When I was 11 Street Fighter II was it. It seemed like all that we talked about in the schoolyard and hallways of my middle school was Guile's flashkick or M. Bison's wicked difficulty curve. This Thanksgiving I had the privilege of hosting a few Street Fighter tourneys at my place and showing some 10 year old cousins the ways of the D-pad. I am by no means an expert but the joy of teaching fresh young gamers some history and how to pull off their first hadoken really proves how this franchise still resonates, from its iconic cast all the way down to its revolutionary mechanics. Here are some tips designed to help even the most hopeless noob to chain combos and stay in the game.
Make the jump for hot fighter fun!
Make sure your hands are warm. Stretch your fingers and get comfortable.
Acclimate yourself with the controller or the arcade stick and remember there is no shame in reassigning the buttons.
Know your fighter's move set and be able to understand the difference between a charge character like Chun Li and D-Pad dial character like Crimson Viper.
If your not going to use an arcade stick, use the D-Pad. With an analog stick, commands tend to get mushy. D-pads offer quick response to the often complex Ultras, provide easier access when attempting charge moves and cancels and will be nicer to those thumbs.
Work with Ryu, Chun Li, and M-Bison. All three share game play mechanics that bleed into almost every other character's move set with slight alterations on style, range and purpose. Once you can throw a dragon punch, charge a kioken and purposefully time a slide the other characters will come more naturally.
Learn each move's range and purpose, and don't rely on super moves to win! Although they look flashy, a diet of only specials can seriously affect your winning streak. These moves are like the spice of the battle, only to be used when appropriate.
Light punch and medium kick are your best friends. They are quick on the recovery and allow the window of time for you to chain the higher combos, cancels and ultras.
Go into training mode with a friend so you can practice without penalty, and while the challenge mode in Street Fighter 4 can be a little ambiguous a times, it will absolutely give you a better feel for the game.
Practice, Practice, Practice. It is only by losing battles that you season the champion Street Fighter within. Try to think of losses like experience points. You level up when you lose and stay static when you win. Fighting games are very Pavlovian in that they get you to respond without thinking. Every time you lose, something small shifts into place within your fighting strategy and will make you a better player.
And my most important strategy: It is not over until that last sliver of life is gone. The moment you allow defeat to enter you mind is the moment you throw the match. Expertly exampled in the battle of Diago Vs. Justin at Evo in 2004, a floundering Ken is able to stay calm and like in any good game of chess, anticipates his opponent's moves without admitting defeat.
My kid cousins were unstoppable after some time in training and have promised to continue training by showing me their skills online. I encourage anyone with their own battle strategies to share and add to my own list. if anyone would like to go a round or two I am ROCsteady28 on the PSN.
Excellent article, mate. I appreciate you spreading the fighting game love! These tips are definitely quite helpful!
Very nice article, Roc. I don't have SF4 anymore, as the bitch mistress did me wrong one too many times, but I'd be glad to take you up on that offer when Super comes out.
I still play Alpha 2 and 3rd Strike regularly with friends, and they're still my two favorite entries in the series (hell, 3S is my all time favorite fighting game period).
Nice article.