The invulnerability of many special moves makes them ideal for countering well-timed jump-ins that would beat anti-air normals. There’s a lot to be said for normals as anti-air. Unlike ground throws, air throws cannot be throw escaped/teched. Some characters have special throws with different inputs that also target airborne opponents. Usually accomplished by jumping and then inputting the usual throw command of l + L. Offensively, attackers may intentionally set up air recovery situations so that they can dash under (or fake dashing under) defenders just before they land.ĪIR THROW A throw against a jumping target.
ULTRA STREET FIGHTER 4 SUN SPOTTER FULL
This can save defenders from eating full grounded combos if properly applied. In certain close-range situations, defenders may opt to use a move that takes them off the ground specifically so that if they get hit they’ll be sent into air recovery instead of grounded hitstun. Defensively, air recovery lets defenders get back into the fray quicker than being knocked down. They can perform a special move with reversal timing just as they land. While flipping backwards, they’re invincible. During air recovery, characters reel out of the air in a backwards flip and land upright on their feet. See Frame Data.ĪIR RECOVERY Hitting an airborne opponent with an attack that doesn’t put them into a juggle state will instead cause them to automatically perform air recovery. Can be expressed numerically using frame data. If you block something that leaves the opponent lagging for a while, like most special moves, then you’ll have advantage. Meaty jump-ins/cross-ups against wakeup can be much harder to anti-air, usually requiring the use of invincible or evasive special moves (with the classic example being the invincible rising shoto Shoryuken, or “Dragon Punch”).ĪDVANTAGE The opportunity to act first. When your character is on their feet and you’re watching for aerial attacks, it can be pretty easy to simply anti-air with a solid normal move (the crouching h attacks of Akuma, Balrog, Rose, and Sakura make shining examples, among many others). But this does mean that if you add up startup, active, and recovery frames for a move, the sum is 1 frame longer than the actual move. This makes it easy to find possible links and true blockstrings by comparing a move’s startup frames (which include the first active, hitting frame) with another move’s advantage on hit/on block. Usually shortened to “active.” In the frame data tables throughout this guide, the first active frame is included in the figure for startup frames. But jumping is also a fast means to close distance and get right on top of a target.ĪCTIVE FRAMES The period of time during a move’s animation during which it can actually hit the opponent. Airborne characters cannot block and usually have limited means to redirect their movement, so jumping characters are vulnerable. Some Revenge Gauge (which powers Ultra Combos) is built, and some gray damage is received, but this quickly recovers over time if no clean hits are received.Ī move or tactic used to thwart jump-ins and cross-ups. The effect when a Focus Attack’s charge period (or the armored period of another move) repels an incoming strike. Terms and articles are organized alphabetically. For some synonyms, and for smaller parts of a larger discussion, terms may point to some of these articles. Some terms are just a quick definition some terms and ideas deserve more unpacking in a little article. The jargon used throughout character chapters is defined here, among other things. This glossary of terms and concepts makes it easy to find the meaning of any term, and the application of important concepts. But Street Fighter IV is a mature game, and the basics are now secondhand to many, treated as common knowledge on streams and at tournaments. The advanced stuff can and should be layered on after you learn the basics. Learn to play with a purpose, learn to block, have a good anti-air, sweep, poke, and punish ready to go, and you’re on your way. It can’t really be sugar-coated: Street Fighter is hard to play well. The contents of this strategy guide is based solely on the research of BradyGames.