moves, in case Bison goes to use Psycho Crusher or Mega Psycho Crusher, in which case you'll want to block in order to counter with Manchester Black. Basically, in this fight you'll want to block all of Bison's special and Super Special attacks and counter using Manchester Black and Liverpool White. Not a very tough fight by any means, as long as you stick to countering. A-Groove is only if you want to attack Bison head-on, so stick to C-Groove for this fight. -Vs. Morrigan- Saint Andrews Green will be your best friend here against Soul Phoenix. For Shadow Blade, just block and counter using Liverpool White (the same for Carpinal Blade), and for Darkness Illusion and Valkyrie Turn, just use Union Jack Platinum to counter. Not a very hard fight by any means, and either A or C-Groove will get you through it easily. -Vs. Nakoruru- Nakoruru's fast; of course we know this. So, what does that have to do with using Eagle on her? Simple! It's called "Counterattacks". Wait around for Nakoruru to use an attack (like Annu Mutsube or Kamui Mutsube), then block it and smash Nakoruru with a corresponding attack (Liverpool White for Kamui Mutsube, and either Manchester Black/Gold, SP Canterbury Blue, or Saint Andrews Green for Annu Mutsube). For her Anubo Yataro, just Roll through and prepare to block her next attack, then counter. As for her Super Specials, block her Shichikapu Kanui Irushika, and counter her Elelyu Kamui Risse with Union Jack Platinum. In essence, you'll want to use C-Groove for this fight to inflict heavy damage with your Super Specials. Patince is a virtue for this fight! -Vs. Orochi Iori- Fight Orochi Iori as you would Iori. -Vs. Raiden- With Raiden, you'll want to be careful when you use Manchester Black or Manchester Gold, since you DON'T want Raiden to counter with his Thunder Crush Bomb or Destruction Drop. Try to hammer on some Canterbury Blues while mixing in some Liverpool Whites and regular attacks (save Oxford Red for times that Raiden blocks low). If Raiden attacks you with a Special or Super Special, either Roll through it or block and counter with Manchester Black/Gold or Union Jack Platinum. You'll want to use A-Groove for this fight just for the Custom Combos. Try not to stay too close to Raiden at all times! -Vs. Rolento- For Rolento, Manchester Black and Canterbury Blues are your best friend. Use Manchester Black to counter Patriot Circle, and use Canterbury Blues for all of Rolento's Rolling and evading crap. For Rolento's Super Specials, just jump out of the way or block and counter using Manchester Gold (if you're close enough to hit him with hit). Regular attacks will be your best bet until you can combo them into some of Eagle's Specials. Try to keep Rolento cornered throughout this entire fight! -Vs. Rock- Rock's pretty tough, but if you use Eagle just right, you can easily beat Rock without too much problem. Use Saint Andrews Green to deflect Cyclone Sock and Double Gust Punch back at Rock, and use Manchester Black/Gold to counter Hard Edge, Shining Knuckle, and Neo Deadly Rave. As for Rising Tackle, stay out of reach or block it and counter with Liverpool White. Try to stay in close and hammer away at Rock using regular attacks while combined with Manchester Blacks and Canterbury Blues and a side of Custom Combo (however, when up close, watch out for Rising Tackle and, more importantly, Raising Storm). You'll want to keep Rock cornered as much as you can in this fight, but if you can't, then just stick to making Rock make mistakes, and countering them with your best attacks. A-Groove is highly recommended for this fight, but C-Groove works just as well. You can even try out K-Groove here if you want. -Vs. Rugal- Rugal's pretty easy to beat with Eagle. Saint Andrews Green takes care of Wind Slice and Kaiser Wave, and Liverpool White stops God Press and Gigantic Press in their tracks. For Destroyer Cutter and Genocide Cutter, just block and counter using Liverpool White. For Dark Smash, you can easily Roll through it or Block and counter using Liverpool White. Save Union Jack Platinum if you decide to block God Press or Gigantic Pressure. Keep Rugal in a corner if you can, but you'll have to be extremely careful, since you don't want to have a God Press in your face from trying to constantly attack Rugal. A-Groove helps with your barrage tactics, but C-Groove is best for your countering tactics. It depends on what your tastes are. -Vs. Ryo- Ryo's rather easy to beat with Eagle. Use Saint Andrews Green to deflect Ryo's Tiger Flame Punch back at him, and use Liverpool White for Ryo's Lightning Legs Knockout Kick and Crazy Tiger Thunder Attack. For Zan Retsu Kan, stay back a little or block, then counter with Manchester Black/Gold, and for Koho, block and counter with Liverpool White. As for Haoh Sho Koh Ken, just Roll through it and counter with Manchester Black/Gold, and for Ryuko Rahou and Heaven Blaze Punch, just counter with Manchester Gold. A-Groove is recommended here, as you don't want to give Ryo a chance to attack you. During the fight, make sure to keep Ryo out of the corners to avoid him being able to easily counter Eagle better. -Vs. Ryu- Ryu's a piece of cake to beat. Use Saint Andrews Green against his Hadoken and Shakunetsu Hadoken, and counter his Tatsumaki Senpu Kyaku with Canterbury Blues and Oxford Red. For Shoryuken block it and counter with Liverpool White. With Shinku Hadoken, just jump over it or Roll through it and Roll Cancel into a Manchester Black or Manchester Gold. For Shinku Tatsumaki Senpukyaku, block and counter with Liverpool White or Union Jack Platinum, and for Shin Shoryuken (which is a little tough to block if you don't watch out for it), Roll or block, then counter with Union Jack Platinum just before Ryu hits the ground. This fight isn't hard at all, and an A-Groove Eagle can easily demolish Ryu. -Vs. Sagat- Sagat's not hard at all for Eagle. Deflect all of Sagat's Tiger Shots and Ground Tiger Shots with Saint Andrews Green, and Roll through Tiger Knee and Tiger Uppercut, then counter with Liverpool White or Oxford Red. For all of Sagat's Super Specials, just Roll through them and counter with Manchester Gold. If you have Sagat in a corner, be careful when you get in close to him, since you can't Roll through him and avoid some of his attacks (like Tiger Knee and Tiger Uppercut....) and you may just Roll right into one of his attacks. Don't bother with A-Groove in this fight, and instead go with C-Groove for more damaging Super Specials! -Vs. Sakura- Sakura's a little harder to beat than Ryu and Ken, but not by very much. You can't really use Saint Andrews Green on Sakura's Hadoken, since it's technically not a projectile, so instead block and counter with Manchester Black. For Shunpu Kyaku, use Liverpool White, and for Sho-Oh-Ken, Roll through it and counter with Manchester Black, or try to counter the attack before it hits you with Oxford Red or Liverpool White. Flower Kick is easily counterable with Canterbury Blue. For Haru Ichiban, use Oxford Red, and for Midare Zakura, just counter with Union Jack Platinum. For Shinku Hadoken, do the same thing that you do with Ryu. A-Groove works best here, but be careful if you decide to take the fight to Sakura, since she's pretty nasty when it comes to fighting back. -Vs. Shin Akuma- Deflect each and every one of Shin Akuma's Zanku Hadoken, Gou Hadoken, and Shakunetsu Hadokens right back at him, and if he uses Ashura Senku, use Crouching SK or Liverpool White to counter him. Against him up close, try to counter any of his Tatsumaki Zanku Kyakus or Gou Shoryus with Liverpool Whites or Union Jack Platinum, and for Shungokusatsu, use Manchester Gold IMMEDIATELY! Against Misogi, just Roll and counter using Manchester Gold. This fight will take a lot of patience (since if you block too much, Shin Akuma will just throw you...). -Vs. Terry- Terry's easy to beat with Eagle, since all you really need to do is block and counter everything that Terry does. For Power Wave, use Saint Andrews Green to deflect it back at Terry, and for Burning Knuckle and Power Dunk, use Liverpool White. Against Crack Shot, use Manchester Black, and for Terry's Super Specials, just Roll through them and counter using Manchester Gold. A-Groove works best here only if you decide to go on the offense against Terry, so instead use C-Groove to make your Super Specials more powerful. When you corner Terry, be cautious of his Rising Tackle, since he can pull that off as a counter during the middle of one of Eagle's attacks. Buster Wolf is only a problem if you're in the middle of a Liverpool White or Manchester Black/Gold. -Vs. Todo- Todo's pretty easy to beat as long as you have Roll available to you. Use Roll through each and every one of Todo's Ecstasty Crunches, and counter with Manchester Black or Manchester Gold (if Todo uses Air Ecstasy Crunch, Roll and use Liverpool White, Oxford Red, or Union Jack Platinum to counter). Do the same for his Ultimate Ecstasy Crunch, and with his Mind's Eye Slingshot, just hold off attacking him until he let's his guard down, THEN hammer on a Manchester Gold. Try to avoid cornering Todo, since that'll hurt you more in the longrun than help you. A-Groove is the best Groove to use here. -Vs. Ultimate Rugal- This fight will be reminescant of the fight with Shin Akuma more or less. Aside from countering Ultimate Lane with Liverpool White or Crouching SK, the rest is pretty similar to fighting Rugal. However, for Rugal Execution, you'll want to use Union Jack Platinum (if you have it) or Liverpool White to counter it (the same with Last Judgement, though with that, you'll want to use Manchester Black or Manchester Gold). Try to stick to C-Groove for this fight. Patience is a virtue here! -Vs. Vega- Vega's annoying to fight with Eagle. Liverpool White will be of big help against several of Vega's attacks, but you'll also want to save Saint Andrews Green for Rolling Crystal Flash and Scarlet Mirage (though Manchester Black or Manchester Gold are better to use in those situations). Use Canterbury Blues ONLY if you know when Vega is going to be using a Special, and save Oxford Red as a last resort against Rolling Crystal Flash and Scarlet Mirage. If you can block any of Vega's attacks, counter using Union Jack Platinum. A-Groove is not really needed here, so use C-Groove instead. K-Groove is also somewhat decent with Eagle here. -Vs. Vice- Vice is tough for Eagle to beat. You don't want to stay too far away since Vice can use Da Cide to nail you, and it's pretty hard to get in close to Vice due to her Outrage and Rave Fest specials. And you can't really block that much either due to her Super Specials. Your best bet is to use A-Groove or C-Groove, then Roll through Vice's Da Cide (Jump works just as well), then when Vice tries to use Outrage, counter with Oxford Red or Manchester Black (though don't use Manchester Black too close, or you'll run right into the Outrage). For Rave Fest, just duck and use Crouching SP to hit her, though you'll take damage as well. For Vice's Super Specials, try to counter IMMEDIATELY with Union Jack Platinum or Liverpool White just as Vice is about to grab Eagle. Don't let Vice get cornered at all, since that makes this fight all the more tougher to win. -Vs. Yamazaki- Yamazaki can be a nuisance, since he can ruin Eagle's attacks with some really dumb attacks like Sand Scattering. You'll want to try to use Roll for most of Yamazaki's attacks (though with Serpent Slash, it's hard to tell when he'll hit you...so save Roll for the last second in that situation). For Hydra's Judgement, try to counter with Manchester Black, and for Yamazaki's Super Specials, Roll through them and counter with Manchester Gold (you can also opt to block them and counter with Union Jack Platinum as well). A-Groove is what you're looking for in this fight, since you want to pressure Yamazaki as much as possible (though when attacking him, watch out for his Taunt & Counter special). -Vs. Yun- Yun's a piece of cake to beat with Eagle. You can easily smash all of Yun's attacks using Liverpool White, Manchester Black/Gold, or Union Jack Platinum. In fact, if you corner Yun and use A-Groove's Custom Combo mode, you can easily smash Yun without really taking too much damage from him. Use Roll to get through any of Yun's Super Specials and counter with Manchester Black or Manchester Gold if you find the need too. -Vs. Yuri- Yuri's a nuisance in herself, but she's doable. Deflect her Rai Oh Ken and Tiger Flame Punch with Saint Andrews Green, and counter her Yuri's Super Upper and The 100 Blows with Manchester Black or Liverpool White. For Saiha, just wait until it's about to go away, then attack with Manchester Black or Gold. For Haoh Sho Koh Ken, just Roll and counter with either Manchester Black or Gold (if you're not close enough) or Union Jack Platinum (if you're close enough). You can easily counter Scalding Steam Blast and Flying Phoenix Kick with Union Jack Platinum (right before Yuri would hit Eagle) or Roll through the attacks or Block, then counter using Union Jack Platinum or Manchester Black/Gold. Nothing too difficult about this fight. Use either A-Groove or C-Groove. -Vs. Zangief- Zangief's rough, since if he blocks Eagle's attacks at all, he can counter with any of his grappling moves (as with any other characters that he fights). Try to make Zangief come to you (scary, no?) and force him to make mistakes that you can punish him for. Stay away from Manchester Black and Manchester Gold, since those will just end up with Eagle's face in the ground. Oxford Red isn't all that useful, so avoid it as well. Union Jack Platinum is good to use against Zangief's Super Specials and some of his regular Specials, but be careful when you time the attack! Use A-Groove to pressure Zangief with Custom Combos, or use C-Groove if you want to attack with a powered-up version of Union Jack Platinum. Your choice! ------------------------------------------------------------ IX. E. Honda [CAP09] -Introduction- The Sumo Wrestler finally shows up after some absence, but still remains rather the same as in Street Fighter II. You'll really need to wait out your opponents attacks and counter to win with this guy. -Movelist- -Specials- Hyakuretsu Harite.....................................Tap P rapidly Super Zutsuki.............................................Ch. B, F + P Super Hyakken Otoshi...............................Ch. D, U + K Ooichou Nage.............................................360 + P -Super Specials- Onimusha.....................................................Ch. B, F, B, F + P Orochi Kudaki..............................................720 + P (Level 3 & MAX only) -Movelist Breakdown- --Normal Attacks-- -STANDING- LP (Slow Palm Thrust) -This move has barely any reach at all, and, as the name says, it's pretty damn slow. Not worth using at all.... MP (Palm Thrust) -It's odd to find a MP that moves faster than a LP, but this move does just that. However, it carries all the other properties of the LP version. Still not worth using.... SP (Chop) -Oh noes! It's a.....chop! This moves just as slow as the LP version, but has a little bit more range and reach than the LP version. Still.....not worth using at all.... LK (Low Kick) -Has very little reach (what do you expect from Honda?), and does crappy damage. Still not worth using at all.... MK (Mid Kick) -About as useless as the LK version. Carries basically the exact same properties as the LK version, which means.....yup.....not that good to use at all.... SK (High Kick) -Oh no! It's a High version of the previous 2 moves! It's still horrible to use, as it carries the same properties as the other 2 moves, though it does a little more damage than either one of the other two. F + SK (Foot Trip Kick) -Something that's actually useful! This move, if not blocked, will knock the opponent down, but still......it has crappy range and reach, but does decent damage. -CROUCHING- LP (Slow Palm Thrust) -Same as the Standing LP. MP (Palm Thrust) -Same as the Standing MP. SP (Arm Trip) -Honda uses his big arm to trip the opponent. What a surprise...however, this move has quite a bit of reach to it, so it may surprise your opponent if you haven't used it all that much. LK (Low Kick) -Same as with the Standing LK. MK (Mid Kick) -Same as with the Standing MK. SK (Sweep) -Honda trips the opponent with a sweep kick. Has a pretty good reach on it, and does decent damage, but that's about the extent of this move. -JUMPING- LP (Falling Palm) -Comes out relatively quick, but doesn't last for that long, and it does crappy damage. Could be useful for combo starters, IF Honda had something to combo into.... MP (Aerial Chop) -Has a little range on it, but in order to hit with it, you have to practically use it when the opponent is next to Honda in the air or right by him as he's coming down from the air. Doesn't do that much damage... SP (Face Slap) -Nothing like coming down out of the air and slapping Akuma out of his Shungokusatsu! However, that's the only way you CAN get this move to connect IS to be pretty close to the opponent... LK (Butt Smash) -Yes....squish your opponents with Honda's big ass! Of course, this move isn't all that useful at all, though it seems to last the whole time that Honda is in the air. MK (Body Press) -Covers a good deal of the area that Honda's in the air, but it doesn't do much damage and is prone to counterattacks. SK (Diagonal Kick) -This is the move to use to knock opponent's out of their moves. Does decent damage and has decent range, but other than that, nothing else to really say about this move. --Throws-- F or B + SP (Sumo Toss) F or B + SK (Bear Hug) -Damages opponent up to 8 times. --Special Moves-- -Hyakuretsu Harite- STRONG VS. Close attacks Rush attacks Some Other attacks (like Shungokusatsu and Tatsumaki Senpu Kyaku) WEAK VS. Projectile attacks Air attacks Anti-Air attacks Some Other attacks -Honda's famous Special. This move is great for times that you corner your opponent, and good for pulling out just before some attacks are about to connect to Honda (like Deadly Ninja Bees, Burning Knuckles, Shungokusatsu, and Rolling Attack). However, it's very vulnerable to Projectile attacks and Air attacks (though sometimes, Honda can still hit opponent's in the air as they're coming down; i.e. Sakura's Flower Kick). -Super Zutsuki- STRONG VS. Rush attacks Other attacks Close attacks WEAK VS. Projectile attacks Anti-Air attacks Other attacks (like Raising Storm and Power Geyser) Air attacks -Honda's Sumo Headbutt! This is a pretty decent move to use (and fairly obvious to tell when the CPU is going to use it...), but the downside is, it's pretty easy to counter with just about any character (Mai can counter using Kacho San or Ryu En Bu, Ryu with Shoryuken and Hadoken, Eagle with Liverpool White, and so on). Still, it can be a life saver, especially if you find yourself in a corner and about to end up on the receiving end of a Shungokusatsu. -Super Hyakkan Otoshi- STRONG VS. Rush attacks Other attacks The majority of Projectiles, as long as you don't use it before the attack comes out... WEAK VS. Air attacks Anti-Air attacks Some Other attacks (such as Sun Fire Samba) -A rather decent defensive move, if anything else. This move can get you out of corners if you find that your opponent is too busy trying to hit you with everything that they have and aren't paying attention to what you're doing. However, this move is pretty vulnerable to all Anti-Air attacks, so using it against the likes of Ryu, Akuma, Kyo, or Morrigan proves futile. -Ooichou Nage- STRONG VS. Nothing.... WEAK VS. Everything.... -Honda's Special Throw move that can, of course, only be used if you're next to your opponent. However, this move deals A LOT of damage, so it can be worth the damage that you take just to pull it off. However, if you find that you can't even get close enough to use it and you're taking way too much damage, ignore it! --Super Special Moves-- -Onimushu- STRONG VS. Rush attacks Some Other attacks (such as Shungokusatsu and Deadly Ninja Bees) WEAK VS. Projectile attacks Anti-Air attacks Air attacks Some Other attacks (like Shinku Tatsumaki Senpu Kyaku) -A pretty great offensive attack, but you'll have to be pretty cautious when using it, since it can be countered very easily (nothing better than being knocked out of a Super Special than by a fan or a cyclone, eh?) -Orochi Kudaki- STRONG VS. Close attacks WEAK VS. Everything..... -This is a great defensive attack, but can ONLY be used if you're right next to your opponent; otherwise, you wasted your Super Meter for nothing. Try to use this whenever the opponent trips Honda and tries to get right up on him. --Strengths & Weaknesses-- Honda doesn't really have many Strengths to him, and usually I won't say that about any fighter. The only good thing about him is that he has a rather decent vitality, defense, and stun rating, but other than that, he falls short of everything else. He lacks any range whatsoever, and his attacks are very easily predicatable and counterable. In order to even remotely win with Honda, you'd pretty much have to force your opponent into making as many mistakes as possible, then countering him/her with one of Honda's moves. However, as shown by the Tier Listing in Section 004, Honda can be a top-tier fighter when used in C-Groove. But as stated earlier, this depends on the player's ability to use Honda. --Battle Strategies-- OFFENSE There's not too much going for Honda on offense aside from Hyakuretsu Harite and Super Zutsuki. You'll really need to be in close to hit your opponent's hard with Honda, and if you're going to be in that close, might as well try to go for a Ooichou Nage or Orochi Kudaki while you're at it. Try to tack on as many Crouching SP and Crouching SK as possible! Save Onimushu for times that you're about to be pressured heavily, or about to get hit with a very powerful Super Special. DEFENSE All of Honda's attacks work well defensively, however you play Honda. Ooichou Nage is great for times that you block an attack and the opponent is next to Honda to use the attack (the same for Orochi Kudaki). Hyakurestu Harite is also great for keeping opponents back from pressuring you, and is great to lead into a offensive assault. Save Super Hyakkan Otoshi for times that you find yourself cornered. --Matchups-- -Vs Akuma- This fight is pretty hard to win with Honda. If you try to play defensively, you'll only get bereted by constant Gou Hadokens, Zanku Hadokens, and Shakuntesu Hadokens, and if you try to get in close, you'll run smack into Tatsumaki Zanku Kyakus and Gou Shoryus. You're best bet it to try to force Akuma to throw a Gou or Shakunetsu Hadoken, then Roll and counter with Super Zutsuki, or use Super Hyakkan Otoshi as Akuma fires off one of his Hadokens. For Tatsumaki Zanku Kyaku, just duck and counter using Hyakurestu Harite or Onimushu, and just block Gou Shoryu and counter with Ooichou Nage or Orochi Kudaki if you can manage it. For Shungokusatsu, counter immediately with Onimushu, and for Messatsu Gou Shoryu, Roll and counter with Onimushu or Super Zutsuki. Messatsu Gou Hado and Tenma Gou Zanku should just either be blocked, Parried, or Roll through. -Vs. Athena- Athena's a little harsh to Honda, but Honda can beat her, albeit with some problems. You have to time each and every one of Honda's specials right, or else you'll run right into a counter. Against Psycho Ball, try to use Super Hyakkan Otoshi while Athena's charging up the attack (and be close to her when you do it), and for Psycho Sword, block and counter with Hyakuretsu Harite or Super Zutsuki. For Shining Crystal Bit, just block and counter with Onimushu. Orochi Kudaki and Ooichou Nage isn't going to do you much good in this fight, so ignore them (unless you block Psycho Sword and are pretty good with pulling off 360/720 moves on the ground). If you want, try to corner Athena, but don't expect that to last long with her having Psychic Teleport. If you have to, keep Honda in a corner and play defensively to win. C-Groove is what you want for powered-up Super Specials. Don't use A-Groove at all! -Vs. Balrog- This fight can go either way really. As long as you keep Hyakuretsu Harite and Super Zutsuki available whenever Balrog uses a Special attack, you'll be able to beat him every time (you can even opt to use Supe Hyakkan Otoshi, but if you miss with it, you'll just end up being punished by Balrog). You can even try to block Balrog's attacks (especially Crazy Buffalo and Gigaton Blow) and counter with Orochi Kudaki for massive damage. Try to keep Balrog cornered to avoid having him pressure you too much. When you do manage to get him in a corner, keep on him with Crouching SP, Crouching SK, and Hyakuretsu Harite. If you want, get Honda in a corner and make Balrog come to you while you throw out Super Zutsukis and Super Hyakkan Otoshis. -Vs. Benimaru- Good ol' Benimaru is really hard to beat using Honda, since Benimaru can easily stop every single one of Honda's attack alone with Lightning Fist. You'll need to try and play very defensively and conservately in this fight in order to win. Go into a corner and force Benimaru to come to you, and if he tries to use Iaido Kick or Super Lightning Kick, just block and counter with Super Hyakkan Otoshi or Hyakuretsu Harite. Make aboslutely sure that he doesn't get in too close to be able to use his Benimaru Collider Crunch or Blec-Trigger! For Lightning Fist, block and counter with Onimushu (do the same for Discharge Spark and Heaven's Blast Flash!). -Vs. Blanka- Blanka and Honda are about equally powerful against each other. Both can double-hit with their special moves. So, who's got the better Super Specials then? That's where Honda falls hard, especially since if he tries to use one of his Super Specials on Blanka, Blanka can easily counter with Shout of Baron or Ground Shave Rolling. You're best bet is to try and corner Blanka with constant Hyakuretsu Harites and Super Zutsukis, then once you get him in a corner, attack him with a barrage of Crouching SK and Hyakuretsu Harites. If Blanka tries to counter attack, just block and counter with Onimushu or, if you're close enough, Orochi Kudaki or Ooichou Nage. This fight should be relatively easy to win, as long as you don't let Blanka annoy you with his Electric Thunder or Ground Shave Rolling. -Vs. Cammy- Cammy's annnoying just because she's much faster than Honda and can attack much more quickly. However, here's how you can easily smash through her (yes, you'll need to turtle a bit before you get a chance to pull these off). For the times that Cammy goes to do a Spiral Arrow or Spin Drive Smasher, block and counter with either Super Zutsuki or Onimushu, and for times that Cammy tries to use Cannon Spike, block LOW and counter with either Ooichou Nage or Orochi Kudaki. Against Hooligan Combination, you'll want to use Super Zutsuki, Onimushu, or Hyakuretsu Harite to stop it (this is where having Honda in a corner actually helps). If you go on the offense, don't expect to keep Cammy in a corner, if at all, during the match. Instead, focus on Rolling through Specials and Super Specials, then countering with Super Zutsuki or Onimushu (you can also attempt to use Super Hyakkan Otoshi if you wish, but it's better to save that for times that Cammy is crouching low and doesn't get up fast enough while you're barraging her with normal attacks). -Vs. Chang- This is going to be a bit of a rough fight, due to Chang's reach and the help of Choi. You'll need to try and block the majority of Chang's attacks, while countering with Hyakuretsu Harite and Onimushu (use Onimushu ONLY when you get a clear shot at Chang; otherwise, he'll just counter with Tornado Ripper or Spinning Iron Ball). Speaking of Spinning Iron Ball, block it, and the moment you see it slowing down, go in and try for an Orochi Kudaki. As for Breaking Iron Ball, Roll through it and cancel into a Super Hyakkan Otoshi or Hyakuretsu Harite, and for Hurricane Cutter/Flying Slice Dash, Roll and be prepared to block (since Chang will still be able to attack even though he used the move). Wild Ball Attack should be countered with Onimushu. -Vs. Chun-Li- This is where things will get interesting. Honda can get around Hyakuretsu Kyaku by using Super Hyakken Otoshi, and for most other moves, Super Zutsuki works rather decently, as well as Hyakuretsu Harite. For Kikoken, just jump over it (don't try to use Super Hyakken Otoshi if you're not in clear range of Chun-Li. As a matter of fact, don't try and counter with the move at all unless you've been buffering it while near Chun-Li and you see the move JUST starting up), and counter with Honda's Jumping SK or SP (Jumping SP works well against opponent's who like to jump alot as well). For Kikosho, there's not much Honda can do to counter it but stay out of distance; however, if Honda is at the right distance, and he's guarding against it, you can try and go for a counter with Onimushu. Against Hoyoku-Sen, try to Roll through it and counter with Orochi Kudaki, if you have the meter and are good with 720s, or use Onimushu, Hyakuretsu Harite, or Ooichou Nage. In times that Honda is cornered by Chun-Li, your best bet is to try and keep her away by using LP Hyakuretsu Harite (though don't abuse it; otherwise, you may end up with Kikokens in your face). Crouching SK helps to fight in the corner, as does Standing SP and Crouching SP. LK Super Hyakken Otoshi mixed up with LP Super Zutsuki helps a bit as well, though it's best to try and get out of the corner as fast as possible, since Chun-Li can easily Guard Crush Honda if he's stuck in the corner for too long with her Spinning Bird Kick trap. -Vs. Dan- This fight is a little tough, but favors Honda slightly. As long as you don't time your Super Zutsukis or Onimushus to land into a Gadoken, Shinku Gadoken, or Kouryuken, you'll be fine. Also, be careful when you use Super Hyakken Otoshi, since Dan can counter with Kouryuken VERY easily. When cornered, don't go for Hyakuretsu Harite, since Dan will just punish you with Gadoken or Shinku Gadoken. Instead, focus more on Crouching SK, Crouching SP, and Standing SK. If you find yourself right by Dan somehow, go for an Ooichou Nage or better yet, Orochi Kudaki, if you have the meter. Against Dankyaku, counter by using Super Hyakken Otoshi (be careful which version you use, since Dan does fly rather quickly sometimes). Hissyo-Buraiken is only dangerous if Dan blocks Super Hyakken Otoshi and counters immediately with it, or you try and go for an Ooichou Nage or Orochi Kudaki and miss; otherwise, you shouldn't have to worry about it that much. Kouryurekka isn't all that dangerous either unless you do one of the previous aforementioned things, while Shinku Gadoken will be your biggest threat in this match. If you're using P-Groove, you CAN try and parry the entire thing, but odds are, you won't want to. K-Groove, if done right, can really wreck Dan's life if you manage to connect with a Orochi Kudaki while in Rage. -Vs. Dhalsim- Expect this one to take a while, and be heavily in Dhalsim's favor. Dhalsim can counter almost everything that Honda does with ease, so you're bet is to get in close (while avoiding Yoga Flame and Yoga Blast) and try to get in some Ooichou Nages and Orochi Kudakis (if you think you can manage them), or go with the classic Crouching SP/SK to Hyakuretsu Harite or Super Hyakken Otoshi. While up close, make sure to watch out for Yoga Stream, Yoga Volcano, and Yoga Inferno. Far away....let's not stay far away from Dhalsim, as he can take complete control of the match from there with a barrage of Yoga Fires, Yoga Blast, and Yoga Flames. If you do get Dhalsim cornered, however, expect to see him use Yoga Teleport. In this case, set up for a Super Zutsuki or Onimushu to counter it. Make sure to watch out for Standing SK and Crouching SP as well. This fight will just take some time and patience to win. -Vs. Eagle- Eagle's not as bad as he looks. Liverpool White is going to be your biggest threat here (as will Union Jack Platinum), but aside from those, the rest of Eagle's attacks aren't that deadly. Manchester Black and Gold may be able to cut through Hyakuretsu Harite, but if you time it right, you can stop those attacks dead in their tracks with Hyakurestu Harite. For Canterbury Blues, be careful when you use Super Zutsuki, as you can land right into the attack and not hit Eagle at all. For Oxford Red, try to counter with Super Zutsuki, and for Saint Andrews Green, go with either SP Hyakuretsu Harite or Super Hyakken Otoshi. It'll be really tough to pull out any Ooichou Nages or Orochi Kudakis in this match, so don't even let that thought cross your mind at all in this fight. Try to corner Eagle as much, and punish any whiffed moves with Super Zutsuki or Onimushu. -Vs. E.Honda- Think of this fight as a mirror match. You can counter Super Zutsuki with SP Hyakuretsu Harite, and counter Super Hyakken Otoshi with Super Zutsuki or, if you're feeling froggy, Ooichou Nage or Orochi Kudaki. For Hyakurestu Harite, try and counter with Super Hyakken Otoshi (though time it carefully....don't want to fall into a flurry of hands...). For Onimushu, you can either opt to roll through it, or counter with Super Hyakken Otoshi. As for Ooichou Nage and Orochi Kudaki....try not to be in THAT close....not much else to say in this other than be wary of Crouching SP/SK and Jumping SP. -Vs. Evil Ryu- This fight is pretty nasty for Honda, as Evil Ryu can counter everything that Honda does. However, Evil Ryu takes quite a bit of damage from attacks, so a couple well-timed Orochi Kudakis and a few Ooichou Nages will take care of him combined with all of Honda's other attacks. For Tatsumaki Senpu Kyaku (the ground version, not the aerial version), try to go for a LK Super Hyakken Otoshi (be careful though, if Evil Ryu uses the LK version of Tatsumaki...keep an eye out for that), or mix it up and try to go for a Hyakuretsu Harite. For Shoryuken, you'll need to try and block and counter with either Ooichou Nage, Orochi Kudaki, Onimushu, or SP Hyakuretsu Harite (watch for an immediate attack afterwards if you don't time it right or if Evil Ryu uses the LP version). For the Hadokens, you should know what to do with Honda by now. If not, just jump over them and counter with Jumping SK or SP (be wary of any retaliation of Shoryukens), or just try and time a Super Hyakken Otoshi (not recommended however). For Messatsu Goushoryu, you can either do one one of the following: A) Block, wait for Evil Ryu to get near the ground, then counter with Orochi Kudaki, Ooichou Nage, Onimushu, Super Zutsuki, or Hyakuretsu Harite. B) Counter with Super Zutsuki (which may result in you getting hit) or Onimushu (which may either result in you getting hit, Evil Ryu getting hit, or both getting hit). C) Rol through attack and go with A. Either way, Messatsu Goushoryu isn't a problem. The real problem lies in Shinku and Metsu Hadoken, especially if you're in the middle of doing a move like Onimushu that you missed with or aren't close enough to hit with, or you're about to do a move like Hyakuretsu Harite while anticipating Evil Ryu attack you while in a corner. Keep an eye on Evil Ryu's special meter! Also, do keep a note of what Groove Evil Ryu is in as well. This can make a world of difference to Honda (Against P-Groove, unless the player using Evil Ryu is good at Parrying, Honda should do decently, while against K-Groove and C-Groove, Honda is going to have quite a bit of trouble beating Evil Ryu). -Vs. Geese- Here, Honda has a slight advantage over Geese in the fact that Wind Slice and Double Wind Slice are vulnerable to Super Zutsuki and Super Hyakken Otoshi. Rely on Ooichou Nage and Orochi Kudaki (if you have the meter for it) for the times that you manage to block Evil Shadow Smasher or Deadly Rave (and you're close enough to use them. Odds are though, those attacks will push you out of range to use them. If that's the case, counter with Super Zutsuki or Onimushu). Against Gaia Slash, Honda has nothing to counter it, but you can Roll through it and try to land a quick Ooichou Nage or Orochi Kudaki if you're brave enough to test the waters against Geese's Wind Slice, Double Wind Slice, Deadly Rave, and Raising Storm. You'll also have to be exceptionally careful since Geese can easily outcounter Honda with Middle Body Blow and Upper Body Blow very, very easily...in fact, Honda is at quite a disadvantage all-around against Geese unless you learn to time your attacks to where Geese cannot counter them (though getting through Raising Storm is another problem). Be wary of K-Groove and N-Groove Geeses! -Vs. Guile- This fight may remind you of Dhalsim, but it's an entirely different beast. When going on the offense against Guile, be way of using any Super Zutsuki, as Guile can easily counter with either Sonic Boom or Somersault Kick easily. There's really no way around either, so you'll want to try and not use Super Zutsuki or Super Hyassen Otoshi that much, if at all, during this match. However, if Guile attempts to use Somersault Kick or Double Somersault Kick (also including Total Wipeout, but there's less of a chance to pull this off of that), try to counter with Ooichou Nage or Orochi Kudai. Against Sonic Hurricane, if you feel gutsy, try for a Super Hyakken Otoshi (be warned though, it may end in disaster). It'll take some patience to draw out Guile. Be warned though, there are some Guile players that play rather aggressively! C-Groove and K-Groove are the ones to watch out for! -Vs. Haohmaru- Haohmaru has an advantage over Honda power-wise, but speed wise, Honda has much more of an advantage. Avoid Haohmaru's Standing SP at all costs (even when defending, since it chops off half of the Guard Meter), and also be wary of Slash of Supreme Judgement and Flame of the Conqueror. Secret Cyclone Slash may prove to be quite annoying as well if you try to go for a Super Zutsuki (though if you time your Super Zutsuki, you should be able to outtime Secret Cyclone Slash). Secret Earthquake Slice isn't really anything to worry about (Hyakuretsu Harite can easily take care of that, as can a well timed Super Zutsuki or Onimushu). As for Secret Crescent Moon Slash, just block and get ready to immediately land an Ooichou Nage or Orochi Kudaki (if you have the meter for it) as soon as Haohmaru lands. Keep an eye out for Haohmaru's Jumping SP, Crouching LP, and Standing MK as well. -Vs. Hibiki- Hibiki really shouldn't be a bit of problem for Honda. Her Distance Slash amd Malding Being Blade are useless against Super Zutsuki and Super Hyakken Otoshi, but against Hyakurestu Harite, they can be a problem. You can easily avoid her Super Special just by going into a Super Zutsuki or Super Hyakken Otoshi when she performs the Special. You can even opt to punish her by using Onimushu if she misses (odds are though, good Hibiki players know how to combo into those moves). If this is the case, then learn how to guard against the attacks and counter with Ooichou Nage and Orochi Kudaki. Most of the time, you'll be trying to keep Hibiki cornered and pressure to avoid getting pressured yourself. Watch if you go on the offensive with Honda, because odds are, if you're trying to pressure Hibiki, you just might end up running flat into a No Fear Feint or Going My Way. -Vs. Iori- Iori's pretty tough for Honda to contend with. If Iori has access to Roll, it pretty much makes a lot of Honda's moves useless. Super Hyakken Otoshi and Super Zutsuki fall prey to Fire Ball, while Hyakuretsu Harite falls victim to both Dark Thrust and "One For the Road" Blast. Careful when using Onimushu, since Iori can easily counter with a Maiden Masher. Now, enough of what Iori can counter with, what can Honda do? Well, if you manage to get Iori cornered, you can hammer away at him with Hyakuretsu Harite while keeping an eye out for Deadly Flower and Iori's Crouching SK and Standing SK. Also, while using Hyakuretsu Harite, be wary of Scum Gale if somehow Iori finds his way close enough to Honda, as a really good Iori player can easily abuse the power of Scum Gale. With Super Zutsuki, try and use it RIGHT as you see Iori's motion for Dark Thrust, and hope that you pull it off in time to hit Iori before he has a chance to counter with Fire Ball. Super Hyakken Otoshi isn't really worth using all that much in this fight, unless the Iori player abuses Crouching SK too much (then a LK Super Hyakken Otoshi should work fine). For times that you block Iori's Dark Crescent Slice, go immediately into a Onimushu, and for times that you block Iori's Maiden Masher, go into an Ooichou Nage or, if you have the meter for it, Orochi Kudaki. For normal moves, try to counter Iori's Crouching SK with Crouching SP or SK. Either one works well against it. For Iori's Standing SK, roll and counter with either Ooichou Nage, Orochi Kudaki, Hyakuretsu Harite, or Onimushu. -Vs. Joe- Joe's rough too for Honda to fight, and moreso than Iori is. Joe has more ways to counter Honda, so let's see what we can do here. Against Hurricane Upper, you'll just want to Super Jump over it and do a Jumping SK, since none of Honda's moves can bypass it at all. For Slash Kick, counter with Hyakuretsu Harite, and for Tiger Kick and Golden Heel Hurter, block and counter with Ooichou Nage or Orochi Kudaki (or if you're not that good with 360 or 720 moves, try using Onimushu if you have meter or whatever else you feel like). TNT Punch should be abruptly put to a halt by Super Hyakken Otoshi. For Screw Upper and Double Cyclone Upper, you'll want to stay out of range, since Honda cannot do anything against those moves in the slightest bit. However, against Exploding Hurricane Tiger Talon, you can opt to roll through it and counter with Onimushu, or get up close and try an Ooichou Nage or Orochi Kudaki; or, you can block and counter with anything that you like (do this before Joe lands on the ground too). -Vs. Ken- Ken can be nasty, but only if you don't watch what you're doing (as with any other fighter). Your main goal is to avoid going aerial TOO much, as Ken loves to counter aerial attacks quite easily. Save Super Hyakkan Otoshi for times that Ken uses Tatsumaki Senpukyaku or Shippu Jinraikyaku. Super Zutsuki should be saved for when Ken goes for one of his funky kick moves, misses with Shoryuken, or tries to go with Shoryureppa and misses. Try to avoid using Orochi Kudaki or Ooichou Nage, as if you don't connect with those moves, Ken can punish you quite harshly. Onimushu should only be used if you block Shippu Jinraikyaku, and try and save Orochi Kudaki for a blocked Shoryureppa or if Ken misses with a Shinryuken. For times that you're backed in a corner, don't rely on Hyakuretsu Harite, as Ken can just blast Honda in the face with a Hadoken. Instead, rely on Crouching SP and SK to get your through, along with Super Zutsuki and Super Hyakkan Otoshi. -Vs. Kim- Kim shouldn't give Honda too much of a tough time. Try to corner him and block/counter his moves with Ooichou Nage and Orochi Kudaki if you think you can connect with them. For the majority of his attacks, however, countering with Super Zutsuki or Hyakuretsu Harite should do the trick (or Onimushu). Here's a quick chart for your viewing pleasures: Crescent Moon Slice = Counter with Ooichou Nage, Orochi Kudaki, or Hyakuretsu Harite Flying Kick = Counter with anything if blocked Flying Slice = Counter with Super Zutsuki or Onimushu before or right when Kim lands. Comet Cruncher = Counter with Ooichou Nage, Orochi Kudaki, Onimushu, Super Zutsuki, or Hyakuretsu Harite. Super Specials = Block and counter with Orochi Kudaki (if close enough), Super Zutsuki, Hyakuretsu Harite, or Onimushu. -Vs. King- King WOULD be a problem for Honda, IF her attacks weren't so weak. Watch for Venom Strike and Double Strike when going for Super Zutsuki or Onimushu. For the majority of King's moves (minus Venom and Double Strike), you'll want to try and counter with Super Zutsuki or Hyakuretsu Harite, or if you're feeling gutsy and think you can hit her before her attacks end, go for Super Hyakkan Otoshi. Save Ooichou Nage and Orochi Kudaki for times that King tries to pressure you or you block her Illusioin Dance special. Nothing hard about this fight at all. -Vs. Kyo- The thing to remember in this fight is that, in order for Kyo to do any real damage, he has to be in close. Therefore, to keep him from getting in too close, abuse Hyakuretsu Harite and Level 3 Onimushus. Try not to use Super Hyakkan Otoshi that much in this fight, as Kyo can easily counter that with Fire Ball or, if the attack isn't close enough, Spinning Kick or Serpent Wave. Only bother with Orochi Kudaki or Ooichou Nage after blocking Kyo's Final Showdown or one of his Wicked Chew combos. For P-Groove Kyo, don't bother with Super Zutsuki or Super Hyakkan Otoshi at all, since that'll leave Honda wide-open to Kyo's harsh combos. Instead, focus on hammering away at Kyo using regular attacks, Hyakuretsu Harite, Orochi Kudaki, and Ooichou Nage. -Vs. Kyosuke- For Kyosuke, try to be careful when getting in close, as he likes to keep people from pressuring him. In this case, avoid Super Hyakkan Otoshi and Super Zutsuki (along with Onimushu at that), and stick to the old-fashioned regular attacks, Hyakuretsu Harite (though be careful with this one, as Kyosuke can get around it using Cross Cutter and Super Cross Cutter), and both Ooichou Nage and Orochi Kudaki IF you find yourself close enough to connect with them. -Vs. Mai- Honda can easily take Mai, regardless of her speed, if used right. You can avoid Mai's Kacho San by using Super Hyakkan Otoshi, and for Deadly Ninja Bees, counter with Hyakuretsu Harite or Super Zutsuki. For Ryu En Bu, block and counter with Ooichou Nage or Orochi Kudaki (if you're close enough), or go with the good ol' Hyakuretsu Harite or Onimushu. For Flying Squirrel or Crimson Firebird Diver, block and counter with Ooichou Nage/Orochi Kudaki if Mai's close enough to use those on. For Swan's Ranpango, try and go for a Super Hyakkan Otoshi if you think you can hit with it. The real problem here for Honda is going to be Super Deadly Ninja Bees, since if he blocks it, Mai can recover pretty quickly, therefore minimizing Honda's options for a counterattack. One of your options to help fight against Mai would be to back her into a corner and continously throw out Hyakuretsu Harites with Crouching SK/SP and Standing SP, and try to get in every now and again to go for an Ooichou Nage or Orochi Kudaki. Be careful at this time though, as Mai can easily counter with a Flying Squirrel (charged on ground, not aerial one), Ryu En Bu, or a Level 3 Super Deadly Ninja Bees. ------------------------------------------------------------ X. Evil Ryu [CAP10] -Introduction- Note that Evil Ryu is banned in tournament plays. -Movelist- -Specials- Hadoken............................................QCF + P Shakunetsu Hadoken.....................HCF + P Shoryuken........................................FDP + P Tatsumaki Senpukyaku..................QCB + K (In Air)..............................................HCB + K Ashura Senku.................................DPF (DPB) + Kx3/Px3 -Super Specials- Shinku Hadoken.............................HCBx2 + P Messatsu Goushoryu....................QCFx2 + P Metsu Hadoken..............................HCBx2 + K (Unblockable) (Level 3 & MAX only) Shungokusatsu..............................LP, LP, F, LK, SP (Unblockable) (Level 3 & MAX only) -Movelist Breakdown- --Normal Attacks-- -STANDING- LP (Quick Jab) -Great for speed, but horrible for damage. However, this can help in raking up damage if you combo other attacks into this move. LP Close (Quick Elbow) -Same deal as witht the normal LP. You have to be right next to your opponent for this move to be executed. Can be chained into normal LP as well. MP (Standing Punch) -Decent in both speed and damage. However, kinda hard to combo into... MP Close (Cross Punch) -Ryu swings his fists into the side of the opponent's face. Pretty good, but a bit slow IMO. Don't try to combo off of this move though. SP (Fierce Punch) -Somewhat slow, but does good damage. Hard to combo off of though. SP Close (Uppercut) -An uppercut. What else? You can try to combo off of this move, but it's not guaranteed. LK (High Kick) -As with the LP, fast and good combo starter, but not good damage at all. LK Close (Shin Kick) -A kick to the shin. Nothing special. As with all of the LP and LK, great for combo starters. MK (Slow High Kick) -As with the MP. MK Close (High Knee) -Ryu knees the opponent in the gut. You have to be right next to the opponent for this move to come out. Nice to combo into the Standing MP or into a Rapid- Fire Chain. SK (Roundhouse Kick) -Great for hitting airbourne opponents. However, it is rather slow, so be cautious. SK Close (High Heel Kick) -Ryu hits the opponent with a kick to the chin, then slams his heel down on their head. This will also push Ryu and the opponent away from each other, giving you some breathing space. -CROUCHING- LP (Quick Jab) -Same as with the Standing LP. MP (Normal Punch) -Same as with the Standing MP. SP (Upper Punch) -Ryu pretty much uppercuts the opponent. This move is great as an Anti-Air move, and is pretty safe to use as well. LK (Foot Kick) -Ryu kicks with his foot. Easy enough? Same deal as with the Standing LK. MK (Extended Foot Kick) -Reaches a bit further than the LK. Nothing too special here. SK (Leg Sweep) -Excellent for corner fights or for setting up for one of Ryu's powerful combos. However, don't abuse this move. -JUMPING- LP (Falling Fist) -Ryu falls with his fist outwards. Lasts the whole time that he is in the air. You can even combo off of this move if you choose to. Jumping-Up MP (Quick Diagonal Punch) -Ryu quickly punches down at the opponent. This move lasts for about a second, so if you want to hit the opponent on the ground, you'll have to time it right. MP (Quick Face Punch) -An air punch to the face. What else is there to say? Well....it's not that great of a move actually. In fact, it's probably best that you don't use this move at all. SP (Strong Diagonal Punch) -A little slower than the Jumping-Up MP, but stronger. You'll still have to time this move if you want to hit ground opponents. Jumping-Up LK (Falling Heel) -Ryu falls on top of the opponent with his heel first. Lasts the whole time that he is in the air. Pretty good to knock opponents out of the air without having to move towards or away from them. LK (Knee Punch) -Ryu attacks with his knee and a fist. Easy to understand I hope. Good against Tatsumaki Senpukyaku, Shungokusatsu, and the like too. Jumping-Up MK (Quick Heel Kick) -The super fast version of the Jumping-Up LK. Nothing new other than the fact that you'll have to time this right if you want to hit ground opponents. MK (Karate Kick) -The basic flying karate kick. Pretty good against air attacks, and is nice against attacks like Shungokusatsu. Jumping-Up SK (Spin Heel Kick) -Ryu spins his foot sideways and hits with his heel. Other than that, nothing too special. SK (Quick Karate Kick) -The super fast version of the MK. As with most of the quick moves, you'll have to time it right to hit grounded opponents. It's also pretty good to combo off of as well. -Throws- SP + <- or -> (Seoi Nage) -Ryu throws the opponent over his back. Easy enough. <- or -> +SK (Tomoe Nage) -Ryu throws the opponent over him by using his foot. The directional input must be done first before the move will come out. --Special Moves-- -Hadoken- -Speed depends on the P button you used. Try mixing up slow and fast Hadokens to confuse your opponent. STRONG VS. Anti-Air attacks Air attacks Rush attacks Other attacks NO EFFECT VS. Projectile attacks (cancels out with them) Teleport moves WEAK VS. Air attacks (Zanku Hadoken, Flying Squirrel, etc.) Other attacks -New Psycho Reflector (Athena) -Dark Barrier (Rugal/Ultimate Rugal) As with Akuma and most fireball users, this move is great to stall your opponent with and play keep-away games. -Shakunetsu Hadoken- -Does a bit more damage than Hadoken, and is a bit slower with start-up time, but you can throw this out with Hadoken. Plus, it can push opponents back away if they get too close to Ryu. STRONG VS. Same as Hadoken. NO EFFECT VS. Same as Hadoken WEAK VS. Same as Hadoken -Shoryuken- -How far up Ryu goes depends on the P button pressed. Be wary when using this move as well. If blocked, your opponent will be free to punish you heavily. Try using it as a Wakeup counter. STRONG VS. Missed Anti-Air attacks (Shoryuken, Somersault Kick, etc.) Dash attacks just as they close in on Akuma Air attacks NO EFFECT VS. None........ WEAK VS. All projectiles Any attacks if misses -Tatsumaki Senpukyaku- -Great for Rush attacks and is great to punish missed or blocked Anti-Air attacks. Bad, however, if the opponent ducks under it or is far away when used. STRONG VS. Blocked or missed Anti-Air attacks Rush attacks NO EFFECT VS. Most Super Specials WEAK VS. Projectiles (Hadoken, Gou Hadoken, etc.) Anti-Air (Shoryuken, Gou Shoryuken, etc.) -Ashura Senku- STRONG VS. Everything NO EFFECT VS. Nothing WEAK VS. Nothing -Great for avoiding all sorts of attacks, and for setting Evil Ryu up for his own combos and powerful attacks. Great to use during your opponent's Super Specials, or when Evil Ryu is cornered or being pressured. --Super Special Moves-- -Shinku Hadoken- -Hits a max of 5 times. Excellent in that it rips through all other projectiles (except Super Special projectiles...) and it repels virtually any attack. STRONG VS. All Rush attacks All projectiles (except Super Special projectiles) All Anti-Air attacks NO EFFECT VS. None WEAK VS. None -Messatsu Gou Shoryu- STRONG VS. Most Anti-Air (if blocked or miss) All Rush attacks NO EFFECT VS. None WEAK VS. All Projectiles (unless timed correctly) -Great against Rush attacks, but not the best of choice against Projectile users. However, it does make for a nasty counterattack as a Wakeup move. -Metsu Hadoken- STRONG VS. Rush attacks Anti-Air attacks Other attacks NO EFFECT VS. Teleport moves WEAK VS. Psycho Reflector Dark Barrier Air attacks -Unblockable Level 3 Fireball. Can stun the opponent if it connects. Best to do this when the opponent is in the middle of a long move and isn't close enough to hit you with the attack, or your opponent is recovering from an attack. -Shungokusatsu- STRONG VS. Rush attacks only! NO EFFECT VS. None WEAK VS. Anti-Air attacks Projectile attacks -The infamous Raging Demon to some and Instant Hell Murder to others. Great due to its speed and being an Unblockable. Unfortunently, everyone who has fought Akuma or Shin Akuma knows about this move and know how to avoid it. However, try using it as a Wakeup Counter. You might be able to surprise your opponents. Distance Data: Far: O Mid: O Close: O Best Distance: Close --Strengths & Weaknesses-- Evil Ryu may play a lot like Ryu, but the fact of the matter is, he's got more power behind his attacks, and he takes a lot more damage than Ryu does. You may be thinking "So what? I'll just play him like I play regular Ryu". Thing is, if you try to do that, it'll more than likely get you killed. ------------------------------------------------------------ XI. Guile [CAP11] -Introduction- Guile is by far one of the most annoying characters in the game to deal with. His attacks, whether on offense or defense, can wreck havoc on the opponent's life and guard meter relatively fast, and he has a decent amount of vitality and speed to go with those attacks. You'll need to play pretty strategically to beat this American army fighter. -Movelist- -Special Normals- Knee Bazooka......................................F or B + LK Backhand..............................................F or B + SP -Specials- Sonic Boom..........................................Ch. B, F +P Flash Kick/Somersault........................Ch. D, U + K -Super Specials- Total Wipeout......................................Ch. B, F, B, F + P Somersault Strike..................................Ch. DB, DF, DB, DF + K Sonic Hurricane.....................................Ch. B, F, B, F + P (Level 3 & MAX only) -Movelist Breakdown- --Normal Attacks-- -STANDING- LP (Quick Jab) -Most basic move in any character's moveset. Quick but does low damage. Great for combo starters. Too bad Guile doesn't have any good combos.... Far MP (Chin Punch) -Average in all aspects. Also great for combos. MP Close (Left Hook) -Guile does a left hook to the opponent. Must be done right next to the opponent for the move to be executed. Far SP (Strong Forward Punch) -Guile's Strong Punch. Great for Anti-Air, and does good damage. Also good for combo starters. SP Close (Strong Chin Punch) -Just as with the MP, but a tad bit slower. LK (Shin Kick) -Low in damage, but very quick. Great for combo starters Far MK (Air Back Kick) -Mediocre in all aspects. You can go backwards and forwards with this move as well if you use Left or Right when you hit MK. Goes over several low attacks. MK Close (Face Knee) -Guile knees the opponent in the face. You have to be right next to the opponent for the move to be executed. Far SK (Leap Kick) -A bit slow in startup, but does good damage. Good range and safe on blcok. Good for poking and block strings. SK Close (Strong Face Kick) -Guile seems to float in the air while doing a back kick. It's odd seeing it, but it does do pretty decent damage. However, the startup time and recovery time are both horrible. -CROUCHING- LP (Quick Jab) -Guile's main combo starter. Quick, safe, and combos into Somersault Kick, Total Wipeout, and Sonic Hurricane. MP (Strong Jab) -Slower than the LP, but a bit stronger. Good range and priority. Useful in combos and block strings. Safe on block, links into itself (1-frame link, hard to do in a real match). SP (Strong Chin Punch) -Same as with the Standing HP Close. One of Guile's Anti-Airs. LK (Shin Foot Kick) -Guile kicks the opponent in the shin. Good poke, useful in combos (eg: after 2 Crouching LPs, so you don't get a Sonic Boom by accident) MK (Foot Back Kick) -Guile attacks with the back of his foot. One of Guile's best moves in terms of range. Decent speed, safe on block, cancelable into supers (this move has so much frame advantage it can even be linked into Supers). One of the most important moves in Guile's ground game. SK (Sweep Kick) -Not that great of a move, horrible start-up and recovery. Used in cornered will basically get you killed, since the opponent can block it, then combo you for free. Crouching SK isn't cancelable so you cannot combo it into anything. If you want to keep pressure, you can do something like Crouching MK, Sonic Boom, Far Standing SK, or F + SP. -JUMPING- LP (Falling Fist) -Guile falls on the opponent with his fists outwards. This will last the whole time that he is in the air, and can be used to start a combo. A pretty good cross-up that's useful after knocking the opponent down. If it hits, it can easily be linked into Crouching LPx2 to SK Somersault Kick or any of his Supers. MP (Chop) -Guile does a chop in the air. Nothing special about this move. Jumping-Up MP (Quick Falling Fist) -This move only lasts about a second in the air, but it serves it's purpose against attacks like Flower Kick and Shungokusatsu. SP (Quick Chop) -A super fast version of the MP. You'll definently have to time it right if you want to hit grounded opponents, but with other moves that work just as well, if not better, why waste this on that? However, it does serve it's purpose against airbourne opponents. Jumping-Up SP (Super Quick Falling Fist) -The super fast version of the Jumping-Up Falling Fist. I wouldn't even bother doing this move, as there are many other, better options available to you. LK (Falling Knee) -This move also lasts the whole time that Guile is in the air. As with the LP, it's great for knocking opponents out of their moves. Jumping-Up LK (Falling Heel) -Same deal as with the LK. MK (Air Kick) -Guile kicks in the air. Got it? Good! Jumping-Up MK (Air Spin Kick) -This move has a couple purposes. One is to knock opponent's out of the air without too much retaliation, and second is to knock opponents out of moves. SK (Air Back Kick) -Similar to the MK, but Guile instead does a back kick. Decent jump-in, decent air-to-air move as well as anti-air (jump back and press HK). -Throws- SP + <- or -> (Shoulder Throw) -Guile throws the opponent over his shoulder. Less damaging than the German Suplex. <- or -> + SK (German Suplex) -Does a great deal of damage to the opponent, and pushes them away from Guile. -Special Normal Moves- -Knee Bazooka- -This is a great alternative to get closer to your opponent and do damage at the same time. It's pretty fast on startup time, but has a bit of a slow recovery time. -Backhand- -This move has pretty good reach and deals good damage, but lacks recovery time. Good to use after landing a Sonic Boom Combo/block string in order to add in more damage/guard meter damage. --Special Moves-- -Sonic Boom- STRONG VS. All Rush Attacks Most Anti-Air attacks (if blocked or missed) NO EFFECT VS. Projectile attacks Teleport moves WEAK VS. Projecitle Super Specials -This is actually quite useful if you change the speed of it. However, never use it in a fireball fight, or you'll lose everytime. Try to be careful when you use this move as well. Otherwise, Guile will get punished. It's safe when blocked, so you don't have to worry about that. One of Guile's main tools to keep opponent's away. When RC'ed, it's a good anti-air and also effective against ground moves. Recovers pretty fast, which means that if you use it at the proper time and distance it's pretty much unpunishable (except of course by things like Level 3 Supers and CCs), and you'll always be able to block if the opponent jumps or rolls through it. Far: O Mid: O Close: O Best Distance: Any -Sonic Kick/Somersault Kick- STRONG VS. Most Air Attacks (except Zanku Hadoken) Rush attacks NO EFFECT VS. Teleport moves WEAK VS. Projectile attacks Anything if blocked -Great as a Wakeup counter, if you're opponent is not aware of it. However, don't abuse it as a Wakeup counter, otherwise Guile will end up knocked back down. Don't bother using this unless you're close to the opponent. RC'ing makes this move even better. Useful in combos (eg: Crouching LPx2 to Somersault Kick) Far: X Mid: O Close: O Best Distance: Mid --Super Special Moves-- -Total Wipeout- STRONG VS. All Rush attacks Most Anti-Air attacks NO EFFECT VS. Teleport moves WEAK VS. All projectile attacks Air attacks -Overall, Total Wipeout isn't too bad, but is easily predictable. Try to avoid it unless you see an opening. Guile's most practical Super when in C-Groove since it does pretty good damage (Level 2 cancels) and it's easy to combo into. In C-Groove, the last hit of the Level 2 version can be canceled into SK Soemrsault Kick for extra damage. Far: X Mid: X Close: O Best Distance: Close -Somersault Strike- STRONG VS. Air attacks (except Zanku Hadoken) All Rush attacks Some Anti-Air attacks NO EFFECT VS. Teleport moves WEAK VS. All projectile attacks -The ultimate Anti-Air special! A bit of a pain to pull off at times, but practice and you should get it down in no time. This can probably work as a Wakeup counter as well. Has inviniciblity. Far: X Mid: O Close: O Best Distance: Mid -Sonic Hurricane- STRONG VS. Everything except Air attacks NO EFFECT VS. Teleport moves (for a little while) WEAK VS. Air attacks -The ultimate attack! Guile does one massive Sonic Boom that surrounds him and sucks in any opponent foolish enough to be near it. Does a crap load of damage too, and can stop virtually any attack that comes his way. Good range, has enough invincibilty to beat a lot of stuff. Can be comboed into (only recommended if you're playing Guile in Grooves other than C), and due to its invincibility start-up it's a good move to get out of tight spots. --Strengths & Weaknesses-- Guile's strength is his ability to keep his opponents away, thus preventing them from landing any damage. RC Sonic Booms, c.MK, c.MP, far s.HK, all help him achieve that. far s.MP, c.HP, Somersault Kick, & j.HK prevent opponents from getting in from above. This ability to keep opponents away often causes opponents to get frustrated and end up doing something unsafe, which leads to Guile landing damage. Guile's lack of special/super moves is compensated by a whole bunch of good & safe normal moves. Guile's weakness is his lack of options other than keeping people away. He doesn't have a reliable offensive game, and his need to charge his moves limits his options whe his on offense. Characters with good ground game can get past Guile's keepaway tactics and put pressure on him. OFFENSE Not particularly one of Guile's best assets, nor one of his worst. He's pretty much average in this department. However, the lack of good specials makes him a bit harder to use. You might want to buckle down in defense and wait out your opponent. DEFENSE Otherwise known as a turtler.....this is definently where Guile should be at. His defense is pretty high, and his specials depend on how open your opponent is. It's possible to charge both Guile's Sonic Boom AND Somersault Kick by holding down and back at the same time. ---The Basics of Guile--- Guile is a charge character. You will have to be patient if you want to become a (true) Guile player. Patient means: Charge. Start charging right after you have done a special move. Having charge will prepare you for the unexpected, i.e. mix-ups, sometimes throws and even cross-ups. Of course, just charging won't prevent all these things but it seizes your reaction window by far; you'll just have to tap forward/up and the corresponding button to get the special move. This makes mindgames less risky and dangerous... at least for you... In many situations Guile has to rely on his special moves. THERE ARE ONLY TWO!! But they're very useful and can save your butt in many situations. Especially the Sonic Boom is of great importance. It limits your opponent's mobility and it gives you time enough for jump-ins; never do a jump-in without a Sonic Boom in front of you. The Sonic Boom is useful in (little) mindgames, for example you're throwing one at your opponent. He's blocking and thinks that you would go for a 2-in-1...Now throw him. Then do a cross-up or something else. The Sonic Boom is not only a combo-ender, it can also lead into combos. Guile's impeccable recovery after he has thrown a Sonic Boom keeps him in safe distance (helpful when fighting one of the wrestler dudes). Guile's second special move is the Flash Kick. It's a good anti-air attack with pretty decent damage. The Flash Kick is a great move with the ability to prevent cross-up attempts by your opponent and its reversal version hits very fast. The priority is pretty good, too. But it's possible that you could trade hits when executing the Flash Kick too late (doesn't happen always, just sometimes). In such a situation you should use one of Guile's normal anti-air attacks instead of his Flash Kick. His c.Fierce is always a good option. It comes out fast and the damage is good. His s.Strong is faster but weaker. Your choice. However, these are normals, so they won't floor your opponent but you can throw a Sonic Boom to slow him down. Guile is one of few characters (if not the only one) without an overhead attack, not even an instant overhead. This is, if you think about, a big minus to Guile's mix-up game. I'll explain it: Lacking mixup game (in this case overheads) means less effective offensive gameplay/rushdown and as we all know Guile needs all the offense he can get. This means you can't be as devastating as you'd like to be. Why? Simple. The only way to force your opponent to block high is to jump at them. A good opponent will always be prepared for a jump-in, be it normal or even low. This severely decreases your openings, I mean, a successful overhead gives you great opportunities and is a great tool for mind games. Guile misses this important mindgame; this doesn't mean that he can't have any good mindgames-he's good at ticking, so don't worry-but he has only little mindgames. You have to make up for this by using cross-ups followed up by his low attacks. The best option in such a case would be his c.Short. It's combo-able into his c.Jab and another c.Short. Now you've got several choices. Flash Kick, Sonic Hurricane led into by his c.Short... or you can go for a tick throw. Do as you like, just keep it fresh. There's another problem that I'd like to talk about. As a Guile player you might develop a habit that every Guile player has: to block attacks low...often, very often...It's understandable and seems logic if you look at Guile's commands you have to input to get a special move. This habit can turn out to be a real pain in the butt and can end the match very early if your opponent notices this habit and takes advantage of it. The only advice I can give you is: Don't let him fool you!! If you get mad and lose your patience then you'll lose anyway. Be patient if you want to get good with Guile. -Groove Choice & Team Positioning- (From FSGamer) Guile's best groove is C. Stored meter, rolls, airblock, are all important to his defensive keepaway game. A-Guile & N-Guile are OK, but C-Guile is definiteily the best groove for him. Guile's best position of a team is as battery. He builds meter pretty quickly and a lot of times he doesn't need to use it himself, therefore handling a full bar to whoever is in the user position. The only situation I'd put him as user or anchor would be in a counter character match-up. ---More Groove Info--- C-Groove: This is the Groove that suites Guile the best but it's not his only good Groove. Due to the fact that Guile players always keep charging they benefit a lot from air-guarding, making jump-ins less risky. Guile's combo-ability is great and he can take more advantage of his low punches and low kicks as they can lead into quick but yet damaging combos. His level 2 cancels aren't difficult to execute and the additional damage is good, too. The counterattack/ movement option (maximal 3 in a row) is nice but in C-Groove it's not as advanced as in other Grooves and Guile's super combos are 100 times more useful when playing him in C-Groove than his counters. A-Groove: His real damaging Custom Combos can only be done in the corner and even when you perfectly Custom-Combo your opponent the overall damage is bad, considering that Any- other-Groove Guile has more damaging level 3 super combos that can be combo'ed into (not possible in competitive play with A-Guile). There isn't anything worth mentioning about A-groove that could make up for the missing air-guard option except that Guile is good for building quickly meter but this advantage should be exploited in Grooves where GUILE is the damaging one, not Bison or Sakura... P-Groove: Master parrying... That's the first and most important step in order to play P-Groove successfully. And even after having mastered parrying there are many negative aspects that make this Groove a bad choice for Guile. Guile's offensive gameplay is pretty bad in P-Groove simply because of the fact that you will lose charge when parrying. This decreases Guile's combo-ability a lot, for example you would like to punish your opponent pretty badly but because you parried his attack you can't do a c.Jab, c.Jab, Flash Kick combo. Another big limitation of Guile's combo-ability is the only level 3 available super combo. His mobility suffers from the missing roll. You can't escape if your cornered (bad, if your fighting Zangief) and you won't be able to move forward while charging (rolling makes this possible). S-Groove: In general, S-Groove is bad because it's just too risky and it does take lots of devotion until it can be exploited to its extent. This counts for P- and K-Groove as well. Only if you're willing to take this huge step use S-Groove. You only benefit from S-Groove when you are about to die... Additionally, you can only get meter when you are charging up Roundhouse and Fierce. This will leave you wide open. Level 3 super combos are only possible when your stamina is low AND when your meter is full. Dodging is useless in the corner. Compared to rolling, which can also be used to avoid getting hit by the opponent, dodging has only defensive use (though Guile can set up a juggle with his "dodge" kick). N-Groove: This Groove is the most versatile one and therefore great for Guile. Guile gains a lot of mobility from running and counter movements, making him even more offensive. Cross-ups are easier to set up. When you've got meter you can power-up any time you want to strengthen Guile's quick pokes. Guile can combo his level 3 Total Wipeout into a level 1 Somersault Justice for great damage. K-Groove: Guile's 3rd best Groove. Although the Groove doesn't feature rolling it makes up this deficit with offense, power and just defense. Guile's pokes will get more dangerous, thanks to the rage mode and the quick recovery of his normal attacks. Quick standing (Safe Fall) is a great tool in K-Groove. But don't do it too often. Just defending is easier to accomplish than parrying despite the fact that you won't gain much meter/stamina when just defending. The run option also adds more offense to Guile's gameplay. ---Guile's Combos and Combo Strategies--- These are Guile's main combos: with meter (you can substitute the c.Jab for a c.Short for some high-low mix-ups): - J.Fierce, c.Jab, c.short, Sonic Hurricane - J.Fierce, c.Jab, c.Short, level 2 Total Wipeout, Flash Kick - cross-up j.Short ,c.Jab ,c.Jab ,c.short ,Sonic Hurricane - counter far s.Roundhouse, Sonic Hurricane Non-meter combos: - J.Fierce, s.Fierce, Sonic Boom, forward Fierce - J.Fierce, c.Jab (not possible in corner), c.Strong, Flash Kick - c.Jab, c.Strong, Sonic Boom --Corner Pressure-- The Sonic Boom is very important in the corner. It avoids wake-up attempts by your opponent, making Dragon Punches useless, and the quick recovery gives you enough time to do a jump-in so that you can follow up with some strings. --Corner Mix-ups:-- Guile's main mixups start with a Jab Sonic Boom. Here's what you can do afterwards: jump at your opponent. This is the best option for Guile because it's safe and offers the largest options of setups for Guile, such as throws and especially 2-in-1s for guard crush strings. End his strings with a far s.Roundhouse if you're sure you'll get your opponent's guard crushed. walk up to your opponent and throw him If your opponent rolls out try to hit him with c.Jab, c.Jab, c.Short (don't do it too fast, you have to gain charge), Sonic Hurricane or throw him. Guard crushing, mainly used when in corner Here are some Guard crush strings I've come up with in matches. These strings are quick and pretty safe according to the situation you're in and can also be used as normal attack patterns. These aren't 100% strings. That would be too difficult to accomplish with Guile anyway. Guile mainly guard-crushes at long intervals that happen throughout the entire match. So, don't expect to guard-crush your opponent all the time. This occurs rarely when using Guile but I'll list some strings because they can apply to normal gameplay as well. The second reason for listing these strings is that such asituation is yet possible and I want you to be prepared for this situation. Jab Sonic Boom, j.Fierce, c.Strong, c.Forward, s.Strong, Sonic Boom, c.Forward, s.Roundhouse,Jab Sonic Boom Jab Sonic Boom, j.Fierce, c.Short, tick throw (opponent floored), Jab Sonic Boom, j.Short, c.Strong, c.Forward, Sonic Boom Jab Sonic Boom, j.Fierce, up-close s.Fierce, Sonic Boom, forward s.Fierce, s.Roundhouse,Fierce Sonic Boom There are lots of variations... after the last Sonic Boom you can either repeat your attack or walk up and attempt a throw. You'll be able to know whether your movements are safe or not if you play Guile long enough. Don't worry. Please DON'T stick to these strings, there are many ways for your opponent to get out of them, either by Alpha-Counters or reversals. These strings should give you a general impression of how fast Guile can be played and that he can put some pressure on your opponent. Controlling your Character is very important. Know what you're about to do, i.e. be concentrated throughout the whole match and don't be controlled by your bad habits. Guile has got many moves, use them depending on the situation. You'll get a grasp of this when playing him long enough. ------------------------------------------------------------ XII. Ken Masters [CAP12] -Introduction- Ryu's rival and one of the founders of this tournament is pretty tough to beat, and he retains some moves from Street Fighter III: 3rd Strike. Great to rush opponents down with! -Movelist- -Specials- Hadoken..........................................QCF + P Shoryuken.......................................DPF + P Tatsumaki Senpukyaku (air).........QCB + K Ryusankyaku...................................DPB + K Nataptoshi Kick...............................HCF + LK Kamabanal Kick...............................HCF + MK Oosotomawashi Kick......................HCF + SK Inazuna Kakato Kick (during either Nataptoshi, Kamabanal, or Oosotomawashi Kick)......................Hold K button down for move Zanpou Tenshin...............................QCB + P -Super Specials- Shoryu Reppa...................................QCF, D, D-F + P Shinryuken........................................QCF, D, D-F + K (Tap after move connects) Shippu Jinraikyaku...........................QCBx2 + K (Level 3 & MAX only) -Movelist Breakdown- --Normal Attacks-- -STANDING- LP (Quick Jab) -Your standard LP move. As with all other Quick Jabs, pretty fast and good to chain other attacks off of (like Tatsumaki Senpukyaku), but does very little damage and has horrible range. MP (Straight Punch) -Ken throws a punch straight at the opponent. Nothing to really say here, except that it has slow recovery time, but more reach and a little more damage than the LP. SP (Powerful Hook Punch) -Ken swings his fist across the opponent's face. Has a little less range than the MP, and has slower recovery speed. LK (Shin Kick) -A kick to the shin. Nothing special here. Retains all properties of the LP. MK (High Kick) -Ken kicks the opponent in the face. That's all.....there isn't much to say about this move. F + MK (Axe Kick) -Ken hits the opponent in the jaw with his foot, then slams his heel on the opponent's head. Pretty good, if it wasn't unsafe on block. SK (Low Spin Kick) -Ken does a sweep with his foot. Doesn't have that good of range, and isn't really that strong at all. F + SK (Force Mid Kick) -Ken kicks the opponent hard in the gut. Moves Ken forward a little, and has pretty good range. Has bad recovery speed though.... -CROUCHING- LP (Quick Jab) -Same as with the Standing LP. MP (Normal Punch) -Same as with the Standing MP. SP (Upper Punch) -Ken pretty much uppercuts the opponent. This move is great as an Anti-Air move, and is pretty safe to use as well. LK (Foot Kick) -Ken kicks with his foot. Easy enough? Same deal as with the Standing LK. MK (Extended Foot Kick) -Reaches a bit further than the LK. Nothing too special here. SK (Leg Sweep) -Excellent for corner fights or for setting up for one of Ken's powerful combos. However, don't abuse this move. -JUMPING- LP (Falling Fist) -Ken falls with his fist outwards. Lasts the whole time that he is in the air. You can even combo off of this move if you choose to. Jumping-Up MP (Quick Diagonal Punch) -Ken quickly punches down at the opponent. This move lasts for about a second, so if you want to hit the opponent on the ground, you'll have to time it right. MP (Quick Face Punch) -An air punch to the face. What else is there to say? Well....it's not that great of a move actually. In fact, it's probably best that you don't use this move at all. SP (Strong Diagonal Punch) -A little slower than the Jumping-Up MP, but stronger. You'll still have to time this move if you want to hit ground opponents. Jumping-Up LK (Falling Heel) -Ken falls on top of the opponent with his heel first. Lasts the whole time that he is in the air. Pretty good to knock opponents out of the air without having to move towards or away from them. LK (Knee Punch) -Ken attacks with his knee and a fist. Easy to understand I hope. Good against Tatsumaki Senpukyaku, Shungokusatsu, and the like too. Jumping-Up MK (Quick Heel Kick) -The super fast version of the Jumping-Up LK. Nothing new other than the fact that you'll have to time this right if you want to hit ground opponents. MK (Karate Kick) -The basic flying karate kick. Pretty good against air attacks, and is nice against attacks like Shungokusatsu. Jumping-Up SK (Spin Heel Kick) -Ken spins his foot sideways and hits with his heel. Other than that, nothing too special. SK (Quick Karate Kick) -The super fast version of the MK. As with most of the quick moves, you'll have to time it right to hit grounded opponents. It's also pretty good to combo off of as well. -Throws- SP + <- or -> (Seoi Nage) -Ken throws the opponent over his back. Easy enough. <- or -> +SK (Tomoe Nage) -Ken throws the opponent over him by using his foot. The directional input must be done first before the move will come out. --Special Moves-- -Hadoken- -Speed depends on the P button you used. Try mixing up slow and fast Hadokens to confuse your opponent. STRONG VS. Anti-Air attacks Air attacks Rush attacks Other attacks NO EFFECT VS. Projectile attacks (cancels out with them) Teleport moves WEAK VS. Air attacks (Zanku Hadoken, Flying Squirrel, etc.) Other attacks -New Psycho Reflector (Athena) -Dark Barrier (Rugal/Ultimate Rugal) -As with Ryu and most fireball users, this move is great to stall your opponent with and play keep-away games. -Shoryuken- -How far up Ken goes depends on the P button pressed. Be wary when using this move as well. If blocked, your opponent will be free to punish you heavily. Try using it as a Wakeup counter. SP version has a flaming effect to it as well. STRONG VS. Missed Anti-Air attacks (Shoryuken, Somersault Kick, etc.) Dash attacks just as they close in on Ken Air attacks NO EFFECT VS. None........ WEAK VS. All projectiles Any attacks if misses -Tatsumaki Senpukyaku- -Great for Rush attacks and is great to punish missed or blocked Anti-Air attacks. Bad, however, if the opponent ducks under it or is far away when used. STRONG VS. Blocked or missed Anti-Air attacks Rush attacks NO EFFECT VS. Most Super Specials WEAK VS. Projectiles (Hadoken, Gou Hadoken, etc.) Anti-Air (Shoryuken, Gou Shoryuken, etc.) -Ryusankyaku- STRONG VS. Rush attacks Air attacks Other attacks WEAK VS. Projectile attacks (but can avoid them if used at the right moment) Anti-Air attacks Air attacks such as Zanku Hadoken or Crimson Firebird Diver -This move is like Chun-Li's Hazan Shu. It even has the same strengths and weakenesses as Hazan Shu! If you use this right as a Projectile is coming towards Ken, you can avoid it and hit the opponent (but timing is very critical here. Use it too late, and you'll either get hit by the projectile, or the opponent will counterattack with an Anti-Air move of some sorts). -Nataptoshi Kick- STRONG VS. Close attacks Rush attacks WEAK VS. Everything else.... -This move is very wierd....and isn't even that great. I'd suggest ignoring it and save it for only when you're fighting up close to opponents like Zangief, Vega, and Chang. -Kamabaral Kick- STRONG VS. Same as Nataptoshi Kick WEAK VS. Same as Nataptoshi Kick -This move is just about the same as Nataptoshi Kick; therefore, use it like it was Nataptoshi Kick.... -Oosotomawashi Kick- STRONG VS. Same as Nataptoshi Kick WEAK VS. Same as Nataptoshi Kick -This move is still the same, minus that it's called "Hold for a Second Kick" in English; therefore, it takes about a second for the full move to come out. Not that great of a move by any means.... -Zanpou Tenshin- STRONG VS. All attacks....if used right... WEAK VS. All attacks.....if used wrong.... -Just a special movement for Ken, which is pretty much the same thing as Roll.... --Super Special Moves-- -Shoryu Reppa- STRONG VS. Rush attacks Air attacks (minus attacks like Zanku Hadoken) Close attacks Projectile attacks (if used right before attack would hit) WEAK VS. Anti-Air attacks Projectile attacks Some other attacks such as Shinku Tatsumaki Senpukyaku -Ken's famous move from Street Fighter II returns yet again, and is still as big of a threat as it was back then. Ken lunges across the screen doing 3 Shoryukens (each with flaming effects!), which can stop a many otherwise annoying attacks. Excellent for whenever your opponent is trying to jump at you or rush you down. -Shinryuken- STRONG VS. Air attacks Close attacks Dash attacks Other attacks WEAK VS. Projectile attacks Anti-Air attacks -Simply put, the best Wakeup Counter in the game. Ken leaps up into the air doing one massive Shoryuken that hits multiple times and does a crapload of damage. Great for tricking the opponent when they try to keep Ken down. Also good against opponents who try and jump in on Ken. -Shippu Jinraikyaku- STRONG VS. Rush attacks Close attacks WEAK VS. Anti-Air attacks Air attacks Projectile attacks Other attacks -A very powerful move, IF you can get the first part to connect. Otherwise, it's a waste of a full Super Meter. Great to use as a Wakeup Counter. Good to combo off of a Jumping SK xX Standing SP. --Strengths & Weaknesses-- Ken is in-between Ryu and Akuma; whereas Akuma is more of a rush-down character and Ryu is more of a baiting character, Ken is based around strategic playing. You can still use him as you would Ryu, but the end results are quite a bit different than what you would get using Ryu. You'll want to try and make Ken pressure his opponents a lot of the time, but you'll also want to try and bait them into falling right into a Shinryuken from time to time. Mind games are your best friend here with Ken! However, on the downside, some of Ken's moves have horrible recovery times, such as his Kamabanal Kick, Nataptoshi Kick, and Oosotomawashi Kick, and Zanpou Tenshin is just plain worthless, as Roll accomplishes the same thing. If his Tatsumaki Senpukyaku or Shoryuken are blocked (along with Shoryureppa and Shippu Jinraikyaku), then Ken is left wide-open to counterattacks. --Battle Strategies-- OFFENSE Tatsumaki Senpukyaku and Shoryuken are the only Specials you'll really need here, unless you want to work in some Nataptoshi Kicks, Kamabanal Kicks, and Oosotomawashi Kicks. If you don't have Roll, then use Zanpou Tenshin to get through your opponents attacks, but if you do have Roll, then neglect that move. Shoryureppa is your Super Special of choice, but only use it when your opponent tries to attack you. Shippu Jinraikyaku is very nice, especially if you can combo it off of a Jumping SK to Standing MK. DEFENSE Hadoken is your only way of baiting opponents into coming to Ken from afar. You can try to use Nataptoshi Kick, Kamabanal Kick, and Oosotowashi Kick on defense, but they probably won't yield the same results as they would on offense. Shinryuken is your ultimate Super Special here, especially if you throw in some Tatsumaki Senpukyakus in with Hadokens. --Matchups-- -Vs Akuma- This is a very entertaining fight to say the least. While Akuma will more than likely rush Ken down, you can easily counter that by rushing him down using Ken. However, I'd stay away from the Nataptoshi, Kamabanal, and Oosotomawashi Kicks, since those will hurt you more than help you. Shoryuken is nice, but be careful when using it, since you can run smack into a Zanku Hadoken or, worse yet, a Tenma Gou Zanku. Tatsumaki Senpukyaku is good only if you can use it as a counter to any blocked Gou Shoryukens or Tatsumaki Zanku Kyakus, and you can even try to chain one of Ken's Super Specials off of it too if it connects. You'll want to watch out for Shungokusatsu, which you can easily counter using Tatsumaki Senpukyauk. For Messatsu Gou Hado and Messatsu Gou Shoryu, just block or Parry and counter using Shinryuken (for Messatsu Gou Shoryu) or rush at Akuma and try to beat him down using a combo of Standing MK to Tatsumaki Senpukyaku to any Super Special (particularly Shippu Jinraikyaku, if you can spare it). -Vs. Athena- You can beat Athena pretty easily, as long as you don't run smack into a Psycho Ball or Psycho Sword. Shining Crystal Bit is also a problem if you're trying to rush Athena down. However, aside from those attacks, you can easily smack her using Tatsumaki Senpukyakus to any Super Specials (though don't use Shinryuken that much, as if it's blocked, Athena can counter with something like Psycho Sword or Phoenix Fang Arrow. Hadoken is good to bait Athena with, but be prepared to block any incoming Phoenix Arrows that may come your way as a result, then counter with Shoryuken or Shinryuken. Shippu Jinraikyaku is great if you can combo it off of a Tatsumaki Senpukyaku, but don't bother since Athena can counter easily with Shining Crystal Bit or just try to block and counter with Psycho Sword. Ignore the Nataptoshi, Kamabanal, and Oosotowashi Kicks. -Vs. Balrog- Ken has this one in the bag. You can spam Hadoken, Tatsumaki Senpukyaku, and Shoryukens against everything that Balrog attempts to do, and counter any of his stupid moves with Ken's Super Specials (particularly Shoryureppa and Shippu Jinraikyaku). There's not much to this fight really, as it's pretty straightforward and simple. -Vs. Benimaru- Ken can beat Benimaru pretty easily. You just have to Roll through Benimaru's Lightning Fist and Roll Cancel into Tatsumaki Senpukyaku and bust out any Super Specials that you can. You'll want to keep up the pressure on Benimaru and not let him get a chance to attack, because if you let Benimaru have even the slightest chance of attacking, it can lead into Ken being pressured even harder by Benimaru. If you want to try and take the baiting approach, the only way you'll get Benimaru to go after Ken is to use Hadokens, then counter with Shoryuken or an aerial Tatsumaki Senpukyaku (Shinryuken works just as well too here). -Vs. Blanka- You can smash Blanka easily utilizing Ken's counterattack maneuvers (Hadoken for Electric Thunder and Direct Lightning, Shoryuken for anything else). This fight is pretty straightforward, so no need for a strategy here. -Vs. Cammy- Well.....Cammy likes to jump a lot. What does Ken do against people that jump a lot? That's right....SHORYUKEN! You can counter basically anything else by using Hadoken or Tatsumaki Senpukyaku. Nataptoshi Kick, Kanabanal Kick, and Oosotowashi Kick are useless here really due to Cammy's fast speed, so ignore them, and for the love of all things, IGNORE ZANPOU TENSHIN! This will tend to get you caught in some of Cammy's attacks if you use it. Try to chain Shinryuken or Shippu Jinraikyaku off of a connected Tatsumaki Senpukyaku to inflict massive damage to Cammy. You can win this fight easily as long as you don't let Cammy pressure you. -Vs. Chang- You can pressure Chang easily using Ken, but beware of Chang's counterattacks. A blocked Tatsumaki can end up with Ken on the receiving end of a Wild Ball Attack or Tornado Ripper, and any blocked Shoryukens will result in a deadly counterattack. Your best bet is to try and land Tatsumaki Senpukyakus whenever Chang misses with an attack or you block one of his attacks, then counterattack with that and try to go into a Shoryureppa or a Shinryuken. -Vs. Chun-Li- This is a pretty tough fight, but good to watch. You'll want to try to block and counterattack Hyakuretsu Kyaku and Houyousoken with Tatsumaki Senpukyaku to Shinryuken, Shoryureppa, or Shippu Jinraikyaku. For Kikouken, just parry it. As for Kikou-Shou, you'll want to stay out of range, since it does big chip damage when blocked anyways. You can probably try to use Hadokens to attack her doing this time, but it's not guaranteed that it will hit her. For her Hazan Shu and Spinning Bird Kick, use Shoryuken to counter. This fight is all about patience and mind-games with Ken to get the better of Chun-Li. -Vs. Dan- You shouldn't really have any problems with Dan as long as you stay up on him and watch out for his Super Specials and his Kouryuken. You can easily smash his Dankyaku with a well-timed Shoryuken or Shinryuken, and as for the rest of Dan's attacks, Hadoken and Tatsumaki Senpukyaku will do the job. Regular attacks should be mixed in from time to time for better results. -Vs. Dhalsim- Hadoken will be Dhalsim's worst nightmare, and will probably make any Dhalsim player think twice about using his stretch moves. Counter Yoga Fire with Hadoken or Parry, and block Yoga Flame and Yoga Stream and counter using Tatsumaki Senpukyaku into a Super Special. If Dhalsim uses Yoga Teleport, simply follow him. You don't want him to stay away from Ken, since your main goal here is to constantly attack Dhalsim using Ken's Tatsumaki Senpukyaku and regular attacks (his Nataptoshi Kick, Kanabanal Kick, and Oosotowashi Kick aren't that useful here). Avoid using Zanpou Tenshin. -Vs. Eagle- Careful when using Hadoken here; Eagle can deflect it back at you if you're not watching for it! You're best bet here is to not rush down Eagle, since that's what he's made to do, and instead get him to try and come to Ken. You can still rush him if you want, but it'll be a pretty messy fight, and Eagle has more speed than Ken with certain moves, not to mention that a couple of his moves makes it really hard to escape from in the middle of one of Ken's attacks. You'll want to use Tatsumaki Senpukyaku to counter a lot of Eagle's moves, and use Hadoken to bait him if you're not close enough (however, BE PREPARED to block or dodge any returning Hadokens). Patience is a virtue here. -Vs. E.Honda- This fight isn't really worth mentioning. Honda's attacks cannot phase through the Hadoken + Tatsumaki Senpukyaku + Shoryuken combos that Ken can abuse, so there's no need to really get in close unless Honda can block and counter that combo. If so, then try to focus on jumping in and attack, try to hit Honda some, then back out, as you don't want to end up on the receiving end of an Ohicho Throw or Orochi Kudaki. -Vs. Evil Ryu- This fight is actually doable using Ken, but it's still tough. You'll want to try and keep on Evil Ryu (yes, I actually said KEEP on him...), and follow him if he ever uses Ashura Senku to escape. Watch for Shungokusatsu and counter using Shoryureppa or Shippu Jinraikyaku, whichever one you can spare at the moment of the attack. For Hadoken, parry and counter using Tatsumaki Senpukyaku, since Evil Ryu will most likely try to counter using his own Tatsumaki Senpukyaku (you can use Shoryuken, if you feel that Evil Ryu will indeed use Tatsumaki Senpukyaku). Try to stay a little out of reach from time to time to avoid constant Shoryukens and Messatsu Gou Shoryu. Keep on Evil Ryu at all times, and you should come out victorious. -Vs. Geese- This is a tough fight, but doable (easier than Evil Ryu at least...). Keep on Geese, but be wary of his Counter specials. Raising Storm is your biggest threat here, so don't go all crazy and try to jump at him or abuse Shoryukens and Tatsumaki Senpukyakus. You'll want to counter Geese's Wind Slice and Double Wind Slice by using Parry or Roll, and try to counter with Tatsumaki Senpukyaku into a Super Special, or use a Roll Cancel. Deadly Rage and Evil Illusion Slam shouldn't be of any threat for Ken. -Vs. Guile- This is just a matter of time before you kill Guile from chip damage via Hadoken...you can get in close and fight him, but you'll want to try and bait Guile into coming at you. If he doesn't.....it's Guile's idiotic fault. -Vs. Haohmaru- This fight can be nasty due to Haohmaru's insane damage input (especially his Standing SP.....). You're best bet is to try and jump in at Haohmaru (watch out for his Secret Crescent Moon Slash and Slash of Supreme Judgement at this time) and attack him with Jumping SK and chain that into a Tatsumaki Senpukyaku into a Super Special, or you can Parry and go with a Standing SP into a Tatsumaki Senpukyaku into a Shoryureppa or Shippu Jinraikyaku. You can also attempt to make Haohmaru come to you, but odds are, you don't want too, since Haohmaru can counter Ken's Shoryuken with his Jumping SP and Jumping SK. Flame of the Conqueror is only a threat IF Haohmaru is smart enough to roll through one of Ken's long attacks (like Shoryureppa) and use it immediately afterwards. Don't worry about Secret Cyclone Slash, as you can easily Hadoken it, Parry it, Roll through it, or Jump over it, and don't let Fake Cyclone Slash fool you! Secret Earthquake Slice should be dealt with using Shoryuken or Shinryuken. -Vs. Hibiki- This fight's a little bit of a pain, but not by that much compared to Haohmaru. You'll want to stay in close to Hibiki at all times, but keep your eyes pealed for No Fear Feint and her three Going My Way Super Specials! Pressure her with regular attacks and constant Tatsumaki Senpukyakus to keep her from countering with anything! -Vs. Iori- This is just a really fun fight, whether you win or not. Counter Iori's Fire Ball and Deadly Flower using Tatsumaki Senpukyaku, and counter Dark Thrust using Roll Cancel into Tatsumaki Senpukyaku or Roll Cancel into a Shoryuken. Watch out for Maiden Masher if Iori Rolls through a Hadoken or Tatsumaki Senpukyaku! For "One-For-The-Road" Blast, your best bet is to just roll through it and try to counter using Shoryureppa. Use Shippu Jinraikyaku ONLY if you know you'll connect with it; otherwise, you've wasted 3 Super Meters AND have the liklihood of being countered with Maiden Masher. -Vs. Joe- This shouldn't be too much of a hassle for Ken. Whenever Joe tries to use an attack that makes him leap at Ken, counter using Shoryuken, and if Joe uses Hurricane Upper, just counter with Roll into a Roll Canceled Tatsumaki Senpukyaku. TNT Punch can be dealt with by using Hadoken, and save your Super Specials for times that Joe has Ken cornered. Not a tough fight by any means. -Vs. Ken- Hmm.....Ken vs Ken......you'll want to fight Ken using strategy instead of brute strength. The CPU likes to use Shoryukens for no reason, so counter those using Shinryuken or Shippu Jinraikyaku to make the most of the advantage. Anything else can be dealt with as if you were fighting yourself. -Vs. Kim- Here, you'll want to try and counter all of Kim's moves using either Hadoken or Shoryuken. Tatsumaki Senpukyaku will only land you in deep waters here, as Kim can easily counter it. Try to keep on Kim to avoid him from pressuring Ken, but keep an eye out on Kim's charge moves at this time. If you feel the need to, try to bait Kim to come to you instead, and use Shoryuken to counter any of Kim's counterattacks to Hadoken. A pretty straightforward fight. -Vs. King- For this fight, you'll want to focus on baiting King into coming to you instead of rushing head first at her, since she's more of a close fighter. However, if you do attempt this, you may end up on the receiving end of her Double Strike. If that's the case, then just rush in at her and beat her down with regular attacks combined with Tatsumaki Senpukyakus. Nothing really to this fight at all. -Vs. Kyo- This isn't hard at all. As long as you watch out for Serpent Wave, Final Judgement, and his Wicked Chew combo, you'll be just fine. So, what you'll want to do here is to bait Kyo into going after Ken, then counter with Tatsumaki Senpukyakus or regular attacks. The Nataptoshi Kick, Kanbanal Kick, and Oosotowashi Kick aren't all that useful here, so ignore them. Pretty straightforward here too. -Vs. Kyosuke- For Kyosuke, getting in close and pummeling him is top priority. Try to Roll Cancel through most of his attacks using Tatsumaki Senpukyaku, or just block or Parry and try to get in close that way. Either way, you'll have to be careful, since he's based around pushing his opponents back and keeping them that way. Watch for Final Grade Remix by using Tatsumaki Senpukyaku or Shinryukens as counters. Nothing else to really say about this fight. -Vs. Mai- This fight is a little tough, but not as bad as some other fights. The CPU tends to make Mai use Flying Squirrel a lot, so counter using Hadoken or Shinryuken against that. For her Kacho San, Parry and counter using Tatsumaki Senpukyaku ONLY if Mai immediately uses Deadly Ninja Bees or Super Deadly Ninja Bees afterwards. For Ryu En Bu, Parry and counter using Tatsumaki Senpukyaku or Shoryureppa/Shippu Jinraikyaku. Swan's Ranpango should be avoided via Super Jump into a Jumping SK to Standing SP to Tatsumaki Senpukyaku to any Super Special. This fight really isn't tough with Ken. -Vs. Maki- Here, Tatsumaki Senpukyaku becomes your biggest friend, while Shoryuken and Hadoken help out only against a couple attacks. What you'll want to do is to keep on Maki at all times. This way, you can avoid her Hayagake combos that she can pull off. There's nothing really to this fight except to avoid her Super Specials and her Rappukyaku. -Vs. M.Bison- For Bison, Hadoken is your friend to countering all of his moves. A-Groove Bison, however, will be a pain. You'll want to keep on him at all times and keep attacking him with any regular attacks, Tatsumaki Senpukyaku, and Hadoken. Save your Super Specials in case Bison tries to use any of his Specials. This way, you can counter with Shoryureppa or Shinryuken ( Shippu Jinraikyaku is just a waste to do at those times). Don't ever let Bison get away from you, and do watch out for his Slide Tackle move! -Vs. Morrigan- Morrigan can be tough if you're not used to fighting her, but as said many times before, treat her like a combination of Ryu and Akuma. If you keep this in mind, then you should be able to handle everything that she throws at you (aside from Valkyrie Turn and Vector Drain). For Valkryie Turn, just counter using Shinryuken (however, don't count on this all the time, as Valkyrie Turn may still hit Ken), and for Vector Drain...there's nothing you can really do about that, since it's a Special Throw. Try to beat down Morrigan using the standard Ken tactics, but don't stay too far away, since Morrigan has some good poke moves. -Vs. Nakoruru- Nakoruru is by far one of the most annoying people to fight in this game... her Anna Mutsube can go right under Hadoken, and her Lela Mutsube can counter Tatsumaki Senpukyaku, Shinryuken, Shoryureppa, and Shippu Jinraikyaku. You'll want to stay on her regardless and beat her down using regular attacks the most (ignore all of Ken's Specials, and save Shinryuken and Shippu Jinraikyaku for times that you block Kamui Mutsube and Anna Mutsube). This fight will take a little time, and you'll suffer quite a bit of damage from this fight, but hopefully, you'll be able to come out on top. Keep your cool and don't let Nakoruru's constant attacks irritate you too much. -Vs. Orochi Iori- Fight Orochi Iori as you would Iori. -Vs. Raiden- Normally, I would say get up close and bust down anyone that gets in Ken's way. However, this is one of the very few opponents who you don't want to rush at. Raiden's specialty lies in close-range grappling combat, so stay away from him and fire off Hadokens and Tatsumaki Senpukyakus. If Raiden blocks a Tatsumaki Senpukyaku, prepare to go on the defense or jump away/Roll to escape the inpending wrath that will occur afterwards. Use Shippu Jinraikyaku and Shoryureppa as your Super Specials of choice in this fight. -Vs. Rolento- Rolento's just more annoying than anything else. He's not that big of a threat to Ken unless you let him pressure you. So, what you should do is keep on Rolento and bust him down with whatever you have in your arsenal (but ignore Kanabanal Kick, Oosotowashi Kick, and Nataptoshi Kick, along with Zanpou Tenshin). Nothing really to this fight at all. -Vs. Rock- Hmm....Rock Howard.....he's pretty tough for Ken to beat. You'll want to focus on avoiding Cyclone Sock and Double Gust Punch, along with Hard Edge and Rising Tackle, and counter them using Tatsumaki Senpukyaku and Shoryuken (your Super Specials of choice here are Shoryureppa and Shippu Jinraikyaku once again. Save Shinryuken for Hard Edge, Shining Knuckle, Rising Tackle, and Neo Deadly Rage). Raising A Storm is also a problem, as it was with Geese. Try to block and counter it with Shoryureppa or Shippu Jinraikyaku. Never let Rock get the advantage of attacking you, or you'll end up on a never-ending cycle of attacks that you cannot escape. -Vs. Rugal- For Rugal, you'll want to keep Tatsumaki Senpukyaku on reserve for God Press and Gigantic Pressure only, as Rugal can easily counter it with Wind Slice, Kaiser Wave, Dark Smash, Genocide Cutter, and Destroyer Cutter. Speaking of Kaiser Wave...you'll want to avoid that attack as much as possible, so to do that, keep on Rugal with regular attacks and don't let him get away from Ken ever. You'll want to keep on the defense though while on offense to avoid having a Destroyer Cutter in the face. Also, try to Parry Wind Slice, Dark Smash, and Kaiser Wave, and counter using Tatsumaki Senpukyaku into Shinryuken (for Dark Smash) or Shippu Jinraikyaku (for Wind Slice and Kaiser Wave). -Vs. Ryo- This is an interesting fight, simply because Ryo and Ken can counter basically anything that the other does. Try to bait Ryo into going after Ken, and counter whatever he does with one of the following: If Ryo tries to use Crazy Tiger Thunder Attack, Lightning Legs Knockout Kick, Kyoku Gen Kick Dance, or Ryuko Ranhou, counter using Shoryuken or Shinryuken. If Ryo tries to use Tiger Flame Punch, Heaven Blaze Punch, or Haoh Sho Koh Ken, counter using Roll Cancel into Hadoken or Shoryureppa. If Ryo tries to use Koho or Zan Retsu Ken, counter using Tatsumaki Senpukyaku. Simple really, but whatever you do, don't let Ryo pressure you! -Vs. Ryu- The classic Street Fighter rivalry. You'll want to get in close and personal with Ryu to avoid a fireball war, but watch out for Ryu's powerful Shoryuken and Shin Shoryuken moves. Keep on Ryu using regular attacks and combo those in with Tatsumaki Senpukyakus and Shippu Jinraikyakus. Try to save Super Meters, however, for times that you block Ryu's Tatsumaki Senpukyaku or when Ryu misses with a Shoryuken to use a Shinryuken. This fight shouldn't really be of any problem for a Ken player. -Vs. Sagat- This fight is just annoying due to Sagat's spamming of Tiger Shots and Tiger Uppercuts. You'll want to either Parry or Roll through the Tiger Shots, then be prepared to block Tiger Uppercut and try to counter with Shinryuken if you have it. If not, then wait for Sagat to come back down from his Tiger Uppercut and land a Tatsumaki Senpukyaku to his face, and try to combo a Shoryureppa or Shippu Jinraikyaku off of it, if you have the Super Meter to do so. Tiger Crush and all of Sagat's Super Specials (save for Tiger Cannon and Ground Tiger Cannon) should be easy to block and counter via Shinryuken. For Tiger Cannon and Ground Tiger Cannon, just either duck or jump over them, and just block whatever Sagat tries to counter with. -Vs. Sakura- Here, you'll want to use Tatsumaki Senpukyaku against Sakura's Sho-Oh-Ken and Shunpu Kyaku, and for her Hadoken...well....just Parry it and counter using Shoryureppa or Shippu Jinraikyaku, if you have them. Flower Kick is easy to counter by using Shoryuken, and Shinku Hadoken can be easily avoided by Rolling. You can try to use Shoryureppa against Midare Zakura and Haru Ichiban, but against Haru Ichiban, you may end up getting hit anyways. So, if you don't want to use a Super Special to counter it, then use a Hadoken to bust through it. -Vs. Shin Akuma- Very tough, but doable. Try to use a Shinryuken whenever you block Shin Akuma's Tatsumaki Zanku Kyaku, and just avoid his Gou Hadokens and Zanku Hadokens. For Misogi...there's nothing you can really do about it except block and counter using Shippu Jinraikyaku. Shungokusatsu should be dealt with using Shoryureppa, while Messatsu Gou Shoryu can be dealt with using Hadoken. Other than those, keep on Shin Akuma and don't let him escape or pressure you too much. -Vs. Terry- Another classic fight here. For Terry, you'll want to counter his Burning Knuckles with Shoryuken, and for Power Wave, use Hadoken. You can easily bust through his Buster Wolf using Roll Cancel to Shippu Jinraikyaku or Shoryureppa. To counter Crack Shot, use Shoryuken or Tatsumaki Senpukyaku, and for Rising Tackle....well...you shouldn't need to jump at Terry that much, so you shouldn't have to worry that much about it. Not a very hard fight at all. -Vs. Todo- Here's one of the few times that Zanpu Tenshin comes in use. You'll want to pull that out everytime Todo uses any Ecstasy Crunch moves, and counter using the standard Ken tactics. Nothing hard about this fight at all...in fact, it may be the easiest fight ever for Ken. -Vs. Ultimate Rugal- Here, you'll want to stay on Ultimate Rugal's tail and watch out for his God Press, Last Judgement, and G-End attacks. Genocide Cutter will be very annoying, as the CPU loves to spam it if you're too close to him. So, what you'll want to do is actually STAY close to him, be prepared to block Genocide Cutter, and counter using Shinryuken. For everything else, you can deal with them as you did with regular Rugal. You'll want to avoid using Hadoken too much due to Dark Barrier, and watch out for Rugal Execution! -Vs. Vega- Vega's fun to beat down. You'll be able to counter a lot of his moves using Shoryuken and Tatsumaki Senpukyaku, but make sure that they connect; otherwise, Vega can simply stab you to death. Hadoken isn't really that useful unless you know the exact timing of Vega's moves. Try to land a Shinryuken anytime that Vega uses a move like Izuna Drop or Sky High Claw against you. A pretty straightforward fight. -Vs. Vice- You'll WANT to stay on Vice's tail, but be very careful, as Vice is good at countering maneuvers. Try to land some Tatsumaki Senpukyakus and be prepare to block immediately afterwards if it was blocked, as Vice may try to counter with Outrage. For Negative Gain and Withering Force, use Shinryuken or Shoryuken to deal with them, and for the rest of Vice's moves....just jump over them and bust her down with Jumping SK. Watch for Rave Fest if Vice ever decides to jump and meet you in the air. -Vs. Yamazaki- Yamazaki is pretty easy to beat. The only thing to really worry about here is Yamazaki's Serpent Slash attacks; the rest can be dealt with very easily. Nothing too hard here at all, and not really worth putting anything down for. Just use the standard Ken tactics to beat down this assassin. -Vs. Yun- Yun....you'll want to keep Tatsumaki Senpukyaku and Shoryuken with you at all times for when Yun decides to launch a Special or Super Special at Ken. These two moves will severly cripple Yun's ability, but the major thing to watch out for with Yun is his pressuring abilities. So, what should you do? Pressure him first, and keep at it! -Vs. Yuri- Yuri's just as tough, if not tougher, than Ryo is. Counter her Tiger Flame Punch and Rai Oh Ken using Roll Cancel into Tatsumaki Senpukyaku, and counter her The 100 Blows and Yuri's Super Upper using Hadoken or Shippu Jinraikyaku (for The 100 Blows) or Shoryureppa for Yuri's Super Upper. Flying Phoenix Kick can also be dealt with in the same manner. For Haoh Sho Koh Ken, you can easily counter by Roll and Roll Cancel into Tatsumaki Senpukyaku to any Super Special. -Vs. Zangief- This is also another rare fight where you'll want to not rush down the opponent. Here, you'll want to use Hadoken to bait Zangief, and use Tatsumaki Senpukyaku (NEVER SHORYUKEN!!) to counterattack Zangief. If Zangief ever blocks your Tatsumaki Senpukyaku, then be prepared to leap back or Roll, since Zangeif will try to counter using Spinning Pile Driver or Final Atomic Buster. A pretty straightforward fight really. ------------------------------------------------------------ XIII. Kyosuke [CAP13] -Introduction- The pretty boy from Rival Schools makes his debut in the cross-over fighting world. Let's just say, he's not to be taken lightly.... -Movelist- -Specials- Cross Cutter..........................................QCF + P Lightning Upper....................................DPF + P (Additional: QCF + K) Shadow Wave (AIR)............................QCF + P Shadow Breaker.....................................QCB + P Shadow Out Kick (air)...........................QCF + K -Super Specials- Super Cross Cutter................................QCFx2 + P Super Lightning Upper.........................QCBx2 + P Super Shadow Out Kick (air)...............QCFx2 + K (Additional: QCF + K) Final Grade Remix..................................HCBx2 + K (Level 3 & MAX only) -Movelist Breakdown- --Normal Attacks-- -STANDING- LP (Mid Hand Strike) -Nothing too special about this move. Only really good if you chain it into a Standing SP xX Cross Cutter. Close LP (Backhand) -More comical to watch than to use in real tournaments. Simply put.....Kyosuke backhands the opponent (no way!!). Nothing special about this move either. MP (Serpent Strike) -Called Serpent Strike just due to the way the attack comes out. It's a bit slow on coming out, and isn't even comboable. Not that great of a move in all honesty. Close MP (Snake Strike) -Due to the fact that you're not going to be close to the opponent that often with Kyosuke, this move is all but worthless. Best to stick to other attacks that Kyosuke offers. SP (Fierce Strike) -Has pretty good reach on it, and does a decent amount of damage. Also comboable into Super Cross Cutter or Super Lightning Upper (if the opponent is trapped in the corner; otherwise, you'll miss everytime). Close SP (Fierce Backhand) -Even more comical than Close LP, but a lot more useful if you find yourself close enough to the opponent to actually use this move. Good to combo into Super Shadow Out Kick or Super Lightning Upper. LK (Mid Kick) -Relatively slow and has little reach. Not the best of choice to combo attacks off of either, as there are better moves to use. Close LK (Foot Kick) -Comes out pretty fast, does little damage, only usuable if you're close to the opponent, which limits the usefulness of this attack. However, good to chain into a Lightning Upper, Cross Cutter, or Shadow Out Kick. Even better to combo into a Final Grade Remix. MK (Flip Kick) -Decent range, decent damage, comboable into Cross Cutter or Super Cross Cutter. Has slow recovery however. Close MK (Knee) -Decent speed, very little range, comboable into Lightning Upper, Super Lightning Upper, Final Grade Remix, Shadow Out Kick, and Super Shadow Out Kick. SK (Heel Kick) -Has pretty good range, good damage, but slow recovery. Otherwise, a great poke move. Decent anti-air move as well. -CROUCHING- LP (Quick Jab) -The basic LP move. Quick and is good for combo starters, but has little to no reach and does little damage. MP (Chop Sweep) -Crappy range, slow all-around, not that much damage. Not even comboable really.... SP (Fierce Slap) -Decent range, good damage, though not easy to combo out of. LK (Foot Kick) -As with the LP, fast and easy to combo out of, but deals little damage on its own. MK (Extended Kick) -Better range than Crouching LK, but a bit slow on recovery and startup. Comboable into Cross Cutter and Shadow Out Kick. SK (Spin Sweep) -Kyosuke's knock-down move. Great range and decent damage, but bad recovery if blocked. Not comboable either. DF + SK -Kyosuke twists and extends his leg diagonally upwards. The opponent will be launched when hit and will be open to mid-air combos (see Advanced Strategy Section). This attack launches fairly fast but has slow recovery and lacks some horizontal range. It also cannot be comboed from normal attacks except jump-ins. Recommended only when the opponent is open or as a possible anti-air. -JUMPING- LP (Falling Elbow) -Lasts nearly the whole time that Kyosuke uses it. Deals little damage and has no range, but good to combo into one of Kyosuke's BnB combos or into Standing SP/MP to Final Grade Remix or Super Shadow Out Kick. MP (Backhand Chop) -Has more range than Jumping LP, but misses opponent's on the ground completely. Only good in air to air battles, though Shadow Out Kick is a much sounder choice. SP (Head Smack) -Has good range AND hits opponent's on the ground. Good to combo into one of Kyosuke's specials or Super Specials. LK (Aerial Knee) -Same properties as Kyosuke's Jumping LP. MK (Head Kick) -Good range and decent damage. Can be comboed into Cross Cutter, Shadow Out Kick, Lightning Upper, Shadow Breaker. SK (Aerial Heel) -One of Kyosuke's better moves to use for combos or just to stop an opponent's attack. Decent range and good damage. --Special Moves-- -Cross Cutter- STRONG VS. Rush attacks Other attacks Anti-Air attacks Some Air attacks NO EFFECT VS. Projectile attacks WEAK VS. Air attacks -Kyosuke launches two small projectiles, each arching upwards and downwards respectively and converge at the middle in a certain distance. Button used determines the height and distance of the projectiles; LP launches the highest and closest while HP launches the shortest and furthest. Neither buttons can reach full screen. If the projectiles haven't converged yet, they are considered as two projectiles and either one can negate a non-super projectile while the other still passes through. When the projectiles converge, it becomes considered as one projectile only and can be treated like any other projectile. The move has some start-up delay as well as recovery delay. Because of this, it is not recommended against projectile battles. Use especially for zoning and pressuring opponents. -Lightning Upper- STRONG VS. Air attacks Rush attacks Anti-Air attacks Other attacks NO EFFECT VS. Teleportation moves WEAK VS. Projectile attacks -Kyosuke swipes his hand upwards while lightning strikes from the ground up. Button used determines the distance of the attack; LP launches the closest while HP launches the furthest. The attack launches the opponents in mid-air and can combo into the Shadow Cut Kick or, in the corner, the Double Shadow Cut Kick. It launches fairly quickly but has low priority, usually trading hits from a jump-in attack. Recommended for combos only. -Shadow Wave- STRONG VS. Air attacks (except Air Projectiles) Rush attacks Other attacks (varies on moves) NO EFFECT VS. Anti-Air attacks (varies on who does it first, person will more than likely hit the first one to activate) WEAK VS. Projectile attacks -Kyosuke creates a short blade of energy diagonally downwards in front of him while in mid-air. Button used determines the damage of the attack. The move launches quickly and has a fairly high priority which makes it a good mid-air combo finisher and anti-air. However, it has some recovery delay and can be punished if it whiffs or blocked. -Shadow Breaker- STRONG VS. Some Other attacks WEAK VS. Projectile attacks Anti-Air attacks Air attacks Rush attacks -Kyosuke leaps fairly high then slams his opponent with energies from his hand. Button used determines the move's range and damage. It is an overhead attack that cannot be recovered from when hit. Though a good mix-up, Kyosuke once again lacks speed and can be punished if used out in the open. Also, the attack has a tendency to leap over crouching opponents if done too close. -Shadow Out Kick- STRONG VS. Air attacks, except for Projectile-based attacks Rush attacks Some Other attacks (ex: Tatsumaki Senpukyaku, God Press, etc.) NO EFFECT VS. Teleporting moves (of course!) WEAK VS. Projectile attacks -Kyosuke does a somersault kick. Button used determines the strength and height of the attack. On the ground, it has excellent speed but, in spite of that, has poor priority. This makes the attack a great combo finisher but a bad anti-air. On the air, however, its priority somehow increases and will usually win in air battles. This attack can combo after Lightning Upper and Double Shadow Cut Kick. --Super Special Moves-- -Super Cross Cutter- STRONG VS. Rush attacks Anti-air attacks Other attacks NO EFFECT VS. Teleporting moves WEAK VS. Air attacks -Kyosuke launches several projectiles, which acts similar to Cross Cutter. Level 1 launches four projectiles while Level 2 and 3 launches five projectiles. Use like a normal Cross Cutter. -Super Lightning Upper- STRONG VS. Air attacks Many Other attacks Anti-air attacks Rush attacks NO EFFECT VS. None.... WEAK VS. Projectile attacks (when timed right) -Kyosuke launches lightning from the ground up which is similar to Lightning Upper except has a taller height and can be followed into an air chain combo. Level determines how many hits the lightning does. -Super Shadow Out Kick- STRONG VS. Air attacks (except for Projectile-based attacks) Rush attacks Some Other attacks NO EFFECT VS. Teleporting moves WEAK VS. Projectile attacks Some Other attacks Anti-air attacks (when timed right) -Kyosuke kicks similar to his far standing MK, followed by a Shadow Cut Kick and a multiple-hitting Shadow Wave which can follow-up into a regular Shadow Cut Kick. Like Shadow Cut Kick, the move has little priority and can lose against some attacks. Use in combos only. -Final Grade Remix- STRONG VS. Nothing.... NO EFFECT VS. Teleporting moves WEAK VS. Everything.... -Kyosuke launches a far standing HP. If it hits, Batsu and Hinata from Rival Schools will appear and beat up the opponent launch them into the air and all three characters will deliver their final blow. Has high priority, does massive damage and makes a great combo finisher but is open to punishment when it whiffs or is blocked. --Strengths & Weaknesses-- --Battle Strategies-- Kyosuke is one of those characters that can really, if you look into him enough, go either way with his game. Offensively, he's got several attacks that have really good range, such as Cross Cutter and his Crouching SK, and defensively, he's got moves that can come out on the fly when he needs them, such as Lightning Upper and Shadow Out Kick. However, Kyosuke's one glaring weakness is his lag in the recovery and start-up in the marjoity of his moves. Most of his Specials will, if they miss or blocked, leave him extremely vulnerable to just about anything. You'll probably have to play a lot of guessing games with your opponent to determine what moves to use and at what time. ---Basic Stuff with Kyosuke--- ---Pokes --- In order from best to worst. c.mk (most priority; super cancelable) s.hk s.hp (special/super cancelable) c.hk (longest but slowest normal; cannot punish as much as above) ---Anti-Airs --- Best to worst. s.mk (fast; good vertical range) c.hp (won't catch opponents that jump too high; special/super cancelable; I tend to follow this with a lp cross cutter) dp + P (it will either trade or get beaten; the hp version rises about a character-length away from Kyosuke, so you can catch far away aerial opponents) qcf + K (NEVER USE THIS, unless it's RCed. I don't think it can hit air-blockers though) df + hk (very short ranged; use only when the opponent is open) ---Cross-up --- j.hp (good cross-up though tends to knock down jumping opponents) j.hk (good cross-up though tends to knock down jumping opponents) j.mk (not too good because of its mostly vertical range; may often miss) ---Advanced Kyosuke Stuff--- Kyosuke has the ability to chain multiple normal moves up in the air. However, it requires either of two launchers for startup. The df + HK command move is the easiest executable launcher but it lacks range and can cause Kyosuke to be open for punishment. The other, and often better, launcher is his Super Lightning Upper. A level 3 Super Lightning Upper is the trickiest, however, since it does more hits, leaving Kyosuke to delay a bit before jumping. Once the opponent is launched in the air and starts to fall down, immediately jump towards the opponent (or jump up if the opponent is in the corner) then press LP. During this time, Kyosuke is now able to chain normals from light attacks to medium attacks to hard attacks. Sometimes, Kyosuke can do a special or the Double Shadow Cut Kick though the player has to execute it fast. Some of the best chains would be: LP > LK > MP > HP > HK (HP may miss if the opponent is too high up) LP > LK > MP > qcf + punch/kick LP > qcf, qcf + kick ------------------------------------------------------------ XIV. Maki [CAP14] -Introduction- The Bushin Ninja from Final Fight 2 makes her debut here in this fighting game. For those who have played Guy in the Alpha series, you should be able to use Maki quite well, as she resembles Guy to some extent with her moves. -Movelist- -Specials- Genko..................................................QCF + P Hayagake............................................QCF + K, K Saka Hayagake...................................QCB + K, K Tengu Daoshi (AIR)..........................HCF + P Hassoukyaku (AIR & near wall).......QCB + P/K Rappukyaku (Takes some life)...........Kx3 -Super Specials- Sushin Gouralna..................................QCFx2 + P Tessninnou..........................................QCFx2 + K, K Ajaratengu (AIR)................................720 + P -Movelist Breakdown- --Normal Attacks-- -STANDING- LP (Quick Jab) -A quick poke with her tonfa. Ok range and chains into another lp or lk. If you're playing K-Maki, you'll come to find that punishing with one or two lp's (depending on distance)into a lk into kick super is a great tool for instantly owning half your opponent's life. Make them fear this when you are raged or have a level 3 ready. MP -A long reaching tonfa hit. An awesome poke. This is what you want to use to piss people off who try to out poke you. It cleanly beats Honda head butts, Blanka balls, Crushers, and the like if you time it right! Close MP -Maki comes down with her forearm. Cancelable and you have advantage on hit or block. SP -A far reaching swing of Maki's tonfa. Use this to munish blocked psycho crushers. Can sort of be used as an anit-air every now and again, but there are better options. Close SP -A very high reaching kick. Super cancelable only. Do not use this as an anti-air, it is way to risky and if you are waiting that LK -A swift kick to the shin. Good range for a lk, which makes it a good poke. Can combo into her punch super or level 3 kick super. (You must learn to do the kick as soon as the super freeze ends.) MK -Another awesome poke. A very fast side kick that has a little more range than her mp. You can win rounds using only this move if your opponent doesn't know any better and keeps trying to out poke you. Use this instead of mp if you need the speed or range to beat an opponent's attack. Close MK -A high knee attack. Able to special or super cancel. SK -A high kich that moves Maki forward. This move is all right as an anti-air if you throw it out early enough. Able to super cancel. Close SK -A very high reaching kick. Super cancelable only. Do not use this as an anti-air, it is way to risky and if you are waiting that long to try and stop a jump in, you should be using KKK anyway. -CROUCHING- LP (Quick Jab) -Low tonfa poke. Chains into: c.lp, c.lk, s.lp, s.lk, KKK, and super. MP -Low elbow attack. Chains into: c.lk, s.lk, c.mk, s.mk, c.hp, s.hp, s.hk, KKK, and super. Note: Chaining all medium and high attacks rrequire very tight timing but can lead to tremendous damage. An example of this is c.mp~c.hp->kick super. SP -Maki swings her tonfa upwards. This move has good horizontal range and even better vertical range. This is the best normal anti-air move in the game, in my opinion. Use this to stop jumps before they even get close to you. When they start air blocking this, mix it up with KKK and you're guaranteed a knockdown. This move is super cancelable. LK -Maki slides out her left leg. Ok range and safe if blocked. Chains into: c.lp, c.lk, s.lp, s.lk, KKK, and super. MK -Maki swings out her right leg. Good range, fast, and super cancelable. Make your opponent fear this into kick super. SK -Maki spins around and sweeps opponent. Super cancelable for who knows why but and all right move to use after a throw break or from max range since it pushes back an ok amount . -JUMPING- LP -Sticks out her tonfa. Stays out for a little while, so you can throw it out early. Special snd super cancelable (best to do this before the apex of your jump). This is important to know when playing P and K groove players because you can go into the special or super immediately after the lp makes contact. You also can use this as a jump in to setup a 720. Simply throw it out before you land and 720. This gives your opponent very little time to react which usually means you get a free 720, just something to keep in mind. MP -Same as j.lp, but doesn't last as long. Special and super cancelable. D + MP -Maki's down attack. Maki comes straight down with her elbow. Note: This move has an assload of priority! I've beaten out a lot of mistimed dp's with this. This move has a large vertical hitbox. Good side of this move, you have a high-ass priority attack out until you land. Bad side to this move, you have an attack out until you land. Although you can pretty much combo whatever you want if it hits when you're jumping in, you should save this move for air to air situations because it beats so many attacks and if you miss or have it blocked on the ground, nothing good is going to come out of it. Combo: Jump in d.mp, land, C.mp~c.hp-> (you guessed it) kick super. SP -Maki swings her tonfa downward. Very fast attack with good vertical range. Can be done as soon as you leave the ground to keep/stall the opponent from pursuing you in air. Super cancelable. LK -Maki kicks very high into the air. This is your air-to-air move of choice when you are jumping after or are below your opponent because it reaches pretty high and stays out for a bit. Special and super cancelable. Note: If you'tr stuck in the corner and the opponent is jumping in, you can either backwards jump late or small jump with lk and immediately wall jump (qcb+lp) to bail yourself out. MK -Maki kicks straight forward. This is your air-to-air of choice when you and your opponent are at the same level in the air. It has great range and can be used as a cross-up. Note Jumping mk should be a move you use a lot because of Maki's awesome jump arc. You can normal jump and hit your opponent with mk, land, s.mk/s.hp/or c.hp into level 3 kick super from full screen!!! Super cancelable. SK -Maki performs a kick similar to her jumping mk, but at a lower angle. Good for jump in combos, but risky. Can be used to shut down an opponent who is trying to jump at you. Super cancelable. --Super Special Moves-- -Genko- STRONG VS. Rush attacks Some Other attacks WEAK VS. Air attacks Anti-Air attacks Projectile attacks -Maki swings a downward haymaker. Knocks down. Ths move has pretty bad recovery for all strengths, so make sure you do this at max range to make your life a little easier. -Hayakage- STRONG VS. NO EFFECT VS. WEAK VS. -Saka Hayakage- STRONG VS. NO EFFECT VS. WEAK VS. -Tengu Daoshi- STRONG VS. NO EFFECT VS. WEAK VS. -Hassoukyaku- STRONG VS. NO EFFECT VS. WEAK VS. -Rappukyaku- STRONG VS. Air attacks Anti-Air attacks Rush attacks Other attacks WEAK VS. Projectile attacks -*Drains 600 Vitality Maki spins around on the tip of her tonfa.A lot of times this is your go to anti-air. It can't be air blocked and has a large, abusable amount of invincibility. If you can sense a wake up/reversal super form your opponent, do this right before their super freeze and they'll go right through you (you might even get a hit depending on what the super is). Important to know that while this move hits once, it can be blocked twice. --Super Special Moves-- -Bushin Gouralna- STRONG VS. NO EFFECT VS. WEAK VS. -Tessninnou- STRONG VS. Rush attacks Some Other attacks WEAK VS. Anti-Air attacks Air attacks (somewhat) Projectile attacks -Maki runs forward exactly like she does for her command run. When you press kick the second time, Maki does a flying kick (ends with an overhead punch if it's the level 3 version). This move can be used to punish moves with long recovery, but you must learn to perform the kick as soon as the super freeze ends!!! Ways to combo into this are : 1. st mk/st fierce xx (canceled into) kick super. Damage is very good. You'll want to make sure you can do this consistantly. If you can punish whiffs with this, your Maki is a threat. 2. cruoching mp xx kick super. This can also be used as a way to combo into her punch super. 3. standing lp, (x2 if close enough) stancing/crouching lk xx kick super. -Ajaratengu- STRONG VS. NO EFFECT VS. WEAK VS. --Strengths & Weaknesses-- ---Basic Combos--- s.lp, s.mp, s.hp, s.hk is her Final Fight chain. s. lp s. mp s. hp xx d+fierce is an alternate chain that ends with a throw. The timing on the d+fierce is tricky and will probably be inconsistant the first several times you try it. She isn't really a character with bnb's. The main ones you'll want to know. (close) st fierce/st mp/st mk xx qcf+p or the slide/overhead off of her run will combo. Should you somehow mess up the previous option is safer. cr lp lp xx KKK. Easy. It does have its disadvantages. If done in the corner the opponent can punish if they are in a safe fall groove. Also drains some of Maki's life. Thats really all she has going for generic combos. She does have some super combos though. ---Advanced Maki Strategies--- ---Throw super on opponent wake up--- This is a nasty little trick tha can vastly improve your Maki game and have your opponent very fearful of getting knoched down. The setup is simple, knock your opponent down via a throw, sweep, or special punch. Afrer that you can do either two things. 1. Hesitate for a brief moment then jump to where the opponent is while inputting the command for the throw super in air. You should time this so that you land as soon as they get up and you perform the super as soon as you land. This can be a real bitch for your opponent to deal with on wakeup. Remember that Maki's throw super is invincible up until the acutal grab part if you're using a level 1 against people with good wakwup dp's. 2. Perform a command run and command stop (lk) just in front of the opponent. You should start the 720 as soon as you start the command stop so that so can instantly grab them as they wake up. This is usually your better option because it isn't as predictable as jumping and it just looks trickier. ---Just Defend tips, mixups, and strategies --- If you plan on playing Maki you absolutely need to be able to Just Defend like no other. Reasons being: 1. People will try to beat the shit out of you just because you're playing Maki. 2. Just Defending slowly gains back vitality, which Maki loses every time she does KKK. More vitality=more anti-air rape you can dish out. With that being said, people will catch on to JD~KKK and start empty jumping into air parrying or JD's of their own. You should learn to mix things up after JD'ing a jump in attack. Here are some ideas: 1. JD~throw. Gives a free knock down and it that was the JD to set off your meter, you can command run and 720 as soon as they wake up or apply pressure until you break their guard and then s.hp->kick super. 2. JD~720. This one is pretty damn hard to do but do it once, just once and your opponent will think twice before they jump in again. As soon as you JD, start doing the 720 motion and grab them as soon as you leave the ground. Again, very hard, but scares your opponent into jumping less, leading to more ground trickery. 3. JD~command run and immediate stop. Honestly you dont even need to JD to do this, it's just to add to your flowchart of things to do. Depending on how close/deep the jump in was, you may or may not cross them up. You can influence this by walking backwards or forwards before you JD. ---Dealing with air Just Defended DP(sorta)--- Once you just defend an attack in air, you get sent upwards. So after JD'ing DP in the air your opponent is most likely going to be lame and keep DP'ing you until you fail at Just Defending. My only remedy to this that I know of is down+mp. Worst case scenario, you will trade hits. ------------------------------------------------------------ XV. M. Bison [CAP15] -Introduction- The evil ringleader of Shadoloo is back yet again from the dead, and this time, he's a bit of a pain for some fighters to beat. He still fights like he does in Street Fighter II and in Capcom Fighting Evolution (though that came after this game). -Movelist- -Special Normals- Juggle Jump Strong (AIR)..........................MPx2 -Specials- Psycho Crusher............................................Ch. B, F + P Double Knee Press......................................Ch. B, F + K Head Press....................................................Ch. D, U + K, then P in air Devil Reverse...............................................Ch. D, U + P, then P in air Psycho Vanish.............................................FDP + P Bison Warp (Close)....................................FDP + PP or KK Bison Warp (Away)....................................BDP + PP or KK -Super Specials- Mega Psycho Crusher................................Ch. B, F, B, F + P Knee Press Nightmare................................Ch. B, F, B, F + K -Movelist Breakdown- --Normal Attacks-- -STANDING- LP (Quick Psycho Jab) -About as basic as you can get. Excellent for combo starters and to chain into the Rapid-Fire Combos. MP (Psycho Palm Thrust) -Bison thrusts his palm engulfed in psycho flames at the opponent. Can be used to start a combo as well. MP Close (Low Psycho Hook) -Bison hits the opponent in the abdoment with a hook punch. You have to be next to the opponent for the move to be executed though. SP (Psycho Upper Jab) -Bison jabs the opponent in the jaw pretty much. Not much else to say other than that it moves both fighters a little from each other. SP Close (Psycho Abdomen Jab) -The true abdoment jab of Bison. This move can hurt quite a bit actually, and can be used as a stall into Psycho Crusher or Knee Press. LK (Quick Knee) -Bison knees the opponent in the gut. Easy, right? This can also be used to start a Rapid-Fire Chain or another combo. MK (Kick) -Can't really get any easier than that. It's decent, but slow. SK (Slow Kick) -As if the last move wasn't slow enough, this one's even slower. Don't bother with it that much, as it has too much startup time. -CROUCHING- LP (Quick Jab) -Same deal as with the Standing LP. MP (Forward Punch) -Bison punches forward at the opponent. Nothing special about this move at all. SP (Slow Forward Punch) -The slow version of the MP. Again, don't bother with this move unless you want to be punished for it. LK (Foot Kick) -Bison kicks the opponent. Nothing special. Can also be used for Rapid-Fire Chains and other combos. MK (Side Foot Kick) -Bison kicks the opponent with the side of his foot. Nothing new. SK (Slide) -This is Bison's famous sweep move. Use it whenever you get into a corner fight. However, watch it if it gets blocked, as it leaves Bison wide open. -JUMPING- LP (Superman Punch) -It looks as though Bison is in a Superman pose. Lasts the whole time that he is in the air. Jumping-Up LP (Falling Fist) -Bison falls with his fist out. Lasts the whole time that he is in the air. MP () - Jumping-Up MP (Quick Falling Fist) -The fast version of the Jumping-Up LP. You'll have to time it right to hit grounded opponents though.... SP (Quick Superman Punch) -The fast version of the Jumping-Up LP. You'll have to time it right to hit grounded opponents, but it works wonders against air attacks. Jumping-Up SP (Psycho Fist) -Bison attacks the enemy with his fist engulfed in psycho flames. Nothing special about this move. LK (Falling Leg) -Bison falls onto the opponent with his leg. Lasts the whole time that he's in the air, and good for knocking opponents out of attacks. Jumping-Up LK (Falling Foot) -Same deal with the LK, but Bison uses his foot instead. MK (Quick Falling Leg) -A faster version of the LK. As always, you'll need to time it to hit grounded opponents. Jumping-Up MK (Air Kick) -A kick in the air. What else is there to explain? SK (Quick Toe Kick) -A quick kick that uses the tip of his foot. Easy enough. Jumping-Up SK (Quick Air Kick) -The faster version of the Jumping-Up MK. Just as with all Quick moves, time it right to hit grounded opponents. -Special Normal Moves- -Juggle Jump Strong- -This is the move to use when you want to combo into another attack. Great especially if you use Mega Psycho Crusher immediately after the attack. -Throws- SP + <- or -> (Dual Kick Throw) -Bison kicks the opponent, then throw them with his foot. <- or -> + SK (Turn-About Throw) -Bison simply turns around and throws the opponent. --Special Moves-- -Psycho Crusher- STRONG VS. Anti-Air attacks (if missed or blocked) Rush attacks Air attacks (except Zanku Hadoken) NO EFFECT VS. Teleport moves WEAK VS. Projectile attacks -The move that made Bison famous. It's been toned down a lot compared to his strongest incarnations in SF2 and SFA3. However, it's still a formidable move. Depending on which P button you used, Bison can travel from 1/4 of the screen to full screen. However, projectiles tend to make this move obsolete, as do timed Shoryuken's. It's relatively safe on block, so Bison should be safe, unless he gets hit immediately afterwards by something like Spinning Lariat. -Double Knee Press- STRONG VS. All Rush attacks NO EFFECT VS. Teleport moves WEAK VS. All Anti-Air attacks (unless they were blocked or missed) All projectile attacks (Hadoken, Gou Hadoken, etc.) -Another famous move of Bison's. It comes out relatively fast, so you might be able to surprise your opponent. However, against more experienced players, this move may not work as well. I'd stay away from it unless you can find an opening to use it. This may work as a Wakeup Counter, but it's probably best to try and use Psycho Crusher as a Wakeup counter. -Head Press- STRONG VS. Projectiles (as they tend to miss) Air attacks (Zanku Hadoken, if timed right, etc.) NO EFFECT VS. Teleport moves WEAK VS. Anti-Air moves (Somersault Kick, Shoryuken, etc.) -A decent move in the fact that it can be chained into other moves and does decent damage. It's also great as a Wakeup Counter, as players may not expect it to come out. -Devil Reverse- STRONG VS. Same as Head Stomp NO EFFECT VS. Teleport moves WEAK VS. Same as Reverse Stomp -This move is almost the same as Reverse Stomp. Still great as a Wakeup Counter however. -Bison Warp- STRONG VS. All NO EFFECT VS. None WEAK VS. None -Great for times when Bison is cornered, or when you want to escape a Super Special. It's also good for confusing and infuriating your opponents. However, keep in mind that abusing these moves may cause Bison to get punished. --Super Special Moves-- -Mega Psycho Crusher- STRONG VS. All Rush attacks All Air attacks NO EFFECT VS. Teleport moves WEAK VS. None -The ultimate fly-by special! Barely anything can stop this massive attack. However, try to not signal that this move is coming. Instead, try to combo into it, or use it as a Wakeup Counter. -Knee Press Nightmare- STRONG VS. All Rush Attacks Some Anti-Air attacks NO EFFECT VS. Teleport moves WEAK VS. All Projectiles Some Anti-Air attacks (if timed correctly) Some Air attacks -If timed correctly, this can do a lot of damage, up to 8 hits max. This can be predicted, though, so you'll have to combo into it or use it as a Wakeup Counter. --Strengths & Weaknesses-- Bison definently has speed and pressure going for him. Take advantage of those two aspects and he should be able to take on any opponent. Psycho Crusher and Knee Press are the way to go in the offensive game. Pile on some crouching HK and combos, and you should have your opponent making mistakes left and right, leaving them wide open to Mega Psycho Crusher. Defensively, Head Stomp, Devil Reverse, and the Teleport moves will be your best friend. They should help you get out of corners and allow you to get on the offensive. However, this isn't always the case as if your opponent can predict what move you're going to use, then you may have to resort to combos and the Psycho Crusher. Some things to note about Bison: DO: -Use Bison Warp when trapped in corners or when you want to play mix-up games. -Psycho Vanish is your best friend. -Psycho Crusher is a great alternative to get across the screen. DON'T: -Overabuse Psycho Crusher. This will lead to you getting hurt in the long run. -Overabuse Head Stomp or Devil Reverse. -Overabuse Crouching HK. ------------------------------------------------------------ XVI. Morrigan [CAP16] -Introduction- The sexy succubus of Darkstalkers makes another appearance outside of her signature game. She's still the same as before, sprite and all.... -Movelist- -Specials- Soul Fist (air)..............................................QCF + P Shadow Blade.............................................DPF + P Vector Drain................................................HCB + P -Super Specials- Valkyrie Turn (air).......................................HCB + K, K Soul Phoenix (air)........................................QCFx2 + P Carpinal Blade.............................................QCFx2 + K Darkness Illusion (air)................................LP, LP, F, LK, SP (Level 3 & MAX only) -Movelist Breakdown- --Normal Attacks-- -STANDING- -CROUCHING- LP (Quick Jab) -The basic LP move. Quick and is good for combo starters, but has little to no reach and does little damage. -JUMPING- --Special Moves-- -Soul Fist- STRONG VS. Rush attacks Anti-air attacks (if used in the air or on the ground) Other attacks NO EFFECT VS. Other Projectile attacks WEAK VS. Air attacks (majority of them if used on the ground, some if used in the air) -Morrigan's good ol' projectile move. However, this move is lackluster compared to the majority of the other projectiles in the game. This move has a somewhat slow recovery time, in both air and ground, though in the air, it leaves Morrigan completely vulnerable, as she cannot do anything else after she has used this move. -Shadow Blade- STRONG VS. Air attacks, except Projectile attacks Some Other attacks Rush attacks NO EFFECT VS. Teleporting moves WEAK VS. Projectile attacks Anti-air attacks (if misses) -Morrigan's Anti-Air move. Just about the same as Shoryuken, except that it can cover a lot more distance than Shoryuken. Not much else to say about this move. -Vector Drain- STRONG VS. Nothing.... NO EFFECT VS. Teleporting moves WEAK VS. Everything.... -Morrigan's command throw, which does a pretty decent amount of damage, but like every other command throw in the game, you have to figure out how to time the move right... --Super Special Moves-- -Valkyrie Turn- STRONG VS. Rush attacks Some Other attacks NO EFFECT VS. Teleporting moves WEAK VS. Projectile attacks Air attacks Anti-Air attacks Some Other attacks -This move really isn't worth using at all, and IMO, is probably the worst Super Special that Morrigan has. The reason being is that it's too easy to block, and is VERY predictable at that. Save your Super Meter for one of Morrigan's other Super Specials instead. -Soul Phoenix- STRONG VS. Rush attacks Other attacks Most Air attacks Anti-Air attacks NO EFFECT VS. Teleporting moves WEAK VS. Air attacks (if timed right) -This is by far one of the better Super Specials Morrigan has, though like Soul Fist, it has a slow recovery to it. This attack can blow through a lot of other moves, save for Super Specials like Shinku Hadoken and the like, and it also has a wider radius and range to it as well. -Carpinal Blade- STRONG VS. Rush attacks Most Other attacks Air attacks except for Projectile attacks NO EFFECT VS. Teleporting moves WEAK VS. Projectile attacks Some Other attacks -A decent attack, as it has a great range, though if it doesn't connect fully, the damage it deals is horrible. Not only that, if it misses or is blocked, it leaves Morrigan pretty open, as there is no recovery at all during the move. Save this move as a last-second attack if anything else. -Darkness Illusion- STRONG VS. Rush attacks Air attacks (some) NO EFFECT VS. Teleporting moves WEAK VS. Projectile attacks Anti-Air attacks Several Other attacks -Morrigan's most powerful move, though it can be easily blocked if timed wrong. This move alone deals roughly 1/2 life to your opponent, so try and either combo into this attack, or use it when your opponent is stunned. Otherwise, with a Level 3 Guage, your opponent will be waiting for this, if they know how Morrigan works. --Strengths & Weaknesses-- Morrigan remains roughly the same as she did in Darkstalkers and Capcom Vs SNK; however, she seems to have lost priority with several of her moves, though I'm not going to go into details on that as Bucktooth pretty much covers that in his FAQ. In all honesty, there really isn't anything special about Morrigan aside from the fact that she can combo rather well and easily, and that when used correctly, can cover up the slow recovery on her moves AND pressure the opponent extremely well. ------------------------------------------------------------ XVII. Rolento [CAP17] -Introduction- A former boss from Final Fight and a rather decent opponent in Street Fighter Alpha 3 makes a comeback. However, compared to the rest of the cast, he's nowhere near the top of the list. -Movelist- -Specials- Patriot Circle...............................................QCF + P (up to 3 times) Stinger.........................................................DPF + K, then P or K Makong Delta Attack..............................Px3, P (just before landing) Makong Delta Air Raid...........................QCB + P Makong Delta Escape.............................QCB + K, then P or K Scouter Jump............................................Kx3 -Super Specials- Take No Prisoner....................................QCFx2 + P Mine Sweeper..........................................QCBx2 + P Steel Rain..................................................QCFx2 + K -Movelist Breakdown- --Normal Attacks-- -STANDING- LP (Stick Jab) -The basic LP move. Quick and is good for combo starters, but has little to no reach and does little damage. -CROUCHING- LP (Stick Jab) -The basic LP move. Quick and is good for combo starters, but has little to no reach and does little damage. -JUMPING- --Special Moves-- -Patriot Circle- STRONG VS. Rush attacks Very few Other attacks NO EFFECT VS. Teleporting moves WEAK VS. Projectile attacks Anti-Air attacks Air attacks Several Other attacks -This is going to probably be one of your main BnB combo finishers. Not much to really say about this move... -Stinger- STRONG VS. NO EFFECT VS. WEAK VS. -Makong Delta Attack- STRONG VS. NO EFFECT VS. WEAK VS. -Makong Delta Air Raid- STRONG VS. NO EFFECT VS. WEAK VS. -Makong Delta Escape- STRONG VS. NO EFFECT VS. WEAK VS. -Scouter Jump- STRONG VS. NO EFFECT VS. WEAK VS. --Super Special Moves-- -Take No Prisoners- STRONG VS. NO EFFECT VS. WEAK VS. -Mine Sweeper- STRONG VS. NO EFFECT VS. WEAK VS. -Steel Rain-- STRONG VS. NO EFFECT VS. WEAK VS. --Strengths & Weaknesses-- --Battle Strategies-- OFFENSE DEFENSE ------------------------------------------------------------ XVIII. Ryu [CAP18] -Introduction- 'Good 'ol faithful' returns for yet another game. Ryu is just the same as in every other game that he's appeared in; average in all aspects. Expect a pretty tough fight against any decent Ryu player. -Movelist- -Special Normals- Fierce Thurst......................................F + MP Kyubi Kudaki.....................................F + SP -Specials- Hadoken............................................QCF + P Shakunetsu Hadoken.....................HCF + P Shoryuken........................................FDP + P Tatsumaki Senpukyaku..................QCB + K (Can also be done in air) -Super Specials- Shinku Hadoken...............................QCF x2 + P Shinku Tatsumaki Senpukyaku......QCBx2 + K Shin Shoryuken (Level 3 & MAX only).......QCF x2 + K -Movelist Breakdown- --Normal Attacks-- -SPECIAL NORMAL- -Fierce Thurst- -Not bad in the fact that it can attack crouching opponents and still do good damage to them. This is also a great way to start combos if you're ever close enough to the opponent. -Kyubi Kudaki- -By far one of the better Normal Moves Ryu has, in terms of damage and useability. It can be used as a combo starter for just about any combo, and it moves Ryu closer to the opponent. What more can you ask for? -STANDING- LP (Quick Jab) -Great for speed, but horrible for damage. However, this can help in raking up damage if you combo other attacks into this move. LP Close (Quick Elbow) -Same deal as witht the normal LP. You have to be right next to your opponent for this move to be executed. Can be chained into normal LP as well. MP (Standing Punch) -Decent in both speed and damage. However, kinda hard to combo into... MP Close (Cross Punch) -Ryu swings his fists into the side of the opponent's face. Pretty good, but a bit slow IMO. Don't try to combo off of this move though. SP (Fierce Punch) -Somewhat slow, but does good damage. Hard to combo off of though. SP Close (Uppercut) -An uppercut. What else? You can try to combo off of this move, but it's not guaranteed. LK (High Kick) -As with the LP, fast and good combo starter, but not good damage at all. LK Close (Shin Kick) -A kick to the shin. Nothing special. As with all of the LP and LK, great for combo starters. MK (Slow High Kick) -As with the MP. MK Close (High Knee) -Ryu knees the opponent in the gut. You have to be right next to the opponent for this move to come out. Nice to combo into the Standing MP or into a Rapid- Fire Chain. SK (Roundhouse Kick) -Great for hitting airbourne opponents. However, it is rather slow, so be cautious. SK Close (High Heel Kick) -Ryu hits the opponent with a kick to the chin, then slams his heel down on their head. This will also push Ryu and the opponent away from each other, giving you some breathing space. -CROUCHING- LP (Quick Jab) -Same as with the Standing LP. MP (Normal Punch) -Same as with the Standing MP. SP (Upper Punch) -Ryu pretty much uppercuts the opponent. This move is great as an Anti-Air move, and is pretty safe to use as well. LK (Foot Kick) -Ryu kicks with his foot. Easy enough? Same deal as with the Standing LK. MK (Extended Foot Kick) -Reaches a bit further than the LK. Nothing too special here. SK (Leg Sweep) -Excellent for corner fights or for setting up for one of Ryu's powerful combos. However, don't abuse this move. -JUMPING- LP (Falling Fist) -Ryu falls with his fist outwards. Lasts the whole time that he is in the air. You can even combo off of this move if you choose to. Jumping-Up MP (Quick Diagonal Punch) -Ryu quickly punches down at the opponent. This move lasts for about a second, so if you want to hit the opponent on the ground, you'll have to time it right. MP (Quick Face Punch) -An air punch to the face. What else is there to say? Well....it's not that great of a move actually. In fact, it's probably best that you don't use this move at all. SP (Strong Diagonal Punch) -A little slower than the Jumping-Up MP, but stronger. You'll still have to time this move if you want to hit ground opponents. Jumping-Up LK (Falling Heel) -Ryu falls on top of the opponent with his heel first. Lasts the whole time that he is in the air. Pretty good to knock opponents out of the air without having to move towards or away from them. LK (Knee Punch) -Ryu attacks with his knee and a fist. Easy to understand I hope. Good against Tatsumaki Senpukyaku, Shungokusatsu, and the like too. Jumping-Up MK (Quick Heel Kick) -The super fast version of the Jumping-Up LK. Nothing new other than the fact that you'll have to time this right if you want to hit ground opponents. MK (Karate Kick) -The basic flying karate kick. Pretty good against air attacks, and is nice against attacks like Shungokusatsu. Jumping-Up SK (Spin Heel Kick) -Ryu spins his foot sideways and hits with his heel. Other than that, nothing too special. SK (Quick Karate Kick) -The super fast version of the MK. As with most of the quick moves, you'll have to time it right to hit grounded opponents. It's also pretty good to combo off of as well. -Throws- SP + <- or -> (Seoi Nage) -Ryu throws the opponent over his back. Easy enough. <- or -> +SK (Tomoe Nage) -Ryu throws the opponent over him by using his foot. The directional input must be done first before the move will come out. --Special Moves-- -Hadoken- -Speed depends on the P button you used. Try mixing up slow and fast Hadokens to confuse your opponent. STRONG VS. Anti-Air attacks Air attacks Rush attacks Other attacks NO EFFECT VS. Projectile attacks (cancels out with them) Teleport moves WEAK VS. Air attacks (Zanku Hadoken, Flying Squirrel, etc.) Other attacks -New Psycho Reflector (Athena) -Dark Barrier (Rugal/Ultimate Rugal) -As with Akuma and most fireball users, this move is great to stall your opponent with and play keep-away games. -Shakunetsu Hadoken- -Does a bit more damage than Hadoken, and is a bit slower with start-up time, but you can throw this out with Hadoken. Plus, it can push opponents back away if they get too close to Ryu. STRONG VS. Same as Hadoken. NO EFFECT VS. Same as Hadoken WEAK VS. Same as Hadoken -Shoryuken- -How far up Ryu goes depends on the P button pressed. Be wary when using this move as well. If blocked, your opponent will be free to punish you heavily. Try using it as a Wakeup counter. STRONG VS. Missed Anti-Air attacks (Shoryuken, Somersault Kick, etc.) Dash attacks just as they close in on Akuma Air attacks NO EFFECT VS. None........ WEAK VS. All projectiles Any attacks if misses -Tatsumaki Senpukyaku- -Great for Rush attacks and is great to punish missed or blocked Anti-Air attacks. Bad, however, if the opponent ducks under it or is far away when used. STRONG VS. Blocked or missed Anti-Air attacks Rush attacks NO EFFECT VS. Most Super Specials WEAK VS. Projectiles (Hadoken, Gou Hadoken, etc.) Anti-Air (Shoryuken, Gou Shoryuken, etc.) --Super Special Moves-- -Shinku Hadoken- -Hits a max of 5 times. Excellent in that it rips through all other projectiles (except Super Special projectiles...) and it repels virtually any attack. STRONG VS. All Rush attacks All projectiles (except Super Special projectiles) All Anti-Air attacks NO EFFECT VS. None WEAK VS. None -Shinku Tatsumaki Senpukyaku- STRONG VS. Rush attacks Anti-Air attacks NO EFFECT VS. Teleport moves WEAK VS. Projectile attacks Air attacks -Shin Shoryuken- -Downside is that you have to be right next to your opponent for the full effect of this move to connect. It may be best to use this as a combo finisher or as a Wakeup counter. STRONG VS. None NO EFFECT VS. None WEAK VS. All projectiles Most Rush attacks Some Anti-Air attacks --Strengths & Weaknesses-- OFFENSE This is Ryu's best asset. He can constantly put pressure on his opponents with Hadokens, Shakunetsu Hadokens, and his infamous Tatsumaki Senpukyaku. Try to chain in combos on your opponents and finish off with Shin Shoryuken, or fire off Hadokens and Shakunetsu Hadokens (switching between the two and their speeds), and if you see your opponent wide open, fire off a Shinku Hadoken to make them pay for their mistake. You may want to try to tack on as many LP and LK attacks as possible. DEFENSE Compared to other fighters, Ryu is mediocre in this department. His game here is to counter with Tatsumaki Senpukyaku and Shoryuken when the opponent isn't aware. For Wakeup counters, Shin Shoryuken is the best. However, don't abuse it too much, or your opponent may start to back off. Shoryuken is also an excellent Wakeup counter. --Matchups-- -Vs Akuma- Can go either way. Against Akuma, watch for Zanku Hadokens and Ashura Senkus with the normal Gou Hadoken, Gou Shoryuken, and Tatsumaki Zanku Kyaku. When Akuma tries to use Shungokusatsu, counter with Tatsumaki Senpukyaku or Shinku Tatsumaki Senpukyaku. Remember! Ryu is more focused on baiting his opponents more than rushing in like Akuma or playing mix-up games like Ken. Use Hadoken to try to lure Akuma to Ryu, then if you have the Super Meter for it, try to launch a Shin Shoryuken (if Akuma used Ashura Senku to get to you) or Shinku Hadoken (if Akuma jumped over the Hadoken), or stick with the good old Shoryuken to counter him. For Messatsu Gou Shoryu, your best bet is to block it, then counter with Shinku Hadoken, Tatsumaki Senpukyaku, or Shoryuken. -Vs. Athena- Favors Ryu 60-40. Athena doesn't really have much against Ryu aside from New Psycho Reflector, so Ryu can easily hammer away at her. Watch for Phoenix Arrow and Phoenix Fang Arrow, and you'll do just fine. Block them and counter with Shinku Tatsumaki Senpukyaku or Shin Shoryuken. Try to avoid jumping at Athena, as she can counter with Psycho Sword. Shining Crystal Bit shouldn't be a problem, as you can deal with that by simply using Shinku Hadoken or just by not getting too close to Athena. -Vs. Balrog- Favors Ryu 80-20. Balrog simply cannot get close enough to Ryu to really do any real damage, since Ryu can counter all of Balrog's moves with Hadoken and Shoryuken. If you have any problems with Balrog while using Ryu, then you'd better just give up now.....just kidding! -Vs. Benimaru- Can go either way here. Benimaru's Lightning Fist is dangerous for Ryu, since he cannot use Tatsumaki Senpukyaku against Benimaru (which can also be countered by Heaven's Blast Flash and Super Lightning Kick). You can avoid that by keeping Ryu on the other side of the arena from Benimaru and fire Hadoken and Shakunetsu Hadoken at him. Make him come to you, but watch for his Iaido Kick when he comes back to the ground, and don't let him get too close to Ryu, or you may end up with a Benimaru Collider Crunch or Blec-Trigger in your face. Discharge Spark isn't too big of a threat, but make sure to block it, THEN counter. If you try to stop it in the middle of the attack, you may end up getting hit by it, causing you to lose a lot of health. -Vs. Blanka- Favors Ryu 75-25. Don't get close to Blanka, and use Hadoken and Shakunetsu Hadoken to fight this battle. If Blanka tries to get too close, counter with a LP Shoryuken or LK Tatsumaki Senpukyaku, and if he blocks it, prepare to guard immediately to avoid Electric Thunder. -Vs. Cammy- Favors Cammy 60-40. She has more speed than Ryu, and can attack much faster than him. Your best bet here is to try to Shoryuken her when you block her attacks, and mix that up with Tatsumaki Senpukyaku from time to time. Have Ryu fire Hadokens from a distance to bait Cammy. Make sure to keep an eye out for Cammy's Reverse Shaft Breaker Super Special! -Vs. Chang- Favors Ryu 70-30. You can simply toss out Hadokens and Shakunetsu Hadokens to win this fight. If you feel bold enough to do so, then leap at Chang with Tatsumaki Senpukyaku and pressure him with regular attacks. Don't bother with Shin Shoryuken unless you think you can get close enough without Chang messing Ryu up too much. -Vs. Chun-Li- Can go either way. Chun-Li's speed far outmatches Ryu, but Ryu has better defense and attack. Don't even bother trying to corner Chun-Li, as she can easily escape with a wall jump. Counter her Hazan Shu and Spinning Bird Kick with Shoryuken, and her Hyakuretsu Kyaku and Hoyoku-Sen can be countered with either Hadoken, Shakunetsu Hadoken, or Shinku Hadoken. Watch for Kikou-Shou, and try to avoid her Special Normal moves as well (as those tend to be the most annoying part about Chun-Li). -Vs. Dan- Favors Ryu 70-30. Dan simply doesn't have anything aside from Hissyo Buraiken and Kouryurekka to really damage Ryu with, since his Gadoken and Shinku Gadoken doesn't have the range on them to be of any threat to Ryu. Dankyaku is only problematic if Ryu is in the air; the same said for Kouryuken. You can easily pressure Dan and beat him with regular attacks if need be. -Vs. Dhalsim- Favors Ryu 60-40. As long as Ryu stays on the complete opposite side of the arena, Dhalsim cannot hit him with anything save for Yoga Fire, which comes out slower than Ryu's Hadokens and Shakunetsu Hadokens. If you decide to get in close, watch for all of Dhalsim's other moves, especially Yoga Flame, Yoga Stream, and Yoga Volcano. The biggest threat here are Dhalsim's regular attacks, particularly his SP and SK moves, which can hit Ryu if he's not completely on the other side of the screen. Try Roll to avoid them, then counter with Shinku Tatsumaki Senpukyaku, or if you have the Super Meter and are close enough, Shin Shoryuken. Not enough Super Meter? Then go with a Shoryuken or Tatsumaki Senpukyaku instead. -Vs. Eagle- Favors Ryu 65-35. Eagle is only a threat if he gets to pressuring Ryu, but you can prevent this by using LP Shoryuken to knock Eagle away from Ryu, then move away and use Hadoken and Shakunetsu Hadoken to bait Eagle. Or, you can Roll through Eagle's onslaught and counter with your own combos and attacks. Either way, you shouldn't have any problems with this fight. -Vs. E.Honda- Goes to Ryu. Honda has to be close to do any real damage, and his Specials can be countered easily with Shoryuken or a well placed Hadoken or Shakunetsu Hadoken. Keep Honda from getting too close to Ryu though, as his Oocihou Nage and Orochi Kudaki can and will severe Ryu's game. -Vs. Evil Ryu- This one is very tough, and can go either way. Evil Ryu has everything Ryu has and more, more speed, and more strength. However, he takes twice as much damage than Ryu does, so focus on trying to pressure Evil Ryu, and watch for his counterattacks (which is what he does best). If he uses Ashura Senku, either back off and fire Hadokens or Shakunetsu Hadokens until he falls for the bait, or chase after him and try to pressure him. Either way, this fight will take some time to finish. Watch for Metsu Hadoken and Shungokusatsu! -Vs. Geese- Favors Geese 65-35. Ryu cannot get close to Geese without substaining a lot of damage from Geese's Evil Illusion Slam, Double Wind Slice, and Raising Storm attacks, and if Ryu stays away from Geese, then he has to deal with Wind Slice, Double Wind Slice, and Gaia Slash. However, you can easily negate Wind Slice and Double Wind Slice with Hadokens and Shakunetsu Hadokens, but you'll want to get in close and try to beat Geese down, Street Fighter style. When you do get in close, watch out for his Body Blow specials, and be very wary of Raising Storm and Deadly Rave. Try to counter his Deadly Rave with Shoryuken or Tatsumaki Senpukyaku, and your best bet to Raising Storm is to just block it and try to go for anything (particularly Shin Shoryuken, if you have it, but Shinku Tatsumaki Senpukyaku works just as well). Utilize Air Guards and Rolls in this fight. Parries help a lot too, if you can utilize them correctly. -Vs. Guile- Favors Ryu 65-35. Guile loves to turtle, so just tick-damage him with Hadokens and Shakunetsu Hadokens. Don't bother trying to get in close to Guile, as that's his bait. Instead, try to make Guile come to Ryu and go from there. There's not much to fighting him except for watching out for Somersault Strike and Total Wipeout. -Vs. Haohmaru- This can be pretty tough for Ryu, but it tips in his favor by just a few points. Haohmaru's SP are the biggest threat here, as you can easily avoid Secret Cyclone Slash by jumping over it or by using Hadoken or Shakunetsu Hadoken. For Secret Earthquake Slice, counter with Shoryuken, and with Secret Crescent Moon Slas