Street Fighter Alpha
Frequently Asked Questions
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STREET FIGHTER ALPHA
Frequently Asked Questions ver 2.0
**************************************
Current 2.0 version by Allen Kim ([email protected])
Version 1.5 by Dan Wells 7/24/95
Original 1.0 version by Tom Cannon
Please send any corrections or comments to
[email protected]
-------------------------------------------------
TABLE OF CONTENTS
1) INTRODUCTION
1.1) Author's Preface, Version 2.0
1.2) Introduction to SFA
1.3) What's New In This Revision?
1.4) Where to Get SFA Resources
1.5) Is Alpha Still Beta-Testing Or What?
1.6) Legend and Abbreviations
2) GAME ENGINE SPECIFICS
2.1) SFA ROM Options
2.2) The Old and the New
2.3) Proximity Blocking
2.4) Auto-Blocking
2.5) Chain Combos
2.6) The New Super Combo System
2.6.1) Using Super Combos
2.6.2) Super Combos and the Animation Pause
2.7) Alpha Counters
2.7.1) Practicing Alpha Counters
2.7.2) How to Avoid Getting Alpha Countered
2.8) Air Blocking
2.9) Rolling on the Ground
2.10) Overhead Hits
2.11) Throws, Throw Softening (Tech), and Ticks
2.12) Jump-ins, Neck Kicks, and Meaty Attacks
2.13) Wake-up Dragon Punches
2.14) Taunts
2.15) Choose Your Own Winning Quote
3) Moves and Strategies Specific to Each Character
3.0) Conventions Used
3.1) RYU
3.2) KEN
3.3) SAGAT
3.4) CHUN LI
3.5) CHARLIE
3.6) BIRDIE
3.7) ADON
3.8) GUY
3.9) SODOM
3.10) ROSE
3.11) AKUMA
3.12) M. BISON
3.13) DAN
4) Secrets, Storylines, and Extras
4.1) Endings (Spoiler Alert!)
4.2) Those Little Symbols
4.3) Character Histories
4.4) Selecting the Hidden Characters
4.5) Code to Fight Akuma or Dan
4.6) Ryu & Ken vs. Bison Code
4.7) Special Endings and Hidden Characters
4.8) The Future for Capcom's Fighting Game Genre
5) Appendices
5.1) Glossary
5.2) Top Eleven Reasons to Use Dan
5.3) Top Ten Meanings for the Kanji on Akuma's Back
6) Credits and Thanks
***************
1) INTRODUCTION
***************
----------------------------------
1.1) Author's Preface, Version 2.0
----------------------------------
Tom Cannon was the original FAQ writer, but, due to the fact that he
unfortunately was unable to update it, people still had many
questions. Dan Wells became the next keeper of the FAQ, but then
even more secrets were found, and Dan was not able to come up with a
revision. Thus, I have taken over as the maintainer of the SFA FAQ.
After writing a draft revision of the FAQ, I let it sit so that I can
spend some time verifying a lot of the information on the FAQ. Of
course, I wanted this final revision to be finished much earlier.
However, time constraints plus the lack of new SFA discoveries made me
procrastinate somewhat.
Still, I saw that there are many people who still download the FAQ for
informational purposes. There is still a lot of talk about various
aspects of SFA, such as the value of Alpha Counters or Overhead Hits.
Finally, there is no telling whether Street Fighter Alpha will hit the
home systems like the Sega Saturn, the Sony PSX, or even the upcoming
Ultra 64. Thus, I considered it worthwhile to bring out a final 99%
accurate version of the FAQ.
Anyway, Tom Cannon and =P (Mr. Cheung) deserve a lot of credit for
finding a lot of the preliminary moves out. They were the first to
have the game and were (and still are) much appreciated by those of
us who weren't fortunate enough to have beta versions at the time.
Also, a lot of credit belongs to Dan Wells for his excellent writing
and efforts. This current version of the FAQ borrows very heavily
from his version.
------------------------
1.2) Introduction to SFA
------------------------
Street Fighter Alpha is Capcom's latest installment in the Street
Fighter series. The graphics style has been changed to a more
anime-esque look, and almost every character in the game comes from
a game from Capcom's past. There is Charlie, Guile's friend who was
killed by M. Bison. You can play Guy from Final Fight or try your
hand at Adon, the wicked Thai kickboxer from Street Fighter 1 who
still retains his awesome Jaguar Kick. Or go the alternate route and
play Rose, a woman with magical hair and clothing that falls into the
style of Darkstalkers 2. SFA is truly a blast from the past which
brings back the magic of the SF series all over again.
Note that in Japan, SFA is known as Street Fighter Zero, which is why
a 'Z' zig-zags across the screen during transitions.
-------------------------------------------
1.3) What's New In This Revision of the FAQ
-------------------------------------------
Changes in version 2.0:
- Added ASCII logo.
- Added section, "How to Avoid Getting AC'ed."
- Corrected method to roll on the ground.
- Auto-Block section revised.
- Added section, "Wake-up Dragon Punches."
- Added Japanese names for moves where available.
- Added starting and winning poses.
- Changed Guy's move names from "Bushido" to "Bushin."
- Sodom's cheesy S. ROUNDHOUSE added.
- Added how to choose winning quote.
- Revised "Code to Fight Akuma or Dan."
- Added glossary.
- Added Top Ten lists.
- General additions, revisions, and corrections all over the place.
Changes in version 1.9:
- Added the Ryu & Ken vs. Bison code.
- Added the Fight Against Akuma code.
- Moves and Strategies now combined into one section.
- Changed some names of moves. Some moves also have two names; the
one in parentheses is the name I made up.
- Dan Wells' Top Ten list deleted.
- General revisions in wording and grammar for just about every
section.
- General corrections and additions to the moves section.
Changes in version 1.5:
* Explanations of the various operator-controlled options in SFA.
* Better explainations of how to link SC's with chain combos.
* Expanded uses of the Alpha Counter for specific characters.
* Clarification of air-blocking multiple hits.
* A Moves Legend added
* Corrected/added moves for:
-Ken
Shoryureppa SC corrected
-Chun Li
Mega Kikoken SC corrected
-Charlie
Standing ROUNDHOUSE kick clarified
-Birdie
Chain Grab corrected
Leaping Chain Grab SC corrected
Overhead Hit added
-Adon
Offensive crouching FORWARD kick added
-Guy
Overhead Hit added
"re-dizzy" fully explained
-Sodom
Sai Grab corrected
Sai Crawl added (explained)
-Akuma
A couple moves corrected/updated
Downward Air Kick added
-Dan
Total information added
* Official Capcom names for moves added
* Expanded and re-done character strategy sections.
* Updated information on Super Combos, including # of hits and
damage inflicted
* Verbatum endings (some of them)
* Information on the new hidden character, Dan.
* My Top 10 Cheap Things in SFA List
* An expanded Wish List of stuff that I want changed. :)
-------------------------------
1.4) Where to Get SFA Resources
-------------------------------
This FAQ has generously been put on a couple of FTP sites where you
can always download the latest version.
* brawl.mindlink.net /pub/sfa/sfafaq20.txt
Brawl is an FTP site with a large directory dedicated to fighting
game FAQs, pictures, sounds, guides, etc. You can DL pictures of
SFA digitized from the latest Gamest magazine at this location.
* ftp.netcom.com /pub/vi/vidgames/faqs/sfalpha.txt
Maintained by Andy Eddy, Senior Editor of GamePro magazine, this
site carries tons of FAQs regarding both arcade stand-ups and home
entertainment system games. If there's a video game and there's a
FAQ for it, it's here.
* AOL Game Forum
If you are an AOL member, just go to the keyword GAMES and check
the game FAQ section for this file.
For pictures of SFA digitized from various magazines like Gamest and
DHGF, you can D/L these at brawl.mindlink.net in the same directory
listed above.
If you're looking for good Web sites that feature SFA, let me suggest
one of the following:
- Patrick Beja's SFZ Page.
http://www.miage.dauphine.fr/~beja/sfz/sfz.html
- Shoryken's Site O' Nothing
http://www.crl.com/~shoryken
There are two "combo" guides out there that do a really good job
listing which of the moves in SFA can be used in a chain combo or an
interrupt combo:
- Derek Liu, SFA Advanced FAQ.
E-mail [email protected]
- Patrick Beja, SFA List of Comboable Moves.
E-mail [email protected]
As usual, there are many character-specific guides out there written
by fans like you and I. I'll list just a few here; if you'd like your
character guide listed here, just tell me and I'll put it in later.
AKUMA
Derek "Dee-ciple" Bryant, Unofficial Akuma Mini-Faq.
([email protected])
(ftp://brawl.mindlink.net/pub/sfa/guides/akuma.bryant)
ROSE
Dmitri "Dmitheon" Lenna, Rose: The Guide.
([email protected])
(http://www.rpi.edu/~lennad/vg/rose.htm
RYU
Samuel Goh, Ryu Guide.
(ftp://brawl.mindlink.net/pub/sfa/guides/ryu.goh)
KEN
Rahmon "Omar" DeLoney, Ken Strategy Guide v1.0.
([email protected])
(ftp://brawl.mindlink.net/pub/sfa/guides/ken.deloney)
Finally, if you have files pertaining to SFA, such as character
guides, digitized pictures, and BGM .WAV or MIDI files, by all means
upload them to one or all of the public sites mentioned above!
-----------------------------------------
1.5) Is Alpha Still Beta-Testing Or What?
-----------------------------------------
Alpha is completely done beta-testing. From all reports and
indications that I've gotten, the versions of SFA released
nationally are virtually identical to those that were beta-testing
in Chicago, California, and elsewhere. The only difference may be
in the computer AI difficulty.
There still exist some flaws in the game engine, such as Guy's re-dizzy
combo and Sodom's unblockable S. ROUNDHOUSE. If the rumor is true and
Capcom releases a new version of SFA, these bugs will probably be
fixed. (See section 4.8)
-----------------------------
1.6) Legend and Abbreviations
-----------------------------
Throughout this guide I will be using symbols and notations for moves
that you may be unfamiliar with. Here is what everything means:
JOYSTICK POSITIONS
O O O Backwards Jump Vertical Jump Forward Jump
\|/
O--*--O Back Center Forward
/|\
O O O Defensive Crouch Down Offensive Crouch
*NOTE*: ALL JOYSTICK DIAGRAMS ASSUME THAT YOU ARE ON THE LEFT SIDE OF
THE SCREEN FACING RIGHT. Thus, if you are on the right side facing
left, just reverse the left and the right.
BUTTONS
JAB STRONG FIERCE
O O O
O O O
SHORT FORWARD ROUNDHOUSE
C. JAB translates as Crouching JAB
S. FORWARD translates as Standing FORWARD
J. ROUNDHOUSE translates as Jumping ROUNDHOUSE (a jump kick)
Some Abbreviations:
You should be able to figure out most abbreviations from the context,
but just in case something stumps you, here are some of the
abbreviations that you may find.
SSF2T.....Super Street Fighter II Turbo (the last of the SF2 series)
SC.....Super Combo
AC.....Alpha Counter
QCF.....Quarter Circle Forward
QCB.....Quarter Circle Back
HCF.....Half Circle Forward
HCB.....Half Circle Back
FB.....Fireball
DP.....Dragon Punch (usually referring to a DP-type motion)
HK.....Hurricane Kick
FK.....Flash Kick
TBK.....Thousand Burst Kick (Chun Li)
TAH.....Turn-Around Headbutt (Birdie)
************************
2) GAME ENGINE SPECIFICS
************************
--------------------
2.1) SFA ROM Options
--------------------
There are 4 main options that your operator has control over in the
SFA ROM Menu.
* Speed Select
The speed of the game can be preset at 3 different speeds:
Normal, Turbo 1, and Turbo 2. The operator also has the option
of letting the players select their speed. Unfortunately, when
this option is active, players can only choose between the 2
slower speed settings. Many players prefer Turbo 2 because this
speed is similar to SSF2T, but others (like myself) feel that
Turbo 2 turns the game into a spaz-fest.
On the other hand, I find that the normal speed is just too slow,
but some people prefer to play at a less hectic pace, so it's up
to you.
* Auto-Blocking
Arcade operators have the option of turning Auto-blocking on or
off, which determines whether players get the option of using
it. See Section 2.4 to find out how it works.
* Damage Level
This is also configurable to several levels. If it is set at
anything less than normal, the only difference I've noticed is
that you get considerably more time-out victories, which isn't
too good. On the other hand, if the damage is set too high,
you'll find that typical combos, especially Level 3 Supers, will
cause over 3/4 damage, which may be overdoing it (IMHO).
* Computer AI Difficulty
There are at least 6 or so settings for this. I've played one
of the harder ones, and the computer AI pulls NASTY combos on you
with ease, almost to the point where it gets like SSF2T was. It
is still a fun challenge, but you really have to know what you
are doing (i.e. newbies will get squashed!).
------------------------
2.2) The Old and the New
------------------------
The first character you will pick when you first play SFA will
probably be Ryu, Sagat, Ken, or Chun Li. It's understandable. One
thing that needs to be stressed, however, is that while this game is
essentially based on the SF2 engine, there are a LOT of little nuances
and tricks, as well as some major alterations, which make SFA
dramaticly different from SSF2T. If you play SFA exactly like you
play SSF2T, you're going to get your butt blasted once you run into
someone who's learned to adapt to the new engine.
Don't make the mistake of assuming that Charlie is Guile, Ken is Ken,
Ryu is Ryu, etc. and overlook the differences. Definitely experiment
and fool around a bit. Figure out what everyone has lost, what
they've gained, and what the new guys mean to the old SF2 strategies.
The first time you play Ryu and get grabbed by Birdie's Super Combo,
torn apart by a Guy player, or humiliated by Rose and her "magic
shawl", you'll know what I mean.
-----------------------
2.3) Proximity Blocking
-----------------------
One of the limitations of the old SF2 engine was that you could not
walk backwards if someone threw a projectile at you. However, in SFA,
the blocking has been modified into what I call "proximity blocking."
Basically, if you are moving backwards and the opponent throws an
attack or a projectile, you will not go into a block stance until the
attack is within hitting range. The obvious advantage is that you can
back away from projectiles and some close-range attacks.
However, some people are in the habit of moving the joystick back
for a standing block when they see a projectile coming from long
range. Thus, their character will keep walking back and back until
either the projectile is blocked or until they corner themselves.
This happens especially with joysticks that don't have sensitive
diagonals. Thus, to avoid moving yourself into the corner, either
block the projectile with a crouching block, or move the joystick back
at the moment before the projectile hits.
------------------
2.4) Auto-Blocking
------------------
Auto-Blocking is now in SFA (provided your arcade operator has
activated the option). If you choose Auto-Block, then you will see a
counter up in the corner next to your portrait. This counter will
start at some number (8 for human competition) and count down every
time you block a hit, whether automatically OR manually. Once the
counter hits zero, you must block manually for the rest of the round.
The counter is reset at the start of every round. Unlike Capcom's X-
Men:CotA, if you win the match, Auto-Block will remain active for
subsequent matches.
The most severe limitation of Auto-Block is that you will only be able
to store one level of energy in your Super Meter. Another limitation
is that you will automatically stand to block Sagat's High Tiger Shot
and Tiger Cannon SC. You cannot duck these projectiles unless your
Auto-Block counter is at zero.
Note that if you are playing against the CPU with Auto-Block
activated, your first round of the game will set your Auto-Block
counter to 10. If you win the round, the next round your counter will
be reset to your original value, minus 2. In other words, after you
win a total of five straight rounds (not matches), you will no longer
have Auto-Block, and you will still be stuck with the limitations of
Auto-Block. But if you lose a round, the next round (if you haven't
lost the match yet) will add 2 to your original value. Furthermore,
if you lose a match, continue, and activate Auto-Block again, your
counter will go back up to 10.
If you win the game with Auto-Block and without continuing, you don't
get to see the credits. Finally, if you get a high score, your entry
in the high-score charts will have an "Auto" label next to it.
Auto-Blocking comes with one more advantage. Anyone using the Auto-
Block feature can execute a Super Combo by pressing a punch and a kick
button of the same strength simultaneously. For example, once your
meter is charged up, you can simply press STRONG + FORWARD, just like
the motions in X-Men:CotA and Nightwarriors. This can allow players
to throw easy SC's on reaction without the need for precise timing and
dexterity. For example, Ryu could easily throw a Shinkuu Hadouken SC
right after blocking a sweep.
-----------------
2.5) Chain Combos
-----------------
Like Darkstalkers and X-Men, SFA now has chain combos. Not only do
you have "normal" combos from SF2, but you now have certain
combinations of normal moves that are specificly designed to work
together in a "chain." More specifically, when you see a sequence
of ground attacks and each attack "interrupts" the previous one,
that's a chain combo. The only way you can recognize these chain
combos is by the way that they "flow" together.
These chains open a whole new door to comboing. Take Ken for instance.
If a chain combo starts with a JAB, you can do the JAB 1-2 times,
follow up with a C. FORWARD, a C. ROUNDHOUSE, and then finish with a
special move. You can mix chain combos and Super Combos, or even lead
off the chain combo with a jump attack. The whole system is pretty
flexible now, allowing you to use which combo you need at the right
time, whether you are comboing in a Super Combo, going for maximum
damage, or trying to get a dizzy.
-------------------------------
2.6) The New Super Combo System
-------------------------------
Every character has a Super Meter at the bottom of the screen that is
divided into 3 Levels of power. Your character adds to your Super
Meter as he or she fights. Note that the Meter is reset only between
matches, not rounds, so you get to keep whatever you already built up
in your Meter. There are 4 ways to increase your Super Meter:
1) Hitting your opponent
By far the quickest way of increasing your Super Meter.
Attacks that damage will increase your Meter faster than
attacks that are blocked.
2) Performing special moves
Everytime you do any type of special move, whether it
hits your opponent or not, your Meter goes up.
3) Getting hit by your opponent
Blocking and taking damage increase your Super Meter, but
only by a very small amount.
4) Throwing a normal punch or kick
Every time you hit a button (except JAB or SHORT), you
will add a tiny amount to your Super Meter.
Each character has two, three, or four Super Combos which require
energy (Chi) from their Super Meter. Each Super Combo can be
performed at 3 levels of power, corresponding to the 3 levels of the
Super Meter. To perform a Level 1 SC, simply do the proper joystick
motion and hit a single punch or kick button (according to the SC).
To perform a Level 2 SC, press any 2 of the punch or kick buttons.
To perform a Level 3 SC, press all 3 punch or kick buttons.
When you actually execute the SC, the screen darkens, the game pauses
for under half a second, and Chi (or energy) swirls around your
character, focusing on their fists, feet, or even their eyes. The SC
is then executed with blue "shadows" trailing your character.
Since you gather energy relatively quickly while fighting, you almost
always have a Level 1 SC at your disposal. For this reason most Level
1 SC's have somewhat mediocre priority, invulnerability, and damage
potential. Level 2 and 3 SC's are much better, especially Level 3
SC's where you can often get up to 50% or more damage with all hits.
-------------------------
2.6.1) Using Super Combos
-------------------------
When executing SC's, you can either attack with a series of weaker
SC's or strike with one big SC. Which approach you use is totally
dependent on the character you are using, your opponent, and your
individual style. In general, if you want to shave off your
opponents health little by little, throw a series of weak SC's. If
you like to wait until you see a rare opening, execute the Level 3 SC
to cause the most damage possible in a single opportunity.
However, there are 2 things to be careful of. First, if you use a
SC, make sure that you are in a position to get most or all of the
hits. Using Ken's Level 1 Shoryureppa against a jumper isn't very
effective since you'll get a pitiful number of hits and damage.
Don't do Charlie's Level 3 Rushing Kick SC if your opponent is
airborn since you will only get 2 hits of the SC. Don't execute
Rose's Aura Soul Catch SC if your opponent is on the ground. Pretty
basic stuff.
Second, remember that you keep your Super Meter Chi between rounds.
Thus, you want to be careful about finishing off an opponent with
a SC if he is already near KO. That can be a big unnecessary waste
of Chi. Similarly, if you are losing to an opponent and he hasn't
already won a round, you might want to save your Meter for the next
round.
Here's another thing you may want to consider. Let's say you are
saving up your Meter for an opportunity, but you can't find one and
your meter has remained at Level 3 for a while. Instead of keeping a
full meter, consider throwing a Level 1 SC to cause block damage to
your opponent. You might as well use the Chi energy that would
otherwise just sit there, and your meter will quickly charge back up
to Level 3 anyway. (Alternatively, you can use an Alpha Counter
instead of a SC. AC's are explained in section 2.7.)
-------------------------------------------
2.6.2) Super Combos and the Animation Pause
-------------------------------------------
If you perform a SC while your opponent's guard is down, he WILL NOT
be able to block for a very split-second after the Chi gathering
animation ends. Thus, if your opponent is close and you catch him
with a SC while he's not blocking, he simply cannot just block after
the SC animation begins. This is very good, IMHO, since it doesn't
allow the Chi animation to be a sort of a "flag" that gives the
opponent all day to block the oncoming SC. Note that this "no-block
period" means nothing if your opponent is at a fair distance away
from you.
When you perform a Super Combo, the game progresses your opponent's
animation by one frame. One partial reason for this may be to show
players who tap a button at the last second before a SC that they
actually did indeed push a button.
In terms of gameplay, though, you can make use of this and other
properties of the SFA engine in a particular situation. When your
opponent jumps toward you, you can back off (since you can walk
backwards while being attacked). This will cause your opponent's
jump attack to miss. Then, just before your opponent lands, perform
a Super Combo. The animation will progress so that your opponent
will land exactly as the Super Combo is performed. Then, since your
opponent technically isn't blocking as he automaticly lands, he will
not be able to block the Super Combo. Net result: properly timed,
you can nail opponents jumping in by throwing a ground-based Super
Combo (i.e. Charlie's Crossfire Blitz SC). Since the damage potential
is very good, especially if you have a Level 2 or 3 SC ready, you may
want to consider this in place of your standard anti-air move.
-------------------
2.7) Alpha Counters
-------------------
There is now a guard-reversal system in SFA called Alpha Counters. To
execute an Alpha Counter, perform the following joystick motion early
in your block-stun animation:
O- / | + Any punch or any kick button (punch or kick depends on
O O the character, noted individually.)
In other words, right when you block an attack like a jump kick,
move the joystick down and press a punch (or kick, depending on the
character) button.
Basicly, when you do this, your character will swat your opponent's
attack to the side, freezing the animation by one or two frames. Your
character then throws one of his moves over your opponent's move,
knocking them out of it (in theory). When you hit your opponent with
an AC, they are knocked down spinning with air swirling around
them.
Note that an AC requires one level of your Super Meter. Thus, an
expert in Alpha Counters can't just retreat back and play like a
turtle who AC's every attack. You must "finance" your Super Meter by
throwing attacks and becoming offensive before you become defensive
with AC's.
Unfortunately, Alpha Counters seem to be the most unpredictable moves
of the entire game. Sometimes AC's will be blocked or will not hit.
Some characters' AC's just can't hit aerial opponents that well. To
top it off, AC's don't cause a whole lot of damage, especially
considering that it uses up some of your Chi Power. Why would you use
one, then?
* Getting out of the corner.
The corner is a BAD place to be in SFA, and you can sometimes
use AC's to smack your way out of a corner/fireball trap.
* Keeping an opponent in the corner.
The corner is a very powerful tool in defeating your opponent.
It is often much more critical to keep your opponent in the
corner than to preserve one Level of Chi for a Super Combo.
* Smacking those annoying kicks!
For battling characters who use a lot of long-range kicks (i.e.
Adon, Guy, Ken, Charlie, etc), you can break through their kicks
and try to make your opponent a bit more weary by Alpha
Countering.
* Stopping those projectile patterns.
Some characters have AC's with good reaches. Thus, if someone
throws a projectile at you from a close or medium distance, you
can AC it and smack him while his guard is down.
* Alpha Countering a Super Combo.
Sometimes an opponent will try and use a SC to finish you off by
making you eat tons of block-damage. You can _usually_ AC a
Super Combo without any difficulty.
* Getting Out of a Tick Attempt.
When your opponent is mad and cheap and you can't deal with
it, just Alpha Counter the jump-in or whatever other move is
being used as a lead-in for the tick.
As a word of caution, be careful about using Alpha Counters against a
Super Combo. Do it only if it is crucial to you staying alive.
Sometimes, if your opponent is performing a Level 2 or 3 SC and your
character's AC isn't fast enough, the Super Combo will knock you out
of your Alpha Counter and you will be the one that ends up getting
plastered, not your opponent. This can REALLY be disappointing when
you try to AC a Level 3 Super Combo and you end up eatting the whole
SC because your AC wasn't up to par. :(
--------------------------------
2.7.1) Practicing Alpha Counters
--------------------------------
If you have trouble with Alpha Counters, practice against a projectile
thrower like Ryu or Ken. Have your opponent throw projectiles at you.
When you block a projectile, immediately execute the AC. (Yes, you
can AC a blocked projectile, but in an actual match, it has little
tactical value unless you are close to your opponent.) Remember, you
_must_ block first, then AC. The timing is pretty quick, but with a
little practice, it will become second nature to you.
One skill you will have to learn is Alpha Countering from a crouching
position, i.e. AC'ing sweeps. To do this, you simply need to quickly
move the joystick out of the defensive crouch position and perform
the Alpha Counter. You have to be very fast, but you will be able to
do it with practice.
This ability really helps out when both you and your opponent have
very little life left and both have enough Chi for an Alpha Counter.
These situations can turn into huge turtle-fests where both opponents
are afraid to touch each other for fear of receiving an Alpha
Counter. One tactic here is to try a lot of low attacks, since these
are much harder to Alpha Counter. If you can reliably AC a low
attack and your opponent cannot, that gives you a definite advantage
that could very well win the round for you.
-------------------------------------------
2.7.2) How to Avoid Getting Alpha Countered
-------------------------------------------
Here's the situation: You are fighting against an opponent who uses
AC's regularly. Plus, he plays rather offensively, meaning his Super
Meter charges rapidly, yet whenever you throw an attack, he blocks it
and AC's without difficulty. How do you fight a seemingly
"invulnerable" opponent like that?
- Be unexpected. Throw low attacks sparringly. Don't jump in and
attack, because you might as well hold up a sign that says "Alpha
Counter me."
- Use someone with a projectile, and fight from a distance. If your
opponent closes the distance, do whatever it takes to get away.
- Walk up and throw. (Yeah, you'll be called cheap, but this IS
Street Fighter, not KI, and throws are all part of the game.) If
your opponent can see your throw attempt coming, either throw a few
sweeps now and then, or just "fake" a throw attempt, block any sweep
and AC it.
- Jump in, but don't throw any aerial attack. Your opponent will be
expecting to block *something* so that he can perform an AC; thus, he
may not throw an attack. Once you reach the ground, either throw or
sweep. Or when you land, just block and hopefully you'll draw a
blocked counterattack from your opponent so that you can AC him.
-----------------
2.8) Air Blocking
-----------------
SFA now has air-blocking in its game engine. Note that SFA has
limited air-blocking, where some moves can be air-blocked and others
can't. This differs from Capcom's X-Men which has full air-blocking.
Here is the list of what can and cannot be air-blocked in SFA:
Moves that ABSOLUTELY CANNOT be air-blocked:
* Super Combos, except Charlie's Sonic Blade SC and Akuma's Air
Fireball SC. (Note that you CANNOT air-block other SC
projectiles like Ryu's Vacuum Fireball SC.)
* All ground-based normal moves (i.e. normal uppercuts)
Moves that USUALLY CANNOT be air-blocked but very occasionally are:
* Ken/Ryu/Sagat/Akuma's Dragon Punches
* Chun Li's Vertical Kick
* Adon's Jaguar Knee
Moves that USUALLY CAN be air-blocked
* Charlie's Flash Kick and Sonic Blade SC
* Adon's Jaguar Kick and Jaguar Tooth
* Akuma's Air Fireball SC
* All normal projectiles
* All normal air-based moves
Basicly, there are some weird cases (i.e. Ryu's HK), but these are the
only exceptions you probably need to be concerned with. Don't worry
about all the weird cases, just learn what usually can and cannot be
air-blocked and don't be surprised when something else (like a DP)
gets air-blocked occasionally.
One thing you will want to keep an eye out for is retaliating against
your opponent after air-blocking his attack, like a jump kick.
Although it typicly only happens near the corner, sometimes you will
land close enough to an airborne opponent to hit them as they come
down. Your airborn opponent will not be able to block whatever
attack you throw at them, so use this opportunity to quickly land a
hit instead of waiting for them to land (i.e. a fireball, DP,
uppercut, etc.).
The reverse is also possible (the attacker landing first and
attacking) but this happens less frequently.
--------------------------
2.9) Rolling on the Ground
--------------------------
As you are knocked down, such as from a sweep or throw, perform this
motion:
O-- / | + punch (An easier way to roll is to just keep moving
O O the joystick in quarter or half-circle
motions while pressing the punch button.)
and you will hit the ground rolling, similar to Ken's rolling move.
You can also roll after getting knocked from the air or even after an
air-block.
This move can be used to get out of corner traps, counter a fireball
set-up, etc. The roll can also go through projectiles. However, you
are not invulnerable to other attacks while rolling, like sweeps. You
can also get thrown if you end up too near to your opponent.
Note that you can only roll towards your opponent, not away. The only
exception is Sodom who can roll forwards or backwards, or even
initiate his Tengu Walk if he "rolls forward" with a kick button.
-------------------
2.10) Overhead Hits
-------------------
Similar to Ryu's Rushing Punches of SSF2T, many characters have been
given overhead hits that will hit a crouching defender. These moves
must be blocked standing, like a jump kick. There usually is a delay
to overhead attacks, so if you keep on your toes, you can spot them.
One tactic is to jump-in and immediately perform an overhead hit.
Since most people will block low after blocking an aerial attack, you
can nail people with the overhead hit.
-----------------------------------------------
2.11) Throws, Throw Softening (Tech), and Ticks
-----------------------------------------------
Yes, those ultra-cheap throws are back! :) Capcom has made some
adjustments to the throwing part of the game engine to appeal to both
throw and non-throw players.
* Capcom now calls throw-softening "techs." To soften a throw, or
"tech out of a throw" as I call it, just move the joystick either
towards or away from your opponent and press Fierce right when you
are thrown (Roundhouse can sometimes work as well.) In essense,
you are trying to counter your opponent's throw with a throw of
your own.
* Throw softening is more difficult now. Your reaction time to the
throw has to be much quicker than in SSF2T. You also can't soften
throws "accidentally" like you almost always could in SSF2T.
* All non-special move throws can be softened now, which includes
presses and air-throws.
* Throw ranges have been reduced. This makes ticking (throwing
someone as they come out of a block stun) more difficult and
easier to anticipate.
* Special move throws like Birdie and Sodom's grabs have shorter
ranges than Zangief's piledriver and can can be countered with a
jab or other move pretty easily.
Ticking is much easier to anticipate now with the reduced throw
ranges. It is very easy to chain combo someone out of a tick attempt.
The exception is Birdie, who has a few monster ticks with his Chain
Grab. However, this tick requires the slow, lethargic Birdie to
move-in and get a close jump-in attack or other set-up move, something
which isn't necessarily easy.
The bottom line is that ticking and throws are harder than before
and play less of a role in the outcome of the game. They are not
as big a nightmare as they were in SF2.
---------------------------------------------
2.12) Jump-ins, Neck Kicks, and Meaty Attacks
---------------------------------------------
Just as in SF2, you can jump-in on an opponent who is getting up so
that they must block or be hit. In this FAQ, we refer to this type of
aerial attack as a jump-in attack. It is reasonably difficult to
time, being somewhere between Turbo and Hyper Fighting. Of course,
your opponent can try Alpha Countering, but that's the risk you take.
If your jump-in attack connects (maybe your opponent tried and failed
to DP or something), there are a number of Super Combos and chain
combos that go well with a jump-in. These are described later on. If
you try and jump-in, however, you must watch to make sure your
opponent does not roll away and try to nail you as you come down.
There also exist a form of neck kicks in SFA. This is where you hit
your opponent's "neck" with the back of your leg as you jump in.
Because of the positioning, the fighter on the ground must "reverse
his block," or block by holding the joystick TOWARDS the opponent, as
opposed to away.
Neck kicks is much harder to do than in SF2 due to the difficult
timing and positioning. The only character I personally can do it
reasonably well with is Ken with his flying forward kick. The
positioning is actually pretty deceiving since Ken hits on the very
upper forward part of the opponent's forehead. Ken then "magicly"
skips to the other side to hit behind his opponent. This move sets up
some really nice combo attempts.
Other characters may have similar attacks. I've seen a human Ryu land
a neck kick a few times before as well as the CPU with several
characters. But, because of the really difficult positioning and
timing, don't expect it to be a huge part of the game by any means.
Contrary to the difficulty of jump-ins, meaty attack are relatively
easy. Meaty attacks are the ground-based equivalents of jump-ins; in
other words, just stay on the ground and throw an attack as your
opponent gets up so that he will have to block or get hit. These are
very easy to time. One strategy is to land early from a jump-in,
faking your opponent into trying to throw or DP, and then throwing a
meaty attack at the last second. All attacks can theoreticly be used
as meaty attacks. Try mixing in long-range kicks and close-in
punches and jabs to provoke your opponent to try something.
As with jump-ins, meaty attacks are prone to the same risks with
regard to Alpha Counters as jump-ins.
----------------------------
2.13) Wake-up Dragon Punches
----------------------------
It seems that SFA really does allow players to perform wake-up Dragon
Punches. A wake-up DP is performed right as the character is getting
up from a knockdown and the opponent is coming in with a jump-in
attack. Apparently, if timed right, the wake-up DP will always win
over a jump-in attack, even if the jump-in itself is timed perfectly.
Of course, the catch words are "Perfect Timing," since if you mistime
your wake-up DP motion, your opponent will be able to land a pretty
hefty jump-in combo. Thus, in my opinion, wake-up DP's should not be
performed unless absolutely necessary, such as when you have little
life left. There are other, safer ways to deal with jump-in attacks,
like Alpha Counters, or even blocking and waiting for the opponent to
make a mistake.
------------
2.14) Taunts
------------
Yes! The SF series has jumped on the humiliation bandwagon by putting
character taunts in SFA. To taunt, just hit the START button (yours,
of course! Your opponent could get very mad if you accidentally make
him taunt you). Remember, you can only taunt once per round, with
the exception of Dan.
Taunts do not use up any Chi, do not hit your opponnet (except for
Chun Li's), and leaves your guard down for a brief moment. You cannot
use a special move to get out of a taunt. You just have to sit there
and let the animation run its course. Neat, eh? Perfect for using
after a big SC, or after throwing a non-thrower. Sodom is perfect for
this as he just picks up his opponent and throws quickly without even
bending down. Taunting right afterwords makes him bow down at his
opponent in "respect." Gets people real mad! :)
-----------------------------------
2.15) Choose Your Own Winning Quote
-----------------------------------
If you win a match, you can choose your own winning quote by holding
down all three punch or kick buttons and moving the joystick in a
certain direction before the winning quote appears. For example,
after you win the second round with Ryu, hold Up + All Punches to
choose one quote, or Down + All Punches to choose another.
By itself, this feature doesn't mean much; however, it is a
requirement to get to Dan as a computer opponent. See section 4.5 for
details.
**************************************************
3) MOVES AND STRATEGIES SPECIFIC TO EACH CHARACTER
**************************************************
What follows is an in-depth coverage of each of the individual
characters' moves and a general strategy outline for each character.
This covers what combos are most often used, what each opponent's
strengths are, and what to avoid or watch out for when playing with
or against a certain character.
Note that the combos listed for each character are there to give you
ideas and should not be considered an exhaustive list. The combo
system in SFA is very flexible, allowing players to create their own
combos or modify existing combos to suit their playing styles. Thus,
listing every possible SFA combo in existence is impossible. If you
do want a guide that tells you what moves are interruptable or
chainable in combos, try either Lanzer's SFA Advanced FAQ or Patrick
Beja's SFA combo guide. See section 1.4 for details.
---------------------
3.0) Conventions Used
---------------------
Move names and translations:
I know that each move can have several different names, according to
who you talk to. Therefore, I will use the name that is most commonly
used on the Internet newsgroup alt.games.sf2. However, I will also
give the "official" name designated by Capcom and listed in Gamest
magazine. If the name is in English, I will list it in curly braces
{}.
If the name is in Japanese, I will give the Romanized Japanese name in
{brackets}, then the English translation (if available). The
translation will most likely not be a straight literal translation, so
all you Japanese speakers out there please bear with me! (By the way,
in Romanized Japanese, "ou" is pronounced like the long 'o' in "go."
For example, Gouken is pronounced "go-ken", not "goo-ken.")
--------
3.1) RYU
--------
"What's wrong? Why do you hold back?"
-Ryu, SFA
Ryu is in the tournament for the spirit of the fight. Does he need a
better reason?
Starting Pose: Ryu tightens his headband, then his gauntlets.
Winning Pose #1: Ryu raises his fist in triumph.
Winning Pose #2: Ryu folds his arms and looks away from his fallen
opponent.
*Alpha Counter*
O-- / | + punch
O O
Ryu blocks the attack and throws a fierce Dragon Punch.
While not having as much range as other Super Combos, this AC has
the advantage of hitting your opponent the instant it starts (no
unnecessary animation like in Charlie's or Birdie's AC's). It
does not hit as deep as a normal DP, so be very careful trying
to AC sweeps and slides. The AC is pretty invulnerable, insuring
that you can use it against all types of attacks and Super Combos
without much fear of trading. Since Ryu performs a FIERCE Dragon
Punch, make sure you connect with this move, or you will
definitely be eating a combo on your way down.
*Taunt*
#1 Ryu stops to adjust his gauntlets.
#2 Ryu stops to adjust his headband.
*Overhead Punch* {Sakotsu Wari - Collarbone Breaker}
--O + STRONG
Ryu raises his fist over his shoulder and then slams down for 2
hits. This is an overhead hit.
This is a decent move. It has more range than you might think,
and you can sometimes nail your opponent with the last part of
the hit from afar.
*Spin Kick* {Senpuu Kyaku - Cyclone Kick}
--O + FORWARD
Ryu does one rotation of a Hurricane Kick. Ryu's foot hits the
opponent as he comes down. Can hit crouching opponents, but
note that this is not an overhead hit.
This move is very quick and lets Ryu skip in closer to his
opponent without retaliation. You can use it to try to push your
opponent back, tick with it, or skip over foot sweeps, slides, and
other low attacks.
Since you can sometimes be hit afterwords if you try anything but
blocking (depending on distance), your opponent may try and sweep
you afterwords. Try using a Super Combo as you land if your
opponent becomes this predictable.
*Fireball* {Hadouken - Wave Motion Punch}
| \ --O + punch
O O
The FIERCE fireball flickers red for a brief second after it comes
out. If you hit your opponent with it while it is red, they will
catch on fire and be knocked down.
Ryu still has a very short fireball delay. However, since many
opponents have other means besides jumping to get around
fireballs, you have to be very careful when and where you throw
fireballs. Fireball corner traps don't work against a lot of
characters, and using only fireballs to push an opponent back is
risky as well. Use fireballs more in moderation with other
attacks to keep your opponent guessing. To keep opponents away,
combo fireballs after footsweeps and other attacks, forcing them
to block and be pushed back.
Whenever adding a fireball to a combo, use the FIERCE version.
If you are close, your opponent will be set on fire and be
knocked down, giving you the positional advantage.
*Hurricane Kick* {Tatsumaki Senpuu Kyaku - Tornado Whirlwind Kick}
| / O-- + kick
O O
Now goes over fireballs and Charlie's Sonic Boom. Can be done in
the air. Knocks opponents down in a single hit.
If you are quick, this move can counter close-range fireballs
easily. You have to do it slightly early to make it over the
fireball. Also, if you need to air-block, use the aerial HK
instead while jumping to gain superiority over most of your
opponent's aerial attacks.
*Dragon Punch* {Shoryuken - Rising Dragon Punch}
--O | \ + punch
O O
Almost impossible to air-block. If blocked, Ryu's DP can hit
twice, but if unblocked, it will knock down an opponent in a
single hit.
As usual, this move causes the most damage if the opponent is hit
during the first few frames of motion (while Ryu's fist is still
below his shoulders). It is also invulnerable during this time.
However, once Ryu's fist extends over his head, the DP is no
longer invulnerable, and it causes less damage. This makes timing
all the more essential, since you want to execute the DP as late
as possible so that you will cause the most damage without
worrying about getting hit.
*Super Combo #1*
Shinkuu Hadouken {Vacuum Fireball}
| \ --O | \ --O + punch
O O O O
Ryu sends out a massive fireball that goes through projectiles.
The fireball loses 1 hit for each projectile it passes through.
Level 1: 3 hits.
Level 2: 4 hits.
Level 3: 5 hits.
The Shinkuu Hadouken is an excellent attack in fireball wars and
close-in fighting. For example, if you are throwing projectiles
at each other, throw the Super Fireball instead. It will go
right through your opponent's projectile and score some hits. By
having a charged SC, you can really take control and intimidate a
fireballing opponent.
Close-in, ALWAYS look for openings where you can throw your SC,
especially in the corner. Opponents will often throw a fireball
that they expect you to block. However, even if their fireball
is right in front your face, you can still launch the SC
instantaneously and nail your opponent. Here's a good habit:
Always do the SC motions as you are pulling out of certain moves
and watch for a projectile attempt from your opponent. Good
situations include after a blocked sweep or uppercut, after an
intentionally missed sweep (hit them as they run in to hit you),
after the overhead punch as they try to retaliate, etc.
Using the Shinkuu Hadouken in normal combos requires a bit of
fancy joystick work, but the results can be particularly damaging.
You have very little leaway in getting the motions done if you
want the SC to hit. The optimum move for this is the crouching
FORWARD kick. Basically, you need to insert the FORWARD kick
into the first QCF motion of the SC. Then, after the first QCF,
just buffer-in a normal fireball. If you do everything close
enough together, you will get the Super Combo instead of a
fireball, doing nice damage to your unfortunate opponent. It
looks something like this:
| \ + FORWARD --O | \ --O + punch
O O O O
Or it may look something like this:
| \ --O | + FORWARD \ --O + punch
O O O O
Because you have so little time to buffer the SC motion into the
C. FORWARD kick, you have to start the motion for the SC before
you actually kick. Doing a C. FORWARD and then attempting to do
the 2QCF motion will not work. You simply cannot do it fast
enough (physically). As described in the combo section, you can
incorporate a variety of combos with the Shinkuu Hadouken like
above.
As a final warning, be very careful when trying to use the
Shinkuu Hadouken against an opponent with an anti-fireball SC like
Adon or Birdie. These characters can buffer their SC's during the
chi animation of your SC, thus being able to easily counter before
your SC fireball even comes out.
*Super Combo #2*
Shinkuu Tatsumaki Senpuu Kyaku {Vacuum Hurricane Kick}
| / O-- | / O-- + kick
O O O O
Ryu does a Hurricane Kick in place, and you can see the air
fanning away on the ground. Hits lots of times and does KILLER
damage, even if blocked.
Level 1: 4 hits.
Level 2: 8 hits.
Level 3: 12 hits.
This move really has little range, so you have to anticipate your
opponent moving in or opening-up to get it to hit. It is best
used at close range, especially when your opponent is cornered
and desparately trying to escape. Try using it after the Spin
Kick if you know that your opponent will try and retaliate.
This move does very good damage, so don't totally discount it
based solely on its limited range.
If you play Ryu like an old-schooler (constantly throwing FB's and
DP's), this SC may be of little use to you. However, for players
like me who like to take the fight up close and personal, this SC
can be a real beefy attack. I like to execute a Level 1 after
coming in with a flying kick. If anything, it will cause good
block damage.
Do not use this move as an anti-air defense. If you have time
to do the SC, do a Dragon Punch instead. If you do this against
an airborne opponent, you will get a poor number of hits and
damage.
*Chains*
S. JAB, S. STRONG, C. ROUNDHOUSE
C. SHORT, C. ROUNDHOUSE
C. SHORT, C. FORWARD, C. ROUNDHOUSE
*Combos*
J. ROUNDHOUSE, C. STRONG, C. FORWARD, FIREBALL
The old SF2 combo is still there. It isn't a chain combo, so you
do have to time it differently than chain combos.
J. ROUNDHOUSE, S. JAB, S. STRONG, FIREBALL
J. ROUNDHOUSE, C. SHORT, C. SHORT, C. FORWARD, FIREBALL
Similar to another old SF2 combo, you can now insert a couple
C. SHORT kicks since they chain with the C. FORWARD.
J. ROUNDHOUSE, C. FORWARD, SHINKUU HADOUKEN SC
The easiest combo to put the Shinkuu Hadouken SC into. As
described before, practice putting the FORWARD kick in during
the QCF motions.
J. ROUNDHOUSE, C. SHORT, C. SHORT, C. FORWARD, SHINKUU HADOUKEN SC
* RYU'S TOUCH OF DEATH *
The ultimate Ryu combo, this will do *heavy* damage at Level 2 or
3. I recommend putting extra money in the machine and playing a
standing-still opponent to get good at this combo. On the
heavy-damage machine I've been playing on recently, this combo
automatically kills your opponent at Level 3. On a normal
damage machine, it might do something like 70% damage.
SIDE NOTE: It is possible for Ryu to trip-up an opponent with a
ROUNDHOUSE sweep and hit them with a Shinkuu Hadouken on the way
down. However, anytime you can get a RH sweep, you can usually
FORWARD sweep instead and tack-on the SC on the ground, giving
you full hits and damage. The Shinkuu Hadouken can only hit an
airborne opponent twice, so its damage potential is limited.
Basically, Ryu has not changed much from SSF2T. With the ability to
throw multiple Shinkuu Hadoukens per round, Ryu can gain considerable
ground superiority. However, there are many, MANY moves designed to
avoid and retaliate against fireballs.
Anti-Fireball Moves:
*Ryu- Shinkuu Hadouken SC
*Ken- Ground Roll, Shoryureppa SC
*Sagat- Tiger Cannon SC, Tiger Knee
*Chun Li- Axe Kick, TBK SC
*Charlie- Sonic Blade SC
*Birdie- Chain Grab SC
*Adon- Jaguar Kick/Jaguar Tooth/Jaguar Revolver SC
*Guy- Bushin Leap/Bushin Jump SC
*Sodom- Slide
*Rose- Slide/Soul Reflect
*Akuma-
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