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Y88b\ d/ 888| 88| `Y88b\888| 88| 88| . 888| Y8P/' Y888|d/ Y888P/ 888| 88| `Y88888| Y8| 88|P/ 888| Y/ Y88d/ Y8P/ Y88| 88| `Y88| Y| Y8P/ Y88| ' Yd/ Y/ Y8| 88| ' ' Y/ Y88> `' Y| 8/' Y' ============================================================================ (ARCADE, 1998) Version 1.0 By John Culbert (tigeraid@geocities.com) You can find this FAQ and many more at the following URLs: http://www.geocities.com/SiliconValley/Heights/1910 (my homepage) http://www.gamefaqs.com www.fighters.net (after May 1st, probably) Wanna talk? You can contact me on IRC (Internet Relay Chat) as tigeraid, on channels #capcom, #fighters-net, #vfhome, #hotrods and #musclecars. :) ############################################################################ COPYRIGHT INFORMATION --------------------- I'm getting sick of the bullshit going around with others stealing FAQ writer's hard work without permission or credit. A certain unmentionable gaming mag stole MSH stuff from me a while ago, and other on-line people who don't want to put effort into doing this stuff also copied from me (this means you, Davis!!). So here it is: All work and information contained within this document Copyright 1998 John Culbert This FAQ is for private and personal use only. It can only be reproduced electronically, and if placed on a web page or site, may be altered as long as this disclaimer and the above copyright notice appears in full. Any information used from this document, quoted or no, should have this author's name somewhere as acknowledgement. Feel free to distribute between others, but this FAQ is not to be used for profitable/promotional purposes; this includes being used by publishers of magazines, guides, books, etc. or being incorporated into magazines, etc. in ANY way. This document was created by John Culbert . Give credit where it is due. Street Fighter and Street Fighter characters (c) Capcom of Japan, and Capcom of America. Marvel and Marvel Superhero characters (c) Marvel Comics. NOTE: this may look a lot like someone else's, and that's because I based it on Kao Megura's well-put copyright. NOTICE that I just gave him credit ;). ############################################################################ INTRODUCTION ************ Well, while the latest stuff going around the net fighting community is over Marvel Vs. Capcom (which is, apparently, more of the same crap anyway), good ol' tigeraid is stuck up here in North Bay, with no MvC in sight (aw shucks :). We do, however, have MvSF, and this is the only fighting game around right now that gives me any sort of interest. So, by request (yes, REQUEST, by more than one person :), I've decided to whip up the MARVEL SUPERHEROES VS. STREET FIGHTER Compendium, modelled after my now famous (infamous?) Marvel Superheroes Compendium. Charles Washington's MvSF FAQ is, as usual, quite good, however I feel it lacks the completeness that I, hopefully, can provide. ############################################################################# WHAT'S THE SCOOP ON MvSF? ************************* Hmmm... well, It is definitely my opinion that it's an improvement over XvSF (though some might disagree). Infinite combos are almost non-existent and those that are there are much more difficult to do. And, the game is a LITTLE more balanced than XvSF. It has a good character variety, but is hurt by the fact that none of the characters are NEW :(, being from one of the previous SF or Marvel games. There are a few secret characters, but even those are simply palette swaps of the regular characters (with a few treats added that still make them worth playing in some cases). In addition, Apocalypse is now a sub-boss (and is now even EASIER to beat!), moving over for Cyber-Akuma, which is at least a MILD challenge--certainly not as overpowered as Magneto in X-Men: CoTA, but a small challenge. Altogether the game is at least worth playing, and of course the combo system, though weakened slightly in flexibility, still allows a lot of experimenting and balances out the gameplay considerably from XvSF. As for me, I'll still play it, like I have for most of the latest tripe that has come from Capcom, and when/if we get MvC, I'll play that the same--but either way, Capcom really needs to rethink their strategy and get back to the good ol' days of making high-quality games instead of flashy games that appeal to scrubs, but have extremely shallow gameplay. ############################################################################# ******* LEGEND: BUTTONS ******* .-------------Jab JOYSTICK | .-----------Strong | | .---------Fierce U/B U U/F | | | \|/ | | | B--o--F | | | /|\ O O O D/B D D/F O O O | | | | | | | | | | | ----------Roundhouse | ------------Forward -------------Short QCT = Quarter Circle Toward (roll the joystick from D to F) QCB = Quarter Circle Back (roll the joystick from D to B) HCT = Half Circle Toward (roll the joystick from B to D to F) HCB = Half Circle Back (roll the joystick from F to D to B) + = enter commands simultaniously MS = Magic Series MSH = Marvel Super Heroes XvSF= X-Men Vs. Street Fighter MvSF= Marvel Superheroes Vs. Street Fighter BBX = Berserker Barrage X (Wolverine: QCT+all three Punches) BB = Berserker Barrage (Wolverine: QCT+any Punch) OTG = Off the Ground FS = Flying Screen J. = Jumping SJ. = Super Jumping S. = Standing C. = Crouching FL. = Flying AD. = Air Dashing ############################################################################ *************** A WORD ABOUT... *************** SUPER METER: >>>>>>>>>>>> This is a Meter located at the bottom of the screen; and as you perform moves or hit opponents (performing Special Moves fills it the fastest), it will fill up. Once it is full, a one will appear beside it. This means you have one Super Level, allowing you to perform a Super Combo. It can continue to be filled to multiple levels. SUPER COMBO: >>>>>>>>>>>> This is a devastating move that can only be performed when at least one level of your Super Meter is full. HEALTH SYSTEM: >>>>>>>>>>>>>> Two types of damage occur when a character is hit, one being permanent. When they are hit, you will lose some of the yellow on the bar, but some red will be revealed. If the character switches out (see below) they will slowly regain that red health lost. TEAM SUPER: >>>>>>>>>>> This is a totally devastating team-up move done with a QCT+Fierce+Roundhouse. When activated, your current character will begin their Super, then the other partner will jump in and begin theirs! The first character will jump out when done and the character that was out at first will now be playing. A Team Super can only be done with a Level 2 or higher Super Meter. SWITCH OUT: >>>>>>>>>>> To switch to your partner, tap Fierce+Roundhouse. Your current character will go into a stance and say some sort of taunt or whatever--DURING THIS TIME YOUR CURRENT CHARACTER IS INVULNERABLE. Just as that fighter jumps off the screen, your partner will come on with a jumping attack that will knock the opponent away; they will then perform an opening taunt--DURING THIS TIME THE TAUNTING CHARACTER IS _NOT_ INVULNERABLE. This is very important, as you want to make absolutely sure that jumping attack will not be blocked or avoided, otherwise your left wide open during the opening taunt. Therefore, it is ideal to switch characters only when the enemy gives you the opportunity to hit them with the jumping attack (eg. after blocking a slow recovering move, or they miss a slow move). BTW, when your partner is "idle", they slowly regain some of their health. TEAM ASSIST: >>>>>>>>>>>> Hit Strong+Forward and your team-mate will jump in, attack the opponent in some way, then jump back out. Note that your current fighter is still free to move after a short pause, which means it is actually possible to sometimes combo the opponent AS they are hit by your team-mate. PUSH AWAYS: >>>>>>>>>>> When you block an enemy's attack, quickly tap all three punches (before your fighter finished their blocking animation) and you will shove your foe away from you. This takes NO energy from the Super Meter, nor does it do any damage. It does however help put some distance away from overly offensive opponents, and can help set up your next move. AFAIK not many moves are truly GUARENTEED after a Push Away, but it does open up a guessing game. TEAM COUNTER: >>>>>>>>>>>>> After blocking an attack, perform a roll from B to D and hit Fierce+Roundhouse during your characters blocking animation--your partner will jump in and attack the enemy with one of their moves; they will also remain to continue the fight. See the Moves Analysis for more info on Omega Red's Team Counter.. The Team Counter uses 1 level of the Super Meter (IMO a waste of energy in many cases :). SUPER JUMPING: >>>>>>>>>>>>>> Super Jumps cause you to jump very high into the air; to perform a Super Jump, quickly tap D before jumping, or hit all three kicks. THROWS: >>>>>>> To perform a Throw, hold towards or away from the opponent and hit Fierce or Strong up close. To perform an Air Throw, hold F or B and hit Fierce or Strong up close IN MID-AIR. See Moves Analysis for more info. TECH HITS: >>>>>>>>>> Tech hits allow you to recover from Throws done to you. To tech hit a Throw, perform the motion for one of your own Throws just as they Throw; this will lessen the damage to you. DASHING: >>>>>>>> To perform a dash forward, tap forward twice. To perform a retreating dash, tap back twice. Dashing is an important part of a lot of combos (see combo system) as well as tactics. Alternately, you can also perform a dash by hitting all three punches simultainously. To dash back, hold B while hitting the punches. All characters can interrupt their forward dash with any move, including a backward dash. TAUNT: >>>>>> To taunt or tease your opponent, press Start. Note that taunts cannot be stopped, and you will be totally vulnerable, so choose where to do it wisely. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- SAFETY ROLL: >>>>>>>>>>>> After being knocked down, it is possible to roll in recovery to standing. This does not lessen the damage of the knockdown, but it allows you to avoid an opponent's attempted ground attack or possible OTG combo, and you can also roll behind them and perhaps surprise them. To get a Safety Roll, perform a complete motion from B to D and hit any punch. Note that if the move you're hit with executes the Flying Screen phenomenon, you cannot Safety Roll. DIZZYING: >>>>>>>>> When a fighter is hit many times in a row with powerful moves in a short time (it doesn't have to be a combo) they will eventually dizzy; after a certain point the character will bounce up then stand to be dizzy. At this point is the opponent's chance to do an attack or combo that the dizzy character will have no defense against. When you're is dizzy, shake the Joystick repeatedly and hit the buttons rapidly to regain control faster. ############################################################################# ********************** THE MvSF COMBO SYSTEM: ********************** MAGIC SERIES: >>>>>>>>>>>>> This is the name given to Capcom's version of a chain combo system. The Marvel/Capcom fighters have adapted Street Fighter's original combo system so that there is a way to cancel normal attacks into other normal attacks as well as normal--> Special Attacks. Each fighter has his or her own "Magic Series" that follows a distinct pattern. Note that you can skip any of the steps in the series, but you cannot go backwards. The rules for the Ground Magic Series are that you can input crouching or standing attacks following the series (for example, Omega Red can cancel a S.Jab into a S.Roundhouse, or C.Roundhouse). Note that you CANNOT go backwards in a Magic Series (eg. Jab -> Forward -> Jab). You can perform a Magic Series while jumping as well. This is great for starting jump-in combos (ALTHOUGH THEY ARE NOT AS COMMON IN MVSF AS BEFORE), allowing you to get in more hits as you jump in at the enemy before continuing a combo on the ground. As well, MS combos can be done during a SUPER jump, again following the Zig-Zag Magic Series described above (except for Zangief, Dhalsim and Bison; they follow Weaker -> Stronger for their SJ.Air series). Like the other two versions of the Magic Series, it allows you to do any version of one button. See Air Combos for more info. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- AIR COMBOS: >>>>>>>>>>> These, put in loose terms, are juggles. But, the exception laid down is that they must be done as you jump in the air. So, to do an Air Combo by definition, you must knock the enemy up into the air with a launcher (eg. Chun Li's S.Roundhouse), or use the other two setups (see below), then follow them up and perform an Air Combo before either of you land. BOTH fighters must be in the air for an Air Combo to register. There are three different ways for you to setup an enemy to perform a true Air Combo: -After knocking the enemy up with a launcher -Super Jumping up and connecting the combo against a Super Jumping enemy -Jumping up and connecting a combo against a jumping enemy or an enemy on their way down from a Super Jump, or perhaps DP move... As well, there are two different types of Air Combos: regular Jumping Air Combos and Super Jumping Air Combos. Read on... Setups: ******* 1. Launchers: Launchers are by far the most effective way of setting the opponent up for an Air Combo, as they throw the enemy straight up in the air. Note that the enemy recovers on their way DOWN and can then air block everything, so you must follow your opponent UP after a Launcher and hit them before they reach the apex of their flight. In order to successfully follow up a Launcher, you must cancel the Launcher with a Super Jump, i.e. hit the enemy with the Launcher, then before its animation is complete, simply tap U and the Super Jump comes out automatically. 2. Super Jumping: You can Air Combo any Super Jumping enemy simply by following them up with your own Super Jump and nailing them as you go. This is not as precise as a Launcher because you must be a close distance to the enemy with your Super Jump, so some hits that connect after Launchers may not do so during a Super Jump. 3. Regular Jumping: Use this when the enemy does a regular jump towards you; jump up to meet them and try and get in your hits first. Also an ideal counter if the enemy misses a DP move (eg. Wolverine's Tornado Claw). ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- Types: >>>>>> Super Jumping Air Combos: Something unique to this game exists only in Super Jumping Air Combos; the ability to bring out a "combo finisher" similar in fashion to Killer Instinct. In Marvel vs. Street Fighter, the combo system of Super Jumping is highly customised because for every character the combo finishers are simply done by chaining in a Fierce or Roundhouse at the end of that series (or in some cases, a specific Special Move; for example, Wolvie's Drill Claw). Note that you can only perform this Finisher if you do not start the Air Combo with the Fierce or Roundhouse (otherwise that will finish the combo right there) The finishers are pretty cool and allow you to knock the enemy away and the camera will follow them to the ground. After they land, you'll jump back into the screen from the side (some finishers will also knock the enemy straight down towards the ground, but the same properties apply). This is known as the "Flying Screen" phenomenon, which I will explain later. Regular Jumping Air Combos: The only difference between these and Super Jumping Air Combos is that there is no special finisher. This will allow you to use the entire combo series if you wish. You can still cancel into a Special Move. So, if you and your opponent are both in regular jumps at each other, it is possible in theory to hit them with an entire 6 hit Zig-Zag series with any character that has the full Zig-Zag Regular Jumping MS, and then even cancel with a Special Move. Normal Move/Special Move Cancellation Combos: Ah, the classics. Remember the good ol' Fierce Punch cancelled into a Dragon Punch with Ken and Ryu? Well, Capcom's given us many more possibilities, because ANY normal move can now be cancelled into a Special Move. This allows A LOT of freedom for combos, and these combos are usually very easy pull off. Also note that "any" normal move also includes mid-air moves cancelled into Air Special Moves, which is what allows Air Magic Series combos to cancel into Special Moves. Dashing Combos: Dashing before entering a combination allows for more hits. This is because it gives more momentum after your first hit, so it won't push you as far away from the enemy, allowing you to get in more hits. For example, Wolverine can perform a S.Jab -> S.Short -> S.Strong -> S.Forward series on Zangief, and perhaps even finish with a Berserker Barrage. But, if he performs the series while dashing into Gief, he can go into a S.Fierce to finish off the series, or a S.Roundhouse followed by an Air Combo, whereas without the dash, the series would have pushed the opponent too far away for the Fierce to connect. This skill should be mastered, because it is best utilized after the enemy misses a DP move like Ken's. As well, it is difficult but possible to initiate a Dash Combo after a jump-in hit or even series. The key is to tap F, F after you tap the button for your last hit plus the button you're going to start the Dash Combo with. This must be timed correctly so that the last F of the dash motion is tapped AS you plant your feet on the ground. For example, with Wolverine, to perform a J.Strong -> J.Forward -> J.Fierce, D.S.Short -> S.Strong XX BB, do all three hits of the Air Combo, but AS you are tapping Fierce you should also do the first F of the dash command; time it so that the first F comes out JUST as he finishes the J.Fierce, then the second F should be done simultainiously with the S.Short AS his feet hit the ground. Off the Ground (OTG) Combos: NOTE: THESE ARE MUCH MORE SCARCE THAN IN PREVIOUS GAMES... An Off the Ground (OTG) attack is an attack that hits a downed opponent, and if doing an OTG combo, allows the attacker to continue into more hit. Technically, an OTG combo is NOT a true combo. The definition of a combo from way back in the SF2 days is-- "a series of attacks that, once the first hit has connected, the rest cannot be defended against." But, if the opponent is wary, he can perform a Safety Roll, which will avoid OTG attacks. But if he doesn't, the combo number will continue to rise. (NOTE: There is an exception to this rolling escape--see Flying Screen Combos). So, an OTG combo is a combo where you knock the enemy down, then combo them OFF the floor as they land. To do this, you must hit the fallen enemy with a low enough attack (eg. a sweep or perhaps slide). Now, no matter what move you used, when an opponent is hit while on the ground, they are "bounced" a VERY small ways into the air, then they fall again. During the time before they land, they cannot block anything, so you can hit them with any attack that will reach. If you want an easy example, perform a C.Forward with Wolverine and cancel into a Berserker Barrage; the sweep will knock them down, and the BB will hit the opponent just as they land. One thing to remember is that rarely in this game to people stay on the ground for very long, even if they aren't rolling. You MUST hit an opponent OTG with a move that has significantly good recovery time; for example again with Wolverine, the C.Forward is fast enough in recovery that Wolverine can actually do this combo: D.S.Short -> C.Forward, C.Short (OTG) -> S.Forward XX BB The C.Forward recovers fast enough for Wolverine to continue into the C.Short (provided they don't Safety Roll) and the rest of the combo. BTW, to be fair, you cannot do two OTG combos in one combination. For example, with Wolverine you cannot do a- C.Short -> C.Forward, C.Short -> C.Forward etc... As this would effectively create two OTG combos in one. This of course would make for infinite combos, because you could continuously OTG the opponent after every time you do the C.Forward. Flying Screen (FS) Combos: I will use James Chen's definition of the Flying Screen (FS): "The Flying Screen is the phenomena that causes the screen to scroll VERY quickly after certain moves hit the enemy. The view of the game follows the enemy and the person doing the hit disappears from the screen. Once the screen stops moving, the person who was hit will just lie there and the other player will hop into the screen from the side." NOTE: in most cases the FS air finishers knock the enemy downward, but the same properties apply. The FS happens after the following conditions: -after performing a Super Jumping Air Combo "finisher" or Special Move Finish. -after performing certain Special Moves (some examples are Wolverine's BB and BBX, and Ken's Shinryuken). Now, here's the catch--if your opponent is close or in the corner, there is no way for the screen to scroll, because the border is there. So, when you perform a move executing the FS phenomenon that knocks the enemy into a close corner, they will hover against the corner for a moment, then fall to the ground. As they land, you can easily perform an OTG combo (provided the move recovers fast enough). -Limitations One good limitation is that the FS forbids the opponent from Safety Rolling PERIOD, so OTG combos WILL become true combos in this case. One thing against the comboer is that once you perform an OTG combo after the FS, the game will not let you perform ANY Air Combos or Special Moves; for example, with Wolverine if you perform a Berserker Barrage in the corner with all hits, the enemy will hover briefly, then when they fall, you can hit them OTG with a C.Short into S.Roundhouse. But, you CANNOT cancel the Roundhouse with a Tornado Claw, nor can you follow them up with a Super Jump and Air Combo! ############################################################################ HULK: ----- "HULK SMASH! Sorry, I just had to say it." -- Hulk, MSH For those who've never heard of the Incredible Hulk, crawl out from under your rock and read this: Mild-mannered chemist Bruce Banner was experimenting with the properties of gamma radiation. During a test, he was exposed to a large dose of the powerful energy. Banner mutated into a large green behemoth, and would do so from now on whenever he became enraged. He soon cured this problem, but mutated into another, grey version of the Hulk and then finally to his current state--smart, extremely powerful and green. But, Bruce will be forever trapped in the hulking body. CHARACTER OVERVIEW: ******************* Well, some good has been done, a little bad too. Hulk now has the absorbing ability that Juggernaut possessed (see tactics for info on what can be absorbed, how to use it properly, etc...), so his gameplay changes a bit, but actually not much. What the absorbing ability means is that you can basically retaliate in places where you used to block with Hulk. His Gamma Charge now absorbs as well, so you don't have to out-prioritise with it now; which is a good thing, because it has a LOT less priority. Pretty much any well-timed DP-move will take it out--hell, Ken doesn't even have to time his, what with it's range and speed. Alternately, Hulk loses a lot of his speed--he is now pretty much as SLOW as Juggernaut, except for some of his Special Moves. Which means, you now really DO have to absorb a lot of attacks, because you're not going to beat 'em to it. The Jab and Short are really the only quick regular attacks he has, so they are your only pecking options. Altogether, if you played Hulk offensively in MSH, you'll pretty much keep the same gameplan. If you played him turtle/defensive, then you're gonna have to implement the absorbing ability into it more. But, Hulk's new Gamma Wave Super really adds to his strength, so he's still one of the best. MOVES LIST: *********** -Gamma Tornado: HCB+any punch -Gamma Charge: charge B, F+any kick -Vertical Gamma Charge: charge D, U+any kick -Ground Wave: QCT+any Punch -One-Hand Drop: F or B+Fierce or Strong (close) -Drop Slam: F or B+Fierce or Strong (close in mid-air) -Forward Dash; Quick Hop: F, F or all three punches -Team Counter: Gamma Charge (Roundhouse version--can continue into 2nd hit) -Team Assist: Gamma Charge (Short version--single only) -Team Super: Gamma Wave -Super Combo 1; Gamma Crush: QCB+any two punches -Super Combo 2; Gamma Wave: QCT+any two Punches REGULAR MOVES ANALYSIS: *********************** -His S.Jab is a great pecking tool and can start combos. Use it freely, as it is totally safe and difficult to counter. If you peck and it hits while absorbing an attack, you can quickly chain into S.Fierce for a damaging counter. The C.Jab is a great low hammer strike that will hit the enemy OTG easily. -Hulk's S.Strong is a great comboable backfist which comes out and recovers quickly, and also has great range. The C.Strong is similar only lower. -The S.Fierce SMASHES the enemy across the screen for great damage, and it can be used as an easy combo finisher. This punch now comes out and recovers MUCH slower (if you can believe that) than before, but of course, this compliments the new absorbing ability; an excellent counter, especially against dashing attacks. S.Fierce will also hit OTG, but this is now more difficult because of its slow speed. The C.Fierce is the Hulk's only regular launcher; it usually hits twice and does good damage; this move's recovery is fairly slow and it now comes out much slower as well but, again, this compliments his absorbing ability--if the enemy likes to jump in with chains or weaker attacks, you can often absorb and counter with this if you do it early (this isn't always safe of course--it depends on your opponent). -Hulk's Short Kick has GREAT priority and works excellently against crouching quick attacks--if it absorbs, continue into a S.Forward for a combo. It also works somewhat well as a tick. Hits OTG as well. -The C.Forward bears mentioning; it comes out relatively quick and can cancel well into a Gamma Charge. Useful for quick retaliation, but again this should be done primarily with the S.Jab and S.Fierce. -The Roundhouse attacks which IMO should not be used too often; both have slow start-up and recovery and are not overly useful; the S.Roundhouse is an Air Launcher that usually hits twice, and makes a decent air counter that can be followed with an Air Combo (must guide Super Jump U/F) or Air Throw. The C.Roundhouse is IMO useless. -When jumping, The J.Fierce and J.Forward provide good air priority, and the J.Roundhouse is a great jump-in attack. SPECIAL MOVE ANALYSIS: ********************** -Gamma Tornado- (Hulk grabs the opponent BY THE HEAD WITH ONE HAND, and spins them around a few times then whips them across the screen) If you thought this was slow in MSH, wait till you see it now! It takes an ETERNITY for Hulk to bring his hand all the way up, and it still has the bad recovery (weaker the Punch, the faster it comes out and recovers). However again, this compliments the new absorbing ability; provided you can start this fast enough (use the appropriate strength), it is often ideal as a counter to dashing opponents and even jump-ins to a certain extent. Altogether though this is not a very safe move, and not too useful either. NOTE: you can still OTG after this in the corner, if you throw them in and you're close enough :). Some Hulk players will actually try hard to corner themselves and turtle until they can Tornado them... ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- -Gamma Charge- (Hulk exclaims "Gamma Charge!" and rushes the opponent) NOTE: after the first Gamma Charge, you can quickly follow with a second directed Charge U, U/F or U/B + any Kick for a damaging 2-hit combo. This is still Hulk's most useful attack. It doesn't have it's supremo-ultimate priority anymore, and any relatively high-priority move can snuff it with timing (eg. the Shoto-boys' DP). In addition, its recovery is even SLOWER than it was in MSH :(. However, it still is one of the faster charging moves in the game, and is good on both offense for snuffing lower priority attacks, and on defense to counter just about any blocked attack. Also note that, because of the new absorbing powers, it can go THROUGH projectiles ala the Juggernaut Punch, and counter them in time. It is very important that you always try to get the second directed Gamma Charge, the double damage is well worth it :). ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- -Vertical Gamma Charge- (Bruce exclaims "Gamma Charge!" and rises up into the air) Has the same properties as the horizontal version, except that this goes up :). A good air counter when you have the time to charge, and works in some combos, but altogether not too useful an attack. You can also follow this with a second directed Charge, either upward again, or U/F or U/B. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- -Ground Wave- (Hulk crouches and rips a small portion of the ground up, creating a rippling wave across the ground) FAR improved over the Ground Chuck from MSH, this is, in a way, Hulk's projectile. It starts up fast and has great recovery; when Hulk rips the ground up, he also covers himself well from airborne attacks, making it a good all-around defensive technique. It will even work against SC projectiles if close (since he will begin to absorb the hits, and then the Wave will hit them and break it off)--result: Hulk gets a couple of hits from theirs, they get all the hits of the Wave :). This should be put into ALL potentially unsafe combos, as it pushes the opponent back well; a prime example is with a blocked D.S.Jab -> S.Fierce. This combos well off of the C.Fierce (1st hit). ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- -One-Hand Drop- (Hulk grabs the opponent, brings him up over his head, leans over and slams them head-first into the ground) A good all-around Throw, use it up close whenever possible, unless you have a better opening for a combo. This is especially good after pestering the opponent with Shorts and Jabs to force them to block, then quickly pull this off. As with most Throws in the game, you can no longer OTG afterwards... that's ok, it does good damage by itself anyway. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- -Drop Slam- (Hulk grabs an enemy out of the air and slams them downward) Use it when you feel like it, although IMO a well-placed Air Combo is more effective (unless of course you anticipate them air blocking). One of the better Air Throws in the game, great range. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- -Forward Dash; Short Hop- (Hulk hops forward a short distance) Emphasis on the SHORT part. Hulk's forward dash travels only short distance, a little over half screen before landing, and IMO shouldn't be used TOO often. It is pretty safe and you can cancel it with a backward dash, but it still is slow to do, so if the enemy knows you're coming, you're in trouble. It's also not too good if the enemy misses something from a distance (eg. Wolverine's Tornado Claw), because if you're across the screen it may take too long to get over to them, at which time they'll have most likely recovered to defend himself. When going offensive, it is better to jump or dashing jump forward with the Hulk, because he has a fast jump with little hang time but decent distance is covered. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- -Team Counter: Gamma Charge- A great Team Counter, since it has the same speed as the regular one. Best against standing attacks or projectiles, not too good against block jump-ins. -Team Assist: Gamma Charge- An excellent Team Assist, you can combo most quick SCs off of this, especially beams like Cyclops' Mega Optic Blast. -Team Super: Gamma Wave Like the normal SC, this compliments his absorbing power well; you can absorb an attack and counter with a Team Super :). This works best with beam Supers or pretty much any horizontal SC. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- -Super Combo 1; Gamma Crush- (Hulk rises into the air (a little like a Vertical Gamma Charge), then exclaims "Gamma Crush!!" and comes crashing down with a large boulder in his hands) NOTE: you can now direct where Hulk will land (D,D/F or D/B). To be used only in certain special circumstances, it can be a weakness as well as a great strength. It has HUGE delays in all parts; the rock is VERY easy to block, then retaliate. Use it only in combos, or IMO its best way: as an air counter. Hulk can hit as he rises at first; the meteor will then hit the fallen foe. When Hulk hits them while rising up, he does good damage and when the boulder OTGs the fallen opponent the total damage is AWESOME. Also note that the Gamma Crush has EXTREMELY high priority, and will take out ANYTHING up close, if you anticipate. The only problem is, if the enemy DOESN'T throw anything out and decides to block, you're in deep shit :). NOTE: you may notice that when the screen darkens Hulk will face you (the screen)--this gives his SC a strength above some other fighters. If your foe manages to cross you up JUST as Hulk starts the IC, you may think that you'll rise in the wrong direction, but since Hulk starts facing the screen, he can go either way! So, if the enemy is in the air ANYWHERE above Hulk's head pull this off and it is guarenteed. You can only get 2 hits with the Gamma Crush maximum. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- -Super Combo 2; Gamma Wave- (Hulk crouches and rips up the ground in a wave across the screen) Wow, is all I have to say about this. This is quite possibly the best SC in the game. Like Magneto's Shockwave, it progressively does more damage with each hit, meaning that the farther away you are from the corner, the more hits and damage you get; and the total damage is QUITE nice. The Gamma Wave also has almost instant start-up, AND very good recovery, so good that Hulk can rarely be countered if it's blocked :). TO TOP IT ALL OFF, the instant start-up compliments his new absorbing power quite well, and it has good cover over airborne attacks as well, making it pretty much the perfect defense--the only way to get around it is to cross Hulk up :). Useful in combos, against dashing opponents, up-close opponents (pecking) or jump-ins :). It's also an excellent SC for taking out projectiles from anywhere but full screen. COMBOS: ******* -Safe Air Magic Series: Jab -> Strong -> Forward -> Fierce -Safe Ground Combo: D.S.Short -> C.Fierce -> Air Combo If the enemy blocks... D.S.Short -> C.Fierce (1st hit) XX Jab Ground Wave -Ground Magic Series: Weak Start -Jumping Magic Series: Weak Start -Super Jumping Magic Series: Zig-Zag -Launchers: C.Fierce -Air Launchers: S.Roundhouse -Straight Launchers: S.Fierce -Small Launchers: none *BASIC COMBOS* 1. J.Roundhouse, S.Jab -> S.Fierce 2. Gamma Charge, U/F or U Gamma Charge 3. C.Fierce (2 hits) XX Gamma Crush, hold D 4. S.Roundhouse (air counter) -> SJ.Air Throw 5. (corner) D.S.Jab -> S.Fierce XX Jab Gamma Tornado (FS) 6. (corner) S.Roundhouse (2 hits) XX Jab Gamma Tornado (FS) 7. C.Fierce (1st hit or 2 hits) XX Gamma Wave *INTERMEDIATE COMBOS* 8. J.Short -> J.Roundhouse, S.Strong XX Gamma Charge, U/F or U Gamma Charge 9. (IN corner) Fierce Gamma Tornado (FS), C.Jab (OTG) -> S.Fierce 10. J.Roundhouse, C.Short -> C.Fierce (2 hits) -> SJ.Jab -> SJ.Strong -> SJ.Forward -> SJ.Fierce (FS) 11. S.Roundhouse (air counter) XX Gamma Crush :) 12. J.Short -> J.Roundhouse, S.Fierce XX Gamma Charge, U/F or U Gamma Charge 13. J.Roundhouse, S.Short -> C.Forward XX Gamma Charge, U/F or U Gamma Charge 14. D.C.Short -> C.Fierce (2 hits) -> SJ.Jab -> SJ.Short -> SJ.Strong -> SJ.Forward -> SJ.U+Roundhouse (FS), SJ.Roundhouse 15. D.S.Jab -> C.Fierce (1st hit) XX Jab Gamma Tornado (FS) *ADVANCED COMBOS* 16. (corner) J.Roundhouse, C.Fierce (2 hits) XX Vertical Gamma Charge XX Gamma Charge U, S.Fierce (OTG) XX Jab Gamma Tornado Comments (#16): Thanks to jencheng@inreach.com for this great combo! Relatively easy to do, timing is the key. Try to time the 2 Gamma Charges. The second one should hit him way up so that neither one of you should show up on the screen. COMBO OVERVIEW: *************** GROUND COMBOS: his Safe Ground Combo can take some getting used to, making it difficult to perform a true offense with it. When his Ground Combos to connect they can do some mean damage, be it with a Double Gamma Charge, or Gamma Tornado (best in the corner). Either way, S.Jab -> S.Fierce is really all you need, it does huge damage by itself! His ground combos are definitely as powerful, in some cases more powerful, than his Air Combos. AIR COMBOS: Hulk's SJ.MS comes out fairly easy, with only the SJ.Short being difficult to connect with. PERSONALLY I enjoy using Ground Combos with the Hulk, but to each his own. When you have a level charged, be sure to use the Gamma Crush after the C.Fierce instead, unless you're in the corner, in which case, use #14 :). TACTICS: ******** Absorbing Ability: Hulk now has the absorbing ability previously possessed by the Juggernaut. What this means is that he has the ability to absorb attacks and continue his own. For example, one way for Hulk to deal with projectiles is not to actually jump, but perform the Gamma Charge--Hulk will charge forward into the projectile, but continue to hit the opponent! Hulk CANNOT absorb the following attacks: 1. Swift, powerful knock-downs. Examples: -any sweep that knocks down, like Cap's C.Roundhouse -most Special Moves (not most projectiles), eg. Spider-Man's Spider Sting 2. chained combos Examples: -if you absorb Cap's S.Short but he chains into S.Forward -> S.Roundhouse... -if you absorb Ryu's C.Jab but he chains into C.Fierce... 3. Super Combos. Examples: -Wolverine's BBX -Cyclops' Mega Optic Blast :) 4. Fierce or Roundhouse Jumping Attacks Examples: -you attempt to stop Ken's J.Roundhouse with S.Roundhouse, this will NOT work (unless of course you throw the S.Roundhouse first, in which case you will perform it as a normal air counter, as opposed to absorbing it). NOTE: for #2, IF the attack you are performing when they hit you (with their first attack) comes out before their next hit, it will be successful. For example, Wolverine dashes and attempts a S.Jab -> S.Short -> S.Strong -> C.Roundhouse; if you perform a S.Fierce JUST as the S.Jab connects, chances are you'll copnnect--however if you start the Fierce too late, Wolvie's chan will probably connect. NOTE: in this example, I would recommentd absorbing with S..Jab then chaining into a combo, to lessen the risk. Offensive: In MvSF, Hulk still plays by the same basic offense, the only difference being that you don't have to be as careful up close, since you can absorb attacks. Jump in fairly liberally, and mix up your jumping attacks; his J.Roundhouse has great range so it can often snag the enemy when they don't expect it (i.e. earlier than their attempted air counter). Once they catch on to this, be more cautious with your jumping. Often one of the best tactics is to jump in and air block; the advantage to this with the Hulk is that, because of the range of the J.Roundhouse, he can wait a split-second before choosing to air block--if you jump and realise the enemy's not gonna do anything except wait for you, throw out the J.Roundhouse; if you realise that they might attempt an air counter, you often have enough time to air block. You will have to vary this strategy vs. some, however, like Captain America, who can snag you in the air with a Stars `n' Stripes from quite a distance away. Another thing to do when jumping in is absolutely nothing :). If you're opponent tends to stand there and block while you jump in, don't hit him at all, land, then Throw 'em! On the ground, Hulk's Forward Dash won't help you much offensively, except maybe from extreme range--when you do dash, be ready to immediately tap back to block if something happens. If you manage to get in close successfully, peck at the enemy with your S.Jab, S/C.Short and C.Forward, possibly for a Throw attempt or quick combo. If the enemy attempts most sorts of retaliation they will be nailed; chain into a combo. This is fairly certain in most cases, especially with regular attacks; if the enemy attempts to retaliate with, say, a S.Jab and try to chain, you may often end up absorbing and countering before they have a chance to complete the chain. If they attempt to hit you with a sweep/knockdown, often the C.Forward or Jab will snuff it in time anyways :). Also NEVER forget the Gamma Wave up close--it will, of course, absorb anything and counter with all its hits, so throw it out in pretty much any case and you're bound to hit them out of an attack--and if you made a mistake, oh well, they most likely won't be able to counter anyway. :) NOTE: something that was important with Juggernaut should be mentioned with Hulk; in the event that any regular attack is blocked (especially something like S.Fierce), it is VERY important to cancel into a Jab Gamma Wave. Like Juggy's Earthquake Punch, it will push the enemy away and not give them a chance to counter. Also Note: on the subject of Throws, Hulk now has supreme priority on Throws up close against MOST characters, and often it can be satisfying to walk into a Jab or whatever and Throw 'em :). Defensive: Hulk plays quite a good defensive game, but I personally would not play a turtler's game with him, mainly because he lacks a fast projectile with short lag time. Instead, play him a bit like Guile (who, mind you, had a projectile :) -- wait in the D/B defensive position for the enemy to throw out something haphazardly, be it a jumping attack, standing attack, or Special Move (not ANY Special Move, though) and immediately counter with the Gamma Charge OR if you are a little scared that it may be blocked, something else (like S.Fierce). You MUST learn when and when not to throw out a Gamma Charge--once you do, you can snag enemies with ease on reaction. In addition, Hulk can now take a little more risk with his absorbing factor. Against dashing opponents, the S.Fierce works well, and when up close feel free to toss out Jabs and C.Forwards freely, as you would on offense. All you have to watch for is someone who uses sweeps/knockdowns often--in this case, just make sure to block and counter with the Gamma Charge when you're sure it's coming, or try to snuff it with C.Jab or C.Forward. The Push Away is also a good defensive technique for Hulk. After pushing something off, hopefully (since you WERE in a defensive pose) you will have charged B or D/B and can continue with a Gamma Charge. The Gamma Wave and even the Jab Gamma Tornado are also decent moves to use after the Push Away. NOTE: if you block something that has reasonably good recovery time, counter immediately with S.Short -> S.Fierce... VERY quick and difficult to block, and always cancel into the Jab Ground Wave in case it IS blocked. On a jumping foe, your best move is the S.Roundhouse or C.Fierce, OR the Gamma Tornado, if the enemy likes to jump in with anything other than a Fierce or Roundhouse :). Once you have a level charged, the Gamma Crush OR Gamma Wave becomes a potent reactionary air counter... In the air: Hulk is not amazing in the air; you should try to stay on the ground as often as possible WHEN the enemy is airborne, especially against Chun Li, Spider-Man, Omega Red or Wolverine. If you do get yourself up there, the J.Forward is a half-decent defense, but up close the J.Fierce has amazing priority and damage. And when in doubt (unless they're close), air block! BEST JUMP-IN CHAIN: Short -> Roundhouse. Push-Away Options: Gamma Charge of course!! :) Actually, you have to be aware of two things. 1) wether or not the opponent will recover from the pushed attack quickly (eg. if you push-away some Jabs or something), and 2) wether or not your follow-up attack will out-prioritize the next hits of a Special attack if you push it off. The Gamma Charge will usually do this of course, as will the Gamma Wave, though you should be sure you're close enough to get it to the enemy fast enough. If your opponent is overly offensive, and tends to follow their pushed attack by dashing in AGAIN with an attack, the S.Fierce will deal with them in most cases :). Hulk In a Team: Looking at the Team SC, Hulk's goes well with any other horizontal SC or blanketing SC like Omega Red's. If you're teamed with Chun Li, the Kikosho is better done first since it has less range. His Team Assist can be comboed after using any quick attack; Beam SCs work wonders. My favourite partner for Hulk is Bison, since the Gamma Charge sets up for an early Psycho Crusher for HUGE damage. Gief is another favorite option, the damage made by the two should most likely make the match a quick one :). HULK'S ENDING: ************** As with many of the endings in this game, this one attempts to be funny, but really isn't. Basically Hulk is "talking" with Blanka, saying "Yes, I can understand how you feel being bombarded by radiation", then "What? You're looking for your mother?". Blanka replies with an unintelligible growl. ############################################################################# WOLVERINE: ---------- "I'm still the best there is at what I do, and what I do ain't pretty." --Wolverine, Wolverine Comic For anyone who's actually never heard of Wolverine, here's his story: Actually, the man known as Logan has a past shrouded in almost complete mystery. As far as I know (haven't kept up with the comics lately), it is believed that Logan was found in the Canadian Wilderness by government operatives and forced into a secret program known as Weapon X. It was discovered that he was in fact a mutant, born with the ability to heal all wounds and sickness MUCH faster than homo sapiens, as well as heightened smell, sight and hearing. They then laced his skeleton with the indestructible metal known as adamantium, making it virtually unbreakable. Along with this skeleton came powerful, retractable claws of the same substance which extended from the back of his hand. His time as a Weapon X operative is almost a complete mystery, with not even Wolverine knowing what went on; Logan suspects that they wiped his memory and implanted false memories. When Logan quit the Weapon X program, many other operatives were put into action, like Maverick, Vindicator, and the deadly mercenary known as Deadpool. After leaving, Wolverine was found by Professor Charles Xavier, and joined the elite mutant team called the X-Men. But Logan still yearns to uncover the mystery of his past... CHARACTER OVERVIEW: ******************* Wolverine still remains essentially the same; close your eyes and mash the buttons with your palm while rolling the joystick, and you've got a 10-hit combo! He gets two new SCs added, one of which is just WRONG. He is still played primarily by button-mashers, but can be fun if used with some variety and skill. Most masters and experts tend to shy away however (I sure as hell do.) He still has the same insane priority and speed on his regular attacks, and pretty much full combos, except for his infinites (or at least, the infinites are changed). Yet another example of how Capcom doesn't think their characters out lately--still FAR too overpowered--I mean, what the FUCK was Capcom thinking when they put in the Berserker Rage!?! This is just another way to open up infinites and bullshit button mashing by people with no technique or style... *SNARL* *DROOL* *GROWL* *GURGLE* *FROTH* *VOMIT* ... Sorry, I get a little worked up over this crap. MOVES LIST: *********** -Berserker Barrage: QCT+any punch (tap punch repeatedly for more hits) -Tornado Claw: F, D, D/F+any punch (tap punch repeatedly for more hits) -Drill Claw: any direction+any punch+any kick (same strength; can be done in mid-air) -Claw Slide: hold D/F+Fierce -Air Stomp: D+Roundhouse (in mid-air) -Shoulder Mount Adamantium Hell: F or B+Strong (close) -Ground Mount Adamantium Hell: F or B+Fierce (close) -Airborne Adamantium Hell: F or B+Fierce or Strong (close in mid-air) -Dash Forward; Quick Dash: F, F or all three punches -Triangle Jump: tap opposite direction when meeting wall or screen side in mid-air -Team Counter: Drill Claw -Team Assist: BB -Team Super: BBX -Super Combo 1; Berserker Barrage X: QCT+any two punches (tap punches) -Super Combo 2; Weapon X: F, D, D/F+any two punches -Super Combo 3; Fatal Claw: F,D,D/F+any two kicks -Super Combo 4; Berserker Rage: QCB+any two Punches REGULAR MOVES ANALYSIS: *********************** Wolverine's regular moves are his bread and butter, opening the enemy up to big damage with his Special Moves. -S.Jab is LIGHTNING fast and if you're going for hits and priority this is a great combo start. As well, it can be used as an air counter if the opponent is jumping in around eye level. If it connects in this case, follow through with a S.Fierce. -The S.Strong is quite good in combos and in many cases can be done repeatedly to make Logan slash back and forth for many hits. C.Strong is an upward slash, with as usual good priority... best used chained into the S.Roundhouse. -Logan's ever-popular S.Fierce is without a doubt on of his best attacks, and can be used defensively to counter a LOT of attacks, including jump-ins because it covers his whole front. It is a Strike and will send the opponent flying across the screen for good damage. If I had a choice I would rather put the S.Roundhouse in combos so I could follow with his whole 5+ hit SJ.Air Combo. C.Fierce is a small crouching slide forward then slashing forward and out. Good in some combos, but recovery isn't too good. -Both S.Short and C.Short are useful when hitting the enemy OTG, or for a tick. -C.Forward has decent range and is also his only knockdown. If it connects, especially in a combo, cancel it with a BB or BBX OTG. S.Forward can be chained into another kick. This is a great double hit in combos, and will push you pretty far away if blocked, preventing most counters. BTW, the second hit will not come out unless you actually make contact with the enemy. -S.Roundhouse is Wolverine's Regular Launcher, and launches easily for Logan's BIG Air Combos. It's decent as an air counter, but otherwise its range is limited and if the opponent is fast when you miss it he can counter with ease. Stick with it in combos. Crouching Roundhouse knocks too far away to follow with any Special Move unless in the corner. Its main advantage is range; if blocked the opponent can counter quickly, so be careful. SPECIAL MOVE ANALYSIS: ********************** -Berserker Barrage- (Wolverine exclaims "Berserker Barrage!" and dashes forward, slashing his claws in a wild furry) IMO this is not all it's cracked up to be. In combos sure, it's awesome. But out of a combo it is actually a weakness. After the BB is finished, Logan will rear back in a little bit of a rage, and he can easily be countered for a moment (with the exception of the Jab BB if the Punches are not tapped). As well, the BB is extremely slow along the ground, so if you're not right next to the opponent they'll see it coming, and may even counter with an SC! (Mind you, the range is pretty deceptive, with his slashes reaching slightly farther then it looks.) One good thing is that it is fairly easy to do from a crouch, so if you duck a high attack (i.e. Captain America's Strong Shield Slash) from close or, at the most, a step away, you can roll to forward and hit Fierce. For the most part, only use it in combos. I've seen the BB trade hits with the Shoto-boy's C.Roundhouse a few times... The BB generally gets about 8-9 hits if you tap punch repeatedly. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- -Tornado Claw- (Logan exclaims "Tornado Claw!" and rises into the air spinning with claws extended) Pretty much identical to before; I like it, especially in combos. Its damage is still pretty good, and is an excellent air counter to most jump-ins. It has a high priority on jumping attacks, even some Air Special Moves. But of course, like all DPs, this has HORRIBLE recovery, and if blocked or missed Logan is left wide open to ANYTHING. Even from across the screen, the opponent can dash in for a big combo. I usually get about 8 hits using Fierce with this when repeatedly tapping punch. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- -Drill Claw- (Wolverine exclaims "Drill Claw!" and spins torpedo-like in the desired direction with claws extended) The main purpose of this move, IMO, is defense. Although he can no longer Drill Claw backwards, his backward dash compensates for this. The main thing in this case is that he can Drill Claw into the air from the ground, up backwards, straight up, or upwards and forward. It is also a rock-solid defensive move in the air, and because of its speed you can nail most foes before they even get to you in the air! This is an excellent, clean, powerful counter to any missed attack from a distance, if you're a little aprehensive about dashing in. It can also be used as an air counter if directed U/F, acting as a sort of DP. Note that, despite the fact that he bounces away, Logan is NOT safe if this is blocked. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- -Claw Slide- (Wolverine slides real low on his belly with his claws extended) This thankfully has retained its range throughout. It does good damage, and knocks down, allowing an OTG combo followup. If you wanna finish a combo with this, I suppose it's OK, but its greatest asset is its range. It can reach further than his C.Roundhouse, so if you've crouched a high attack you can choose between this or the Drill Claw. Alternately, the Claw Slide can start and OTG combo... ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- -Air Stomp- (Wolverine dives straight downward at an angle with a kick) A bit different than XvSF, this will bounce off after hitting. Not much I know yet, more later. (anyone?) ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- -Shoulder Mount Adamantium Hell- (Wolverine hops on the opponents shoulders and claws the hell outta the back of their head. He then flips them over frontwards) This is one of my favorite Throws, at least in the way it looks. If you tap B and F repeatedly and hit the button real fast, Logan will claw faster, also getting in more hits as well as damage (you scrub you! :). Altogether this does good damage if the enemy doesn't tech hit it. You can no longer OTG after this if you Throw them into the corner... ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- -Ground Mount Adamantium Hell- (Wolverine lays his opponent down on their back, sits on them, claws the hell outta them, then kicks off) Because of the kick-off at the end you cannot follow this up. It also appears to do the same damage as the Strong Throw, still I think the Shoulder Mount is the better of the two (looks cooler :). As with the Strong, tap B and F repeatedly and tap Fierce fast and you'll get more hits/damage. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- -Air Adamantium Hell- (Same as Strong Throw, but in mid-air) Use it as you please, it does the same damage as the ground version. I believe it can be put into some Air Combos as well, but remember it can still be tech hitted. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- -Dash Forward; Quick Dash: (Wolverine dashes forward quickly) a VERY fast dash, use it to counter pretty much any missed attack from a distance, and whenever on the ground mix it up with the backward dash and Drill Claw to keep the opponent guessing. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- -Triangle Jump- (Wolverine rebounds of a wall to jump forward) The main strength of this is for defense; if you've jumped and the opponent tries to dash in for an air counter, SC or the like, you can jump back and Triangle Jump over their head. It can also be done during a Super Jump, which can easily avoid and go over a lot of SCs. Use this a lot, if not just to avoid the opponent if they're trying to go heavy on the offensive. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- -Team Counter: Drill Claw- Good all-around counter with good range and speed; mostly useful against projectiles and most standing moves. No good against jumping attacks. -Team Assist: Berserker Barrage- Weakened because of its bad recovery, potentially leaving both of your characters vulnerable. However if it connects, you can QUICKLY connect with a Super, especially a beam Super (eg. Ryu's Shinkuu-Hadouken). -Team Super: Berserker Barrage X- Good up-close with any other SC that doesn't push the enemy too far away, or needs to have the opponent in the air (eg. Sakura's). ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- -Super Combo 1; Berserker Barrage X- (Wolverine exclaims "Berserker Barrage!!" and rushes forward in a wild furry of slashes, finishing with a S.Fierce) The only difference between this and the normal version is the damage, hits, and final hit (you may also notice the sound of the slashing is much faster). Like the regular one, it will initiate the FS and can be followed up in the corner with a juggle or OTG combo in the corner. However, like the regular BB, it has considerable recovery time if missed (however if blocked (unlike the regular BB) the recovery isn't too bad, except against really fast attacks), and is also slow along the ground. So, it is best used in a combo or after the enemy does a slow recovering move. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- -Super Combo 2; Weapon X- (Wolverine rears back, crosses his arms, unsheathes his claws, then with a grunt dashes EXTREMELY fast at the opponent; if he connects, he goes into an automatic multi-hit brutal combo, slashing and kicking the hell outta his foe, finishing by jumping forward, slashing a jagged X across the screen) Does great damage, although not as much as the BBX. If this is blocked, however, the opponent can QUICKLY counter with a combo. The dash is quite fast, and Logan has a high priority over most ground attacks during the dash (except for most SCs and projectiles) so get your timing down pat for it. This is because the place you're going to use it is if the enemy misses a move from a close enough distance, and you can usually beat most other attacks to the punch. You can also block an attack and counter with this, but be precise with the motions, i.e. hit all three punches at the END of the DP motion, otherwise when you're moving from the blocked position to F you may get a Team Counter. The Weapon X always has a max of 12 hits. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- -Super Combo 3; Fatal Claw- (Logan rises upward while slashing a huge X around him; if the enemy is hit with the X, Wolvie draws them in for multiple hits) Half-decent recovery and can be used somewhat as a defense, and in Air Combos with good timing. Altogether IMO you should save his meter for the BBX and Weapon X, they are still his most useful SCs. This SC combos off the S.Roundhouse, BTW. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- -Super Combo 4; Berserker Rage- (Wolverine scrapes his claws together and mirror images appear behind him, speeding him up A LOT for about 10 seconds) Oh yeah, Wolverine needs to be faster... :( This is IMO one of the truly BAD things about the game, and just opens up the way for more scrub button-mashing. Save yourself some dignity and don't use this crap. Basically it gives him zero recovery time on ALL attacks including Specials, which means a lot of easy bullshit infinites. COMBOS: ******* -Safe Air Magic Series: Jab -> Short -> Strong -> Forward -> Fierce or Roundhouse -Safe Ground Combo: D.S.Jab -> S.Short -> S.Strong -> Tornado Claw or BB -If the opponent blocks... D.S.Jab -> S.Short -> S.Strong -> S.Forward -> S.Fierce -Ground Magic Series: Zig-Zag -Jumping Magic Series: Zig-Zag -Super Jumping Magic Series: Zig-Zag -Launchers: S.Roundhouse -Air Launchers: none -Straight Launchers: S.Fierce -Small Launchers: C.Strong *BASIC COMBOS* 1. J.Fierce, S.Strong, S.Fierce 2. D.S.Jab -> S.Short -> S.Strong -> S.Forward -> S.Fierce 3. (corner) C.Fierce -> C.Roundhouse XX Tornado Claw 4. (corner) C.Roundhouse XX BB or BBX 5. D/F+Fierce, BB or BBX (OTG) *INTERMEDIATE COMBOS* 6. (corner) D.S.Jab -> S.Short -> S.Strong XX Fierce Berserker Barrage (FS), C.Short (OTG) -> C.Strong -> S.Roundhouse 7. J.Jab -> J.Fierce, D.S.Jab -> S.Short -> C.Forward XX BB (FS) 8. D.S.Short -> S.Roundhouse -> SJ.Jab -> SJ.Short -> SJ.Strong, Strong Air Throw 9. J.Jab -> J.Fierce, D.S.Jab -> S.Short -> S.Strong XX Fierce Tornado Claw 10. J.Short -> J.Roundhouse, D.S.Jab -> S.Short -> S.Strong -> C.Forward XX Berserker Barrage (OTG) (FS) 11. J.Jab -> J.Short -> J.Strong, D.S.Jab -> S.Short -> S.Strong -> S.Roundhouse -> SJ.Jab -> SJ.Short -> SJ.Strong -> SJ.Strong -> SJ.Strong -> SJ.Forward XX Drill Claw 12. (corner) J.Jab -> J.Short -> J.Strong, D.S.Jab -> S.Short -> S.Strong XX Berserker Barrage X (FS), C.Short (OTG) -> C.Strong -> S.Roundhouse 13. J.Short -> J.Roundhouse, D.S.Strong -> S.Forward -> S.Forward -> S.Roundhouse -> SJ.Jab -> SJ.Short -> SJ.Strong -> SJ.Forward -> SJ.Roundhouse (FS) 14. J.Fierce, C.Short -> C.Strong -> S.Roundhouse -> SJ.Jab -> SJ.Short -> SJ.Strong -> SJ.Forward XX Fatal Claw 15. D.S.Jab -> S.Short -> S.Roundhouse -> SJ.Jab -> SJ.Short -> SJ.Strong XX Fatal Claw 16. J.Jab -> J.Short -> J.Forward, D.C.Strong -> S.Roundhouse -> SJ.Jab -> SJ.Short -> SJ.Strong -> SJ.Strong -> SJ.Strong -> SJ.Forward XX Fatal Claw 17. D.C.Jab -> C.Short -> S.Strong -> C.Fierce XX BB or BBX (FS) 18. D.S.Jab -> D.S.Jab -> C.Short -> C.Fierce XX BB or BBX (FS) 19. D.C.Short -> C.Forward -> C.Roundhouse XX Fatal Claw 20. D.S.Jab -> S.Strong -> C.Fierce -> C.Roundhouse XX Fatal Claw (TOO damaging, easily considered his best combo) COMBO OVERVIEW: *************** GROUND COMBOS: Plenty of options here. You can do a full D.S.Jab -> S.Short -> S.Strong -> S.Forward -> S.Forward -> S.Fierce combination in most cases, but his best option without using an Air or OTG combo from here (see below) is to chain into a Tornado Claw or Berserker Barrage; the Tornado Claw is faster coming out with more initial range, so it's better on a dash, but you should definitely go for the BB (or BBX) finish in the corner, so you can follow with a few OTG hits for more damage. In addition, you can finish your Ground Combos with a BB or BBX OTG after the C.Forward. Combo #20 on the list is so damaging it's sickening, so it's the best way to do damage with him once you have the level available. AIR COMBOS: The most flexible character in the game for Air Combos, Logan not only has an easy, full SJ.MS, but he can also chain EASILY up to 3 Strongs in one Air Combo for more hits and slightly more damage. His S.Roundhouse launches the enemy well with only a small forward arc; easy to follow with his huge Air Combos. IMO Air Combos are good options for doing serious damage with Wolverine, other than Ground Combos involving the BBX. This is especially true now that he can use the Fatal Claw to finish Air Combos, which WILL work if done VERY fast and the height is just right (so that one of the "spikes" grab the opponent immediately.) TACTICS: ******** Offensive: I can't remember who said it, but it's the best way to sum up playing Wolverine: "Don't think when you are using Wolverine. The more you think, the more he loses his advantage. Dash in or dash jump in and just tap the buttons and let the combos fly." Wolverine is an offensive machine; dashing in is extremely effective in all cases, be it to counter missed attacks or set up the enemy, as it is QUITE fast and can be easily interrupted with a block. The S.Jab and S.Short work well as possible ticks, and pretty much every regular attack except crouching Fierce and Roundhouse is safe if blocked. If you anticipate a high counter- attack, you can slide underneath it with D/F+Fierce XX BB or BBX for a quick and damaging combo. You can also go offensive with his quick jump, ready to air block if necessary; the J.Roundhouse or J.Fierce deals with most airborne attempts at countering you... Once you have a level charged, worry about connecting with the Weapon X, unless you see an obvious opportunity to combo into the BBX; the Weapon X will easily take out just about any attack they throw at you. NOTE: the Jab BBX if blocked, and you don't hit the Punch repeatedly, has exceptional recovery, and will work well to chip block damage. ALSO NOTE: It's pretty silly and often can be countered by experienced players who see through it, but the Berserker Rage when activated makes it even harder to counter Wolverine. Against most who use it however, they will end up slipping someplace where the opponent can knock him away. Defensive: The S.Fierce is pretty much all you need for offensive enemies; it will cover air and ground, and recovers fast enough in case the enemy dashes and blocks or jumps and blocks. The S.Roundhouse and Tornado Claw are also useful as air counters, however the latter, if air blocked, doesn't have the best of recovery. After Pushing Away, A Drill Claw tends to work well, or of course BBX or Weapon X... In the air: Wolverine does quite well in the air, even against those like Chun and Spider-Man. J.Roundhouse and J.Fierce are quite adequate to deal with anything up close. From a distance, the Drill Claw is a great counter to a missed or air blocked attack... J.Strong can also be done multiple times and has high priority against any jumping foe. BEST JUMP-IN CHAIN: Take your pick. If you're looking for good solid hits with good damage, J.Fierce -> Roundhouse is your best option. If you're looking for hits, a whole J.Jab -> J.Short -> J.Strong -> J.Forward will often connect fairly easily--against the tall fighters, even more can connect. Push-Away Options: Weapon X or Drill Claw if it's not available. Again, take into account the recovery of the pushed attack. Wolverine In a Team: Well, Spidey/Wolverine are pretty much the dominant team in the game, with both being sickeningly over-powerful. Their Team SC also compliments each other VERY well. The BB Team Assist also sets up perfectly for a Maximum Spider or dashing combo. Pretty much any character is a good team-mate for Logan though... WOLVERINE'S ENDING: ******************* Wolverine is standing near a Shaolin Temple, staring at the moon, which casts light on a Akuma standing nearby (looks MEAN). Wolverine asks why Akuma is following him, and to tell him why or he will end it here. Akuma replies: "You are not ready to know this Logan, but soon I shall reveal everything to you..." ############################################################################# SPIDER-MAN: ----------- "Spider-Man, Spider-Man Does whatever a spider can Spins a web, any size Catches thieves, just like flies LOOK OUT! Here comes the Spider-Man..." --60s Spider-Man cartoon (and I know the whole thing :) Young teen chemistry student Peter Parker was bitten by an experimental radioactive spider during a demonstration and soon found he had great strength and agility, along with a keen "spider sense" allowing him to tell when danger was near. Deciding to use his powers for good, he donned a costume and adopted the name of Spider-Man. It has been years since the experiment occurred, and Peter Parker is now a responsible adult, married to the love of his life, Mary Jane. He has had an exciting past, and despite many offers and turn-downs to teams like the Fantastic Four, the Avengers and the X-Men, he has managed to stay a loner (however, he is officially a reserve member of the Avengers). CHARACTER OVERVIEW: ******************* Probably the most dominant character in the game (well, probably tied with Wolverine...) Spidey retains his ultimate speed and comboability, but he is now one of, if not THE, highest-prioritised characters in the game, both on the ground and in mid-air. Even Chun-Li and Wolvie have a hard time keeping with ol' Petey Parker in the air. Other than his increased priority, Spider-Man gains a new dashing auto-combo SC (not overly useful) and the speed on his Web Swing is a little better. Altogether one of the best characters in the game still. MOVES LIST: *********** -Web Ball: QCT+any punch -Air Web Ball: QCT+any punch in mid-air -Spider Sting: F, D, D/F+any punch (punch again for downward slash) -Web Swing: HCB+any kick (can be done in mid-air) -Straight Web Throw: HCB+Jab -Diagonally U/F Web Throw: HCB+Strong -Straight Up Web Throw: HCB+fierce -Triangle Jump: jump up into corner wall, tap in opposite direction -Double Rolling Slam: F or B+Fierce (close) -Shoulder Toss: F or B+Strong (close) -Air Double Rolling Slam: F or B+Strong or Fierce (close in mid-air) -Forward Dash; Forward Hop: F, F or all three punches -Team Counter: Spider Sting -Team Assist: Web Swing -Team Super: Crawler Assault -Super Combo 1; Maximum Spider: QCT+any two punches -Super Combo 2; Crawler Assault: QCT+any two kicks REGULAR MOVES ANALYSIS: *********************** -S.Jab, despite it being a jab, has decent range and is great for starting off dashing combos, or generally pecking and ticking the enemy up close. It has great recovery, so don't be afraid to miss it. -S.Strong is Peter's Regular Launcher, and is a great attack that will launch then enemy sky high. Stick with it after jump-ins or dash-in combos, because its range isn't huge. It can be used to a certain extent as an air counter; if so, cancel into a Spider Sting, provided the enemy is high enough above you. Also because of Spidey's increased priority, it is even BETTER up close for snuffing in general. -S.Fierce is his most powerful punch, and will knock the enemy away, as it is a strike. Not a bad combo finisher, but try and put in a Spider Sting as opposed to this if this can connect. C.Fierce has nice range and decent power. Nothing special, though; Go for this if you duck a high move and are too far away for his Crouching Forward to connect. -S.Forward is one of his higher priority attacks, especially against close low attacks (eg. sweeps); mix this in heavily up close, and when it connects, you can cancel into a S.Roundhouse. C.Forward is one of THE weirdest kicks... Still, it is his Small Launcher, so put it into combos with his standing Roundhouse. Other than that there's nothing big about it, as its range is very short. -S.Roundhouse is Spidey's Air Launcher and comes out pretty fast, and following the C.Forward does good damage and sends the enemy sky high. The best thing about this is, that unlike a lot of other Air Launchers, this is actually VERY effective on opponents jumping in, because it has decent range. So, when the enemy jumps in and you don't want to meet them with an Air Combo, either do a Spider Sting, or the Flip Kick cancelled into a Super Jump plus an Air Combo or Spider Sting! If you connect with this on the ground, cancel it with either a cool-looking Spider Sting if you're right up close, or a Jab Web Ball and attempt a further combo. C.Roundhouse is a double-leg sweep that has great range and is not a bad Ground Combo finisher. Its recovery is not amazing, so only use it when you're fairly sure it will connect, otherwise try and cancel it with a Web Ball. You can cancel into a Roundhouse Web Swing for a quick combo as well... SPECIAL MOVES ANALYSIS: *********************** -Web Ball (Ground)- (Spidey exclaims "Web Ball!" and throws a gob of web fluid at the enemy) This is a pitifully weak projectile, but effective nonetheless. This can be thrown fairly quickly so you can effectively play keep-away with these. However because of its speed, it makes an even better offense; follow it in to the opponent after throwing one to press the offense! As well, these will gob up the opponent, rendering them helpless for a brief moment. Do not mistake this; it is NOT the Sub-Zero cheese we're used to in MK. No, because the enemy recovers so quickly, it is virtually impossible to web up the enemy from any distance but right up close and then go in for a major combo. But, if you do manage to web 'em and you're fairly close, go for a simple combo, nothing too fancy in case you screw up. Also, don't forget Spider-Man's Super Combos; the second you see the enemy webbed, execute the Maximum Spider or Crawler Assault for big damage. The Maximum Spider usually only works when done FAST... NOTE: as it was with Juggernaut, Spider-Man's Web Ball will NOT web up the Hulk, or Mega Zangief, or regular 'Gief during his FAB or Running Bear Grab. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- -Web Ball (Air)- (Spidey exclaims "Web Ball!" and throws a gob of web fluid at the enemy while in the air) All strengths throw a Web Ball diagonally down toward the enemy. These can be used repeatedly from mid to far distance for keep-away, to a certain extent. However it becomes quite boring after a while, and they can of course get around it, so IMO only use it slow the enemy up then move in for the kill. Again, if you web the enemy fairly close, go for a simple combo. If you web them from a fair distance, go into the Maximum Spider! NOTE: you can still finish Air Combos with this, but you cannot combo them after... ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- -Spider Sting- (Spidey exclaims "Spider Sting!" and rises into the air with an uppercut in the typical DP fashion; if the punch is tapped again, Spidey will follow with a downward punch at the apex of the uppercut) This is your basic Dragon Punch, extremely effective to finish off your ground combos. You must be extremely careful to connect with this, because Web-head's recovery is horrible and any good opponent WILL punish you. If it connects and sends the enemy up in the air, tap punch again and Spidey will slash downward with a double punch for an extra hit. Make sure this connects as well or Spidey's in for a beatin'. And always remember that this is probably your most trusted air counter. NOTE: you can still OTG after the Spider Sting, first hit only (see combos). ALSO NOTE: this DP has GREAT priority; the Jab DP is actually quite useful in up close combat, and will often snuff the enemy's regular attack. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- -Web Swing- (Spidey exclaims "Web Swing!" and shoots a strand of webbing to grab onto the air (!) above him, then swings forward with his feet extended) Sped up a little bit from MSH. This does good damage if it connects, and if it is blocked Spider-Man will pass through the enemy, still doing block damage. This can be done in the air and is the perfect escape, especially if you're about to land from a Super Jump right in an Infinity Combo like a Mega Optic Blast! Be careful where to use it, because even after it's blocked, the enemy will turn around and probably nail you with a long range move of some sort. Try to use it if the enemy misses a slow recovering move. You can also use it if you anticipate a fairly slow low move (eg. Jab Shield Slash), and if quick enough (probably using Short), you'll hit them before they can block in time--the Web Swing also takes priority over many up-close attacks.... The Short version is actually fast enough to work in a SJ.Air Combo, and should be the only one used for taking out attacks on the ground for the most part, as it comes out pretty quick--excellent against slower low attacks (eg. Dhalsim's Slide). ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- -Web Throw (Straight)- (Spidey shoots a strand of webbing forward at the opponent; if it connects, Spider-Man will swing the enemy around his head like a lasso then exclaims "Web Throw!" and throws them to the other side of the screen) This is pitifully slow coming out, but does great damage if it connects. You may find that the enemy doesn't fall for this often, but I've also found that if you combine this from full screen with Air Web Balls and the occasional Maximum Spider, the enemy will have difficulty countering it even if they block. Probably the best place to use this is after blocking certain enemy's Super Combos (eg. Chun Li's Kikosho) from almost full screen, and it should nail them as they recover. NEVER throw this Web when the enemy is up in the air. Remember that like Hulk's Gamma Tornado, this can be tech hitted, as can the other Web Throws. BTW, the Web Throw is actually fairly effective from full screen. This is because after about 3/4 screen, Spidey will let the thread loose, and from here on it becomes a normal projectile, meaning it will cancel other projectiles, as well as doing some damage. Same goes for the other two Web Throws; using the U/F is great for nullifying air projectile attempts, too. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- -Web Throw (Diagonal U/F)- (Spidey shoots a strand of webbing up into the air in front of him at the opponent; if it connects, Spider-Man will swing the enemy around his head like a lasso then throws them to the other side of the screen) This suffers the same speed problem as the straight Web Throw, but you should try and use it whenever the enemy is a fair distance away and in the air. An ideal spot to use it is after blocking an air projectile from that distance, or on the way down from the enemy's Super Jump. The angle must be exact, however, and the enemy can jump over this move with ease. Try to never do this Grab on the ground, because you could get nailed with a projectile, Dashing move/combo, or Super Combo. This is involved in a really cool combo, however. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- -Web Throw (Straight Up)- (Spidey shoots a strand of webbing up into the air above his head at the opponent; if it connects, Spider-Man will swing the enemy around his head like a lasso then throws them to the other side of the screen) This also comes out slow, and should never be done when the enemy is on the ground, or if they are a far distance in the air. The only time to use this is when the enemy attempts to cross-up or just jump over you. As well, if you're feeling lucky, dash forward when the enemy Super Jumps and try to grab 'em as they fall. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- -Triangle Jump- This is a good all-around defensive technique if the enemy is coming at you with an attack and you want to get behind them; as well, this can save Spidey's arse from a lot of Super Combos. This is also good because the beginning animations are simply a slightly faster version of the beginning animations of the Maximum Spider, with Spidey flipping up onto the wall; use this to your advantage. Here's a cool fake-out; perform a Triangle Jump, and if you jump forward the enemy may jump up to hit you, but instantly pull off the Maximum Spider to avoid them and counter with the Super Combo! ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- -Double Rolling Slam- (Spider-Man grabs the opponent and flips over frontwards twice, flinging them to the ground) A decent Throw that does good damage, do it when you feel like it. Like most other characters now, an OTG combo is mot possible afterwards. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- -Shoulder Toss- (Spidey grabs the opponent's arm and vaults him over his shoulder, hopping a little) This recovers slightly faster than the Fierce, but likewise no OTG is possible. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- -Air Double Rolling Slam- (Spider-Man grabs the opponent and flips over frontwards twice, flinging them to the ground from the air) Basically the same properties as the standing version, it cannot be followed up with anything as far as I know, unless you're very close to the ground. Use it if you want, although IMO an Air Combo is better (unless they're air blocking of course). ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- -Forward Dash; Forward Hop- (Spider-Man hops forward quickly) Unlike the Hulk's forward dash, this one comes out faster and goes further. Use it when the enemy misses a DP move, or any really slow recovering move. Holding B or performing any move will halt the dash, and timing this is VERY important with the range of his dash. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- -Team Counter: Spider Sting- As with most DP counters, use only against jump-in attacks or attacks VERY close. -Team Assist: Web Swing- Not all that useful, it doesn't come out very fast, and if blocked or missed the enemy can can hit both of you. -Team Super: Crawler Assault Useful along with other horizontal SCs--this is absolutely devastating with Wolverine's BBX... ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- -Super Combo 1; Maximum Spider- (Spider-Man leaps backward and onto the side of the screen, then flies through the air at the opponent at a controlled angle; if he connects, he plays a game of pinball with the enemy, knocking them repeatedly up into the air with flying punches and kicks, zig-zagging across the screen) This is STILL a really effective Super Combo for a few reasons; first of all, it does respectable damage, although not as much as some. Secondly, it comes out quite fast after he jumps to the corner, so it is hard to avoid, and as well, if you're quick you can dash in after the enemy has landed from the Maximum Spider and get in an extra hit with a crouching Roundhouse, and possibly more (or, of course, if you land near them instead :). Now, the best thing about this move is that you can control one of three directions; hold F before he springs off the wall to fly out straight forward. Hold U and Spidey will shoot up diagonally and forward. Hold D and Spider-Man will fly downward at an angle. Use the F version mainly if you're in the air with the enemy especially if you manage to get above them as they're chucking projectiles like Sakura's Air Fireball. D should also be used mainly on the ground, or during a normal jump, and is best utilised as the enemy throws an attack, which will probably miss Spidey. NOTE: the Maximum Spider does NOT go through projectiles, unless they are in their early frames of animation. An ideal place to use the Maximum Spider is IMMEDIATELY after webbing up the enemy with a Web Ball. Spidey's recovery is good, but not good enough to avoid most counters, so try to make sure it connects :). ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- -Super Combo 2; Crawler Assault- (Spider-Man dashes forward with a fast auto-combo) Not much to say here; decent damage, not so good recovery (most fast attacks will hit it if blocked). Priority isn't the highest, I've seen it trade with DPs for example. Best used in combos or obvious openings (*yawn*). COMBOS: ******* -Safe Air Magic Series: Short -> Strong -> Forward -> Fierce or Roundhouse -Safe Ground Combo: D.S.Short -> C.Forward -> S.Roundhouse -> SJ.Air Combo If the enemy blocks... D.S.Short -> C.Forward -> S.Roundhouse XX Jab Web Ball -Ground Magic Series: Weaker -> Stronger -Jumping Magic Series: Weaker -> Stronger -Super Jumping Magic Series: Zig-Zag -Launchers: S.Strong -Air Launchers: S.Roundhouse -Straight Launchers: S.Fierce -Small Launchers: C.Forward *BASIC COMBOS* 1. J.Roundhouse, D.S.Short -> S.Forward -> S.Roundhouse XX Jab Web Ball 2. J.Roundhouse, S.Jab -> S.Strong -> Fierce Spider Sting (1st hit only) 3. D.C.Short -> C.Forward XX Fierce Spider Sting 4. C.Roundhouse XX Roundhouse Web Swing (OTG) *INTERMEDIATE* 5. J.Roundhouse, S.Strong -> SJ.Short -> SJ.Strong -> SJ.Forward -> SJ.Roundhouse (FS) 6. J.Short -> J.Roundhouse, S.Strong -> SJ.Jab -> SJ.Strong -> SJ.Fierce (FS) 7. J.Jab -> J.Strong, S.Short -> S.Strong -> SJ.Jab -> SJ.Short -> SJ.Strong -> SJ.Forward -> SJ.Roundhouse (FS) 8. D.C.Short -> C.Forward -> S.Roundhouse -> SJ.Jab -> SJ.Short -> SJ.Strong -> SJ.Forward XX Short Web Swing 9. D.C.Short -> C.Forward -> S.Roundhouse XX Fierce Spider Sting (1 hit) 10. J.Jab -> J.Strong -> J.Fierce -> Dashing S.Short -> C.Forward -> S.Roundhouse -> SJ.Jab -> SJ.Short -> SJ.Strong -> SJ.Forward -> SJ.Roundhouse (FS) 13. J.Short -> J.Roundhouse -> Dashing C.Short -> C.Forward -> S.Roundhouse -> Strong Web Throw (FS) 14. D.C.Short -> C.Forward -> S.Roundhouse -> SJ.Air Throw 15. D.S.Short -> S.Forward -> C.Roundhouse XX Roundhouse Web Swing (OTG) 16. D.C.Short -> C.Roundhouse XX Crawler Assault (OTG) 17. J.Jab -> J.Strong -> J.Fierce, D.C.Short -> C.Forward -> S.Roundhouse XX Fierce Spider Sting(1 hit), C.Short(OTG) -> S.Roundhouse -> SJ.Jab -> SJ.Short -> SJ.Strong -> SJ.Forward -> SJ.Fierce (FS) -> SJ.Roundhouse COMBO OVERVIEW: *************** GROUND COMBOS: his Safe Ground Combo is fairly effective, but not too damaging; if the full combo connects, the Web Ball does pitiful damage and if the enemy notices he can frequently shake out in time to avoid further comboing. If you manage to connect while pestering with the Safe Ground Combo and react quickly enough, you can usually stop at S.Forward and chain into a Fierce Spider Sting for better damage (depends on your enemy's width) and OTG possibilities. Other ground options are limited; basically, the only decent finisher is the Spider Sting. AIR COMBOS: S.Strong is faster and is better in up close combat, while C.Forward -> S.Roundhouse launches slightly better and allows the full hits to connect easier, for some reason. Once you're in the air, the Jab has to be timed a fair bit, but the entire 5 hit combination comes out quite smoothly otherwise. Nothing else to note here, except that, for the most part, this is his best way to combo. TACTICS: ******** Offensive: Jumping in appears to be your best offense, with a nice arc and speed. His dash is fairly fast, with slightly less range than Wolverine's, however there is a SLIGHT delay between the dash and dashing attacks, so VERY fast attacks can snuff it. Spidey's J.Roundhouse deals well with standing opponents, and can even snuff most air counters if done early enough (eg. Hulk's C.Fierce). Up close his S.Jab is VERY fast with high priority and easily hits crouchers; it's even good around mid distance, as it has decent range. His S.Strong and S.Forward work well up close too, however they're slightly slower and may be snuffed by quicker attacks (eg. Wolverine's S.Jab)--the advantage here is that the S.Strong is of course a Launcher... Defensive: Spidey's S.Fierce is fast and knocks the enemy back, also covering almost as much as Wolverine's S.Fierce, though it's not good vs. jump-ins. Use it mainly to deter dashing attacks, as it stays out longer than, say, a Jab, so it's not as hard to time--a varied Web Ball is also somewhat safe on dashing enemies. The S.Strong is a very good air counter and can be chained into a Fierce Spider Sting for a quick air counter combo. The S.Roundhouse is also useful on jump-ins, but it is slower than the Strong uppercut--however, it has better range, so it is more useful on far jump-ins. And of course, the Spider Sting will also take priority over just about any jump-in attack (I recommend using Jab if you're unsure if they'll air block). In the air: J.Fierce provides good air-to-air coverage, with a little bit of range; J.Strong is somewhat useful up close, and of course J.Roundhouse works well for those underneath you. Likewise, if you're above the enemy, a Web Ball can stop them from jumping up to meet you. As well, don't forget the Maximum Spider if the enemy comes at you in the air with slower moves (eg. another Spidey's Web Ball). BEST JUMP-IN CHAIN: J.Short -> J.Roundhouse, or full three kicks on larger opponents. Push-Away Options: If you anticipate the opponent dashing in blindly afterward, a Fierce Web Ball or Spider Sting can stop them in their tracks, and depending on their reaction, so can a Maximum Spider :). If you want to go offensive, try following it up with a D.S.Strong or S.Forward if you anticipate a possible low attack. Spidey In a Team: Well, Spidey/Wolverine are pretty much the dominant team in the game, with both being sickeningly over-powerful. Their Team SC also compliments each other VERY well. The Shoto-bros. also make good partners, their Beam SCs/ Shoryureppas combo well with the Crawler Asault and their Assists set up dashing combos or a Maximum Spider well. Again, pretty much any character is a good partner for Peter here... SPIDEY'S ENDING: **************** More mushy stuff, basically. Mary Jane looks pretty cool in the first pic tho' :). ############################################################################# CAPTAIN AMERICA: ---------------- "There's no substitute for a living legend of WWII!" --Captain America, MSH At the beginning of World War II, a proud American named Steve Rogers signed up for the U.S. Armed Forces, to go fight for his country overseas. He was turned down, however, because his body was much to frail to pass the physical test. Crestfallen, he returned to his home, where government specialists found him and proposed a dangerous experimental procedure. Still determined to help his country, Rogers agreed, and the experiment was successful; Rogers' body was augmented to that of an Olympic-class gymnast and he gained heightened strength and stamina. Given a red, white and blue suit and shield made of a near indestructible metal known as adamentium (also what Wolverine's skeleton and claws consist of, BTW), he became a symbol of all that is American; Captain America. He fought patriotically against the tyranny of the Nazis alongside Namor the Submariner and the original Human Torch (not Johnny Storm, the android) as the Invaders. After the war, Captain America was frozen solid, and was thawed out by the super hero team known as the Avengers in the 60's, which at the time consisted of Giant-Man, the Wasp, Iron Man and Thor (the Hulk had recently quit the group). He soon joined the team, and after Iron Man left, he became their field leader. Since then, he has remained in the Avengers as a symbol of liberty and justice. CHARACTER OVERVIEW: ******************* Old school Caps like myself have got some adjusting to do. One word describes The Star-Spangled Avenger now: SLOW. However one will also notice that, behind Hulk and Gief, Cap is also the most damaging character in the game. His Fierce attacks (with the shield) do unbelievable amounts of damage, and his combos hurt a LOT. The only major change to his gameplay concerns the Shield Slash, because it now comes out much slower. Still one of the best characters in the game. MOVES LIST: *********** -Shield Slash: QCT+any Punch (can be done in mid-air) -Stars `n' Stripes: F, D, D/F+any punch -Cartwheel: HCB+any punch -Charging Star: HCT+any kick -Double Jump: U during any jump -One-hand Slam: F or B+Strong or Fierce (close) -Ground Launch: F or B+Forward or Roundhouse (close) -One-hand Drop: F or B+Strong or Fierce (close in mid-air) -Forward Dash; Quick Run: F, F or all three punches -Team Counter: Stars `n' Stripes -Team Assist: Charging Star -Team Super: Hyper Charging Star/Hyper Stars `n' Stripes (depends on wether Cap is on screen) -Super Combo 1; Final Justice: QCT+any two punches -Super Combo 2; Hyper Stars `n' Stripes: F,D,D/F+any two punches -Super Combo 3; Hyper Charging Star: QCT+any two kicks REGULAR MOVES ANALYSIS: *********************** -Cap's Jabs are basic fast attacks, useful up close and as ticks. -S.Strong is a Regular Launcher that does well as an air counter and comes out fairly fast; follow it with a Strong Stars `n' Stripes or Air Combo. C.Strong is a high-priority low shield attack--useful up close, especially against low kicks. -S.Fierce is Cap's Strike, with GREAT range, and now even more damaging than before. Also note that the S.Fierce's priority is now much greater, very few attacks will beat it if you're in range. C.Fierce is Cap's other Regular Launcher, and is IMO one of Cap's primary weapons. This is an excellent air counter and has a LOT of priority on both jump-in and ground attacks; the C.Fierce is also a great Launcher with good height and a perfect straight-up launch; very easy to follow with a SJ.Air Combo (NOTE: its start-up is now a tad slower, however, and it still has the bad recovery, so be careful with it). J.Fierce has INSANE priority, some would say too much; once it gets out, because of the vertical and horizontal range it covers, it is great for air-to-air combat but is also an easy jump-in attack. This should be your prime weapon whenever you're in the air. -S.Short will hit opponents OTG, and is a very useful pester/tick up close. -S.Forward has decent priority, though not nearly as much as his Fierce attacks. C.Forward is a decent attack, good up close to snuff some slower attacks. -S.Roundhouse does great damage and is also a decent air counterattack. It has GREAT range; whenever this connects, cancel it into a Jab Shield Slash. It is SLOW however, so don't use it too often. C.Roundhouse is a sweep with decent range and always knocks the enemy down. You can tack this on at the end of a combo if you want but there are better options. Whenever this connects cancel into a Jab Shield Slash for easy extra damage. SPECIAL MOVE ANALYSIS: ********************** -Shield Slash- (Captain America exclaims "Shield Slash!" and throws his shield in a desired direction) Cap and his shield now glow briefly before it is thrown, and this not only slows it down a fair bit, but makes it easier to see coming. If done QUITE fast, it will still work in combos, but old school Caps will have to learn to time the combos differently. On the ground the Jab version is still the best, just make sure the opponent isn't in a position to jump over it. In the air Jab is an excellent Air-Ground attack, especially against other projectiles, or if you jump over a Super and you're too far to jump-in for a combo. Just bear in mind, you can't peck with this like you used to; GET USED TO THE SLOWER SPEED! ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- -Stars `n' Stripes- (In the typical Dragon Punch fashion, Cap exclaims "Stars `n' Stripes!" and rises into the air with his shield pushed ahead of him) Still one of the worst-recovering, highest-priority DPs in the game. In a combo, I find this tends to miss a lot unless you take it off a single hit, or you've got 'em in a corner. This also isn't too bad as an air counter, but you're best to use Jab in this case as well, because it can still be air blocked and the enemy will have time to punish you even after he lands if you use the Strong or especially Fierce Stars `n' Stripes. It is powerful though, bear in mind, so if you can get it in a combo TRY VERY HARD to do so. NOTE: oh yeah, no more OTG possibilities after this, it doesn't knock down anymore. :) ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- -Cartwheel: HCB+any punch (Cap performs a cartwheel forward) A generally overlooked move, this is a VERY effective technique for Cap, especially against keep-away fighters like Dhalsim; it allows him to pass through his opponent and more importantly, through projectiles. The timing must be precise to go through projectiles, and I would recommend not doing it through them up close, because his recovery is instant, but so might his opponents. For example, if you were to Cartwheel through Spider-Man's Web Ball, you would come out unscathed, but Spidey would recover in time to hit Captain America as he recovers instantly from his Cartwheel, easily with a Throw! So, your best bet is to use it from a distance to avoid projectiles and GET close, then when you're close use the appropriate tactics. Also, as an alternative to a Team Counter, you can Cartwheel through a lot of fast jump-in attacks and counter them from behind (eg. Wolverine's Air Stomp) NOTE: CAP CAN BE EASILY THROWN DURING THE CARTWHEEL!! PAY SPECIAL ATTENTION TO GIEF!! :) ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- -Charging Star- (Cap exclaims "Charging Star!" and rushes the opponent with his shield out) Another prime example of what I'm talking about with being careful. If this is blocked, the enemy has plenty of time to set up a beautiful combo, so you must make sure this connects; after hitting a standing enemy with a standing Roundhouse or Short -> Forward -> Roundhouse series, you can finish with this; it does good damage. It will also hit OTG cancelled out of a C.Roundhouse (however, the Jab Shield Slash is a LOT safer). The Charging Star still absorbs projectiles; ideal for long-lasting projectiles, like Cyclops' Optic Blasts. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- -Double Jump- (Cap performs a hop in the air to increase his vertical distance) This is a great way to avoid most ground-based projectiles, even more so than the Super Jump. This is because the Super Jump usually puts you up much too high for you to nail 'em with a Jab Shield Slash while they shoot their projectile. Remember you can Double Jump ANYTIME during a jump, so use it if you accidentally jump in at your opponent and they prepare to counter with one of their Launchers or other air counters (eg. Wolverine's standing Roundhouse). ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- -One-hand Slam- (Cap grabs the opponent and slams them into the ground over his shoulder) Does a LOT of damage, probably to compensate for no OTG options afterwards anymore. One of your best options up close, USE it. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- -Ground Launch- (Cap grabs the opponent, falls on his back and heaves them high into the air) Unfortunately, you cannot juggle PERIOD after this anymore, even with the Stars `n' Stripes :(. Still good damage though, and lets you move around sooner than with the One-hand Slam. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- -One-Hand Drop- (Cap grabs the enemy in mid-air and chucks them into the ground one-handed) Decent damage; range on this one isn't too bad, decent as an Air Combo finisher. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- -Forward Dash; Quick Run- (Cap dashes forward quickly) A fairly fast dash, mix it up with his backward dash on the ground to keep the enemy guessing. Dash in for a big combo whenever you see the chance. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- -Team Counter: Stars `n' Stripes- Like the other DP counters, useful against jump-ins or UP-CLOSE attacks. -Team Assist: Charging Star This is a great Assist--it will nullify projectiles (thus, it's best against projectiles ;) and will set up for a QUICK beam, or Dashing SC (eg. BBX). -Team Super: Hyper Charging Star/Hyper Stars `n' Stripes The Hyper Stars `n' Stripes comes out if he was on screen, the Hyper Charging Star comes out if he was off-screen. Either are good for comboing, cause they leave the opponent standing for a fairly long time. Good with just about any horizontal SC, or Super DP moves. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- -Super Combo 1; Final Justice- (Captain America stands still to gather energy as the screen grows dark, then exclaims "Final Justice!" and dashes at the enemy as in the Charging Stars. If he connects, he will knock the opponent up then proceed to pummel the opponent senseless with a multi-hit juggle combo, then finishes by grabbing them and performing a jumping inverted piledriver into the ground) The Final Justice can no longer combo, but it still has supreme priority (although I've been DPed out of it before) and does the great damage. Like the Charging Star, if blocked the Final Justice leaves him open to a quick but painful combo from his foe. Instead, wait until the opponent leaves an opening; a prime example would be after most Super Combos, especially ones with huge recovery like Hulk's Gamma Crush; just block and do the Final Justice; I myself, if blocking an Super Combo right up close, prefer to go into a combo if they stay close enough (like Chun's Thousand Burst Kick), but in some cases if you block from a fair distance the Final Justice would be the better choice. The priority AFTER the standing pose is quite high, so much that you can even catch jump-ins and ANY regular move at ANY range, and a lot of Special Moves too. If you have great reflexes, you can simply watch for the opponent to twitch in the beginning of ANY move and pull it off... :) ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- -Super Combo 2; Hyper Stars `n' Stripes- (Captain America performs a small multi-hit Stars `n' Stripes, then spins around for another, then finishes with a big Fierce Stars `n' Stripes) Yet another example of Capcom's laziness (I hate to admit it, but they're starting to be like a certain unmentionable Midway game's development team); this is, plain and simple, Cap's Stars `n' Stripes with the Power Gem from MSH. And, its uses are pretty limited. It has decent priority up close, especially against low attacks, but AFAIK it's nowhere near as high as the shoto-bros. Super DPs. It also doesn't do much damage, and the recovery is as bad as the Fierce Stars `n' Stripes, if not worse. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- -Super Combo 3; Hyper Charging Star- (Cap charges forward with his shield out, encircled with blue energy) More useful than the Hyper Stars `n' Stripes, but still not as useful as the Final Justice. Its recovery if blocked is really bad, but it does decent damage and can be used easily in combos; since the blue energy covers him well, it's also a semi-useful air counter... COMBOS: ******* -Safe Air Magic Series: Short -> Forward -> Fierce or Roundhouse -Safe Ground Combo: D.C.Short -> C.Forward -> C.Roundhouse XX Jab Shield Slash or Charging Star If the opponent blocks... D.C.Short -> C.Forward -> C.Roundhouse XX Jab Shield Slash -Ground Magic Series: Weaker -> Stronger -Jumping Magic Series: Weaker -> Stronger -Super Jumping Magic Series: Zig-Zag -Launchers: S.Strong, C.Fierce -Air Launchers: none -Straight Launchers: S.Fierce -Small Launchers: none *BASIC COMBOS* 1. D.S.Short -> S.Forward -> S.Roundhouse XX Jab Shield Slash 2. D.S.Short -> S.Forward -> S.Roundhouse XX Roundhouse Charging Star 3. D.C.Jab -> C.Roundhouse XX Jab Shield Slash (OTG) 4. D.S.Short -> S.Forward -> C.Roundhouse XX Jab Shield Slash (OTG) 5. J.Fierce, S.Jab -> S.Fierce 6. J.Fierce, S.Roundhouse XX Roundhouse Charging Star 7. J.Fierce -> C.Forward XX Hyper Stars `n' Stripes 8. D.C.Short -> C.Forward -> C.Roundhouse XX Jab Shield Slash (OTG) *INTERMEDIATE COMBOS* 9. D.S.Short -> S.Forward -> C.Fierce -> SJ.Jab -> SJ.Short -> SJ.Forward -> SJ.Roundhouse (FS) 10. D.S.Short -> S.Forward -> C.Roundhouse XX Forward Charging Star (OTG) 11. J.Fierce, C.Jab -> C.Strong -> C.Roundhouse XX Jab Shield Slash (OTG) 12. J.Fierce, D.S.Jab -> S.Strong XX Strong Stars `n' Stripes (or Fierce in the corner) 13. J.Fierce -> C.Forward -> C.Fierce -> SJ.Short -> SJ.Forward -> SJ.Fierce (FS) 14. D.C.Short -> C.Fierce -> SJ.Jab -> SJ.Short -> SJ.Forward -> SJ.Fierce (FS) 15. J.Short -> J.Roundhouse, D.S.Short -> C.Forward -> C.Fierce -> SJ.Jab -> SJ.Short -> SJ.Fierce (FS) 16. J.D+Roundhouse, D.S.Jab -> S.Strong -> SJ.Jab -> SJ.Short -> SJ.Strong, Strong Air Throw, Hyper Charging Star (OTG) 17. D.S.Jab -> S.Forward -> S.Forward -> S.Fierce 18. J.Short -> J.Forward -> J.Roundhouse, D.C.Short -> C.Forward XX Hyper Stars `n' Stripes 19. D.C.Short -> C.Forward -> C.Roundhouse XX Hyper Charging Star (OTG) 20. J.Fierce, D.S.Short -> C.Strong XX Fierce Stars `n' Stripes 21. J.Jab -> J.Fierce, D.C.Short -> C.Forward XX Team Super 22. D.C.Short -> C.Forward XX Hyper Stars `n' Stripes, S.Fierce *ADVANCED COMBOS* 23. J.Fierce, D.C.Short -> C.Forward XX Hyper Stars `n' Stripes, S.Fierce XX Hyper Stars `n' Stripes, S.Fierce XX Hyper Stars `n' Stripes, S.Fierce Comments (#23): thanks to jencheng@inreach.com for this combo. This combos hurts a lot. The key is to time the standing Fierce so it hits the opponent on the way down. Different characters have different fall speeds. The key is that the Hyper Stars `n' Stripes can OTG as well. So even if he is a little far away, after the Fierce he will fall to the ground and the rest should still connect. If you do this in the corner it should work every time. COMBO OVERVIEW: *************** GROUND COMBOS: Despite the fact that he can no longer cancel into the Final Justice, his ground combos are still damaging as hell. Not to mention, he now has the Hyper Stars `n' Stripes to combo anyway :). His Safe Ground Combo is HIGHLY damaging, and versatile in that you can complete the entire combo (D.C.Short -> C.Forward -> C.Roundouse XX Jab Shield Slash), or use standing version of the kicks. You can also OTG with a Charging Star or Hyper Charging Star, OR you can go into a C.Forward and Hyper Stars `n' Stripes. The reason why this is so powerful is that the original Safe Ground Combo is Cap's best offensive pecking move, and when the C.Short -> C.Forward hits, you usually have enough time to react and go into a bigger combo. The versatility of this combo is what makes Cap such a great comboer. In addition to the Safe Ground Combo variations and his Launcher, Cap can also perform small combos finishing with the Stars `n' Stripes; the first 3 hits of the Safe Ground Combo USUALLY push too far away for even a Fierce Stars `n' Stripes to connect, however you can do a D.S.Short -> S.Forward or D.S.Jab -> S.Strong and finish with the DP move (use the Strong Stars `n' Stripes after the S.Strong unless in the corner). AIR COMBOS: if you choose to use them, Cap's Air Combos are also quite damaging. 5 hits are frequently possible with proper timing; depending on the opponent, experiment to see how many hits you are comfortable with. IMO Cap's Ground combos say it all, but you may want to throw in an Air Combo here an there for variety (or as an air counter). TACTICS: ******** Offensive: Cap's best offense is his dashing Safe Ground Combo. If it connects, it does great damage and you can finish with a variety of moves--if they block, you get pushed away and they cannot counter. The majority of your offense should revolved around this combo. Once up close, peck with S.Short in hopes of a Throw or combo, and the Jab Stars `n' Stripes can work well to deter slower regular attacks. Remember as well that, with a little luck and timing, you can snuff most low attacks with the Hyper Stars `n' Stripes. C.Strong is also excellent up close for snuffing low attacks. When jumping in, Cap has the VERY high-priority J.Fierce, and this is pretty much all you need. Defensive: Cap is also good on defense. Against dashing opponents the S.Fierce will work well, as well a Jab/Strong Shield Slash from afar. The Shield Slash as a whole can be used as keep-away, but this can get boring and repetitive (and will also eventually stop working), and now with its start-up delay, faster moves can snuff it first.. Against jumping opponents, the C.Fierce provides excellent coverage and will launch the opponent; just remember to do it early, since it now has a slower start-up. The Jab Stars `n' Stripes is another good option, it has high priority. Also remember that the Final Justice will take out most attacks provided you time it right, even jump-ins. In the air: All you need is the J.Fierce, period :). BAST JUMP-IN CHAIN: J.Short -> J.Forward -> J.Roundhouse on most characters; omit the Forward against the short ones. Push-Away Options: FINAL JUSTICE!!! :) Or, if you anticipate ANY forward jump, the Fierce Stars `n' Stripes (though this is kinda risky). The S.Fierce, within its range, will work as well, of course. Cap In a Team: Silver Sage maintains that he teams best with Shadow Charlie, and I would tend to agree. Firstly the Charging Star Assist nullifies projectiles to allow Charlie to connect with his SCs, or even the Final Mission if you're in a charged position :). Alternately the Sonic Boom Assist will nullify other projectiles and moves slow enough for Cap to follow up with anything he wishes, similar to a Charlie following his own Boom in (eg. if he blocks Throw him, block high hit him with a crouching kick, etc...) If it connects, so will a Final Justice :). Even better, it is possible to dash in behind the SB and Cartwheel through the opponent or their counter at the last possible second, then hit them :). In addition, their Team SC blends well, no matter who starts it. Oh yeah, other teammates... :) Wolverine or Spidey works well of course. Cap And USAgent are a neat team too of course... CAP'S ENDING: ************* Cap shakes Ryu's hand and asks him to join the Avengers, but of course Ryu goes on about how he needs more training, maybe when he's ready... (*yawn*) ############################################################################# SHUMA GORATH: ------------- "No one can stand against my tentacled fury!" --Shuma Gorath, MSH Shuma is an enemy of Dr. Strange. In his dimension, he was the Sorceror Supreme, as Strange is the Sorcerer Supreme of the Marvel Universe. At first he was good, but eventually events transpired to make him hate his people, and he got mad and went on a hunt for power like Thanos did with the Infinity Gauntlet. Unlike Thanos, he succeeded, and destroyed every living person, planet, star, galaxy, and even the fabric of space itself in his dimension until he was that dimension's entire universe. His lust for power was not satiated, so he travelled to other dimensions, destroying their universes as well. Until he came to Earth and went against Dr. Strange who, after Shuma pulled him into the `Chaos Dimension' used the Eye of Armaggaddo (it contains the mystical power of every known dimension) to seal Shuma in his own dimension, as Strange himself escaped. Apparently Shuma has now escaped his dimension, and seeks to fulfil his infinite hunger... CHARACTER OVERVIEW: ******************* Well, he's been weakened a tad from MSH, but he's still a powerful character in an expert's hands. He still takes more damage than other characters (ala Akuma and Blackheart), and altogether his Special Moves take little damage. To win, Shuma MUST Throw, and he MUST use his (now) Level 3 Chaos Dimension. For the most part, he still plays roughly the same as in MSH, meaning no BIG multi-hit combos, lightning-fast pokes, or whatever; he must be played with up-close pecking with Shorts and such, S.Strongs, mixing in the Mystic Stare considerably, and you HAVE to Throw. Without a doubt an expert's character, and still one of my favourites. MOVES LIST: *********** -Mystic Stare: charge B, F+any punch -Mystic Smash: charge B, F+any kick (can be done in mid-air) -Devitalization: QCB+any kick -Stone Drop: D+Forward in mid-air -Bite `n' Throw: F or B+Strong or Fierce (close) -Energy Drain: F or B+Forward or Roundhouse (close; can be done in mid-air) -Blob Drop: F or B+Strong or Fierce (in mid-air; close) -Forward Dash; Crawl: F, F or all three punches -Team Counter: Mystic Smash -Team Assist: Mystic Smash -Team Super: Mystic Bash (special Team Super only) -Super Combo 1; Chaos Dimension: QCT+any two punches (Level 3 only) -Super Combo 2; The Spawning: QCT+any two kicks REGULAR MOVES ANALYSIS: *********************** -S.Jab and S.Short are VERY useful up close as ticks; use often to open the enemy up to Shuma's damaging Throws. In addition, these attacks are also the only regular moves that will actually COMBO into the Devitalization. -S.Strong is the best of his punches to cancel into kicks quickly, as it is his most powerful NON-STRIKE attack. It also has good range. Used to start most of his ground combos. Also has good priority against long-ranged poking attacks. Probably his best all-around regular attack. -S.Fierce is a Strike with great damage and range, but it is NOT an airborne projectile. The C.Fierce is the same thing, just lower. -S.Forward is Shuma's Regular and only Launcher, a must for any of his really big combos. A decent air counter if timed right. Its range is minimal, so make sure you're in a combo or right up close when you do this. C.Forward is a Strike, but is still useful in combos since it can cancel well into the Mystic Stare. Also good range and speed on this one, useful for snuffing high attacks. -S.Roundhouse NOW HAS A SIGNIFICANT START-UP ala Omega Red's Multi-hitters; it can no longer be chained from his other regular attacks. It can hit a maximum of 6 times if started right up close. To cancel this into a Mystic Stare, let 3 or 4 of the hits land and then cancel. If blocked it pushes Shuma Gorath far away enough to avoid a lot of counters. C.Roundhouse is another Strike; Shuma Gorath crouches and throws all of his tentacles upward. This is IMO his best air counter, but cannot be followed up by anything. Still, good damage so use as an air counter often. -J.Fierce is his eyebeam (the same as S.Fierce) in mid-air, and can be directed diagonally upward as well by holding any upward direction. Good all-around for air-to-air attacks and combos. J.Roundhouse is Shuma Gorath's best single jump-in, as it is angled downward slightly. J.Forward is the spinning "helicopter" attack; despite what other guides might say, this move is simply his J.Forward, NOT U+Forward in mid-air. Anywho, this is a fast and effective air-to-air attack, and OK for jump-ins. SPECIAL MOVES ANALYSIS: *********************** -Mystic Stare- (Shuma Gorath exclaims "Mystic Stare!" and throws a ring of eyeballs at the opponent) The eyeballs will now stick to the opponent for a time; Shuma cannot throw another Mystic Stare when the eyeballs are stuck to the opponent. If Shuma is hit while they are stuck, the eyeballs will vanish. After a short time period, the eyeballs will turn brown then explode; with proper timing, you can combo off of the explosion, by watching for the eyes to turn brown. Altogether still does not do any real damage, but it comes out quick, an excellent defensive and offensive attack. Comboing off of the explosion is, as Charles says, true Shuma-ism. :) ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- -Mystic Smash- (Shuma Gorath exclaims "Mystic Smash!", rolls into a spiked ball and flies toward the opponent in an arc) The Roundhouse version travels the whole screen in a high, wide arc, the Forward version around half screen with a lower arc, and the Short goes about a quarter of a screen with an almost horizontal arc. If blocked Shuma Gorath will bounce off, but Shuma's recovery is still VERY bad. If this is air blocked, (i.e. the enemy jumps at you and you try and counter with it), then it will bounce enough away to be safe. The Mystic Smash now does VERY low damage, however it still has it's uses. The Roundhouse version can be used somewhat as an air counter, but not unless you get the trajectory perfect, as its priority is quite low. The Short version is still somewhat useful up close after blocking an attack, and you can use the Short/Forward version to slip underneath opponents as they jump at you. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- -Devitalization- (Shuma Gorath grabs his opponent, stretches into the air, then slams them to the ground and hits them again as they land) The definitive Shuma Special. This is unblockable, and because of this, it should be mixed up frequently within your offensive game, i.e. pester/tick your opponent with lots of Jabs and Shorts, and then suddenly spring this on them, which is easier than usual, as the Devitalization has good range. It has a great weakness though; if it misses, the recovery is pretty slow (especially on the Roundhouse version) and the enemy has plenty of time to counter--it can also be ducked. It is possible to combo this out of a S.Jab or S.Short... Great damage. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- -Bite `n' Throw- (Shuma morphs into a large toothed maw, grabs the opponent, and tosses them away) Throwing is one of Shuma Gorath's best assets, IMO. This does great damage, but unfortunately is hurt because you can no longer combo afterwards. Pretty much useless now, since you have the Energy Drain. :) HUGE RANGE. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- -Energy Drain- (Shuma Gorath wraps the enemy in his tentacles, and glows yellow, sapping the life out of them) This is a GREAT move, and Shuma is the only character other than Omega Red with the ability to do this! It doesn't give you an amazing amount, but it can be enough to continue the fight. One of Shuma's most important moves; unfortunately, you can no longer follow this with even the simplest of combos, but it still gives and takes good damage, so USE IT! HUGE RANGE. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- -Blob Drop- (Shuma Gorath morphs into a blob, slimes the opponent and drops them to the ground) The Roundhouse and Forward Air Throws are the same as the ground ones; this Throw is different than its ground version, and if you're ahead in health this should be the one to go for. It does a little more damage than the Energy Drain, but of course doesn't give you energy back :). ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- -Stone Drop- (Shuma Gorath angles his tentacles upwards, then petrifies himself and falls to the ground) Contrary to popular belief, this does NOT petrify. If you end up directly over your enemy as they miss a move, especially a projectile, the Stone Drop is a powerful counter. Beware, if blocked Shuma is left significantly open to attack. VERY high priority on this one, VERY high recovery. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- -Forward Dash; Crawl- (Shuma Gorath gets down low and crawls forward on all six legs) Great for avoiding a lot of high attacks and projectiles, but it's fairly slow ON START-UP. Be careful only to do it when you're sure the enemy can't hit you low at first. Excellent once it gets moving though. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- -Team Counter: Mystic Smash- Low damage like the normal version, I don't recommend wasting a level on this. -Team Assist: Mystic Smash- Weak damage like the normal version, but comes out quite fast and allows QUICK comboing, best with a Beam SC or Optic Blast. Useful against most up close attacks with low priority. -Team Super: Mystic Bash (special Team Super only) This is a GOOD Team Super, blanketing most of the screen in a horizontal pattern. Works awesome with ANY horizontal SC, especially the Beam Supers. Quite fast too. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- -Super Combo 1; Chaos Dimension- (When activated, Shuma will lunge out slightly with a shorter version of his S.Strong; he will then begin glowing, and if he grabs the enemy during this time, he will morph into a large sphere and envelope his opponent. He then carries them into the center of the screen high in the air, spread out into a hurricane-looking form, and exclaims "Chaos Dimension!!". The opponent is then dropped hard into the ground from the hurricane, and Shuma Gorath appears just overhead, falling from a portal) This is now a level 3 SC only, but is still Shuma's most important move. Also you can no longer OTG after it :(, but on the plus side, it now does 50% damage :). IMO one of the most effective SCs in the game, it is extremely difficult to avoid up close. Once Shuma Gorath begins glowing he cannot perform any Special Moves, nor any regular moves. By tapping any button, he will jab out with one tentacle a VERY short distance. However, the really powerful thing about this is that the activation of the Chaos Dimension itself can hit the opponent. If it connects, you can calmly move up to the opponent and perform the grab for an easy and powerful combo! The easiest way to do this is to use the Chaos Dimension activation as an air counter, or up close to snuff regular attacks, OR in a combo, and the grab will be virtually unavoidable. Still THE move that makes Shuma Shuma ;). ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- -Super Combo 2; The Spawning- (Shuma Gorath "spawns" a second Shuma that mimics his attacks) Note: The second Shuma cannot throw the Mystics Stare. The SC will last for about 20 game seconds, or until either Shuma is hit, OR if you exceed a 10 hit combo. Shuma's mirror image will perform whatever attack Shuma did last. I would wonder what Capcom was thinking when they did this one, 'cause this just SUCKS. The second Shuma is very slow and sluggish, making comboing all whack, and that was most likely the PURPOSE of the SC in the first place! Either way, pretty much a waste of a meter, save it for the Chaos Dimension :) and Team SCs :) COMBOS: ******* -Safe Air Magic Series: Short -> Strong -> Forward -> U+Fierce -Safe Ground Combo: D.S.Strong -> C.Forward XX Mystic Stare If the enemy blocks... D.S.Strong -> C.Forward XX Mystic Stare -Ground Magic Series: Punch -> Kick -Jumping Magic Series: Punch -> Kick -Super Jumping Magic Series: Zig-Zag -Launchers: S.Forward -Air Launchers: none -Straight Launchers: C.Forward, S.Fierce, C.Fierce, S.Roundhouse, C.Roundhouse -Small Launchers: none *BASIC COMBOS* 1. J.Roundhouse, C.Jab -> C.Roundhouse 2. J.Roundhouse, S.Short XX Roundhouse Devitalization 3. J.Strong, C.Strong -> C.Forward XX Fierce Mystic Stare 4. S.Roundhouse (3-4 hits) XX Mystic Stare *INTERMEDIATE COMBOS* 5. D.S.Strong -> S.Forward -> SJ.Short -> SJ.Strong -> SJ.Forward -> SJ.U+Fierce (FS) 6. S.Roundhouse (2-3 hits) XX Mystic Stare 7. J.Strong -> J.Roundhouse XX Roundhouse Mystic Smash 8. (vs jumping opponents) SJ.Jab -> SJ.Short -> SJ.Strong XX Forward Mystic Smash 9. D.S.Strong -> S.Forward XX Chaos Dimension activation, jump and Grab 10. J.Strong -> J.Forward, S.Jab -> S.Forward -> SJ.Jab -> SJ.Short -> SJ.Strong -> SJ.Forward, Forward Air Throw 11. Mystic Stare, Eyeballs Explode -> D.S.Forward -> SJ.Jab -> SJ.Short -> SJ.Strong -> SJ.Forward, Forward Air Throw 12. Mystic Stare, Eyeballs Explode -> Mystic Smash 13. Mystic Stare, Eyeballs Explode -> S.Roundhouse 14. Mystic Stare, Eyeballs Explode -> Team Super :) 15. (corner) DS.Strong -> S.Forward -> SJ.Jab -> SJ.Short -> SJ.Strong -> SJ.Forward -> SJ.U+Fierce (FS), SJ.Roundhouse 16. J.Strong -> J.Forward, S.Strong XX Team Super *ADVANCED COMBOS* 17. (corner) J.Strong -> J.Short, D.S.Jab -> S.Forward -> SJ.Short -> SJ.Strong -> SJ.Forward -> SJ.U+Fierce (FS), SJ.Strong -> SJ.DN.Forward 18. (corner) J.Strong -> J.Short, S.Jab -> S.Forward -> SJ.Jab, SJ.Short -> SJ.Strong -> SJ.Forward -> SJ.U+Fierce (FS), Forward Air Throw, SJ.Strong -> SJ.Roundhouse 19. (corner) J.Forward, S.Forward -> SJ.Short -> SJ.Strong -> SJ.Forward -> SJ.U+Fierce (FS), SJ.U+Fierce, C.Jab (OTG) -> C.Roundhouse Comments (#17,18 and 19): these are fairly straight-forward, except for the hit directly following the SJ.U+Fierce FS. Basically you just have to watch the flight path of the opponent and time it--it varies depending on the opponent's weight. COMBO OVERVIEW: *************** GROUND COMBOS: His Safe Ground Combo is all right, but doesn't do much damage. I recommend pecking with singular attacks instead so you can tick for a Throw. In this case, S.Short XX Devitalization is the best option, because the Throw will connect whether the Short is blocked or not. Altogether this is your best combo, without getting into Air Combos. AIR COMBOS: Leaving SJ.Jab out, Shuma's SJ.MS is fairly easy to perform however you should try and time the Jab for the extra hit; you have to hit U+Fierce to finish the combo, J.Fierce rarely connects. The S.Forward launches fairly high and straight up, so connecting with the Air Combo is not too difficult. When not going for a Throw or Chaos Dimension, an Air Combo is your best option for doing damage. NOTE: it's ALWAYS worth comboing the Forward Air Throw at the end, and with its range, it's not too difficult :). TACTICS: ******** Offensive: NOTE: SHUMA GORATH IS A GRAPPLER, PLAIN AND SIMPLE!! IF YOU DON'T LIKE THROWS, DON'T USE HIM (IMO YOU SHOULDN'T PLAY THE GAME THEN, ANYWAYS... :) The two things you have as Shuma offensively are the Mystic Stare, and your Throws. Throwing should be your goal in a fight, be it a regular Throw (for energy gain and Throw combos), the Devilitilization (for damage) or the Chaos Dimension. The Mystic Stare's recovery is exceptional from a distance; use it to pin the opponent back, then either dash or jump in. Always be ready to block in either case, and in the air, focus on attacking with J.Strong and J.Roundhouse--if you think an air counter is coming fast and you start holding back, it can double as a backward charge for a mid-air Mystic Smash (to counter if they try to throw LOWER-priority air counters). Up close, stress the S.Short when RIGHT up close, especially against those pecking with low attacks (eg. Spider-Man), and the S.Jab, both to tick for a possible Throw. The S.Strong is also a highly useful weapon from mid-range or a few steps--if it connects, chain into a S.Forward and Air Combo, or C.Forward and combo. Once you have a Chaos Dimension charged, IMO you should not activate it from a distance then go after them. It is much more effective if you stun the enemy with the activation up close, then grab them--therefore it is best used up close when you get there, unless you're on defense (see below). Defensive: The Mystic Smash is a quick, but dangerous counter to air attacks; if air blocked, you lose initiative, and if missed you can be hit; IMO you should not rely on the Mystic Smash here. The S.Forward provides good coverage and will also launch the opponent--his best air counter IMO is C.Roundhouse, which will not allow follow-ups because it is a Strike, however it is quite fast and damaging, so it's worth it. Other than that, you have Shuma's excellent invulnerable backward dash, and if done early will avoid jump-ins, and even downward projectiles if the enemy doesn't anticipate it. On the ground, the S.Strong, S.Fierce and S.Roundhouse all provide excellent defense against dashing opponents. In the event that you block a slower attack up close, counter with the Short or Forward Mystic Smash. If you anticipate a projectile fast enough, you can often dash under (provided the projectile is high enough), or you can try to time the appropriate Mystic Smash over it... Also remember that the Chaos Dimension activation can provide excellent coverage, and will often take priority over up-close attacks. In the air: J.Roundhouse is decent when jumping in, or in air-to-air combat, but the J.Forward and J.Fierce are best against others who are airborne. J.Strong is his best jump-in attack, and can hit OTG too. BEST JUMP-IN CHAIN: J.Strong -> J.Roundhouse or SJ.Forward seems the best bet now. Push-Away Options: If they tend to dash in a lot afterward, you can snag them with the Chaos Dimension activation, or a Team SC... with a bit of an early start the S.Roundhouse XX Mystic Stare will also push them back well. If they tend to jump the Roundhouse Mystic Smash may catch them, but this is risky if air blocked. Shuma Gorath In a Team: MY favourite team-mate for him is Omega Red; Shuma's Mystic Smash Assist can be comboed into a QUICK Short Omega Strike, and, if done AS SOON AS HUMANLY POSSIBLE, the Omega Destroyer as well. If on the off chance Omega Red's S.Fierce Assist connects, it will aloow Shuma an easy hit with anything, IMO best with a Devitilization or D.S.Forward and Air Combo. The Team SC is TOTALLY devastating as well. Plus they're the two coolest characters in the game, along with Gief... need I say more? SHUMA GORATH'S ENDING: ********************** Shuma "spawns" many larger Shumas and proceeds to devour the Earth... :) ############################################################################# BLACKHEART: ----------- "So much courage in the face of evil, yet so little skill." --Blackheart, MSH Blackheart is the son of Mephisto, lord of darkness. He aspires to become more evil than his father and overthrow him as the ruler of the underworld. But first, he must better win his affections by offering the souls of the other fighters to Mephisto... CHARACTER OVERVIEW: ******************* Like Shuma Gorath, Blackheart now takes a shitload of damage, and his Special Moves have even more delay. But that's ok... he's still an expert's character, and must rely on his regular attacks and SCs to win. No big combos here, nor pecking offense or big Throws, he must be played carefully and MUST play on the opponent's mistakes. MOVES LIST: *********** -Dark Thunder: HCT+any Punch -Inferno: HCB+any Punch -Ice Inferno: HCB+Strong -> Strong -Fire Inferno: HCB+Fierce -> Fierce -Soul Absorb: F or B+Fierce (close) -Energy Surge: F or B+Strong (close) -Air Energy Surge: F or B+Strong or Fierce in mid-air (close) -Forward Dash; Forward Ground Warp: F, F or all three punches -Air Dash: F, F in mid-air -Team Counter: Jab Dark Thunder -Team Assist: Jab Dark Thunder -Team Super: Armageddon -Super Combo 1; Armageddon: QCT+any two punches -Super Combo 2; Heart of Darkness: QCT+any two kicks -Super Combo 3; Judgement Day: QCB+any two punches (can be done in mid-air) REGULAR MOVES ANALYSIS: *********************** -S.Jab is a good up-close attack for pecking/ticking, and you can chain two or three together for a simple combo. -S.Strong is Blackheart's Regular, and only, Launcher. By itself it's a decent air counter, but it has a short delay before it hits--it is powerful, but it is best used chained out of S.Forward. C.Strong is a half-decent attack, with good range and decent priority--useful against slower high attacks and up-close projectiles. -S.Fierce has Blackheart release small pink demons from his chest. From a distance they can counter slower missed attacks, or to hit opponents just as they land. If they connect, Blackheart's attacks to more damage for a brief period. C.Fierce is the same, only lower. All Fierce attacks can cancel Fireballs! -S.Roundhouse has him kick forward slightly and release different demons; this is slightly faster and the demons are guarenteed if the kick hits--the kick has minimal range, and is not too quick. It may be used to surprise slower dashing opponents, and can work somewhat well at hitting low jumping, deep opponents. Depending on how many demons connect here, they will hold the opponent for a certain amount of time--unless all 6 demons connect, it is increasingly easier to shake out of this. Recovery isn't bad if blocked, but if missed you can be countered. All Roundhouse attacks can cancel Fireballs! -S.Forward is Blackheart's best attack, and is IMO imperative to playing a good Blackheart. This has excellent priority up close (against low attacks, use C.Forward instead), and in addition, also does decent damage and has great recovery. The S.Forward is also serves as Blackheart's best air counter--the most important feature of the S.Forward is that, following his MS, you can chain into S.Strong to launch the enemy. This allows Blackheart to deliver a powerful combo off of an air counter, OR a pecking attack. -J.Fierce and J.Roundhouse are airborne versions of the S.Fierce/S.Roundhouse; again, there is a delay before the demons are released, and Blackheart's recovery isn't too good. They can be useful if you anticipate the opponent throwing a late air counter, or after his excellent air dash to surprise them. They can also be used against airborne opponents as they come at you; jump backward and release them--the worst that can happen is they get blocked. :) -J.Forward and J.Strong are both excellent jump-in and air-to-air attacks. EXCELLENT range off of the S.Strong, DAMN high priority on both too. Two VERY important attacks for Blackheart. SPECIAL MOVES ANALYSIS: *********************** -Dark Thunder- (Blackheart exclaims "Dark Thunder!" and brings his hands up to shoot lightning across the screen in one of three directions) Still essentially the same as MSH, the Strong and Fierce been good against jumping opponents FROM a distance, so at best they will have to air block. The Jab version is easy to avoid and all have slow recovery, so not to be used often in any case. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- -Inferno- (Blackheart brings his hands up and sends a sphere towards the ground; when it connects, a huge geyser blasts up from the ground) Good for keeping opponents pinned and forcing them to jump, and either air block or take a counter of some sort. If it connects follow with another Inferno of your choice or Heart of Darkness. For the most part this is still slow coming out and in recovery, so it should only be used in obvious places, or when the opponent must get hit or block it (eg. after S.Roundhouse connects). BIG damage. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- -Soul Absorb- (Blackheart grabs the opponent in one hand, and calls forth small ghosts/souls to enter their body; he then tosses them away) Up close this is a good option, mixed in with Jabs and Shorts. Decent damage, again no more OTGs afterward. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- -Energy Surge- (Blackheart grabs the opponent and shocks them with energy, then throws them away) Pretty much the same as the Soul Absorb... ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- -Air Energy Surge- (Blackheart grabs the opponent in mid-air and shocks them with energy, then throws them away) Basically the same as the standing version, use whenever you meet the enemy up close in the air, especially during an Air Dash. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- -Forward Dash; Forward Ground Warp- (Blackheart "seeps" into the ground and re-appears a few steps forward) FORGET about dashing combos or getting in fast, because this is THE slowest dash in the game! However, the main thing about it is that he is TOTALLY invulnerable during the dash, so use it to avoid slow-moving attacks and come up with a appropriate counter. Mix in with the backward dash and air dash to confuse the enemy. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- -Air Dash- (Blackheart floats forward quickly) MUCH faster than his ground dash, this is important to his offense. Fly over to the opponent and attack with Strongs and Forwards, and mix it up with the ground dashes; also be ready to throw out a Fierce during the Air Dash if the enemy leaves and opening. The Air Dash can also get you over a lot of ground- based attacks, especially many SCs. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- -Team Counter: Jab Dark Thunder- Not too useful, it isn't really quick and has bad recovery. This also won't work with multi-hit attacks/SCs (eg. Wolverine's BB or BBX), as it will attempt to counter the first hit, then get caught with the rest. Use rarely. -Team Assist: Jab Dark Thunder This is the ground version, so try and make sure the enemy isn't in the air. :) This lasts quite long on screen as well, giving your partner time to combo usually, with good timing. -Team Super: Armageddon Not the best Team Super in the game, if he's starting, because of the way the enemy flies back (unless you're in the corner). Best used with upward/blanketing SCs (Omega Red, Chun Li, Sakura, Mephisto). However if coming in, it will team well with just about any SC if within range. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- -Super Combo 1; Armageddon- (Blackheart holds his hands to the sky and glowing red rocks rain down on the whole screen) Damage is great and it's a little faster than in MSH. One advantage is that Blackheart recovers before the opponent does, whether they block or not (i.e. there is still rocks falling when Blackheart is free to move), so if they do block you can defend against their possible counter. This is IMO best used only on airborne foes, and it can be used in a few combos, but you've gotta be up close first. It is best used either on airborne opponents or after the enemy misses any slow recovering move. It is a safe SC, and the opponent can only counter it right up close. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- -Super Combo 2; Heart Of Darkness- (Blackheart brings his hands up and sends a sphere towards the ground; when it connects, a huge geyser of energy shoots up from the ground under the opponent, followed by MANY little winged demons; Blackheart crosses his arms and begins to float upwards beside the geyser as the demons proceed to naw away at his opponent; he then finishes by landing and bringing up a huge Inferno) MANY hits from this, and you can get 30+ combos with this for great damage. You should basically treat this as a one of his Infernos, as it has about the same speed, and will track the enemy to a certain extent. GREAT damage. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- -Super Combo 3; Judgement Day- (Blackheart releases many little demons across the screen in a wave) Somewhat similar to Magneto's Magnetic Tempest SC, it's semi-useful for chipping block damage, or defending against jumping or slower-dashing opponents. This comes out fast and has good recovery as well, it can sometimes catch opponents who are in the air with you. Should be your primary "reactionary" SC, i.e. when you see the opponent flinch or start a move, pull this off. COMBOS: ******* -Safe Air Magic Series: Jab -> Short -> Strong -> Forward (note: his Fierce and Roundhouse cannot be used in Air Combos; his Forward is the finisher, as it does the FS) -Safe Ground Combo: none -Ground Magic Series: Kick to Punch -Jumping Magic Series: Kick to Punch -Super Jumping Magic Series: Zig-Zag -Launchers: S.Strong -Air Launchers: none -Straight Launchers: none -Small Launchers: none *BASIC COMBOS* 1. J.Forward, C.Short -> C.Strong 2. S.Roundhouse/C.Roundhouse, Inferno 3. S.Strong XX Armageddon 4. Inferno (close), C.Forward (OTG) 5. Inferno, Heart Of Darkness *INTERMEDIATE COMBOS* 6. Inferno (close), S.Strong -> SJ.Jab -> SJ.Short -> SJ.Strong -> SJ.Forward (FS) 7. J.Strong -> J.Forward, C.Forward -> S.Strong -> SJ.Jab -> SJ.Short -> SJ.Forward (FS) 8. S.Forward -> S.Strong -> SJ.Jab -> SJ.Short -> SJ.Strong -> SJ.Forward (FS) 9. S.Roundhouse/C.Roundhouse, Strong Dark Thunder 10. S.Roundhouse (close), S.Forward -> S.Strong -> SJ.Jab -> SJ.Short -> SJ.Strong -> SJ.Forward (FS) 11. any Inferno (close), S.Strong XX Armaggedon 12. (corner) Inferno, S.Strong XX Armaggedon, S.Strong -> SJ.Jab -> SJ.Short -> SJ.Strong -> SJ.Forward (FS) 13. (corner) Armaggedon, C.Fierce 14. Inferno (close), C.Short (OTG) -> S.Strong -> SJ.Jab -> SJ.Short -> SJ.Strong -> SJ.Forward (FS) NOTE: I STILL HAVE A FAIRLY LIMITED KNOWLEDGE OF BLACKHEART. ADDITIONS ARE DEFINETELY WELCOMED! :) COMBO OVERVIEW: *************** GROUND COMBOS: Pretty much non-existent. If you manage to hit the enemy up close, most likely with a Standing or C.Forward, you should chain into a S.Strong for an Air Combo. He has a limited Kick-Punch Ground MS, and no Special Moves fast enough to finish a Ground Combo. The only type of "Ground" combo he possesses would be off of his Roundhouse Demons. AIR COMBOS: His SJ.Forward is the finisher, but the full Jab -> Short -> Strong -> Forward 4-hit does decent damage. When up close, the S.Forward -> S.Strong is the only real combo option Blackheart has, so use it. And of course, the S.Forward as an air counter can be chained into the S.Strong for the same combo... TACTICS: ******** Offensive: Although I still don't play him that much, I have more respect for Blackheart as an expert character now. Playing keep-away and defensive works, but you can also go offensive if you do it carefully. Keep defensive opponents pinned with Infernos, and utilise his Air Dash to get in close; when the enemy blocks as you come in, peck safely with J.Forward and J.Strong, then land. From this close range make use of your S.Jab/S.Short in hopes of a Throw, and S.Forward to possibly open up for a combo. Not much more to say here, you should make a healthy mix of offense and defense with Blackheart. Defensive: S.Forward is really all you need as an air counter, or a counter to higher moves. Dashing opponents can be deterred with C.Forward; chain into S.Strong and combo. Also note that, with all the Dark Thunders, Blackheart's hands will hit as well, giving it a wider radius about his body... The Fierce and Roundhouse attacks are good against opponents who stay about mid-range. Use the Armaggedon when the enemy jumps if you have it, and mix up the Infernos from a distance along with your forward and backward dashes to confuse them. The Judgement Day is also an excellent defensive move on jumping or dashing opponents. And here's a neat setup; you can cancel the Fierce or Roundhouse attacks at any time with the Infernos, so you can condition your opponent into jumping when you throw the Roundhouse, for example, and quickly cancel into the Inferno, forcing them to AT LEAST air block it, leaving you safe anyway. Any additions? In the air: J.Forward and J.Strong are your best all-around attacks, and pretty much all you have. J.Short can be useful on blocking opponents for a possible tick, or to pester persistant crouchers. J.Jab has great priority as well... BEST JUMP-IN CHAIN: J.Forward -> J.Strong is really your only option, and works quite well. Push-Away Options: S.Roundhouse will work; it will either be blocked or possibly catch the enemy who dashes in; it will also neutralize most projectiles. In general the Judgement Day will also catch dashing or jumping opponents, or at least cheap major block damage. Blackheart In a Team: works well with his pappy Mephisto, and can also be Balanced well with one of the more truly powerful characters (eg. Spidey, Wolvie). I find Shadow Charlie works well with him too, because the SB Assist can be combined with any of his SCs quickly, and if close can also set up for a S.Forward -> S.Strong -> Air Combo. BLACKHEART'S ENDING: ******************** Basically, he's standing over some of the other characters and offers them to a raging inferno, presumably the nether-world of Mephisto. Pretty cool. ############################################################################# CYCLOPS: -------- "Dreams don't die!" Scott Summers parents were killed in a plane crash at an early age, and he became an orphan. His mutant power surfaced in his early teens in the orphanage, and he was shunned by his fellow orphans. Professor X found Scott and took him under his wing, eventually to become the first X-Man, and the field leader of the soon-to-be X-Men. CHARACTER OVERVIEW: ******************* Well, he's been toned down, but still remains an overpowered character. He's a bit slower, but still retains his high-priority regular attacks and massive SCs. When it comes down to it, the scrubs can still use him in all his Scrubness, and he's still deadly in the hands of a master. MOVES LIST: *********** -Optic Blast: QCT+any punch (can be done in mid-air) -Gene Splice: F, D, D/F+any punch (tap punch repeatedly) -Optic Sweep: F, D/F, D+any punch -Cyclone Kick: QCB+any kick -Bulldog: F, F+Fierce+Roundhouse -Dashing Pummel: F, F+Jab+Short, any punch repeatedly -Double Jump: U during any jump -Overhead Slam: F or B+Fierce (close) -Optic Drill: F or B+Strong (close; can be directed) -Downward Optic Drill: F or B+Strong or Fierce (close in mid-air) -Forward Dash; Run: F,F or all three punches -Team Counter: Optic Blast -Team Assist: Gene Splice -Team Super: Mega Optic Blast -Super Combo 1; Optic Array: QCB+any two punches (can be done in mid-air) -Super Combo 2; Mega Optic Blast: QCT+any two punches (tap punches) REGULAR MOVES ANALYSIS: *********************** -Both standing and crouching Jab give high and low jabs respectively. No big deal, other than in combos. S.Jab is okay as a tick. J.Jab is also no big deal, except in Air Combos. All Jabs are fast and cannot be easily countered if blocked. -S.Strong is Cyclops' best launcher, a double-fisted uppercut. Quite fast coming out with high-priority--definitely a good up-close move. C.Strong is an upward elbow, which in X-Men:CotA was a launcher, but no longer. Pretty much useless. The regular J.Strong is an uppercut, great for enemies above you but practically useless as a jump-in. -Both standing and crouching Fierce give an Optic Burst, or "bullet" as it is sometimes called. This IS a projectile, but it CAN be cancelled with a Special despite the fact. Meaning, if you hit them with the Burst and cancel it with with a Jab Optic Blast, you'll get 3 hits. Fairly fast, though definitely not the speed of his Optic Blasts. Good in mid-range combat, similar to a Sonic Boom as it lets Cyclops move around after it is released--good tick from a distance. J.D+Fierce is an overhead hammer, and a great jump-in which leaves you right beside the enemy for a combo. Little range, however. -S.Short is a quick standing kick and C.Short gives a quick low kick. Both fairly decent as ticks and great in combos. These have slightly more range than the Jabs, so are your better choice from a few steps, and use the Jabs right up close. J.Short is no big deal except in Air Combos. -S.Forward is a high kick, and C.Forward is an upward kick, Cyclops' second launcher. The standing version is best up close or at mid-range, it is an excellent poking attack with great priority. Chain into C.Roundhouse and OTG if it connects. J.Forward is a straight outward kick, decent in air-to-air combat. -S.Roundhouse is a big high kick, and crouching is a low swing kick which is Cyclops' only knockdown. The S.Roundhouse is decent as a deep air counter and great in combos, but it can be ducked by most, so be wary. The C.Roundhouse is fairly fast and can be cancelled with various OTG attacks (see combos), but can be taken out by most high-priority moves--use with caution. J.Roundhouse is a flip kick, great in air-to-air combat, and D+Roundhouse will give you the Drop Kick, his best single jump-in with HIGH priority. SPECIAL MOVE ANALYSIS: ********************** -Optic Blast- (Cyclops exclaims "Optic Blast!", releasing a red beam from his eyes) Still lightning fast with a little more recovery. Good from a distance for pushing them back then following in; the Strong and Fierce versions are good against airborne opponents and the Jab version is the best in combos. If blocked up close, you cvan be countered, but still pretty good recovery. The air version is best in Air Combos, but can be used as decent keep-away with jumping enemies. If you jump to their level and throw this at them from afar, you have a better chance of hitting them than you do with the Upward Optic Blast. In addition, this move is great for evasion purposes, because Cyclops hovers when he fires the Blast--so, if you're about to land on a big move or SC, Double Jump and pull off this move to stay above them. Just make sure not to do it against some SCs, like Omega Red's Omega Destroyer, or you won't exactly avoid them. :) ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- -Gene Splice- (Cyclops lunges forward, then upward exclaiming "Gene Splice!" with a multi-hit uppercut, finishing with an upward Optic Blast) The Strength of the punch determines horizontal range, the height he rises, amount of damage, speed coming out, speed of recovery, and how many hits. The Jab Gene Splice goes forward only about a step, and upward only a short distance--it also does less damage than the other two punches, and only hits 2-3 times. However, it comes out the fastest and recovers the fastest, so it is the safest of the Gene Splices to use; if it is blocked or air blocked, Cyclops usually recovers fast enough to block a counter. So, use this as your air counter. The Strong version has only one good thing about it--it will connect well after a launcher, whereas the Fierce will hit once then travel under the falling opponent. The Fierce version does the most damage and hits, goes the highest and farthest. You are also spam if this misses or is blocked (the Fierce version), so stick with it in combos. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- -Optic Sweep- (Cyclops gets on his hands and knees, exclaims "Optic Sweep!" and fires a red beam at the ground, which reflects outward) It's good for going under projectiles from a far distance, and the thing to note about it is that he crouches EXTRA low, even lower than the Jab Optic Blast, so it will avoid some of the "mid-level" projectiles. Make sure the enemy isn't in the air when you do it, too, and otherwise it works nicely and stylishly in OTG combos. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- -Cyclone Kick- (Cyclops exclaims "Cyclone Kick!" and performs a hopping front kick followed by a low swing kick) An instant two-hit, comes out quite fast and pushes the enemy back fairly well if blocked, preventing most counters. This is awesome in combos (especially OTG), and even if the first hit misses, the second comes out fast enough to count in the combo! This is also great for taking priority over low attacks, but not many standing attacks or FBs. Excellent up close. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- -Bulldog- (Cyclops dashes and wraps his arm around the enemy' neck, then jumps forward, smashing them into the ground) Now has even more delay starting up than before. This is a dashing Throw; if this misses, Scott sticks his shoulder out and slows down to a stop; he is quite vulnerable during the whole thing, so you must be careful where to use this; usually only works in obvious cases (eg. missed DP)--just dash in and Throw. Or, use it after you've blocked a Super Combo from fairly close. NOTE: you can no longer OTG after this Throw, but its damage makes up for it :). ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- -Dashing Pummel- (Cyclops dashes forward with two jabs into an auto-combo) Repeatedly tapping the punches will create up to a 6-hit auto-combo finishing with his S.Fierce. The combos possible after this have changed again; the Gene Splice will work after 3 or so hits however. Increased damagfe on this, altogether this is just a novelty move for some interesting combos. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- -Overhead Slam- (Cyclops grabs the opponent, lifts them over his head and slams them into the ground) Doesn't bounce them as high as it used to, but still does good damage. Again, no comboing afterwards, and that included the Mega Optic Blast juggle :). ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- -Optic Drill- (Cyclops grabs the opponent and drills them away with a thick optic beam in a desired direction) Also good damage, and you can direct it in any direction (except down). ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- -Downward Optic Drill: F or B+Strong or Fierce (close) (AIR) (Cyclops drills the opponent into the ground from the air) Again, decent damage, drops the opponent straight downward, keeping them close when you land. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- -Forward Dash; Run- (Speaks for itself :) Just as I say, a dead run with good speed and range, no lag. Excellent in all cases. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- -Team Counter: Optic Blast- Obviously a fast counter to just about anything. Especially useful against blocked projectiles. -Team Assist: Gene Splice- A _great_ Team Assist. This comes out fast and can counter jump-in attacks as well as up close standing attacks IF you're close enough. The best part is, it sets up any vertical or blanketing SC perfectly! (eg. Blackheart's Armaggedon, Omega Red's Omega Destroyer, Ken's Shinryuken, Chun's Rising Heaven Kick... you get the idea.) -Team Super: Mega Optic Blast Combos easily with any horizontal SC. Nothing much to note here, except that it is totaly devastating :). ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- -Super Combo 1; Optic Array- (Cyclops fires a thick beam of optic energy in a desired direction) Doesn't do nearly as much damage as his Mega Optic Blast, however this is guidable, and is useful in air-to-air combat. Its recovery is also better, and it will take out all non-SC projectiles. It is also useful when jumping in and the enemy is expecting a jump-in attack, or if you jump over a projectile and the jump won't bring you close enough for a jump-in--in both cases, simply do the Optic Array and aim it D/F! ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- -Super Combo 2; Mega Optic Blast- (Cyclops rears back, then exclaims "BEHOLD! Optic Blast!" and fires a HUGE beam of optic energy forward) This takes out pretty much anything, though it now has a slight start delay. Totally devastating damage, and REALLY hurts in a Team Super. This is great for punishing any projectile from pretty much anywhere, or for that matter anything missed from a fair distance. Even if the opponent jumps, there's a good chance they'll have to at least air block it on their way down because the beam is so thick. Note that this doesn't apply if they Super Jump, 'cause they can cross you up fairly easily in this case. Basically, just make sure that if you are going to do this when they're airborne, that you start it early in their jump. Also beware of characters that can fly or air dash behind you when they jump it. STILL COMBOS OFF OF THE C.ROUNDHOUSE! (must be done VERY fast now though, 'cause of the slight delay.) The ultimate scrub-favourite. COMBOS: ******* -Safe Air Magic Series: Jab -> Short -> Strong -> Forward -> Fierce or Roundhouse (FS) -Safe Ground Combo: D.S.Short -> S.Forward -> S.Roundhouse XX Cyclone Kick If the enemy blocks... D.S.Short -> S.Forward -> S.Roundhouse XX Cyclone Kick -Ground Magic Series: Zig-Zag -Jumping Magic Series: Weaker -> Stronger -Super Jumping Magic Series: Zig-Zag -Launchers: S.Strong, C.Forward -Air Launchers: none -Straight Launchers: none -Small Launchers: none *BASIC COMBOS* 1. J.D+Roundhouse, C.Jab -> C.Strong -> C.Roundhouse 2. D.S.Short -> S.Forward -> S.Roundhouse XX Jab Optic Blast 3. D.S.Jab -> S.Strong -> -> SJ.Jab -> SJ.Short -> SJ.Strong -> SJ.Forward -> SJ.Fierce (FS) -> SJ.Roundhouse 4. C.Fierce XX Jab Optic Blast 5. D.S.Jab -> C.Strong -> C.Roundhouse XX Optic Sweep (OTG) *INTERMEDIATE COMBOS* 6. J.Short -> J.D+Roundhouse, D.S.Jab -> C.Roundhouse XX Roundhouse Cyclone Kick (OTG) 7. (corner) D.S.Short -> S.Roundhouse -> S.Roundhouse XX Fierce Gene Splice 8. D.C.Short -> S.Forward XX Dashing Pummel (3 hits) XX Fierce Gene Splice 9. J.D+Fierce, D.S.Short -> S.Forward -> C.Roundhouse XX Fierce Ground Reflect Blast (OTG) 10. D.S.Short -> S.Strong -> SJ.Jab -> SJ.Short -> SJ.Strong -> SJ.Forward -> SJ.Fierce (FS) 11. J.D+Short -> J.D+Roundhouse, D.S.Short -> S.Forward -> C.Roundhouse XX Cyclone Kick (OTG) 12. J.D+Short -> J.D+Roundhouse, D.C.Short -> C.Forward XX Strong Gene Splice 13. J.D+Short -> J.Forward -> J.D+Roundhouse, D.S.Jab -> C.Short -> C.Strong XX Roundhouse Cyclone Kick 14. D.S.Jab -> S.Jab -> C.Forward XX Fierce Gene Splice 15. D.C.Short -> C.Strong -> C.Roundhouse XX Mega Optic Blast (OTG) 16. D.S.Jab -> S.Jab, S.Short -> S.Forward -> S.Roundhouse -> S.Roundhouse XX Jab Optic Blast 17. D.S.Jab -> S.Jab -> S.Roundhouse -> S.Roundhouse XX Roundhouse Cyclone Kick 18. J.Short -> J.Roundhouse, D.S.Jab -> S.Jab -> S.Strong -> SJ.Jab -> SJ.Short -> SJ.Strong -> SJ.Forward -> SJ.Fierce (FS), SJ.D+Roundhouse COMBO OVERVIEW: *************** GROUND COMBOS: Cyke has a variety of finishers for his ground combos, being the Optic Blast, Optic Sweep, Gene Splice AND Cyclone Kick. IMO his Safe Ground Combo is one of his best, does good damage and is, of course, safe :). The Gene Splice works well but you can't put too many hits in front of it, as it's range is limited. And of course, the Mega Optic Blast will not combo off of the S.Roundhouse anymore (at least not truly combo, AFAIK), but it will STILL OTG after the C.Roundhouse... Altogether his Ground Combos are just as useful as his Air Combos. AIR COMBOS: Good way for Cyke to combo, no problems either. The S.Strong launches quite well, straight up and quick, and his full SJ.MS is quick and easy to time. NOTE: you can still tack on a SJ.D+Roundhouse after the Fierce Air combo Finisher. TACTICS: ******** Offensive: When going offensive and actually having some fun with Cyclops, you should be looking to poke with Short Kicks and S.Forward, mixing in the Cyclone Kick to snuff low attacks, and always be ready to whip off an Optic Blast in case of a sudden forward burst of offense, or a projectile, from the opponent. As well, always be ready to pull off a Mega Optic Blast the second you see the opponent flinch for a relatively slow move. Defensive: The Gene Splice and the S.Roundhouse are both good air counters; and of course, the Optic Blast, Strong or Jab, can snuff a LOT of attacks, or at least pin them back. The Mega Optic Blast will also catch the opponent in the middle of many of their moves. Cyke's J.Roundhouse is also an excellent way to counter jumpers or persistant airborne enemies, it has a lot of coverage. In the air: Jumping in is not as effective as Cyke's dash, but it works. Use the J.D+Roundhouse for a jump-in, and if the enemy likes to jump up there with you, use the J.Strong and J.Roundhouse, as well as the Air Optic Blast against them. BEST JUMP-IN CHAIN: J.Short -> J.Forward -> J.Roundhouse; omit J.Forward on small characters. Push-Away Options: follow with the Jab Optic Blast as it may catch them in the middle of a move; the Mega Optic Blast also works here of course ;). Cyclops In a Team: His Gene Splice Assist sets up well for any rising attack, Especially SCs. I find Ken a good match-up for him, allowing a simple Gene Splice to set up for a dash-in Shinryuken :). CYKE'S ENDING: ************** Cyclops and Ryu shake hands again and praise each other. Suddenly Ryu says "Watch out!" as a giant Cyber Akuma attacks. Cuts to a shot of them fighting it... ############################################################################# OMEGA RED: ---------- "I live to destroy the Weapon X." NOTE: most of this section was cut and pasted from my Omega Red FAQ :). Why? Not 'cause I'm lazy, 'cause I'm effecient :). An attempt to create a super-soldier for the former Soviet Union, the psychotic Omega Red is a deadly opponent. His Carbonadium tentacles are indestructible, and he secretes a "death pheromone" that causes the body's organs to fail (only Wolverine's healing factor can overcome this aura). Side note: if he emits this aura, then why the hell don't his human opponents just keel over and die? :) Hmmm.... actually, that kinda follows the same line as "why couldn't Magneto just crush Iron Man like a tin can?" (Answer: 'cause Iron Man rocks, period. :) CHARACTER OVERVIEW: ******************* Heh heh, I'm glad they finally brought him back. :) He's got a few changes, mainly the lag on his moves now, but he still remains one of the most powerful characters in the game. If you're looking for huge multi-hit combos go play Wolverine; if you're looking for a quick, poking/hit-and-run game, play Chun Li or Spider-Man. What you WILL get with Omega Red is great damage, simple to-the-point combos that can have some degreee of flashiness to them, effective Super Combos and his greatest weapon, the Carbonadium Coil! :) If you have patience and timing you will do quite well with this big commie. Also, for those like myself who hate Wolverine scrubs, Omega Red's sole purpose in this game is to "Destroy the Weapon X!" :) (Hmmm... I guess I like the attitude most because it's like the almighty Sagat's attitude towards Ryu... :) MOVES LIST: *********** -Carbonadium Coil: QCT+any Punch -Air Carbonadium Coil: QCT+any button (in mid-air) -Death Factor: any Punch repeatedly after Coil -Energy Drain: any Kick repeatedly after Coil -Coil Slam: any direction+Punch after Coil/Death Factor/Energy Drain -Double Coil Slam: any direction+Punch (after Coil -> Coil Slam combo only) -Omega Strike: QCT+any Kick -Power Bomb: F or B+Fierce (close) -Coil Toss: F or B+Strong (close) -Air Drop: F or B+Strong or Fierce (close) -Forward Dash; Run: F,F or all three punches -Air Dash: F,F (in mid-air) -Team Assist: S.Fierce -Team Counter: Short Omega Strike -Team Super: Omega Destroyer -Super Combo 1; Omega Destroyer: QCT+any two Punches -Super Combo 2; Carbonadium Smasher: QCT+any two Punches (in mid-air) REGULAR MOVES ANALYSIS: *********************** -For Jab, when standing or crouching Omega Red throws a quick chop. Because of the length of his arms these actually have good range (as far as Jabs go). These will start Omega Red's ground combos and are generally crucial in his offensive ground game. NOTE: C.Jab will hit OTG in most cases. The J.Jab is a quick coil attack with good priority, but weak. -S.Short has decent range and both will hit the enemy OTG. Not crucial in your gameplan AFAIK. -S.Strong is an uppercut, Omega Red's Launcher. For an uppercut it has good range, and combos extremely well with the S.Jab. Also a DECENT air counter. C.Strong is an upward tentacle, which is a great air counter IF the opponent jumps fairly deep. J.Strong is an airborne uppercut, useful for close opponents, especially if they're overhead. -S.Forward is a straight high kick, great range and may work as an air counter against VERY deep opponents; it has good poking ability, but fails in respect to snuffing low attacks. C.Forward is a low sweep which looks like it should knock down, but doesn't. Still, a good low attack that comes out fairly quick. J.Forward is a quick jumping kick, decent to start jump-in combos. -The S.Fierce is a decent attack; Omega Red lashes out with his coil like a whip. This has great range and does good damage, however it's not the fastest attack. A decent attack to counter missed moves from mid-range, but of course a Carbonadium Coil would be better, among other things. NOTE: S.Fierce will hit the opponent OTG, but I don't recommend doing it unless you're sure it'll connect, because if the enemy Rolls they can hit you. C.Fierce is his cool multi-hit spinning Coil attack (3 hits). This is not too useful; it has good range and decent priority on deep jumping opponents, but like his J.Fierce it now has a slight lag coming out, so some faster moves can snuff it. The J.Fierce is his Coil fury, a 6-hit attack that now has a slight lag coming out. Once the coils ARE out, they cover him quite nicely, making a decent air-to-air and jump-in attack. Can finish an Air Combo, but has to be timed properly, and either way there are better options. -S.Roundhouse is a high kick with good range, although kinda slow. Not too useful overall. C.Roundhouse is Omega's infamous ground tentacle, with three ranges. D/B+roundhouse will cause the tentacles to poke out of the ground just in front of Omega Red's feet. D+Roundhouse has them appear about mid-range, and D/F+Roundhouse makes them poke up almost full screen away. The close version is useful in some combos, the mid-range version can be used to snuff slower attacks, and the long-range version can help with defensive poking, or snuffing some slower projectiles. J.Roundhouse is a jumping straight kick, decent in air-to-air and jumping in. SPECIAL MOVE ANALYSIS: ********************** -Carbonadium Coil- (Omega Red releases a tentacle in one of three directions to grab the opponent) Jab throws the Coil straight forward, Strong at a 45 degree angle, and Fierce goes directly upward. You can recall the Coil and shorten the recovery time drastically by tapping Punch again. NOTE: THE RECOVERY ON A MISSED COIL, AIR OR GROUND, WHEN MISSED IS NOW MUCH LONGER! The Jab is the most useful; whenever the opponent leaves himself open, you should be attempting this move to grab them, or dash in for a combo. The Strong version is somewhat useful as an air counter, but the timing has to be exact to hit the enemy in the right position in the air. The Fierce Coil appears to be pretty much useless, except to catch jumping opponents unawares when they are above you. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- -Air Carbonadium Coil- (Omega Red releases a tentacle in one of five directions to grab the opponent) In mid-air, the Punch buttons perform the same Coils as on the ground (straight, 45 degrees and straight up), and the kicks perform others. Short throws it the same as Jab, straight across. Forward sends it 45 degrees downward, and Roundhouse throws the coil straight down. You can recall the Coil and shorten the recovery time drastically by tapping Punch again. The The Jab/Short Coil is useful in some Air Combos, or to nail missed attacks from a distance in the air. The Forward one is probably his most useful, after you have jumped a projectile or any other slow-recovering ground-based move; it is also used in Air Combos. See tactics for more info. The Roundhouse Coil isn't really useful unless you're directly over the opponent; useful for mixing it up offensively with a cross-up. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- -Death Factor- (Omega Red sucks the lifeforce of the opponent through his Coil and into himself) This is probably the most important move in Omega's arsenal, since Shuma Gorath is the only other character with the ability to suck life from the enemy. Since this can also be followed with a single Coil Slam, it becomes highly damaging, and also rewarding to you. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- -Energy Drain- (Omega Red sucks the Super Energy of the opponent through his Coil and into himself) Still fairly useful, but Super levels are gained much faster in MvSF than they were in XvSF. Use it if you want, but all in all the Death Factor is more worth it. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- -Coil Slam- (Omega whips the opponent in a desired direction with a coil and slams them into the ground) This can be performed after the Carbonadium Coil, or after the Death Factor or Energy Drain. Definitely try to tack this on after the two latter, it will add all the more damage. -Double Coil Slam- (Omega whips the opponent in a desired direction with a coil and slams them into the ground, then reverses direction and slams them again) This will not work after the Death Factor/Energy Drain, but it does great damage for sure. Use this if you are ahead and don't think you need Health (eg. beginning of the match). ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- -Omega Strike- (Omega Red plants his coils in the ground and propels himself out feet first) Short throws him straight forward, Forward goes at a 45 degree angle and Roundhouse shoots him straight up. You can recall the Omega Strike to his original position and drastically lower the recovery time by hitting B+any Kick. You can also cause him to drop wherever he is currently overhead by hitting D+any Punch. This is sometimes underused by Omega scrubs, but with the recall ability, it becomes a deadly weapon. Why? Because it comes out relatively fast, and with the recall there is almost no recovery; therefore, it makes a great poking attack. You'd be surprised what you can snuff with the Short Omega Strike if you're fast enough... In addition to this, the Omega Strike is also useful in some combos, as a counter to missed attacks (although a Coil is definitely wiser in most cases), and as a defensive move to escape Super Jumpers. NOTE: the D+any Punch drop is also useful when used with the Forward Omega Strike; you can actually hit the enemy up into the air with the Strike, then perform the drop and hit the enemy with an Air Combo as you recover--so essentially the Forward Omega Strike becomes a Launcher. :) BTW, this will also work with the Roundhouse Strike, though I find not as consistantly. See tactics for more info. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- -Power Bomb- (Omega Red picks the opponent up, turns them upside down over his head, and drives their head into the ground) A useful all-around Throw, definitely a good way to do damage; in the corner, this can be followed with an D.Strong and Air Combo, so USE it! Omega Red also has one of the best Throw ranges in the game, so bear this in mind. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- -Coil Toss- (Omega Red picks up the opponent and throws them over his head with his coils) Not as useful as the Power Bomb, though it will do well to put some distance between you and your opponent. Not sure about combos with this, more later. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- -Air Drop- (Omega Red performs an airborne version of his Power Bomb) IMO not as useful as other Air Throws, for the simple fact that Red can use the Coil to finish his Air Combos :). Not sure about combos after this, maybe in the corner... more later... ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- -Forward Dash; Run- (speaks for itself :) A good dash, a little slow during the actual running, but has little delay time. Use easily for some offense (though this is not his best tactic) and after jump-ins for more hits in a combo. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- -Air Dash- (Omega Red perofrms a short shoulder charge forward) IMO imperitive to good Omega Red play :). This Air Dash is very versitile in that it can be interrupted at any time, which means you can air block, and it has great range and speed. It can be useful for faking out the opponent, or countering projectiles from the air. See Tactics for much more info. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- -Team Assist: S.Fierce- Obviously as far as regular attacks go, this has good range. Decent against close opponents, or from one or two steps away. Difficult to connect with generally, but it will set up a combo fairly easily. -Team Counter: Short Omega Strike- GREAT speed on this counter, useful against pretty much any horizontal attack. Just don't try it on jumping moves... -Team Super: Omega Destroyer- Pretty good all around, generally better to FINISH Team Supers, because it carries the opponent up into the air (this is better for vertical SCs of course, like Sakura's). ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- -Super Combo 1; Omega Destroyer- (Omega Red stoops low, then opens his arms exclaiming "HahaHA--Omega... DESTROYER!!" and releasing multiple tentacles of whipping death in all directions) Slightly different than it was in X-Men:CotA... It now has a short lag on start-up, so for the most part it cannot be comboed. It also now flails outward in horizontal paths FIRST for a brief moment before spreading to its almsot full-screen blanket. This means that you'll have to start the SC earlier than you used to for catching jumping opponents. As usual, the Omega Destroyer does more hits/damage the closer you are to the opponent. Also note that this SC is pretty much impossible to Push Away--the enemy may push away one hit, but will get caught by the rest of the coils. :) NOTE: the Omega Destroyer is probably the highest-priority move in the game--once the coils are released, nothing gets through. If this is blocked from anywhere other than right up close, it is virtually uncounterable. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- -Super Combo 2; Carbonadium Smasher- (Omega Red performs a short dash forward in the air; if he connects with the opponent, he will go into a spectacular multi-hit combo, finishing with an explosive Coil Slam into the ground) Looks really painful and shows Omega's "berserker" side :). Unfortunately, it is not THAT useful... It's biggest use is in Air combos, which WILL work with really good timing. It has immense priority, but the problem is, it is very difficult to hit standing opponents, perhaps with the exception of Blackheart, with this, despite the fact that it can be done a HAIR above the ground. :) This is done similar to Ukyo's Tsubame Gaeshi (Swallow Slash) from the Samurai Shodown series: perform a QCT, then continue to roll quickly to U/F and hit the three Punches FAST. Basically, reserve it for Air Combos or the rare opportunity you're in the air, close enough to the enemy, when they throw out an attack that misses. NOTE: the Carbonadium Smasher has VERY little recovery time, so if the opponent blocks it, you're options are wide open, including ANOTHER Carbonadium Smaser. :) QUESTION: In the combos section below, you'll notice that you can Coil Slam the opponent into the corner wall, then re-grab them with another Coil. Is it possible to connect with a Carbonadium Smasher instead of the re-Grab?! I will attempt to find this, anyone with information please contact me. COMBOS: ******* -Safe Air Magic Series: Jab -> Short -> Strong -> Forward -> Fierce or Coil -Safe Ground Combo: D.S.Jab -> S.Strong -> Air Combo If the enemy blocks... D.S.Jab -> S.Strong -> S.Roundhouse XX Short Omega Strike, B+any Kick -Ground Magic Series: Zig-Zag -Jumping Magic Series: Weaker -> Stronger (3 hits max) -Launchers: S.Strong (and Forward/Roundhouse Omega Strike too, I suppose) -Air Launchers: none -Straight Launchers: none -Small Launchers: none BASIC COMBOS: 1. D.S.Short -> S.Forward XX Forward Omega Strike, B+any Kick 2. D.S.Short -> S.Forward -> S.Roundhouse XX Short Omega Strike, B+any Kick 3. J.Roundhouse, D.S.Jab -> S.Jab -> S.Forward -> S.Fierce 4. D/F+Roundhouse, Short Omega Strike 5. C.Strong XX Forward Omega Strike *INTERMEDIATE COMBOS* 6. D.S.Short -> S.Forward XX Forward Omega Strike, J.D+Jab -> J.Strong -> J.Fierce 7. D.S.Jab -> S.Forward XX Forward Omega Strike, D+any Punch, Roundhouse Carbonadium Coil -> Death Factor -> Coil Slam 8. J.Fierce, D.S.Jab -> S.Strong -> SJ.Jab -> SJ.Short -> SJ.Strong -> SJ.Forward -> SJ.Fierce 9. J.Short -> J.Forward -> J.Roundhouse, D.S.Jab -> S.Jab -> S.Strong -> SJ.Jab -> SJ.Short -> SJ.Strong -> J.Forward XX Carbonadium Coil -> Death Factor -> Coil Slam 10. D.S.Jab -> S.Jab -> S.Strong -> SJ.Jab -> SJ.Short -> SJ.Strong -> SJ.Forward, Fierce Air Throw, Omega Destroyer 11. (corner) Fierce Throw, D.S.Strong -> SJ.Jab -> SJ.Short -> SJ.Strong -> SJ.Forward XX Carbonadium Coil -> Death Factor -> Coil Slam *ADVANCED COMBOS* 12. D.S.Short -> S.Strong -> SJ.Jab -> SJ.Short -> SJ.Strong -> SJ.Forward, SJ.Forward -> SJ.Fierce 13. J.Roundhouse, S.Jab -> S.Strong -> SJ.Jab -> SJ.Short XX Carbonadium Smasher 14. J.Short -> J.Forward -> J.Roundhouse, D.S.Jab -> S.Jab -> S.Strong -> SJ.Jab -> SJ.Short -> SJ.Strong -> SJ.Forward, SJ.Forward XX Carbonadium Smasher 15. J.Short -> J.Forward -> J.Roundhouse, D.S.Jab -> S.Jab -> S.Strong -> SJ.Jab -> SJ.Short -> SJ.Strong -> J.Forward XX Carbonadium Coil -> Death Factor -> Coil Slam INTO WALL, Short Carbonadium Coil, Death Factor, Coil Slam DOWN 16. J.Fierce (6 hits), D.C.Short -> S.Strong -> SJ.Jab -> SJ.Short -> SJ.Strong-> SJ.Forward, SJ.Forward -> SJ.Roundhouse, S.Strong -> SJ.Jab -> SJ.Short -> SJ.Strong -> J.Forward XX Carbonadium Coil -> Death Factor -> Coil Slam Comments (#12): With really good timing, you can do a SHORT pause after the first SJ.Forward, then chain into another for an extra hit. Comments (#13,14): The Carbonadium Smasher CAN be put into Air Combos, but it must be done as fast as possible, and the bigger the opponent, the better. It's easiest to time after a simple SJ.Jab -> SJ.Short, I find. Comments (#15): it is actually possible, if you're near enough to the corner, to re-Coil the opponent after tossing them towards the wall. MUST BE DONE QUICKLY. Comments (#16): try and time the first Air Combo to hit as quick as possible and as early as possible so that you can land first after the SJ.Roundhouse and OTG in time. COMBO OVERVIEW: *************** GROUND COMBOS: Not too much here, actually. Omega shines with Air Combos, there's not much you can do... the Short Omega Strike will combo off the S.Roundhouse, that's about it. All you need is a Launcher anyways :). AIR COMBOS: One of the best Air Comboers in the game, his SJ.Magic Series is easy to perform, the only problem comes in chaining QUICKLY into the SJ.Fierce so it will connect. Either way, you should instead be doing a SJ.Forward XX Coil -> Death Factor -> Coil Slam for more damage and health back to you anyways. And if you're going for some style, the Carbonadium Smasher WILL work in Air Combos with proper timing, best off of the SJ.Jab -> SJ.Short. TACTICS: ******** Offense: When going offensive, Omega Red has some good options, but they must be used properly. Omega Red works best just outside of mid-range; from here you can counter missed attacks with a dashing combo or more easily with a Coil. From this distance or farther Omega's best option for offense, since his dash is not the quickest, is the air. His Air Dash allows him to mix up various offensive techniques against the opponent. Use the J.Forward and J.Fierce interchangeably, but ALWAYS be ready to Air Block so you can deal with their counters. Try to get a fair amount of height when you're in the air as well, so that you're in the a good position to Coil them with Forward. When Is say mix it up with the Air Dash, I mean that, because of its range and speed, you can get over to the opponent quickly. Always keep an eye on what the opponent is going to do when you're in the air. If they anticipate a jump-in and try an air counter (eg. shoto-boy's C.Fierce) you can be ready to Air Block, or if you're a little farther away, Coil 'em :). If you see a projectile coming out, or a slower ground move of some sort, be ready to use the Forward Coil to snatch them over it. If they like to block when you jump in, start the Air Dash from fairly close, and you can cross them up, and hit them from behind with a combo quickly. Also note that if the opponent leaves themself open when you Air Dash in, you can Roundhouse Coil them right over their head :). Other than in the air, you have options on the ground. The Short Omega Strike is a GREAT offensive tool, because of its range and speed. It can actually be used as a long-range poke since you can pull it back with B+any kick. USE THIS, the Omega Strike has good priority, especially over low attacks. When you are up close or a few steps away, The S.Jab is really all you need, with range, speed and priorty. And hey, you'd be surprised how often the S.Strong connects after the Jab even from a long range... Defense: Omega also does quite well on defense too, but shouldn't be played completely on defense because, a) turtlers eventually die, b) he has good offense, and c) it's damn boring :). His air counters aren't very effective when you compare them to those of, say, the Shoto-boy's (C.Fierce!) but they work with proper timing. C.Strong is probably the best option, but this will miss opponents jumping in really high or to cross you up. The Forward Omega Strike also works in the same fashion, but you need timing. Sometimes, it can be worthwhile to simply do a Short Omega Strike underneath the jumping opponent to avoid them, then start your offensive ground game as they land. And of course, the Omega Destroyer is also a useful air counter, but personally I only use it when it's a good bet it will connect and not be air blocked. Remember, it has SUPREME priority over all attacks, including jump-ins, so try and wait to the last possible minute before lashing out with it, and you will often catch them in the middle of their attack. Another tactic I have been trying lately is against those who jump in from a fair distance; The Carbonadium Smasher is also a useful air counter--when the enemy jumps in, jump backwards, wait a split second, then perform the Super; chances are, you will hit them out of just about anything they throw out, and EVEN IF they block, your recovery is excellent. After the enemy blocks the Super, try for another, or just a quick Jumping Air Combo instead. This tends to work better if the opponent is Super Jumping, giving you more time to set it up properly. NOTE: the above tactic is also useful when using the Jab/Short Air Coil instead, if you don't have a Super charged. Against dashing opponents, again the Short Omega Strike is most useful because of how it can be retracted in case the enemy stops and blocks quickly. Against some of the slower moves the Coil may work, but for the most part, it's a little too dangerous to fool around with. S.Fierce is also a decent option for stopping dashers, but again, the slow recovery makes it not so useful. Again, the Omega Destroyer is a decent counter to dashers as well, but try and catch them as late as possible. REMEMBER!!!! COIL, COIL, COIL!!! ANY possible opening you get, you should be going for either a combo into a launcher, or COILING! :) (Or the Omega Destroyer if you're close enough of course). Same goes in the air, if the enemy leaves an opening on the ground OR in the air, try for a Coil unless you're absolutely sure they can block it. In the air: In air-to-air combat, the J.Forward does fairly well, as does the J.Fierce if you start it early enough. J.Strong is an uppercut that that is also semi-useful in air-to-air. BEST JUMP-IN CHAIN: J.Short -> J.Forward -> J.Roundhouse, omit J.Forward against small characters. Push-Away Options: Omega Red In a Team: OMEGA RED'S ENDING: ******************* IMO the best, or coolest ending in MvSF. A shot of Omega Red looking over his shoulder, at Ken cradling the limp body of Ryu in his arms (YES!! :) Ken says "Ryu! Ryu! Wake up! H-He's gone! You murderer, how many lives have you ended!?" Omega replies "Do you count the number of breaths you have taken?" (that just rocks :). Ken yells "Damn you! I going to kill you!" to which Omega says "Don't be foolish, boy!" :). Then fades to a black screen. Short but sweet :). ############################################################################# RYU: ---- "You must defeat Sheng Long to stand a chance." --Ryu, good ol' SF2 :) Story? C'mon, if you don't know who Ryu is, you shouldn't be playing the game! ;) CHARACTER OVERVIEW: ******************* Still the same ol' Ryu (aka Deux), plus his ShinShoryuken ported from III. As usual, you can play him the same ol' school Ryu, with way too many FBs and turtling, OR you can have a little bit of fun and variety and play him offensively and fast (that's right scrubs, he CAN do this!) A good all-around character still and a good partner for just about everyone. Like Charles Washington said, I don't often play him, but like any half-decent fighting game player, I can play him well if I choose to do so. :) Ryu still possesses unbelievable combos in the corner with the ShinShoryuken too :). MOVES LIST: *********** -Fireball: QCT+any Punch (can be done in mid-air) -Dragon Punch: F,D,D/F+any Punch -Hurricane Kick: QCB+any Kick (can be done in mid-air) -Overhead Punch: F+Strong -Spin Kick: F+Forward -Shoulder Toss: F or B+Strong or Fierce (close) -Stomach Throw: F or B+Forward or Roundhouse (close) -Air Toss: F or B+Strong or Fierce (close in mid-air) -Forward Dash; Sprinting Hop: F, F or all three punches -Team Counter: Dragon Punch -Team Assist: Fireball -Team Super: Shinkuu-Hadouken -Super Combo 1; Shinkuu-Hadouken: QCT+any two punches (tap punches) -Super Combo 2; Vacuum Hurricane: QCB+any two kicks -Super Combo 3; ShinShoryuken: F,D,D/F+any two punches REGULAR MOVES ANALYSIS: *********************** -Both Jabs are good all-around up close moves, useful as ticks or to start combos. Very low damage, of course. -S.Short takes decent priority over lower attacks and can tick, and the C.Short is also useful for starting combos. -S.Strong is a side uppercut with good priority; a half-decent air counter, and works well in combos. C.Strong is a high priority low punch, useful up close for snuffing most regular attacks, and can chain into a combo if that occurs. -S.Forward is Ryu's 2-hit axe kick, good in combos and has decent priority up close. C.forward is the same high-priority low kick, a universal combo attack that cancels easily into all of Ryu's Special Moves. -S.Fierce is the same big straight punch, not too useful for poking, obviously. It's only strength is that it cancels easily into the Shinkuu-Hadouken, making it very important in combos if you want to use that SC. C.Fierce is the shoto-bros. universal uppercut, and in this game it has PRIORITY out the arse. This will, with proper timing, take out all jump-in attacks and of course it is also his launcher. -S.Roundhouse is a high spinning kick, making a great air counter, but the C.Fierce is better. C.Roundhouse is the usual low sweep, useful for finishing combos and takes out slower high attacks. Still combos into the Shinkuu-Hadouken as well... -J.Roundhouse is still an excellent jump-in with good range, and J.Fierce tends to land you deeper for better comboing. If you're looking for priority use the J.Forward, but remember that this is easily absorbed by Hulk and Gief. Tap U+Roundhouse to get the old straight-jump Roundhouse from SF2. SPECIAL MOVE ANALYSIS: ********************** -Fireball- (Ryu throws THE same old Fireball, exclaiming the now immortal phrase "Hadouken!") Same size as it was in XvSF, i.e. bigger than before. Can again be done in the air, moves horizontally there as well. Good Ryus with variety will use this for pressure and offense, scrubs and tutrlers will use it as keep-away. Still works well in combos, but lower damage than his other Special Moves. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- -Dragon Punch- (Ryu performs the same ol' Dragon Punch, exclaiming "Shoryuken!" as always) Same old DP, sort of. If blocked, it now pushes the opponent away considerably farther, making it difficult to counter even if blocked... Still a great air counter, high priority up close, and combos well. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- -Hurricane Kick- (Ryu performs the same ol' Hurricane Kick, exclaiming.... ah hell, y'know what he says :) Still a good all-around move, useful in combos and knocks down quickly. A great way for Ryu to get around in the air, and in the air ESPECIALLY the HK will take priority over most attacks. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- -Overhead Punch- (Ryu steps forward with a downard punch) Remains the same, with the pause on start-up. Somewhat useful on opponents who crouch block too much, but too slow to help in the overall gameplan. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- -Spin Kick- (Ryu hops forward with a spinning kick at waist level) Takes priority over low attacks with ease, and recovers quickly. Great up close move that combos fairly well into the ShinShoryuken. :) ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- -Shoulder Toss- (Ryu grabs the opponent and tosses them over his shoulder to the ground) As with most of the other characters' Throws, you of course can no longer combo off of it. Good damage and leaves the opponent fairly close. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- -Stomach Throw- (Ryu grabs the enemy by the shoulders while falling back, then places his foot in their stomach and pushes them up and over behind him) Again, no combo possibilities anymore--throws the enemy farther away than the Shoulder Toss... ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- -Air Toss- (Ryu grabs the opponent, flips backward and tosses them to the ground) A pretty good way to end Air Combos, unless you have a Shinkuu-Hadouken available, of course :). Combos somewhat afterwards (see combos). ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- -Forward Dash; Sprinting Hop- (Sort of a cross between a hop and a slide) A bit of a lag at the end and not TOO fast along the ground, but still combos well enough. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- -Team Counter: Dragon Punch- Basic DP Counter, use against CLOSE moves, or jump-in attacks. -Team Assist: Fireball- Of coure, a great Assist because it IS Ryu's FB... Will set up well for any quick SC or combo. -Team Super: Shinkuu-Hadouken Combos well with any horizontal SC, especially other beam SCs. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- -Super Combo 1; Shinkuu-Hadouken- (Ryu exclaims "Shinkuu-Hadouken!" and releases a thick beam of Hadou energy across the screen) Still one of the more dominating SCs in the game--does a great deal of damage if you mash on the Punch buttons, and can still combo well in the air or off of the S.Fierce OR still the C.Roundhouse... This also gives more coverage on Ryu, making it EXTREMELY difficult to hit him from the air, unless you cross him up (eg. it trades hits with the Maximum Spider! :). Can only be countered easily if blocked up close. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- -Super Combo 2; Vacuum Hurricane- (Ryu exclaims the same unintelligable phrase and performs a stationary multi-hit Hurricane Kick that sucks the enemy in) Still one of the most damaging SCs in the game if all hits connect. Doesn't combo except off of the C.Roundhouse, but it is EXTREMELY difficult to knock Ryu out of it except with a projectile or SC projectile... this will, of course, take out any up-close move if you pull it off fast enough. Sometimes you can catch them if they block the Spin Kick... Remember, this has vacuum capability, so it can draw the enemy in from a few steps--good against an attempted projectile from that distance. -----------------------------------------------------------------------------COMBOS: -Super Combo 3; ShinShoryuken- (Ryu exclaims "Shin--SHORyuken!" and performs a 3-hit uppercut combo for electricity damage) NOTE: Ryu will do a 7-hit version if he hits the opponent out of the air. Ported over from III, I personally think it looks just plain WEIRD. But hey, it does the damage. It's an excellent air counter, and combos well off of the C.Fierce and Spin Kick. Of course, the recovery is bad if missed or blocked, so be careful with it. COMBOS: ******* -Safe Air Magic Series: Jab -> Short -> Forward -> Fierce or Roundhouse (FS) -Safe Ground Combo: D.C.Short -> C.Forward XX or -> whatever :) If the enemy blocks... D.C.Short -> C.Forward -> C.Roundhouse XX Fireball -Ground Magic Series: Weaker -> Stronger -Jumping Magic Series: Weaker -> Stronger -Super Jumping Magic Series: Zig-Zag -Launchers: C.Fierce -Air Launchers: none -Straight Launchers: none -Small Launchers: none *BASIC COMBOS* 1. D.S.Jab -> S.Strong XX Roundhouse HK 2. D.C.Short -> C.Forward -> C.Roundhouse 3. D.C.Short -> C.Short -> C.Forward XX Fierce FB 4. J.Roundhouse, D.S.Short -> S.Forward XX Fierce DP 5. S.Fierce XX Shinkuu-Hadouken 6. C.Fierce XX ShinShoryuken 7. C.Roundhouse XX Shinkuu-Hadouken 8. C.Roundhouse XX Vacuum Hurricane 9. D.C.Jab -> C.Fierce XX Fierce DP *INTERMEDIATE COMBOS* 10. J.Roundhouse, D.C.Jab -> C.Fierce -> SJ.Jab -> SJ.Short -> SJ.Forward XX Fierce FB 11. J.Forward -> J.Fierce, D.S.Jab -> C.Fierce -> SJ.Jab -> SJ.Short XX Roundhouse HK 12. J.Jab -> J.Fierce, D.C.Short -> C.Strong -> S.Fierce XX Shinkuu-Hadouken 13. J.Short -> J.Roundhouse,, D.C.Short -> C.Fierce -> SJ.Jab -> SJ.Short XX Shinkuu-Hadouken 14. J.Forward -> J.Roundhouse, D.S.Jab -> S.Short -> S.Fierce XX Shinkuu-Hadouken 15. J.Fierce, D.S.Forward -> C.Roundhouse XX Vacuum Hurricane 16. Spin Kick, ShinShoryuken 17. D.S.Short -> S.Forward -> C.Fierce XX Fierce DP 18. D.S.Jab -> S.Strong -> S.Fierce XX Fierce FB 19. J.Short -> J.Forward -> J.Roundhouse, D.S.Jab -> S.Strong XX Fierce DP 20. J.Strong (2 hits), D.C.Short -> C.Forward XX Roundhouse HK 21. J.Short -> J.Roundhouse, D.C.Short -> C.Fierce -> SJ.Jab -> SJ.Short -> SJ.Strong -> SJ.Forward -> SJ.Fierce (FS) 22. (corner) J.Forward, D.S.Jab -> S.Short -> S.Strong XX Roundhouse HK, S.Fierce (Vs. Hulk) 23. J.Fierce, D.C.Jab -> C.Short -> C.Forward XX Roundhouse HK, C.Fierce -> SJ.Jab -> SJ.Short -> SJ.Strong XX Fierce FB 24. D.C.Short -> C.Forward XX Shinkuu-Hadouken 25. D.S.Jab -> S.Strong XX ShinShoryuken 26. J.Forward -> J.Roundhouse, D.C.Jab -> C.Short -> C.Fierce XX ShinShoryuken 27. D.C.Jab -> C.Fierce -> SJ.Jab -> SJ.Short -> SJ.Strong, Strong Air Throw 28. (corner) J.Forward -> J.Fierce, D.C.Short -> C.Fierce, SJ.Jab -> SJ.Short -> SJ.Strong, Strong Air Throw into corner, Shinkuu-Hadouken 29. (corner), J.Short -> J.Roundhouse, D.C.Short -> C.Fierce -> SJ.Jab -> SJ.Short -> SJ.Strong -> SJ.Forward -> SJ.Roundhouse (FS), SJ.Roundhouse *ADVANCED* 30. (corner), J.Fierce, D.C.Short -> C.Fierce XX ShinShoryuken, C.Fierce XX ShinShoryuken, C.Fierce XX ShinShoryuken 31. (corner) J.Roundhouse, D.C.Short -> C.Fierce XX ShinShoryuken, C.Fierce XX ShinShoryuken, C.Fierce -> SJ.Jab -> SJ.Short -> SJ.Strong XX Shinkuu-Hadouken 32. (corner) J.Short -> J.Forward, D.C.Jab -> C.Fierce XX ShinShoryuken, Vacuum Hurricane, C.Fierce -> SJ.Jab -> SJ.Short -> SJ.Strong XX Shinkuu-Hadouken 33. (corner) J.Jab -> J.Fierce, D.S.Jab -> C.Fierce XX ShinShoryuken, Vacuum Hurricane, ShinShoryuken 34. (corner) J.Jab -> J.Fierce, D.C.Jab -> C.Fierce XX ShinShoryuken, Vacuum Hurricane, C.Fierce XX ShinShoryuken, C.Fierce SJ.Jab -> SJ.Short -> SJ.Strong -> SJ.Forward XX Roundhouse HK Comments (#32,33,34): just to note, sometimes the Vacuum Hurricane will throw the opponent out of the corner instead... :) Other than that, nothing much to say--timing is quite easy, actually. COMBO OVERVIEW: *************** GROUND COMBOS: Ryu's got the bread `n' butter combos that count, and lots of variety. Not much speacil to talk about here, his ground combos dominate, and can chain into any of his SCs fairly easily. AIR COMBOS: As well, Ryu also shines in the Air Combo department. The timing's a little weird to get all the hits in properly (compared to, say, Wolverine) but they still work quite well, and the C.Fierce launches straight and easily. And of course, the Shinkuu-Hadouken can be comboed in for good damage. The SJ.U+Roundhouse can follow itself in the corner to finish an air combo as well. TACTICS: ******** Offensive: Pretty basic, mix in the Fireballs constantly for pressure, but don't turtle. Dashing in and out can frustrate them when combined with the FBs, and the second they leave an opening combo them... When up close, use the Short kick for ticks, and the C.Forward and C.Strong for priority. Once you have a level charged, be ready to react to the smallest movement from the enemy with the Shinkuu-Hadouken, and the Vacuum Hurricane against most up-close attacks. Also don't forget the Spin Kick (F+Forward) for quick offense, especially when the opponent uses and abundance of low attacks. If it's blocked, you can take a risk and follow with a Vacuum Hurricane or ShinShoryuken to catch their attempted counter. Defensive: C.Fierce gives you the air coverage, along with the DP and ShinShoryuken. Against dashing opponents the FB, of course, keeps them pinned back, as will the Vacuum Hurricane against dashing attacks. Again, be ready to react to the slightest move from the enemy against you and counter with the Shinkuu-Hadouken. In the air: J.Strong is decent in air-to-air combat, and for jump-in priority use the J.Forward. The Air Hurricane Kick also has high priority, and be ready to to throw out the Shinkuu-Hadouken if the enemy leaves an obvious opening (missed air DP from Ken). BEST JUMP-IN CHAIN: J.Forward -> J.Roundhouse Push-Away Options: Deux In a Team: NOTE: IF ANYONE HAS MORE IN-DEPTH TACTICS TO ADD, PLEASE FEEL FREE TO DO SO! RYU'S ENDING: ************* Geez, what the hell could possibly happen in this ending!@$&*%$#? I know, I know, Ryu stays for the big celebration and basks in the glory of his win, accepts a big trophy and tons of money, then gets drunk with Ken and Gief and sleeps with Chun Li... yeah, that's it. ############################################################################ KEN MASTERS: ------------ Again, if you don't know who he is, you shouldn't be playing this game :). CHARACTER OVERVIEW: ******************* Well, he's certainly a lot better in this game--his dash is SLIGHTLY easier to combo (though it STILL has to be done at the end of the dash) and he gains a new SC. Some Ken players feel that he's been weakened with the new FB and HK. Well, I would agree that they really fucked him over with the new dissolving FB, it hurts him a fair bit. However the HK isn't so bad. It's a good defensive technique and will combo well up close; it just plain LOOKS cool too, however altogether it's not as effective as the old one. He's still a solid character however, and when teamed best with the other Shoto-bros. he is a good all-around fighter but definitely not for scrubs or novices anymore. MOVES LIST: *********** -Fireball: QCT+any Punch (can be done in mid-air) -Dragon Punch: F,D,D/F+any Punch (can be done in mid-air) -Hurricane Kick: QCB+any Kick (in mid-air) -Rising Hurricane Kick: QCB+any Kick -Overhead Axe Kick: F+Forward -Rolling Stomach Throw: F or B+Strong or Fierce (close) -Knee Bash: F or B+Forward (close) -Air Stomach Throw: F or B+Strong or Fierce (close in mid-air) -Forward Dash; Ground Roll: F, F or all three punches -Team Counter: Dragon Punch -Team Assist: Dragon Punch -Team Super: Shoryureppa (or Shinkuu-Hadouken with Ryu as partner) -Super Combo 1; Shoryureppa: QCT+any two punches -Super Combo 2; Shinryuken: QCT+any two kicks -Super Combo 3; Shippen-Jinrai-Kyaku: QCB+any two kicks REGULAR MOVES ANALYSIS: *********************** -Both Jabs are good all-around up close moves, useful as ticks or to start combos. Very low damage, of course. -S.Short takes decent priority over lower attacks and can tick, and the C.Short is also useful for starting combos. -S.Strong is a side uppercut with good priority; a half-decent air counter, and works well in combos. C.Strong is a high priority low punch, useful up close for snuffing most regular attacks, and can chain into a combo if that occurs. -S.Forward is Ken's stylish axe kick, good in combos and has decent priority up close. C.forward is the same high-priority low kick, a universal combo attack that cancels easily into all of Ken's Special Moves. -S.Fierce is the same big straight punch, not too useful for poking, obviously. It's only strength is that it cancels well into the Shoryureppa and his new SC as well. C.Fierce is the shoto-bros. universal uppercut, and in this game it has PRIORITY out the arse. This will, with proper timing, take out all jump-in attacks and of course it is also his launcher. -S.Roundhouse is Ken's big mid-roundhouse; as in XvSF, this is a Strike, so it will not combo into anything unless in the corner. This comes out fairly quick and is one of your most important regular moves from mid-range/a few steps away as it comes out fairly quick and can snuff many low attacks, and some projectiles if you do it early enough. Roundhouse is the usual low sweep, useful for finishing combos and takes out slower high attacks. -J.Roundhouse is still an excellent jump-in with good range, and J.Fierce tends to land you deeper for better comboing. If you're looking for priority use the J.Forward, but remember that this is easily absorbed by Hulk and Gief. As before, the J.Forward is also an excellent cross-up attack. SJ.Jab -> SJ.Short -> SJ.Strong -> SJ.Forward -> SJ.Fierce (FS) SPECIAL MOVE ANALYSIS: ********************** -Fireball- (Ken exclaims "Hadouken!" and throws a larger FB than before, that fizzles out) Jab is very short range, Fierce goes a little over half screen. On the up side, the Hadouken is bigger and therefore it's a better defensively, however not being able to pin opponents back from a far distance hurts him, especially in the air, where he could use the Air Fireball almost like Akuma before. It still has roughly the same recovery. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- -Dragon Punch- (Ken performs THE TRUE Dragon Punch :), exclaiming "Shoryuken!" and rising into the air with a multi-hit flaming uppercut) MUCH IMPROVED. All version now flame, and DAMN does it have priority. Ken's DP will take out just about anything, even most SCs if timed right. And, as Charles Washington pointed out, other DPs just can NOT fuck with this one anymore. Definitely a good ground combo finisher, and the Jab still works as an excellent air counter. Like many other DPs now, it also pushes away considerably farther than before f blocked. The Jab DP is also useful up close to snuff just about anything (you can use the Strong or Fierce, but if you screw up you can be punished more easily). In the air, it can finish Air Combos fairly well, and also has great priority against other mid-air attacks; excellent against opponents who like to Air Dash at you (eg. Chun-Li). ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- -Hurricane Kick- (Ken performs a rising hurricane kick, finishing with an overhead hack kick in mid-air) Again, changed from before, but it has its good points. It still does great damage and works well to finish ground combos. NOTE: depending on the size of your opponent, you should use different HKs to finish the combo; against smaller opponents, you must make VERY sure that you're right up close if you intend to use the full Roundhouse version, it misses sometimes. If missed or blocked Ken will continue to rise into the air, fairly easy to hit. However you can now use this fairly well as an air counter, and with proper timing, the Short version can snuff many regular moves up close. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- -Overhead Axe Kick- (Ken performs a two-hit axe kick to the oppponent's head) Not too useful mainly because it comes out slow. Against persistant turtlers up close, a Throw tends to work better IMO... ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- -Rolling Stomach Throw- (Ken grabs the opponent and falls onto his back, then rolls over completely and releases them across the screen) Again, no combo possibilities afterward anymore, but throws them further than his Knee Bash. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- -Knee Bash- (Ken grabs the opponent and kness them repeatedly in the torso) Looks more brutal and leaves the opponent closer when it releases them. Rap on those kick buttons and shake that joystick for more hits, you little button masher you :). ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- -Air Stomach Throw- (Ken grabs the opponent and falls backward in mid-air,completing a full roll and releases them across the screen) Used to be a great setup for corner combos, but little combos are possible afterwards now. Decent range, but nothing to write home about. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- -Forward Dash; Ground Roll- (Ken performs a slower version of his Ground Roll from SFA2) Well, I find it's a little bit faster in this one, and it can still avoid higher attacks and projectiles. Quite a bit easier to combo, it cancels well into regular attacks now and, I find, now has better recovery near the end. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- -Team Counter: Dragon Punch- As usual, a great counter to jump-ins, but in addition, remember to note Ken's range and priority on this one... :) -Team Assist: Dragon Punch- Combos well into most SCs if done early, but nothing really special. Good against jumping opponents if you bring it out fast enough, of course. -Team Super: Shoryureppa (or Shinkuu-Hadouken with Ryu as partner)- With Ryu of course, this is a totally devastating Team SC. The Shoryureppa combos quite well with most SCs, wether Ken or Ken's partner starts. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- -Super Combo 1; Shoryureppa- (Ken exclaims "SHORYU--REPPA!!" and lunges forward with a multi-hit Dragon Punches, finishing into another higher DP) Advantages and disadvantages, for sure. If blocked or missed, your recovery is so high it's absurd, and it also doesn't do much damage when it does connect. HOWEVER, it combos well off of C.Forward and most importantly, it has PRIORITY. TONS of it, against regular attacks. If you've read my Ken FAQ for SFA2, you'll know what I mean :). Up close it can be risky, but with a little bit of luck and some good reflexes AND knowing your opponent's style, you can snuff any regular attack and a lot of Special Moves with this. Also useful for countering projectiles from a SHORT range. NOTE: THIS _IS_ TRUE--when hitting the heavy characters (eg. Hulk, Zangief) even WITH all hits, they will land before you and can hit you as you fall! Thus, DON'T USE IT IN THIS CASE!! :) ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- -Super Combo 2; Shinryuken- (Ken ducks low, then leaps HIGH into the air with a flaming multi-hit uppercut, exclaiming "SHINRYUKEN!!") Still Ken's most powerful move, and when going for a damage maker with Ken, this is what to use. It is useful mostly for air countering, but also makes a particularily devastating combo off of the C.Fierce. Just remember, like the Shoryureppa, it has HUGE recovery if blocked or missed. Also note that this move has deceptively LITTLE range, far from what it was in A2... :) Remember to mash all the kick buttons for hits. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- -Super Combo 3; Shippen-Jinrai-Kyaku- (Ken dashes forward with a series of ground kicks, exclaiming "SHIPPEN-JINRAI-KYAKU!!!" If he connects, he will continue into a multi-hit rising Hurricane Kick ending in an Overhead Axe Kick in mid-air) Ported over from III, this is more damaging than the Shoryureppa, weaker than the Shinryuken. Its recovery is QUITE bad if blocked or missed, even though Ken will NOT perform the final HK if it is blocked. This has decent priority but certainly not as much as the Shoryureppa. HOWEVER, its advantage is speed and invulnerability. The initial frames of the SC will pass through projectiles and many other attacks, so bear this in mind. Also, it has range, able to hit from mid-range. Combos well off of S.Fierce. COMBOS: ******* -Safe Air Magic Series: Jab -> Short -> Strong -> Forward -> Fierce or Roundhouse (FS) -Safe Ground Combo: D.C.Short -> C.Short -> C.Forward XX whatever If the enemy blocks... D.C.Short -> C.Short -> C.Forward XX Fireball -Ground Magic Series: Weaker -> Stronger -Jumping Magic Series: Weaker -> Stronger -Super Jumping Magic Series: Zig-Zag -Launchers: C.Fierce -Air Launchers: none -Straight Launchers: S.Roundhouse -Small Launchers: none *BASIC COMBOS* 1. C.Short -> C.Forward -> C.Roundhouse 2. S.Jab -> S.Strong -> S.Fierce XX Fierce FB 3. J.Roundhouse, S.Short -> S.Forward (2 hits) XX Roundhouse HK 4. J.Fierce, S.Jab -. S.Strong XX Fierce DP 5. C.Short -> C.Fierce XX Shinryuken (FS) 6. C.Short -> C.Forward XX Shoryureppa 7. J.Roundhouse, C.Forward -> C.Roundhouse 8. J.Fierce, C.Forward XX Fierce FB 9. J.Fierce, C.Fierce XX Fierce DP 10. (corner) D.S.Short -> S.Forward -> S.Roundhouse XX Roundhouse HK *INTERMEDIATE COMBOS* 11. J.Jab -> J.Fierce, C.Jab -> C.Fierce -> SJ.Jab -> SJ.Short -> SJ.Strong -> SJ.Forward -> SJ.Fierce (FS) 12. C.Fierce -> SJ.Jab -> SJ.Short -> SJ.Strong, Strong Air Throw 13. C.Short -> C.Fierce SJ.Jab -> SJ.Short -> SJ.Strong -> SJ.Forward XX Fierce DP or Roundhouse HK 14. J.Short -> J.Roundhouse, C.Jab -> C.Fierce XX Shinryuken (FS) 15. J.Fierce, S.Jab -> S.Fierce XX Shippen-Jinrai-Kyaku 16. J.Short -> J.Roundhouse, C.Jab -> C.Forward XX Team Super :) 17. C.Short -> C.Short -> C.Forward XX Forward HK 18. J.Roundhouse XX Roundhouse HK, C.Forward -> C.Fierce -> SJ.Jab -> SJ.Short -> SJ.Strong -> SJ.Forward XX Fierce FB 19. J.Roundhouse XX Roundhouse HK, C.Forward -> C.Fierce XX Shinryuken (FS) 20. (corner) J.Roundhouse XX Roundhouse HK, C.Short -> C.Fierce -> SJ.Jab -> SJ.Short -> SJ.Strong -> SJ.Forward -> SJ.U+Roundhouse (FS), SJ.U+Roundhouse 21. J.Short -> J.Forward, C.Jab -> C.Fierce -> SJ.Jab -> SJ.Short -> SJ.Strong -> SJ.Forward XX Roundhouse HK, Shinryuken (FS) *ADVANCED* 22. (corner) J.Roundhouse XX Roundhouse HK, C.Forward -> C.Fierce XX Shinryuken (FS), J.Short -> J.U+Roundhouse, C.Short (OTG) -> S.Forward Comments (#22): After the Shinryuken in the corner, you will fall just a LITTLE before the opponent, so tag them with J.Short -> J.U+Roundhouse to keep them up slightly, then you will land a LITTLE before them and OTG. Remember you cannot go into any other combos at the ned, because the Shinryuken executed the Flying Screen... COMBO OVERVIEW: *************** GROUND COMBOS: The only thing that hurts Ken in this area is that he cannot combo EASILY out of his dash, mostly off of jump-ins (though it IS easier now). Therefore, you want to try and limit your ground combos as far as regular hits, which is OK because Ken doesn't need a lot of hits in his ground chains. I _PERSONALLY_ love using the HK as a finisher for style (good damage too), but the FB works just as well. The DP, with its increased range, is also an excellent combo finisher, however try and make sure it connects. NOTE: the HK is kinda screwy range-wise. You can always finish a ground combo with the Roundhouse version on the big guys, but otherwise try and make sure you only use the Roundhouse version on otrher characters if you're in nice and deep, otherwise use Forward or even Short. AIR COMBOS: A little better than Ryu's, 'cause he doesn't have the mid-air uppercut to fool with the rythym. You can chain two SJ.U+Roundhouses together in the corner. TACTICS: ******** Offensive: You can longer rely much on the FB for an offensive pressure technique. Dashing is also difficult unless they use too many high projectiles (eg. a scrub Cap), so you have to rely onjump-ins for your offense. J.Forward and J.Roundhouse are both good for priority, but probably your most important air move is the HK... You still have to be careful with this, because you, of course, cannot block during it :). However, it has GREAT priority, and can usually be comboed off of as you land. Once you're up close, stress C.Strong, C.Forward and S.Forward, mixed in the occasional Shorts and Throws, and ALWAYS ALWAYS ALWAYS use the Jab DP :). I cannot say enough about this move, it now has increased range and takes out ANYTHING within range, and if blocked bounces away safely. USE IT! :) From a few steps away, the S.Roundhouse can be useful for snuffing low attacks and some projectiles if anticipated. And remember, with timing, reflexes and a bit of luck you can snuff all regular attacks with the Shoryureppa, and from mid-range, the Shippen-Jinrai-Kyaku works in the same fashion. Defensive: Again, Jab DP, Jab DP :). This is your ultimate air counter, along with C.Fierce. The Jab DP will also take out dashing attacks with good timing (and Hulk's Gamma Charge :). The FB is still fast and now much bigger, so it works well this fashion as well, though you have to time it later because of its short range. And remember of course that you can snuff most attacks from mid-range or up close with the Shoryureppa, and from mid-range you can surprise them fairly well with the Shippen-Jinrai-Kyaku. Against air attacks you can also use the Shinkryuken of course (try to hit them as deep as possible to reduce the chances of air blocking.), and now the HK works fairly well too. In the air: The Air HK dominates air-to-air battles, as does the DP up close. If you air block something fairly high in the air, the Jab DP is a nice quick counter too :). BEST JUMP-IN CHAIN: J.Forward -> J.Roundhouse Push-Away Options: Ken In a Team: KEN'S ENDING: ************* He is awoken by Ryu, having been asleep underneath a tree. He is his young self from back in the heavy training days, and they are at the Shotokan temple. Ken was having a dream about the game, etc... then Ryu mentions that the master will get angry if they're late for supper... Pretty silly IMO. ############################################################################ SAKURA: ------- Sakura is a young japanese school girl who once saw a fight that Ryu was in. Since then she has been his greatest fan, studying a loose form of Shotokan karate, and searching for Ryu to teach her himself. CHARACTER OVERVIEW: ******************* Everybody's favorite cutie finally makes it to the vs. games. At a glance, she appears weaker than she was in A2, but after playing a while, you'll see that she's a lot of fun, and not to be played like Ryu; she no longer has ANY FB that goes forward, only upward, but that's ok because she's fast and can attack on the ground otherwise. A somewhat refreshing change and gives you some variety of play, give her a try. MOVES LIST: *********** -Fireball: QCB+any Punch (can be done in mid-air) -Dragon Punch: QCT+any Punch (can be done in mid-air) -Hurricane Kick: QCB+any kick (can be done in mid-air) -Overhead Flower Kick: F+Forward -Choke Hold: F or B+Strong or Fierce (close) -Kick-Off: F or B+Forward or Roundhouse (close) -Air Kick-Off:F or B+Strong or Fierce (close in mid-air) -Forward Dash; Run: F, F or all three punches -Team Counter: Dragon Punch -Team Assist: Roundhouse Hurricane Kick -Team Super: Midare Hadouken -Super Combo 1; Midare Hadouken: QCB+any two punches -Super Combo 2; Midare Zakura: QCT+any two punches -Super Combo 3; Haru-Ichiban: QCB+any two kicks REGULAR MOVES ANALYSIS: *********************** -Both Jabs are basic quick punches, good up close as ticks or to start combos. -S.Strong is a more damaging straight punch, decent priority up close, but nothing special. C.Strong is a good comboable attack and takes GREAT priority over low attacks--USE this up close. -S.Fierce is the same upward double hammer swing, gooddamage, and decent range. However, it's not too fast and the recovery isn't too good either. Use rarely. C.Fierce is a crouching side uppercut, Sakura's Launcher. This has good priority, though not nearly as much as the shoto-bros. C.Fierces. Good damage and a good air counter as well. -Short kick is a basic short-ranged shin kick, decent as a tick, but not too useful. Same for C.Short. -Forward Kick is an important button. S.Forward is her trademark cute snap kick, half-decent as an air counter, but not too much priority. Good up close and can be comboed well. C.Forward is her most important regular move, a quick crouching kick with HIGH priority and good recovery, and also comboes well into her Dragon Punch. USE OFTEN up close or from a few steps. VERY important. -S.Roundhouse is her quick back kick. Excellent range and decent priority over low attacks, but recovery isn't too hot. Use from mid-range. C.Roundhouse is your basic knock-down sweep, with a LITTLE more range than the shoto-bros. Pretty fast coming out, if it misses she can be countered. -J.Roundhouse is a downard jump kick, an excellent jump-in attack. J.Fierce is an overhead heammer blow that works in the same manner. J.Strong is a good air-to-air attack, a decent straight punch. SPECIAL MOVE ANALYSIS: ********************** -Hadouken- (Sakura exclaims "Hadouken!" and throws a fireball upward at varying distances) Obviously QUITE different from before, this completely seperates her from playing like a shotokan. The stronger the Punch used, the further upward it goes. Useful pretty much only as an air counter, be CAREFUL not to use it when the opponent's on the ground. In the air, she now throws it downward, again the strength of punch determining the distance. VERY useful as a keep-away tactic, or offensive pestering. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- -Dragon Punch- (Sakura dashes forward surrounded by a blue barrier; if she connects, she hits multiple times with a rising uppercut) Also canged from A2, it now bounces off if blocked, and also takes out projectiles (NOT beams or eyes). Her main combing attack, it does good damage, and USUALLY the bounce prevents you from being countered (Some quick moves may do it, eg. Weapon X.) Doesn't work to well as an air counter anymore, even the Jab version. Decent priority, it often trades with sweeps however. The airborne version is most useful in Air Combos, or if the enemy uses a lot of horizontal projectiles near you :). NOTE: this will now hit OTG as well... ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- -Hurricane Kick- (Sakura flies in an arc across the screen, with a spinning kick) Pretty much the same as A2, except the ranges are increased, the Roundhouse going all the way across the screen. This is somewhat useful as a projectile counter, also against airborne opponents. The Short version is still, IMO, one of her most important moves, up close it takes priority over any low attack. USE IT. The Forward version is good from mid-range to snuff slower attacks. The only thing to note about this in the air is that it has GOOD priority. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- -Overhead Flower Kick- (Sakura turns to the side and thrws her foot high in an arc, to fall on to her opponent's head) Basically like Ken's Overhehad Kick, just a little more revealing... And like Ken's Overhead, not too useful because of its speed. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- -Choke Hold- (Sakura swoops behind her oppnent and gets them in a sleeper hold, choking them, then knocking them down with an overhead elbow) Cool looking Throw, remember to shake the joystick and tap all punches for more hits. Decent range, but nothing special. No comboing posible after. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- -Kick-Off- (Sakura mounts the opponent's chest and kicks them off to the ground) Knocks the opponent further away, that's about it. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- -Air Kick-Off- (See above, but in air :) Sakura tends to do better damage finishing Air Combos with the DP or whatever, and there are no combos possible afterward as far as I know, because of its recovery. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- -Forward Dash; Run- (Speaks for itself :) Sakura will eventually do her little heel slide to stop. This has good speed with only a slight delay at the end. Good for combing. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- -Team Counter: Dragon Punch- Good range and speed, excellent for most up-close to mid-range blocked attacks on the ground. -Team Assist: Roundhouse Hurricane Kick- Not too useful, it floors the enemy immediately giving little chance of a follow-up combo, unless you have an easy OTG SC (eg. Logan's BBX). -Team Super: Midare Hadouken- Also not too useful; if you are coming in with it, it will only connect if you've hit the enemy up close with Omega Rad's SC, or hit the opponent in mid-air with it, or Blackheart's/Mephisto's SC. If Sakura is starting, the enemy must be in the air for it to connect in the first place, and then you need an SC that hits up there (eg. again, Omega Red's). ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- -Super Combo 1; Midare Hadouken- (Sakura exclaims "MIDARE--HADOUKEN!" and releases multiple fireballs upward at a 45 degree angle) Limited use. GOOD damage when it connects, but will only connect against airborne opponents. Time it well, as late as possible against jump-ins, that's about it. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- Super Combo 2; Midare Zakura- (Sakura dashes forward; if she connects, she goes into a multi-hit auto-combo) GOOD speed on this and decent priority, though I've seen it hit by DPs... Combos well and does GREAT damage too. Treat it a lot like Cap's Final Justice, it has less priority but works the same speed. EXCELLENT counter to missed or slow-recovering attacks. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- -Super Combo 3; Haru-Ichiban- (Sakura ducks low, then rises quickly straight into the air, with a spinning kick, then finishes with a punch combo and an overhead hammer, sending them crashing into the ground) I was kinda disappointed that the y changed this, it was an AWESOME SC in A2. It now has ZERO range, but the damage is GREAT and if the opponent IS close enough, it will take out any regular attack. Treat it like Ken's Shinryuken; combos off of her launcher too :), and an excellent air counter if timed right. COMBOS: ******* -Safe Air Magic Series: Jab -> Short -> Strong -> Forward -> Fierce or Roundhouse (FS) -Safe Ground Combo: D.S.Jab -> S.Short -> S.Forward XX Fierce DP If the enemy blocks... D.S.Jab -> S.Short -> S.Forward XX -> S.Roundhouse -Ground Magic Series: Zig-Zag -Jumping Magic Series: Zig-Zag -Super Jumping Magic Series: Zig-Zag -Launchers: C.Fierce -Air Launchers: none -Straight Launchers: -Small Launchers: none *BASIC COMBOS* 1. D.S.Jab -> S.Short -> S.Forward XX Fierce DP 2. D.S.Jab -> S.Short -> S.Forward XX Short HK 3. D.C.Short -> c.Forward -> C.Roundhouse 4. D.C.Jab -> C.Fierce XX Haru-Ichiban 5. J.Fierce, C.Short -> C.Forward XX Fierce DP 6. D.S.Jab -> S.Short -> S.Strong -> S.Forward -> S.Fierce -> S.Roundhouse *INTERMEDIATE COMBOS* 7. J.Roundhouse, D.C.Jab -> C.Fierce -> SJ.Jab -> SJ.Short -> SJ.Strong -> SJ.Forward -> SJ.Fierce (FS) 8. J.Short -> J.Roundhouse, C.Short -> C.Fierce -> SJ.Jab -> SJ.Short -> SJ.Strong -> SJ.Forward XX Fierce DP 9. D.S.Jab -> S.Forward -> S.Fierce XX Fierce DP 10. (Corner) C.Fierce XX Midare Hadouken 11. J.Jab -> J.Fierce, D.S.Jab -> S.Strong -> S.Fierce XX Midare Zakura 12. J.Strong -> J.Fierce, D.S.Short -> C.Fierce -> SJ.Jab -> SJ.Short -> SJ.Strong -> SJ.Forward XX Forward HK 13. J.Jab -> J.Short -> J.Fierce, D.C.Jab -> C.Short -> C.Forward -> C.Roundhouse XX Fierce DP (OTG) 14. J.Fierce, C.Short XX Haru-Ichiban 15. J.Short -> C.Strong -> J.Roundhouse, D.C.Jab -> C.Short -> C.Fierce -> SJ.Jab -> SJ.Short -> SJ.Strong -> SJ.Forward XX Fierce FB COMBO OVERVIEW: *************** GROUND COMBOS: Pretty good, Sakura does of course have the whole Zig-Zag series available to her. The most useful finisher is the DP, but there are other options. You can also OTG with the DP, though this isn't too safe if they roll. Good damage in all cases. AIR COMBOS: Pretty smooth, the SJ.Strong sometimes will not connect, try and make sure the opponent is a little OVER you when you combo them for it to connect. Other than that, she can finish with any of her three Special Moves, the DP doin the most damage. TACTICS: ******** Offensive: The C.Forward should be stressed up close because of its priority, and be ready to cancel quickly into a C.Roundhouse or DP (or C.Fierce if close) when it connects. Her dash is quite fast so it should be your main approach; mix in the C.Forward and Short HK heavily, these are the best attacks. Like Ken, with a little bit of reflexes and luck, you can snuff most attacks with the Midare Zakura. Defensive: C.Fierce, Hadouken, Haru-Ichiban and Midare Hadouken are your air counters, C.Fierce and Haru-Ichiban best against high jumpins/attempted cross-ups, the other two good against jump-ins in general. Against dashing opponents, the DP will work somewhat well, if they tend to throw out dashing attacks fairly early. The Short and Forward HKs work well in this fashion as well. Ditto goes for the Midare Zakura, again with a bit of timing and luck :). You can use the mid-air Hadouken for pressure or keep-away in defense as well. Also remember the Roundhouse HK can make a quick escape from dash-ins, and can counter airborne opponents. In the air: In the air, J.Forward and J.Strong are your good mid-air attacks for priority, or the DP if fairly close. The Air DP has good recovery, so use it often. BEST JUMP-IN CHAIN: J.Jab -> J.Short -> J.Fierce Push-Away Options: Sakura In a Team: SAKURA'S ENDING: **************** A picture of a young boy looking through a some pictures sitting in a kitchen. On the table hear him is a pair of running shoes . Behind him a woman is doing the dishes. The boy asks who the girl is in the picture, and she replies "Oh, just a picture of your mother in her younger days." It then cuts to a shot of the picture, showing Sakura in her winning stance over a pile of characters, including Cap, Ryu, Hulk and Cyclops. ############################################################################ DAN HIBIKI: ----------- CHARACTER OVERVIEW: ******************* Heh, the ultimate parody character, Dan now makes his way to the vs. games. He is still a joke character and one of the weaker fighters in the game, but that's just what fun it is--when you win, you've won with one of the worst characters, thus he is a master's character. Many of his moves may be ineffective, but his moves are also HIGHLY damaging, and humiliating in many cases; in addition, he has one of the best Throw ranges in the game. He is the ultimate humiliation character, and if you manage to beat someone with him, you'll earn some serious admiration AND probably make the crowd cheer you (if there is one). And remember, TAUNT, TAUNT, TAUNT! :) MOVES LIST: *********** -Gadouken: QCT+any Punch -Koryuken: F,D,D/F+any Kick -Dankuukyaku: QCB+any Kick -Autograph: HCT+any Kick -Forward Rolling Taunt: QCT+Start (see Tactics for info) -Backward Rolling Taunt: QCB+Start (see Tactics for info) -Shoulder Toss: F or B+Strong or Fierce (close) -Grab `n' Uppercut: F or B+Forward or Roundhouse (close) -Air Toss:F or B+Strong or Fierce (close in mid-air) -Forward Dash; Ground Roll: F, F or all three punches -Team Counter: Dankuukyaku -Team Assist: Gadouken -Team Super: Shinkuu-Gadouken -Super Combo 1; Shinkuu-Gadouken: QCT+any two punches -Super Combo 2; Koryureppa: QCT+any two kicks -Super Combo 3; Hisshu-BuraiKen: QCB+any two kicks -Super Combo 4; Super Taunt: QCT,QCT+Start -Super Combo 5; Otoko-Michi: Fierce,Short,B,Jab,Jab (Level 3 only) REGULAR MOVES ANALYSIS: *********************** -S.Jab and C.Jab are sort of a cross between a slap and an eyerake. They have all of the same basic properties of normal Jabs however, except that Dan cannot chain them into any other regular moves :). Good speed, and work well as ticks because of Dan's good Throw range. -S.Strong, a short underhand body blow, is one of Dan's most important attacks for Dan. It has SHORT range, but it takes great priority over most crouching and standing regular attacks, and will cancel well into Special Moves for quick combos. USE IT! C.Strong is the usual low straight punch, also taking good priority over low attacks up close. -S.Fierce is a sort of flopping overhead chop. It does good damage and cancels into Special Moves well. However it has a slow start-up and big lag, so use rarely. C.Fierce is Dan's uppercut, his only Launcher. GREAT priority over jumping attacks like the shoto-bros., use it as your main air counter. -S.Short is a quick kick to the shins, useful as a tick because of Dan's Throw range. C.Short is a basic quick kick, it would be useful for starting combos, if Dan had a Ground Magic Series. -S.Forward is, IMO, his most important regular move. This is a two-hit extended straight kick, his best comboable attack IMO. In addition it also comes out and recovers quite fast, has decent range and GREAT priority. C.Forward is a long-range low kick, with excellent priority and comboability. Also important. -S.Roundhouse is an advancing back-roundhouse kick at head level. Good damage but has limited range and does not hit crouchers well. C.Roundhouse is the usual sweep, good damage and speed, watch the recovery and range though. -J.Fierce has the same lag as the S.Fierce, so use rarely. J.Strong has good duration and nice priority. J.Forward also has good priority, and J.Roundhouse is your most solid jump-in, with good damage and priority. It comes out VERY quickly as well. If you want to snuff slower air counters and/or set up a tick, use J.Short. SPECIAL MOVE ANALYSIS: ********************** -Gadouken- (Dan winds up and exclaims "GA-DOUKEN!", tossing a SMALL fireball forward about 2 steps distance at head level) Heh, heh. Even more pitiful than in SFA2, it also has greater recovery. So why use it? Because it HURTS., doing almsot as much damage as Hulk's S.Fierce!! Generally good in combos, the only other use for it is to nullify other projectiles from a distance. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- -Koryuken- (Dan exclaims "KO-RYUKEN!" and rises into the air with an uppercut) Low damage for a DP, and of course, it has Dan's trademark VULNERABILITY. Use mainly in some combos, or to counter high jump-ins. Bad recovery and almost zero range, be VERY careful how you use this. NOTE: as in A2, every so often Dan will flash white when he does this, in which case he becomes invulnerable. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- -Dankuukyaku- (Dan flies forward with up to three quick kicks) The move that defines Dan, along with the Taunt. The Roundhouse version if blocked leaves you particularily open to counter, the others can be countered with quick moves if blocked. The Forward version is best used to snuff attacks from mid-range, and most of the time cannot be countered easily if blocked. The Short will go over LOW projectiles and some smaller projectiles (NOT like in A2), and the Roundhouse should be used in combos. The Roundhouse and Forward version can also work to avoid jump-ins from high above. Interestingly enough, the Roundhouse version can also hit opponents out of the air, so use this against opponents who land from jumps at mid-range, hitting them JUST before they land. You will get all three hits. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- -Autograph- (Dan pulls out a picture of himself and apen, signs it and throws it at the opponent) Definetely an insult move only, it has bad lag and the opponent can hit him with a jump-in or projectile with ease, or pretty much and SC. The funny thing is, at the point in which he hollds it up to you, it can hit the opponent! This is great to use against ignorant opponents who dash in to often. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- -Shoulder Toss- (Dan grabs the opponent and tosses them over his shoulder to the ground) Like Ryu's and Akuma's, you of course cannot combo off of it. Good damage and leaves the opponent fairly close. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- -Grab `n' Uppercut- (Dan grabs the opponent and uppercuts them into the air) I dunno, I'm sure I managed to combo a Koryurekka after this in the corner once. Other than that, I haven't been able to get anything to actually COMBO off of this, though it canset up some neat options. For example, if the opponent tneds to air block on his way down, jump up after him and Air Throw him. If they like to try and hit you on the way down, try C.Fierce or the Koryurekka. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- -Air Toss- (Dan pulls the opponent pver his shoulder and falls, slamming them into the ground) Dan has one of the best Throw ranges in the game, especially on his Air Throws. Thus, don't be afraid to try and connect with this on airborne opponents often, you'd be surprised how much it will connect... ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- -Forward Dash; Ground Roll- (Dan curls into a ball and rolls along the ground) About the same speed as Ken, but slower recovery without canceling. Altogether you can combo fairly easily off of it, he can cancel into attacks quickly. This is decent as an offensive technqiue, suddenly cancelling into an attack when they try and hit you out of the roll. This will also avoid some high projectiles. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- -Team Counter: Dankuukyaku- Comes out fairlyfast and gets all three hits. Decent against anything up close or from a few steps (eg. projectiles). Will also work on VERY deep jump-ins. -Team Assist: Gadouken- Bwahahaha, yeah right. It does stun the opponent for an easy combo, and does great damage, but being Dan's FB, it has NO range, so it can only be used up close. Not too useful. -Team Super: Shinkuu-Gadouken HUGE damage with this one, the thing you have to make sure of is that the opponent is RIGHT near you when you pull it off, so Dan's half of the Team SC will connect (this is done best if Dan starts, of course). This will, of course, combo off of the deep jumping attack or CLOSE C.Forward like the regular Shinkuu-Gadouken for BIG damage. Works well with any horizontal SC. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- -Super Combo 1; Shinkuu-Gadouken- (Dan draws his arm back, then exclaims "SHINKUU--GADOUKEN!!", releasing a VERY small projectile at forward about 2 steps distance at head level for eight hits) Somewhat fast coming out, but not instant. Slow recovery speed and only about 3-4 steps range. So what's good about it? IT HURTS. Dan's Shinkuu-Gadouken is one of the most powerful SCs in the game, doing over 40% damage with all hits! It cannot be comboed easily, but it is possible with proper timing and distancing, only off of a deep jump-in attack, S.Strong or close C.Forward (must be done FAST here!). Since Dan's combos are not THAT spectacular, you should be using this as your main move for countering or hitting the enemy in any position where they are vulnerable, for maximum damage potential. It will nullify other projectiles, but this would be a waste of important SC energy, so try and make sure this connects. One somewhat useful application is as an air counter to deep jumping attacks, because opponents are sometimes thrown off timing-wise due to its slow flying speed.. IF it does connect on an airborne opponent, you will get all 8 hits. Should be his most used SC, also followed well with a Taunt :). NOTE: If pushed off, the opponent will frequently get hit by the 3-4 last hits! (Thanks to K. Megura). ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- -Super Combo 2; Koryurekka- (Dan rises into the air with a double hit vertical version of his Koryuken) Probably his least useful Super Combo, this has only SLIGHTLY more range than the normal Koryuken, and is not all that damaging. In addition, it has the usual bad recovery. All in all, use only in select combos, or as an air counter to high jumping opponents (time it as late as possible). This WILL take priority over attacks up close, however it is difficult to nail this consistantly because of its pitiful range. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- -Super Combo 3; Hisshu-BuraiKen- (Dan draws in for a brief moment, then lashes out with a series of kicks into a huge auto-combo, finishing with a high Koryuken for 10 hits) Definetely more useful than the Koryurekka. This does more damage than the Koryurekka, but much less than the Shinkuu-Gadouken. However, this is my personal favorite SC... Most importantly, it can be easily comboed... It has bad recovery if blocked or missed and will not hit airborne opponents well. However, it does decent damage, and if the first kick connects, ALL the following hits are guarenteed (except against airborne enemies, as I said). In addition, it has a GREAT vacuum effect, giving the inital hit a deceptively long range. To top it all off, this will take out pretty much any move in its early frames, if you're within range, be it a regular move, projectile or even many Special Moves (eg. Cap's Charging Star in its early frames). With fast reflexes, some luck and knowing your enemy, this can be a very rewarding SC. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- -Super Combo 4; Super Taunt- (Dan performs a quick forward roll into a Taunt, then follows with every possible Taunt Dan can perform) Well, let me say that if the opponent doesn't hit you during this, they're braindead. :) Actually, this is fun to make some scrubs and novices freak out, because they don't know that Dan cannot hit the opponent during this and is totally vulnerable, and they'll attempt to avoid it like crazy :). Truly, the wonly fun use for this is JUST after you win the match with Dan, AS SOOM AS POSSIBLE hit Start for the "Beat up the Loser" condition and execute the Super Taunt--you can get at least 90% of it in :). ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- -Super Combo 5; Otoko-Michi- (Dan yells and runs/stumbles toward the opponent; if he connects he yells "OYAJI!!!" (father) and they explode in a flash of bright light) The ultimate Dan move, if you win a match with this, you're either the King of MvSF, or your opponent is dumb as a post... This is NO Raging Demon--the thing that makes it a Dan move is that it does relatively low damage to the opponent, but Dan also explodes, leaving him with only a sliver of life! Not much on tactics for using this, it cannot be used as the Raging Demon is, it is MUCH slower with slightly less range. What's even more "Dan-like" about this move is that the damage done to Dan is PERMANENT damage, so even if he switches out he will not regain any health. If you beat an opponent with this, they will most likely be forever shunned by the fighting game society... :) COMBOS: ******* -Safe Air Magic Series: Jab -> Short -> Strong -> Forward -> Fierce (FS) -Safe Ground Combo: If the enemy blocks... -Ground Magic Series: none -Jumping Magic Series: none -Super Jumping Magic Series: Zig-Zag -Launchers: C.Fierce, Forward or Roundhouse Throw -Air Launchers: none -Straight Launchers: none -Small Launchers: none *BASIC COMBOS* 1. J.Roundhouse, C.Short XX Fierce Gadouken 2. J.Strong, S.Forward (2 hits) XX Roundhouse Dankuukyaku 3. J.Forward, S.Strong XX Fierce Koryuken 4. J.Roundhouse (DEEP!), Shinkuu-Gadouken 5. J.Roundhouse (DEEP!), Team SC :) 6. D.C.Forward XX Hisshu-BuraiKen 7. C.Fierce XX Fierce Koryuken 8. S.Jab XX Jab Koryuken *INTERMEDIATE COMBOS* 9. C.Fierce, SJ.Jab -> SJ.Short -> SJ.Strong -> SJ.Forward -> SJ.Fierce (FS) 10. J.Forward, C.Fierce, SJ.Jab -> SJ.Short -> SJ.Strong, Strong Throw 11. C.Roundhouse XX Koryurekka 12. (corner) Forward Throw, Air Throw 13. (corner), Forward Throw, Koryurekka 14. J.Roundhouse, C.Fierce, SJ.Jab -> SJ.Short -> SJ.Strong -> SJ.Forward, SJ.Fierce (FS) -> SJ.Roundhouse 15. (corner) D.C.Fierce, SJ.Jab -> SJ.Short -> SJ.Strong, Strong Air Throw, Hisshu-BuraiKen 16. J.Forward, C.Forward XX Shinkuu-Gadouken or Team SC :) 17. J.Fierce, D.CC.Fierce XX Koryurekka 18. D.S.S.Strong XX Koryurekka 19. J.Forward, S.Forward (2 hits) XX Hisshu-BuraiKen 20. (corner) J.Forward, S.Forward (2 hits) XX Hisshu-BuraiKen, C.Forward (OTG) XX Hisshu-BuraiKen 21. S.Fierce XX Koryurekka 22. D.S.Strong XX Shinkuu-Gadouken Comments (#13): I have managed to combo this (it actually REGISTERED on the combo meter), so it does work. Just do the Koryurekka as SOON as possible. Comments (#20): So far only works on the large characters for me, because they fall faster. COMBO OVERVIEW: *************** GROUND COMBOS: Not many options here unless you have an SC available. For damage S.Forward (2 hits) XX Roundhouse Dankuukyaku is really all you need, and is really his safest damaging combo. If you finish this with the Forward Dankuukyaku it becxomes a Safe Ground Combos if blocked, except against the fastest of counters. When you have a Super available the Hisshu-BuraiKen is your best comboable SC. AIR COMBOS: HUGE damage on Dan's Air Combos, they should really be your most used combos. In the corner, you can finish with the Air Throw and combo further as you land earlier than the enemy. TACTICS: ******** Offensive: Well, being carefully offensive is probably your best bet with Dan. Mix up the Forward Dankuukyaku from mid-range, and standing and crouching Forwards and Strongs up close. From mid-range, use his dash to get up close, ready to cancel it with attacks if need be. You need good reflexes to really capitalize on mistakes so practice is important. I recommend walking or using the Forward Dankuukykaku to get in along with the dash, or of course jumping works also. Always be ready to air block, J.Forward and J.Strong are your best moves here, with the highest priority. Be ready to use the Hisshu-BuraiKen or even Koryurekka to snuff regular attacks. One useful setup pointed out by Migs Rustia is that, because of the recovery of the Forward Dankuukyaku, you can get it blocked (best in the corner), then immediately buffer into a Hisshu-BuraiKen to catch their counter. Again, I must point out that it's important to know your opponent, 'cause if they prefer to continue blocking in this case, buffering into the SC is not gonna help you all that much ;). Defensive: Against dashing opponents or ground-based offense, the Gadouken works somewhat well due to its speed, however it suffers because of the short range. S.Forward is good for pushing the opponent back and geting some breathing room, and often the Dankuukyaku can surprise them, even in the air. To counter jump-in attacks use the Koryuken (against HIGH jump-ins due to its ZIPPO range), or best with the C.Fierce. Once you have a level charged, the Koryurekka will work in the same fashion as the Koryuken, and the Shinkuu-Gadouken will often catch deeper jumping opponents, and if air blocked will do good chipping damage and usually leave you safe anyways. Taunting: Special to Dan, you should find every possible opportunity to Taunt, Taunt, Taunt! Every possible spot where the opponent is knocked down or in a position where they cannot attack and you cannot otherwise do serious damage. Often Taunting can also be usefl for coaxing the opponent into a position of vulnerability. In particular, the Jumping Taunt is usually safe and ends quickly. If the opponent likes to stay mid-range and poke, for example, peck back then jump backward with a Taunt to annoy them into coming after you. Oftentimes the recovery of the Jumping Taunt will surprise them and allow you to counter them as you land. The Rolling Taunt, particularily the Backward Rolling version, is also good for evasion of slower opponents, especially those who jump in from a far. This again may frustrate them and make them dash at you recklessly; Captilize! Examples of places to Taunt: 1. After connecting with a Shinkuu-Gadouken (best with the normal standing or crouching Tuant) 2. After a Forward/Roundhouse Throw out of the corner (roll Backward and Taunt to avoid their falling attack, if any :) 3. After a Fierce Throw (regular Taunt, watch for consistant Safety Rollers!) 4. After connecting with a Koryuken or Koryurekka (jump back Taunt or Rolling Backward Taunt 5. JUST as they're dizzied :) 6. Generally whenever, from a distance... :) 7. Forward Roll Taunt under high projectiles (often dangerous, never rewarding... ;) In the air: Dan has good priority in the air with Strong and Forward, 'nuff said. But no matter what Dan truly dominates with his Air Throws. USE it, you'd be surprised how often the thing'll connect when your fighting air-to-air. BEST JUMP-IN CHAIN: none Push-Away Options: Dan In a Team: DAN'S ENDING: ************* Dan has Akuma by the throat and is ready to deliver the finishing blow, exclaiming that he'll never be made fun of again, yada-yada-yada. Suddenly a schoolgirl appears, presumably his sister, and yells" Dan, don't! He's our--"... Hmm... obviously not his father, 'cause Sagat killed his father (of course :).... ############################################################################ CHUN LI: -------- Again, if you don't know who she is by now, you shouldn't be playing the game :). CHARACTER OVERVIEW: ******************* The bitch is back, and has a few noticable differences. Her Thousand Burst Kick now has some recovery, so scrubs beware. Other than that, she has a new anti-air in the "Mini-Kikosho". She still dominates the air as well, so jumping in is your best option for offense, pecking with the Head Stomp and using the C.Forward up close. Still a great all-around character, one of the fastest in the game. MOVES LIST: *********** -Kikoken: HCT+any Punch -Mini-Kikosho: charge B,F+any Punch -Spinning Bird Kick: F,D,D/F+any Kick -Lightning Kick: tap any Kick repeatedly (can be done in mid-air) -Axe Kick: HCB+any Kick -Head Stomp: D+Forward (in mid-air) -Double Jump: U during any jump -Shoulder Drop: F or B+Strong or Fierce (close) -Air Shoulder Drop: F or B+Strong or Fierce (close in mid-air) -Dash; Shoulder Charge: F,F or all three punches -Air Dash: F,F (in mid-air) -Team Counter: Kikoken -Team Assist: Axe Kick -Team Super: Kikosho -Super Combo 1; Kikosho: QCT+any two punches -Super Combo 2; Thousand Burst Kick: QCT+any two kicks -Super Combo 3; Rising Heaven Kick: QCB+any two kicks REGULAR MOVES ANALYSIS: *********************** -S.Jab and C.Jab are your basic Jab punches, quick and somewhat useful as a tick; very short range. -S.Strong is her double palm thrust, good priority up close and combos well; again, short range. C.Strong is also a decent priority straight punch, again good up close. -S.Fierce is her big lunging side punch, the longest-ranged of all her punches. Comboes well into an SC, but other than that not too useful, it's not very fast at all. C.Fierce is essentially just a crouching version of the same. -S.Short is basic quick kick, decent speed and somewhat useful as a tick to standing opponents. C.Short is a FAST low kick that is very safe and useful for starting all of her combos. -S.Forward is another kick with good speed, but hits rather high, making it not too useful for snuffing attacks. C.Forward on the other hand, as always, is her most important regular move with GREAT speed, supreme priority and comboability, also with good range. USE it. -S.Roundhouse is Chun's launcher, and also one of the best air counters in the game. HUGE priority and, like Bison's S.Fierce launcher, now has a much better range, making it easier to combo. C.Roundhouse is her same hand-plant low kick, good for finishing combos, decent speed and range, and combos into the Kikosho. -J.Forward is pretty much your best attack as far as priority, in air-to-air or jump-in combat. J.Roundhouse and J.Fierce both do more damage and are easier toi combo off of, however. J.Roundhouse is also quite useful in air-to-air combat, but doesn't have much range. Useful when combined with her Air Dash. SPECIAL MOVE ANALYSIS: ********************** -Kikoken- (Chun Li draws back then thrusts herself forward, exclaiming "Kikosho!!" and releasing a ball of blue energy) A fair bit faster coming out than in XvSF, and also has better recovery. Combos well and can be used somewhat effectively in a fireball fight, but it shouldn't be your main focus. Good for pinning opponents back and moving in, or for stopping dashing opponents. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- -Mini-Kikosho- (Chun Li draws back briefly then explodes a small ball of blue energy in front of her) Similar to her L1 Kikosho from the Alpha series, this can be put in some neat combos and works quite well as an air counter to deep jump-ins. Also VERY fast recovery, so use it freely. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- -Spinning Bird Kick- (Chun Li rises into the air at a steep angle with a spinning kick) BIG change here, it is now a DP motion instead of a charge. Chun Li players will have a tough time getting used to this. Still has pretty good priority up close and will combo easily--also still a good air counter. As usual, bad recovery so be careful only to use it in the right place. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- -Lightning Kick- (Chun Li kicks in front of her, so fast that her foot becomes a blur) As it is so often pointed out these days, the only move Chun has retained since the original SF2. Good damage with multiple hits, works well to finish Air Combos and more importantly, combine with the Head Stomp to comprise her main offensive poking strategy. If you can perform it fast enough, it can also be used as a good defensive technique, it has ultimate priority up close. Also OTGs... ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- -Axe Kick- (Chun Li leaps forward in a flip and coems down on the enemy's head with her leg) Goes over low attacks and most projectiles, still a decent move for Chun. Good recovery but often when blocked, it's a toss-up between the two of you as to who gets the first hit in. If the enemy likes to go for Throws a lot you can buffer a Lightning Kick in to catch them, or perform your own Throw as fast as possible. Worst case scenario, you get Thrown but tech hit it, best case scenario you Throw them :). Still hits OTG and IS an Overhead attack (meaning it cannot be blocked low)--useful against persistant turtlers. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- -Head Stomp- (Chun Li drops onto her opponent's head with a straight downward stomp) Arguably Chun's best move, and makes up her main offensive game. HIGH priority that allows it to snuff many attacks from the ground, and it can also be cancelled into a Lightning Kick, for a combo r at least block damage and push away. See Tactics for more info. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- -Double Jump- (Chun hops in mid-air from her previous jump for higher elevation) Used to counter higher jumpers in the air, but mainly to avoid ground-based attacks that you think you may end up landing on (eg. Mega Optic Blast!). ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- -Shoulder Drop- (Chun Li grabs the opponent by one shoulder and brings her opposite shoulder into their torso, dropping them to the ground) Still one of the better Throws in thegame, Chun's range and damage is pretty good, though again remember that there are no combo possibilities afterwards anymore. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- -Air Shoulder Drop- (Same as above, but drives them into the ground from high in the air) Good Air Throw range as well, I tend to prefer finishing Air Combos with the Lightning Kick for more hits and damage, but this is stylish... ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- -Forward Dash; Shoulder Charge- (Chun Li charges, sliding with her shoulder forward) Chun Li's dash is fairly fast, but will stop eventually. Though a bit delayed at the end, still quite easy to combo with. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- -Air Dash- (same as ground dash, but through the air ;) Another important part of Chun's offensive strategy, it allows her to get across the screen quickly and attack from the air, especailly as the opponent recovers from an attack. Can be done at any height in her jump. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- -Team Counter: Kikoken- Good range and speed, useful up close or against projectiles from mid-range. Refrain from using it against jump-ins, unless VERY deep. -Team Assist: Axe Kick- An excellent Team Attack that combos well and more importantly, will take out low attacks for your partner as well :). -Team Super: Kikosho Works well with anything in range, TOTALLY devastating iwth Omega Red as a Teammate :). Just don't try it at longrange. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- -Super Combo 1; Kikosho- (Chun Li pulls back, then exclaims "KIKOSHO!!!" and releases a HUGE ball of energy that grows around her whole body) Quite devastating, it will OTG easily and covers Chun Li completely, making an ultimate defensive move--it also has a slight vacuum effect giving it more range than it appears, and also insuring most hits if the first connects. Recovery if blocked from close is slow enough to counter, so use carefully still. Comboes off of S.Fierce as well. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- -Super Combo 2; Thousand Burst Kick- (Chun Li charges up, then exclaims "SEN-RETSU--KYAKU!!" and lunges at the opponent with a multi-hit dashing Lightning Kick) The original Chun Li SC, it comes out quite fast and still does great damage, but to make it a little more balanced it now has approprietely slow recovery if blocked. Combos well, just be sure it connects. Remember to rap on the Kick buttons for more hits... ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- -Super Combo 3; Rising Heaven Kick- (Chun stoops low, then exclaims "HAZAN--TENSHOUKYAKU!!" and rises into the air with a multi-hit spinning kick) Also combos well, even off of her launcher. Also useful as an air counter if timed right, making sure the enemy is as close to the ground as possible. Similar to Hulk's Gamma Crush, it does not have much horizontal range, but if it IS done up close, it will snuff pretty much any attack. Like the regular Spinning Bird Kick, very slow recovery if blocked or missed. COMBOS: ******* -Safe Air Magic Series: Jab -> Short -> Strong -> Forward -> Fierce or Roundhouse (FS) -Safe Ground Combo: D.C.Short -> C.Forward XX Fierce Kikoken If the enemy blocks...D.C.Short -> C.Forward -> C.Roundhouse XX Jab Kikoken -Ground Magic Series: Weaker -> Stronger -Jumping Magic Series: Zig-Zag -Super Jumping Magic Series: Zig-Zag -Launchers: S.Roundhouse -Air Launchers: none -Straight Launchers: none -Small Launchers: none *BASIC COMBOS* 1. D.C.Short -> C.Forward -> C.Roundhouse 2. J.Fierce, C.Forward XX Fierce Kikoken 3. J.Short -> J.Forward, D.C.Strong XX Forward Spinning Bird Kick 4. C.Roundhouse XX Kikosho (OTG) 5. D.C.Short -> C.Roundhouse XX Roundhouse Lightning Kick (OTG) 6. D.C.Jab -> C.Fierce XX Thousand Burst Kick 7. Head Stomp XX Roundhouse Lightning Kick *INTERMEDIATE COMBOS* 8. D.S.Short -> S.Roundhouse -> SJ.Jab -> SJ.Short -> SJ.Strong -> SJ.Forward XX Forward Lightning Kick 9. J.Short -> J.Roundhouse, D.C.Short -> S.Fierce XX Kikosho 10. J.Fierce, D.S.Roundhouse -> SJ.Jab -> SJ.Short -> SJ.Strong, Strong Air Throw 11. S.Jab -> S.Roundhouse, SJ.Jab -> SJ.Strong -> SJ.Fierce (FS) 12. J.Jab -> J.Fierce, D.S.Jab -> S.Roundhouse XX Rising Heaven Kick 13. J.Fierce, C.Forward XX Roundhouse Spinning Bird Kick 14. AD.Short -> AD.Forward -> AD.Roundhouse, D.S.Jab -> S.Strong XX Roundhouse Spinning Bird Kick 15. D.C.Short -> C.Forward -> C.Roundhouse XX Thousand Burst Kick (OTG) 16. (corner) D.C.Jab -> C.Forward XX Rising Heaven Kick, Kikosho 17. (corner) J.Short -> J.Forward -> J.Roundhouse, D.S.Short -> S.Roundhouse XX Rising Heaven Kick, C.Short (OTG) -> S.Roundhouse -> SJ.Jab -> SJ.Short -> SJ.Strong -> SJ.Forward-> SJ.Fierce (FS) 18. (corner) Kikosho, Roundhouse Lightning Kick (OTG) 19. (corner) J.Roundhouse, D.S.Jab -> S.Roundhouse -> SJ.Jab -> SJ.Short -> SJ.Strong -> SJ.Forward-> SJ.Fierce (FS), SJ.Roundhouse *ADVANCED* 20. (corner) D.S.Strong -> S.Fierce XX Kikosho, D.C.Short (OTG) XX Rising Heaven Kick 21. (corner) AD.Jab -> AD.Strong -> AD.Forward, D.S.Short -> S.Roundhouse XX Rising Heaven Kick, D.C.Short (OTG) XX Rising Heaven Kick COMBO OVERVIEW: *************** GROUND COMBOS: decent damage when finishing with the Spinning Bird Kick, or of course any of her SCs. In order to connect with the SBK or Rising Heaven Kick in combos, Chun Li must be pretty close, which hurts her as far as doing damage with quick poking combos that she can execute from a short distance on the fly. IMO Air Combos are more effective for damage when you don't have an SC available, especiallywith the added range of the S.Roundhouse. AIR COMBOS: definetely the way to do damage with Chun Li, especially finishing with the Lightning Kicks for multiple hits. Her series comes out smooth with an easy rythym, should not be difficult at all. Like many others she can also chain into a SJ.Roundhouse after the SJ.Fierce FS, in the corner. TACTICS: ******** Offensive: Pretty basic, yet effective. Attack primarily from the air, utilizing your Air Dash frequently to get in fast, mixed in with regular jumping and Double Jumping to avoid higher attacks. Once you jump in at them, unless you have a clear jump-in combo opportunity, use the Head Stomp cancelled into the Lightning Kick--even if it's blocked, you're pushed away and do decent block damage. On the ground, the C.Forward is your primary poking move; if it connects nice and deep, chain into the SBK for sure, or even S.Roundhouse and Air Combo. If it connects from even a few steps away, play it safe and chain into A Kikoken. Once you have an SC available, remember that the Rising Heaven Kick at VERY close range will snuff pretty much any move, as will the Thousand Burst Kick, though not on the faster attacks, as it has a small start-up lag. Defensive: Against dashing opponents, the Kikoken now comes out a fair bit faster, so toss it in their face now and then. Also use the Kikoken or Mini-Kikosho against projectiles from a short range, to halt them (or just block and Push-Away...) Against jump-ins the S.Roundhouse provides even better coverage than before with its increased horizontal range. The SBK will also work well of course, provided the enemy is close enough. Use the Mini-Kikosho against deep jump-ins as well. Once a level is charged the Rising Heaven Kick makes a great air counter, but try and make sure the opponent is CLOSE and deep as possible, so it reduces the chances of missing or having it air blocked. And of course, the Kikosho is one of the best defensive moves in the game, with a short start-up lag, so it can stop just about anything, and leave you safe unless blocked very close. In the air: J.Forward is your highest priority jump-in, and J.Roundhouse is an excellent air-to-air attack, except that you have to be close. That's ok though, because the Air Dash will put you there :). Chun also has great range on her Air throw, so don't forget it up close--you'd be surprised by how often you'll get it out first. BEST JUMP-IN CHAIN: J.Short -> J.Forward -> J.Roundhouse Push-Away Options: Chun In a Team: CHUN LI'S ENDING: ***************** Chun Li stands in a hallway, saluting a man in a blue suit, saying she has completed her mission. The man replies "Good, Good. Did you encounter any problems?" Chun replies, ""Not with the mission, sir." Then comes to a close-up of Chun's face, with Ken, Ryu, Gief, Spidey, Hulk and wolverine making faces behind her. "But I haven't quite figured out what to do with these guys yet." she says, and the man replies "Oh dear..." ############################################################################ AKUMA: ------ The evil human-turned-demon Akuma was originally a deciple of Shotoken karate and the brother of Ken and Ryu's teacher Gouken. However he saught the ultimate power of Shotokan karate, and unleashed the deadly killing technique of Shotokan, the Shun-Gokou-Satsu, or Raging Demon. This however turned Akuma over to pure evil; Akuma now simply seeks to destroy all competition, and currently seeks to try and turn Ryu over to the "dark side". CHARACTER OVERVIEW: ******************* Akuma is back in yet another Capcom game, and powerful as ever. He still takes more damage than anyone else, but dishes out a lot as well. Like Ryu, he can be played FB/keep-away, or offensively and with variety. He also has a wide array of combos and effective SCs... still one of the better characters if played properly. MOVES LIST: *********** -Fireball: QCT+any Punch (can be done in mid-air) -Dragon Punch: F,D,D/F+any Punch -Hurricane Kick: QCB+any Kick (can be done in mid-air) -Demon Blade Kick: QCT+any Kick (in mid-air) -Ashura Warp (forward): F,D,D/F+all three Punches or kicks -Ashura Warp (back): B,D,D/B+all three Punches or kicks -Overhead Chop: F+Strong -Spin Kick: F+Forward -Shoulder Toss: F or B+Strong or Fierce (close) -Stomach Throw: F or B+Forward or Roundhouse (close) -Air Toss: F or B+Strong or Fierce (close in mid-air) -Forward Dash; Forward Slide: F, F or all three punches -Team Counter: Dragon Punch -Team Assist: Fireball -Team Super: MessatsuGoHadou -Super Combo 1; MessatsuGoHadou: QCB+any two punches -Super Combo 2; TenmaGouZankyu: QCT+any two punches (in mid-air) -Super Combo 3; Messatsu GoShoryuu: QCT+any two punches -Super combo 4; Raging Demon: Jab,Jab,F+Short,Fierce (Level 3 only) REGULAR MOVES ANALYSIS: *********************** -Both Jabs are good all-around up close moves, useful as ticks or to start combos. Very low damage, of course. -S.Short takes decent priority over lower attacks and can tick, and the C.Short is also useful for starting combos. -S.Strong is a side uppercut with good priority; a half-decent air counter, and works well in combos. C.Strong is a high priority low punch, useful up close for snuffing most regular attacks, and can chain into a combo if that occurs. -S.Forward is Akuma's 2-hit axe kick, good in combos and has decent priority up close. C.forward is the same high-priority low kick, a universal combo attack that cancels easily into all of Akuma's Special Moves. -S.Fierce is the same big straight punch, not too useful for poking, obviously. It's only strength is that it cancels easily into the MessatsuGoHadou, making it very important in combos if you want to use that SC. C.Fierce is the shoto-bros. universal uppercut, and in this game it has PRIORITY out the arse. This will, with proper timing, take out all jump-in attacks and of course it is also his launcher. -S.Roundhouse is a high spinning kick, making a great air counter, but the C.Fierce is better. C.Roundhouse is the usual low sweep, useful for finishing combos and takes out slower high attacks. Still combos into the MessatsuGoHadou as well... -J.Roundhouse is still an excellent jump-in with good range, and J.Fierce tends to land you deeper for better comboing. If you're looking for priority use the J.Forward, but remember that this is easily absorbed by Hulk and Gief. Tap U+Roundhouse to get the old straight-jump Roundhouse from SF2. SPECIAL MOVE ANALYSIS: ********************** -Fireball- (Akuma grunts and tosses a ball of fire across the screen) The most "original" of the shoto-bros. FBs, it is as small as it was back in Alpha, but still goes full screen and is FAST. Good damage for a fireball and of course combos easily off of most moves. Excellent for pressure and, if you wanna play that way, keep-away as well. IN the air, it is still Akuma's infamous downward Air FB, comes out FAST and can be used to pin the opponent back easily. Also note that Akuma floats slowly as he throws it, which can allow you to stay in the air a tad longer, perhaps to avoid an SC or regular projectile. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- -Dragon Punch- (Akuma rises into the air with a grunt, hitting with a multi-hit flaming uppercut) Really cool looking DP, it has black flames now. About the same as Ken's, maybe a little less priority, but about the same range. Useful as an air counter or in combos, and up close the Jab version is a good snuffing move. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- -Hurricane Kick- (Akuma spins forward with a multi-hit electrifying kick) Electrocutes the opponent and does greawt damage. I personally prefer to finish his ground combos with this, and it can still be OTGed after in certain casesd. Goes over lower projdctiles and FBs as well. The Roundhouse's recovery is slow enough that Akuma can be countered if blocked, with quick moves or Throws. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- -Demon Blade Kick- (Akuma dives toward the ground with a multi-hit kick) If timed properly, and if it hits deep enough, you can combo as with a normal jump-in, only it does much more damage. Comes out VERY fast, useful for a surpsie move against op[ponents who are going to try and time an air counter for a normal jump-in. If blocked it usually is safe, and only high-priority attacks can hit him out of it (eg. Ken's DP). ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- -Ashura Warp- (Akuma slides forward or backward trailing shadows behind him) Akuma is completely invulnerable during the slide, and it starts up quite fast, making it an excellent defensive move, against jump-ins or dashing opponents if timed correctly. See Tactics for more info. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- -Overhead Chop- (Akuma steps forward and performs a downward chop to the opponent's head) About as useful as Ryu's overhead Punch, i.e. not very. Has a slow start-up and therefore can be seen easily. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- -Spin Kick- (Akuma hops forward with a spinning kick at waist level) Takes priority over low attacks with ease, and recovers quickly. Great up close move that combos fairly well into the Messatsu GoShoryuu... ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- -Shoulder Toss- (Akuma grabs the opponent and tosses them over his shoulder to the ground) As with most of the other characters' Throws, you of course can no longer combo off of it. Good damage and leaves the opponent fairly close. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- -Stomach Throw- (Akuma grabs the opponent and falls onto his back, pushes his foot into their stomach and releases them across the screen) Again, no combo possibilities afterward anymore, but throws them further than the Shoulder Toss. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- -Air Toss- (Akuma grabs the opponent, flips backward and tosses them to the ground) A pretty good way to end Air Combos, unless you can time a Tenma GouZankuu to finish it, of course :). Combos somewhat afterwards (see combos). ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- -Forward Dash; Forward Slide- (Akuma will float forward exactly like his Teleport, only there's no shadows and he is NOT invulnerable) Easier to combo with than the other Shotokans I find, but a little slower in recovery if you don't cancel. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- -Team Counter: Dragon Punch As usual, useful only against CLOSE moves, or jump-ins. -Team Assist: Fireball- As with most FB assists, it can hit easily if the enemy is on the ground, and will allow your partner to combo easily. Bear in mind that Akuma's FB is not as large as Deux's or Ken's, so it won't hit airborne opponents very well, even just to push them back. -Team Super: MessatsuGoHadou- Pretty much identical to Ryu's Shinkuu-Hadouken in this case, combos well with any horizontal SC, especailly other beam Supers. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- -Super Combo 1; MessatsuGoHadou- (Akuma gathers his chi then releases a thick beam of Hadou energy across the screen) Lasts much less than Ryu's, and doesn't do nearly as much damage. However it still comes out almost instantly and combos easily. Use to counter projectiles or slower dash-in moves. Like Deux's it can also be used to catch the enemy in the middle of just about any move if you have the reflexes. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- -Super Combo 2; TenmaGouZankyu- (Akuma releases a large hail of fireballs downward from the air) Less lag time than in XvSF. Still does great block damage and is difficult to counter if blocked. Can finish Air Combos if timed properly and doen QUICKLY, although personally I don't do this often. Can be easily countered if the opponent is under him, or above him. Useful for countering slower ground moves while in the air, especially Beam Supers from the right height. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- -Super Combo 3; Messatsu GoShoryuu- (Akuma lunges forward with a multi-hit Dragon Punches, finishing into another higher DP) Pretty much identical to Ken's, and should be used as such. Advantages and disadvantages, for sure. If blocked or missed, your recovery is so high it's absurd, and it also doesn't do much damage when it does connect. HOWEVER, it combos well off of C.Forward and most importantly, it has PRIORITY. TONS of it, against regular attacks. Up close it can be risky, but with a little bit of luck and some good reflexes AND knowing your opponent's style, you can snuff any regular attack and a lot of Special Moves with this. Also useful for countering projectiles from a SHORT range. NOTE: THIS _IS_ TRUE--when hitting the heavy characters (eg. Hulk, Zangief) even WITH all hits, they will land before you and can hit you as you fall! Thus, DON'T USE IT IN THIS CASE!! :) ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- -Super Combo 4; Raging Demon- (Akuma slides forward ala the Ashura Warp; if he connects, the screen goes white as Akuma pummels the opponent with a 15 hit combo) Still does huge damage, but cannot be OTGed after anymore, AND it's again L3 only :(. Still, it is THE Akuma move--it has no priority, Akuma can be hit or Thrown out of it with ease, and it is slow along the ground. To top it off, even if you tick up close for it, the opponent can defend simply by jumping. Still, they have to know it's the Raging Demon your setting up for in the first place... And often they won't realize it's coming until it's too late :). Difficult to connect with, but try and use it anyways. Not IMPERITIVE to good Akuma play, it's just fun to use and also satisfying :). COMBOS: ******* -Safe Air Magic Series: Jab -> Short -> Strong -> Forward -> Fierce or Roundhouse (FS) -Safe Ground Combo: D.C.Short -> C.Forward XX or -> whatever :) If the enemy blocks... D.C.Short -> C.Forward -> C.Roundhouse XX Fireball -Ground Magic Series: Weaker -> Stronger -Jumping Magic Series: Weaker -> Stronger -Super Jumping Magic Series: Zig-Zag -Launchers: C.Fierce -Air Launchers: none -Straight Launchers: none -Small Launchers: none *BASIC COMBOS* 1. D.S.Jab -> S.Strong XX Roundhouse HK 2. D.C.Short -> C.Forward -> C.Roundhouse 3. D.C.Short -> C.Short -> C.Forward XX Fierce FB 4. J.Roundhouse, D.S.Short -> S.Forward (2 hits) XX Fierce DP 5. S.Fierce XX Shinkuu-Hadouken 6. C.Roundhouse XX Messatsu GoHadou 7. D.C.Jab -> C.Fierce XX Fierce DP *INTERMEDIATE COMBOS* 8. J.Roundhouse, D.C.Jab -> C.Fierce -> SJ.Jab -> SJ.Short -> SJ.Forward XX Fierce FB 9. J.Forward -> J.Fierce, D.S.Jab -> C.Fierce -> SJ.Jab -> SJ.Short XX Roundhouse HK 12. J.Jab -> J.Fierce, D.C.Short -> C.Strong -> S.Fierce XX Messatsu GoHadou 13. J.Short -> J.Roundhouse,, D.C.Short -> C.Fierce -> SJ.Jab -> SJ.Short -> SJ.Strong -> SJ.U+Forward XX TenmaGouZankyu 15. Demon Blade Kick, D.S.Forward -> C.Roundhouse XX Messatsu GoHadou 16. Spin Kick, Messatsu GoShoryu 17. D.S.Short -> S.Forward -> C.Fierce XX Fierce DP 18. D.S.Jab -> S.Strong -> S.Fierce XX Fierce FB 19. J.Short -> J.Forward -> J.Roundhouse, D.S.Jab -> S.Strong XX Fierce DP 20. J.Jab -> J.Roundhouse, D.C.Short -> C.Forward XX Roundhouse HK 21. J.Short -> J.Roundhouse, D.C.Short -> C.Fierce -> SJ.Jab -> SJ.Short -> SJ.Strong -> SJ.Forward -> SJ.Fierce (FS) 23. Demon Blade Kick, D.C.Jab -> C.Short -> C.Forward XX Roundhouse HK, C.Short (OTG) -> C.Fierce -> SJ.Jab -> SJ.Short -> SJ.Strong, Strong Air Throw 24. D.C.Short -> C.Forward XX Shoryureppa 25. (corner) Demon Blade Kick, D.C.Short -> C.Fierce -> SJ.Jab -> SJ.Short -> SJ.Strong -> SJ.Forward -> SJ.Roundhouse (FS), SJ.Roundhouse 26. J.Roundhouse XX Roundhouse HK, C.Short -> S.Fierce XX Messatsu GoHadou COMBO OVERVIEW: *************** GROUND COMBOS: I personally prefer using Ground Combos with Akuma, because of the damage possible using ANY of his Special Moves to finish, especially the HK. And of course, he can combo easily into the Messatsu GouHadou or Messatsu GouShoryu. Quite a bit of variety here. AIR COMBOS: Pretty much identical to the other shoto-bros. as far as timing. He can finish with the HK or FB, or the TenmaGouZankyu as well. Try and make sure to be above your opponent when finishing with the latter, and cancel FAST. TACTICS: ******** Offensive: Use the FB for pressure, like Ryu's, then follow it in. Make use of Akuma's fairly quick dash to get in fast and poke with C.Forward and the FB. Up close stick to C.Forward or The Strong for priority. Either way, Akuma's best offensive technique is from the air, with the Demon Blade Kick mixed in with jump-ins and careful air blocking if needed. Mix up the Blade Kick and J.Forward/J.Roundhouse, and toss in the TenmaGouZankyu to catch them if they become predictable with a certain air counter. Once you have a level available, use the Messatsu GoHadou like Ryu's, to counter even the slightest flinch from a distance and the Messatsu GoShoryu to snuff up close attacks, with some luck and reflexes :). Defensive: Against dashing opponents, pin them back with the air and ground FBs, and stop slower dash-ins with the HK, and of course the Messatsu GoHadou. Against jump-ins use the Jab DP or C.Fierce, that's about all you need. Also remember that the Ashura Warp is an excellent way to avoid ANY attack really, just remember that often you won't be able to hit them as you stop anyways, and try and make sur you don't show up i na position where they can hit YOU (eg. don't use the Short Warp so that you appear right next to them). In the air: J.Forward has the highest priority, especially against slower ground attacks. Unfortunately, Akuma's Air Throw range isn't AMAZING, and all of his air attacks aim downward; EXCEPT the HK, so you'll have to use that for air-to-air. BEST JUMP-IN CHAIN: J.Forward -> J.Roundhouse Push-Away Options: Chun In a Team: AKUMA'S ENDING: *************** Dan shows up, transofrmed into a sort of "Cyber-Dan" similar to Cyber Akuma, and exclaims "Don't boast just yet, Akuma. Apocalypse transofrmed me as well!" then Akuma Dragon Punches Dan and his armor flies off. :) ############################################################################ DHALSIM: -------- The yoga master is back, seeking to help his needy country and destroy all evil. CHARACTER OVERVIEW: ******************* Still one of the most powerful characters in the game if played right. Dhalsim is very difficult to play offensively, and for the most part you SHOULDN'T play him as such. However, Dhalsim has VERY good poking and keep-away attacks, and one of the most devastating SCs in the game. Deadly in the hands of an expert. NOTE: Dhalsim's regular attacks are now automatically long or short range, i.e. no more holding back or forward, except for doing his crouching kicks (see Regular Moves Analysis). MOVES LIST: *********** -Yoga Fire: QCT+any Punch (can be done in mid-air) -Yoga Flame: HCB+any Punch -Yoga Thrust: HCB+any Kick -Medatation: QCB+all three Kicks (in mid-air; repeat to turn off) -Yoga Teleport (forward): F,D,D/F+all three Punches or kicks (can be done in mid-air) -Yoga Teleport (back): B,D,D/B+all three Punches or kicks (can be done in mid-air) -Yoga Mummy: D+Fierce (in mid-air) -Yoga Drill: D+any Kick (in mid-air) -Yoga Toss: F or B+Fierce (close) -Yoga Noogie: F or B+Strong (close) -Air : F or B+Strong or Fierce (close in mid-air) -Forward Dash; Yoga Float: F, F or all three punches -Team Counter: Yoga Flame (3 hit) -Team Assist: Yoga Flame (1 hit) -Team Super: Yoga Inferno -Super Combo 1; Yoga Inferno: QCT+any two punches (can be done in mid-air) -Super Combo 2; Yoga Strike: QCT+any two Kicks REGULAR MOVES ANALYSIS: *********************** -S.Jab and C.Jab from a distance are short-range (for Dhalsim that is ;) stretch punches, useful for poking from a few steps away. Up close they are quick chops which are somewhat useful as ticks. -S.Strong is Dhalsim's uppercut, his Launcher. Decent air counter with VERY little range. The only real way for Dhalsim to combo. C.Strong is IMO his best regular attack; it has good range (though not as much as the Fierce attacks) and GREAT speed and priority. Your BEST poking move, and should comprise your OFFENSE on the ground. If it connects or is blocked, cancel into various Yoga Fires. -S.Fierce is still his double-fisted stretch punch, HUGE range and is pretty good for countering moves from a distance, or snuffing slower attacks there as well. C.Fierce is basically a lower version, somewhat useful for countering high projectiles from a distance. -S.Short is an excellent poking move from mid-range, and C.Short up close is a decent tick. -S.Forward is a decent poking kick, although it's a little high. C.Forward is a fairly quick low kick, comboable into the Yoga Fire. Holding D/F will give you a slide that DOES not knockdown. -S.Roundhouse is Dhalsim's infamous high, long Roundhouse which, in the Vs. games, is a Strike. Useful for countering attacks from a far distance and for keeping opponents out of the air. C.Roundhouse is a knock-down toe kick, coming out fairly fast up close but with little range. hold D/F and hit Roundhouse to get Dhalsim's knockdown slide, which is fast and an EXCELLENT counter to projectiles or most high attacks. Still combos into the Yoga Inferno OTG as well. -J.Roundhouse is an airborne version of his S.Roundhouse, useful for countering airborne attacks from a distance (eg. projectiles like Ryu's FB). J.Fierce is a downward logn-range punch, useful for snagging standing foes from the air, especially if they toss out a FB. J.B+Forward IMO is his best single jump-in, a short front kick. SEE YOGA DRILL SECTION FOR MUCH MORE INFO! SPECIAL MOVE ANALYSIS: ********************** -Yoga Fire- (Dhalsim leans back then exclaims "Yoga Fire!", releasing a ball of flame from his mouth) Still quite fast across the screen, and does NOT have the disappating effect from A2. You should cancel most of your long-range attacks with this just to add block damage, and it's altogether a great keep-away or pressuring move. In the air it's like Ryu's FB, in that it is horizontal. Useful in air-to-air combat or some Air Combos. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- -Yoga Flame- (Dhalsim exclaims "Yoga Flame!!" and spews forth a cloud of flame) Still the Vs. game version, reaching across most of the screen in a wide blanket. Useful generally for defense and keeping opponents out of the air. This does good damage and should be your most-used counter to a missed attack, from mid to far distance. 1 to 3 hits depending on the Punch used. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- -Yoga Thrust- (Dhalsim leans back and exclaims "Yoga Thrust!" and spews a gloud of flame upward into the air) Should be used ONLY as an air counter, it will NOT hit opponents onthe ground. GOOD damage if it connects. I tend to use only the Short version, because it comes out and recovers quite fast. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- -Medatation- (Dhalsim goes into a medatation position and floats about the screen) Basically a version of the generic Vs. Game flight (ala Bison), Dhalsim CANNOT block while he floats, however his moves have increased priority, making it somewhat useful for a hit-and-run poking game. However, IMO it's not imperitive to good Dhalsim play. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- -Yoga Teleport- (Dhalsim floats in a medetation position, disappears in a flash and reappears in the chosen position) Good all around defensive technique. Doing the forward DP motion and hitting the Punches causes him to Teleport in front of the opponent, the Kicks behind. Alternately, the reverse DP with Punches causes him to Teleport far backward, the Kicks a short distance back. In the air, forward DP with the Punches causes him to appear in front of the opponent just above them, with Kicks appearing behind and just above them. The Reverse DP with Punches places Dhalsim back about half a screen height above where he was, and with Kicks he will appear behind and lower than where he was. LEARN his Teleports to avoid and confuse the opponent but beware not to get predictable so they can hit you as you appear. See Tactics for more info. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- -Yoga Mummy- (Dhalsim falls downward at an angle, spinning headfirst) Still a very important move for Slim... the Yoga Mummy can be followed with a ground combo if it is extremely deep, but it is more useful as his best air-to-air move. It has HIGH priority over pretty much any airborne attack, so USE it as such. Do not use it often when the enemy is on the ground, you can be hit easily with a higher priority air counter (eg. shoto-bros. DPs). ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- -Yoga Drill- (Dhalsim dives downward spinning, hitting with his feet) Three angles, Short being the shallowest, the Roundhouse going very steep. These are Dhalsim's best offensive attacks, and in most cases, will lead very well into a ground combo. Best of all, he can chain all three together in his Jumping Magic Series (D+Short -> D.Forward -> D.Roundhouse) for GREAT damage. Good priority on these as well, but you can still be hit with higher priority air counters, so be cautious where you use them (eg. a good place would be to counter a projectile you have jumped over). ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- -Yoga Toss- (Dhalsim grabs the opponent and tosses them over his head) Good damage and throws the enemy across the screen, but no combos possible afterwards anymore... ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- -Yoga Noogie- (Dhalsim grabs the opponent and bashes them repeatedly on the head, then knocks them away with an uppercut) More fun to watch :), but does about the same damage. Again, no combo possibilities afterward anymore, but keeps the enemy closer afterwards. Remember to shake the joystick B and F and mash the Punch buttons... ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- -Air Throw- ??? Never connected with it, more later :). ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- -Forward Dash; Float- (Dhalsim flaots forward in a medatation position) Speed through the air isn't too bad, but not very easy to combo. Which is OK, Dhalsim doesn't really need to dash-in combo... ;) ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- -Team Counter; Yoga Flame- Good all-around counter, this will hit any blocked move from close to mid-range. Most useful against projectiles I find, or against attacks that bounce off fairly quick (eg. Sakura's Midare Zakura). -Team Assist; Yoga Flame- Only hits once, will allow QUICK comboing (eg. beam SC). -Team Super; Yoga Inferno- TOTALLY devastating SC, will connect with basically ANY SC, unless you're hitting with a beam super from absolute FULL screen. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- -Super Combo 1; Yoga Inferno- (Dhalsim leans back, then exclaims "YOGA--INFERNO!!!!" and spews forth a HUGE cloud of flame to blanket most of the screen in front of him) IMO still one of the most effective SCs in the game, the object of your gameplay should be to connect with this. Use it as a counter to just about ANYTHING, it comes out fairly fast (though not instant). Excellent against projectiles from any distance but absolute full screen, or to counter jump-ins, since it can be directed upward. Also, don't hesitate to counter ANY missed or blocked move that you can with this (eg. a DP), this is Dhalsim's best way to do damage. Difficult to Push-away and unless RIGHT up close it is difficult to counter if blocked. Still combos off of the C.Roundhouse, hold the joystick down to hit them OTG. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- -Super Combo 2; Yoga Strike- (Dhalsim stoops down, then leaps SLOWLY into the air through a small arc; if he connects he will slam the enemy thrice into the ground with his legs) HUGE damage on this still, but difficult to connect with. Does not combo off of his launcher, and comes out fairly slow. Decent as an air counter to regular jump-ins, but the enemy can often connect with a higher priority jump-in or downward move eg. Akuma's TenmagoZanku!!) Use mainly to counter missed or blocked rising attacks (eg. most DPs). Combos off of the S.Strong as far as I know, must be done FAST. COMBOS: ******* -Safe Air Magic Series: Jab -> Strong -> Fierce (FS) OR Short -> Forward -> Roundhouse (FS) -Safe Ground Combo: none -Ground Magic Series: none -Jumping Magic Series: Weaker -> Stronger -Super Jumping Magic Series: Weaker -> Stronger -Launchers: S.Strong -Air Launchers: none -Straight Launchers: S.Roundhouse (long range) -Small Launchers: none *BASIC COMBOS* 1. C.Forward XX Yoga Fire 2. S.Fierce XX Jab Yoga Flame 3. S.Strong XX Yoga Strike 4. C.Roundhouse or D/F+Roundhouse XX Yoga Inferno OTG (hold Down) *INTERMEDIATE COMBOS* 5. S.Strong -> SJ.Jab -> SJ.Strong -> SJ.Fierce (FS) 6. J.D+Short -> J.D+Forward -> J.D+Roundhouse, S.Strong -> SJ.Short -> SJ.Forward -> SJ.Roundhouse (FS) 7. J.B+Forward, S.Strong -> SJ.Jab -> SJ.Strong XX Jab Yoga Fire 8. S.Strong XX Yoga inferno (hold Up; FAST!) 9. (from a distance) Jab Yoga Fire, C.Strong or S.Roundhouse 10. J.D+Short -> J.D+Forward -> J.D+Fierce, C.Roundhouse XX Yoga Inferno OTG 11. J.B+Strong -> J.B+Fierce, S.Strong -> SJ.Jab, SJ.Short -> SJ.Forward -> SJ.Fierce (FS) 12. (near corner) J.B+Forward, S.Forward -> S.Roundhouse XX Yoga Inferno COMBO OVERVIEW: *************** GROUND COMBOS: only single attacks cancelled into the Yoga Fire, he has no ground Magic Series. Unless you have a level charged and the opponent isn't adept at Safety Rolls, stick with Air Combos. AIR COMBOS: Weaker -> Stronger series, but if timed properly the SJ.Jab can be chained into the SJ.Short. The Yoga Inferno cannot be used to finish it, it's start-up lag is too great AFAIK. TACTICS: ******** Offensive: Not much, really. When going offensive it should be when an obvious opening is present (eg. slide under projectile, missed DP, etc...) C.Strong is your best poking attack, but even when poking Dhalsim tends to stay on defense anyway. When going offensive, it's usually done for an opening, and done using the Yoga Drill chain series. When up close, the S.Short and Jabs have good priority, and of course the S.Strong launcher as well, similar to Spidey's (but DEFINETELY not as much priority)!). Defensive: Against ground-based opponents, Dhalsim has many options for keep-away and pressuring. C.Strong is your best regular attack, always cancel into the Yoga Fire if it connects or is blocked. C.Fierce and S.Fierce will also stop dashing opponents and keep them away, though they are a tad slower. You should be ready to slide if you see a high attack or projectile coming. Other than regular attacks, the Yoga Fire is of course good for pinning and keep-away, and the Yoga Flame keeps opponents back and on the ground usually as well. For air countering, if you can't keep the opponent on the ground from a distance with S.Roundhouse or the Yoga Flame, the Yoga Thrust is an EXCELLENT air counter, especially the Short version. And of course, once you have a level charged, the Yoga Inferno will take out ANYTHING for the most part, provided they aren't using an INSTANT move that's within their range. In the air: The Yoga Mummy!!! :) Enough priority on this thing to take out any regular move within range. Other than that, you can keep them pinned with the Yoga Fires, and the Yoga Inferno will also take out just about anything provided you get it out fast enough. BEST JUMP-IN CHAIN: Triple Yoga Drill Push-Away Options: Slim In a Team: DHALSIM'S ENDING: ***************** Pretty much the FUNNIEST ending in the game. Dhalsim is sitting at a wooden table with Shuma Gorath, presumably back in his home village. -Dhalsim asks "What do you think about reincarnation?" -Shuma replies "Shuma-Gorath is coming. Shuma-Gorath is coming. Shuma-Gorath is coming..." -Dhalsim then says "Really. Would you like some more tea?" Shuma replies "I will devour your planet. Shuma is coming" -Dhalsim says "Oh, so you think the weather is going to change..." ############################################################################ ZANGIEF: -------- Heheh, what story?! Zangief's in the game to beat people up! :) None of this "sent by Russia to defeat M.Bison", bah! He's just havin' fun! :) CHARACTER OVERVIEW: ******************* ZANGIEF aka Z aka GIEF aka GRIEF aka BEEF! Some good improvements from before, namely the Double Final Atomic Buster!!!!!!!! However other than that, he's really not that different from XvSF. He is arguably the strongest character in the game damage wise, tied with the Hulk. As with every SF game, Zangief's one of my top characters, and must be played carefully. MOVES LIST: *********** -Spinning Clothesline: any two Punches (can be done in mid-air) -Turbo Clothesline: any two Kicks (can be done in mid-air) -Banishing Punch: F,D,D/F+any Punch -Rising Air Throw: F,D,D/F+any Kick -Spinning Piledriver: roll 270 degrees+any Punch (can be done in mid-air) -Siberian Bear Crusher: HCT+any Kick (close) -Running Bear Grab: HCT+any Kick -Knee Drop: D+Short or Forward (in mid-air) -Body Splash: D+Fierce (in mid-air) -Falling Elbow Drop: D+Strong (in mid-air) -Elbow Drop: F+Strong -Suplex: F or B+Fierce (close) -Upward Toss: F or B+Strong (close) -Grab `n' Bite: F or B+Forward or Roundhouse (close) -Stomach Pump: C.Fierce (close) -Air Toss: F or B+Strong or Fierce (close in mid-air) -Forward Dash; Sliding Grab: F, F or all three punches -Team Counter: Running Bear Grab -Team Assist: Spinning Clothesline -Team Super: Double FAB (if on screen), Super Clothesline (if off screen) -Super Combo 1; Final Atomic Buster: roll 270+any two Punches REGULAR MOVES ANALYSIS: *********************** -S.Jab is the fast overhead chop that is not fast enough to chain repeatedly. DECENT as an air counter, but not even close to the usefulness it had in II. C.Jab is an excellent low chop that CAN be chained multiple times, and has good priority up close--decent as a tick as well. -S.Strong is, IMO, and underrated attack. This is a neck-level cross-chop, with GOOD priority up close and good speed and recovery. If it connects you can cancel into a Banishing Punch easily. It's only drawback is that it has low priority over crouching attacks, except against tall characters (eg. Blackheart). C.Strong is a crouching uppercut, Gief's regular launcher; this is a good air counter, and is also important to Gief for setting up the FAB or SPD. Good speed and recovery, but not much range. -S.Fierce is Gief's big side punch; BIG damage on this rivaling Hulk's S.Fierce, except that it doesn't knock away. However, it is slow coming out and in recovery, so use rarely. C.Fierce is essentially a low version of the standing, however it is much better in combos, as it cancels easily into the Banishing Punch, which can possibly set up the SPD. -S.Short is still Gief's best ticking option from the ground up close, a fast shin kick which leaves Gief VERY close for a Throw. Good priority over low attacks, but VERY short range. C.Short is a short range toe kick, also good in combos or to tick for the SPD. -S.Forward is still Z's primary poking attack from the ground, having a great range, and awesome priority over other regular attacks. Still, it has to be used fairly close, but don't be afraid to toss this out often; if blocked, it will cancel well into a Running Bear Grab for a possible tick. Also combos well into a Banishing Punch. C.Forward is a longer-range toe kick, with good priority up close. -S.Roundhouse is his (in)famous fallback double kick, which "sort-of" launches. Just for sake of argument, it will be called a Small Launcher however. Not very fast coming out or in recovery, and has little range. Somewhat useful as an air counter for opponents landing close to you, but its only real use is in combos, to set up a Grab or to cancel into the Short Rising Air Throw for a quick and stylish combo. -J.Roundhouse is really all you need other than the Knee Drop and Body Splash, having a great horizontal range. It's also not bad in air-to-air combat because of the range. SPECIAL MOVE ANALYSIS: ********************** -Spinning Clothesline- (Z spins around with his arms extended) Hold F or B to move around while spinning. Still goes through most projectiles and does not have th best recovery. Its main use is as an air counter, as it take GREAT priority over jumping attacks and covers Grief quite well. In the grand scheme of things, countering fireballs with this really isn't effective; from a distance it'll get you through it but not leave you many options after you recover. From it's forward moving range up close, you COULD pass through the projectile and hit the enemy, but chances are if you're in range for this, you can absorb and counter with the Running Bear Grab, or take it out with the Banishing Punch and set up an SPD. NOTE: Also remember that Gief's legs are extremely vulnerable during this move, making him a prime target for sweeps. In the air, Zangief will fall as he does this--this is most useful in air-to-air combat up close. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- -Turbo Clothesline- (Same as above, but shorter and faster) This is more reliable for countering projectiles because of its faster recovery, but alternately is not very useful as an air counter, with lower priority and of course, it doesn't last as long. However, its main use is to finish Air Combos, as it leaves Zangief on the ground before the opponent lands, setting up a GREAT Grab opportunity. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- -Banishing Punch- (Zangief spins and performs a downward backhand, surrounded by a green glow) "The Glove" will still cancel out projectiles, and if it connects or is blocked, can set up for a grab (although it's much easier if it connects :). The weaker the Punch used, the faster it comes out and recovers, but also the shorter range it has. Try not to get predictable with it, as it can be countered QUICKLY if blocked, and snuffed by quicker attacks, even SCs (eg. Wolvie's Weapon X!!). ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- -Rising Air Throw- (Zangief flies into the air with his arm extended; if he connects he will swivel around and toss the enemy to the ground) An underrated move, IMO. The kick used determines height and angle of ascent, Short goin only a small distance, Roundhouse very high. This is somewhat useful as an air counter, although he CAN be hit out of it; useful for catching the enemy early in their jump. Grief can also perform any airborne move as he falls, which can be useful for catching opponents you have crossed up with the Roundhouse version. This ability to attack freely as he falls allows Beef to use the Rising Air Throw for avoiding attacks, particularily dashing opponents. See Tactics for more info. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- -Spinning Piledriver- (Zangief grabs the opponent and leaps HIGH into the air, spinning, and drops them back down headfirst with a terrific explosion) The grandaddy, the king, the grand Phubah of all Throws. No longer does the AMAZING damage it did in XvSF, but still rivals many SCs for damage. Like in XvSF, it's range is not amazing, but certainly more than in A2, and it can still be used up close after various ticking techniques. The SPD will not COMBO after anything on the ground, but it will finish Air Combos :). If missed, Grief will grab at the air and be left open to attack. See Combos and Tactics for info on ticks and setting up the SPD. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- -Siberian Bear Crusher- (Zangief performs a rolling suplex, flips over the opponent and into the air, and slams them again) A little bit less damage than the SPD, but quite spectacular. The advantage to this over the SPD is that, if you are out of range, you'll get the Running Bear Grab, which will also absorb attacks ala Hulk. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- -Running Bear Grab- (Zangief runs forward with his arms up; if he connects he will leap forward into the air and slam the opponent into the ground) Good damage and, of course, has the absorbing ability. This follows the same principle as Hulk's absorbing ability, meaning he will absorb up to 2-3 small hits in a chain and still grab, and will also absorb small jump-in attacks and most projectiles (NOT Optic Blasts!!). Gief can NOT absorb most powerful Special Moves (eg. BB, DP), knockdown sweeps (eg. Chun's C.Roundhouse, Wolvie's C.Forward) and jumping Fierce or Roundhouse attacks. The Running Bear Grab has decent range but is fairly slow along the ground, so is really most useful from close to absorb small attacks. See Combos and Tactics for info on ticks and setting up the Running Bear Grab. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- -Knee Drop- (Zangief falls on the opponent with his knees) Zangief's best jump-in tick, the Knee Drop followed by the SPD or Running Bear Grab OR FAB is very difficult to counter if done right. Good prioirty on this as well, it will snuff most lower-priority air counters. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- -Body Splash- (Zangief drops down on his opponent with his arms flailed, hitting with the whole front of his body) AKA Chestnuts (!?!? WTF is this, Charles?! :) Still has its great priority, snuffing a lot of slower air counters, and has a great hit radius since Z uses his whole body--it should be your most used jump-in. Also most useful as a cross-up because of said hit radius. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- -Falling Elbow Drop- (Gief drops straight down from the air, crashing into the opponent with an elbow drop) I really have no idea what this is useful for. I suppose if you're looking for a quick surprise move from the air, this would be it, but the recovery is quite bad if missed or blocked. Additions? ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- -Elbow Drop- (Gief steps forward and drops an elbow downward) Again, pretty useless IMO. SLOW recovery if missed or blocked, it really has no use that I can see. Additions? ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- -Suplex- (Beef grabs his opponent around the waist, twists over and drops them back behind him) Hmmm... Apparently Capcom forgot about Gief when they were modifying Throws, because Z can still OTG after this in the corner! Well, this isn't really unfair though, 'cause all Zangief can do is a simple C.Roundhouse or whatever, there's no big multi-hit combos after it. Anyway, this will put the enemy quite far away, and for the most part should not be used except for variety, 'cause you WANT the opponent close ;). ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- -Upward Toss- (Zangief grabs the opponent and tosses them straight up in the air) Technically a luancher, meaning it CAN be cancelled with a Super Jump for an Air Combo. Most useful for setting up Gief's Air combos leading to the SPD/FAB setup, should be one of your most used moves. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- -Grab `n' Bite- (Zangief grabs the opponent by the arms, and bites the repeatedly on the neck) Pretty useless all-around, the damage isn't bad but if you're in a position to hit with this, you should be going for one of his Special Throws, or the Strong Throw... ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- -Stomach Pump- (Zangief digs his hand into the opponent's gut and squeezes repeatedly) Usually comes out by accident, actually. If you're in a crouching position against a blocking opponent you should be rolling 270 for the SPD or FAB, and if you're in that position and they aren't, you should be launching them :). ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- -Air Toss- (Zangief swivels and drops the opponent to the grond) Decent damage and has good range, but in Air Combos you shold definetely be using the SPD. Decent in air-to-air combat up close... ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- -Forward Dash; Sliding Grab- (Zangief slides forward with his arms out) Gief's forward dash is NOT for combing, it actually is a grab; if he connects you can then hit Strong/Forward/Fierce/Roundhouse for his regular Throws. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- -Team Counter: Running Bear Grab- EXCELLENT against dashing or multi-hit attacks, because often Gief can absorb any slower attacks that follow the one you blocked. Also somewhat useful on jump-ins, if they leave the opponent deep in front of you. -Team Assist: Spinning Clothesline- Not very good at all, IMO. It comes out quite slow and often the enemy can hit you both easily, best with a low attack because of Z's vulnerability. If it connects, a QUICK combo is possible, best with wide horizontal SCs (eg. BBX). -Team Super: Double FAB (if on screen), Super Clothesline (if off screen) If Z is off screen and the Team SC is done, Gief will come in with a BIG Spinning Cloethesline hitting many times. Generally useful with any other horizontal SC as long as they are close, as it has little range. HOWEVER, you SHOULD be saving those two levels for when GIEF is out, because you can then perform one of the best moves in the game, the DOUBLE FINAL ATOMIC BUSTER!! This is IMO the biggest reason to play Gief in this game. The Double FAB has he and his partner BOTH grab at the opponent and perform a HUGE SPD on them, doing 50% damage! In addition, the Team SC begins identical to his normal FAB, meaning he walks forward and absorbs attacks as he does it. Thus, it should be used in EXACTLY the same fashion as the FAB. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- -Super Combo 1; Final Atomic Buster- (Zangief walks forward with his arms raised; if he connects, he exclaims "FINAL--ATOMIC--BUSTER!!!", suplexing the opponent twice, slamming them again, then rising into the air with a HUGE, explosive Spinning Piledriver) Still one of the most spectacular SCs in the game. Weakened slightly from XvSF like the SPD, but still does a little over 40% damage, rivaling the Chaos Dimension and Raging Demon. What makes it such a useful weapon is that, during his initial walk, Gief has super armor and will absorb attacks in the same fashion as his Running Bear Grab. Works well in many different ticks/setups. See Combos and Tactics for info on ticks and setting up the FAB. COMBOS: ******* NOTE: combos with TICK in parenthesis indicate they are NOT combos, but ticks (duh!). -Safe Air Magic Series: Jab -> Strong -> Fierce OR Short -> Forward -> Roundhouse -Safe Ground Combo: none -Ground Magic Series: none -Jumping Magic Series: none -Super Jumping Magic Series: Weaker -> Stronger -Launchers: C.Strong -Air Launchers: none -Straight Launchers: none -Small Launchers: S.Roundhouse *BASIC COMBOS* 1. J.Roundhouse, C.Roundhouse 2. J.Fierce, C.Fierce XX Fierce Banishing Punch 3. Body Splash, S.Fierce 4. S.Roundhouse (2 hits) XX Short Rising Air Throw 5. C.Jab -> C.Jab -> C.Jab, etc... *INTERMEDIATE COMBOS* 6. J.Roundhouse, S.Roundhouse (1st hit) XX Spinning Clothesline 7. Body Splash, C.Strong -> SJ.Jab -> SJ.Strong -> SJ.Fierce (FS) 8. C.Strong -> SJ.Short XX Fierce SPD 9. Strong Throw -> SJ.Short -> SJ.Forward XX Spinning Clothesline 10. Banishing Punch, SPD or FAB or Double FAB 11. J.Roundhouse, S.Forward XX Running Bear Grab 12. (TICK) Knee Drop, SPD or FAB or Double FAB or Running Bear Grab 13. (TICK) J.Fierce, C.Fierce XX FAB 14. (TICK) S.Short XX SPD or FAB or Double FAB or Running Bear Grab 15. S.Roundhouse (2 hits), FAB or Double FAB 16. (TICK) J.Roundhouse, C.Jab XX SPD or FAB or Running Bear Grab 17. Body Splash, C.Strong -> SJ.Jab -> SJ.Strong XX Turbo Clothesline, S.Roundhouse (2 hits) XX Short Rising Air Throw 18. Strong Throw -> SJ.Jab -> SJ.Strong XX Turbo Clothesline, FAB or Double FAB 19. J.Roundhouse, C.Strong -> SJ.Jab -> SJ.Forward XX Jab SPD 20. (TICK) Knee Drop, C.Short XX SPD 21. Strong Throw, Running Bear Grab or FAB or Double FAB 22. (corner) Fierce Throw, C.Roundhouse (OTG) 23. (corner) Fierce Throw, C.Forward (OTG) XX Jab Banishing Punch COMBO OVERVIEW: *************** GROUND COMBOS: as far as actual COMBOS, not much. The Banishing Punch should be your only ground combo move, since you can follow with the sPD or FAB. Zangief combos better with Air Combos/setups. AIR COMBOS: His easiest bread `n' butter combo is the S.Roundhouse XX Short Rising Air Throw. Not the biggest in damage, but easy to do and stylish. However, the Air Combo into Turbo Clothesline is his most important combo, because he can then juggle with S.Roundhouse as he lands first, then go into the Short Rising Air Throw, Running Bear Grab or FAB/Double FAB!! TACTICS: ******** Offensive: One thing and one thing only to remember: THE GOAL OF YOUR GAMEPLAY IS TO LAND THE SPD AND FAB/DOUBLE FAB. Bearing that it mind, a lot has to do with the style of your opponent. When going offensive, jumping is often your best option, making sure to hold back in case you need to air block. The first thing you need to do is get CLOSE to your opponent; other than jumping, simply walking forward is indimidating enough with Beef, but of course always be ready to move that joystick back to block. Once you get into mid-range, the Running Bear Grab, Banishing Punch and FAB/Double FAB become your options. Be cautious and watch what your opponent does. If they dash in from this point in a crazed rage, the SPD will often surprise them, or the Running Bear Grab FAB as well... This is also the range you want to be jumping in from. The Banishing Punch, provided the opponent doesn't anticipate it coming and counter QUICKLY, will set up the SPD, and also take out projectiles they attempt to push you back with. Once you're within close range, or about 2-3 steps, focus on S.Forward and C.Forward, along with the FAB/Double FAB and the Running Bear Grab. Poke often with the S.Forward and if it connects or is blocked, buffer into one of the two said Throws. Once up at extreme close range, the S.Short and Jabs become paramount, ticking for the SPD. Again, getting in close is also easily done by jumping cautiously; observe what the enemy likes to do when you jump. If they're always edgy and DP a lot, air block often and sometimes you'll manage to counter it afterwards. If the opponent likes to block your jump-in, dop a J.Roundhouse or Body Splash the first few times, then perhaps follow with a tick (i.e. S.Short XX SPD). After you've done this often, they will instinctively block when you jump--now, simply jump-in and do nothing, land and Grab 'em! :) And of course, if the jump-in attack connects, launch 'em and go for his big Air Combo setup... Also note that the Rising Air Throw is an excellent way to get across the screen, or to avoid dashing opponents and moves. Defensive: Again, depends a lot on your enemy's style. If they like to jump-in a lot with multi-hit chains, time a Short Running Bear Grab to snatch 'em as they land. As and old-schooler Gief knows, blocking and SPDing is one of his best techniques, and it still works fairly well in the Vs. games, the deeper the enemy, the better. Also against jump-ins you can use the FAB to absorb their hits ala the Running Bear Grab, but remember that they CAN hit you with a J.Fierce or J.Roundhouse, among other things. And of course, remember that the Clothesline also provided excelletn coverge from air attacks, just be cautious of those like Chun, Wolvie and Spidey who can hit you HIGH in the head, where the Clothesline does not cover. Against opponents on the ground, the Banishing Punch deals well with pressuring projectiles and slower dashing opponents, setting up for the SPD. As said above, the SPD, with its deceptive range, can often surprise overly offensive opponents and catch them before their attack even comes out. And of course, the Running Bear Grab or FAB/Double FAB will also sto pthem short in their tracks, if they like dashing multi-hit chains, and provided you get it out early enough. See Hulk's Super Armor explanation for more info. In the air: Not much in the way of priority, but provided you're in the right position (SLIGHTLY above the enemy in front of them) the SPD will often grab them by surprise... :) The Clothesline iks the only real higher-priority air-to-air attack he has. Altogether when the enemy is a high-flyer with good air priority (just about everybody else, to Gief) stick on the ground. BEST JUMP-IN CHAIN: none. Push-Away Options: Beef In a Team: ZANGIEF'S ENDING: ***************** Just plain stupid. I mean, his SF2 endings were funny, especially Gorbachov, but this is just silly. Just a pic of Gief sitting at a table eating with some bears and a girl who looks just like Goldilocks... corny phrases then run rampant, things like "We are so happy that you are home brother." and "Will you play with us tonight brother?" etc, etc... ugh. ############################################################################ BISON: ------ The big bad Capcom truck driver is back, to smash all opposition and gain control not only of Ryu, but of all the heroes and convert them to Shadoloo super soldiers. CHARACTER OVERVIEW: ******************* A HUGE improvement, Bison is no longer a big joke. His Psycho Grenade is now much faster and all-around easier to use, his Teleport is improved, his launcher has more range and his Psycho Crusher now hits better for MUCH more damage. Still should be considered an expert character, not for novices. I will openly admit that this is the first game other than SFEX Plus Alpha that I actually USE Bison and enjoy doing it... One of my best characters. MOVES LIST: *********** -Psycho Shot: HCT+any Punch -Psycho Grenade: HCB+any Punch -Scissor Kick: HCT+any Kick (can be done in mid-air) -Head Stomp: charge D,U+any Kick -Devil Reverse: charge D,U+any Punch, Punch, OR any Punch after Head Stomp -Bison Warp: F,D,D/F+any button (can be done in mid-air) -Levitation: QCB+all three Kicks (repeat to turn off; in mid-air) -Turning Shoulder Throw: F or B+Strong or Fierce (close) -Air Drop: F or B+Strong or Fierce (close in mid-air) -Forward Dash; Float: F, F or all three punches -Team Counter: Scissor Kick -Team Assist: Psycho Shot -Team Super: Scissor Kick Nightmare -Super Combo 1; Psycho Crusher: QCT+any two Punches (can be done in mid-air) -Super Combo 2; Scissor Kick Nightmare: QCT+any two Kicks REGULAR MOVES ANALYSIS: *********************** -S.Jab and C.Jab are basic quick punches, useful as ticks or to start his small ground chains. -S.Strong and C.Strong are important moves up close, because they have a short range, but great priority. The C.Strong in particular is quite good up close to snuff regular attacks. If it connects, chain into a C.Roundhouse or S.Fierce if close enough. -S.Fierce is a standing uppercut, Bison's only launcher. This is another major improvement for Bison, because like Chun Li, he has been give more range on his launcher. This makes it easier to use in ground chains and generally it has more priority up close now. C.Fierce is a faster version of his launcher, but does NOT launch. It has slightly better priority and makes for a much better air counter all-around. -S.Short is an excellent up-close move that works well as a tick, and to start ground combos. Highly useful up close. C.Short is an EXTREMELY short-ranged toe kick, somewhat useful as a tick but very hard to hit with unless RIGHT up close. -S.Forward is still Bison's best poking move, even with a little less range then previous games. If it connects it chains well into a Roundhouse Scissor Kick or if close enough, the S.Fierce for an Air Combo. This is his most important regular move for offense. C.Forward is a longer-ranged version of the C.Short, also useful up close for poking and snuffing low attacks. -S.Roundhouse is his two-hit knee-high kick, his most useful ground combo move. Not the fastest, and recovery isn't great, but it combos well off of BOTH hits into a Roundhouse Scissor Kick for good damage. This is also semi-useful as an air counter, best against deep jump-ins. C.Roundhouse is his infmaous foot slide, his only knockdown. If blocked or missed it has TREMENDOUS recovery, so try and make sure it connects. Good range but has a short start-up lag. -J.Roundhouse and J.Fierce are both downward attacks useful for jump-ins. J.Forward is decent as a air-to-air attack as well. SPECIAL MOVE ANALYSIS: ********************** -Psycho Shot- (Bison draws back and releases a small orb of psycho energy across the screen) Jab sends it briefly up then down, Strong goes straight, and Fierce goes briefly down then up. Definetely nto a good move, the start-up is quite long on each one. The Fierce version amy be somewhat useful for keeping opponents out of the air, but it's still slow. Not important to Bison's gameplay at all IMO... ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- -Psycho Grenade- (Bison holds up his hand and releases a small orb of energy; after a certain distance floating forward, the orb expands quickly into a large explosion of psycho energy) Greatly improved from XvSF, it is now actually useful in Bison's defensive/setup play. Jab goes a short distance and explodes almost immediately, Strong a few steps, and Fierce goes around half screen then explodes. What's so good about this move? Almsot instantly after releasing it, Bison is free to move, which means he can combo off of the explosion for MAJOR damage! If the explosion is blocked Bison is safe and can often move in and Throw in time, or otherwise hit the opponent. You can set this up to catch opponents in a variety of ways; see Tactics and combos for more info. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- -Scissor Kick- (Bison performs a forward flip and hits the opponent twice with his legs) Bison's trademark move, doing good damage and knocking down. This is improved in that its recovery is better, making it difficult to counter (though there's rarely a Scissor Kick, Throw possibility). Combos easily off of most of his regular ground attacks. In the air, the Scissor Kick angles downward to hit the opponent, making it an excellent surprise attack for those expecting a regular jump-in. Also excellent for countering projectiles or even some SCs you've jumped over. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- -Head Stomp- (Bison flies into the air and stomps on his opponent's head) Still the ultimate annoyance move, this should be mixed up heavily with the Devil Reverse and Devil Reverse follow-up to confuse your opponent. Bison has HIGH priority during this stomp, but he can be hit with most DPs. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- -Devil Reverse- (Bison flies through the air and dives at the opponent with glowing fists) Can be done by itself, or after Bison bounces away from the Head Stomp. This will usually fly OVER the opponent and smack them from behind, making an excellent confusion attack and usually leaves you safe if blocked. When done after the Head Stomp, wether it hits or gets blocked, it can often catch attempts to get away from Bison, or opponent's who try to jump forward. It should be mixed up heavily along with simply doing nothing after the Stomp, because if anticipated the Devil Reverse can be easily hit with a DP or HIGH priority air counter. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- -Bison Warp- (Bison disappears in a flash and six mirror images of him appear--he then reappears as one of those six images) Definetely an improvement, this Teleport has better recovery and is now like Psylocke's Ninjitsu from MSH, with SOME of the Teleports doing multiple images, some just single. Each button will teleport you to one of six positions on the screen: F,D,D/F+Jab: left side of screen in mid-air, mirror images F,D,D/F+Strong: middle of screen in mid-air, NO mirror images F,D,D/F+Fierce: right side of screen in mid-air, mirror images F,D,D/F+Short: left side of screen on ground, mirror images F,D,D/F+Forward: middle of screen on ground, NO mirror images F,D,D/F+Roundhouse: right side of screen on ground, mirror images The Bison Warp is highly effective on defense. The screen tracks him somewhat so it's not a total mystery where he'll appear, but he will avoid many attacks, and if they recovery slower, cna allow him to counterattack. See Tactics for more info. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- -Levitation- (Bison floats :) Kinda useless since Bison has no projectile to use in the air for pressure or keep-away. You can fly around and attempt to hit them with the Scissor Kick or Psycho Crusher, but this really isn't very safe. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- -Turning Shoulder Throw- (Bison grabs the opponent by the shoulders, turns and tosses them away) Like most other characters, no combos possible afterwards anymore. However, Bison still does good damage and he has one of the best ground Throw ranges in the game. Useful when combined with his excellent walkin (er... floating) speed. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- -Air Drop- (Bison grabs the opponent and tosses them one-handed to the ground) Decent damage and decent range. Useful in up-close air-to-air combat for bison, since most of his air attacks are aimed downward. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- -Forward Dash; Float- (Bison floats forward :) Excellent speed and recovery, very easy to combo with. Use this heavily in your offensive ground game. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- -Team Counter: Scissor Kick- Excellent counter with great speed and range, useful against just about any ground-based attack, even projectiles from around half-screen distance or closer. -Team Assist: Psycho Shot Pretty poor, IMO. It has the same speed as the regular version, which is SLOW. If it does connect, like all Team Assist projectiles, it is quite easy to combo off of, however. -Team Super: Scissor Kick Nightmare Kinda odd, since it starts a little bit up in the air. Combos well with anything starting close, and when he has to come in, it'd be good idea to make sure the opponent is close and still on the ground. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- -Super Combo 1; Psycho Crusher- (Bison charges up, then exclaims "PSYCHO CRUSHER!!!! and flies hands-first spinning forward, surrounded in Psycho energy) One of his best improvements, the Psycho Crusher now hits more reliably and does over 40% damage! Its start-up now has a very short delay, but it can still be used in Air Combos and, all-around, should be your counter to anything missed. Good priority over most regular attacks, epsecially low ones, but will often trade hits with Special Moves (eg. DP, Wolverines' BB). If blocked the recovery is usually slow enough to be countered easily, so be careful. NOTE: will combo off of S.Roundhouse if done INSTANTLY after the kick connects. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- -Super Combo 2; Scissor Kick Nightmare- (Bison teleports and reappears a short disatance back, a little higher in the air, then lunges forward with a multi-hit double Scissor Kick, ending in a sliding kick) If blocked you're in deep shit, so it has to be used carefully. It cannot be comboed, but the initial Teleport can be used defensively (eg. to avoid jump-ins) and can also trick the opponent into thinking you're doing a normal Teleport (see Tactics). GOOD damage with this one as well. COMBOS: ******* -Safe Air Magic Series: Jab -> Strong -> Fierce OR Short -> Forward -> Roundhouse -Safe Ground Combo: D.S.Short -> S.Roundhouse (2 hits) XX Roundhouse Scissor Kick If the enemy blocks... D.S.Short -> S.Roundhouse (2 hits) XX Short Scissor Kick -Ground Magic Series: Weak Start -Jumping Magic Series: Weaker -> Stronger -Super Jumping Magic Series: Weaker -> Stronger -Launchers: S.Fierce -Air Launchers: none -Straight Launchers: none -Small Launchers: none *BASIC COMBOS* 1. D.C.Short -> C.Roundhouse 2. J.Roundhouse, C.Roundhouse 3. S.Forward XX Forward Scissor Kick 4. D.S.Short -> S.Roundhouse (2 hits) XX Roundhouse Scissor Kick 5. Psycho Grenade, C.Roundhouse *INTERMEDIATE COMBOS* 6. D.S.Jab -> S.Fierce -> SJ.Jab -> SJ.Strong -> SJ.Fierce (FS) 7. J.Short -> J.Roundhouse, S.Fierce -> SJ.Jab -> SJ.Forward XX Forward Scissor Kick 8. S.Fierce -> SJ.Jab -> SJ.Strong XX Psycho Crusher 9. Psycho Grenade, D.S.Short -> S.Roundhouse (2 hits) XX Roundhouse Scissor Kick 10. Psycho Grenade, Psycho Crusher 11. Psycho Grenade, Scissor Kick Nightmare 12. Psycho Grenade, D.S.Fierce -> SJ.Short -> SJ.Forward -> SJ.Roundhouse 13. J.Short -> J.Roundhouse, S.Roundhouse XX Psycho Chrusher 14. Fierce Psycho Grenade, J.Short -> J.Strong, D.C.Short -> S.Roundhouse XX Psycho Chrusher COMBO OVERVIEW: *************** GROUND COMBOS: Simplistic yet highly damaging, D.S.Short -> S.Roundhouse is the base of your ground combos, and really all you need. Cancel both hits of the S.Roundhouse with the Roundhouse Scissor Kick for good damage; once you have a level charged, the S.Roundhouse will cancel QUICKLY into the Psycho Crusher. AIR COMBOS: Only 3 hits possible in the Magic Series, but they come out fairly easily with a steady, slow rythym. The Psycho Crusher will still combo, but you must be VERY fast, and SLIGHTLY below the opponent if anything. You can also finish Air Combos with the Scissor Kick, and IMO the Forward version connects the easiest. TACTICS: ******** Offensive: Jumping and dashing are both good options for Bison. When jumping try and make sure the enemy is on the ground, since Bison is better with jump-in attacks. If the enemy tosses out a fireball or pretty much any slower move while you're up there, drop on 'em with the Scissor Kick. On the ground, dashing is quite fast and easy and you can stop it with a block easily. Poke with the S.Forward and at extreme close-range, the S.Short, Jabs and his Safe Ground combo. If the S.Forward connects chain into C.Roundhouse or a S.Fierce if close enough. From mid-range, mix in the Jab and Strong Psycho Grenades HEAVILY, if they're blocked, you can try for a Throw if close enough (walk up using his excellent floating speed), or try dashing in with C.Short if they block high. Likewise, if they block low and you're within range, jump in with J.Roundhouse, since it cannot be blocked low. Although not quite as effective as, say, Guile's SB traps back in the ol' school days, this is a good little strategy to mix in to your offense. In addition to his basic offense you can also mix up heavily the Head Stomp and Devil Reverse. Mix up the two directly, and when the Head Stomp connects or is blocked, vary your follow-up, between nothing, the Devil Reverse, and a delayed Devil Reverse... Defensive: The Bison Warp is a good all-around defensive move, and 90% of the time you can teleport to safety without being hit, and sometimes you will appear in a position to hit them as they recover (eg. missed SC). Against dashing opponents the C.Roundhouse will often knock them out of their attack, however this is a risky counter, because you're screwed if blocked or missed; the Scissor Kick will work here and is a tad safer IMO. Once you have a level charged the Psycho Crusher will take out just about any regular attack and many other attacks if you get it out fast enough. Likewise the Scissor Kick Nightmare can often catch rushing opponents who think you have teleported away; give it a try, you'd be surprised how often you'll surprise an offensive foe with this. Also note that the Psycho Grenade, in varying strengths, can often catch them and force them to at least block. Against jumping opponents your best air counter is the C.Fierce IMO. Against deeper jump-ins the S.Roundhouse will also work. Likewise, the Scissor Kick Nightmare will often catch opponents you will land in a the place you were before you started the SC :). In the air: In air-to-air combat Bison doesn't have many options. J.Forward works somewhat well against close opponents, and the Scissor Kick will do well against enemies BELOW you... The Psycho Crusher will work as well, but it';s quite risky if blocked or missed. IMO only use it when there's an obvious opening in the air (eg. you're around the same height as Akuma when he pulls off the TenmaGoZankuu, for some reason :). Push-Away Options: Bison In a Team: BISON'S ENDING: *************** A pic of Bison standing with a cyborg Charlie. Bison uses Apocalypse's technology to create a full race of super soldiers to take over the earth. ############################################################################ SECRET CHARACTER; ARMORED SPIDER-MAN: ------------------------------------- CODE: Hold Start, go to Ryu, hold down (now on Spider-Man), wait for 5 seconds, press Jab+Fierce or Short+Roundhouse. COMMENTS: No reason to write up a full section on him, it would just be a waste of space and time. Armored Spider-Man has the Super Armor of Hulk, to a lesser extent. He can absorb most projectiles like the Hulk, as well as Jabs and Shorts anod other small attacks of that nature. He can still be hit full on with Launchers and most mid-damage attacks. The other advantage to Armored Spidey is that he takes MUCH less damage than regular Spider-Man. Unfortunately, Spidey also takes off MUCH less damagfe with his two SCs in his armored form. So basically, you've got Spider-Man who can go through projectiles and shrug off jabs and Shorts up close. Altogether, I don't think it's worth the decreased damage of the SCs, and Spidey really doesn't need to absorb attacks up close, he's already fast enough to snuff them in most cases. Additions? Push-Away Options: Armored Spidey In a Team: ############################################################################ SECRET CHARACTER; MEGA ZANGIEF!!!: ---------------------------------- CODE: Hold Start, go to Blackheart, hold left for 5 seconds, press Jab+Fierce or Short+Roundhouse. COMMENTS: Again, I don't really think it's worth wrtiing up a whole section on him. Basically Mega Zangief is Gief with ULTIMATE Super Armor. Mega Zangief can absorb ANYTHING and EVERYTHING, even SCs like Cyclops Mega Optic Blast!!! In addition his SPD range is increased and he also does more damage all-around. He also gains his own version of the Yoga Flame, which is basically useful for absorbing and countering attacks out of the range of your grabs. He also gains the Siberian Blizzard, basically a Rising Lariat. Not much of an air counter mind you, unless the enemy's right near the ground in front of you. So does he have any DISADVANTAGES!? Of course; Mega Zangief cannot BLOCK, meaning literally that he HAS to absorb everything. He's also even slower than regular Gief, including his Running Bear Grab and Jumping/Super Jumping speed. Mega Gief is an offensive machine, you should try very hard to focus on grabbing the opponent, going through whatever they throw at you... even if the opponent goes into a huge multi-hit combo on you (with the likes of Wolvie, for example) you can pretty much take your sweet time and interrupt the combo with a grab (or pretty much anything else) when you feel like it! Push-Away Options: Mega Gief In a Team: ############################################################################ SECRET CHARACTER; SHADOW CHARLIE: --------------------------------- CODE: Hold Start, go to Dhalsim, hold up for 5 seconds, press Jab+Fierce or Short+Roundhouse. Shadow Charlie is AFAIK supposed to be Charlie after he is converted into a Shadaloo super soldier by Bison. The only problem I see with this is that it would not follow his endings in the Alpha series, where he was killed. But then again, the vs. games never really followed much of a storyline before... CHARACTER OVERVIEW: ******************* Essentially the same as XvSF Charlie, with a few important differences. He does a lot of damage, and is also quite fast, one of the fastest characters in the game all-around actually. On the downside his SCs now have a slower, more prominent start-up, and they are also more difficult to combo now. Still, Shadow Charlie is a great character to use, with excellent priority and great combos. NOTE: from here on in I'll just call him Charlie, 'cause it's shorter ;). MOVES LIST: *********** -Shadow Boom: charge B, F+any Punch -Somersault Kick: charge D, U+any Kick -Somersault Slash: U, U/F, F+any kick (in mid-air) -Backfist: F+Fierce -Hop Kick: F or B+Forward -Thrust Kick: F or B+Roundhouse -Backdrop: F or B+Strong or Fierce (close) -Grab `n' Knee: F or B+Forward or Roundhouse (close) -Backbreaker: F or B+Fierce (close in mid-air) -Forward Dash; Run: F, F or all three punches -Team Counter: Somersault Kick -Team Assist: Shadow Boom -Team Super: Shadow Justice -Super Combo 1; Sonic Break: QCT+any two Punches -Super Combo 2; Crossfire Blitz: QCT+any two Kicks -Super Combo 3; Somersault Justice: QCB+any two Kicks -Super Combo 4; Final Mission: charge B,F,B,F+all three Punches (Level 3) REGULAR MOVES ANALYSIS: *********************** -Both standing and crouching Jabs give high and low jabs respectively. No big deal, other than in combos. S.Jab is okay as a tick. -Standing Strong is a side uppercut, a good air counter and cancels well into a Shadow Boom. C.Strong has great priority up close, especially against low attacks; cancels quite well into a Shadow Boom or Somersault Kick. -S.Fierce is a big reverse punch, but don't use it too often as its speed and recovery is slow, and it can be ducked. C.Fierce is Charlie's only launcher, and launches nice and clean. Also a high priority air counter, though AFAIK not as high as the shoto-bros. C.Fierce. -S.Short is a quick standing kick and C.Short gives a quick low kick. Both fairly decent as ticks and great in combos. These have slightly more range than the Jabs, so are your better choice from a few steps, and use the Jabs right up close. -S.Forward is a forward standing kick, and C.Forward is a low kick. The standing version is best in combos and has decent priority against standing attacks. C.Forward is a GREAT move for Charlie--the infamous C.Forward comes out really fast and is difficult to counter, with high priority; use it frequently up close--it can also be cancelled fairly easily from this position with any of Charlie's moves. -S.Roundhouse is a big high roundhouse, and crouching is a low sweep, Charlie's only knockdown. The S.Roundhouse is decent as an air counter and great in combos, but it can be snuffed by quicker low attacks, so be wary. The C.Roundhouse is fairly fast, but can be taken out by most high-priority moves--use with caution. -J.Roundhouse will give you a GREAT Jump Kick, his best single jump-in. J.Fierce gives the good ol' overhead chop, leaving Charlie a good deal closer to the opponent for easier comboing. J.Forward is a high priority jump kick useful as a jump-in OR in air-to-air combat. SPECIAL MOVE ANALYSIS: ********************** -Shadow Boom- (Charlie pulls back and whips his powerful arm through the air so fast it breaks the sound barrier and a sonic boom is generated, which flies across the screen) Still one of the best projectile attacks in the game. Not only does it allow him to stay defensive while charging it, but it also has almost instant recovery, so fast that he can often counter the opponent's counter to the SB. An awesome attack in combos and for various pressuring and setup techniques. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- -Somersault Kick- (Charlie exclaims "Somersault!" and flips upward creating an arc of energy with his feet, followed by a diagonally-upward directed wave) Goes at a more diagonal vector, and he also produces a small projectile which travels upward into the corner at the top of the screen. This ensures a definite hit if the Somersault itself connects, as this wave will follow the opponent into the corner for the last hit. Unlike before, all versions of the Somersault Kick work well as air counters, even the Roundhouse, as it will push them quite far away if air blocked (just be wary if they have a Super charged, some of which may still hit you instantly as you land, eg. Weapon X). Great in combos if you have it charged. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- -Somerault Slash- (Charlie performs a forward flip in the air, creating an arc of energy with his feet) Short comes out instantly, Forward with a short delay, and Roundhouse with a good pause on start-up.His new move is an excellent air-to-air weapon with great priority over any other mid-air move. It can also be used in Air Combos. Excellent in air-to-air combat as well. In addition, it can also be used against turtling opponents similar to Bison's Scissor Kick (see tactics). ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- -Backfist- (Charlie spins around and brings the back of his fist to the side of the opponent's head) Its only real advantage is range, though it can be cancelled with a Special Move FAST (since it is a forward motion you also cannot cancel it with a SB or Somersault Kick--only an SC will work). It comes out and recovers OK, but can be ducked by most characters. Use as a mid-range move if you see them about to come out with one of theirs; for example, if you see Chun draw back for a FB and you are walking forward, whip out the Backfist (if you were defensive, a Shadow Boom may be a better choice.) Also still works in the classic Guile SB -> FB counter; toss out a SB to negate another projectile from mid-range and snag them with the Backfist, since you'll most likely recover from your projectile first. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- -Hop Kick- (Charlie hops forward with a half-roundhouse to the mid-section) This is an Overhead Strike, meaning that it cannot be blocked low. It has decent recovery if blocked (high), and is best used mixed up in your up-close game--you can also charge for your SB during it, and unleash it to surprise them if they block, or even if it hits. It also takes excellent priority over low moves, especially slides... ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- -Lunging Front Kick- (Charlie lunges forward with a mid-level front kick) This is NOT an OS, and has slightly better speed and recovery than the Hop Kick, as well as slightly better range. The Backfist has a longer range, but the Lunging Front Kick will hit crouching opponents--mix it up in your up close game and remember to always do it with a B+Roundhouse so you can charge a SB. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- -Backdrop- (Charlie grabs the enemy around the waist, hoists them overhead and makes a bridge to slam them to the ground behind them) After they hit the ground they will no longer bounce upward very high, meaning no more combos afterward. Still, the Suplex is an important move for Charlie, who still has good Throw range, and the Throw still does good damage. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- -Grab `n' Knee- (Charlie grabs the opponent and kness them repeatedly, then knocks them away) Also no longer sets up for combos in the corner, but does good damage with all hits. Remember to shake the joystick B and F and mash all the kick buttons for maximum hits. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- -Backbreaker- (Charlie grabs a mid-air opponent and drops to the ground, breaking their back over his shoulder) Well, you can no longer combo afterwards but Damn, do I STILL love this move! Charlie still has great range on this, allowing him to often grab enemies in air-to-air combat. It also doeas great damage and looks PAINFUL. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- -Forward Dash; Run- (Speaks for itself) Still quite fast and easy to combo off of. Not much to comment on here. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- -Team Counter: Somersault Kick- As with most rising counters, useful against jump-ins or UP-CLOSE attacks. Comes out quite fast. -Team Assist: Shadow Boom- EXCELLENT Team Assist. It comes out quite fast and recovers quite fast as well, making it difficult for the enemy to hit both of you. The best part is, if it does connect you can combo, and if the enemy blocks it, BECAUSE of its great recovery, you can move in and throw or sweep them if the block high! -Team Super: Somersault Justice This is hurt by its slower start-up, but does great damage and teams well with horizontal or up-close/vertical SCs (eg. Armaggedon). Of course, the start-up is negated if he comes from off screen. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- -Super Combo 1; Shadow Blade- (Charlie throws multiple discs of sonic energy at the opponent) Comes out slower than it did in XvSF, but still fairly quick. GREAT for dealing with any move from about mid-distance (especially projectiles). It is also very wide on screen, so jumping it without at least taking block damage is very difficult (except when Super Jumping of course), and it cannot be ducked by any character. His recovery is almost as good as with the regular SB, but if they manage to get over you when you throw the SC (i.e. Super Jump or Air Dash), Charlie can be hit. Still recovers fast enough to combo three in a row with proper timing. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- -Super Combo 2; Shadow Blitz- (Charlie dashes forward, and if he connects he goes into a big kick combo) Still one of my favorite SCs, this just looks cool. Again, slowed down a tad, but still pretty quick. Ala Wolverine's Weapon X, this SC is just a dash, and will only go into the combo if Charlie connects. However unlike Logan this does NOT have the amazing priority over everything, it's actually got slightly less priority than even the Final Justice, and it can be taken out fairly easily with a quick sweep or pretty much any other SC (eg. VERY dangerous against Ryu, who can suck you in with his Vacuum Hurricane!) It is NOT as fast as Wolverine's Weapon X, but it is still pretty fast, so use it mainly to surprise foes, to counter missed attacks, even those with fairly good recovery. It can still take out a lot of moves at the beginnning of their animation, but again remember it is NOT a Weapon X... ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- -Super Combo 3; Shadow Justice- (Charlie performs repeated Somersault Kicks) Charlie's best SC IMO. Again comes out a TAD slower, but still pretty damn quick. It is an EXCELLENT air counter buffered into the opponent's jumping attack, and will take priority over ANY ground attack short of another SC, if within range, especially low attacks. Also good in combos. Of course if blocked or missed you're spam. IF they AIR block it, it will usually push them away far enough not to counter (except with some SCs, maybe.) Still OTGs after C.Roundhouse if cancelled FAST. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- -Super Combo 4; Final Mission- (Charlie dashes at the opponent with an uppercut; if he connects, he carries them into the air, then the screeen goes white as hit sparks appear all over, then the opponent falls to the ground in a big explosion) GREAT damage, and fairly fast, however it is blockable, unlike the Raging Demon. NOTE: according to Silver Sage, it is UNBLOCKABLE right at the start, with only the uppercut itself blockable--Charlie can still grab during the dash. Anyone? Charlie can be hit out of the dash fairly easily, as with Akuma's Raging Demon. Either way, difficult to work in to your gameplay; it can be used as a counter to missed attacks, but the problem lies in that it must be charged. One good thing to note is that it will go through projectiles RIGHT at start-up. Thus, it is only really good for countering fireballs or BLOCKED attacks with fairly slow recovery (eg. Charging Star.) Also useful if you are in a defensive position and hit the opponent with a Team Assist. Additions? COMBOS: ******* -Safe Air Magic Series: Jab -> Short -> Strong -> Forward -> Fierce (FS) or Roundhouse FS) -Safe Ground Combo: S.Short -> S.Forward -> S.Roundhouse XX Shadow Boom If the enemy blocks... S.Short -> S.Forward -> S.Roundhouse XX Shadow Boom -Ground Magic Series: Weaker -> Stronger -Jumping Magic Series: Weaker -> Stronger -Super Jumping Magic Series: Zig-Zag -Launchers: C.Fierce -Air Launchers: none -Straight Launchers: none -Small Launchers: none *BASIC COMBOS* 1. S.Jab -> S.Strong XX Fierce Shadow Boom 2. D.C.Short -> C.Forward XX Roundhouse Somersault Kick 3. J.Fierce, D.C.Short -> C.Forward -> C.Roundhouse 4. C.Roundhouse XX Shadow Justice (OTG) 5. J.Roundhouse XX Short Somersault Slash *INTERMEDIATE COMBOS* 6. J.Short -> J.forward, C.Short -> C.Forward XX Roundhouse Somersault Kick 7. J.Jab -> J.Strong, D.C.Jab -> C.Fierce -> SJ.Jab -> SJ.Short -> SJ.Strong -> SJ.Forward -> SJ.Fierce (FS) 8. J.Roundhouse, C.Short -> C.Fierce -> SJ.Jab -> SJ.Short -> SJ.Strong -> SJ.Forward XX Short Somersault Slash 9. J.Short -> J.Roundhouse, S.Jab -> S.Jab -> S.Strong XX Fierce Shadow Boom 10. J.Roundhouse, D.C.Short -> C.Fierce -> SJ.Jab -> SJ.Short -> SJ.Strong -> SJ.Forward XX Somersault Slash, Shadow Justice 11. Shadow Break, Shadow Break, Shadow Break 12. (corner) Shadow Break, Shadow Justice 13. J.Jab -> J.Fierce, D.C.Jab -> C.Fierce -> SJ.Jab -> SJ.Short -> SJ.Strong -> SJ.Forward XX Somersault Slash, C.Short (OTG) -> C.Fierce -> SJ.Jab -> SJ.Short -> SJ.Strong -> SJ.Roundhouse (FS) 14. Jab Sonic Boom, D.C.Short -> C.Fierce -> SJ.Jab -> SJ.Short -> SJ.Strong, Strong Air Throw 15. Jab Sonic Boom, Shadow Break or Shadow Blitz 16. D.S.Jab -> S.Strong -> S.Fierce XX Shadow Break 17. S.Roundhouse (as air counter) XX Shadow Justice 18. Team Assist (eg. w/Ryu), Final Mission :) COMBO OVERVIEW: *************** GROUND COMBOS: AIR COMBOS: TACTICS: ******** Offensive: Previous Charlie and old school Guiles like myself will know what I mean; ALWAYS HAVE A SB ON SCREEN, OR BE THROWING ONE! Once it is airborne, it gives the opponent two things to worry about--you and the projectile. After you have released the SB, follow it in; if the opponent attempts to jump, smack 'em with S.Strong or C.Fierce, or even the Shadow Justice. If they stay on the ground, continue to follow it in, dashing or walking; if they block it, go for a C.Forward or C.Short if close enough, and if they block low, Throw them. And of course, if the opponent is hit with the SB, combo time :). Another option you have to mix it up is to follow it in with a regular jump. Be ready by holding Back so that, if the opponent leaves themselves open, you can do a jump-in combo into a SB, and if they're fast enough, you can block their air counter. If the opponent likes to just stand and block, watch for when the SB hits them--if you come in a little bit after it (usually), simply land without an attack and Throw or C.Short into a combo. If they block low, Forward Somersault Slash :). This is the basic strategy behind SB tactics, I could go on for pages, but quite frankly, I don't have the time. I might elaborate in an update, but for now, there are many other Charlie/Guile FAQs for all of the SF games that get more in-depth. Another offensive tactic involves the Somersault Slash specifically; jump in at your opponent and mix up the jump-ins. J.Roundhouse or J.Forward, air block sometimes, simply land and Throw sometimes. If the opponent tends to crouch block a lot from a distance, or throw a lot of projectiles (eg. Ryu/ Akuma, Cylcops, etc...), jump over to them and perform a Forward Somersault Slash. Once they begin anticipate the Slash in some way, use the Roundhouse version, which has a delay at first, so they may miss their attempted air counter. From mid-range poke with the Thrust Kick, ALWAYS cancelling into a SB to set up further, and remember that the Backfist will still snuff a lot of moves if you do it early enough, and after cancelling another projectile with your SB, you can snag them with the Backfist as they recover. If it connects close enough and you get it fast enough, cancel into a Sonic Break. Up close, stress C.Strong and C.Forward for priority, and the Jabs and Shorts to start combos or possibly tick. Again with reflexes and a bit of luck, the Shadow Justice will snuff all regular and most Special attacks up close. You can also begin charging during a jump-in, blocked or hit, and follow into a Jab -> Strong chain and buffer F,B,F and hit all three Punches to get the Final Mission. It won't actually COMBO, but it will be pretty hard to avoid unless they know it's coming. Defensive: Against dashing opponents, The Thrust Kick will do well with some timing, as will the C.Forward once they're close enough. Charlie is better tossing Booms constantly to force THEM into defense, and often the SB prevents them from getting in. Also remember that the Shadow Blitz, though a little slower, will still counter or take out most moves with a bit of anticipation. Against jump-ins, the Somersault Kick is perfect, but you would have to have been in a crouch for a moment, so this means you're probably forced hard into defense. S.Strong and C.Fierce, along with S.Roundhouse against deeper jump-ins are much quicker. Also remember the priority of the Shadow Justice, and try to get it out as late as possible to get maximum hits and snuff their jump-in, to lessen the chances of air blocking. Do not forget the Sonic Break either, as it allows you to move around quickly after you release it, and covers a wide area, making it difficult to regular jump over it. In the air: Charlie has GREAT air-to-air potential. From afar he can be kept at bay with air projectiles, but at mid-range his Somersault Slash works wonders, and of course within range, his Backbreaker will take priority over pretty much any jumping regular move. His J.Forward is also good in air-to-air combat. Push-Away Options: Shadow Charlie In a Team: ############################################################################ SECRET CHARACTER; DARK SAKURA: ------------------------------ CODE: Hold Start, go to Hulk, hold right for 5 seconds, press Jab+Fierce or Short+Roundhouse Well, I MIGHT do a full section on her in an update, but right now I just don't feel like it ;). Dark Sakura plays pretty much identical to A2 Sakura; she has the dashing Dragon Punch WITHOUT the energy field (although it still has the field in the air), a HORIZONTAL Fireball that disappates at different positions depending on the Punch used (and does a SHITLOAD of damage I might add), AND a horizontal Beam SC for the Shinkuu-Hadouken, and a Raging Demon-type SC. She combos basically the same, and she's a little bit faster. She also possesses a Teleport similar in properties to Akuma (thus, see Akuma's section.) Her Raging Demon has the same motion as Akuma's and, again, works the same way as his. If anyone else deems it neccessary, I will do a whole section on her... Dark Sakura In a Team: ############################################################################ SECRET CHARACTER; MEPHISTO: --------------------------- CODE: Hold Start, go to Omega Red, hold down for 5 seconds, press Jab+Fierce or Short+Roundhouse Identical in every way to Blackheart, with the exception that his Fierce and Roundhouse attacks set the opponent on fire for more damage. With the exception of red skin he LOOKS identical to Blackheart as well, which is really wrong--Capcom could have put SOME effort into him and made him look like the real Mephisto at least... Mephisto In a Team: ############################################################################ SECRET CHARACTER; USAGENT: -------------------------- CODE: Hold Start, go to M.Bison, hold up for 5 seconds, press Jab+Fierce or Short+Roundhouse Only one thing different here: SPEED! USAgent is MUCH faster than Cap, so much that ol' school Cap players like myself will find him a MUCH better choice. NOTE: Final Justice still won't combo after S.Roundhouse or the Forward/Roundhouse Throw however :(. ############################################################################ SECRETS/TRICKS: --------------- Beat up the Loser: ****************** Press Start as soon as your character begins his winning pose, and you will be able to move around freely. You can hit the falle nopponent with any attack that can OTG, though most combos are not possible... Beat up your Partner: ********************* Right after beating Cyber Akuma, you and your partner will exchange really stupid, corny words, before you go to the ending of the character you beat the boss with. Press START during this dialogue and you can attack your partner. After a short moment of getting thrashed your partern will begin to fight back. This will last for a a little bit before going on to the ending. ############################################################################ CREDITS ******* Firstly a BIG thanks to Charles Washington for writing the first MvSF FAQ and helping me out on other stuff. Also thanks to the guys on #capcom for lots of discussions on the game, particularily SpiderDan, ShumaX and Dragon. Also thanks to the following FAQ writers: -Migs Rustia and SilverSage for there GREAT Marvel/Capcom: Crossovers website, located at: -benzi for some combos -OKA for secret character codes -Gouki (rolento@geocities.com) and all who posted on his MvSF message board -Kao Megura for the great effort in his Dan FAQ (see it at gamefaqs--a definite must-read!) -Aoi for a great Chun-Li FAQ -Adam Tennant for his Omega Red FAQ, which helped me to write up my Omega Red FAQ, and in turn his section in this Compendium (damn, you write a Juggy FAQ, I write a Juggy FAQ. You write an Omega Red FAQ, I write an Omega Red FAQ... hmmm ;). -ice-cube (icicle@mbox2.singnet.com.sg) for a decent Wolverine FAQ You can access this FAQ and many others at my homepage: http://www.geocities.com/SiliconValley/Heights/1910 or at http://www.gamefaqs.com You can e-mail me at: tigeraid@geocities.com SF3 EX Alpha Code v5.0 { A+(++vs.ARK)Al+CJ+Cr+G+(++SSF2)S++Se[I]Z++ } [ac-- ch@ cn c+ cc@ 2- g+ m+ n+:++ o@ os@ p r s+ sp-- st+ ta t+ tm-:+ th- tr-:+ v+] "I said it before and I'll say it again--democracy simply doesn't work!" -Kent Brockman, the Simpsons