Street Fighter was a phenomenon that lasted for several years. But when this game came out in 1999, 2D fighters were not nearly as popular as they once were. 3rd Strike wasnt as popular as it shouldve been at first, but in time it was found to be a very deep, very balanced fighter developed especially for smart, exciting 1 on 1 competition. 5 years after its release, the interest in 3rd Strike increased as Capcom released 3rd Strike onto the PS2 (and that Evo2k4 Daigo video was circulated through the net), and later went online on the Xbox. Though it can never hit the same amount of popularity it had 15 years ago, 3rd Strike is still a great game that shouldve became a phenomenon like its SF2 brother.
I have never ever been this in love with a videogame ever. I dont just play it, I study it. I learn every aspect about it. I watch match videos and tourney videos as if they were sporting events. I am trying to improve myself in the game, but Im 5 years behind everyone else so technically its pointless, but Im having so much fun that it doesnt matter. It is such an excellent fighter, and I dont know any other fighter that feels so well put together. Capcom was able to change the game drastically, and yet have the changes seem like perfect extensions to the Street Fighting play style. With parries, red parries, techs, overheads, EX moves etc, it still feels like the same Street Fighter weve been enjoying for 15 years (the first one doesnt count).
I am so into this game that I am going to write a semi-long blurb on all 20 characters in the game. I know others like Haunts will tear apart some of my comments on some characters, and Im also not much of a writer, so Im prepared for the criticism. But I cant help myself so here we go.
Alex
Tier : Low-Middle Tier
Quote : You can't escape!
Alex was supposed to be the next Ryu, designed for the US fans to pick to love. Maybe thats why he resembles Hulk Hogan so much (he has the red bandana, and even has the big boot for godsake). Either way, Alex never reached the popularity that Capcom envisioned. Still, Alex is a fun fighter that I am proud to call my main guy. Alex has two major advantages: stun and power. His moves hit hard, and once hes stunned you, you are dead. Alex is a grappler, but unlike Hugo and Zangief, he actually has mobility with his dash, dashing elbow and air stomps. It makes Alex a formidable opponent. He does have weaknesses though. Many of his moves come out slow, and his moves have some pretty shitty priority (priority: if two moves come out at the same time, the one with higher priority hits). He is easy learn though and I suggest trying him out after a new player gets over there Ryu/Ken fix and want to try someone new.
Super Art I The Hyper Bomb (from behind, the 5G Hyperplex)
Big ****ing damage. If Alex grabs you with this, say goodbye to half your energy. He in invulnerable during the animation, so if his opponent is in an attack animation, hes screwed. If you grab the opponent from behind, a much faster, much harder move occurs. It causes much more damage. Problem with the super is that the bar you need to fill up for the super is very long, and you may only get the chance to use the super once per match, twice if youre lucky. Alexs EX moves are also very good so being limited on using those isnt a good thing. Best to do this move after a parry or if the opponent ****s up.
Super Art II Boomerang Raid
Good damage, 2 stocks, and hit confirmable (meaning you can hit someone before activating the super, and you have enough time to confirm the hit before supering so you dont waste the bar). Plus with 2 stocks, you are free to use EX moves whenever the need arises. The professional Alex players use this super.
Super Art III Stungun Headbutt
Alex flips in the air, flips down, and headbutts you repeatedly until you are stunned. Does okay damage, but then comes the stun damage. With Alexs power, you can make this special do more damage then the hyperbomb. The bar is very short too, which means you can use it 2-3 times a match if you are doing well. However, Alex is completely vulnerable when hes coming back down from the air, leaving him open to dragon punches, any antiair, or even a well-timed jab. There are some setups to improve your chances of hitting the super, but against a professional, there is no way youll hit them with this super unless you get really lucky. Use against fireball happy newbies (aka scrubs).
Akuma/Gouki
Tier : Middle Tier
Quote : You've fulfilled your purpose in life by allowing me to end it!
The man who killed Ryu and Kens Master. The demon that killed Bison because he deemed him unworthy of life. The THING with the worst ****ing health in the game. Everyones favourite Dragonball Z reject (totally joking, sorta, kinda, not really) returns to Street Fighter. He is very fast, very strong, and his moves have high priority. He is all about rushing in and overwhelming your opponent. Why isnt he top tier though? He has so little health its insane. Two hard hitting combos and Akuma is done. He also gets stunned real easily too. And he has no EX moves. It was all done for the sake of balance, and a good job was done of it too.
Super Art I Messatsu Gou Hadou or Super Fireball
A huge fireball. Very versatile super that can be done in the air, and it is linked easily from many moves. For the length of the bar it doesnt do a lot of damage, but if you use it right, it is guaranteed damage. Professional super of choice.
Super Art II Messatsu Gou Shoryu orTriple Shoryuken
The same super Ken and Akuma have had since Super Turbo. This one does really good damage. Not as linkable as his first super, but still can be hit confirmed which is the requirement for a good non-throw super.
Super Art III Messatsu Gou Rasen orSuper Hurricane Kick
Akuma starts to spin really fast on the spot and rises into the air spinning like mad. A good anti-air super and I believe can be hit confirmed, but only a few ways. The super doesnt have good reach so it can be whiffed quite easily, and if it does miss, it gives your opponent lots of times to come up with a devastating hit, and its not like Akuma can afford the hit. Does good damage though.
Secret Super Art The Raging Demon
LP LP -> LK HP. The move that sends your soul straight to hell (or something). The move that introduced him to Street Fighter fans (if you make it to Bison Super Turbo without losing a match, Akuma will come in, hit Bison with the raging demon and fights you instead), it is a well liked super because it is so flashy. Does great damage, but needs two superbars. Even though it IS linkable, it really isnt easily done in a real match, but there are setups to get it to work.
EDIT - there are ways to make this super unavoidable. The two setups are called Dash->Demon and Kara-Demon. Both dashing into demon, or karaing the demon (f.mp karacanceled into demon), if you are right next to the guy, will hit no matter what. It gets Hugo's Gigas properties where you can't even jump out of the way. Very hard to do but very flashy if you can do it.
Secret Super Art Kongou Kokuretsu Zan
Akuma slams his fist into the ground, causing an enormous shockwave that will do huge damage. The only move that can kill a character (Twelve) in one hit (though probably could never happened in a real match). However, it takes nearly 2 seconds for the move to go off from the flash that signals a super, which gives someone knows the game enough time to get out of the way, but if someone is cornered it could probably do good chip damage. All flash.
Chun Li
Tier : Top (whore) Tier
Quote : I am the strongest women in the world.
Chun Li is a whore. A no good dirty ****ing whore. Okay, shes not that bad, but anyone who wants to get good at this game will quickly learn to hate Chun Li. Her moves have great priority, her back+FP move come out much too quick for a fierce move, and her SAII super is much too powerful for a medium sized bar. On top of everything, can build up two stocks of it. What really makes the super dangerous though is that it is easily hit confirmable from a down+MK hit, and that move in itself has high priority and comes out really really fast. In a flash your health can go down 40-50%. Theres a good reason why Evo 2K5 finals was a Chun vs Chun fight.
Super Art I Kikou Sho
Chuns big blue ball returns once again, and this time its at least 5x bigger than its Alpha counterpart. Does good damage for such a short bar, linkable, excellent anti-air. A great super which would be used all the time if the second super wasnt so extremely abuseable (yes Im bitter). I use this super whenever I play Chun to make things fair.
Super Art II Houyoku Sen
The very powerful, very quick super that Chunners love to use. You have to fight Chun differently when she has meter because of this super. Ive already talked about it enough, needless to say there is no reason why anyone would choose her other two supers. This one is just too good. Unfortunately this causes most matches of Chun to consist of her building up meter, then when they get meter, randomly trying to hit you with a d.Mk until one luckily hits and they unleash the super. Repeat. And after the last hit you can super-jump cancel for an extra hit or two, just to make it that little bit worse. Why does it have two stocks??!? (begins to sob)
Super Art III Tensei Ranna
This super sucks. A decent anti-air, but not very linkable, bad range and doesnt do a whole lot of damage. It has 3 stocks so you get a lot of EX meter, but Chuns EXs arent really that useable save one. Not even that good of an anti air. Useless.
Dudley
Tier : Upper Tier
Quote : Fight like a gentleman... Live like a gentleman!
Dudley is the man. Thats all there is to it. Hes a rich English 1920s style boxer with a mustache that looks like it was drawn on by a sharpie. ****ing awesome! And just to make him cooler, important part of his strategy is to throw roses at his opponents. He may be a boxer, but he is not like Balrog at all. Lightning fast punches and powerful juggles, Dudley is just a hair away from being in the top tier. His moves do a lot of damage and has excellent EX moves. He does have a problem with his low game, and his air game is weak which is the main reason he isnt at the top of the ladder. Still, a great character to learn and love.
Super Art I Rocket Uppercut
Kind of like Ken and Akumas triple shoryuken supers, Dudley hits you three times with very powerful uppercuts. The move is quick and has two stocks so you can still abuse Dudleys great EX moves. Does decent damage and is easily hit confirmed, though not quite as comboable as his SAIII.
Super Art II Rolling Thunder
One long bar, good damage and good stun. Dudley dashes in and sends body-blow after body-blow until a powerful uppercut. The move only has one stock, which means less EX moves to burn and limits options. The super in itself is great (can be comboed FAR off a f.hp), but not enough damage for the bar, and Dudley is EX dependent so it isnt usually picked in professional matches (though it happens, its not bad). Fun to fool around with though.
Super Art III Corkscrew Blow
One of the most comboable supers in the game, Dudley fires a quick drill punch into the face of his opponent. A short bar and three stocks means he will probably always have this super ready to go. This move can hit at a distance, but since the first hit contains about 60% of the damage in the super, missing that first hit makes the super nearly painless. Good super to get nearly guaranteed damage. High level players use both SAI and SAIII.
Elena
(small picture picked to not expose you to monkey balls)
Tier : Lower Tier
Quote : Care to dance?
She may have the most annoying stage music ever, but Elenas no slouch. She has the most overheads (moves that hit crouchblocking opponents) in the game and can really hurt with her EX and supers. She has a great throw too. However, her defense is low, doesnt have huge reach and a lot of her special moves leave her open. Most people who would pick Elena would probably pick Chun instead since she has a similar game but none of the weaknesses.
Super Art I Spinning Beat
It has a short bar and its a decent anti-air, but the Spinning Beat is just really weak. I dont use this super so I dont have much to say about it. Use Brave Dance if you want damage.
Super Art II Brave Dance
Elena jumps at you and starts kicking you up and down for ten hits. Great damage and it is hit confirmable, though the confirm window isnt as big as other characters. Her hit confirmable poke (d.mp) isnt the greatest either since it doesnt have great priority, reach, and is parriable both high and low. With this super, Elena can punish well, and with two stocks, she can use her powerful EX moves.
Super Art III Healing
Want to piss off your opponent? Pick this super. Its a long bar, but once its full you can heal about 1/3 of your energy. Hit your opponent so hes at a distance and activate this super. If you activate it by accident, no problem, just hit PPP and it gets cancelled really quick, allowing you to surprise your opponent who thought HE was gonna get the free damage. The best thing about healing is that with a full bar, you can still punish. Elena has a great 3 EX move combo that does almost as much damage as a Brave Dance. So if your opponent messes up royally, you can still punish even though your super doesnt do any damage.
Gill
Tier : GOD tier
Quote : Kneel before your master.
The final boss, Gill is a disappointment. He just doesnt look menacing at all, half blue, half red, in a thong apparently Capcom wanted to show off its SF3 engine by making the character colourful. Fighting wise, Gill is beyond good. Gill has huge priority, superquick moves, his normals do chip damage, has infinites, deals huge stun, and has a super that can do 70% damage. On top of that, on a full bar, he will resurrect. But hes a boss character and these things are to be expected. However, on Xbox Live some ****ers like to pick him, which is very angering. Unless youre really good, or they really suck, just drop cause hell only have to hit you once to juggle and stun you.
Super Art Meteor Shower
When Gill does this super, you know he chose poorly. Well it isnt that bad. He sends down a bunch of his projectiles from the sky, which are easily blocked, but if youre in the air youre in for some trouble. Or if youre close to Gill, just hit him and theyll stop. If it hits you it does good damage but he basically wasted his super cause he didnt do
Super Art Seraphic Wing
It does 70% damage if it hits. It does 20% chip damage if you block. It cant be parried. If you hit him before it activates, you cancel it, but he still has his superbar filled. If you survive though, he drops down a bit dazed which leaves him open for one good combo, so make it count. If youre wondering why his supers dont have numbers, its because he can do any one at any time when he has meter.
Super Art Resurrection
The first time you see this, you are ****ing shocked. You think you finally won, then Gill flies up in the air and refills his bar. Oh sure you can cancel it by hitting him, but hell still get at least 30% of his health back if youre lucky. If youre against the CPU, just wait for him to waste his super instead of having to deal with this crap.
Hugo
Tier : Bottom Tier (BUT in the hands of an expert can do extremely well)
Quote : I AM NUMBER ONE!
Was he in Final Fight? His name isn't Andore, but he looks exactly like him, right down to the pink outfit. At any rate, Hugo is HUGE. Very intimidating, but that also means he's easy to hit, but that isn't all bad. He has great reach, and he recovers from blockstun/hitstun the fastest out of everyone in the game. This means some moves with a delay, like Makoto's Hayate or an early dropkick, even if they hit Hugo can lead to him grabbing your ass and causing major damage. And I'm talking major damage. One fierce 360 will take off a ton of life. However, this causes a lot of players to base their game on trying to hit the 360, which is a mistake because Hugo has some great hitting normals and special moves. His meat squasher move is good for rushing and gets the opponent into the corner, which is what Hugo (or any character for that matter) wants. Hugo also has a huge amount of life to lose, which is a huge plus. Why is he low tier though? He is slow, which means he can become pretty helpless against rush characters like Akuma, or have no way of getting in on distance characters like Necro. Does it mean he's helpless? Hell no. He's ****ing #1 for godsake. But when you pick Hugo, prepare to have to work for your win.
Super Art I Gigas Breaker
This is the monster. The hardest hitting non-Gill super in the game. When Hugo has his meter full, the whole game changes. No dumb risks. No random supers. One can't afford it. If Hugo blocks a lagging special/super, or parries something you shouldn't have done, prepare to lose. This super has a long bar, but Hugo builds meter really fast so it isn't that big of a deal. What makes this super the hardest to get on someone? 720. You have to spin the stick twice to activate it. 360's aren't too bad because there is a trick to do it without jumping (do a 270 till you're in the up position before hitting punch)...but 720? You have to do something to make sure you don't jump. Scrubs tend to jump in to activate it, or do it at wakeup, but that's really really obvious. Use hitstun and blockstn to your advantage, use a whiffed move to buffer the 720, and know your opponents moves and which ones will leave him wide open. Master parrying, and especially after red parrying, and prepare to be feared.
EEIINNN!!!!! ZWIIIEEEEE!!!! DRRIIIIEEEE!!!! END!! Damn right.
Super Art II Megaton Press
The ultimate antiair, Hugo jumps up, grabs you in midair and spins, whipps you to the ground and then bodysplashes your ass with his 8 foot, god knows how many pounds body. Huge huge damage. There are even ways to combo it, though usually these combos will cause the damage reduction to lower its power. Against heavy jumping characters like Yun and Yang, this super can be very helpful, as anyone who was smart wouldn't jump at all while you have meter. Good fear factor, but you have to be really quick and good at anticipation to get this super to work for you. If he throws out an early kick or something, there's a chance it will cancel you out of the super, so it isn't unstoppable. But almost.
Super Art III Hammer Frenzy
A much needed rush move for Hugo, he runs up and starts smacking the shit out of his opponent. This move does good damage for a pretty short bar, but what really makes this super is that it's a way to get in. Hugo doesn't have much to rush in with, as he is vulnerable during most of his rushing moves and his dash is pathetic. However, this will change all that. This special is also linkable which makes it all the better. If you can't do the 720 I suggest this special. I'm not sure but I think its startup goes through fireballs (not the actual running though), so use that knowledge to your advantage. Oh, and hold the punching button to keep Hugo running and release when you want him to start attacking. Hold too long and the super will cancel, but you can unleash 360 after it for a pretty interesting, although risky as hell, mixup.
Ibuki
Tier : Middle-Low Tier
Quote : I'm sorry I went so quickly! A girl's gotta have fun, you know!
The wittlest ninja is back and shes horribly nerfed from Second Impact. There she was overpowered in the first one, had so many huge combos that hit so quick that it made her just too good. They mightve gone a bit overboard for Third Strike though, as she isnt that great in it. Shes still quick and has some strong moves, but she takes damage almost as bad as Akuma and her supers arent the easiest to hit with. She has the shortest throw distance too. She can still juggle like mad and has good EX moves though, that little thing can still cause big damage.
Super Art I Kasumi Suzaku
Short bar, 3 stocks, does great damage and is really hard to hit someone with it. Only comboable off of an EX Kazakiri (dragon kick) but does big damage if it connects. It also gives lots of meter for EX moves, which Ibuki needs and is why this super is picked for high level play.
Super Art II Yoroi Doushi
HUGE damage, barely comboable, and if you arent close enough, a secondary, much weaker super will come out. It is also one large bar, so EX moves arent as useable anymore (in case youve been wondering, I say that because you want that superbar full to have the ability to use it incase the opportunity comes up. If you dont have it, you lose that opportunity, so you use EX moves less with a move with only one stock). This move is fun to use against new people, but you probably wont get it on someone whos good unless theyre caught offguard.
Super Art III Yami Shigure
Ibuki slices and dices you with her daggers. Its a quick move that hits low and does a good amount of damage for such a short bar. Its only one stock so you cant use a lot of EX moves with it, but its a decent super. I rarely use it though so I dont have much to say about it.
Ken
Tier : Top Tier
Quote : Hey, they might make an action figure out of you too, someday!
Ken is the character that has every tool you need for any kind of play. Up close, far away, in the air, crouching, great antiair, great pokes, great hit confirms, good health, etc etc, he has the tools. And hes strong. He can link two jab dragon punches in a row (for mad damage), and has a target combo (mp->fp) that does good damage and is extendable. He also has the most comboable super in the game, which I will discuss below. Is he overplayed? HELL yes. In fact, if youre playing someone new, youd better expect to play Ken or Akuma. But hey, look at the bright side, at least they arent turtling with Chun .yet
Super Art I Shoryu-reppa
Ken does the super hes had since Super Turbo, 3 dragon punches in a row. I never use this super, and I rarely see people use this super, so I cant really comment on it. Not that great.
Super Art II Shinryuken
A really fun super with a lot of power. Also in Alpha and MvC2, Ken does a dragon punch straight up. This one doesnt vaccum you up like in other games, so you have to be right up next to the opponent to hit him with it, which can be difficult. It is comboable, and does good damage for its bar. If you have full meter, your opponent just cant jump in since its not really parriable (you press the buttons rapidly to get as many hits as possible, if they start parrying, just slow down and the timing change will **** up the parrying), so its really great to shut down jump happy players. However, it has so little reach that it lowers its use. Also, Ken has great EX moves and since it only has one stock, it makes this super choice #2.
Super Art III Shippu Jinrai Kyaku
First off, its bar is short so you can build them up fast. 3 stocks so you have plenty of meter for EX moves. And it comes out really fast and can be used as a wakeup. And it does have vaccum properties so it can suck in a character who might think hes at a safe distance. But what really makes this super good is that well, it can pretty much combo into anything. Name a move Ken has, and theres probably a 70% chance of it being cancelable into Shippu. Basically, getting hit by Ken means this super is coming right after the hit (if they can hit confirm well). One of the best supers in the game.
Makoto
Tier : Upper/Top (random) Tier
Quote : It hurts twice as much when you know that it was your fault!
Makoto has a fighting style on her own, a unique one for the series. For the few years when 3rd Strike was released in Japan, she was considered low tier. Its amazing how much is unknown about a character until thousands upon thousands of people figure the character out. Now shes considered ALMOST top tier (not quite but almost). Why is she so great? Well she does great stun, and a lot of damage, but the main reason is the karakusa, where Makoto grabs you and does a bit of damage, but stuns the opponent for a split second to allow for another hit. Its possible to combo from karakusa into the SAII, which makes Makoto become a beast. Her SAI aint too shabby either. Makoto is just a fun character to learn.
Super Art I Seichusen Godanzuki
Makoto punches you a few times then sends you flying. This move has great startup, good vacuum properties and does a lot of damage. Im talking a good 30-40%. Its also very stylish with Makoto saying .something. Only one bar, so blah blah, EX, blah blah, you get the point. Also because Makoto poses after getting the last hit of this super, you dont have the opportunity to put pressure on your opponent on wakeup which is an important part of the game. You can hit the super after a karakusa but it scales back the damage 25% or so. Still, a great super that can turn the momentum of a round in a flash.
Super Art II Abare To Sanami
I could be wrong, but I bet when Capcom released the game, they thought this move was uncomboable. I mean the bar is not too long and not only does the move do monster damage, you can combo it for more monster damage. Theres even a 100% stun combo you can do after it if you can pull off the kara move (kara is when you cancel a normal move within the first few frames into another move to improve that moves range, karathrows are an important part of 3rd Strike). But it is comboable after an fp if youre in the right position (Makoto will have to be close to the corner for it to combo). If you karakusa someone in the right position from the beginning of the round, its almost over already. Sure, its only comboable within one half of the screen, but when the opportunity knocks, she knocks ****ing hard. 2 stocks for EX moves, which is good cause if youre too far to combo the SAII, you can still do a fp -> EX hayate that does good damage/stun and a knockdown.
Super Art III Tanden Renki
UNBLOCKABLE! Not the move, but Makoto when she activates this super. Yes, all of Makotos moves do MASSIVE damage for a period of time, but she cant block during that period, which pretty much makes this move pointless to use unless youre just messing around with the game. You can parry, but parrying isnt easy. One thing I love about it is that the last hit does the huge KO!!! fanfare, so on the last hit I hit with the karakusa. She grabs slloooowly brings you up into the air . BAM KO WHOOOOO .slloooowly brings you back down, and you keel over.
EDIT - with some experience, I've learned that the trick to this super, is obviously, not to let your opponent attack. If you know Makoto's pressure techniques, against certain characters (like Hugo), this super is quite useable.
(other half on next post)
I have never ever been this in love with a videogame ever. I dont just play it, I study it. I learn every aspect about it. I watch match videos and tourney videos as if they were sporting events. I am trying to improve myself in the game, but Im 5 years behind everyone else so technically its pointless, but Im having so much fun that it doesnt matter. It is such an excellent fighter, and I dont know any other fighter that feels so well put together. Capcom was able to change the game drastically, and yet have the changes seem like perfect extensions to the Street Fighting play style. With parries, red parries, techs, overheads, EX moves etc, it still feels like the same Street Fighter weve been enjoying for 15 years (the first one doesnt count).
I am so into this game that I am going to write a semi-long blurb on all 20 characters in the game. I know others like Haunts will tear apart some of my comments on some characters, and Im also not much of a writer, so Im prepared for the criticism. But I cant help myself so here we go.
Alex
Tier : Low-Middle Tier
Quote : You can't escape!
Alex was supposed to be the next Ryu, designed for the US fans to pick to love. Maybe thats why he resembles Hulk Hogan so much (he has the red bandana, and even has the big boot for godsake). Either way, Alex never reached the popularity that Capcom envisioned. Still, Alex is a fun fighter that I am proud to call my main guy. Alex has two major advantages: stun and power. His moves hit hard, and once hes stunned you, you are dead. Alex is a grappler, but unlike Hugo and Zangief, he actually has mobility with his dash, dashing elbow and air stomps. It makes Alex a formidable opponent. He does have weaknesses though. Many of his moves come out slow, and his moves have some pretty shitty priority (priority: if two moves come out at the same time, the one with higher priority hits). He is easy learn though and I suggest trying him out after a new player gets over there Ryu/Ken fix and want to try someone new.
Super Art I The Hyper Bomb (from behind, the 5G Hyperplex)
Big ****ing damage. If Alex grabs you with this, say goodbye to half your energy. He in invulnerable during the animation, so if his opponent is in an attack animation, hes screwed. If you grab the opponent from behind, a much faster, much harder move occurs. It causes much more damage. Problem with the super is that the bar you need to fill up for the super is very long, and you may only get the chance to use the super once per match, twice if youre lucky. Alexs EX moves are also very good so being limited on using those isnt a good thing. Best to do this move after a parry or if the opponent ****s up.
Super Art II Boomerang Raid
Good damage, 2 stocks, and hit confirmable (meaning you can hit someone before activating the super, and you have enough time to confirm the hit before supering so you dont waste the bar). Plus with 2 stocks, you are free to use EX moves whenever the need arises. The professional Alex players use this super.
Super Art III Stungun Headbutt
Alex flips in the air, flips down, and headbutts you repeatedly until you are stunned. Does okay damage, but then comes the stun damage. With Alexs power, you can make this special do more damage then the hyperbomb. The bar is very short too, which means you can use it 2-3 times a match if you are doing well. However, Alex is completely vulnerable when hes coming back down from the air, leaving him open to dragon punches, any antiair, or even a well-timed jab. There are some setups to improve your chances of hitting the super, but against a professional, there is no way youll hit them with this super unless you get really lucky. Use against fireball happy newbies (aka scrubs).
Akuma/Gouki
Tier : Middle Tier
Quote : You've fulfilled your purpose in life by allowing me to end it!
The man who killed Ryu and Kens Master. The demon that killed Bison because he deemed him unworthy of life. The THING with the worst ****ing health in the game. Everyones favourite Dragonball Z reject (totally joking, sorta, kinda, not really) returns to Street Fighter. He is very fast, very strong, and his moves have high priority. He is all about rushing in and overwhelming your opponent. Why isnt he top tier though? He has so little health its insane. Two hard hitting combos and Akuma is done. He also gets stunned real easily too. And he has no EX moves. It was all done for the sake of balance, and a good job was done of it too.
Super Art I Messatsu Gou Hadou or Super Fireball
A huge fireball. Very versatile super that can be done in the air, and it is linked easily from many moves. For the length of the bar it doesnt do a lot of damage, but if you use it right, it is guaranteed damage. Professional super of choice.
Super Art II Messatsu Gou Shoryu orTriple Shoryuken
The same super Ken and Akuma have had since Super Turbo. This one does really good damage. Not as linkable as his first super, but still can be hit confirmed which is the requirement for a good non-throw super.
Super Art III Messatsu Gou Rasen orSuper Hurricane Kick
Akuma starts to spin really fast on the spot and rises into the air spinning like mad. A good anti-air super and I believe can be hit confirmed, but only a few ways. The super doesnt have good reach so it can be whiffed quite easily, and if it does miss, it gives your opponent lots of times to come up with a devastating hit, and its not like Akuma can afford the hit. Does good damage though.
Secret Super Art The Raging Demon
LP LP -> LK HP. The move that sends your soul straight to hell (or something). The move that introduced him to Street Fighter fans (if you make it to Bison Super Turbo without losing a match, Akuma will come in, hit Bison with the raging demon and fights you instead), it is a well liked super because it is so flashy. Does great damage, but needs two superbars. Even though it IS linkable, it really isnt easily done in a real match, but there are setups to get it to work.
EDIT - there are ways to make this super unavoidable. The two setups are called Dash->Demon and Kara-Demon. Both dashing into demon, or karaing the demon (f.mp karacanceled into demon), if you are right next to the guy, will hit no matter what. It gets Hugo's Gigas properties where you can't even jump out of the way. Very hard to do but very flashy if you can do it.
Secret Super Art Kongou Kokuretsu Zan
Akuma slams his fist into the ground, causing an enormous shockwave that will do huge damage. The only move that can kill a character (Twelve) in one hit (though probably could never happened in a real match). However, it takes nearly 2 seconds for the move to go off from the flash that signals a super, which gives someone knows the game enough time to get out of the way, but if someone is cornered it could probably do good chip damage. All flash.
Chun Li
Tier : Top (whore) Tier
Quote : I am the strongest women in the world.
Chun Li is a whore. A no good dirty ****ing whore. Okay, shes not that bad, but anyone who wants to get good at this game will quickly learn to hate Chun Li. Her moves have great priority, her back+FP move come out much too quick for a fierce move, and her SAII super is much too powerful for a medium sized bar. On top of everything, can build up two stocks of it. What really makes the super dangerous though is that it is easily hit confirmable from a down+MK hit, and that move in itself has high priority and comes out really really fast. In a flash your health can go down 40-50%. Theres a good reason why Evo 2K5 finals was a Chun vs Chun fight.
Super Art I Kikou Sho
Chuns big blue ball returns once again, and this time its at least 5x bigger than its Alpha counterpart. Does good damage for such a short bar, linkable, excellent anti-air. A great super which would be used all the time if the second super wasnt so extremely abuseable (yes Im bitter). I use this super whenever I play Chun to make things fair.
Super Art II Houyoku Sen
The very powerful, very quick super that Chunners love to use. You have to fight Chun differently when she has meter because of this super. Ive already talked about it enough, needless to say there is no reason why anyone would choose her other two supers. This one is just too good. Unfortunately this causes most matches of Chun to consist of her building up meter, then when they get meter, randomly trying to hit you with a d.Mk until one luckily hits and they unleash the super. Repeat. And after the last hit you can super-jump cancel for an extra hit or two, just to make it that little bit worse. Why does it have two stocks??!? (begins to sob)
Super Art III Tensei Ranna
This super sucks. A decent anti-air, but not very linkable, bad range and doesnt do a whole lot of damage. It has 3 stocks so you get a lot of EX meter, but Chuns EXs arent really that useable save one. Not even that good of an anti air. Useless.
Dudley
Tier : Upper Tier
Quote : Fight like a gentleman... Live like a gentleman!
Dudley is the man. Thats all there is to it. Hes a rich English 1920s style boxer with a mustache that looks like it was drawn on by a sharpie. ****ing awesome! And just to make him cooler, important part of his strategy is to throw roses at his opponents. He may be a boxer, but he is not like Balrog at all. Lightning fast punches and powerful juggles, Dudley is just a hair away from being in the top tier. His moves do a lot of damage and has excellent EX moves. He does have a problem with his low game, and his air game is weak which is the main reason he isnt at the top of the ladder. Still, a great character to learn and love.
Super Art I Rocket Uppercut
Kind of like Ken and Akumas triple shoryuken supers, Dudley hits you three times with very powerful uppercuts. The move is quick and has two stocks so you can still abuse Dudleys great EX moves. Does decent damage and is easily hit confirmed, though not quite as comboable as his SAIII.
Super Art II Rolling Thunder
One long bar, good damage and good stun. Dudley dashes in and sends body-blow after body-blow until a powerful uppercut. The move only has one stock, which means less EX moves to burn and limits options. The super in itself is great (can be comboed FAR off a f.hp), but not enough damage for the bar, and Dudley is EX dependent so it isnt usually picked in professional matches (though it happens, its not bad). Fun to fool around with though.
Super Art III Corkscrew Blow
One of the most comboable supers in the game, Dudley fires a quick drill punch into the face of his opponent. A short bar and three stocks means he will probably always have this super ready to go. This move can hit at a distance, but since the first hit contains about 60% of the damage in the super, missing that first hit makes the super nearly painless. Good super to get nearly guaranteed damage. High level players use both SAI and SAIII.
Elena
Tier : Lower Tier
Quote : Care to dance?
She may have the most annoying stage music ever, but Elenas no slouch. She has the most overheads (moves that hit crouchblocking opponents) in the game and can really hurt with her EX and supers. She has a great throw too. However, her defense is low, doesnt have huge reach and a lot of her special moves leave her open. Most people who would pick Elena would probably pick Chun instead since she has a similar game but none of the weaknesses.
Super Art I Spinning Beat
It has a short bar and its a decent anti-air, but the Spinning Beat is just really weak. I dont use this super so I dont have much to say about it. Use Brave Dance if you want damage.
Super Art II Brave Dance
Elena jumps at you and starts kicking you up and down for ten hits. Great damage and it is hit confirmable, though the confirm window isnt as big as other characters. Her hit confirmable poke (d.mp) isnt the greatest either since it doesnt have great priority, reach, and is parriable both high and low. With this super, Elena can punish well, and with two stocks, she can use her powerful EX moves.
Super Art III Healing
Want to piss off your opponent? Pick this super. Its a long bar, but once its full you can heal about 1/3 of your energy. Hit your opponent so hes at a distance and activate this super. If you activate it by accident, no problem, just hit PPP and it gets cancelled really quick, allowing you to surprise your opponent who thought HE was gonna get the free damage. The best thing about healing is that with a full bar, you can still punish. Elena has a great 3 EX move combo that does almost as much damage as a Brave Dance. So if your opponent messes up royally, you can still punish even though your super doesnt do any damage.
Gill
Tier : GOD tier
Quote : Kneel before your master.
The final boss, Gill is a disappointment. He just doesnt look menacing at all, half blue, half red, in a thong apparently Capcom wanted to show off its SF3 engine by making the character colourful. Fighting wise, Gill is beyond good. Gill has huge priority, superquick moves, his normals do chip damage, has infinites, deals huge stun, and has a super that can do 70% damage. On top of that, on a full bar, he will resurrect. But hes a boss character and these things are to be expected. However, on Xbox Live some ****ers like to pick him, which is very angering. Unless youre really good, or they really suck, just drop cause hell only have to hit you once to juggle and stun you.
Super Art Meteor Shower
When Gill does this super, you know he chose poorly. Well it isnt that bad. He sends down a bunch of his projectiles from the sky, which are easily blocked, but if youre in the air youre in for some trouble. Or if youre close to Gill, just hit him and theyll stop. If it hits you it does good damage but he basically wasted his super cause he didnt do
Super Art Seraphic Wing
It does 70% damage if it hits. It does 20% chip damage if you block. It cant be parried. If you hit him before it activates, you cancel it, but he still has his superbar filled. If you survive though, he drops down a bit dazed which leaves him open for one good combo, so make it count. If youre wondering why his supers dont have numbers, its because he can do any one at any time when he has meter.
Super Art Resurrection
The first time you see this, you are ****ing shocked. You think you finally won, then Gill flies up in the air and refills his bar. Oh sure you can cancel it by hitting him, but hell still get at least 30% of his health back if youre lucky. If youre against the CPU, just wait for him to waste his super instead of having to deal with this crap.
Hugo
Tier : Bottom Tier (BUT in the hands of an expert can do extremely well)
Quote : I AM NUMBER ONE!
Was he in Final Fight? His name isn't Andore, but he looks exactly like him, right down to the pink outfit. At any rate, Hugo is HUGE. Very intimidating, but that also means he's easy to hit, but that isn't all bad. He has great reach, and he recovers from blockstun/hitstun the fastest out of everyone in the game. This means some moves with a delay, like Makoto's Hayate or an early dropkick, even if they hit Hugo can lead to him grabbing your ass and causing major damage. And I'm talking major damage. One fierce 360 will take off a ton of life. However, this causes a lot of players to base their game on trying to hit the 360, which is a mistake because Hugo has some great hitting normals and special moves. His meat squasher move is good for rushing and gets the opponent into the corner, which is what Hugo (or any character for that matter) wants. Hugo also has a huge amount of life to lose, which is a huge plus. Why is he low tier though? He is slow, which means he can become pretty helpless against rush characters like Akuma, or have no way of getting in on distance characters like Necro. Does it mean he's helpless? Hell no. He's ****ing #1 for godsake. But when you pick Hugo, prepare to have to work for your win.
Super Art I Gigas Breaker
This is the monster. The hardest hitting non-Gill super in the game. When Hugo has his meter full, the whole game changes. No dumb risks. No random supers. One can't afford it. If Hugo blocks a lagging special/super, or parries something you shouldn't have done, prepare to lose. This super has a long bar, but Hugo builds meter really fast so it isn't that big of a deal. What makes this super the hardest to get on someone? 720. You have to spin the stick twice to activate it. 360's aren't too bad because there is a trick to do it without jumping (do a 270 till you're in the up position before hitting punch)...but 720? You have to do something to make sure you don't jump. Scrubs tend to jump in to activate it, or do it at wakeup, but that's really really obvious. Use hitstun and blockstn to your advantage, use a whiffed move to buffer the 720, and know your opponents moves and which ones will leave him wide open. Master parrying, and especially after red parrying, and prepare to be feared.
EEIINNN!!!!! ZWIIIEEEEE!!!! DRRIIIIEEEE!!!! END!! Damn right.
Super Art II Megaton Press
The ultimate antiair, Hugo jumps up, grabs you in midair and spins, whipps you to the ground and then bodysplashes your ass with his 8 foot, god knows how many pounds body. Huge huge damage. There are even ways to combo it, though usually these combos will cause the damage reduction to lower its power. Against heavy jumping characters like Yun and Yang, this super can be very helpful, as anyone who was smart wouldn't jump at all while you have meter. Good fear factor, but you have to be really quick and good at anticipation to get this super to work for you. If he throws out an early kick or something, there's a chance it will cancel you out of the super, so it isn't unstoppable. But almost.
Super Art III Hammer Frenzy
A much needed rush move for Hugo, he runs up and starts smacking the shit out of his opponent. This move does good damage for a pretty short bar, but what really makes this super is that it's a way to get in. Hugo doesn't have much to rush in with, as he is vulnerable during most of his rushing moves and his dash is pathetic. However, this will change all that. This special is also linkable which makes it all the better. If you can't do the 720 I suggest this special. I'm not sure but I think its startup goes through fireballs (not the actual running though), so use that knowledge to your advantage. Oh, and hold the punching button to keep Hugo running and release when you want him to start attacking. Hold too long and the super will cancel, but you can unleash 360 after it for a pretty interesting, although risky as hell, mixup.
Ibuki
Tier : Middle-Low Tier
Quote : I'm sorry I went so quickly! A girl's gotta have fun, you know!
The wittlest ninja is back and shes horribly nerfed from Second Impact. There she was overpowered in the first one, had so many huge combos that hit so quick that it made her just too good. They mightve gone a bit overboard for Third Strike though, as she isnt that great in it. Shes still quick and has some strong moves, but she takes damage almost as bad as Akuma and her supers arent the easiest to hit with. She has the shortest throw distance too. She can still juggle like mad and has good EX moves though, that little thing can still cause big damage.
Super Art I Kasumi Suzaku
Short bar, 3 stocks, does great damage and is really hard to hit someone with it. Only comboable off of an EX Kazakiri (dragon kick) but does big damage if it connects. It also gives lots of meter for EX moves, which Ibuki needs and is why this super is picked for high level play.
Super Art II Yoroi Doushi
HUGE damage, barely comboable, and if you arent close enough, a secondary, much weaker super will come out. It is also one large bar, so EX moves arent as useable anymore (in case youve been wondering, I say that because you want that superbar full to have the ability to use it incase the opportunity comes up. If you dont have it, you lose that opportunity, so you use EX moves less with a move with only one stock). This move is fun to use against new people, but you probably wont get it on someone whos good unless theyre caught offguard.
Super Art III Yami Shigure
Ibuki slices and dices you with her daggers. Its a quick move that hits low and does a good amount of damage for such a short bar. Its only one stock so you cant use a lot of EX moves with it, but its a decent super. I rarely use it though so I dont have much to say about it.
Ken
Tier : Top Tier
Quote : Hey, they might make an action figure out of you too, someday!
Ken is the character that has every tool you need for any kind of play. Up close, far away, in the air, crouching, great antiair, great pokes, great hit confirms, good health, etc etc, he has the tools. And hes strong. He can link two jab dragon punches in a row (for mad damage), and has a target combo (mp->fp) that does good damage and is extendable. He also has the most comboable super in the game, which I will discuss below. Is he overplayed? HELL yes. In fact, if youre playing someone new, youd better expect to play Ken or Akuma. But hey, look at the bright side, at least they arent turtling with Chun .yet
Super Art I Shoryu-reppa
Ken does the super hes had since Super Turbo, 3 dragon punches in a row. I never use this super, and I rarely see people use this super, so I cant really comment on it. Not that great.
Super Art II Shinryuken
A really fun super with a lot of power. Also in Alpha and MvC2, Ken does a dragon punch straight up. This one doesnt vaccum you up like in other games, so you have to be right up next to the opponent to hit him with it, which can be difficult. It is comboable, and does good damage for its bar. If you have full meter, your opponent just cant jump in since its not really parriable (you press the buttons rapidly to get as many hits as possible, if they start parrying, just slow down and the timing change will **** up the parrying), so its really great to shut down jump happy players. However, it has so little reach that it lowers its use. Also, Ken has great EX moves and since it only has one stock, it makes this super choice #2.
Super Art III Shippu Jinrai Kyaku
First off, its bar is short so you can build them up fast. 3 stocks so you have plenty of meter for EX moves. And it comes out really fast and can be used as a wakeup. And it does have vaccum properties so it can suck in a character who might think hes at a safe distance. But what really makes this super good is that well, it can pretty much combo into anything. Name a move Ken has, and theres probably a 70% chance of it being cancelable into Shippu. Basically, getting hit by Ken means this super is coming right after the hit (if they can hit confirm well). One of the best supers in the game.
Makoto
Tier : Upper/Top (random) Tier
Quote : It hurts twice as much when you know that it was your fault!
Makoto has a fighting style on her own, a unique one for the series. For the few years when 3rd Strike was released in Japan, she was considered low tier. Its amazing how much is unknown about a character until thousands upon thousands of people figure the character out. Now shes considered ALMOST top tier (not quite but almost). Why is she so great? Well she does great stun, and a lot of damage, but the main reason is the karakusa, where Makoto grabs you and does a bit of damage, but stuns the opponent for a split second to allow for another hit. Its possible to combo from karakusa into the SAII, which makes Makoto become a beast. Her SAI aint too shabby either. Makoto is just a fun character to learn.
Super Art I Seichusen Godanzuki
Makoto punches you a few times then sends you flying. This move has great startup, good vacuum properties and does a lot of damage. Im talking a good 30-40%. Its also very stylish with Makoto saying .something. Only one bar, so blah blah, EX, blah blah, you get the point. Also because Makoto poses after getting the last hit of this super, you dont have the opportunity to put pressure on your opponent on wakeup which is an important part of the game. You can hit the super after a karakusa but it scales back the damage 25% or so. Still, a great super that can turn the momentum of a round in a flash.
Super Art II Abare To Sanami
I could be wrong, but I bet when Capcom released the game, they thought this move was uncomboable. I mean the bar is not too long and not only does the move do monster damage, you can combo it for more monster damage. Theres even a 100% stun combo you can do after it if you can pull off the kara move (kara is when you cancel a normal move within the first few frames into another move to improve that moves range, karathrows are an important part of 3rd Strike). But it is comboable after an fp if youre in the right position (Makoto will have to be close to the corner for it to combo). If you karakusa someone in the right position from the beginning of the round, its almost over already. Sure, its only comboable within one half of the screen, but when the opportunity knocks, she knocks ****ing hard. 2 stocks for EX moves, which is good cause if youre too far to combo the SAII, you can still do a fp -> EX hayate that does good damage/stun and a knockdown.
Super Art III Tanden Renki
UNBLOCKABLE! Not the move, but Makoto when she activates this super. Yes, all of Makotos moves do MASSIVE damage for a period of time, but she cant block during that period, which pretty much makes this move pointless to use unless youre just messing around with the game. You can parry, but parrying isnt easy. One thing I love about it is that the last hit does the huge KO!!! fanfare, so on the last hit I hit with the karakusa. She grabs slloooowly brings you up into the air . BAM KO WHOOOOO .slloooowly brings you back down, and you keel over.
EDIT - with some experience, I've learned that the trick to this super, is obviously, not to let your opponent attack. If you know Makoto's pressure techniques, against certain characters (like Hugo), this super is quite useable.
(other half on next post)
