-Super arts FAQ- by BillyKane version 0.9
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This document is copyright 2001 Nadir Sellam a.k.a. BillyKane. I will
not tolerate any use of the information it contains without with my
permission. If you use it without my permission, I will take you to the
court, I will win, and you will lose lots of money. Think about it.
Writing a FAQ takes time. If you want to use part of this FAQ on your
site, please ask for my permission by email at
nadir_sellam@hotmail.com. I don't care if you're familiar with the law
or not, you copy my work you're going to pay, especially if you try to
make profit off of it. That's the way it is. Knowledge is priceless.
-End of disclaimer-
This is an attempt at creating another base of information for Street
Fighter 3: Fight for the future. I am planning the gather a lot of
information on each characters Super Arts whenever possible, and gear
this FAQ more towards beginners than experts. This should basically be
considered as a guide to help you choose your Super Arts of choice, and
a general list of all Super Arts' uses. However, I probably won't have
time to list -everything- about the subject, since Super Arts are a
major part of the game. Indeed, your whole strategy evolves around your
Super Art choice, and to be honest some of them are way better than
others. My goal with this FAQ is to roughly introduce to beginners and
below average players some uses and set-ups for every Super Art in the
game.
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A bit of history:
Version 0.1: _07/31th/2001- I got this idea after finishing my Chun-Li
FAQ. There is so much to be said about Super Arts, so why not give it a
try? =)
Version 0.2: _08/1st/2001- I just realized how much time this FAQ is
going to take... I wrote tips on super canceling, stun value and the types
of Super Arts.
Version 0.3: _08/2nd/2001- I wrote the Akuma section.
Version 0.4: _08/3rd/2001- I wrote the Chun-Li section inspired by my
Chun-Li FAQ, and the Dudley section (still incomplete though) with some
help from SlimX. I also wrote the Ken, Alex, Remy and Ryu sections.
Version 0.5: _08/4rth/2001-I wrote the Hugo and Makoto sections and some
formatting. I also started the "Parrying into Super Arts" section.
Version 0.6: _08/5th/2001-I wrote the Ibuki and Q sections, added the
"Limited time Super Arts" section and wrote some parrying advice. I also
changed the layout.
Version 0.65: _08/6th/2001-I finished the Sean section, and added some
advice on comboing the universal overhead into Super arts. I finished
the kara-canceling Super Arts section, too. Only 8 characters left, yay!
Version 0.7: _08/7th/2001-I wrote the Yang, Twelve and Urien sections,
and wrote the "What's a Super Art?" explication. I think I will submit
the FAQ in the present form and update it next week because I will be
away for a few days.
Version 0.8: _08/11th/2001-I added the PBR section and finished the
Urien section. I started the Yun section but it is far from being
finished.
Version 0.9: _08/25th/2001-I corrected a few typos and added a new SA
category thanks to Gunblade. I also added the Genei Jin combos I got
from thehy and the low LK X 2 XX Shin Shoryuken cancel.
Note to the people reading this: the sections I wrote about each Super
Art are neither all finished nor definitive. I am having a hard to do -
everything- right now, but everything should come in time. Please do not
email me to say: "Uor FAQ SUX! U forgot ma fave Sa111". I know.
Constructive criticism, on the other hand, is welcome. Thanks by advance
for understanding this.
Coming soon:
_The parrying patterns of each Super Art
_The Elena, Necro, Oro and Gill sections
_More "various stuff"
_More detailed information about the Super Arts
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Map
1. Legend
2. General rules
2.1 What is a Super Art?
2.2 Types of Super Arts
2.3 Buffering
2.4 Super canceling
2.5 Comboing into Super Arts
2.6 Limited time Super Arts
2.7 Stun value
2.8 Passing through projectiles
2.9 Kara-canceling into Super Arts
2.10 Various stuff about Super Arts
3. Super Arts description by character
3.1 Alex
3.2 Akuma
3.3 Chun-Li
3.4 Dudley
3.5 Elena -
3.6 Gill -
3.7 Hugo
3.8 Ibuki
3.9 Ken
3.10 Makoto
3.11 Necro -
3.12 Oro -
3.13 Q
3.14 Remy
3.15 Ryu
3.16 Sean
3.17 Twelve
3.18 Urien
3.19 Yang
3.20 Yun
4. Parrying Super Arts
4.1 Point-blank parrying
4.2 Parrying patterns description
4.3 "Parry Buffer Reaction"?
5. Parrying into Super Arts
6. Credits
------------------------------------------------------------------------
1. Legend
LP = Light Punch/Jab
MP = Medium Punch /Strong
HP = High Punch/Fierce
LK = Light Kick/Short
MK = Medium Kick/Forward
HK = High Kick/Roundhouse
qcf = Quarter circle forward
hcf = Half circle forward
qcb = Quarter circle backwards
hcb = Half circle backwards
DP = Dragon Punch move -forward, qcf-
P = Any punch button
K = Any kick button
Throw = LP + LK
Tech = LP + LK when being thrown (it nullifies the throw)
Universal Overhead = MP + MK
Taunt = HP + HK
Dash = Forward X 2
Parry = Forward (see TheHY's FAQ)
Low parry = Down
~ = Charge time
XX = Super cancel
------------------------------------------------------------------------
2 General rules
2.1 What is a Super Art?
Super Arts play a major role in Street Fighter 3:Third Strike. They are
very often just powered-up versions of special moves, but sometimes have
new animations. These attacks have special properties and often deal
more damage than normal and special attacks, but you will be asked to
choose only one before the fight (unless you are playing on a Dreamcast
and messed up with the System Direction options =).
You can only stock a limited number of Super Arts: there is a bar at the
bottom of the screen that shows the number of Super Arts you can stock,
and you level of super energy. The length of this Super Art varies on
the move selected.
I hope this FAQ will help you to have a better understanding of how
Super Arts work in general, and help you make your choice. I have
written all of this by myself and did not rip off anyone else's FAQ (I
have actually read very few Third Strike FAQs) so I am probably missing
lots of things. I was also restricted by time and size: there is no way
I could have told you about the way to link every Super Art, or all the
variations of Yun's Genei Jin (=SAIII).
If you feel I left out an IMPORTANT aspect of a Super Art or made a
mistake -which can obviously happen when you try to write a guide on all
the characters-, feel free to send me an email at
nadir_sellam@hotmail.com . If I decide to add your stuff to this FAQ,
you will be credited for sure. Enough of stating the obvious, let's get
on with the interesting things now.
2.2 Types of Super Arts
It is possible to classify the Super Arts into different categories. To
make things easier, I decided to list them here:
_Rush-type Super Arts = When you perform these, your character will rush
forward, giving more reach to the Super Art. When they are connected up
close -outside of a combo-, you have to parry the first hit point,
making them extremely dangerous.
Includes: Sean's Hyper Tornado (SAIII), Chun-Li's Houyokusen (SAII),
Ken's Shippu Jinrai Kyaku (SAIII), Dudley's Rolling Thunder (SAII),
Yun's Sourai Rengeki (SAII), Hugo's Hammer Frenzy (SAIII), Q's Critical
Combo (SAI).
_Projectile-type Super Arts = Their name is self-explanatory: these are
powered up versions of the characters projectiles. The number of hits
and properties totally vary depending on the character.
Includes: Sean's Hadou Burst (SAI), Ryu's Shinkuu Hadouken (SAI), Ryu's
Denjin Hadouken (SAIII), Akuma's Messatsu Gou Hadou (SAI), Urien's
Temporal Thunder (SAII), Ibuki's Kasumi Sukaku (SAI), Remy's Light of
Justice (SAI), Twelve's X.N.D.L. (SAI), Necro's Electric Snake (SAIII),
Oro's Yagyou Dama (SAII) and EX Yagyou Dama (EX SAII).
_Dragon Punch-type Super Arts = In a similar fashion to the Fireball-
type Super Arts, these are powered-up version of the characters' anti-
air special moves. You need to parry them at point blank when up-close,
and their parry patterns are usually fast and irregular. They consist of
2 or 3 dragon punch-type moves.
Sean's Shoryu Cannon (SAII), Ken's Shoryureppa (SAI), Akuma's Messatsu
Gou Shoryu (SAII), Dudley's Rocket Uppercut (SAI), Elena's Spinning Beat
(SAI), Remy's Supreme Rising Rage Flash (SAII).
_Grab-type Super Arts = These Super Arts cannot be parried or blocked.
However, your opponent needs to be rather close to you to connect them.
They have more range than special throws, and can be kara-cancelled.
Some of them need a start-up move.
Includes: Alex's Hyper Bomb (SAI) and Stun Gun Headbutt (SAIII), Hugo's
Gigas Breaker (SAI) and Megaton Press (SAII), Oro's Kishin Riki (SAI)
and EX Kishin Riki (EX SAI), Q's Total Destruction (SAIII), Necro's Slam
Dance (SAII), Akuma's Shun Goku Satsu.
_Custom Combo-type Super Arts = These Super Arts act like Custom Combos,
or V-Ism in Street Fighter Alpha 3. Your character's moves will hit 2 or
3 more times than usual, allowing for longer combos.
Includes: Yang's Sei-ei Bu (SAIII), Yun's Genei Jin (SAIII), Oro's Tengu
Stone (SAIII).
_Vertical-type = The main purpose of these Super Arts is to be reliable
anti-airs. They go straight up and can easily stop jump-ins.
Includes: Ken's Shinryuken (SAII) and Akuma's Messatsu Gou Rasen
(SAIII).
_Sudden Impact-type Super Arts = These Super Arts are connected on the
ground most of the time, but they need to be parried at point blank when
up close. They can be used as counters and have usually good priority.
Includes: Alex's Boomerang Raid (SAII), Ryu's Shin Shoryuken (SAII),
Chun-Li's Kikoushou (SAI) and Tensei Ranka (SAIII), Necro's Magnetic
Storm (SAI), Makoto's Seichuusen Godanzuki (SAI), Ibuki's Yoroi Doushi
(SAII) and Yami Shigure (SAIII), Yun's You Hou (SAI), Elena's Brave
Dance (SAII), Urien's Tyrant Slaughter (SAI) and Dudley's Corkscrew Blow
(SAIII).
_Delayed Impact-type Super Arts = These are similar to the Sudden-Impact
Super Arts, except that they can be parried as normal moves (after the
screen flashes, that is), which makes them easy to parry unless they are
included in combos.
Yang's Raishin Mahaken (SAI) and Tenshin Senkyuutai (SAII), Makoto's
Abare Tosanami (SAII), Twelve's X.F.L.A.T. (SAII).
_Other = Any Super art that does not fit the aforementioned categories.
Elena's Healing (SAIII), Urien's Aegis Reflector (SAIII), Remy's Blue
Nocturne (SAIII), Makoto's Tanden Renki (SAIII), Akuma's Kongo Kokuretsu
Zan, Twelve's X.C.O.P.Y. (SAIII).
Note: This list is subjective to an extent. While the vast majority of
the Super Arts totally fit into one category, some of them could
arguably have appeared into several. These categories are not
restricting in any way, and I will discuss the proper uses of each Super
Art later.
2.3 Buffering
_You need to learn buffering to start using characters efficiently in
almost every fighting game, not only Third Strike. It is particularly
useful for grapplers (e.g. Alex and Hugo), or for fighters who have long
or complicated moves in general. In this game, most characters can
perform a Super Art by just doing qcf X 2 + P or K, but Alex, Hugo and
Akuma's Supers have more complicated motions.
_Buffering a move is basically taking advantage of the recovery time of
your own character while performing a move (usually a "laggy" move) to
start performing the motion for another move (generally a Super Art). If
you have played any King Of Fighters or Capcom versus SNK before then
you probably know what I am talking about. You can basically buffer -
any- Super Art if you can find a move that is long enough to let you do
it.
-Example-
Hugo's Gigas Breaker (=SAI) is one of the hardest Super Arts to connect
in the game, because of its relatively complicated motion. It is quite
hard to perform if on the ground without jumping because the motion is a
720, so most players decide to jump and start performing the motion when
they are in the air. You can even throw a light attack that you hope
will be blocked so that your opponent is still within Gigas Breaker
range. This is one of the most basic buffering techniques. But you can
also buffer it from a dash, a slow move, a whiffed throw... There are many
other possibilities.
2.4 Super canceling
_This is a basic technique that you need to learn very early if you want
to improve your game that is sometimes referred to as buffering (this
term comes from other games, but it totally fits here). This technique
is somewhat similar to the 2-in-1 concept used in the later old-school
Street Fighter 2 games, but here you cancel a special move into a Super
Art instead of canceling a normal move into a special move. This is made
possible by the fact that most Super Arts in Third Strike are simple qcf
X 2 + P or K motions.
-Example-
When you perform a Super Move, such as Ryu's Hadouken (qcf + P), and
then perform another qcf + P very fast, the computer will recognize both
the fireball motion and the Super Motion, even though you have not
performed separate motions.
Motion:
qcf + P, qcf + P
Result:
A Hadouken immediately followed by a Shinkuu Hadouken (SAI), making it
harder for your opponent to anticipate and parry. It does not matter
what kind of normal attack button (kick or punch) is used. Just keep in
mind that some moves and Super Art are cancelable, and others are not.
_You can cancel a Super Art from an air projectile by using the same
technique with Akuma or Ibuki.
-Example-
Jump with Ibuki and throw a dagger (qcf + P), then perform another qcf +
P to cancel it into her Kasumi Suzaku (SAI). Just remember that you have
to do everything while still in the air -if you have trouble at first,
just use a super jump (down-up forward or backwards).
Motion:
Jump, qcf + P XX qcf + P
Result:
A dagger immediately followed by MANY daggers, making it a lot harder to
parry, and quite unpredictable.
_It is possible to cancel a Super Art from a charge move quite easily,
contrary to what many people seem to think. All you need to remember is
that you have to hit the points for the first part of the Super Art
(qcf) while performing the initial charge move, and then add another qcf
+ P or K to perform the Super Art.
-Example-
Remy does not have any qcf-type move because he is a charge character.
However, you will still need to master his super cancels to use him
efficiently. One of my favorite tricks to prevent his Light of Justice
Super Art (SAI) to be parried (or at least make it harder for your
opponent) is to cancel it from a low Light of Virtue. You need to charge
back, perform a qcf -or hcf, the computer will recognize the same motion
anyway- forward and any kick button (you can change the speed of the
projectile, I personally prefer using his HK), and finally perform
another qcf + P to pull off the Super Art. Your opponent needs to low
parry the first hit, and parry the upcoming Super Art high, making it
much harder. But it is true that the Super Art will deal less damage
than if it was not canceled.
Motion:
Charge back~, qcf + K XX qcf + P
Result:
A low Light of Virtue by the speed of your choice immediately followed
by the Light of Justice Super art.
_Of course, this technique does not only apply to fireball-type Super
Arts only, but to most Super Arts in general. You can use super
canceling when up-close.
-Example-
Canceling Elena's MK Rhino Horn (DP + MK) into her Spinning Beat (SAI)
when up close is very easy. Once the first hit of the Rhino Horn
connects, you just have to perform another qcf + K.
Sometimes, one version of a special move will be cancelable into a Super
Art but another will not. In this case, you can super cancel Elena's
Spinning Beat from her MK and her HK Rhino Horn, but it is impossible to
cancel it from the LK version. The LK version only hits -once-, so you
have no time to cancel the Super Art before the second hit, contrary to
the other versions.
Motion:
MK DP XX qcf + K
Result:
The Rhino Horn will not knock your opponent on the ground and he/she
will still get hit by the Spinning Beat. Perfect for chip damage. =)
_Of course, you can super cancel from EX moves. Sometimes, you can ONLY
super cancel from the EX move version of a special move.
-Example-
In the same manner as Elena's "Rhino Horn XX Spinning Beat" cancel,
Ibuki use her EX "Dragon Kick" and cancel it into her Kasumi Sukaku. The
interesting part is that you can ONLY cancel it from her EX version
because it lets you use an attack when you are on the way down,
recovering from your attack. Just remember to perform the qcf + P quite
fast.
Motion:
DP KK XX qcf + P (do not forget to spazz to get more hits and damage)
Result:
You connect a Super Art that is usually somewhat predictable from up
close and impossible to connect when not at a distance. The downside is
that you need more than just one super bar to perform this technique.
2.5 Comboing into Super Arts
Comboing into Super Arts generally requires mastering the Super
Canceling I just explained. It is the safest way to connect your combo
because of the parry feature. However, you need to learn which Super Art
can be connected from which move. Throw-type Super Arts usually cannot
be comboed into.
-Damage reduction rule-
It is very important to keep in mind the Damage reduction rule that was
implemented into this game to avoid combo abuses. While comboing into a
Super Art is usually better because it makes it impossible to parry if
the combo connects, it dramatically lowers the damage dealt by the Super
Art. The rule is: the bigger the combo is, the lowest the Super Art
damage will be. Super Art can lose more than half of their damage
potential when included in long combos.
-Mix-up games-
Comboing into Super Arts allows for mind games, especially mix-ups. Even
though most Super Arts hit high (with the expection of Ibuki's Yami
Shigure), you can cancel them from some low pokes (usually low MK), and
mess with your opponent's mind. Next time he misjudges a hit, he will
surely eat a Super Art!
-Example of combo into a Super Art-
Chun-Li's Low MK XX Houyokusen allows for crazy mind games. Basically,
all you need to do is to get your opponent to block high (by using the
Hazanshou or the universal overhead), and then connect the low MK into
Super Art. Your opponent will soon be afraid to block high or to poke...
This is when you should start abusing overheads and down-forward HK into
Super Arts. The best way to connect a Super Art is to confuse your foe.
Just remember to vary your techniques (you can use a Super Art outside
from a combo once in a while).
-Universal overhead into Super Art-
When you think of it, comboing a Universal Overhead (MP + MK) into a
Super Art would be a great idea to dish out major damage easily, since
you can catch any player who is blocking low with it. Well, it IS
possible, but there are conditions.
You cannot just use a Universal Overhead when up close and then combo it
into a Super Art, it would be too easy and would break the balance of
the engine. You can only perform this when the Universal Overhead is a
late hit, meaning that it only hits when you are on the way down -it
basically looks like you are hitting your opponent on the legs-. You
have to perform the Super Art motion very fast, though.
Since most Universal Overheads do not have great priority and cannot be
used as counters, you will have trouble finding yourself in a position
where you can connect a late overhead on a blocking opponent from a
distance. This is the reason why the best moment to use this technique
is when your opponent is getting up after a knock down. Keep in mind
that it equals to taking a big risk if your opponent has good wake-up
moves. But if your opponent is the kind of player who blocks low after
being knocked down, it works. Do not abuse it against good parri-ers,
though.
2.6 Limited time Super Arts
Some Super Arts need a start-up command before you can actually start
hitting you opponent. Right after you activate the Super Art, a timer
will appear instead of the super meter and it represents the time
allowed for you to use the Super Art. During this time, you cannot use
EX moves, and you cannot gain meter.
The Super Arts that follow this rule are:
_Q's Total Destruction (=SAIII)
_Yun's Genei Jin (=SAIII)
_Yang's Sei-ei Bu (=SAIII)
_Oro's Kishin Riki (=SAI) and (EX) Tengu Stone (=SAIII)
_Makoto's Tanden Renki (=SAIII)
_Twelve's X.C.O.P.Y. (=SAIII)
2.7 Stun value
It is obvious some Super Arts deal a lot more of stun damage than
others. Actually, some of them are especially geared towards stunning
the opponent (I am thinking of the Denjin Hadoken and the Stun Gun
Headbutt in particular here). Usually, "bigger" characters's Super arts
will inflict more Stun damage, but this rule is not universal.
Using a Super art in a combo will not affect its Stun value. Some combos
are very useful to stun the opponent.
-Example-
This is an Urien combo:
Low HP (2-hits), EX Headbutt (charge down~, up + PP), Chariot Rush
(charge back~, forward + LK) XX Temporal Thunder (SAII)
You need to charge the EX Headbutt (down) during the 2 hits of the low
HP, and to charge the Chariot Rush during the EX Headbutt, but the
timing is not too hard. To cancel the Chariot Rush into the Temporal
Thunder, use the technique for charge characters described in the super
canceling section.
Remember that stunning your opponent is a requirement to get a good
grade at the end of a fight, and to frustrate him. A stunned opponent is
open to any move and any combo, and has a longer hit stun than usual.
2.8 Passing through projectiles
Some Super Art's invincible start-up animation is so long that you can
use them to go through projectiles and still hit your opponent. Learn
how to recognize the animation -which is different for every character-
and time your motion so that you do not eat the fireball -the damage
risk is not too big, but you might end up wasting a Super meter-. This
is particularly good since most players seem to pick Ryu, Ken or Akuma
and throw fireballs all day. Use this technique, that will tech them to
play like scrubs! =)
The Super Arts that can be used to pass through projectiles are (keep in
mind that I am not talking about the Super Arts that even more PRIORITY
than projectiles here):
_Chun-Li's Houyokusen (=SAII)
_Sean's Hyper Tornado (=SAIII) and Shoryu Cannon (=SAII)
_Yun's Sourai Rengeki (=SAII) and Youhou (=SAI)
_Dudley's Rolling Thunder (=SAII)
_Q's Critical Combo (=SAI)
_Hugo's Hammer Frenzy (=SAIII)
_Ken's Shoryureppa (=SAI)
These Super Arts are great when used as "projectile-counters", but do
not necessarily pass though fireballs:
_Yang's Tenshin Senkyuutai (=SAII) -goes under fireballs-
_Alex's Stun Gun Heabutt (=SAIII) -jumps over fireballs-
_Makoto's Abare Tosanami (=SAII) -jumps over fireballs-
_Twelve's X.F.L.A.T. (SAII) -jumps over fireballs-
_Urien's Aegis Reflector (=SAIII) -reflects fireballs-
_Akuma's Kongou Kokuretsu Zan -invincible to fireballs-
Of course, any "fireball-type" Super Art will nullify a fireball. This
can be useful if your opponent is using a "slow" fireball (this works
particularly well with Twelve's X.N.D.L.).
2.9 Kara-canceling Super Arts
This technique only works with the ground grab-type Super Arts (apart
from Oro's Kishin Riki -=SAI- and Q's Total Destruction -=SAIII), not
with any Super Art that can be blocked or parried. These are, namely:
_Alex's Hyper Bomb (=SAI)
_Hugo's Gigas Breaker (=SAI)
_Necro's Slam Dance (=SAII)
The technique used is the same as the common kara-throw technique: you
have to cancel a normal move that makes your character go forward into a
Super Art to give it more range. However, the timing is much stricter
here since the normal move should be canceled before it evens hits your
opponent: you often need to pull off the motion very fast.
Here are the kara-throw starters for these characters:
Hugo ------> MK (32-pixel-range gained)
This one is very hard to perform because of the nature of the Gigas
Breaker (=SAI) motion. It is still possible though
Alex ------> Forward + HP, HP, close MK (30-pixel-range gained)
I personally prefer using the forward + HP for kara-throwing, it seem to
have more range. I have never seen anyone kara-cancel this move. It is
technically possible, but you would have to be fast as hell.
Necro ------> MP, back + MK, HK (26-pixels-range gained)
I use the MP for kara-throwing, simply because it is easier to use on an
arcade cabinet and it does not seem to give less range than the two
other ones. Same deal here, I have never seen anyone perform this, but
it should be possible. The problem is that canceling a fast move like
that with q qcf X 2 + P motion requires CRAZY timing. I do not even
think it is worth using in a fight.
2.10 Various stuff about Super Arts
_Necro's Magnetic Storm (=SAI) nullifies fireballs.
_Akuma is vulnerable to Super Arts when he is using the teleportation.
_If Twelve taunts while using X.C.O.P.Y. (=SAIII), he gets the bonus his
opponent would normally get for the rest of the round.
_If Makoto's Tanden Renki (=SAIII) does not boost her offense enough in
your taste, you can taunt before using it.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
3. Super Art description by character
Note: the damage stats are those of the Super Art done with no combo
starter or anything, just the Super Art by itself on Ryu, standing
(except for the Megaton Press). Some Super Arts can deal different
damage depending on if you mash the buttons or not, and on how long you
charge it. In these cases, I picked the highest damage possible.
3.1 ---ALEX---
Alex's Super Arts have very good potential, but beginners should stay
away from them because it takes a good knowledge of the engine to master
them. But in terms of pure damage, they are scary and well worth taking
the time to learn.
-SAI: Hyper Bomb-
Command: 360 + P
Type: grab
Damage: 45%
Number of hits: 3
Super gauge:
I <----------------------->
First off, this Super Art is a grab, which means that it cannot be
blocked. As far as I know, there is no way to "tech" it either, because
it is a Super Art, and it has a very good priority (like most grab-type
Super Arts). Basically this means that if you can get close to your
opponent, you become a real threat.
This Super Art is very damaging, and quite easy to do: in the previous
Street Fighter games, you always needed a 720 to perform a throw-type
Super Art. But Alex is a grappler of a new kind, very similar to the KOF
grapplers. He does not necessarily need complicated moves to be
mastered, but lots of thinking. This moves totally symbolizes this
aspect of the character in my opinion.
Most players use this move after the MP Flash Chop, because your
opponent will be facing the other direction. But this technique only
deals 3.3% more than using the Super Art by itself, so only use it if
you are having trouble getting up close.
This Super Art has very good range -much more than a regular throw- and
priority, so do not be afraid to use it when you are in sweep range. If
you miss, you will probably eat a combo, but the risk is worth it.
There are many ways to land the Hyper Bomb, and most of them include
buffering the move (see section 2.3). Of course, you can jump to perform
the 360 move without any trouble, as in any other fighting game. But 360
moves seem to be very easy to perform in Third Strike, mainly because of
the fact that they do not require a full 360 motion. You can totally
skip doing the last part of the motion and press forward + P instead,
for instance. This will help you to get rid of embarrassing problems,
like having your character jump instead of performing the Super Art.
Just practice performing "> V < ^ + P" and it will become natural.
Do not overdo it, though, because you might end up performing a Power
Bomb (hcb + P). It is much easier to just walk towards your opponent and
land a Hyper Bomb than to do the same with Hugo's Gigas Breaker (even
though both are possible using tricks), giving Alex a big advantage over
most characters. You can also use the usual set-ups: dash-in -> Hyper
Bomb, dash under a jump-in -> Hyper Bomb.
Another great way to land a Hyper Bomb is after a parry. Just make sure
to recognize what kind of move it is, and that your opponent will still
be within Hyper Bomb range (most of the time they do). Sometimes you can
even use it after a blocked move or as a counter. If you are playing
against decent players, they will probably try to parry a Rush Elbow
(charge back~, forward + K) you throw out on purpose: remember to
perform a Hyper Bomb if they do.
Zoning works quite well when using this Super Art, because you can use
the DDT trap -basically poking with the close MK and use the DDT when
the opponent blocks- and Alex's anti-air special throw (DP + K). This is
a great way to scare you opponent.
The only downsides to this Super Art is that it gives few EX moves (and
these are very important for Alex not to become predictable) and that
you have to be close to your opponent to land it, which can be tricky
against a good poking player.
-SAII: Boomerang Raid-
Command: qcf X 2 + P
Type: sudden impact
Damage: 30.2%
Number of hits: 5
This Super Art is very underrated. It is rather hard to connect against
fast character, and its damage is only average for Alex, but it is still
a very good move in my opinion. The thing to keep in mind is that you
need to be close enough to your opponent so that the throw that ends the
Super Art does not whiff. When it does, it leaves you open to any kind
of counter attack, and the damage of the four punches is not worth it.
You can use it as a counter because it has decent priority, but once
again, remember that it is useless if the first hit knows your opponent
down (do not use it as an anti-air). The damage is quite nice, and I
like to think of this Super Art as an "old-school" Super Art in the
sense that it is not very easy to land, but it is quite rewarding.
Like Alex's other Super Arts, you can perform it after (you can even
cancel actually) a MP Flash Chop. The damage will obviously be lowered,
though. I do not use this Super Art much, because it is not versatile
enough for me, but I know that it has a few qualities.
-SAIII Stun Gun Headbutt-
Command: qcf X 2 + P
Type: throw
Damage: 15.4%
Number of hits: 4
Super gauge:
I <--------->
The Stun Gun Headbutt seems to be Alex's most popular Super Art, mainly
because of its Stun value. This move acts like a grab, so it cannot be
blocked or parried. It is also totally invincible during the first part
of the move -before Alex reaches the top of his jump- so it is very hard
for your opponent to use a normal anti-air. The Punch button you press
changes the range of the move: the LP version does not go forward,
whereas the HP version travels full screen.
Actually, the best things to do to avoid being caught by the Stun Gun
Headbutt are to either jump (preferably backwards) or dash-in under
Alex. So you want to pressure your opponent, and confuse them so that
they do not know how to react. If you are predictable, you probably will
not land it even once. The secret is in using various set-ups.
Basically, you should use it every time you feel that your opponent
cannot jump for any reason (laggy move, dashing, jumping, turtle...).
Alex is a character that naturally deals a lot of stun damage, so with
this Super Art he becomes really dangerous: he can stun you very easily,
and once you are stunned he can deal serious damage with his special
throws.
The MP version is good when zoning: when people are right outside of DDT
range they tend to think they are safe, but they are not. =)
Against beginners who throw lots of fireballs from the other side of the
screen, you can simply use the HP version to catch them. This should
make them come closer to you, which means that you can use your special
throws. =)
But I personally recommend sticking to the LP version becomes it comes
out earlier. You can use it to counter upcoming jump-ins: the
invincibility frame will prevent you from getting hit, and if you do it
early enough your opponent is sure to get caught. You can also
occasionally use it as a wake up move.
The best way to land this Super Art is to cancel it from a MP Flash Chop
(qcf + P): if the first hit connects, your opponent is stunned. You can
then get close to him/her and perform another MP Flash Chop, HP Power
Bomb (hcb + P). This is a great way to deal a lot of damage in almost no
time, and also to get good grades easily.
But it seems that this Super Art does not do very well in fierce
competition, because all the good players know about it, and know how to
avoid it. Third Strike is a rather defensive game, so it is not always
easy to catch people with the Stun Gun Headbutt.
3.2 ---AKUMA---
Akuma has a solid set of Super Arts, but most people seem to avoid the
Messatsu Gou Shoryu for some reason. The good thing is that Akuma has 2
"hidden" Super Arts that you can use when your super bar is MAX-ed.
-SAI: Messatsu Gou Hadou-
Command: qcf X 2 + P
Type: projectile
Damage: air-27.2% ground-24.7%
Number of hits: 6 hits
Gauge:
II <---------------->
This Super Art is probably the most used by Akuma players. It is quite
versatile because you can perform it on the ground or in the air, and
you can easily cancel it from a Gou Hadouken (qcf+P), which is good for
chip damage -in case your opponent parries it, just dash-in and throw or
sweep-. You can use many other similar set-ups, mixing between the air
Gou Hadouken, the three-hit fireball and the regular fireball.
The air version comes out rather fast and can easily surprise your
opponent.
When up close, you can try to connect it from the low MK, or the low MP,
as with most fireball-type Super Arts.
There are a lot of other simple combos involving the Messatsu Gou Hadou,
such as: Jump-in HP, low HP, LK Hurricane Kick, Gou Shoryuken XX
Messatsu Gou Hadou (under certain circumstances you can even follow up
with a HP Gou Shoryuken XX Messatsu Gou Hadou - can you say "flashy"?
=).
To avoid the Super Art to lose too much of its damage value, I recommend
short combos, like: low MK, LK Hurricane kick, Messatsu Gou Hadou. You
can mix up your game (using universal overheads and forward + MPs), and
then use this combo often.
The super Gauge is rather long and you can store two of them, but all
three Super Arts are the same regarding this.
-SAII: Messatsu Gou Shoryu-
Command: qcf X 2 + P
Type: Dragon Punch
Damage: 32.7%
Number of hits: 7
Gauge:
II <---------------->
Few Akuma players use this Super Art, as far as I know. It is very
similar to Ken's Shoryureppa, and sadly is as limited. It works well in
combos (use the low MK, as usual) and does nice damage, but its primary
use seem to be as an anti-air. It has very good priority, but the
downside is that in most situations, an airborne opponent will only need
one air parry to avoid the whole Super Art, bouncing on the other side
of the screen while you will still be recovering. So do not abuse its
anti-air properties.
It works well as a counter move because of its priority, too, but you
have to make sure that the first Dragon Punch does not knock your
opponent down -and the rest whiffs-. It is a decent wake-up move. You
can cancel this move from a Gou Shoryuken, a Gou Hadouken or a LK
Hurricane Kick very easily.
It is interesting to note that contrary to Ken's Shoryureppa, the
Messatsu Gou Shoryu cannot pass through projectiles. It has very good
priority but no invincibility frame.
The problem of this Super Art is that it is less versatile than its two
others, and therefore is somewhat predictable. You cannot perform it in
the air, for instance. The Super Gauge is as long as for the other Super
Arts and takes a while to fill, even though you can stock two of them.
This is not a big deal though, since Akuma cannot use EX moves.
-SAIII: Messatsu Gou Rasen-
Command: qcf X 2 + K
Type: vertical
Damage: ground: 32.7% air: 34.6%
Number of hits: 12
Gauge:
II <---------------->
Akuma's second most used Super Art, if I am not mistaken. It is more
limited than the Messatsu Gou Hadou, but less predictable than the
Messatsu Gou Shoryu in my opinion. They have the same kind of anti-air
properties, but the Messatsu Gou Rasen goes straight up in the air and
seems to come out faster. Keep in mind that you can use this Super Art
in the air, too.
However, you are totally open to a counter attack after a missed,
blocked or parried Messatsu Gou Rasen, even more so than with the
Messatsu Gou Shoryu. Only use this Super Art when you are sure that it
is going to hit, so do not abuse it as a wake-up move either.
You can use several techniques to connect it. You can use it as a normal
anti-air Super Art against a jumping opponent. If the Super Art misses,
remember that you can perform another one just as you touch the ground
if you have enough Super meter. This usually surprises people. You can
also jump-in, and perform the Super art motion right before you touch
the ground. The Messatsu Gou Rasen is likely to stuff his anti-air, and
if he decides to parry, he has to be ready for a multi-hit move. You
cannot do anything if he blocks, though. This Super art is basically
about taking risks.
When up-close, you can of course cancel it from a Gou Shoryuken or a Gou
Hadouken, and from Akuma's famous LK Hurricane Kick.
-Shun Goku Satsu/Raging Demon-
Command: LP, LP, forward, HP + LK
Type: grab
Damage: 43.8%
Number of hits: 15
Gauge:
MAX <----------------->
This is Akuma's signature move, and can be used in various ways.
Mastering the Shun Goku Satsu set-ups is the key to becoming a real
"Akuma master". It acts like a grab, in the sense that impossible to
parry or block. The Super Art comes out really fast, but not as fast as
in Alpha 3 for instance. If you perform it from a distance, your
opponent will have time to jump.
You need to have a MAX meter to perform it, but the good thing is that
you always have the opportunity to either go for your normal Super art
or for the Shun Goku Satsu. Use this to your advantage to scare your
opponent. If you throw out random LPs, he/she will probably think you
are trying to perform the move, so use it to fake and force him to jump,
then catch him with a Super art when he is going down. This Super Art is
a constant threat that makes Akuma a dangerous character.
You can kara-cancel into the Shun Goku Satsu to force your opponent to
eat it. For instance, if you are in the corner, you can force your
opponent to block low with LPs and then kara-cancel into the Super so
that your opponent has no time to jump. Akuma's best kara-cancel starter
is his forward + MP overhead.
-Kongou Kokuretsu Zan-
Command: down, down, down + PP
Type: impossible to parry
Damage: 44.4%
Number of hits: 4
Super gauge:
MAX <---------------->
This is Gouki's most damaging Super Art... However, it is quite hard to
connect. You must be close to your opponent to get the full damage. The
first use of the KKZ is as an anti-air move, because you will easily
catch people that way. You can also jump-in yourself (to buffer the
down, down, down press during the jump so that your opponent cannot
detect the Super Art) and use it as soon as you touch the ground. Of
course, you can also perform any other move to buffer the command (a Gou
Hadouken for instance).
It has a long invincibility frame at the start-up that will out-
prioritize most moves including Super Arts. This is the reason why using
it as a wake-up move can be reasonable.
It is possible to parry the first wave of flames that can hit you when
you are at a distance, but it is impossible to parry this move when up
close.
3.3 ---CHUN-LI---
Chun-Li's Super Arts are unbalanced. While the Kikoushou and the
Houyokusen are among the best moves in the game, the Tensei Ranka is,
Simply put, worthless.
-SAI: Kikoushou-
Command: qcf X 2 P
Type: sudden impact
Pure damage: 29.6%
Number of hits: 20
Super gauge:
I <---------------->
It does a fairly good amount of damage if you can get a close hit. The
problem is that most players won't make mistakes so huge that you will
be able to punish them in close range.
It is easy to combo into. It is also a very good punishing move due to
its range. You can easily chip your opponents to death using this move.
It is very fast, and has one of the best priorities in the whole game.
Of course, it will nullify fireballs and the likes. You can even use it
as a surprise wake-up move. As long as you're facing your opponent and
he's up close, it is safe.
It's insanely hard to parry: actually, this is probably the hardest move
to parry in the whole game. It pushes your opponent away even when
blocked. This means that they won't have many counter solutions in case
you miss your Kikoushou. Of course, you shouldn't miss it in the first
place, but if you do, the only thing your opponent can counter with is a
fireball special/super, a rushing normal/special/super, or a dash-in
normal. It sounds like it's a lot, but it's still better than being
totally open.
You can use it after a successful air hit: your opponent will bounce and
most of the Kikoushou hits will connect. You can use this technique
after hitting an opponent in the air with any move except the air throw,
the jumping down + HP and the jumping HK. I personally recommend using
weak attacks since they don't make your opponent bounce as much so the
super art will do more damage. This is a safe way to connect this super
art, but it does less damage.
It is a very good anti-air: even though you will rarely be able to
connect all the hit -or else you're taking a huge risk- you will
probably connect enough to do decent damage. Given Chun-Li's lack of a
really effective anti-air, this can be very useful especially against
characters with a dive move (e.g. Akuma, Yun, Yang, Necro, Twelve).
However, it's better to use it against deep jump-ins, that way you can
connect most of the hits. Sometimes, the Kikoushou will make your
opponent bouncer and he/she can block the rest of the super. You don't
want that to happen.
However, you can only charge one super. This is annoying because it
creates many situations of "hit or miss" and doesn't give you the
opportunity to use many EX moves. As a matter of fact, Kikoushou
Chun-Li players are quite predictable.
If the super whiffs, you're in BIG trouble. Sometimes when you use it as
a wake-up or as a punishing move it can go in the wrong way. The main
rule with this super is to know what you're doing.
-SAII: Houyokusen-
Command: qcf X 2 + K
Type: sudden impact
Damage: 33.3%
Number of hits: 17
Super gauge:
II <-------------->
This is by far her best Super Art, and the most used in tournaments.
Actually, it is not much the move itself but the facility with which you
can link it that makes it a deadly weapon. In my opinion, this is the
best SA in the game. Period.
It is Chun-Li's most damaging SA (slightly better than the Kikoushou).
You get 2 super bars (so you still have the possibility to use EX moves,
especially the EX Spinning Bird Kick). It travels the screen very fast,
which makes it an extremely good attack to punish mistakes -a missed
Shoryuken, for instance- but keep in mind that you won't have many
opportunities to use it as such on high level play. But don't worry, it
is not its best use anyway.
It is hard to parry, even when not in a combo. Actually, it is quite
hard to get the first hit because it's much faster than it looks. Once
you manage to parry the first hit, the rest is not that hard. However,
if you miss the Houyokusen -which shouldn't happen-, any skilled
opponent can just parry the last hit of the super, which is very easy.
Try to not miss this super or you're dead meat.
It has a rather long invicibility frame at start-up, which means that
you can pass through fireballs. This is a very nice trick and many
players aren't aware of it: just wait until the fireball is close. The
good thing is that you don't necessarily need to pull off the super as
soon as you "feel" the invicibility frame coming, since most
Ryu/Ken/Akuma players won't block after throwing a fireball (and you
know there are many shotokans out there). Just keep in mind that the
invincibility frame is rather long compared to other supers but lasts
less than one second. So don't try the super just when you see the
fireball coming, you will waste it. This should only be used
occasionally as a surprise attack, and remember that you can't pass
through Urien's Metallic Sphere.
This super can also punish blocked fireballs (from the shotos) or sag
hit fireballs -within jumping distance-. This is especially useful if
your opponents abuse their Low MK -> Fireball combo.
But you will ONLY need her low MK to win. Why? Simply because it's one
of the best normal moves in the game: it's fast and hits low, but more
than anything its hit stun time is long and it has a great number of
frames. You can cut the animation of this move at any moment to start
the SA: usually you have to finish the motion of the super exactly at
the end of the normal move. I have no idea of why Capcom did that, but
it gives Chun-Li an edge over most other fighters, as if she wasn't
already powerful enough. If you want to win as many fights as possible,
simply abuse Chun-Li's "low MK -> Houyokusen" trick. Even though it is
already famous everywhere, most players don't have very good low
parrying skills, and this move is faster than it looks like. Mix up your
attacks and you'll frustrate many players. This is the way Chun-Li is
used in tournaments, and this is the way the Japanese top-players use
her as well.
If you have trouble pulling off the super motion, remember that there
are mainly two ways of getting this trick to work: either you throw the
MK and then do the qcf X2 + K motion, or you buffer the first qcf DURING
the MK, and then you do another qcf +K during the hit stun animation. It
sounds complicated in theory, but trust me, any player can do it: I even
managed to get it to work on the Dreamcast's regular controller, even
though I despise this thing and never use it. But of course, it is more
likely to work if you're playing with an arcade stick. The top Japanese
players have been reported to do the super motion EVERY time they stick
out the low MK.
While this technique can appear as exhausting in the long run, it is
extremely efficient: they can wait and see if the MK hits. If it does,
they just need to press any Kick button again and the super connects.
I like to keep pressing the MK button when I'm buffering for some
reason. I usually press HK to start the super.
But there's more: you can cancel a super jump at the end of the super,
which adds up to the damage already inflicted by the Houyokusen. You
need to cancel the super jump motion (down, up) during Chun-li's last
kick. I remember having trouble to pull this off at first, which is why
I recommend to do the super jump motion all the way through the super:
it makes you look dumb, but it works every time.
Once you've cancelled the super jump motion, you have many
opportunities. The best one is to use Chun's target combo (air HP, HP)
because it will hit every time if you learn the timing. You can also do
"down + MK, HK" but be aware of the fact that the HK won't hit
constantly. It does the same damage, though. You can also hit your
opponent with a HP and perform a MK or HK Hazanshou after landing. Since
most players will be trying to block low after the Super Art, it should
hit and it does more damage than the target combo.
However, this super has a very long recovery time if missed. If your
opponent blocks and has a super in stock, you're dead. This is another
good reason to use the low MK trick.
This SA doesn't have good priority. It can be stopped after its initial
invincibility frame by most normal attacks. This means that you
shouldn't just use it out of the blue thinking that your opponent won't
be able to counter/out-prioritize it.
-SAIII: Tensei Ranka-
Command: qcf X 2 + K
Type: anti-air
Damage: 23.4%
Number of hits: 9
Power gauge:
III <---------->
I see this Super Art as the opposite of the Houyokusen: it is by far
Chun-Li's worst SA. I almost NEVER see anyone use it because it's hard
to find actual uses for it. I'm all for variety, but honestly, why use
this when her two other SAs are among the best in the game? I'm starting
to think that Capcom gave her this SA to prevent her from being even
stronger... =)
It can be used as an anti-air. I suppose this is what the developers had
in mind when they created it. You get 3 small super bars, which means
that you can use EX moves and charge your bar very quickly.
You can try to use it as a wake-up move because the last hit is an
overhead. But that's definitely a waste of a super, and the damage is
very poor. Besides, this isn't going to work against experienced
players. It is not that great of an anti-air, actually. If you're lucky,
you might connect the whole 9 hits, but you're more likely to only get
5, or sometimes it will even whiff. Either way, the damage is
ridiculous, and not worth taking the risk of using it as an anti-air.
Compare that with the damage you get from "parrying -> Kikou Shou".
Discouraging, huh? =)
It is easy to parry, even used as an anti-air. It basically takes only
three parries to parry the whole 9 hits. Any decent player will be able
to parry it in my opinion.
The damage is too small. Well, this is self-explanatory. Sure, it could
be argued that it is normal since you have 3 power bars: but the number
of times the Tensei Ranka will hit is so small that it cannot be
considered as a balanced Super Art. Chun-Li's EX Hazanshou is almost as
good as the Tensei Ranka and has the same properties. Why choose it as a
super when all Chun players have access to this move?
3.4 ---DUDLEY---
Dudley has a good set of Super Arts, and they all represent very
different styles. Your choice will totally change your style of play,
from a poking Dudley to a rush-down Dudley. You can cancel all three of
his Super Arts from his command dash (hcf + K) and it does not reduce
the damage, so do not hesitate to abuse it.
-SAI: Rocket Uppercut-
Command: qcf X 2 + P
Type: dragon punch
Damage: 32.1%
Number of hits: 11
Gauge:
II <-------------->
It does pretty good damage and has a fast start-up, is a good anti-air,
and has a nice priority. These are the usual properties of dragon-punch
Super Arts actually. You get two super bars, so that means lots of EX.
However, it has short range and the last part might totally whiff in
certain cases, and it is only useful in combos or as a close-range
punish because you are dead if it is blocked.
But you can include it into huge corner combos involving the low HK ->
LP Blow Machine Gun.
-SAII: Rolling Thunder-
Command: qcf X 2 + P
Type: rush
Damage: normal: 30.8% with mashing: 35.8%
Number of hits: 8
Super gauge:
I <--------------------->
It does very high damage, has good range and "sucks" opponents in. Its
start-up is very fast, which makes it a perfect counter move. It
recovers quickly when blocked (actually, the more you mash the buttons,
the longer your recovery time is), but it has only one bar. If you miss
it, you will need to win the fight with normal and special moves only.
Contrary to the Rocket Uppercut, it cannot be used to juggle, which
makes it a punish move only. A good way to connect this is to poke a
lot, and then use the Rolling Thunder to out-prioritize their counters.
The Rolling Thunder has very good range, and you can even make it bigger
by holding forward + PP after performing the Super Art motion to make
Dudley dash towards his opponent.
This Super Art can pass through fireballs quite easily because of its
start-up, which is very similar to a dash. This can be very useful
against the shotos, trick them into throwing close range fireballs and
then punish. The timing is not too hard once you get used to it.
-SAIII: Corkscrew Blow-
Command: qcf X 2 + P
Type: sudden impact
Damage: 23.4%
Number of hits: 5
Super gauge:
III <------------>
This Super Art is the one I use the most. It is VERY fast, and you can
cancel it from Dudley's command dash (hcf + K) to give it more range.
Switch between his forward command dash and his ducking move (qcf + K)
to confuse your opponent, then cancel it into the Corkscrew Blow).
It a great counter move, and a very good punish move, but it does poor
damage. However, the fact that you get 3 super bars makes up for it.
This is a great move to use as a wake-up because it is fast and has a
nice priority. It is also a perfect parry follow-up. Remember that the
kick button you use determines the range of this Super Art.
The thing is that when using this Super Art, you will have to find ways
to connect it more than once each round, which can sometimes be tricky
against turtles.
3.5 ---ELENA---
-Coming soon-
-SAI: Spinning Beat-
Command: qcf X 2 + K
Type: dragon punch
Damage:
Number of hits:
Super gauge:
-SAII: Brave Dance-
Command: qcf X 2 + K
Type: sudden impact
Damage:
Number of hits: 10
Super gauge:
It is interesting to note that this move should be parried point blank
when up close, but due to its range it can usually be parried normally.
It is not as hard as it seems, it is only 10 slow high parries.
This Super Art is also an excellent counter thanks to its range and
speed.
-SAIII: Healing-
Command: qcf X 2 + P
Type: healing (!)
Damage: none
Number of hits: none
Super gauge:
This Super Art has only defensive uses, since it lets you refill 25% of
your life bar. Obviously, remember to use it when you have already lost
more than 25% of your life...
When you are using the Healing, your main goal is to manage to get some
space to perform the Super safely, since it takes about a second. If the
Super animation is stopped by a hit, it is not worth it.
Most players tend to throw their opponent on the other side of the
screen, and then heal. This technique works very well.
SlimX informed me that he saw another technique used at MWC: the player
was basically using Elena's target combo to knock down his/her opponent
and then use the Super Art safely.
3.6 ---GILL---
-Coming soon-
-Resurrection-
Command: qcf X 2 + P
Type: healing
Damage: none
Number of hits: none
Super gauge:
-Meteor Shower-
Command: qcb X 2 + P
Type: delayed impact
Damage:
Number of hits:
Super gauge:
-Seraphic Wing-
Command: qcf X 2 + K
Type: impossible to parry
Damage:
Number of hits:
Super gauge:
3.7 ---HUGO---
Of course, Hugo has the most damaging Super Arts in the game. But the
scariest thing is that they do not have any real weaknesses, they are
just potential weapons that a Hugo player can use safely. To be honest,
Hugo does not need to connect his Super Arts to do a lot of damage most
of the time. But they make him the perfect anti-Akuma character. =)
-SAI: Gigas Breaker-
Command: 720 + P
Type: grab
Damage: 51.8%
Number of hits: 3
Super gauge:
I <---------------------->
Now this is a scary Super Art. It takes off more them half of Ryu's
life! Most players will simply tend to stay away from you when they see
that you picked this Super Art, or on the contrary they might pressure
you so that you get no opportunity to connect it. But remember that
connecting it once means that you have almost won the round.
As with the 360 moves, you do not really need to perform an entire 720
with the stick to perform this Super Art. You can basically skip the
last part.
It is possible to perform a walking Gigas Breaker, but it is just
extremely hard to pull off, especially in a fight. Apparently you need
to "store" the first 360, then walk and quickly perform another 360 + P,
but I must admit I have only gotten this technique to work a few times
and never in a fight.
It would have been interesting to buffer it from Hugo's special moves
(Handclap for instance) but Capcom was smart enough to make your
opponent be pushed away if they block or get hit by the move.
Buffering it from a dash can be VERY useful and makes things a lot
easier, since most players can see you coming from a mile away if you
buffer it during a jump. Another advantage of this technique is that if
you dash under a jumping opponent and perform the 720 motion towards the
direction you are facing, the computer will register the move and put
you in the right direction.
If you have trouble performing a walking Gigas Breaker (who could blame
you?), you can just whiff a throw within sweep range and cancel in into
the Super Art, it is quite easy and comes out faster than you may think.
You can also catch opponents who are jumping-in with it because it has
good priority and range, but you might also get thrown out of it.
This Super Art is not a good choice if you like to use Hugo's EX Moves,
though.
-SAII: Megaton Press-
Command: qcf X 2 + K
Type: anti-air
Damage:
Number of hits: 38.3%
Super gauge:
II <----------------->
The Megaton Press is impossible to parry and is very similar to a grab,
but the reason I listed it as an "anti-air-type" Super Art is because
its primary use obviously is to catch your opponent in the air. If you
perform it while your opponent is in the air, chances are he will eat
it.
You can choose how far you want Hugo to travel on the screen depending
on the button you press. The LK version is rarely worth it unless you
are trying to catch a deep jump-in, but the two other versions are
really good. With this Super art, Hugo is in control of the air: your
opponent will probably simply stop jumping when your Super bar is full.
This psychological advantage means that your opponent will be forced to
dash-in or use dash moves to attack you.
If your opponent is good at poking and rushing, you might want to find
an offensive use for this move: the best way to connect it is to use the
wall toss (hcb + K). This will make your opponent bounce and you can
catch them with the Super Art. Not only it looks painful and
humiliating, but the damage is also almost the same as if you only used
the Megaton Press.
With the Mountain Frenzy, this is Hugo's best Super Art for EX moves.
Besides, the fact that you can store up to two Megaton Presses means
that your foe will always be on his toes.
When you are using this Super Art, try to make your opponent forget that
you have the Megaton Press, and so not use it when you are not sure it
will connect. It is true that this Super Art is half reflex half
anticipation, but the jumps are slow enough in this game so you have a
lot of time to see them coming.
-SAIII: Mountain Frenzy-
Command: qcf X 2 + P
Type: rush
Damage: 32.7
Number of hits: 5
Super gauge:
II <------------->
This Super Art is a nice addition to Hugo's arsenal and lets you play
him in a different way. It is very similar to Q's Critical Combo in the
sense that it is rather fast (making it a perfect punish move) and deals
decent damage when all the hits connect -which obviously is not the case
when it is used as an anti-air-. They also share the fact that one of
their hits has special properties. Indeed, the third hit of this Super
art is an overhead and will definitely catch most beginners, because the
first reaction they have is to block low for some reason. It is better
to block the whole Super Art high, actually. This is why it is a good
idea to use this move after an overhead (standing MK for instance): only
the most experienced players will block it high.
The reason why this moves nicely completes Hugo's special moves is
because he really needs a strong rushing move in order to pressure his
opponent. When up close, you can use the SPD; as an anti-air, you can
use the DP + K. With the Mountain Frenzy, Hugo can be a lot more
versatile and unpredictable.
You can use it as a counter poke: it works very well. You can also use
this Super Art after a parry, it connects most of the time and makes
your opponent think twice before attacking next time, which is exactly
what you want since Hugo is a grappler.
3.8 ---IBUKI---
Ibuki's Super Arts are very unbalanced, and she suffers from the loss of
her Double Impact Super Art (which was very good). It is a well-known
fact that the developers had the intention of toning her down, and they
succeeded in that task. But it is still totally possible to use her
Super Arts properly and be efficient with her.
-SAI: Kasumi Suzaku-
Command: air qcf X 2 + P
Type: projectile
Damage: normal: 18.5% mashing: 28.4%
Number of hits: 20
Super gauge:
III <----------->
This Super Art seems to be the most common, probably because its
damage/skill level ratio is quite good. Indeed, the Kasumi Suzaku is
very damaging, especially if you mash the P button after performing the
Super Art move. It is very good for chip damage, but experienced players
will surely parry it, because the timing is not hard (you basically just
need to tap forward many times as fast as you can). For this reason, you
will need to surprise your opponent to connect this Super Art: you
cannot just jump towards him/her and use it.
The punch button you press decides the range of the Super Art, but in
this case it does not change much. It is better to use the Kasumi Suzaku
either at close or mid-range.
It is interesting to know that you can cancel this Super Art from her EX
Kazakiri (DP + KK) quite easily. This allows for nice combos, such as:
LP, MP, HP, EX Kazakiri XX Kasumi Suzaku
Apparently, this is the safest way to connect this Super Art. You can
also cancel it from a dagger (projectile) to protect yourself in case
your opponent tries to counter. Because the major drawback of this move
is that it does not have very good priority and there is a small start-
up time during which your opponent can hit you with a normal move if he
is already in the air. This is the reason why I personally would not
recommend using this move against a jumping opponent.
This is Ibuki's best Super Art for EX-ing, which makes it the best
choice for high level play. Ibuki needs EX moves to deal more damage,
and with three short Super Gauges you are definitely set.
-SAII: Yoroi Doushi-
Command: qcf X 2 + P
Type: Grab
Damage: 38.9%
Number of hits: 1
Super gauge:
I <---------------------->
This Super Art was greatly weakened after Double Impact, because now it
seems impossible to include it in a combo, making it incredibly hard to
connect. It has two versions: the grab version and the fireball version.
If you are up close when you perform the Yoroi Doushi, it will grab you
opponent (it CANNOT be blocked) and hit for a single hit that does huge
damage. This is the only version of the Super Art you should be using.
The other one occurs when you are not close enough to your opponent, so
Ibuki will throw a 13-hit close-range fireball that does way less damage
(23.4). You can hit from half-screen with the fireball version, but it
will only do pitiful damage.
I can only see a use for the fireball version when your opponent is very
low on life, and even then it can be parried. If you decide to use this
Super Art (which obviously is not her best), you should just try to get
in close and connect it. Forget about EX moves, you only get one long
super bar. The problem is that Ibuki is not "fit" to be a grappler
because she takes so much damage. To connect the Yoroi Doushi, you need
to take risks and you opponent is likely to counter. Your only hope is
to force him to block by using overheads, and perhaps Ibuki's LP trap.
If your opponent is not good at parrying, you can jump-in HP, Yoroi
Doushi. The reason why this move can be linked into the Super Art is
because it makes your opponent facing the other way, so his/her hitstun
animation is close to Ibuki. Any other move apparently pushes the
opponent further away so you can only use the fireball version -which
can be blocked-.
Given the quality of Ibuki's dash (it even goes through your opponent),
you can dash-in and use the Super Art, if your opponent is a turtle it
should work. If you can find ways to land this Super Art consistently,
do not hesitate to use it because it is Ibuki's only way to deal major
damage.
-SAIII: Yami Shigure-
Command: qcf + P
Type: Projectile
Damage: 27.8%
Number of hits: 7
Super gauge:
I <--------->
This Super Art does almost equal damage as the Kasumi Suzaku but you
only get one short Super gauge, which means you cannot stock as many EX
moves. I personally think these two Super Arts are equally as good, and
I pick whichever depending on my mood. =)
This is a good Super Art for the players who like to play mind games and
who can guess what their opponent is going to do. Ibuki's daggers come
out very fast, and you can choose their range depending on the button
you press: it can hit more than half a screen away. She throws three
daggers: the more connect, the more damage it does. The Yami Shigure has
decent priority too, so you can use it as a mid-counter and as a punish
move (against sweeps for instance).
You need to remember that it hits LOW, which is why it is so easy to
catch people with it, especially beginners. It also needs to be parried
low and only takes one parry, but if you are up close your opponent
needs to "point-blank" parry it. If you are a master of Ibuki's mix-ups,
this is the perfect Super Art for you. It can be extremely annoying if
you keep using only her forward + MK, sweep, and the Yami Shigure. Most
Super Arts hit high and can be easily blocked or avoided, but this move
gives Ibuki another offensive tool and often puts her in control of the
fight.
3.9 ---KEN---
Ken's Super Arts are pretty good. It seems the Shippu Jinrai Kyaku
dominates, but you can find uses for his two other Super Arts.
-SAI: Shoryureppa-
Command: qcf + P
Type: dragon punch
Damage: 33.9%
Number of hits: 12
Super gauge:
II <----------------->
This Super Art is commonly canceled from a Dragon Punch when up close,
or used as an anti-air (not all the hits will connect though). It is
arguably Ken's worst Super Art, mainly because the damage is only
average and it is quite hard to connect against an experienced player.
If the Super Art whiffs or is blocked, you will be left open for a
second, so be sure to connect it. Its very good priority and its great
anti-air properties go together... However, these are almost worthless
against a player who knows how to parry well. I like to think of it as a
beginner's Super Art, very good in combos but rather poor from a
strategic point of view. Sadly, there are no real set-ups to connect it,
apart from tricking your opponent into jumping -try throwing a fireball,
but most players will just parry it-.
It is interesting to see that the two first parts of the Super Art do
not deal any stun damage. The last part does quite heavily, though. This
was probably made so that you would only get stun damage if the combo
was included in combos or at least all the hits connected.
-SAII: Shinryuken-
Command: qcf X 2 + K
Type: vertical
Damage: normal: 33.3% mashing: 37%
Number of hits: 17
This is Ken's most damaging Super Art -you can get more hits by mashing
the kick button-, but also the hardest to connect. It should obviously
be used as an anti-air in most cases, when your opponent jumps-in. The
longer you wait when he jumps-in, the more hits you will connect (but of
course, that is taking a risk). The good thing is that your opponent
might get scared to jump-in and attack every time your super bar is
full. This move, the Dragon Punch, and the Air Hurricane Kick make Ken
almost unbeatable in the air.
But its range is -very- limited, contrary to the Alpha version that
sucks opponents in. Here, you need to time it right, or else you are
dead because of the long recovery time. If you have trouble connecting
this Super Art against turtles, use Ken's cross-up kick (jumping MK) and
use the Super Art as it hits. It does not matter which way you perform
the Super Art, the computer will automatically make it hit your
opponent. Many players will not know how to block the cross-up, and the
Super Art will hit them while they are still in hit stun.
-SAIII: Shippu Jinrai Kyaku-
Command: qcf X 2 + K
Type: rush
Damage: 24.7%
Number of hits: 9
Super gauge:
I <-------------->
This is Ken's best Super Art in my opinion, because it is very fast and
nicely completes his set of moves. It is so fast you can even combo it
from his backwards throw. =)
You get three short Super Bars, which means you can use lots of EX
moves. This Super Art also has very good priority and will beat most
normal moves. Its short recovery time means that you can use it without
much fear of retaliation. If your opponent tries to counter after he
blocks it, use a dragon punch to try and out-prioritize his counter.
The Shippu Jinrai Kyaku has very good range because Ken leaps forward
before the first hit. It is not very easy to parry because you have to
parry the first hit at point blank, and the timing is slower is slower
than it looks.
It works well with Ken's footsie game. Fake your opponent by dashing a
lot and using overheads (universal overhead and his forward + HK), then
try to connect this Super Art. You can also poke with low MK or low MP
and cancel into the Super Art.
3.10 ---MAKOTO---
Her Super Arts are very similar to her character: stunning. They can
dish out major damage if you know how to use them right, but they take
some time to get used to.
-SAI: Seichuusen Godanzuki-
Command: qcf X 2 + P
Type: sudden impact
Damage: 42.6%
Number of hits: 5
Super gauge:
I <---------------------->
This Super Art is the archetype of the counter move: it does huge
damage, comes out extremely fast and has good priority. Basically, if
you trade hits while using this move, you should win. When you seem the
Seichuusen Godanzuki, you can feel the power of the initial hit: the
developers decided to add a "lag" effect, meaning that even though the
recovery is long, your opponent will have a block recovery time almost
equal to yours. This is why you should not be too afraid to use this
move when up close: most characters have the means to punish you if it
is blocked, but they will have to be very fast.
This move only takes one hit to parry, but it is a point blank parry, so
most players will not be able to parry it unless you are VERY
predictable. It is an excellent wake-up move due to its priority and
speed.
However, contrary to the Abare Tosanami, it is impossible to use any
follow-up to this Super Art, because Makoto will start saying something
in Japanese right after it hits.
It does a decent amount of stun damage, like most of Makoto's moves.
Using this Super Art usually goes well with two opposite styles of play:
_an all offensive Makoto, with lots of overheads, Karakusas and Hayates
involved. If you decide to play like that, remember that you can combo
the MK Air Axe Kick (air qcb + K) into the Seichuusen Godanzuki very
easily. The problem is that good player will either parry or block the
initial hit. But this style of play has the advantage of exploiting
Makoto's range of moves and of scaring players who like to poke all day.
_a very defensive, almost turtling Makoto. Let your opponent attack and
feel confident and only stick out a few moves here and there to fill
your Super bar. When your opponent tries to poke you, or to use an
overhead, use this Super Art. It deals so much damage that you can
afford playing like this.
I personally prefer using the first one as it is the most fun. But I
have seen many players wait for the opening and counter with the
Seichuusen Godanzuki, and I have to admit it works most of the time. I
often recommend this Super Art to players who start learning Makoto
because it is a great way to deal fast damage with her and does not
necessarily takes to much skill.
-SAII: Abare Tosanami-
Command: qcf X 2 + K
Type: Delayed impact
Damage: 30.2%
Number of hits: 4
Super gauge:
II <-------------->
This move is Makoto's flashiest Super Art by far, and is famous for
allowing for crazy juggles. Each time you land an Abare, you can take
off a lot of your opponent's life bar if you can perform her best
follow-ups consistently.
The range of the Super art depends on the button you pressed, in a
similar fashion to Alex's Stun Gun Headbutt. This makes Makoto a
potential threat from anywhere on the screen, and usually opponents
decide to turtle because they are afraid of the Abare Tosanami. If it is
the case, just go up close and use lots of overheads and fakes. When
they finally decide to attack, counter with an Abare. It works most of
the time.
Since Makoto leaps on the corner of the screen before attacking, slow
pokes are out-prioritized by this Super Art. Beginners will often try to
use anti-airs, but they will soon realize that it is a bad idea.
It is not hard to parry, so do not use it when you are not sure whether
it will connect or not. The last hit is VERY laggy (it is the equivalent
of a Fukiage =DP + P) so be sure that your opponent cannot block or
parry it by unleashing the Super while they are still recovering from a
move. The HK version works very well against Shotokan players who like
to sit in a corner and throw fireballs all day. If you can anticipate
their fireball, so not hesitate to use the Abare Tosanami. The LK
version is also very useful because it comes out faster, and you can
cancel a close HP into it, but only when you are in your corner. This
means you can use mean combos starting with "LK Karakusa, LP XX Abare
Tosanami" when you are in your half of the screen.
The damage of the Abare Tosanami itself is not that impressive, but if
you can learn this follow-up (which appears to be the most commonly used
by Makoto players), you will soon be feared:
Abare Tosanami XX jump, MK Axe Kick, HP Hayate, HP Hayate
It is also interesting to note that you can cancel a dash from the last
hit of this Super Art (but remember to do it BEFORE the last hit comes
out) and to juggle the opponent with a HP Fukiage (but you must perform
the motion as if your character was facing the opposite side), and then
catch them with a jumping normal. You can also chain 2 Abare Tosanamis
together but this takes a lot more skill. Stick to the aforementioned
combo if you are going for pure damage.
Having two short Super bars is good for EX moves, and it means that you
can be totally unpredictable. This is the only Super Art that lets you
stock more than one bar with Makoto. All these reasons make it her best
Super Art in my opinion.
-SAIII: Tanden Renki-
Command: qcf X 2 + P
Type: power up
Damage: none
Number of hits: none
Super gauge:
I <-------------->
This Super Art has very special properties, and definitely takes skill
to use efficiently. After you perform it, Makoto becomes 57% stronger -
hence her red color, she is angry- but she cannot block until the Super
stops. This means that unless your opponent is an idiot who will turtle
and let you attack him like crazy, you need more than decent parrying
skills when using the Tanden Renki. Learn how to air parry and abuse
Makoto's (very good) dash to stay near your opponent. Do not wait for
him, just attack him relentlessly with her "Jump-in HK, low MP, Hayate"
combo.
It makes you vulnerable to all kind of mix-ups and combos that you could
have blocked otherwise, so this Super art should be reserved to very
good players only. If you cannot parry a Shinkuu Hadouken, do not bother
with it: it is not all that great anyway, compared to her other two
Super Arts. Besides, Makoto does not necessarily needs this Super Art to
deal a lot of damage if you know how to use her Karakusa trap.
The only way to safely use this Super Art is to use it right after a HK
Karakusa (hcb + K) or when your opponent is on the other side of the
screen, or knocked down. Makoto is vulnerable when performing it, and
contrary to Yun's Genei Jin (=SAIII) it cannot be included in a combo.
When using this Super Art, just forget about EX moves, it is just not
worth it. All you strategy should evolve around charging your meter and
perform the Taden Renki, than attack as much as possible.
3.11 ---NECRO---
-SAI: Magnetic Storm-
Command: qcf X 2 + P
Type: sudden impact
Damage:
Number of hits:
Super gauge:
-SAII: Slam Dance-
Command: qcf X 2 + P
Type: grab
Damage:
Number of hits:
Super gauge:
This Super Art has very good priority.
-SAIII: Electric Snake-
Command: qcf X 2 + P
Type: projectile
Damage:
Number of hits:
Super gauge:
This Super Art should mainly be used in combos since its damage is so
low.
3.12 ---ORO---
-SAI: Kishin Riki-
Command: qcf + P
Type: grab
Damage: normal: air:
Number of hits:
Super gauge:
This Super Art is impossible to parry, and can be used in the air. It
works wonders against a waking-up opponent, especially the CPU (their
first reflex is to block). Sometimes, you can even get two grabs in one
meter.
-EX Kishin Riki-
Command: qcf + PP
Type: grab
Damage:
Number of hits:
Super gauge:
This Super Art should mainly be used at sweep range. It comes out very
fast so most players do not expect it, but you will have to be very
careful, because you lose 2 meters when you miss it.
-SAII: Yagyou Dama-
Command: qcf + P
Type: projectile
Damage:
Number of hits:
Super gauge:
This is a pressure move. It moves so slowly that you can jump-in and
attack if your opponent decides to parry it. The button you press
changes the path of the projectile.
-EX Yagyou Dama-
Command: qcf X 2 + PP
Type: projectile
Damage:
Number of hits:
Super gauge:
-SAIII: Tengu Stone-
Command: qcf X 2 + P
Type: custom combo
Damage:
Number of hits:
Super gauge:
-EX Tengu Stone-
Command:
Type:
Damage:
Number of hits:
Super gauge:
3.13 ---Q---
All three of Q's Super Arts are more than decent and can deal major
damage. They are quite versatile, and his Total Destruction is quite
original and fun, too. Do you prefer to play as a punisher, a counter-
character or a grappler? =)
-SAI: Critical Combo-
Command: qcf X 2 + P
Type: rush
Damage: 32%
Number of hits: 5
Super gauge:
II <--------------->
This Super Art is an excellent punisher against longer recovery moves or
after a parry because it comes out so fast. It can also surprise many
players since Q is a very slow character. Don't be afraid to use it as a
counter, it has very good priority. It can also be used in juggles but
most of the time you will not be able to connect all the hits, and the
damage will be very low.
Another good thing is that you can use many EX moves since you get two
short super bars. This gives Q more freedom and versatility, as was
shown by the Japanese player Ricky during the JIT. If you can play a
good defensive Q and parry, the Critical Combo is great.
However, there are no safe ways to connect it offensively, aside from
canceling it from a Rushing Punch (charge back~, forward +P). You will
need to mix up and find the opening in your opponent's defense, and the
fact that the first hit of the Super Art is high does not help. But
contrary to Hugo's Mountain Frenzy (=SAIII), the fourth hit is not an
overhead: it is a low hit. You can surely catch beginners with this, and
it makes the move considerably harder to parry, but against good players
it is not going to help much. The only way to connect the Critical Combo
is too either out-prioritize your opponent's pokes or to use it as a
punish move.
-SAII: Deadly Double Combination-
Command: qcf X 2 + P
Type: sudden impact
Damage: 41.3%
Number of hits: 2
Super gauge:
I <---------------------->
This is my personal favorite. It works in a similar way to Ryu's Shin
Shoryuken in the sense that it does huge damage, is best used as a
counter thanks to its great priority, and must be point blank parried.
This move looks very painful, and it does take off an insane amount of
life when connected.
The reason why this move is so effective is because it fits the
character's style: you only need one clean hit to deal huge damage, but
you have to be patient and find a sure opening. If the Super Art is
blocked, your opponent will also encounter a short recovery time, but
usually missing a Deadly Double Combination is a very bad thing,
especially since the super bar is so long. This is why you can use it as
a wake-up move, but only when you are sure it will connect.
On the offensive end, you can poke and wait for a reaction, then counter
with this Super Art. You can also cancel it from a Rushing Punch, but
only use the Punch version because the Kick version knocks your opponent
out.
If you taunt at least three times and have a full meter, it is almost
impossible to beat you. Do not be scared to take a few hits to connect
the Deadly Double Combination, it is worth it.
The range of this Super Art is not too bad, actually, because Q takes a
step forward during the first hit. You can also use it in juggles, but
practice before using it in serious play, because it is very easy to
mis-time it and totally waste a Super bar.
-SAIII: Total Destruction-
Command: qcf X 2 + P, then qcf + K or qcf + P
Type: delayed impact/grab
Damage: punch version: 31.5% kick version: 42%
Number of hits: 1
Super gauge:
I <-------------------->
Similarly to the Deadly Double Combination, you only get one long meter
when you pick this underrated Super Art. You first need to perform qcf X
2 + P to start the Super Timer, and then you can choose to either use
the punch or the kick version. This is very good in terms of strategy
because the punch version is faster but is considered as a hit -meaning
that it CAN be parried- whereas the kick version is slower and does more
damage, but is considered as a throw. It is better not to stick to one
version so that your opponent is confused and sees you as a constant
threat.
However, smart players will simply run away from you, and jump very
often. Most players actually tend to jump backwards right after the
Super Art animation comes out by reflex. You can try to dash-in and
catch them as they touch the ground, but you will have to use the punch
version. IT is very hard to catch jumping opponents with the kick
version because of the slow start-up.
The reason why I think it is underrated is because even though it does
take lots of skills to use it properly, the damage more than make up for
it. You can taunt more than three times before activating the Total
Destruction in order to not be afraid of taking hits. But keep in mind
that if your opponent has a fast character and a good air poke, you
probably will not be able to catch him/her. You can also combo the punch
version of this Super Art from the low MK. It is impossible to combo
into the kick version, though.
If you are having trouble to find some space to perform the first part
of the Super Art against an offensive opponent, try to either:
_Knock him/her down with the kick version of his Rushing Punch or a HP:
This should give you lots of time to perform the Super Art before your
opponent gets up. You can even try to perform the throw before they get
up so that they cannot escape it. =)
_Knock him/her down with a low HK or a back + HK: This does not work as
well as the first technique, but it is possible. Q recovers before his
opponent, so you have enough time to perform the qcf X 2 +P motion.
_Cancel it from a close MK: It does leave you open for a very short
time, but most players will not have the time or the idea to counter
(they first need to realize that what you performed is just the first
part of the move.
Of course, these techniques also work when you want to taunt and need
some space.
3.14 ---REMY---
Remy's Super Arts are very similar to his special moves and have the
same uses, actually. The Blue Nocturne is very original, but also very
hard to connect against above average players.
-SAI: Light of Justice-
Command: qcf X 2 + P
Type: projectile
Damage: 26.5%
Number of hits: 7
Super gauge:
II <------------------>
Remy throws many Lights of Virtue at once. Obviously, you can use this
Super Art to play keep away, but it will not work too well, because your
opponent will surely block or parry it. It does not do enough chip
damage to be really considered a threat. You need to find a way to
connect it. Of course, you can ccancel it from his low MP when up close.
It is a very good anti-air, but most of the hits will not connect and
your opponent will bounce away (which means very poor damage). It is
quite reliable though, especially if your opponent cannot parry multi-
hit moves in the air constantly. It is a good wake-up move because it
comes out so fast and the recovery time (as with most of Remy's moves)
is very short. You can also use it as a counter when close to your
opponent.
Against "parry-happy" players, remember to cancel it from a low Light of
Virtue (see section 2.3 about Super canceling).
It gives quite a lot of EX moves and charges pretty fast, especially
compared to the Blue Nocturne.
-SAII: Supreme Rising Rage Flash-
Command: qcf X 2 + K
Type: dragon punch
Damage: 31.5%
Number of hits: 10
Super gauge:
II <--------------------->
This is a powered-up version of the Rising Rage Flash, and obviously a
very good anti-air. The damage is pretty good, and its priority means
that it is a good wake up and punish move. However, it has -very- long
recovery time when missed, which is the reason why most players seem to
stay away from it.
It comes out very fast, but apart from that it does not seem to be
anything special.
You can cancel it from the EX Rising Rage Flash but it can be tricky to
connect it in a fight. Also remember that this Super Art is not all that
hard to parry.
-SAIII: Blue Nocturne-
Command: qcf X 2 + K
Type: counter
Damage: 38.3%
Number of hits: 7
Super Gauge:
I <--------->
This the kind of Super Art most people refer to as a "counter-super",
meaning that if Remy gets hit shortly after the Super Art motion was
performed, he will not take any damage and will automatically counter
with an automatic combo (think of it as a safer and more powerful
version of Dudley's Cross Counter). Players familiar with KOF already
know this kind of move. However, the Blue Nocturne is in no way as good
as the KOF counter-supers.
The problem is that experienced players tend to stop attacking when they
see the screen flashing, so only moves with a long recovery time that
have been activated before the Super Art might get caught. For instance,
most command overheads (e.g. the twins' and Ibuki's forward + MK) are
likely to be countered no matter how fast they are because of their
delayed start-up. Another common technique is to use the Super Art right
after performing a Cold Blue Kick because most players tend to counter
after this move since it is Remy's most "laggy" special move. But the
bad thing is that using the Blue Nocturne this way is highly dangerous,
and the damage is not always worth it.
It is possible to use the Blue Nocturne as an anti-air, but sadly the
damage is not worth it because most of the hits will not connect. Using
it as an anti-air is really a waste in my opinion.
It charges up very fast but the Super bar is so short that you will not
be able to use a lot of EX moves. Your strategy should only evolve
around catching your opponent with the Blue Nocturne.
A nice trick is to parry the first hit(s) of a multi-hit move and then
counter with the Super Art so that they have no way of escaping it. It
can be very tricky to pull off, but with good parrying skills it is
definitely possible. Just perform the Super Art motion as fast as
possible. =)
Remember that the Blue Nocturne does not counter everything in the game.
It is vulnerable to the Shin Shoryuken and some other moves for some
reason. Of course, your opponent can throw you and fireballs will hit
you during this Super Art. This is another reason why I cannot really
recommend this Super Art in real competition.
3.15 ---RYU---
There is no doubt that Ryu has one of the best sets of Super Arts in the
game. There all have very different uses but can be very damaging and
correspond to different styles of play. Ryu's Super Arts are scary
because they can deal huge damage rather easily.
-SAI: Shinkuu Hadouken-
Command: qcf X 2 + P
Type: projectile
Damage: 25.9%
Number of hits: 5
Super Gauge:
II <---------------->
Ryu's classic Shinkuu Hadouken... This is a versatile Super Art that can
be used in so many ways. It deals decent damage for a fireball-type
Super Art, but it can be very easily parried if threw from a distance.
Beginners will have a lot of trouble to parry it if you cancel it from a
regular Hadouken though. The only cases where it can be interesting to
use it from the opposite side of the screens are when your opponent is
low on life -you can either chip him/her to death or if he/she parries,
dash-in and start a combo with the low MK/throw-.
However, it is best used up close because it allows for nice and
damaging combos (if you just want damage, it is recommended to link it
from the low MK). Do not cancel it from the HP Dragon Punch because it
might cause the Super Art to whiff.
It is an excellent wake-up move because it comes out very fast, but you
can occasionally get thrown out of it. The recovery is not bad, but you
will surely be punished it whiffs.
Using this Super Art allows you to keep pressuring the opponent and play
and offensive Ryu since he is a solid character. Just look for the
opening, and throw the Super Art. With the Shinkuu, you do not
necessarily need set-ups, contrary to the Denjin.
You get 2 long Super bars so this is the best Super Art for EX moves
(and Ryu's EX moves are good). Pick it if you want to play a solid and
unpredictable Ryu.
-SAII: Shin Shoryuken-
Command: qcf X 2 + P
Type: instant impact
Damage: 46.9%
Number of hits: 4
Super gauge:
I <------------------------->
This is one of the most damaging and overused Super Arts in the game.
Connecting a Shin Shoryuken can totally change the face of a fight,
especially when playing against Ibuki or Akuma. It comes out very fast
and has one of the best priorities in the game, making it the perfect
counter move. It even out-prioritizes most Super Arts. This Super Art is
one of those moves that have a big intimidating effect on your opponent
(like Hugo's Gigas Breaker -SAI- or Megaton Press -SAIII-). You can
connect a HP fireball or even a HK Hurricane Kick when the opponent is
falling down, as if the Super Art was not damaging enough already.
Most players seem to use it as an anti-air, canceling it from a Dragon
Punch. This is probably the best way to connect it, but good players
might parry the whole thing. I personally use it in a similar way to Q's
Deadly Double Combination: I let them rush down and turtle for a while,
and use it to counter their pokes. But you have to be extremely careful
while doing that, because this Super art has very short range, and when
it is blocked or missed it acts like a simple 5-hit Dragon Punch doing
pitiful damage and leaving you totally open. Sometimes you will only get
three hits for the Super Art and it will obviously do less damage, so
try to use it carefully.
Picking this Super Art usually equals playing a defensive Ryu, with lots
of parrying and anti-airs. If you can parry a jump-in, immediately
perform the Shin Shoryuken it should hit almost all the time. Using it
as a wake up move usually works pretty well, but not against smart
players. You can also poke with the low MK and then cancel into the
Super Art, but this is quite risky because there is no way to see if the
poke hit or not before canceling it. The best way to cancel it is to do
low LK, low LK XX Shin Shoryuken. You have enough time to cancel it and
it does insane damage. You just need to be fast.
Of course, you can try to play an offensive Shin Shoryuken Ryu messing
with your opponents timing by using overheads and throws, but it is so
much easier to wait for them. =)
The Super bar is very long and you only get one, so EX moves are not
recommended when using this Super. With the damage it deals, it is not
like you would need them anyway.
-SAIII: Denjin Hadouken-
Command: qcf X 2 + P
Type: unblockable
Damage: 22.2% (5 hits)
Number of hits: 5
Super gauge:
I <-------------------->
This is a very interesting Super because it is unblockable, which was a
new addition in the Street Fighter series (expecting the Shun Goku
Satsu). This Super Art has an interesting Stun value since the longer
you charge it (there are five levels), the more stun damage it does.
Remember to twist the joystick when charging the Denjin Hadouken because
it makes it charge faster.
This Super Art lets you use a variety of strategies, because once your
opponent is hit, you can start a combo and deal a LOT of damage. It puts
you in control of the fight because your opponent will be scared of
getting it by the Denjin, and will start either attacking a lot, or
staying in mid-range waiting for you to do something so that he/she can
parry the Super Art.
There are two things you should focus on when using the Denjin Hadouken:
_First, you need to build your Super bar quickly. This is normally not a
problem with Ryu because most of his moves have big priority, but keep
in mind that if you know a good Denjin Hadouken set-up and you have a
fully charged Super bar, you have pretty much won the round if you can
connect a knock-down move.
_Secondly, you need to learn a damaging combo to use after the Super
Art, when your opponent is stunned. Knowing how to use this Super Art is
totally useless if you do not know how to get damage off of it. You only
get one Super bar, so combos including EX moves are excluded. You can
use simple damaging combos (e.g. HP, MP Dragon Punch or low MK, LK
Joudan -hcf + LK-) if you prefer.
My two favorite ways of connecting this Super Art are:
_By canceling it from a Dragon Punch: This technique lets you charge the
whole Super Art and it should hit your opponent right as he/she gets up.
Beginners cannot do anything about this technique because you need to
parry the Denjin Hadouken, and they will have the reflex to block. But
decent players will parry it all the time. This is when you dash-in and
throw or start a combo from the low MK.
_After a low MK or a canceled fireball: This technique requires decent
Ryu skills, because it will not be enough to fully stun Ryu. However, if
you are fast you can charge up to three levels, which equals to a lot of
stun. Parrying a fireball canceled into the Denjin Hadouken is not that
easy, so if they take the bait they might screw up on the timing. Using
the Denjin Hadouken after the low MK can be equally annoying because it
is harder to parry when very close.
I have to tell you that some players in the community consider this
Super Art to be cheap because it is unblockable. But once you master
parrying, there is really no reason to consider it that way. It actually
takes a lot of skill to connect it on good players.
3.16 ---SEAN---
Sean is a lower-tier character in Third Strike, mainly because his
offensive options are limited. However, with decent parrying skills and
good mix-ups, you can be successful with him. His Super Arts are a major
part of his game because they are his only reliable way to deal major
damage.
-SAI: Hadou Burst-
Command: qcf X 2 + P
Type: projectile
Damage: 19.7%
Number of hits: 1
Super gauge:
III <---------->
This Super Art is interesting, because it is a projectile, and Sean,
contrary to the other Shotos, does not have a projectile-type special
move. In theory, it makes him a threat from the other side of the
screen, but the reality is another thing. It only takes one parry to
nullify it, and it is not that fast so even beginners can do it. It does
not matter all that much anyway, because the damage is very low...
So how can you use the Hadou Burst properly? In combos. That's the only
way the be sure to link it, and deal decent damage. The good thing is
that it is very easy to combo into: you can combo it from almost every
one of Sean's normal moves, and cancel it from his Uppercut (DP + P).
So when you are using this Super Art, keep in mind that your goal should
be to stay up close and look for an opening. The Super bar is so short
that you will have at least one Hadou Burst charged most of the time,
and if you don't, you just need one or two hits to charge one. It is
okay for EX moves, but his other Super Arts are better in this area.
A fun method to connect this move is to taunt (HP + HK) at mid-screen -
and hope that the basketball comes out-, then throw the Hadou Burst as
they try to parry the fireball. Be aware of the fact that experienced
players will not try to parry the fireball though, because they know a
lot of Sean's tricks start with it.
-SAII: Shoryu Cannon-
Command: qcf X 2 + P
Type: dragon punch
Damage: normal: 18.5% mashing: 32.7%
Number of hits: normal: 5 mashing: 14
Super gauge:
II <--------------->
Another move that makes Sean a stronger character because it covers an
area he is not very good in, and perhaps Sean's most versatile Super
Art. You can use it in combos, exactly like the Hadou Burst, but it is
also a great anti-air. But I must warn you that sometimes all the hits
will nor connect: it is better to catch your opponent with the second
wave of hits only, or late when he/she is jumping in. It is not easy to
parry, and the pause after the first two hits generally confuses people.
A nice and damaging combo involving the Shoryu Cannon is:
Close MP, HP Sean Uppercut XX Shoryu Cannon
Don't forget to mash the punch button to get more hits and damage, it is
very important! It is possible to combo two Shoryu Cannons in the
corner, you just need to catch the opponent with a close HK after the
first Super.
You can use the taunt or the roll (qcb + P) to surprise people: the
first reaction is to counter, so you can out-prioritize them.
The range of the Shoryu Cannon is impressive: it basically covers half
of screen from the ground to the top. It is pretty good for EX moves
because you get 2 medium-size meters. It has very good priority, as most
moves of this type. Sean particularly needs this Super Art because
Capcom decided to give him a crappy Uppercut in Third Strike. In terms
of strategy, this is probably his best Super Art.
-SAIII: Hyper Tornado-
Command: qcf + P
Type: rush
Damage: 37.6 %
Number of hits: 12
Super gauge:
I <------------------->
The Hyper Tornado is the ideal punish move, and my favorite Sean Super
Art. It goes through fireball and has very good range -it almost covers
the whole screen, and is the rush-type Super Art that has the best
range-, so tricking your opponent into throwing fireballs can be a good
idea. Keep in mind that there is now way to control the range of this
move, it will go forward until it hits something/gets hits. Its priority
is decent, too, so you can use it as a counter when your opponent is
trying to poke.
As usual, you need to find an opening to connect the Hyper Tornado. Do
not be predictable when using it, because it only takes one hit to parry
and has very bad recovery. It is more of a "hit-or-miss" move, like
Ryu's Shin Shoryuken (=SAII) or Q's Deadly Double Combination (=SAII).
It is not very good for EX moves though, and they are very important to
Sean's game: since his basic moves are so easy to parry, he needs to EX
them sometimes to change their parry pattern and confuse the opponent.
It is not a good anti-air, because even though the first hit is likely
to connect, the others will whiff. It is just not worth it, you would be
better off using a low HP (even though it might be parried).
You can probably surprise beginner-to-intermediate level players by
using this Super Art right after the Roll (qcb + P) or the taunt. But do
not abuse it. =)
Mixing-up a lot and then use the Hyper Tornado works very well. As is
the case with most Super Arts, you can combo it from the Universal
Overhead but it has to be a late hit. Use this trick when you are not
too close, or when your opponent is waking up.
It is very easy to combo into, exactly like Sean's other Super Arts. But
it does more damage, which is why you should base your strategy on "How
to connect the Hyper Tornado?" Trapping your opponent in the corner -not
a hard thing to do using the Sean Tackle, Tornado Kick and usual mix-
ups- works well because they are likely to try to counter with high-
priority moves. When they do so, perform the Super Motion. Its
invincibility frame is so long that it will eat any kind of move, even
throws.
3.17 ---TWELVE---
Let me get this straight: Twelve is not a very good character. Aside
from his throw range and priority, he has no important advantage on the
other characters, in my opinion. His Super Arts are decent, but sadly
they do not really make up for his weaknesses.
-SAI: X.N.D.L.-
Command: qcf X 2 + P
Type: projectile
Damage: from very far: 14.1% from up close: 32%
Number of hits: 8 (max)
Super gauge:
II <--------------->
The damage of this Super Art varies a lot depending on how far from your
opponent you perform it. Performing it from the other side of the screen
seems useless because of the low damage, but the X.N.D.L. has the
property to eat fireballs and travel the screen very fast, so you can
counter projectiles with it.
It is very easy to counter the X.N.D.L.: it only takes one hit. For this
reason, you need to surprise your opponent when you are using it. The
best way include it in combos is to simply cancel it from a low LP or a
low LK.
It is not very interesting to use it as an anti-air, because your
opponent can just parry the one hit, if he messes up only a few hits
will connect.
The main problem with this move is that it does not fit Twelve's style
of play: run and hit. Unless you can combo it from up close, or want to
use EX moves a lot, do not use it.
-SAII: X.F.L.A.T.-
Command: air qcf X 2 + K
Type: delayed impact
Damage: 37%
Number of hits: 18
Super gauge:
I <------------------->
This is the Super Art I usually pick whenever I use Twelve, because it
has huge damage potential, contrary to his other moves. Connecting one
X.F.L.A.T. can totally change the face of a fight, but it is not great
for EX moves. So you must basically make a choice between damage and EX
moves. The problem with this move is that it is not easy to connect, you
must really trick your opponent into attacking, and if you are facing a
turtle you have pretty much already lost.
It is impossible to use it after the air dash, in case you are
wondering. However, using a super jump (down, up) helps a lot because it
can surprise and mess up your opponent's timing. Try to run away from
your opponent to annoy him as much as possible, so that he starts
attacking, and then perform the Super Art motion. The priority is very
nice so do not worry about anti-airs. But the reasons why you should try
your best not to be predictable is because it is very easy to parry
(very similar to Makoto's Abare Tosanami -=SAII-, except only one hit)
and the recovery time is very long.
You can do MK, jump cancel, X.F.L.A.T. but it is somewhat hard to pull
off in a real fight. What I usually do when trying to piss off my
opponents is abuse his N.D.L. (qcf + P) to chip their life or counter
whatever they do. When they start getting pissed and jump, just do the
same and use the X.F.L.A.T.
-SAIII: X.C.O.P.Y.-
Command: qcf X 2 + P
Type: copy (!)
Damage: none
Number of hits: none
Super gauge:
I <--------------------->
When you perform the Super Art motion, a timer appears and Twelve morphs
into the character your opponent is using. This is an interesting move
if you know how to use the character you are facing, of course.
When transformed, you do more damage than your opponent (the bonus
varies between 10-25% depending on the move/combo), but if you are hit
during the Super Art ending animation, you take an awful lot of damage.
So your primary goal is basically to win the round before the timer
ends, which is why you should play very offensively.
Remember that you cannot use EX moves or Super Arts when transformed, so
using the X.C.O.P.Y. is not smart against all the characters. However,
the bonus you get means that you can play as well as your opponent, and
still win. =)
The start-up animation is rather short, but do not use it when your
opponent is too close. Try to throw him on the other side of the screen
before using the X.C.O.P.Y.
3.18 ---URIEN---
Urien's Super Arts are very good and varied. They cover very different
areas and let you model your style of play. He also has the most
versatile Super Art in the game, the Aegis Reflector.
-SAI: Tyrant Slaughter-
Command: qcf X 2 + P
Type: rush
Damage: 35.8%
Number of hits: 5
Super gauge:
II <--------------->
The Tyrant Slaughter is almost strictly a punish move. Indeed, there are
no other ways to connect it: it cannot pass through fireballs, does not
have -that- much priority, is likely to whiff in juggles... A good way to
use it is after a parry or when your opponent whiffs a move. It is too
easy to parry (it is possible to counter after parrying the first hit
only) to be used from a distance, even though the range is very good.
The good side of things is that it does good damage, and gives you two
long bars for EX moves. There is not much to say about this Super Art.
-SAII: Temporal Thunder-
Command: qcf X2 + P
Type: projectile
Damage: far: 18.5% close: 24%
Number of hits: 5 (max)
Super gauge:
II <----------->
The Temporal Thunder does decent damage, and very good stun (see section
2.7). The problem is that it is very easy to parry -even moreso than a
Shinkuu Hadoken-, so your only hope to connect it against good player is
to use it in combos.
You can catch jump-ins with a MP Metallic Sphere, and then cancel into
the Temporal Thunder. It connects most of the time. Remember that the
size of the projectile varies depending on the distance. It will be
easier for your opponent to wait -because of the slow startup- and then
jump over it, since it is becomes smaller.
As mentioned in a previous section, the best way to connect this Super
Art is to do:
(jump-in deep HK) Low HP, EX Headbutt, HK Chariot Rush XX Temporal
Thunder
You can also connect it right after the EX Headbutt. The problem is that
the low HP is not easy to connect: you need to either trick your
opponent into it or use it after a parry.
-SAIII: Aegis Reflector-
Command: qcf X 2 + P
Type: reflector
Damage: 11.7%
Number of hits: 6
Super gauge:
II <------------->
The Aegis Reflector is very versatile and should be considered as a
different type of Super Art. Indeed, it does not do much damage by
itself. And it requires a good knowledge of the game to use it properly.
In the arcade version of Third Strike, Urien had an unblockable
involving this Super Art: if you crossed up (Headbutt works well) while
your opponent was blocking/parrying it, you could throw out a low LK and
they would eat the Aegis Reflector. In the Dreamcast version, Capcom
fixed this glitch: you can now block the Super Art both ways.
This Super Art creates a magic wall that can both hit your opponent and
reflect some moves (check out Kao Megura's FAQ for the description of
each move).
It can be used in two different ways: offensive or defensive.
Defensive: The PP version goes up and comes out in one frame, making it
the perfect anti-air. If you throw out a LP and a PP Aegis Reflector,
you create a wall that cannot be passed for a few seconds. You can
simply use the Aegis to protect yourself (if you want to win by time,
for instance). Most projectiles bounce on it and go back towards the
opponent, but you have to be careful with the timing.
Offensive: you can simply use it to force your opponent to block (it
does tick damage). If you cancel an Aegis Reflector after a Chariot
Rush, immediately go for the throw. There is nothing your opponent can
do to stop that.
You can also use it as a fake, or in set-ups. Read SlimX's Urien FAQ for
more information.
This Super Art allows for crazy combos once you master the way opponents
bounce on it. You can juggle foes between two Aegis Reflectors, it looks
very cool. =)
The timing to parry it is quite slow, so if your opponent starts
parrying it, it opens new solutions for you.
This is a great Super Art, but it is hard to master.
3.19 ---YANG---
Yang's Super Arts are not very good, to be honest. They all have huge
drawbacks, but it is not that much of a problem, because his normal,
special and EX moves are very good.
-SAI: Raishin Mahaken-
Command: qcf X 2 + P
Type: delayed impact
Damage: 38.3%
Number of hits: 7
Super gauge:
I <----------------------->
Yang's most damaging Super Art by far. Actually, the Raishin Mahaken
would be Yang's best Super Art, period, if it were not a "delayed
impact"-style Super Art. The problem here is that you can parry the
Raishin Mahaken right before it hits, meaning AFTER the Super Art
animation. This basically that this Super Art is useless when used
outside of a combo against any player who has even the smallest grasp of
the engine possible. Honestly, it is not even harder to parry than a
fireball.
This means that you will have to either combo into the Raishin Mahaken,
or use tricks to connect it. You can try to use it right after a short
teleport (DP + LK) -mix between throws and Raishin Mahakens- or a fake
Palm Strike (hcf + PP), but once again, good players will parry it or
block it, so its good priority does not help much. The range of this
Super Art makes it a good choice to punish mistakes, and most of the
time all the hits will connect.
You can try canceling it from the low MK, the timing is not too hard but
takes some practice. Since a lot of Yang's game is based on his mix-ups,
you should not have too much trouble connecting a low MK... The problem is
that the Super meter is very long and you only get one bar, so it is
taking a major risk (what if the low MK is blocked?). In terms of EX
moves, the Tenshin Senkyuutai is much superior, too.
-SAII: Tenshin Senkyuutai-
Command: qcf X 2
Type: sudden impact
Damage: 25.9%
Number of hits: 7
Super gauge:
II <--------------->
This is his best Super Art, in my opinion. Not that much because of the
move itself, because it is only decent, but because of the two short
meters that you get when you pick it. This equals to stocking a lot of
EX moves, and Yang needs EX moves -especially the EX Mantis Slash (qcf +
P X 3)- to stay unpredictable.
Contrary to the Raishin Mahaken, this move has to be parried at point
blank when up close, which makes it easier to connect and play mind
games with. It is too bad its priority is not as good. I would recommend
avoiding using this move when not up close, unless you can anticipate a
fireball, because it is very easy to block or parry, and leaves you
totally open. The nature of this Super Art makes it possible to roll
under fireballs, but this is rather tricky unless you are only at mid-
screen. Never try this from the other side of the screen, your opponent
will have time to block or parry and you will get smacked.
It is as easy to combo into as the Raishin Mahaken, and the most common
way is to use the low MK because of its range. You can also cancel it
from the MP, HP, back + HP chain in the corner but it does pitiful
damage (it is a crowd pleaser though =).
-SAIII: Sei-ei Enbu-
Command: qcf X 2 + P
Type: custom combo
Damage: none
Number of hits: none
Super gauge:
I <---------->
This Super Art works exactly like V-Ism in Alpha 3 (and it charges up
equally as fast =). After you activate this Super Art, you meter changes
into a timer, and during this time each one of your hit will be followed
by a two "shadow hits", meaning that each single hit will count for
three.
This is Yang's version of the Genei Jin, and looks very cool... The only
problem is that it does REALLY low damage. I have seen people perform
more than 30-hit-combos using this Super Art, but it barely took off one
third of their opponent's life. Is it really worth the trouble?
Besides, the Sei-ei Enbu is really bad for EX moves, due to short meter.
I have heard about Japanese players busting out huge combos taking off
more than 50% of Ryu's life bar, but I have never been able to do that
myself, so I am not too sure. One thing is sure though, it is that this
Super Art is vastly inferior to the Genei Jin. You cannot even combo
into it, so you have to perform the Super Art motion and then get up
close and use combos, but the time allowed is very short!
I personally use these two combos:
_Mantis Slash X 2, LK MK HK, Mantis Slash X 2, repeat
_Mantis Slash, MK, Mantis Slash X 2, LK, MK, HK, Mantis Slash X 2, MK,
Mantis Slah X 3
But my opinion is that the damage is too low to get anything from this
Super Art in serious play. While the Sei-ei Enbu is very fun to use, it
is simply not worth getting through the trouble of performing such big
combos for such a low damage.
3.20 ---YUN---
-Coming soon-
-SAI: Youhou-
Command: qcf X 2 + P
Type: sudden impact
Damage: 32.7%
Number of hits: 3
Super gauge:
I <--------------------->
This Super Art is a great choice for beginners, because it has nice
priority and comes out fast. It can be used as a counter or as a wake-up
move and the damage is very nice. Remember that you can juggle with a MP
or HP Lunging Punch after this Super Art.
You can connect it after Yun's LP, LK, MP, LP Shoulder Rush chain but it
lowers the damage of the Super Art by a large margin.
It has decent range, and even when the first hit does not connect it is
worth using: the first hit does not even 10% of the total damage of the
You-Hou.
The main problems of this Super Arts are that:
_It does not really fit Yun's style of play, because using it while
zoning is not very easy to do.
_It only gives you one Super meter.
_It is very inferior to the Genei Jin.
-SAII: Sourai Rengeki-
Command: qcf X 2 + P
Type: sudden impact
Damage: 26.5%
Number of hits: 6
Super gauge:
III <----------->
This Super Art does not de much damage, but it is very good for EX
moves. Besides, you get three bars, so it is very good if you can
connect the Sourai Rengeki consistently.
Only use it after the LP, LK, MP, LP Shoulder Rush target combo, or
after connecting a low MK if you are good at buffering. This Super Art
has very good range and comes out very fast. However, its priority is
only average.
The major drawback of the Sourai Rengeki is that once you miss it, you
are dead meat. It makes you jump over a low blocking opponent, meaning
that you can eat a Super Art or any other damaging move. Only use it
when you are sure it will connect (hence the chain).
-SAIII: Genei-Jin-
Command: qcf X 2 + P
Type: custom combo
Damage: none
Number of hits: none
Super gauge:
I <--------->
This is by far Yun's best Super Art, but it is also the one that takes
the most skill. You can use it to create crazy juggles, but the
difference with Yang's Sei-ei Bu is that you can use it safely after a
chain (LP, LK, MP, LP Shoulder Rush XX Genei Jin) and it does nice
damage. Don't use the Genei Jin outside of this combo. If you have
trouble pulling it off, just remember that it actually is: LP, LK, MP
(press forward while you perform this part, so that the Shoulder Rush
motion is easier to do and the Lunging Punch doesn't come out), qcf + P
(for the Shoulder Rush), qcf + P (to cancel into the Genei Jin).
Remember to start the Genei Jin combo before the screens stops flashing...
To practice and learn how to recognize the hit window, just go into
practice mode and practice doing: LP Shoulder Rush XX Genei Jin -> your
combo (usually starts with low MK).
When using this Super Art, keep pressuring your opponent with the Dive
Kick (air down + K). Once you connect the chain, you can start your
combo.
If your opponent is blocking, you can try using the command throw (qcb +
K) and start your combo from the other side. It does less damage, but it
is still better than to waste a Super meter.
If your opponent is in the corner when the combo connects, you can do:
low MK, HP, forward + HP, then LP Lunging Punch, late Palm Strike,
forward + MK, then LP Lunging Punch, late Palm Strike, forward + MK
again, and a LP Shoulder Rush to finish off.
If not in the corner, low MK, HP, HP Shoulder Rush, HP Lunging Punch and
anything.
You can also do repeated MP/HP Shoulder Rushes and MP/HP Lunging Punches
then close MK as the last hit so you can launch your opponent for
another juggle when the Genei Jin finishes.
This Super Art allows for insane juggles that require creativity so you
know what you have to do! The best thing is that the meter is really
short so you can have a Genei Jin stored almost all the time.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
4. Parrying Super Arts
4.1 Point Blank parrying
Point-blank parrying is the name of a very simple technique: to parry an
Sudden Impact-style Super Art from up close, you need to parry the first
move BEFORE the screen flashes and keep parrying in a regular pattern if
needed. This is what makes some Super Arts, such as Chun-Li's Kikoushou,
very hard to parry up-close. Parrying certain Super Arts takes lots of
timing and patience, because you will need to parry 20 hits sometimes.
Most people do not seem to be aware of this, and try to parry all the
Super Arts as soon as the come out. This shows how much parrying has to
do with anticipation and instinct.
4.2 Parrying patterns
First off, it is very important that you realize the danger of parrying
Super Arts. This technique should usually only be used defensively,
unless you want to please the crowd or something.
You should know that many Super Arts have a different pattern (read: the
number of hits is different) depending on whether they connect or not.
You NEED to know these patterns by heart before attempting to parry
them, or else you will get smacked all the time.
The following Super Arts have a different timing when they do not
connect:
_Ryu: Shin Shoryuken (=SAII) = 5 fast parries
_Ibuki: Yami Shigure (=SAIII) = 1 low parry (can be point blank)
_Twelve: X.N.D.L. (=SAI) = 1 parry
X.F.L.A.T. (=SAII) = 1 parry
_Chun-Li: Tensei Ranka (=SAIII) = 3 slow parries
_Yang: Tenshin Senkyuutai (=SAII)= 4 fast parries
_Yun: Sourai Rengeki (=SAII) = 5 fast parries?
_Q: Deadly Double Combination (=SAII) = 1 point blank parry
_Makoto: Seichuusen Godanzuki (=SAI) = 1 point blank parry
_Sean: Hyper Tornado: 1 parry (=SAIII)
Some Super Arts do not have a consistent parry pattern, such as Urien's
Temporal Thunder (=SAII): it can either hit 3, 4, or 5 times sometimes.
The best way to avoid getting caught is to always perform a 5-hit parry
motion, it's not like you could counter after parrying this move anyway.
You have to know that Gill's Seraphic Wing Super Art, even though it is
not a grab, is impossible to parry. If you start blocking it and you
have less than one third of your life, I hope that you are a "taunted" Q
or else you are dead.
TheHY and KTDC's Parry FAQ describe the patterns accurately, so I will
not go into detail here.
Super Arts that cannot be parried:
_Gill's Seraphic Wing
_Hugo's Gigas Breaker (=SAI) and Megaton Press (=SAII)
_Alex's Hyper Bomb (=SAI) and Stun Gun Headbutt (=SAIII)
_Q's Kick version of the Total Destruction (=SAIII)
_Oro's Kishin Riki (=SAI) and EX Kishin Riki
_Necro's Slam Dance (=SAII)
_Akuma's Shun Goku Satsu and Kongou Kokuretsu Zan from up close
_Remy's Blue Nocturne (=SAIII)
_Elena's Healing (=SAIII)
_Ibuki's grab version of the Yoroi Doushi (=SAII)
4.3 "Parry buffer reaction"?
This technique has been described by SlimX on the gamefaqs.com boards.
It mainly involves tricking the opponent into parrying one of your
moves, and then catching him with a high priority/range Super Art if he
parries it. It does require fast reflexes, but it is worth noting.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
5. Parrying into Super Arts
Sometimes the safest way to connect a Super Art is after a parry. This
does not really apply to fast Super Art, but more to short-range Super
Arts, such as "grab-type" Super Arts for instance. With Alex, buffering
a 360 motion from the parrying animation should not be too hard. But
with Hugo, it can be a pain at first...
Make sure that you are doing the 720 motion correctly. Most people just
try to spin the joystick as fast as they can, but it just does not work.
You actually have a lot of time to perform the move in this game. You
also need to make sure that you are pressing the punch button at the
right button. You can start pressing it when you are hitting "up-back"
during the second 360. Last but not least, be sure that you are
performing the 360 correctly. It might sound funny, but some people do
the move backwards because they are not used to grapplers. Obviously,
the easiest way is to start the move from a "forward" position. Some
people just cannot use this move after a parry, mainly because it takes
fast reflexes. Keep trying, you should get the hang of it pretty fast.
When you realize that mastering this skill means that you can take off
more than half of your opponent's life bar just because of ONE parry,
you will understand that it is worth suffering a bit. =)
Canceling regular qcf X 2 motions from a parry is rather easy and should
not be a problem. Just keep in mind that some Super Arts have a start-up
animation and some others will partially whiff after anti-air parries.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
6. Credits
Big-ups to:
_SlimX for his imput on Dudley's Rocket Uppercut and Rolling Thunder.
I'm not good with Dudley. =)
_Thehy for the Genei Jin combos.
_Gunblade for pointing out typos.
_Capcom and SNK for keeping me interested in fighting games.
_To Ryo Yamazaki, Chip, samson, yota2001, CAPCOMSNKVISCOSAMMY, for
bearing with my "cheap" tactics and being cool and skilled opponents.
Wait until I come back from the US to give you guys a lesson! =P
_All my peeps from the boards -NickEvil, Geohound Omega, HustleKong,
MCJess, OrochiJin, Crispin Evil, Nevermind Me/Mao, FighterX, Andy7878,
Twinkie, softoutlaw, Mr. Bump, KANE79, 6Bit, rpgrobert, hoag1, miffo,
lobo, NoMeRoN, Jack Torrance, WTFer, D0NKEY K0NG, Rick, Roufuss, Skinny
Puppy, DigDat0, Momac*, Zohar Metatron, KindredWarr, ChainsawRaccoon,
Akira from PSO, XwShaynewX, Gudeath, thefigurehead, OrochiJin, dreamon,
YoungForrest, ninjakid, Punkguy, Dillinger, xtreme, umgogo, Lantis,
lukav, MeesterYuk, shaolin stylez, kal-el, chunli89, Space Ace, Terry
Bogard, Crimson Fury, Mr. Angry, pepper2000, Project Jiek, DFisher34,
bobfish, AkumaZ, Annihilated, cliveboy, Vegita, srwilson, JazzieD,
Vegita, GDBlood, NeoGamer, Cormega, Adanis, GalFord, Zigfried, Gunblade,
MLai, Forman, Rebirth Gamer, CJones, Huricanne Higashi, GlucoseJoe,
ShinATproof, DanKetch, Solid Snake, Czigga, gwings, Tones, Super
Android, NekkiBasara, Lebowski, DRVO...- and I'm missing some, for
making me want to stay on the boards and write this FAQ.
_gameFAQs.com and cheatcodes.com, For hosting this FAQ.
_totalstuff, for hosting this FAQ at ivgsource.tripod.com (great site).
_shoryuken.com, for listing the kara-throw ranges.
Vive la France! =)
This document is copyright 2001 BillyKane aka Nadir Sellam.