Initial impressions of SFxT

Caveat: I will be using the term "lame". The modern day fighting game definition of "lame" I intend it to mean is a tactic that is known to be too tricky for the current crop of players even though it is not the ideal or favored tactic. In SF4 these type of tactics can be considered "jump fireballing" "jump back heavy kick" etc.

So my brother (Brutalion) and myself (cowboy_soultaker) made a PSN ID a while ago called "brootecks" in which we plan on planning cooperatively versus online foes, kinda like Gootecks and Mike Ross's "Excellent Adventures" series. In SF4 we passed off the stick, but in SFxT we are able to play side-by-side (or at least on the same team). This weekend we were able to put a solid amount of time into the game, as a team and as players in general. In our online adventures some things have come to light.

Two very popular characters (unsurprisingly) are Kazuya and Ryu. This paragraph is for people who pick either or even both, and I mean this as constructive criticism. (just saying.) 99% of the Kazuya's we fought did the same thing: his demon's wrath combo as a block string. Folks, it might seem like a built in mixup now, but it's gonna get read and it's gonna get punished down the road. My advice is to break yourself of the habit now and start looking at mixing-up your mix-ups. Fishing for hits with that combo won't get you the big yield the same way as fishing with a lp or lk hit string, and whats better, getting some W's now or becoming better now? And Ryu's....please, for the love of all that is holy, stop playing SF4 ryu. I'd also like to reiterate to play how you want, but this is some advice: you are gimping yourself by not thinking outside of the box. I am not seeing ANY axe kicks out there, and while I don't claim to know all that much about ryu, nor am I saying he's combo heavy, I know he's got better moves than jump hk sweep. It is very tempting to play a SF4 character the way you did before but it'd be in your best interest to look at it with fresh eyes.

That being said, this weekend was a stark reminder how far I have to go as a player of fighting games. My general comprehension and tactics for any fighter is so focused and narrow minded it's been gimping me. For SFxT specifically, my footsies and "fishing" moves are lacking, and hitting with them for the full damage is incredibly tough. For example, King's BnB (according to the Bradygames guide) is cr. lp, cr. lp, cr. mp, Konvict Kick + DDT. Talk about tough! Its not as simple as other characters and becomes very discouraging. cr. lp to cr. mp is a 1 frame and doing a 1F consistently is gonna be tough, especially online. Where-as characters like Nina have a much easier time making something out of nothing, for about the same damage as a king combo.

A friend of ours has shown us some glimpses at high level play (gg-eclipze) his use of tag cancels (using mp + mk during attacks) has lead to some highly damaging combos and seems to be the future of the game. I see people using this tactic improperly, with characters like Ryu on the finisher or continuer end. Ryu won't get you the maximum DPS as a juggler, but if he were to start it, tag out, then get tagged back in with a finisher like ex shoryuken (Which will have been 3 meters) could make it worthwhile. When building a team you might want to examine if this is a card on the table for your particular choices. I will continue to pick characters I enjoy and try to work out these things in the lab, but I think some pairings are just going to be better in the long run. King is a great juggler and combo finisher. With Tag Canceling reseting the jungle potential, you can do some crazy up-forward mk juggling as a builder, and do the same for finisher ending with a grab for 3 meters all used on Tag Cancels.

This game shines in the cooperative arena. It can be very frustrating, with players going Kobe on you (glares at Brutalion....) not giving a tag out, but this is mostly indicative of the importance of tag canceling. The sidelined player has that particular button. So if you are sidelined, and your partner needs to tag out, its going to be on: 1. Your partner to not use the last cross gauge bar if trying to get a safe launcher tag and 2. You to see a good opportunity to press mp+mk to tag in. Block strings are a great chance if you know you can continue it. Juggles are the ideal moment but lets be honest, if your back is against the wall you may not have the luxury. What I call "vanilla tag outs" should be left on the table, and thats what I call tagging at stand still. Yes, against a skilled opponent you will be punished, and you make take half health if your opponent has the meter, BUT if your partner is fresh and you have a pixel, it's a punish you can afford to take. However, this is assuming your partner is above 90% health.

Also, using Cross ASsault in a match....please just use this on round two when you've already got a win. If it's Round 1, Round 2 with you down a round, or round 3 you shouldn't use it. In case you haven't noticed, it combines and splits the totaled health of you and your partner. Round 1 you'll need the meter you can scrape up for the life leads (so opponent can lame out a "Time out"). if you are down a round, again, you'll need the life lead. At round 3, you both have won a round so you probably don't have the luxury to "Floss" for minimal reward. I imagine that some who play co-op will be able to work out routines that could yield some damage (although with Juggle Potential and no EX that seems questionable) single player Cross Assaults will be nearly impossible to capitalize on. Round 2 with a win has little risk for a fun, stylish way to put on the pressure and try something you couldn't normally do.

Mostly tag canceling is going to be the wave of Brootecks' future. Me and brut coordinating attacks for frequent switching will have to be added to our repertoire, and I suggest this for any of you hoping to have a run with cooperative play. I've heard this is online training (co-op only) so those of you playing with online partners will have a chance to work out these types of combos from afar. Who knows what Brut or I will do or pick in the future, but It's left me wanting more, and makes me slightly reluctant to play on my own.

Oh, if you're curious, my solo team is still Rolento and King. My Nina is still rated G for now but I hope to get her on her way soon and I want to add Hwoarang and Paul to my repertoire as well.