nohoho

Yowsa. I had originally planned on just listing a few random Jagi items (the stuff at the bottom, mostly) but I got carried away and this became a sort of introduction to using Jagi -- anyway it's time for: Credit for most of the following goes to Arcadia staff writer Pachi. For once some of this stuff is actually based on my own experience (+conjecture) with the game, too. DEFENSE --- Turtle Jagi A good starting place for Jagi is standing at a good distance from his opponent, hiding behind a gas slick. Light the slick on fire to build a bit of aura and then fire off a shotgun shot or lay down another slick and wait to see what your opponent does. Air Defense If they jump at you, meet them in the air with a couple jumping weak punches. If those hit, chain into jumping hard punch and then a Banishing Strike OTG to take a star. Otherwise keep pressing weak punch. This builds up Jagi's boost a bit and gives you a chance to set the pace when both characters land. Ground Defense When they try to approach on the ground use Jagi's crouching hard punch to push your opponent away. It's low enough to go underneath attacks like Toki's crouching hard kick or Ken's far hard kick and Jagi can combo into a Banishing Strike on a counter hit (not so much against Heart, though.) Mid-Range Mix-Up Another option to stymie your opponent's ground approach is the crouching hard kick / Grave Shoot two-way mix-up. Like the low hard punch, Jagi's Grave Shoot gets him very low to the ground. See below for a combo follow up. A diagonal shotgun blast is all you can really do when the crouching hard kick hits. This might combo better if you use the unboostable boost here: 2D -> 623E+A. COMBINATIONS --- Banishing Combos Although the following combos start with low weak kick -> close hard kick -> Banishing, the key ingredient in any Jagi combo is that last move. Whatever -> Banishing -> auto boost -> juggle (as per the combos below) is the general form. If you press hard punch plus hard kick too quickly after the close hard kick hits you'll get a far hard kick instead of a Banishing Strike. It may be possible to sidestep any timing issues by using Raoh's kara cancel trick (close D -> 2CD~CD) but I haven't researched this much. Also, the close hard kick -> Banishing doesn't combo against Jagi when he's crouching. In a Jagi vs. Jagi match-up you may want to stick with crouching hard punch -> boost -> Banishing. Entry Level 2B -> close D -> CD -> 6 -> far D -> {jB -> jD} x 1-3 -> 632146D or 236236C Textbook A 2B -> close D -> CD -> 6 -> close D -> far D -> IAD jD -> far A -> {jB -> jD} x 2 -> 236236A or 236236C or 632146D Textbook B 2B -> close D -> CD -> 6 -> close D -> far D -> {jB -> jA} -> {jB -> jB} x 2 -> 236236C or 632146D Textbook A should work against everybody, but Textbook B is the easier choice vs. Raoh, Rei, Heart and Mamiya. Three Stars plus Alpha 2B -> close D -> CD -> 6 -> close D -> 632146D -> A+C+E -> 2369A -> 236236A(OTG) or {E -> 236CD} Depending on the distance here, you may not even need to boost to land the Finishing Strike after the Senjusatsu. See the similar 3 star finishing combo below. The tianyuan2k4 Special 2B -> close D -> CD -> 6 -> close D -> 632146D -> E -> close D -> 236B -> 214B x n Other Combos Grave Shoot AC -> 8 -> jA -> jB -> jC -> jD -> j236A -> jD(OTG) (-> j236A(OTG)) Omit the jumping hard punch against Juda, Toki, Jagi and Thouther. The final Senjusatsu attack works pretty consistently against Mr. Heart. It's iffy against the rest of the cast. Throw Combo (near the corner) throw -> 2A -> 5D -> 236236C or CD or 236A or 236CD Throw Combo (anywhere) throw -> ECD -> E -> 5D -> 632146D Grab Combo BD -> jA -> jB -> (delay)jC -> CD(OTG) "Hehe... I've been waiting for this" Combos Here are some no-frills combos for finishing your opponent off when they have n stars remaining. 1 Star CD -> 6 -> close D -> far D -> 236CD 2 Stars CD -> 6 -> AB or 632146D -> E -> close D -> 236CD Use the heavy strike here when you're in the middle of the screen, Brother (the chain attack) when you're close to the corner. Either way, wait a moment before boosting to avoid shooting behind your opponent. 3 Stars CD -> 6 -> AB or 632146D -> EAC -> 2369A -> 236CD Depending on your opponent, there is a limit to how many hits you can land prior to the Banishing Strike and still have this combo work. Raoh: 6 hits Ken, Thouther, Heart, Mamiya: 4 hits Toki, Rei, Juda: 3 hits Jagi: 2 hits Shin: 1 hit You have to do the Finishing Strike very quickly after you land from the Senjusatsu. This is complicated by the fact that it does fewer hits depending on how long the combo has been up to that point. Add a boost in there (2369A -> E -> 236CD) to make this much easier. 4 Stars 6321463214+C -> 236+A -> CD -> 6 -> 632146D -> EAC -> 2369A -> E -> 236CD Japanese version of the game only. OFFENSE --- Here's a diagram that shows some of Jagi's different options for close-quarters combat. Key concepts (indicated with #n marks) are explained in more detail below. E~CD -> combo /hit (#1) 2B -> 2C \ \block 2369A -> E -> 2B -> etc. \ / CD -> E -> 2A (#3) (#2) \ 2B -> etc. #1 - Hit Confirm When you see that your opponent has gotten hit by the crouching weak kick -> crouching hard punch set, boost and go into a Banishing combo. A more exotic type of hit confirm sequence involves using an unboostable shotgun shot: 2C -> 236EA -> (hit confirm) E -> 2B -> 5D -> CD -> etc. or far C -> 236EA -> etc. Get the hard punch -> shotgun sequences to combo more consistently by pressing boost and weak punch together at the exact moment the hard punch hits. Then, if you see that these have hit, boost out of the shotgun animation and continue the combo with crouching weak kick. #2 - Banishing to Build Boost Making your opponent block Banishing Strike attacks is an excellent way to build Jagi's boost meter. Each one gives him about half of a boost stock. When you've got enough, you might as well use that boost to put further pressure on your opponent -- see #3. The blocked crouching hard punch -> Banishing Strike sequence isn't air tight. In other words, your opponent can sneak a counter attack in between those two moves. One thing you can do to try to discourage this is to mix in a crouching hard punch -> Jarougeki (214C) sequence. The Jarougeki has a little bit of invincibility as it starts up -- dodge their counter and blast them back towards the wall. Boost here and use a standard juggle combo. #3 - Two-Way Mix-Up Jagi's main weapon for defeating his enemy's defenses is his two-way mix up between the following high/low attacks: 1) Hokuto Senjusatsu. Performed with a "tiger knee" motion this becomes a quick overhead attack. Boost after 2-3 punches whether it hits or not to combo or continue the mix-up as the situation warrants. 2) Crouching weak kick -- a quick low attack. Pick a combo from the above list or, if they block, loop back around to an earlier point on the diagram. If you're very close to your opponent you can expand this to a low/high/throw three-way mix-up. Here's a special case: Three-Way vs. Enemy in Corner When your opponent is in the middle of the screen and you boost towards them (with no follow-up attack), the boost travels a set distance. If they're backed into the corner, however, the boost stops when you reach them and Jagi immediately returns to an idle state. This is an excellent time to use a three-way mix up. Against a cornered opponent, we'll omit the crouching weak punch so that the diagram looks like this: 2B -> etc. / CD -> E - throw -> 2A -> 5D -> 236A (or whatever) \ 2369A -> etc. Unblockable Okiseme Make your opponent block something as they stand up and follow that closely with an unblockable attack. In broad strokes, this means a gas fire (explosion) or shotgun shot followed by a Heavy Strike or charged Banishing Strike. Here are two sample patterns: 1) Shotgun -> charged Banishing Having knocked your opponent down with a Rakangeki super or a Grave Shoot combo, fire a shotgun shot and then boost and start charging a Banishing Strike. Ideally, they'll block the shotgun and get blasted by the Banishing Strike. Near the corner, use any old juggle (see the "Miscellany" section below for something more exotic.) At mid screen, boost after the Banishing connects and start a combo with a low weak kick. 2) Gas fire -> Heavy Strike After a standard Banishing Combo or when you connect with a Jarougeki, immediately lay down a gasoline slick. Boost immediately as you toss a match and then do a Heavy Strike (AB). The goal here is to make your enemy block the gas fire right before Jagi unleashes the Heavy Strike. Combo that into a Banishing combo with E~CD. A variation on the gas fire setup is the oil barrel trap. End a combo with a match hit -> barrel -> etc. as per The tianyuan2k4 Special, or combo -> barrel -> match -> boost etc. MISCELLANY --- Max Banishing -> Rakangeki plus Alpha When you make a cornered opponent block a max charge Banishing Strike you can continue to juggle after connecting with a Rakangeki super. CD(hold) -> 236236C -> weak punch needles -> {(dash) -> far A -> CD} or {632146D} The key here is proper timing of the needle follow up as the super ends. Against Jagi, press weak punch a couple times after five Rakangeki hits. Against Raoh and Rei wait until it hits seven times. For everybody else -- six hits should work. The far weak punch -> Banishing follow-up is ideal, but Brother is easier and you still get the star. Weak punch -> Finishing Strike works, too. Boost the Senjusatsu After doing the motion for a Senjusatsu press weak punch and then boost in rapid succession for a cool sneak attack. j236A~E Jagi flies forward and down as he starts the move. Boost again after 2-3 strikes whether the move hits or not and your boost usage shouldn't exceed one stock. Try this from a backwards air dash, too. Boost at Round Start To attack your enemy at the earliest possible moment, you can simply press and hold the appropriate button before the round starts. When you've got a boost stock ready, two recommended opening moves are: 1) Boost plus crouching weak punch Press and continue to hold down boost plus weak punch while holding down on the joystick while the announcer is talking ("Decide the Destiny") to attack immediately as the round starts. Please note that if your opponent uses an identical technique you'll likely get beat by everyone but Rei and Thouther. 2) Boost plus standing weak punch Use this to nail your opponent if they try to jump away at the start of the round. If they've got only one star left, something like this should finish them off: E+A(held down) -> close D -> CD -> E -> 236CD

Gwyrgyn - Can Raoh do Musou Tensei while boosting? Using that to dodge a guard cancel would be pretty badass. A whole bunch of videos from a post-SBO showdown between Taji-kun and Kurenai no Buta (the SBO finalists) are up @ Stage 4. This old post of mine still applies, I guess. Filebank is effing slow/flakey lately, though. Shiro also posted a Ken video that uses some of the same concepts as that Arcadia 4 star combo. I upped it to putfile: http://media.putfile.com/kenshiro_01 The gist of Shiro's comments: Crouching weak -> 236D+E for only 20% boost. Mid screen. Big dizzy. OTG Banishing boost 236C boost 623A for only 1 boost stock. (all E~whatever... see above) Works even if you don't get the high OTG bounce after a high jump combo so it'll work even against Toki. (against whom its difficult to do 236D -> hj blah blah.) 2nd combo finish with super laser instead = OK. Works on characters with thin mid air profile like Toki. Vs. heart etc. add OTG 623A -> E -> 236CD Here is Arcadia's ranking chart for April (pre SBO): SSS: Toki wall [iE no SS rank] S: Rei wall B: Ken, Raoh, Juda C: Shin, Thouther, 2P Heart D: Jagi, Mamiya, 1P Heart Really briefly, some of their key points: Toki: warp, damage after a throw, sekkakou counter [<- sbo-winning move!] Rei: jump cancel traps, boon super damage, stealing momentum w/ fb super Raoh: far D -> banishing no gauge combos. Weakness against Rei negated by spike combo Kenshiro: no big advantages nor disadvantages Juda: unblockable tricks, surprise kills, punishing mistakes Shin: hot command throw but combos don't do enough damage + few safe attack patterns Thouther: great attack patterns but gets demolished by Toki 2P Heart: combos more easily than 1P heart. "Since he has an easy match against Rei he could make an unexpected showing in the SBO finals." heh indeedy Jagi: top class mix-up ability [ugh I'm still working on that stupid Jagi post, btw] but combos don't do enough damage Mamiya: good attack patterns that can be used to overwhelm many characters but stamina is shit 1P Heart: "You could basically (?) say that he's a toothless pig."

Some bike combo examples. Credit for these goes to... 688. (some dude posting on a livedoor thread) http://media.putfile.com/heart-77 http://media.putfile.com/sin9 http://media.putfile.com/vs-sin OFF-TOPIC: I uploaded a bucket of SSF2T videos to that putfile site but it seems like they're disappearing. I'm not sure if I still have the originals -- if so they're buried on a CD spindle somewhere... so... Go check out what's left while you still can. Heh. ON-TOPIC: Big JAGI specific odds and ends post almost done. Check back later.

moonless - yeah, same dude. Shiro, btw, the not-so-hot-after-all? Toki player is well known from his CVS2 game. GENERAL --- Boosting BS Introduction (For purposes of this discussion, percentage values refer to the amount of one boost stock. That is, 100% here means one third of the total boost gauge.) Boosting in different situations uses differing amounts of boost meter. When you boost to cancel an attack it takes 50% boost. Otherwise, it takes only 20% boost. There are some wrinkles in the system when it comes to Banishing Strikes. When you hit an opponent on the ground with a Banishing Strike (CD) or when you hit an airborne opponent when the Strike isn't part of a combo, you can hold towards to auto-boost after them. This uses 20% boost like a non-cancel type. Even if you haven't got a boost stock ready, the game fills the meter up to 100% for immediate auto-boosting, etc. (By the way, this "free" boost meter carries over from one round to the next -- so if your boost gauge is empty and your opponent is dizzy and/or near death, use a Banishing Strike -> auto boost to finish them off and arbitrage some boost for the next round.) Simultaneous Input Snafu While the simultaneous boost+hard punch+hard kick input is a convenient way to quickly cancel into Banishing Strike attacks, there is quirk to this where an auto-boost at that point will take 50% boost instead of 20%. Use a fast, separate input (E~CD) to prevent this from happening. Example for whomever: special move -> E+C+D -> 6 (<- auto boost uses 50%) special move -> E~C+D -> 6 (<- auto boost uses only 20%) Banishing Strike Discount If your Banishing Strike attack is blocked or it hits an airborne opponent as part of a combo you won't be able to auto-boost. You can boost manually, however, for only 20% boost instead of the standard 50% cancel boost. Since blocked Banishing Strikes generally charge up a good deal of boost meter, the blocked CD -> E -> etc. pattern is something worth using often. Countering Guard Cancels Options for dealing with your opponent's guard cancel include: 1) Bait the guard cancel using a move that has a short recovery. - consult the chart below 2) Jump cancel your attack and air-block the guard cancel. - this should work even against Mamiya's GC or Heart's Bring it On GC (using Aura Guard) 3) Cancel into a move with invincibility or super armor or cancel into a counter-type move. - input the joystick motion for the special move beforehand and then press the appropriate button if you see them guard cancel - example: with Jagi do blocked 2C -> 214. If you see your opponent guard cancel the low punch press C to dodge and punish their guard cancel with a Jarougeki attack. Here is a list of moves that are safe -- that is, you'll have time to block --when they get guard canceled. Also: moves that you can use to punish guard cancels when you block them using Agility Defense. Char Safe Moves Counter Attack After AD Kenshiro close/far B, 2B 2B, 623A Raoh nothing 2B Toki far A, 2A 2A Jagi 2A 2A, 236236C (*) Shin any A, 2B 2B, 63214A Rei any weak but 2A 2B, close 623C Juda any weak but 2A 2A, 2B Thouther far A, 2A, 2B 2B Heart 2A 214A(GC), 236236A Mamiya any weak attack far B (*) - At close range, Jagi can counter with a Rakangeki after blocking guard cancels normally (w/o using Agility Defense.) Option Select Throws When you miss a throw attempt -- if your opponent jumps away, etc. -- you'll be stuck with a close hard punch. It's possible to use a special input when this happens to attack with something safer instead. There are two main categories of option select throw inputs: 1) Sliding input or simultaneous input A sliding input involves pressing hard punch and then very quickly pressing weak punch or hard kick. C~A produces a Grave Shoot while C~D gives you a Banishing Strike. For a simultaneous input option select, you take advantage of the higher input priority of command normals to override the close hard punch in the event of a throw miss. For example, with Kenshiro, 6+C+B produces a towards + weak kick attack if the throw fails. 2) Whiff/kara cancel inputs Some characters can cancel (chain) their close hard punch into other attacks, Banishing Strikes or Grave Shoot attacks even when the hard punch misses. When the throw attempt fails, follow up the hard punch with another move to cover your ass. Here's a list of option select throw recommendations: Kenshiro: simultaneous 6B Raoh: whiff cancel Grave Shoot Toki: whiff cancel Grave Shoot Jagi: whiff cancel Grave Shoot Shin: nothing in particular (close C) [?] Rei: whiff cancel close D Juda: sliding input Banishing Strike Thouther: whiff cancel close D Heart: weak punch (simultaneous 4+A+C) KENSHIRO --- 4 Star Grab Combo Here's a four star combo ending with a Hokuto Hyaku Retsuken finish for an opponent in the corner (anyone but Raoh, Toki and Mamiya.) BD -> 236E~C -> ECD -> 623E~A -> E -> 236CD Input the Hikou Seieikou with the sliding boost input right before the grab ends. The instant the Seieikou hits, break out the Banishing Strike + Boost. The instant the Banishing Strike hits, use the sliding boost input Ujou Moushoha. One more boost as that hits and then the Finishing Strike. Break out the Super Armor Ken's towards + weak kick can absorb one enemy attack. This super armor takes effect immediately when you press the button and lasts for the duration of the move. You can take advantage of this to bust through your opponent's guard cancels and score a counter hit. blocked attack -> opponent guard cancels -> chain into 6B It's also possible to use this move to bust through a max-charge banishing strike. Ken loses a star, but the 6B counter hit gives you a wall bounce opportunity. If you're near the corner IAD jB -> far D -> etc. otherwise boost -> far D -> etc. Hard Kick -> Banishing Combo Just like Raoh, Ken can combo his far hard kick into a Banishing Strike if he inserts a crouching hard kick input as an intermediate step. After the standing hard kick, hold down and quickly press hard punch and hard kick together a couple times in rapid succession. Here's a combo that takes advantage of this technique: 2B (x 1-2) -> far D~E -> CD -> 6 -> {close D -> 236D -> air dash jA} x 3 -> 236C -> 236236A Wait until your opponent gets knocked back from the crouching weak kick hits to combo the far hard kick. Boost that hard kick right as it's starting up to get closer and then combo the Banishing Strike as per the above trick. (actual input: far D~E -> 2CD~CD) MAMIYA --- Sayonara, Sucker! (Unblockable FKO) When she does her Finishing Strike, the bowgun shots that Mamiya fires after tossing the explosive pack become unblockable if you hold the button down. Here's an example set-up for this trick -- with your opponent near the corner: AC -> jA -> jC -> jD -> j236A As you land from this combo, immediately do Mamiya's Sayonara (236CD) attack. Hold down weak punch to charge up a shot. Aim towards your opponent and release the button as they're getting up. Continue to fire bolts until the explosive reaches them. After you hit with the air bowgun shot in the original combo, hold back on the joystick to put a little distance between Mamiya and her opponent. That way, even if they bust out an invincible wake-up attack you'll be safe. (moves like Jagi's Rakangeki and Shin's Raishinsho will still pose a threat, however) Motorcycle Combo far D (3 hits) or {2B -> 2B -> 2C} -> CD -> 6 -> 2C -> AC -> j236A -> dash far A -> {jB -> jB} x 2 -> far D (1 hit) -> 236236C -> ramming -> explosion You can use an unboostable boost to more easily combo the far hard kick into the bike super: D -> 236236EC. After Mamiya appears on the bike she'll have to pop a wheelie by holding back to combo properly on Ken, Toki and Heart. The explosion at the end inflicts big damage, but Mamiya will get hit, too. Jump off by pressing a button if your health is low.

Here are the SBO results. Yeah, an Amiba^H^H^H^H^HToki player won but still... the final 8 was pretty surprising. I'm really curious about the Heart-sama tactics. It would have been cool if G.X had won. Dude develops TOD combo... uses it to win SBO with Raoh later that week. Heh. I took some random stabs at some of the player names -- alternate possibilities at the bottom. BTW I have another strategy related post almost done. Maybe tomorrow. The 4th Arcadia Cup Tournament Tougeki -- May 3, 2006 Super Battle Opera Hokuto no Ken Results WINNER: Kurenai no Buta (Toki) Left Block Round 1 SHINCHAN (Toki) vs. Sharon (Heart) @ @ Mr.Y (Toki) vs. Doroii (Jagi) Yurarix (Juda) vs. Toki no Tobira (Heart) @ @ Shiro (Toki) vs. Nittobo (Toki) @ Newaseza (Ken) vs. Rank (Toki) KEM (Toki) vs. Momiage (Toki) @ Asaba (Shin) vs. Jif (Rei) @ @ Kurenai no Buta (Toki) vs. Nemo (Juda) @ 0084 (Juda) vs. Yamada (Toki) HJW (Mamiya) vs. Kenshiro-chan (Ken) @ Rozay (Shin) vs. Keese (Heart) @ @ Yoshiaki (Toki) vs. Aafui (Rei) Rhinecho (Juda) vs. Tane (Rei) @ @ G.X (Raoh) vs. Tomono (Shin) moritu (Toki) vs. Hartia (Toki) @ Rupu (Thouther) vs. Tetsu (Rei) @ Right Block Round 1 @ LOX (Toki) vs. Do (Toki) @ DK (Ken) vs. Yume (Mamiya) Rawaso (Toki) vs. Momiji (Toki) @ @ DF2 (Rei) vs. MIU (Shin) Gensetsu (Shin) vs. Gian (Shin) @ GO1 (Toki) vs. Taji-kun (Juda) @ @ MDR (Toki) vs. Pi-e (Toki) 777 (Ken) vs. Fumi (Toki) @ @ NOB (Ken) vs. Aporo (Toki) @ Surippa (Toki) vs. Nakamu (Heart) @ Bancho (Rei) vs. Nax (Mamiya) Souseiji (Toki) vs. Hexamethylene (Toki) @ Ossy (Toki) vs. Flying Rabbit[?] (Rei) @ Yoshida (Raoh) vs. Hisashi (Thouther) @ @ Hayashi (Toki) vs. Rukku (Juda) @ WhiteAlen (Shin) vs. MY (Toki) 2nd Round @ Sharon (Heart) vs. Mr. Y (Toki) @ Toki no Tobira (Heart) vs. Shiro (Toki) @ Newaseza (Ken) vs. Momiage (Toki) Jifu (Rei) vs. Kurenai no Buta (Toki) @ @ 0084 (Juda) vs. Kenshiro-chan (Ken) @ Keese (Heart) vs. Yoshiaki (Toki) Tane (Rei) vs. G.X (Raoh) @ @ Hartia (Toki) vs. Tetsu (Rei) LOX (Toki) vs. DK (Ken) @ @ Momiji (Toki) vs. DF2 (Rei) Gian (Shin) vs. Taji-kun (Juda) @ @ MDR (Toki) vs. Fumi (Toki) NOB (Ken) vs. Surippa (Toki) @ Bancho (Rei) vs. Hex (Toki) @ @ Flying Rabbit (Rei) vs. Hisashi (Thouther) @ Hayashi (Toki) vs. WhiteAlen (Shin) 3rd Round @ Sharon (Heart) vs. Toki no Tobira (Heart) Newaseza (Ken) vs. Kurenai (Toki) @ 0084 (Juda) vs. Keese (Heart) @ @ G.X (Raoh) vs. Hartia (Toki) @ DK (Ken) vs. Momiji (Toki) @ Taji-kun vs. MDR (Toki) Surippa (Toki) vs. Hex (Toki) @ Rabbit (Rei) vs. Hayashi (Toki) @ 4th Round Sharon (Heart) vs. Kurenai (Toki) @ @ Keese (Heart) vs. G.X (Raoh) DK (Ken) vs. Taji-kun (Juda) @ @ Hex (Toki) vs. Hayashi (Toki) Semi-final @ Kurenai (Toki) vs. Keese (Heart) @ Taji-kun (Juda) vs. Hex (Toki) Final @ Kurenai (Toki) vs. Taji-kun (Juda) Notes on names: Kurenai no Buta => Crimson Pig (aka Porco Rosso) Hishou Usagi[?] <= Flying Rabbit Shiroaren <= WhiteAlen Kiisu <= Keese Surippa => Slipper Souseji => Sausage Toki no Tobira => Door of Time Sharon => Red Dragon? => Xiao Long?

I'm not that familiar with the term "hit stop" (copied straight from Arcadia "hitto sutoppu") -- nor can I remember any popular alternative terms -- but I'm pretty sure it refers to the brief pause that occurs when a hit lands. Almost all modern (2d) fighting games have this; just think of a heavy attack landing in Samurai Shodown if you're not sure what I'm getting at. They have a blurb about combo-ing into Banishing Strikes using kara cancels that I was going to include but Gwyrgyn is already on top of that one. [EDIT: all you have to do is hold down and jam on hard punch + hard kick far D -> 2CDCDCDCD?] Vicious Google Fight beatdown: OUCH GENERAL --- Unboostable Boost Certain moves in this game cannot be boosted right as they're starting up. If you cancel a normal move into one of these and end the input with the joystick in any direction but backwards and a simultaneous boost+attack button press, the move will come out earlier than normal. The "unboostable" move comes out during hit stop, making it easier to combo. You must have at least one stock of boost to use this trick but it doesn't actually deplete the meter. (if you do this trick with a move not on the list below, the end result will be similar but it will use 20%+ of a boost stock) For example, Jagi's shotgun attack can't be boosted at start-up. That is, 236+A+E doesn't normally do anything special. If however, he hits with a crouching hard punch and cancels into the shotgun with that motion: 2C -> 236AE ... he'll fire the shotgun a bit earlier than normal. Another, more practical, example of this technique is below in the Shin section. Here's a list of moves than can't be boosted as they start up: All Supers (except Rei's Danko Sousaiken (236236C)) Raoh - ground Hokuto Goshoha (236C) Jagi - Shotgun (both 236A and 623A) Juda - Denshoreppa (236C) Mamiya - Bowgun (both 236A and 236B), Helmet Bomb (236D), Energy Switch (214C), Bind Yo-Yo (623C), Choke Yo-Yo(4C)[?] Jump Canceling with Boost If you jump cancel a move and press boost at the same time you can leave the ground during hit stop (IE: more quickly than normal) and attack from the air right away. Further boosting in the air allows you to do a kind of air dash attack immediately after the jump cancel. For example, with Rei, as you hit with a crouching weak kick push up on the joystick and boost to jump cancel immediately. If you do it quickly enough you can combo his stomp kick here. 2B -> E8 -> j2B Using Defensive Techniques in Conjunction Block an attack using both Agility Defense (defend at the last moment) and Aura Guard (back + boost) and you can take advantage of the properties of both techniques. Block stun time is the same as regular guard but if you stop the Aura Guard right away you can get a little bit of Aura and Boost meter from the Agility Defense. This technique can be used in the air, too. Defend against ground attacks and super moves without getting pushed away as much as Aura Guard without Agility Defense. Also, use this trick to air block a max-charged Banishing Strike and not have it blast you against the wall. SHIN --- Hakuen Tenshou Glitch When Shin's opponent is in the corner, get close to them, do a backwards Nanto Hakuen Tenshou leap and then boost repeatedly towards the corner. Shin will appear on the other side of the screen! 214D -> 6EEEEE Dodging/Interrupting with Crouching Weak Kick Shin's crouching weak kick has a low enough profile that it can go underneath certain moves -- even if those moves are part of a longer blocked sequence. Some examples are listed below. When it connects start a combo with: 2B -> E -> CD -> etc. Boost the crouching weak kick to defeat Ken and Jagi's projectiles and Mamiya's standing hard kick at medium range. For Raoh's powered Tenshou Raigeki one weak kick will dodge the first part and another will defeat the second part. Shin's crouching weak kick vs. Juda's Banishing Strike doesn't work up close. Kenshiro - Touki (236A) Raoh - 2B -> far D, powered up Hokuto Tenshou Raigeki (623A) Toki - 2A -> 2D Jagi - horizontal shotgun (236A) Juda - misc. hard attack -> CD Mamiya - far D "Unboostable" Senjuryugeki Combos If you use the boost trick above with Shin's Nanto Senjuryugeki super move it becomes easier to use it in combos. It can do more damage than his Raishinsho, particularly if it's powered up a bit. You have to move the joystick to neutral for this to work: 2142145E+C For the following combos, cancel the second hit of the close standing hard kick immediately into the Senjuryugeki, hold the button down to charge it up and then release when your opponent is at the proper height. Ideally, we're looking for 10 pink swipe hits, give or take. 1) (corner) 63214A -> small step forward -> close C -> close D (2 hits) -> 2142145EC (easier variation against Thouther: 63214A -> far C (2 hits) -> 2142145EC) 2) (corner) 2B -> 2B -> 2D -> 236D -> jC -> close D (2 hits) -> 2142145EC THOUTHER --- Kyokusei Jyuji Ken Pseudo-Unblockables From about half a screen away if you do the low Jyuji Ken (236B) followed quickly by the overhead (236D) and boost as the second part starts up, the energy from the low attack lingers and Thouther can attack his opponent low and high at nearly the same time. Or, boost again as the low hit makes contact and you can follow with a jumping attack. Combo into a Bakuseiha (j214A) -> Banishing Strike -> etc. here. Jump Cancel Tricks Thouther can jump cancel his jumping hard kick. If you press weak punch at the same time as you move the joystick up he'll fall out of the air right away and you can attack again very quickly. You can also jump cancel the jumping hard kick directly into an air dash with 669 or 659. Mid-Air Choiversal When you use an instant air dash hard punch as okiseme your opponent can guard cancel and hit Thouther out of the air. You can counter the counter by canceling the jumping hard punch into a mid-air Houshou Jyujihou super (214236A). This will beat their guard cancel and take away two stars. Input the majority of the joystick motion after the hard punch and then press weak punch if you see them use their guard cancel. TOKI --- Sairaken Anti-Air Toki's Hokuto Sairaken (214214C) uppercut super can't be blocked in the air using Aura Guard. JAGI --- Statue Fragility Jagi holds a statue in front of him for his crouching guard. This can crack and break if he blocks too many attacks. Hard attacks will make the statue break more quickly than weak ones. When it crumbles, Jagi will be staggered briefly. Press a button to use half an Aura stock and attack right away. Attacks blocked with crouching Aura Guard don't count towards breaking the statue. Low Hit Stun Jagi's crouching hit stun is shorter than normal. The following combos won't work on crouching Jagi: Ken: far D -> 236D Raoh: 2B -> far D (at a distance) Toki: nothing Jagi: close D -> 2D or CD Shin: close C -> CD Rei: 2B -> 2D, close D -> CD Juda: nothing Thouther: 236A -> 236C [?], far D -> 236C (at a distance) Heart: 2B -> CD Mamiya: 2C -> 236C (-> B)

Heh. I can't tell if you're just joking around here. In case you aren't and my first post wasn't clear on this I present a video of a similar technique ... in a different game: http://media.putfile.com/atokyan (c/o Yoshimizu @ Howard Arena) The Garou input is a lot more complicated than the HnK input but the end result is the same: beat the super with your own invincible move. We should test this out this week sometime. Garou (DongHwan): 6236+AD before super freeze -> press C after super freeze Hokuto (Kenshiro): 623 before super freeze -> press and hold C during super freeze Sweet. Oh, another thing you were right about: Jagi can combo after the Senju Satsu punches without using boost. At least, I saw this in a video: CD -> 6 -> 5D -> 632146D -> EAC -> 2369A -> 2C -> 236236A(otg) Very nice... it might even be possible to do: 2B -> 5D -> CD -> 6 -> close D -> far D -> IADj.D -> 5D -> 632146D -> EAC -> 2369A -> 2C -> 236236A(otg)

Here's a bunch of random items. I've got more stuff to post in the future (including a lot of different issues surrounding boost) but I wanted to get the Heart scoop posted. Credit goes to Arcadia mostly -- some info comes from Momiage's column, too. Oh and a shout out to tianyuan2k4 who helped me test some things. GENERAL --- Special Moves After the Super Freeze When your opponent starts up a super move there's a "super freeze" where the game pauses and it (usually?) shows a big picture of the character performing the super. Now, while you can't input any joystick motions during the freeze there's a trick that lets you bust out a move immediately after the super freeze ends. Perform the appropriate joystick motion and then, when the screen freezes, hold the corresponding button down and your move will come out as soon as the freeze ends. The specific example they have is: Ken stands next to Jagi and does towards, down, down-towards. Jagi does his Hokuto Rakangeki(236236C) super. Ken sees the game freeze, presses and holds down hard punch and gets a Hokuto Ujou Moushouha DP that beats Jagi's super. If you get the timing down you can use this to beat invincible wake-up supers. Break the Three Star Limit We know that combos in this game can't take away more than three stars. The exception here is the grab move (BD) -- the star taken away by the grab doesn't count toward the limit. Here's a four star Rei combo (c/o Momiage, iirc:) http://media.putfile.com/rei4stars Keep the BD grab in mind when you're looking to punish your enemy's unsafe blocked attack or whiffed move. When Heart-sama has his It Hurts!(236236C) super active, his grab can snatch opponents after they've been hit and/or while they're in the air... and it's exempt from the three star rule. Some nitty-gritty below. 1P - 2P Differences There are some differences between the one player side and the two player side. ("one player," ie: starts the match on the left side of the screen) Some combos are easier to perform when using one side or the other. This is of particular importance for Heart. More below but one thing to stress is that you'll want to insist on a coin toss (American style -- in Arcadia they mention rock-paper-scissors) if you're in a tournament match. The winner of the coin toss wants to be on the two player side. This is most important for Ken, Raoh, Shin and Rei players. Again: a) win the coin toss b) choose 2P. High Scores May 2006 Arcadia Presumably one credit + default settings vs. cpu. I know this is dumb -- I also want to test out the code tag for future posts. Bueno? Character Score Name Thouther 15,875,700 FJC smell the end of the century Shin 12,613,000 use a different char? Rei 13,795,100 KENT.K HEART --- Store the Super Armor Heart's jumping hard punch has one-hit super armor. There's a trick (glitch?) where you can store that super armor if you do the hard punch but land from the jump before Heart goes into the punching animation. The simplest way to set this up is to do a backwards instant air dash and press and hold the hard punch button until Heart lands. Now you can boldly walk towards your opponent and look for a combo starting with a standing weak punch. Some variations: 1) If you have your opponent in the corner: instant air dash towards after an air throw or Heart's A super grab, hold hard punch before landing and absorb their wake-up attack while combo-ing off a weak punch. 2) The stored super armor beefs up a Heavy Strike (AB) -> Heart's A (236236A) set up. 3) Absorb a long range poke and hit them with a weak Earth Crush (214B). 4) Absorb an IAD attack and hit with standing weak punch. Note that the super armor doesn't work against Heavy Strikes and special moves and goes away when you block a special move. Big Hug Glitch There's a glitch with the Big Hug (236A) throw (available during his It Hurts! (236236C) super) where Heart's opponent can do a move as they start to get grabbed. For most moves this won't cause any noticeable effect. If they do an invincible move, however, they'll avoid getting thrown and do their move in mid-air. 2P Grab Loops of Doom Two player Heart can perform repeated grabs on airborne opponents much more easily than one player Heart. Here are three combos with corresponding character/1P-2P restrictions: 1) (corner) D -> 623A x n Both 1P and 2P Heart: Jagi, Rei 2P Heart only: Raoh, Shin 2) (corner) 2B -> 214B -> (near peak of jump) jA -> AC x 4 (-> 236236A) Both 1P and 2P Heart: Jagi 2P Heart only: Shin, Rei 3) (near corner) 2B -> CD -> auto boost (hold 6) -> D -> 236236C -> BD x n Both 1P and 2P Heart: Raoh 2P Heart only: Kenshiro, Rei, Shin Written out, that third combo is: crouching weak kick -> Banishing Strike -> auto boost -> standing hard kick -> It Hurts! -> grab times n. Just keep pressing weak kick and hard kick together. Because of the star exemption for grabs, Heart takes away all of his opponent's life and all of their stars! REI -- I mentioned this in passing in the anti-Toki thread: Rei suffers from a longer crouching hit stun than the rest of the cast. Here's a list of combos that work on crouching Rei only. Kenshiro: close D -> CD or 236D Raoh: close D -> CD or 214D Toki: close D -> 623B -> 2C Jagi: 2C -> 2D or CD Shin: 2B -> AC or (far D -> 214214C) Rei: close D -> IAD jD Juda: 2C -> CD Thouther: far D -> CD Heart: nothing Mamiya: far D(1 hit) -> CD ....to be continued...