Here is where you learn the basic offensive and defensive moves of the game that every character can do. What you learn from this page will really help you become a dangerous opponent. Sure, you can get by with just throwing out fireballs and pulling off supers now and then, but up against hard core gamers, you'll need a working knowledge of advanced tactics. Learn this page by heart cause it will definitely save your life....or at least your tokens. :)
Selection Screens and Options
Character Select
After you plunk in your tokens and hit start, you get a screen where you pick the team which you will play with. Simply pick your lead character and then your second one. You cannot pick two of the same character, but other than that you're free to mix Capcom fighters and Marvel characters. This is also the screen where you input all the secret character codes.
Helper Select
After choosing both of your main characters, the machine will automatically pop up a sub menu with 20 more faces on it. This is your list of helper characters. The cursor will move rapidly across the icons and unless you do a helper code, the computer will randomly choose a helper for you. This screen will appear after every match, giving you the oppurtunity to change helpers after each match. For codes, details and a complete roster, check out the Helpers Section.
Easy Mode
This is Capcom's way of making the game playable for beginners. After all your characters are chosen, you will have a choice between normal and easy mode. If you choose normal, you will obviously fight normally. However, if you choose easy mode, many of the game controls are simplified for you. Special moves can be done by rapidly hitting certain buttons. Auto air combos can be initiated by pressing LP+LK together near your opponent. This is a good way of getting familiar with the way that your character moves without having to worry about the advanced aspects of cancelling and ACing. However, easy mode players will lose insane block damage against supers and special moves. Experienced players will usually take advantage of this so you should hurry and get used to playing on normal mode.
Game Speed
Like in all other Capcom fighters, you can pick the speed of the game. Normal mode moves at a very slow and relaxed pace while turbo is much faster. There are advantages to both modes, but normal is often better for people starting out while turbo is better for people who want to feel the rush of a lightning quick fight. One good tactic is to learn how to fight well in both modes and find out which mode your opponent is used to. Playing slower or faster than they are used to is very disorienting and they will mess up most of their comboes.
Survival Guide
This section involves a detailed description of the universal defensive commands that every character can do. They are also what every player should master to survive in the world of Tag team fighting. Study these, you'll thank me for it someday.
The Switch Out HP+HK
This is one of the most important moves in the game. To switch, just hit the HK and HP buttons at the same time. Your lead character will quickly taunt while your partner flies in with an attack that I like to call the "Switch Hit". After he taunts once, he will be able to attack normally. Check out my Guide to Switching to learn the in depth tricks of the move.
The Dash or
Dashing is important when trying to advance for a big combo or for retreating when you know that you're gonna get your butt kicked. Every character has his own special dash and each one's effectiveness is variable. Often times it is necessary to dash in on your opponent to gain some forward momentum or certain comboes won't work.
Air Dashing
Certain characters can not only dash on the ground but in the air as well. This is useful for escaping supers that would otherwise hit you on the ground. Air dashing also helps to surprise opponents because it comes out extremely unexpectedly.
Alternate Control
Dashing and air dashing can also be done by hitting three punch buttons while holding the joystick in the desired direction. For some extra information on each characters particular dash, check out their individual combo pages which can be found in the Moves Guide.
The Super Jump or 3K
During a super jump, your character will soar very high into the air, leaving a trail of wind behind them. The camera always follows the super jumping character. Meanwhile, the opponent's position will be indicated by an arrow with a number on it. While in the air, the player can control his movement while rising and falling. This makes the super jump an extremely useful move offensively and defensively. The uses of the super jump are as follows....
Offensive Purpose
First of all, it can be used to get near your opponent. There are always going to be people that will throw out fireball after fireball and their hope is to kill you with block damage. Simply super jump into the sky and get near em. If your character has good air priority, then taunt them, heckle them and jeckle them. Do anything to make them follow you into the air and then show them that you're on their turf by knocking em back down. Watch out while coming down though because they will see you coming from a mile away and you might end up on the painful side of an anti air move.
Defensive Purpose
Super jumping is also good for retreating. If you need a breather from the fight, just continually super jump. However this is an act which I call "pogo turtling", cause not only are you doing nothing but blocking, you're also hopping around while doing it!
Air Combo Jumping
It is also necessary to super jump after a launcher for the air combo to connect. However, you only need to press up and not down up. Get to know the height of your characters super jump so that you'll know what you can catch and what you can jump over.
Advancing Guard 3P(while blocking)
This is simply one of the most useful defensive moves. This move drastically lessens the amount of chipping damage that you receive from special moves and supers. For example, if you're blocking a Shinku Hadoken, and do nothing, you will lose about 5% of your life bar by block damage alone! However, if you rapidly jam on the punch buttons and repeatedly "push block", you'll lose only about 2% of your life bar.
Pushing Away
An advancing guard will also push away an attacking opponent. This is useful whenever you're stuck in a corner trap and want a little bit of breathing room or if you are being hit by a move that will leave your opponent vulnerable as soon as it stops hitting you. Some of the best times to push block are when you're being hit by Chun Li's Kikosho and Ryu's Shinkuu Tatsumaki Senpukyaku.
Tech Hit +MP or FP
Basically, a tech hit is an escape from a throw. If you see someone trying to throw you, try to throw them at the same time and it will result in a tech hit! You'll either completely escape from the throw or get out of it with minimal damage. Tech hitting is useful when up against an opponent that will do nothing but throw. However, the timing is very difficult and takes some getting used to in order to master.
The Roll +P
Rolling is the best way to avoid OTG comboes and corner traps. As soon as you're knocked down, pull off the command to roll and your character will immediately get off his ass and roll away. This protects you from OTG combos that would otherwise hurt like hell. Also, if you manage to roll behind an opponent that's already pulled off his OTG super, you can counter him with any move of your choice. However, you've gotta be careful when rolling after a throw because you could end up just rolling into another one!
Universal Attacks
The Helper Attack MP+MK
This move has your helper character come in and pull off his designated helper attack. This move adds a whole new set of strategies to the game. The amount of times that you can do a helper attack is variable, depending on the damage that they do. Details in my Helper Characters Section!
The Team Counter HP+HK (while blocking)
If you're blocking an attack and you pull off a team counter, your partner will jump in and attack your opponent with a designated special move. This results in three things: A) The opponent probably gets hit, B) You lose a level of super meter and C) Your characters will be switched. Make sure that you know which move it is that your partner will use to counter because some counters are not effective against certain moves. Countering is useful for stopping supers, getting out of corner traps and safely switching out your characters. Learn the motion and pull it off whenever you need a free hit against someone who's got you stuck in a corner.
The Team Super HP+HK
During a team super, your lead charcter will pull off a designated super and after a split second delay, his partner will jump in and do his designated team super move. If it connects, it will do massive damage! However, most team supers can be seen a mile away and will only result in chip damage. However, many of the characters have comboable team supers that allow you to set up your opponent for it! Certain team supers are more effective than others. Hopefully, you'll have two characters with supers that compliment each other. Look in each characters individual combo sections for the best partners for your characters particular team super! The combo sections can be found in the Moves Guide. Finally, keep in mind that a team super requires two levels of super meter to pull off so make sure that you've got enough to spare or you'll accidentally switch out, leaving your partner vulnerable!
The Two on One HP+HK
At the start of this move, your partner will jump in with his Switch Hit and both your characters will taunt. It's sort of a combination of Custom Combos and Shuma's Spawning super. While it's activated, you will control both of your characters at once! The upside of the two on one is the fact that you'll have two characters on the screen with unlimited supers until the time runs out! The damage potential for this move is simply amazing. However, it is very difficult to control both of your characters in this mode, making them both very vulnerable to well times supers. This move is extremely useful against a near dead opponent because of the amazing chipping damage that occurs. Use it with care and remember that it takes two levels of super.
Ground Combo Specifics
Knockdowns
A knockdown is any move that basically puts your opponent on the ground. Knockdowns are used in ground combos to effectively end them while leaving your character safe. Watch out if they roll though. Block accordingly and don't get confused. The greatest thing about knockdowns is that they will set up OTG combos.
Strikes
Strikes are ground attacks that knock the opponents away toward the wall. They're great ground combo finishers because they'll knock your opponents far away, making it impossible for them to counter attack. The bad thing is that they will almost always prevent you from continuing your attack. As soon as you pull off a strike, the combo ends right there. Depending on your character, decide if a strike will be a better attack than a special move or knockdown.
Air Combo Specifics
Launchers
Launchers are without a doubt, some of the most important normal moves in the game. They are essential for setting up air comboes and if you don't know your characters launcher, then you are going to have a lot of trouble with your offensive game. I've included the specific launcher for all the characters in their individual Move Guides. The definition of a launcher is an attack that will launch your opponent helplessly into the air. While flying upwards, the opponent should not be able to block any attacks. All launchers can be cancelled into super jumps by simply pressing up immediately after contact is made. Get to know the properties of your characters launcher because some of them knock the opponent up in strange angles and heights.
Normal Launcher
This is the generic version and every character has one. They knock the opponent up at a good height and can be used both as ground offense and air defense. Learn how to chain moves before them so that if you know that an opponent will block, you can do a move that will give you relative safety instead of attempting the launch.
Small Launcher
Aside from the normal kind, there are certain other kinds of launchers that have special requirements. Small launchers cannot be followed by a super jump because they only knock the opponent slightly upwards. However, these are extremely quick and if they connect, your opponent will be lifted slightly off the ground and unable to block for a short period of time. These are often used in conjunction with Air launchers because they set them up perfectly. Examples of small launchers are Spiderman's C.Forward and Wolverine's C.Strong.
Air Launcher
The final kind of launcher is the Air Launcher. Air Launchers often have more combo possibilities than regular launchers because of the height that opponents reach after getting hit by one of these. They can be used as air defense or chained after a small launcher. However, if done while the opponent is firmly on the ground, will not result in a successful launch. You can still super jump right afterwards, but the opponent will remain on the ground. Examples of air launchers are Spiderman's S.Roundhouse and Hulk's S.Roundhouse.
AC Finishers
AC Finisher is an abbreviation for air combo finisher and quite simply put, it is a move that will finish an air combo. These can be normal moves, special moves and even super moves. The idea is that after one of these moves are done, the flying screen will be initiated, sending your opponent crashing to the ground. Knowing which moves are AC Finishers is a valuable part of being a combo master.
AC Finishers are valuable because they prevent the opponent from counter attacking you, they do a lot of damage and they are visually impressive. Not doing an AC Finsiher makes you look like a loser and your opponent has the opportunity to attack or air throw your sorry ass when you fail to connect with an AC finisher. I have listed down all the possible AC Finishers that the characters can possibly do in their individual combo sections at the Moves Guide. Examples of AC Finishers are Ryu's strong throw, Megaman's Mega Blaster and Hulk's SJ.Fierce.
Plain Ol Fun
The Taunt press Start
The ultimate insult! If your opponent really really sucks, hit the taunt at the right time to teach them to go practice before they challenge you again! Watch out though because it leaves you vulnerable. Oh....hehehe...don't tell anyone you heard this from me but if you're desperate...hit your opponent's start button and then hit them with a team super while they're taunting! Mwahahaha...I've done this once or twice and it really pisses them off!
But seriously folks, here are some of the best times to taunt
1. After pulling off a move that knocks your opponent on to the other side of the screen.
2. When they expect an attack (i.e. jump in on a turtler and taunt in their face!)
3. After an Air Combo and you land right in front of them
4. If you're leading by one and a half life bars...at this point, you can afford to eat a super or two!
The Post Match Beating press Start after K.O.
This is an option that Capcom's had in these games since the days of MSH! Just hit start after you win the fight and you'll regain control of your character. You'll have about four or five seconds to hit your opponent just for fun. Add insult to injury by doing this to your defeated human opponents! Hehehehe....
Freeze Points
If you manage to catch your character in a funky pose, you get awarded extra points! Now I can't list down every single pose for every character that'll award points but I can give you some tips. These are the moves you should look for that'll get you the most points:
1. Moves that show off underwear - These Capcom guys must be perverts or something[like the rest of us]. Do moves that show off panties and jocks and you'll get at least 1000 points. Examples are Jin's Dynamite Move and Chun-Li's S.Roundhouse. Eh-heh.
2. Breakdancing Moves - Do a move that makes your character look like he's breaking and you get a LOT of points, and I do mean a lot! Examples of this are the recovery frames of Zangief's S.Roundhouse and the beginning frames of Megaman's S.Roundhouse.
3. Special/Super Moves - If you catch your character in an interesting pose during a special or super move, then you're given a few points as well. Examples are Ryu's side view during a Hurricane Kick, Hyper Megaman just before he starts firing, War Destroyer and Soul Eraser
4. Taunts - This isn't for sure, but I've done it before with Ryu. So just pull off a taunt and if the screen freezes during the "best" frame, then you'll be awarded points.
� 1998 Migs Rustia: [email protected]
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