KEN MASTERS Character Guide version 2.0 Street Fighter Alpha 2 (SATURN) By John "CUL" Culbert (tigeraid@geocities.com) INTRO: ====== Ken remains one of my all-time favorite characters, and he's especially devastating in SFA2, because despite all the changes and disappointments with the other characters have been kept relatively low with Ken. Version Updates: -some typos corrected -Roll tactics corrected -ADDED COMBOS INVOLVING S.FORWARD 2-HIT -"edited" sac-throw section -edited CC section -changed stage description (that's not Hanzo...) -Other little corrections (to many to add) ******* LEGEND: BUTTONS ******* .-------------Jab D-PAD | .-----------Strong | | .---------Fierce U/B U U/F | | | \|/ | | | B--o--F | | | /|\ O O O D/B D D/F O O O | | | | | | | | | | | ----------Roundhouse | ------------Forward -------------Short QCT= Quarter Circle Toward (roll the joystick from D to F) QCB= Quarter Circle Back (roll the joystick from D to B) HCT= Half Circle Toward (roll the joystick from B to D to F) HCB= Half Circle Back (roll the joystick from F to D to B) + = enter commands simultainiously N = Neutral (return D-Pad to center) C. = Crouching S. = Standing J. = Jumping CU.= Cross-up (jump over opponent and hit back of neck with attack) (Note: the graphical legend applies to default arcade settings; the Saturn or other platform systems can be set up in many different ways) Some Short Forms Used in This FAQ: ---------------------------------- SF2= Street Fighter II: the World Warrior (may also refer to it as Classic) SF2CE= Street Fighter II: Champion Edition (may just be CE) SF2T= Street Fighter II Turbo: Hyper Fighting SSF2= Super Street Fighter II: the New Challengers SSF2T= Super Street Fighter II Turbo (may refer to it as Super Turbo) SFA= Street Fighter Alpha: Warrior's Dreams SFA2= Street Fighter Alpha II L1, L2, L3= Alpha Meter levels DP= Dragon Punch- can be referring to Ryu's, Ken's, or Akuma's Special move, or to the similiar joystick/D-Pad motion (F, D, D/F) HK= Hurricane Kick- can be referring to Ryu's, Ken's or Akuma's Special Move, or to the similiar motion (QCB+any kick) FB= Fireball- can be referring to Special Move possessed by many characters, or to the similiar motion (QCT+any punch) SC= Super Combo- pertaining to Super Combos from SSF2T or SFA2 CC= Custom Combo- pertaining to Custom Combos from SFA2 FK= Flash Kick- Guile's and Charlie's move, or similiar motion (charge D, U+any kick) SB= Sonic Boom- Guile's and Charlie's move, or similiar motion (charge B, F+any punch) HHS= Hundred Hands Slap- pertaining to E. Honda's Special Move (tap any punch repeatedly) YF= Yoga Flame- pertaining to Dhalsim's Special Move or similiar motion (HCT+any punch) SBK= Spinning Bird Kick- pertaining to Chun Li's pattened move (charge D, U+any kick) TAP= Turn-Around Punch- pertaining to Balrog's pattened move (charge all 3 punches or kicks, release) TU= Tiger Uppercut- pertaining to Sagat's pattened move (F, D, D/F+any punch) TK= Tiger Knee- pertaining to Sagat Pattened move (QCT, U/F+any kick or F, D, D/F+any kick in SFA2) SPD= Spinning Pileriver- Zangief's pattened move, or similiar motion (roll 360 degrees) FAB= Final Atomic Buster- Zangief's SC A WORD ABOUT... *************** THROWS AND GRABS: A Throw or Grab (including Special Move Throws, eg. Zangief's SPD) must be done right up close, and are unblockable; they can only be avoided. For grabs, repeatedly tap the button used and shake the joystick or D-Pad to make the repeated hits last longer. Do the same thing if you are caught in a grab to escape early. Ken has three normal Throws. TAUNTS: To taunt or tease your opponent with Ken, press the button you designated as "Chouhatsu" in the controller config screen (I recommend L if you use it at all, though it's better to have all three punches or kicks on the trigger buttons). Note that taunts cannot be stopped, and you are totally vulnerable, so choose where to do it wisely. With the exception of Dan, Taunts can only be done once per round. TECH HITS: In SFA2 the Throw soften was renamed the "tech hit", and it was given a little more freedom. To perform a tech hit, hold B or F and hit Strong or Fierce just as the opponent grabs you; in SFA2, you can now escape ALL regular Throws, including presses and grabs! It is still impossible to tech hit Special Move Throws (eg. Birdie's Bandit Chain). BUFFERING: This is a technique used in 90% of all fighting games out today. To buffer means to do the motions of one move while the animations of another move are still being performed. I will use Ken's 4 hit combo as a model: -S.Strong buffered into Fierce Dragon Punch This combo can be done either of two ways for it to count as a true combo: a) hit Strong, then F, D, D/F+Fierce b) F+Strong, D, D/F+Fierce Both cases have their advantages. A is much easier to time and more difficult to screw up, but you must have FAST fingers. The second can be confusing, but EXTREMELY effective if you can get the timing off. Just remember that the idea is to pull off the DP BEFORE the Strong Punch is finished its animations ("cancelling" the animation.) Eg. 2- (same button buffering) -crouching Forward buffered into Forward HK a) hold D and hit Forward, QCB+Forward b) hold D and hit Forward, D/B, B+Forward c) hold D and press and HOLD Forward, D/B, B, release Forward The latter is MUCH easier to time and requires less button presses. But in that case the D-Pad motions have to be done faster, but it is easy to get used to. I personally use b. ALPHA METER: At the bottom of the screen there is a meter called the Alpha Meter. This fills up when a) Ken is hit by the opponent with any attack, or he hits them with any attack, b) using any Special move or c) hitting any Fierce or Roundhouse. When the meter begins to flash it's outline, Ken is cabable of a level 1 Super Combo. If you continue to build his meter to level 2, Ken's cabable of a level 2 Super Combo. A level 2 Super of Ken's must be done with TWO buttons (for example, Ken's Shinryuken is done QCT, QCT+any kick; to perform a level two, do the same motion with TWO kicks). When the meter fills to level 3, Ken is cabable of his most powerful Super Combos. These must be done with all THREE buttons. NOTE: I only list the SCs with one punch or one kick; to perform their level 2 and 3, substitute 2 and 3 punches or kicks... SUPER COMBOS: Each Super Combo is a powerful attack that can be powered up to three different levels. You will know a character has executed a Super Combo because the screen will grow dark for a moment as they gather "chi" (spirit), and the game will pause for a second. If you finish your opponent with an SC of Ken's, the screen will flash brightly. ALPHA COUNTERS: Immediately after blocking an opponent's attack, Ken can immediately retaliate with an Alpha Counter. To do this, perform the motion B, D/B, D, and any punch or kick; a kick will perform a counter for ground attacks, and punch will counter air attacks (in most cases) Note: you need at LEAST a level 1 Alpha Meter to do one. BLOCKING: To block an oncoming attack, hold in the opposite direction. To block a low attack (i.e. the enemy hits low), hold D/B to crouch and block. In addition to blocking on the ground, it is possible in Alpha 2 to block attacks in the air. Attacks that cannot be blocked include most DPs, Super Combos, and ground-based uppercut attacks (eg. Zangief's C.Strong). OVERHEAD STRIKE: In addition to any jumping attack, there is an attack, introduced in SFA (actually, back in SSF2T with Ryu's), that can hit ducking, blocking opponents. Ken's Overhead Strike is explained further on. SAFETY ROLL: To avoid a lot of meaty attacks, Capcom added a roll to every fighter's repitiore. By rolling from B to D in one motion and hitting punch just as you land from a knockdown, Ken will roll forward along the ground to a standing position. You will not lessen any damage taken, but you can avoid meaty attacks in this fashion. Bear in mind that because of this added technique, meaty attacks are more difficult to cheese with in Alpha 2; if you are close enough to an opponent when you knock them down, wait a split second to see if they'll roll, then start your meaty tactic. CUSTOM COMBOS: Replacing Chain Combos from SFA, Custom combos allow you to chain ALL normal moves and even SPECIAL MOVES together into combos (it speeds the move up so their recovery is faster and you can throw another one emmediately). To perform a CC, you must first fill the Alpha meter at the bottom of the screen, then activate the CC with any two punches+any kick. Ken will get blue shadows behind him. A time meter will appear right above the Alpha Meter; depending on how much Alpha Meter energy you have when you initiate the CC, the timer will count down for a period of time. Once the CC is activated, Ken will slide forward and CANNOT be stopped until you attack. If you activate the CC in the air, they will fall at a normal rate, then start sliding forward. You CANNOT stop a CC once it is activated, and even if the opponent switches sides with you (i.e. jumps over you, or teleports), you will keep going in the same direction. BTW, the CCs I have listed to help out require a level 3. It is my opinion that this is the only time worth doing CCs, if at all... TICKS: The definition of a tick is basically this; a tick is an attack that, if you connect with it, you can go into a combo of your choice, and if blocked, you will recover in time to throw another attack before your opponent can; but, note that they also recover from their blocking animations at relatively the same time, so they will also be able to block the follow-up. But, since Throws are unblockable, you can nail them with a Throw! This tactic has been refined by many players, and in SF2: the World Warrior, Guile had the ability to Throw a Jab, and if blocked he could Throw emmediately (this was remedied in the later version--still possible, though, but can be avoided quickly) This tactic was used to win a popular SF2 tournament in Albuquerque, New Mexico, and ticks were to forever be considered extremely cheesy by anyone who loses (in some arcades they have gone so far as to BAN ticks!). If, however, the people you play against are okay with ticks, they are great in Ken's up-close game. For example, if you are up close throw a crouching Short--if it connects, you can buffer into a Fireball or Shoryureppa, and if blocked, immediately hold forward and Throw! It is possible to avoid, especially if they AC, but still quite difficult--works great on human opponents who are less experienced. REVERSALS: When a fighter is knocked down, there is a small window of opportunity for them to get up faster and attack at the same time (about 1/60 of a second). If a move is performed during this time, it becomes almost totally invulnerable unless the opponent is able to connect with a meaty attack first (see below.) Ken's reversal is only good if the opponent jumps in as you are getting up--simply throw out a DP just as you get up! MEATY ATTACKS: A meaty attack allows you to hit an opponent who is recovering from a knockdown (i.e. getting up) without them connecting with a reversal move (see above); for example, normally it is possible for Ken and Ryu to do a DP JUST as they begin to rise, and it can surprise many enemies. But, using a A VERY WELL-TIMED meaty attack will prevent them from doing that, even more so in SFA2 with their altered, vulnerable DPs. I'm not sure about the exact timing of a meaty attack, but I do know it has to be what I refer to as a "constant" attack, in other words an attack that is thrown without stopping and withdrawn without stopping; fireballs will not work as meaty attacks because they flicker in and out as they fly, and the opponent will be able to block them as they rise. Basically, you have to use good timing for it to connect just as they get up. If you connect with a meaty attack you can perform combos you cannot normally perform, because the stun put on the opponent when hit is longer than normal. SAC-THROWING: "Sac-Throwing" (short for sacrifice Throwing) put in loose terms is countering with Throws. In previous versions, I included blocking and Throwing, as well as Throwing the enemy from a missed attack in this section. However, as one of my replies to my SFA2 FAQS pointed out, a sac-throw is ONLY considered a true sac-throw when you have been HIT, then throw the enemy while they are still in their recovery frames. My explanation was a little clouded, sorry for the mix-up. As far as blocking and Throwing, or Throwing a missed attack, I suppose these are just "Counter-Throws". ############################################################################# INFO: ----- Growing up somewhat spoiled and a bit of a wild child, Ken's father felt it was important to provide dicipline for his child's upbringing. He finds out about Gouken from an old friend in Japan and decides to send him there at a young age. Ken befriend's the quiet and mysterious Ryu, and they train together many years. After Ryu and Ken part, Ken wants to see how he stands up to street toughs in competition, and he also enters the SF1 competition. He does exceedingly well, but his accomplishments are shadowed by that of Ryu who takes the tournament by storm. Ken had always seen Ryu as a friend and equal, but now he wonders who is truely better. Just out of his teens, he too searches for good competition and ends up finding Ryu. ENDING: When Ken wins, he tells Ryu that his loss is due to his lack of attention toward the fight. He knows that Ryu is still bothered over the fight with Sagat. Then, Ken gives his red ribbon (the one that was tying his pony tail) to Ryu (i.e. the red headband that Ryu wears in SF2!) When he returns to Eliza, he said that he has to train for the next fight, since he won against Ryu by just luck. Background: a cruise ship somewhere in the USA, during his girlfriend Eliza's birthday party. You can see a LOT of Capcom characters here, like Eliza herself, Felicia (Night Warriors) in the pool, and Captain Commando; and also, it's not Hanzo standing there in the middle, it's STRYDER, one of Capcom's classic action characters! Mid-boss: Dan End-Boss: Ryu Taunt: Gives you the thumbs up and says "Yatte Ze!" Win Pose #1: He raises his fist in the air. Win Pose #2: Gives you the thumbs up and says "Yatte Ze!" (I won, no?) Win Pose #3: He gives the piece sign MOVES LIST: ----------- -Fireball (Hadouken): QCT+any punch -Dragon Punch (Shoryuken): F, D, D/F+any punch -Hurricane Kick (Tatsumaki Senpuukyaku): QCB+any kick (can be done in air) -Roll (Zenpou Tenshin): QCB+any punch -Fake Roll: QCT+Chouhatsu -Axe Kick (Inazuma Kakato Wari): F+Forward (Overhead Strike) -Double Stomach Throw: F or B+Strong or Roundhouse (close) -Grab `n' Knee: F or B+Forward or Roundhouse (close) -Air Stomach Throw: F or B+Fierce (close in air) -Punch AC (Shoryuken): B, D/B, D+any punch (after block) -Kick AC (S.Roundhouse): B, D/B, D+any kick (after block) Super Moves: ------------ -Rising Dragon Destroyer (Shoryureppa): QCT, QCT+any punch L1-4 hits L2-6 hits L3-7 hits -Dragon God Fist (Shinryuken): QCT, QCT+any kick repeatedly L1-6 hits L2-10 hits L3-14 hits ############################################################################# REGULAR MOVES ANALYSIS: ----------------------- Jab- When standing or crouching Ken throws a quick punch--fast with good priority over standing attacks; when in close and the opponent is fast on the attack, use lots of these crouching and standing to be safe; if one or two connect, quickly buffer into a FB, Dragon Punch or Shoryuppa for a quick and easy combo. The Jabs have no range, but can also act quite well as ticks. Short- The S.Short is pretty much useless, but the C.Short is the dreaded ticking kick for Ryu and Ken, famous for its ticking ability since the original SF2. Very good for ticks, though not as much as in previous games, fast and has excellent recovery. Strong- S.Strong gives a short Side Uppercut (like his close Fierce from SF2), and the crouching version is a simple crouching straight punch. The S.Strong is a decent air counter, and either way, both are VERY important to doing any combos with Ken (see combos). Forward- The S.Forward is one of Ken's pattented "Krazy Kicks", but there's no annoying control motions for it anymore; he does a roundhouse similiar to his old S.Roundhouse from SF2, but he brings his foot back down at an angle for two hits. Looks cool, and is a decent air counter. EXTRA: the S.Forward is MUCH more important than I thought; first of all, you can buffer a Special Move out of the 1st hit, so it's an alternate choice to the S.Strong. And here's the best part; for some strange reason, you can buffer SUPER COMBOS ONLY out of BOTH hits of the S.Forward!!!! Just time it so the motions for the SC finish just as the second hit finishes! See combos for more info. The C.Forward is a great crouching attack, with awesome range, and always bufferable. Good from a few steps or up close, but some standing kicks or hopping attacks can take priority over it. Whenever it connects, buffer into at least a FB, or best with the Shoryureppa. Fierce- The S.Fierce is now totally useless; it used to be bufferable, but that was its only redeaming quality. It is no longer bufferable, it's slow and can be ducked. Stay away from it. The C.Fierce, on the other hand, makes quite a good air counter and is his most powerful bufferable attack. Once mastered in combos it can do mean damage. As an air counter I would personally prefer the Jab DP or the Shinryuken, but some may find the C.Fierce uppercut easier or more desirable. Roundhouse- The S.Roundhouse was formerly one of Ken's Krazy Kicks, but is now his normal S.Roundhouse. And boy, is it awesome! It's got great range and speed, and takes awesome priority over a lot of low attacks--this is a great move if the enemy is pressuring you with a lot of low attacks, especially slides like Sodom's. If blocked it can sometimes be countered, or ACed of course. The C.Roundhouse is the same ol' sweep, decent speed and decent range, but can be taken out by some high-priority moves. Jumping Attacks- Ken is quite good in the jump-in department, though he lacks a tad in air-to-air combat. The three attacks you need to worry about are J.Fierce, J.Roundhouse and J.Forward. J.Fierce is the easiest attack to combo from, because if it connects you land right in front of the opponent. However, its range is limited so make sure only to use it from as close as possible. The J.Roundhouse is a longer-ranged version of the J.Fierce, but since it is, you may end up jumping in from too far, hitting with it, then going into a combo which will miss. So, unless you jump in nice and close with it, you should always follow it with a C.Forward buffered into a FB. The J.Forward is the best CU attack in the game! It looks really weird, but it makes all of his body below him a contact surface (sort of like Zangief's Body Splash), so if you jump over the opponent and cross them up fairly close, it's sure to connect--after that, you're guarenteed a combo. ############################################################################# SPECIAL MOVES ANALYSIS: ----------------------- FIREBALL (HADOUKEN): ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ (Ken rears back, then thrusts his hands forward exclaiming "Hadouken" and throwing a ball of flame forward) The good ol' FB is still not as good as Ryu's, but that's OK 'cause you shouldn't be playing like Ryu anyway. It's slow and predictable, so if you're using it, use it from full screen, or somewhere where they cannot avoid it, or at least must block it without retaliating. DRAGON PUNCH (SHORYUKEN): ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ (Ken rises into the air exclaiming "Shoryuken!" with a powerful uppercut) The almighty DP is not so almighty anymore. It still hits three times with Fierce and sets 'em on fire, and still leaves Ken wide open if missed or blocked. However now in SFA2, it is also no longer invincible on its way up; it still takes high priority over pretty much anything (especially jumping attacks), but remember you can no longer go through FBs. His Jab DP is still Ken's BEST weapon, PERIOD. If blocked the recovery is fast enough to USUALLY avoid a counter-attack, and it comes out INSTANTLY. Ken's ULTIMATE air counter. The Fierce with all 3 hits STILL does more damage than Ryu's DP. HURRICANE KICK (TATSUMAKI SENPUUKYAKU): ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ (Ken hops and spins forward exclaiming "Tatsumaki Senpuukyaku!", hitting repeatedly with his legs) Overall a much safer and better attack than back in SF2. The Hurricane Kick hits many times and has great dizzying potential in combos--it also does AS MUCH damage as Ryu's IF all hits connect. If blocked, he's vulnerable to an extremely fast counter, especially a Throw (bad news if you're fighting Zangief or Birdie...), so make sure it connects--on the ground, stick with it in combos, or to go over ANY projectile EXCEPT Sagat's high Tiger and Bison's Psycho Shot. In the air, it is Ken's BEST (and only, really) way of working in an air-to-air fight. It takes good priority. As well, it can be used as the first hit of a combo; during its downward arc, Ken can hit the opponent while crossing them up with the last kick, then go into a combo. Stylish, but not neccessary. ROLL (ZENPOU TENSHIN): ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ (Ken performs a roll forward) Ken's Roll retains its awesome defensive capabilities--if the opponent throws projectiles (MOST opponents) from mid-distance or closer, roll under it and come up comboing! Another great thing to do is to roll in the middle of a combo to confuse the opponent and come up with a Throw or SC! (Style...) FAKE ROLL: ^^^^^^^^^^ (Ken begins to roll forward, but falls right on his back) TOTALLY useless. Ryu's Fake FB has a use, for drawing in jumping opponents. But this thing has a bad recovery and opponents have an eternity to hit you. Don't use it. AXE KICK (INAZUMA KAKATO WARI): ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ (Ken brings his foot up to the side, then brings it back overhead to hit twice) Ken's Overhead Strike. It is as slow as the others in this game, but has GREAT recovery. Mix it up with a lot of C.Shorts, that way you'll pressure them into crouching to block the kicks, but will get hit by the Axe Kick, thinking you were going into a combo. Again, not imperitive to good Ken play, but interesting to use sometimes. DOUBLE STOMACH THROW: ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ (Ken grabs the opponent by the shoulders, falls onto his back while placing his foot in their stomach, rolls over backwards twice and shoves them off with his foot) GRAB `N' KNEE: ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ (Ken grabs the opponent and knees them repeatedly in the mid-section, then kicks them away) AIR STOMACH THROW: ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ (Like the ground version, but falling in the air) All of Ken's Throws are not as effective as before because of the decreased Throw range introduced in SFA1. The Grab `n' Knee looks cool, but is REALLY weak, so stick with the Double Stomach Throw (puts good distance between you as well), and mix in the ticks here and there. The air version doesn't have very good priority, but if your opponent loves to jump, chances are they'll get caught in it. Incidentally, his Air Throw does MUCH more damage than his ground Throws. ALPHA COUNTERS: ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ Like everyone says, ACs ARE useless, especially in Ken's case. The Punch AC is a DP, but if you've got good enough timing, you can DP them out of the air without letting them hit you. His Kick AC is his S.Roundhouse, but c'mon, if you block something and they're in range for the S.Roundhouse, just use the damn S.Roundhouse! ACs are simply a waist of energy that could be spent on well deserved SCs, and are cheap turtler's moves. RISING DRAGON DESTROYER (SHORYUREPPA): ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ (Ken stoops and gathers his energy, then lunges forward and exclaims "Shoryureppa!" with a small DP, followed by more Dragon Punches, trailing shadows behind him) Thankfully through all of the stupid changes they made to a lot of the character's moves, Ken's Shoryureppa remains truely devastating. Great in combos and goes through FBs with ease, its main asset IMO is that it takes phenominal priority over all crouching attacks, so if you begin to see the opponent crouch to throw an attack (or they do a slide), quickly do the motions and nail 'em! As usual of course, if blocked or missed Ken's left wide open. DRAGON GOD FIST (SHINRYUKEN): ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ (Ken stoops low and gathers his energy, then shoots straight up into the air exclaiming "Shinryuken!" and spinning with a multi-hit uppercut, trailing shadows) The cooler looking of the two SCs, this one is Ken's most powerful air counter, so buffer it in whenever the opponent gets close jumping in. It also has the same old vacuum sucking ability, meaning if the opponent is a step or two away, they will be dragged into the uppercut. It takes GREAT priority over a lot of high attacks (eg. Sagat's S.Roundhouse). Again, if blocked or missed Ken's left vulnerable. ############################################################################# CUSTOM COMBOS: -------------- Although I still don't REALLY like CC's and use them rarely, I do admit that they CAN be stylish and fairly damaging (at L3). Thanks to Sean Hoyles' (see credits) Custom Combo FAQ, I've learned of a few good CCs for Ken: 1. standing Strong -> Strong DP -> crouching Fierce -> Fierce DP, standing Fierce -> Fierce DP (VS. JUMPING OPPONENTS) 2. crouching Roundhouse -> Forward HK -> Forward -> HK -> Roundhouse HK -> Fierce DP ############################################################################# EXAMPLE COMBOS: --------------- 1. J.Roundhouse, C.Roundhouse Comments: basic, easy 2-hit for decent damage. 2. J.Roundhouse, S.Strong buffered into Fierce DP Comments: probably the best combo Ken can use without a Super Combo involved. Quite easy to pull off for a 5-hit combo. 3. CU.Forward, C.Jab, C.Short buffered into Roundhouse Hurricane Kick Comments: Lots of little hits that add up to good damage... The C.Jab and C.Short do chain together quite nicely, though only a Fireball will usually connect unless you use a CU.Forward to start. This combo usually runs about 6 or 7 hits. 4. J.Roundhouse, C.Forward buffered into Fierce FB Comments: *YAWN*, old habits die hard. To prevent being annoyingly sterio- typical, only use this combo if you jumped in from too far with the Roundhouse, so that only the C.Forward with hit. 3 hits only. 5. J.Fierce, C.Fierce buffered into Fierce DP Comments: Ken's most powerful combo not involving a Super Combo. First you must learn how to buffer a DP into the C.Fierce. The best way to do this is like so: J.Fierce, F, D+Fierce, D/F+Fierce. You'll get 5 hits of destructive power. 6. J.Fierce, C.Jab, C.Jab, C.Short buffered into Shinryuken Comments: an extremely powerful combo; make the J.Fierce as deep as possible. At level 3, this will do WELL OVER 50% damage for 12 hits. 7. CU.Forward, C.Jab, C.Jab, C.Short buffered into Shoryureppa Comments: awesome damage at level 3, for 11 hits. 8. CU.Air HK, C.Forward buffered into Fireball Comments: see the HK section for info. Does 3 hits. 9. J.Fierce, C.Forward buffered into Strong Roll, Throw Comments: a good example of how to use the Roll in combos. Just don't use it too often or they'll be expecting it. BTW, throw in a Taunt after the Throw to make REALLY feel like shit! :) 10. CU.Forward, C.Jab, C.Short buffered into Forward Roll, Shinryuken Comments: the idea behind this is that if they're holding back by the time you Roll, they'll literally be walking into the SC! 11. J.Fierce, S.Forward (BOTH HITS) buffered into L3 Shoryureppa Comments: THIS IS THE MOST IMPORTANT COMBO FOR KEN!!!!!! I have just found out recently that BOTH hits of the S.Forward can be buffered into SUPER COMBOS only. You should strive VERY hard to connect with the above combo, which will do around 75% damage for 10 hits. The combo king still reins, it seems. :) ############################################################################# STRATEGIES: ----------- VS. RYU: ^^^^^^^^ Ryu isn't too much of a problem than he used to be. You can deal fairly well with his FBs, with the HK. Remember this though--if Ryu is throwing FBs from a far distance, only use Forward HKs with good timing to get around them, because it is possible for Ryu to really mix it up and then jump in to hit you during these moves. He can do the same from fairly close, only from here he can put in a fake Hadouken, and nail you when you try to HK through it. Jumping in on Ryu is suicide, but if he jumps and you can attack freely, he's being really stupid--Jab DP him or Shinryuken. The one thing you have to watch for is his fast FBs and the Shinkuu-Hadouken. Getting into a Fireball war with Ryu is a good way to get yourself killed. Ken's offensively geared, so go offensive, dammit! Edge your way through his FBs by jumping or HKing, and stick it to him up close, especially with your high-priority Supers. Once he has a level on the Alpha Meter, you must be more careful with your offensiveness, especially throwing FBs or doing Hurricane Kicks, because a good Ryu will SC you right out of them. VS. KEN: ^^^^^^^^ The mirror match is fast and furious, and for once, stay defensive. This is the key to defeating another Ken, who will most likely Roll or jump in; counter appropriately. VS. CHUN LI: ^^^^^^^^^^^^ Chun Li WILL take you out if you meet her in the air. However, staying on the ground will help you a lot, because a lot of Chun Li players who aren't really that good jump too often with her--her jump gives her big hangtime, giving you lots of room to set up a nice DP or Shinryuken to greet her on her way down. Your FBs are both fairly matched, so they aren't a major concern; Roll through them. You can jump in VERY easily on Chun most of the time, so don't be afraid to do so. Just make sure not to go offensive with her on the ground, because she has a lot of standing and crouching high-priority moves (eg. C.Forward) to give you a hassle. Just remember NOT to jump when she has a level charged, or you'll get a Kikosho up your arse. VS. ADON: ^^^^^^^^^ If you play like Ryu, you're even more dead than usual with Adon. The main thing is to get up close, where you can combo him or out-prioritize him with a Shoryureppa. In the air he can deal with you easily, likewise if you jump in. A VERY difficult fight. Punish any missed Special Move with a combo, or Throw him if you block the Jaguar Kick or Jaguar Tooth (this is avoidable in both cases, but most Adons won't expect it). VS. GUY: ^^^^^^^^ Like Chun Li, a lot of Guys tend to jump too much, leaving them prey to an easy DP or Shinkryuken. On the ground he can take good priority over most of your attacks, so try to keep him at a distance and make him jump. FBs are all right if you're a far distance away, otherwise he can do a Bushin Leap over them. Once you have a level charged go offensive and when up close the Shoryureppa will deal with most of his attacks. If you see him come in with ANY of his Bushin Run techniques, sweep him or S.Roundhouse as far away as possible. The only real thing to remember in this fight is NOT to jump in on a regular basis. VS. DHALSIM: ^^^^^^^^^^^^ ARGHH! Does he love keep-away! Thankfully, your Roll will deal with his various long-range attacks and Yoga Fires, just be wary when he has a level on the Alpha Meter or you'll get a Yoga Inferno in the middle of a Roll. Use a lot of Air HKs at the peak of your jump to get over his air defenses--Dhal will frequently attempt a S.Roundhouse or S.Strong, or Yoga Strike and you'll sail over it. Upclose he's mince-meat with low-priority moves, and the Jab DP works wonders here to take out his attempted long-range moves if you're fairly close. VS. GEN: ^^^^^^^^ Good anti-FB character, so don't throw any out of the blue. Jumping in is fairly safe as most Gen players cannot easily time the Mantis Kick, and you'll get 'em every time as long as you hit them early enough. Good Gen players will quickly switch to Crane Style and do the C.Roundhouse, an upward kick, so be watchful. If the enemy is in Crane Style and gets close, he's dead because all of his regular moves have HUGE initial delays. VS. SAKURA: ^^^^^^^^^^^ She will take great priority over your regular moves with her HK, so try and keep your distance. Counter her FBs with a Roll or your own Hadoukens, and she's spam if she jumps in. Up close she is a real nightmare, 'cause she can take out your low attacks with a buffered Violent Dragon SC and take out high ones with her HK SC! VS. ROLENTO: ^^^^^^^^^^^^ He will stay in the air a LOT and don't try to match him up there. The Jab DP is a big help in this fight,and do NOT throw FBs very often. Once you have a Shoryureppa charged, you can take him out of any of his ground moves, including the Knife Toss. Don't jump in too often, or he'll take you out with the awesome S.Strong or the Grenade Super. VS. ZANGIEF: ^^^^^^^^^^^^ You should be all right as long as you keep your distance. This match is best fought at mid-range, where you can Roll around if the opportunity arises for a Throw or SC, and can take out his pesky low attacks with the S.Roundhouse. If he jumps, he's spam for the Jab DP or Shinryuken, but you are also spam if you jump at him. If you see him do the FAB up close, hold down and WAIL on the Short button--you'll find it'll knock him out of it most of the time. VS. CHARLIE: ^^^^^^^^^^^^ Some Charlie's go offensive, but most will turtle. Rolling is very important, especially if he's doing lotsa SBs; come up out of the Roll with a Throw while he's still blocking--mix up the Rolls at various distances so you don't get predictble and he Somersault Kicks you. If he jumps in he's fodder, and if you jump in there's a good bet you're fodder, so stay on the ground. His C.Forward has great priority like yours, so stay around mid-range and poke with the Jab DPand S.Roundhouse. Your Shoryureppa takes out any of his normal attacks. VS. BIRDIE: ^^^^^^^^^^^ For GOD'S sake, don't throw FBs when he has a level on the Alpha Meter! He will hop and nail you if he is anything more than a scrub! Up close he has some high priority moves, especially the S.Short which he can tick with. Stay about mid-range and don't jump too often. Take out his Headbutts if they are predictable with a Jab DP. VS. ROSE: ^^^^^^^^^ No real experience vs. Rose with Ken. Just be careful with jumping and throwing FBs I guess. The S.Roundhouse should take priority over her Slide with ease. VS. SODOM: ^^^^^^^^^^ His defenses are a nightmare, so stay grounded and defensive. Use your FB and S.Roundhouse to distance him and possibly pressure him into jumping, where you can nail him. Up close he takes decent priority over your attacks, so avoid a confrontation at this range unless you have a Shoryureppa to buffer in. It is imperitive that you hit him when he jumps, even if he manages to air block, because his jump-in can either chain into a good combo, or an easy tick for his Butsumetsu Buster (Power Bomb). VS. SAGAT: ^^^^^^^^^^ Sagat is definetely not the problem he was back in SF2 (unless you play him like me ^_^ ), but if he stays careful and defensive he can be a bit of a pain. Jump over his Low Tiger Waves and Roll under his High Tiger Waves, because he'll most likely be whipping them off like there's no tomorrow. AVOID JUMPING IN AT ALL COSTS unless he leaves himself open for it because, as any good Sagat player like myself knows, Sagat will DESTROY jumping foes with his all-powerful S.Roundhouse or the Tiger Uppercut (I REFUSE to call it Tiger "Blow"!). Up close you can out-prioritize him most of the time with your Shorts for ticks and the C.Forward, however don''t be so hasty if he has a level charged, or he can buffer in a Tiger Genocide SC and that wouldn't be very fun. Don't throw FBs very often unless you're sure you can catch him when he jumps, because his jump is short and to the point, so he'll jump and land in no time. He can also Tiger Cannon through it, and it WILL catch you if close enough. VS. AKUMA: ^^^^^^^^^^ The all-purpose man is quite a bastard to fight, but hopefully he plays like SFA1, with constant Air FBs; this is Akuma's weakness in SFA2, because his Air Fireball has been delayed considerably, so if you know he's gonna throw one, DP the sucker (or even better, Shinryuken!). If he's really staying back with the Air FBs, jump up and Air HK him outta the sky! Up close you will trade hits often, but you can keep him at bay with S.Roundhouse and Jab DP; just don't get into a Fireball war with him, because he's just as bad as Ryu. And for god's sakes, watch out for that Raging Demon as you get up! SAFETY ROLL, DAMMIT, SAFETY ROLL! VS. BISON: ^^^^^^^^^^ Still quite a pain, and he'll try to get you with his FB -> Teleport -> Throw trap. The second he throws a Psycho Shot, Jab Roll to avoid him if he Teleports, or you can jump straight up and HK out of the way. If he jumps, he's fodder, but a wise Bison plays keep-away. Up close you'd be surprised how well that C.Roundhouse works... avoid getting in close, and once he has a level charged, don't throw anything out uneccessarily, 'cause he'll buffer in that Psycho Crusher in a second! VS. DAN: ^^^^^^^^ Seesh! It's DAN, for christ's sake! Seriously though, he can actually be a little challenge; just make sure not to jump in too often, because he has a few good remedies to that (included L1 and 2 Kenoura Koryuken). Up close his moves can actually take some priority, and he can also hop over your FBs with the Short Gale Kick. Just stay defensive and he'll eventually go offensive, or do one of his stupid taunts... ############################################################################# CREDITS: -------- Thanks to Capcom for a great game, and thanks to the following FAQ writers: Dan Wells Gene Leong Tyler Oswald and Sean Hoyles For their great FAQs. Also thanks to the guys over at the arcade for getting me started on the game and convincing me to rent it (After reading the newsgroup's put-downs). Also a Special Thanks to Jason Jamieson, who proved that Dhalsim's Teleport is a REAL pain in the arse, and JD Baptie, who convinced me through force that Ryu's FB traps are still disgustingly effective! ;-) This and other FAQs can be accessed at my new homepage: http://www.geocities.com/SiliconValley/Heights/1910 You can also e-mail me at: tigeraid@geocities.com "I said it before and I'll say it again--democracy simply doesn't work!" -Kent Brockman, the Simpsons