Street Fighter II really revolutionized the video game world, bringing the fighting game genre into the forefront. It was a hugely popular game in the arcades and it was a heck of a lot of fun playing on the old Super Nintendo. The same kind of excitement returned when Capcom launched Street Fighter IV on the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3.
Veterans of the Street Fighter franchise may already be familiar with most of the characters, but the tactics involved in Street Fighter IV open up a whole new can of worms. Do you know your stuff when it comes to focus attacks? How about EX moves and ultra combos? Are you getting schooled on Xbox Live and don’t know how to put up with yet another killer Sagat?
Look no further. We’ve got you covered with this Street Fighter IV strategy guide. You’ll be racking up those Battle Points and Grade Points in no time.
Chun-Li: Beware the Man Hands
Although Chun-Li’s mammoth-sized hands look awfully impressive, it is with her well-known thunder thighs that you will be able to dish out the most damage. She has never been the most powerful combatant on the roster, but Chun-Li is one quick cookie. Her greatest strengths will be her quickness and agility. Use these to your advantage.
Many of her normal moves come out very quickly and have high priority in the game. For example, a simultaneous jump attack will usually go Chun-Li’s way. Further still, you can make use of her incredibly slow light punch Kikoken to close in the gap against projectile fighters like Ken and Ryu. Toss the slow Kikoken and follow it up with a quick jump kick or a quick jab into a throw.
Make good use of her Lightning Kick attack, especially after you do a crossover attack. This is when you jump into your opponent as to hit them from behind with a kick. Chun-Li does not have very good anti-air techniques, but the EX Spinning Bird Kick can send them across the screen. Also remember that Chun-Li’s Ultra can pass through fireballs and it quickly dashes across almost the entirety of the screen. Timing is key.
Blanka: Acting and Reacting
Truth be told, Blanka has always been my favorite character, because I never had to learn any complex multi-move combos with this green beast from Brazil. Instead, it was about finding just the right times to counter your opponent’s attacks and coming forth on the aggressive at just the right moment. Since Blanka isn’t very heavy on the combos, you’ll find that the majority of your damage will be based on a series of single attacks.
Make use of all of his special moves. The Rolling Attack is great for accumulating small bits of damage, even when your opponent is blocking. A well-timed Backstep Roll can jump over most projectiles and the Vertical Roll is the perfect anti-air technique when you can trick your opponent into jumping. If you have someone that tends to hover over you when you are down, light them up with the Electric Thunder.
One of the greatest challenges that you will encounter is when you face off against projectile-heavy characters. As Blanka, you’ll need to find a way to get in closer with these types of players. The Amazon River run (down-toward + hard punch) slides under fireballs and sweeps them out.
Blanka’s Ultra is a great trick against players who aren’t as familiar with its tactics. You can catch players in mid-air, it’ll freeze players who get caught in mid-move, and it’ll hit players who are blocking low. Even if they block the whole time, you get some good “chip” damage.