============================================================================ ###b d### A ########b Y##b d##P ######### ### ####b d#### d#b #########b Y##b d##P ######### ### #####b d##### d#^#b ### Y###P Y##b d##P #### ### ######bd###### d#P Y#b ### d##P Y##b d##P ######### ### *****Y**P***** d*******b *******C Y**bd**P ********* *** ***** YP ***** d**P***Y**b ***IY***b Y****P **** *** ***** ***** d**P Y**b ***I Y***b Y**P ********* ******** ***** ***** d**P Y**b ***I Y***b YP ********* ******** ____ _ _ ____ ____ ____ _ _ ____ ____ _____ ____ ____ / ___|| | | || _ \ | __|| _ \ | | | || __|| _ \ / _ \| __|/ ___| | |__ | | | || |_> || |__ | |_> | | |_| || |__ | |_> || | | || |__ | |__ \__ \| | | || ___/ | __|| / | _ || __|| / | | | || __|\__ \ __| || |_| || | | |__ | |\ \ | | | || |__ | |\ \ | |_| || |__ __| | |____/\_____/|_| |____||_| \_\ |_| |_||____||_| \_\\_____/|____||____/ ============================================================================ FOR ARCADE, SONY PLAYSTATION AND SEGA SATURN (1997/1998) ASCII art borrowed from James Chen's MSH Combo FAQ :) (see credits) Version 4.2 By John Culbert (tigeraid@geocities.com) You can find this FAQ and many more at the following URLs: http://www.geocities.com/SiliconValley/Heights/1910 (my homepage) http://www.gamefaqs.com VERSION UPDATES: ---------------- -added/edited many more combos for each character, too many to list -arranged combo lists similar to James' Combo FAQ, with basic-intermediate- advanced combos. -added "Character Overview" section, for my opinion on each fighter -added Dashing Jump section for each character in tactics section, elaborated on Dashing Jump -full Thanos/Doom sections -further explained Anita -other corrections/changes v4.2 update: -little corrections -added a few combos for Blackheart and Cap -added Magneto quote v4.0 update: -added stage descriptions -added most post-match qoutes (except for secret characters) -finally got fed up with everyone's bitching and changed IM's quote from "Superior Attack" to "Superior Tech" :) -some small stuff in Reinaldo's Anita section -cool Doom Combo -Blackheart combos, Heart of Darkness info -Juggernaut's Pick-up move -Juggernaut combo -MANY more Hulk combos -one Magneto Throw Combo -edited Magneto Dashing Jump section (he doesn't have one! :) -Psylocke combos -more Cap combos -more OTG combo info for IM -small Spidey combo stuff -little corrections INTRODUCTION TO THE UPDATED COMPENDIUM: *************************************** Well, MSH has finally come to the home systems! This gives me a chance to update the Compendium and still keep the FAQ recent! Version 3.0 (and now 3.5 and 4.0) has the following changes and/or additions: -cleaned things up and made the damn thing easier to read -changed some of my opinions/thoughts on the game (eg. my view on Blackheart; HAPPY ZEKU!?!? :) -re-organized and re-created each character's section for more info and easier reading. -cleaned up paragraphs in general, changed a few words here and there (eg. in the "What is MSH" intro below) -MORE COMBOS!!!!!! :) -added stuff missing from Juggernaut and Blackheart sections (esp. Juggy!) -cleaned up each character's combo list for easier reading, keeping my comments short, and putting all big explanations at the end of each list -added "combo overview" to each section to better explain combos and how to use them -added little character specifics I never bothered to update before -condensed each character's tactics section; now gives general tactics for each fighter relating to ALL situations -added section for home version specific info (eg. codes, other stuff) -added new sections for Dr. Doom, Thanos and Anita. So hopefully, this guide will become a little easier to read and give you in-depth and important info on playing the game. And remember, it's always more fun against a human opponent! :) PLEASE, SEND ANY ADDITIONS OR INFO YOU MAY HAVE! ############################################################################# WHAT IS MARVEL SUPER HEROES? **************************** IMO one of the best games Capcom has ever created, it is not as sloppy as X-Men: CotA, and not as cheesy or crappy as its successor X-Men Vs. Street Fighter (which had followed onto the home systems a little later). This has good solid gameplay and is not overly cheesy beyond most fighting games, as long as no one uses those DAMN-STUPID Infinite combos. The translation to both the PS and ESPECIALLY Saturn are fairly faithful to the arcade (see end of Compendium for review), and pretty much everything done in the arcade can be done here (as far as combos and tactics). So what is MSH, for those who didn't play it in the arcade? Well, it is the sequal to X-Men: Children of the Atom, which started this type of game, and MSH built upon it and made it even better. Not only does it have all our favorite Marvel Super Heroes, but it also has great control, spectacular moves, clean, smooth graphics, and of course, COMBOS. That's what seperates MSH apart from the many other 2D fighters, the combos. It has taken the idea of some regular moves cancelled into Special moves from its sister game series, Street Fighter, and adapted that concept, making ALL regular moves able to cancel into Special Moves and also into other regular moves, calling this a "series". It also has adapted the idea of a juggling system as well, making you able to perform many hits not only as juggles, but actually full combos in the air. This expanded combo system gives the player the option of performing good, solid ground combos, powerful low-numbered combinations, or full blown Jump-in -> Ground -> Off-the-ground -> Air Combo/Infinity Combo combinations! Even more depth was added to MSH's combo system, too much to explain in this intro; you must read on, True Believer... You're not going to find any stupid auto-button combos ala Killer Instinct 1, or even worse, like MK3. No, fighters, this combo system literally allows you to "create your own combos" as stressed in X-Men: CotA's intro, and is still quite present in MSH. So, this FAQ is a must-read for any MSH fan trying to learn the ropes; and don't think I'm the only other player out there; a definite recommendation is to read James Chen's MSH Combo FAQ, which will explain the combo system in even more detail than Yours Truly. ############################################################################# ******* LEGEND: BUTTONS ******* .-------------Jab JOYSTICK | .-----------Strong | | .---------Fierce U/B U U/F | | | \|/ | | | B--o--F | | | /|\ O O O D/B D D/F O O O | | | | | | | | | | | ----------Roundhouse | ------------Forward -------------Short QCT= Quarter Circle Toward (roll the joystick from D to F) QCB= Quarter Circle Back (roll the joystick from D to B) HCT= Half Circle Toward (roll the joystick from B to D to F) HCB= Half Circle Back (roll the joystick from F to D to B) + = enter commands simultainiously IC = Infinity Combo ICO= Infinity Counter MS = Magic Series MSH= Marvel Super Heroes SBB= Super Berserker Barrage (Wolverine: QCT+all three Punches) BB = Berserker Barrage (Wolverine: QCT+any Punch) EQ = Earthquake (Juggernaut: F,D/F,D+any Punch) JP = Juggernaut Punch (Juggernaut: QCT+any Punch) OTG= Off the Ground FS = Flying Screen J. = Jumping SJ.= Super Jumping S. = Standing C. = Crouching FL.= Flying AD.= Air Dashing NOTE: the diagram above is used mainly to indicate the various button names and joystick positions. Of course, the PS and Saturn controllers do not look like this, but I will not do up ASCII art for it, because I'd have to do 2 controllers, and the buttons can be custom-set anyways in the options--you get the idea, I'm sure... ############################################################################# *************** TRICKS/SECRETS: *************** Taunt: ------ To perform a Taunt on the PS version, tap D,D+Select. For the Saturn, hit D,D+L+R. See character sections for specific Taunts. Alternate Color Select: ----------------------- To choose the alternate (2 player color) for your character, at the character select screen, hold Up (for top row) or Down (for bottom row) for 3 seconds, then choose the character with any button. Disable Gems: ------------- To disable the use of all Gems in the two player mode, both players must hold START after choosing their fighters untl the round starts. Beat up the Loser: ------------------ At the end of the last round in any battle, tap Select (for PS) or L+R (for Saturn) BEFORE your points begin to tally up (provided you're the winner, of course :). You will regain control of your fighter and can attack your fallen, loser opponent! Any move will hit them on the ground, and they can be chained into another attack, but some attacks gain weird knock-away properties, and can you cannot perform Special Moves. :-( Secret Characters: ------------------ See specific character sections for Doom, Thanos and Anita. ############################################################################# *************** A WORD ABOUT... *************** INFINITY BAR: This is a bar located directly under your fighter's life meter, and as you perform moves, hit opponents, or get hit (performing Special Moves fills it the fastest), it will fill up. Once it is full, a one will appear beside it. This means you have one Infinity Level, allowing you to perform Infinity Combos and Infinity Counters. It can continue to be filled to level 2; You're maximum level depends on the character (i.e. Shuma Gorath can only use 1, but Iron Man can charge up to 3.) ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- INFINITY COMBO: This is a devastating move that can only be performed when at least one level of the Infinity Bar is full. Once activated, the screen will grow dark for a moment as the fighter gathers his/her energy; the announcer will then exclaim "Infinity!!", or an "X" will appear for the X-Men characters, and they will perform the move. Note that all animation, except the character's "gathering" of energy, is halted during the dark screen, so your opponent cannot move, i.e. if the enemy is standing right in front of you and you pull off the IC, they cannot avoid it. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- INFINITY COUNTERS: Similiar to Alpha Counters from SFA2, these are performed during a period known as a "block stun"; this means after blocking an attack, you must pull off this move before your fighter's blocking animation is done (before they bring their hands down), and it will interrupt your opponent's recovery animation from their attack. Technically this is known as "cancelling" your block. An ICO can only be done with one level of the Infinity Bar full. To do an ICO, roll from B to D in one motion and hit a punch immediately after blocking an attack. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- SUPER JUMPING: Super Jumps cause your character to jump very high into the air; to perform a Super Jump, quickly tap D before jumping, or hit all three kicks. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- THROWS: To perform a Throw, hold towards or away from the opponent and hit Fierce or Strong up close. To perform an Air Throw, hold F or B and hit Fierce or Strong up close IN MID-AIR. Some characters also have Throws with Forward and Roundhouse. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- TECH HITS: Tech hits allow you to recover and possibly reverse Throws done to you. To tech hit a Throw, perform the motion for one of your own Throws just as they Throw; this will cause no damage to you. It takes NO Infinity power to perform a tech hit. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- DASHING: To perform a dash forward, tap forward twice. To perform a retreating dash, tap back twice. Dashing is an important part of a lot of combos. Alternately, you can also perform a dash by hitting all three punches simultainously. To dash back, hold B while hitting the punches. Except for Blackheart, all characters can interrupt their forward dash with any move, including a backward dash. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- DASHING JUMPS: To perform a dashing jump, interrupt a normal dash with a jump forward. This will cause your fighter to jump much further than their regular U/F jump. This can be very useful for some characters, and not as useful for others. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- SAFETY ROLL: After being knocked down, it is possible to roll in recovery to standing. This does not lessen the damage of the knockdown, but it allows you to avoid an opponent's attempted ground attack or possible OTG combo, and you can also roll behind them and perhaps surprise them. To get a Safety Roll, perform a complete motion from B to D and hit any punch BEFORE you hit the ground. Note that if the move you're hit with executes the Flying Screen phenomenon, you cannot Safety Roll. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- DIZZYING: When a fighter is hit many times in a row with powerful moves in a short time (it doesn't have to be a combo), the small portrait of their face by their meters will show them getting pretty beaten up; after a certain point the character will bounce up then stand to be dizzy. At this point is the opponent's chance to do an attack or combo that the dizzy character will have no defense against. When your character is dizzy, shake the Joystick repeatedly and hit the buttons rapidly to regain control faster. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- INFINITY GEMS: These are special items that give you temporary special powers. You collect Gems from your fallen opponents, and start every match with some. Tap Select (on PS) or L+R (on Saturn) to cycle through them at the bottom of the screen. Perform a QCB and hit all three punches to activate your chosen Gem. Here's what they do for every character: Power (RED): This will increase your fighter's offensive power, allowing all of their attacks to do more damage. Mind (BLUE): This will cause your Infinity Bar to refill itself rapidly for a period of time! Soul (GREEN): This will cause your fighter's health to gradually refill for a period of time. If you're hit while regenerating, the meter will still go down, but will then continue to rise. Try and save this for when you really need it. Time (PINK): This will speed you up considerably for a period of time. Space (PURPLE): This will give you "Super Armor" that will raise your character's defense considerably and make them nearly impossible to knock down, except with Throws. When this is activated, try and go offensive for the time. Reality (ORANGE): This will allow you to throw projectiles by tapping a single button. The following is from Richard Cheung's MSH FAQ: Jab/Short: fireballs high/low respectively Strong/Forward: icicles down/up respectively Fierce or Roundhouse: electrical spheres homing/spread respectively Start: orange objects are lobbed at opponent whom will dizzy after about 2-4 hits (eg. Pumpkins, Akuma statues) NOTE: In addition to these special powers, each character also gains an additional special power from one of the Gems. For example, if Blackheart activates the Reality Gem, he not only has the ability to throw the various projectiles, but he will also be completely invisible for the duration! Defensive Gem Tactics: ---------------------- Try and reserve your gems for times of need (eg. use the life recovery when you have little life left). Note: activating a Gem can be used as a defensive technique as well. When activated, the Gem produces a distortion around the fighter that WILL hit the enemy if they are extremely close. The damage is minimal, but it will knock them away and let you catch your breath. Gem Knocking: ------------- Fighters have the ability to knock the enemy's Gem out of them, where it will bounce on the ground and lie there until someone walks over it and it becomes theirs. You must hit the enemy with a Special Move or IC to knock the Gem from them. Gems also enter the playing field when a "First Attack" is achieved, as well as "Danger". ############################################################################# THE MSH COMBO SYSTEM: ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ MAGIC SERIES: ************* This is the name given to Capcom's version of a chain combo system. X-MEN: CotA and MSH have adapted Street Fighter's original combo system so that there was a way to cancel normal attacks into other normal attacks as well as normal-->Special Attacks. Each fighter has his or her own Magic Series that follows a distinct pattern. Here are the various Series: *Wolverine, Psylocke, Dr. Doom and Thanos-"Zig-Zag": Jab -> Short -> Strong -> Forward -> Fierce -> Roundhouse *Iron Man, Captain America and Spider-Man-"Weaker to Stronger": any attack can cancel into another of higher strength. *Hulk, Magneto and Juggernaut-"Weak Start": any Jab or Short into anything Stronger. *Shuma Gorath-"Punch to Kick": ANY punch can be cancelled into ANY kick. *Blackheart-"Kick to Punch": ANY kick can be cancelled into ANY punch. Note that you can skip any of the steps in the series, but you cannot go backwards. The rules for the Ground Magic Series are that you can input crouching or standing attacks following the series (for example, Psylocke can cancel a standing Strong into a standing Fierce, or a crouching Fierce). You can perform a Magic Series while jumping as well; This is great for starting jump-in combos, allowing you to get in more hits as you jump in at the enemy before continuing a combo on the ground. The chaining of Jumping Magic Series into ground combos involves a lot of timing for different characters. There needs to be a different short pause for every character between the air combo and the ground combo (eg. jump in with Fierce followed by a Roundhouse with Wolverine, then do a crouching Short into a Roundhouse. There has to be a short pause between the jumping Roundhouse and the crouching Short). The pause allows you to land properly. This timing requires some practice, for if you hit the next button to early it may come out in the air and really screw you up. You must get a personal feel for each character. As well, MS combos can be done during a SUPER jump, but these are different from X-Men: CotA. Now, everyone has the SAME series, the Zig-Zag described above. Like the other two version of the Magic Series, it allows you to do any version of one button. See Air Combos for more info. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- AIR COMBOS: *********** These, put in loose terms, are juggles. But, the exception laid down in MSH is that they must be done as you jump in the air. So, to do an air combo by definition, you must knock the enemy up into the air with a launcher, or use the other two setups (see below), then follow them up and perform an air combo before either of you land. BOTH fighters must be in the air for an Air Combo to register (i.e. launching the opponent with Hulk's crouching Fierce then juggling quickly with a Vertical Gamma Charge will not count as an Air Combo, even if the Charge connected against an airborn enemy). There are three different ways to setup an enemy to perform a true Air Combo: -After knocking the enemy up with a launcher (eg. Hulk's C.Fierce) -Super Jumping up and connecting the combo to a Super Jumping enemy -Jumping up and connecting a combo to a jumping enemy or an enemy on their way down from a Super Jump, or perhaps DP move. As well, there are two different types of Air Combos: regular Jumping Air Combos and Super Jumping Air Combos. Read on... Setups: ******* Launchers: ---------- These are moves that knock the enemy up into the air for a juggle. Borrowing James Chen's terminology from his MSH combo FAQ, there are four different kinds of launchers: Regular Launchers: These are attacks that knock the enemy up high into the air wether they're on the ground or not (eg. Spider-Man's S.Strong.) EVERY character has at least one Regular Launcher. Straight Launchers: These launch the enemy across the screen (eg. Wolverine's S.Fierce). Except for Juggernaut and Blackheart, every character has at least one Straight Launcher, also refered to as a "Strike". Small Launchers: Launchers that knock the opponent just slightly up off the ground (eg. Psylocke's C.Forward). Not all characters have Small Launchers. Air Launchers: These launch enemies straight up and sky high only if the enemy was hit out of the air (eg. Hulk's S.Roundhouse). Not everyone has an Air Launcher. The Regular Launchers are by far the most effective, as they throw the enemy straight up in the air. Note that the enemy recovers on their way DOWN and can then air block everything (except if launched by a Throw, i.e. Captain America's Roundhouse Throw), so you must follow your opponent up after a Regular Launcher and hit them before they reach the apex of their flight. The Small Launchers and Air Launchers are best used combined. Since the Small Launchers throw the enemy up a short distance, you can immediately follow with an Air Launcher to juggle and throw them high up. Air Launchers can also be used simply as air counters; hit a jumping opponent with one, then follow with a high-hitting move (eg. Captain America's Stars `n' Stripes) or in many cases, an Air Combo. Now, in order to successfully follow up a Launcher, you must cancel the Launcher with a Super Jump, i.e. hit the enemy with the Launcher, then before its animation is complete, simply tap U and the Super Jump comes out automatically. Of course, you can always keep it simple by following it up with a rising attack, like a Spider Sting following Spider-Man's standing Strong. Super Jumping: -------------- You can Air Combo any Super Jumping enemy simply by following them up with your own Super Jump and nailing them as you go. This is not as precise as a Launcher because you must be a close distance to the enemy with your Super Jump, so some hits that connect after Launchers may not do so during a Super Jump. Regular Jumping: ---------------- Use this when the enemy does a regular jump towards you; jump up to meet them and try and get in your hits first. Also an ideal counter if the enemy misses a DP move (eg. Wolverine's Tornado Claw). ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- Types: ****** Super Jumping Air Combos: ------------------------- Something unique to MSH exists only in Super Jumping Air Combos; the ability to bring out a "combo finisher" similiar in fashion to Killer Instinct. In MSH, the combo system of Super Jumping is highly customized because not only does every character have the same Zig-Zag series, but the combo finishers are simply done by chaining in Fierce or Roundhouse at the end of that series (there are exceptions with Iron Man and Blackheart, however). Note that you can only perform these finishers if you do not start the combo with the Fierce or Roundhouse (otherwise thatwill finish the combo right there). The finishers are pretty cool and allow you to knock the enemy away and the camera will follow them to the ground. After they land, you'll jump back into the screen from the side (some finishers will also knock the enemy straight down towards the ground, but the same properties apply). This is known as the "Flying Screen" phenomenon, which I will explain later. NOTE: if you prefer, you can finish the Super Jumping Air Combo with any airborne Special Move (eg. Magneto's EM Disruptor); this may or may not be more effective, depending on the character. Regular Jumping Air Combos: --------------------------- The only difference between these and Super Jump Air Combos is that there is no special finisher. This will allow you to use the entire combo series if you wish. You can still cancel into a Special Move. So, if you and your opponent are both in regular jumps at each other, it is possible in theory to hit them with an entire 6 hit Zig-Zag series with any character that has the full Zig-Zag Regular Jumping MS (eg. Magneto), and then even cancel with a Special Move! Normal Move/Special Move Cancellation Combos: --------------------------------------------- Ah, the classics. Remember the good ol' Fierce Punch cancelled into a Dragon Punch with Ken and Ryu? Well, Capcom's given us much more possibilities, because ANY normal move can now be cancelled into a Special Move. This allows A LOT of freedom for combos, and these combos are usually very easy pull off. Also note that "any" normal move also includes mid-air moves cancelled into Air Special Moves (eg. Juggernaut's Juggernaut Splash), which is what allows Air Magic Series combos to cancel into Special Moves. Dashing Combos: --------------- Dashing before entering a combination allows for more hits. This is because it gives more momentum after your first hit, so it won't push you as far away from the enemy, allowing you to get in more hits. For example, Wolverine can perform a Jab -> Short -> Strong -> Forward series on Magneto, and perhaps even finish with a Drill or Tornado Claw. But if he performs the series while dashing into Mags, he can go into a Fierce or Roundhouse to finish off the series, whereas without the dash, the series would have pushed the opponent too far away for the last hit to connect. This skill should be mastered, because it is best utilized after the enemy misses a DP move like Spider Man's Spider Sting. As well, it is difficult but possible to initiate a Dash Combo after a jump-in hit or even series. The key is to tap F, F after you tap the button for your last hit plus the button you're going to start the Dash Combo with. This must be timed correctly so that the last F of the dash motion is tapped AS you plant your feet on the ground. For example, with Magneto, to perform a J.Strong -> J.Forward -> J.Fierce, D.S.Short -> S.Roundhouse XX Jab EM Disruptor, do all three hits of the Air Combo, but AS you are tapping Fierce you should also do the first F of the dash command; time it so that the first F comes out JUST as he finishes the J.Fierce, then the second F should be done simultainiously with the S.Short AS Magneto's feet hit the ground. Off the Ground (OTG) Combos: ---------------------------- An Off the Ground (OTG) combo starts with an attack that hits a downed opponent, and allows the attacker to continue into more hits. Technically, an OTG combo is NOT a true combo. The definition of a combo from way back in the SF2 days is-- "a series of attacks that, once the first hit has connected, the rest cannot be defended against." But, if the opponent is wary, he can perform a Safety Roll, which will avoid OTG attacks. But if he doesn't, the combo number will continue to rise. (NOTE: There is an exception to this rolling escape--see Flying Screen Combos). So, an OTG combo is a combo where you knock the enemy down, then combo them OFF the floor as they land. To do this, you must hit the fallen enemy with a low enough attack (eg. a sweep or perhaps slide). Now, no matter what move you used, when an opponent is hit while on the ground, they are "bounced" a VERY small ways into the air, then they fall again. During the time before they land, they cannot block anything, so you can hit them with any attack that will reach. As James Chen says, if you want a good example, watch the Attract Mode on the MSH machine. You will see Captain America fighting Shuma Gorath. In one of the scenes showing this match-up, you will see Cap knock a jumping Shuma Gorath out of the air with a Jab Stars `n' Stripes. Once the alien lands, Cap dashes in and performs a C.Short, knocking Shuma Gorath ever-so slightly OTG. The Star-Spangled Avenger then cancels into a C.Fierce, which is a Regular Launcher, catching him before he lands from the OTG hit. He then finishes by cancelling the Launcher with a Super Jump and a SJ.Fierce. One thing to remember is that rarely in this game to people stay on the ground for very long, even if they aren't rolling. You MUST hit an opponent OTG with a move that has significantly good recovery time; for example with Psylocke, she's fast enough to hit the enemy OTG with a C.Short after a C.Roundhouse because the sweep recovers so fast. Therefore, her C.Roundhouse is a good setup for an OTG Combo. On the other hand, Magneto's C.Roundhouse is far too slow in recovery for him to hit the enemy OTG afterwards (except for cancelling into a Shockwave of course). BTW, to be fair, you cannot do two OTG combos in one combination. For example, with Hulk you can do a- D.S.Short -> S.Forward XX Short Gamma Charge, C.Fierce (OTG) -> SJ.Air Combo. But, you cannot do a: D.S.Short -> S.Forward XX Short Gamma Charge, C.Jab (OTG) -> S.Strong XX Short Gamma Charge, C.Jab (OTG) -> etc.. As this would effectively create two OTG combos in one. This of course would make for infinite combos, because you could continuously OTG the opponent after every time you Short Gamma Charge. Flying Screen (FS) Combos: -------------------------- I will use James Chen's definition of the Flying Screen (FS): "The Flying Screen is the phenomena in MSH that causes the screen to scroll VERY quickly after certain moves hit the enemy. The view of the game follows the enemy and the person doing the hit disappears from the screen. Once the screen stops moving, the person who was hit will just lie there and the other player will hop into the screen from the side." (My Note: BTW, some FS attacks will knock the enemy straight into the ground as opposed to off screen, like finishing a Super Jumping Air Combo with Magneto's SJ.Fierce--it will send the enemy into the ground on the SAME screen. Note that the same FS restrictions explained below still apply) The FS happens after the following conditions: -after performing a Super Jumping Air Combo "finisher" (some exceptions) -after performing the following moves: Juggernaut's Juggernaut Punch Spider-Man's Web Throw Wolverine's Berserker Barrage (if all hits connect; same with the Super Berserker Barrage IC) Magneto's Shockwave IC Hulk's Gamma Tornado Psylocke's PsiMaelstrom Now, here's the catch--if your opponent is close or in the corner, there is no way for the screen to scroll, because the border is there. So, when you perform a move executing the FS phenomenon that knocks the enemy into a close corner, they will hover against the corner for a moment, then fall to the ground. As they land, you can easily perform an OTG combo, or juggle in some cases... (eg. Wolverine) -Limitations One good limitation is that the FS forbids the opponent from Safety Rolling PERIOD, so OTG combos WILL become true combos in this case. One thing against the comboer is that once you perform an OTG combo after the FS, the game will not let you perform ANY Air Combos or Special Moves; for example, with Wolverine if you perform a Berserker Barrage in the corner with all hits, the enemy will hover briefly, then when they fall, you can hit them OTG with a C.Short into S.Roundhouse. But, you CANNOT cancel the Roundhouse with a Tornado Claw, nor can you follow them up with a Super Jump and Air Combo! ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- Safe Air Magic Series/Safe Ground Combo: ---------------------------------------- Safe Air Magic Series: >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> James Chen noticed that some air attacks are directed at akward angles, so they sometimes miss in a SJ.Air Combo (eg. Psylocke's SJ.Strong). So, he made a list of all the Air Combos that were definite hits, and sometimes they aren't always the potential 5 hits (Jab, Short, Strong, Forward, Fierce or Roundhouse finisher). For example, Hulk's Safe Air MS is: Jab -> Strong -> Forward -> Fierce or Roundhouse Finisher Short is skipped because it would not usually connect in this combo. Still, 4 out of a potential 5 hits is OK. Safe Ground Combo: >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Another thing noticed by James Chen is that it is pretty easy to get countered after trying to connect with a Ground Combo because the move you tried to finish with, either to launch or finish right there, had such a slow recovery, that when blocked the enemy could easily combo you in return (for example, if you tried with Magneto to get in a simple C.Short into C.Roundhouse knockdown combo, but the opponent blocked it all low, Magneto is in BIG trouble, because the recovery on his C.Roundhouse is considerably slow. So, James Chen listed a good combo for each character, that can get big and multi-hitting if the enemy doesn't defend, but if blocked can be turned into something that leaves you in much less danger. One of his examples was with Wolverine: D.S.Jab -> S.Short -> S.Strong XX Fierce Berserker Barrage. Now, if you have a keen enough eye and see that the first two or so hits were blocked, then you could easily NOT do the Berserker Barrage, which if blocked would allow the enemy to do whatever he wants to Logan, and instead do this: D.S.Jab -> S.Short -> S.Strong -> S.Forward -> S.Fierce. After the enemy blocks the Fierce, Wolverine is a considerable distance away so that it is very difficult for the opponent to hit him during the recovery frames of the Fierce. Note that there are some exceptions to the safe combo; there are attacks that are fast enough to catch you even if you finished the combo the safe way. For example, Hulk's Gamma Charge is LIGHTNING fast coming out, so even if your attack has a very SLIGHT delay, he can still counter with it. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- Character Dimensions: ********************* In X-Men: CotA, there were three character sizes, with Sentinel, Colossus and Juggernaut being large, Silver Samurai and Omega Red being mid, and everyone else light. In MSH, it is even more detailed, going by height, width and weight. Height will determine how many hits you can get on a jump-in combo (eg. you can easily get all three hits of Psylocke's Jumping Magic Series on Blackheart, but you can only get one or two on a little guy like Wolverine). Width determines how many hits are possible in a dashing combo (eg. on Juggernaut, Wolverine can get 5 hits in a dashing combo, finishing with either Roundhouse or Fierce, but on a scrawny guy like Spider-Man you would not get as much, maybe 3 hits). Weight determines wether or not a few combos will work, usually because you cannot launch a fat dude like Juggernaut as high as you can launch, say, Psylocke. Here is the basic list of dimensions; learn them, so you know how many hits to do in a combo, so that you don't go overboard and mess up- Height (tallest to shortest) Blackheart Juggernaut Hulk Thanos Shuma Gorath Magneto Dr. Doom Ironman Captain America Psylocke Spiderman Wolverine Width (widest to thinnest) Juggernaut Hulk Thanos Blackheart Shuma Gorath Dr. Doom Magneto Captain America Ironman Wolverine Psylocke Spiderman Weight (lightest to heaviest) Spiderman Psylocke Wolverine Shuma Gorath Captain America Magneto Dr. Doom (?) Ironman Blackheart Thanos (?) Hulk Juggernaut ############################################################################# HULK: ----- Beginning Pose: Hulk clenches his fist and exclaims "Let's Rock!" Winning Pose 1: Hulk clenches his fist and exclaims "Let's Rock!" Winning Pose 2: Hulk clenches his fist and exclaims "Who's Next?" Taunt: Hulk clenches his fist and exclaims "Let's Rock!" Regular Color: Green skin, Purple pants 2nd Color: Grey skin, Purple pants Background: An amusement park at night, mainly with the merry-go-round in the background. Post-Match Quotes: Vs. Hulk-"That's why I'm the Hulk and you're just a green nutcase who drools too much." Close Fight-"Good fight! I might even have bruises from this!" -"Thanks I needed the nap." -"HULK SMASH! Sorry, I just had to say it." -"Have you ever considered Gamma Radiation? It works wonders for me." -"I said you wouldn't like me when I'm angry. Maybe you'll listen next time." -"I hope your medical insurance is payed up." -"Some days it just doesn't pay to get out of bed, does it? STORY: ****** For those who've never heard of the Incredible Hulk, crawl out from under your rock and read this: Mild-mannered chemist Bruce Banner was experimenting with the properties of gamma radiation. During a test, he was exposed to a large dose of the powerful energy. Banner mutated into a large green behemoth, and would do so from now on whenever he became enraged. He soon cured this problem, but mutated into another, grey version of the Hulk and then finally to his current state--smart, extremely powerful and green. But, Bruce will be forever trapped in the hulking body. Now, the mad Titan known as Thanos has gained possession of the all-powerful Infinity Gems, controlling the very fabric of the universe. In an attempt to save all in existance, the Hulk has joined forces with his fellow Avengers, the X-Men and Adam Warlock to seize the Gems and restore peace. CHARACTER OVERVIEW: ******************* Definetely one of the more solid characters in the game, he has surprising quickness and can do HUGE damage with his combos OR single hits. A healthy mix of offense with Throws a jump-ins, and defense with the powerful Gamma Charge makes playing Hulk a lot of fun, and also give your opponent quite a challenge. You just have to ensure that you learn how to use him properly, and you definetely cannot be a button masher with him, as the majority of his attacks have very bad recovery. MOVES LIST: *********** -Gamma Tornado: HCB+any punch -Gamma Charge: charge B, F+any kick -Vertical Gamma Charge: charge D, U+any kick -Quick Ground Chuck: HCT+any punch -Ground Chuck: D, D+all three punches (then any punch to throw) -One-Hand Drop: F or B+Fierce or Strong (close) -Drop Slam: F or B+Fierce or Strong (close in mid-air) -Best Gem: Time -Forward Dash; Quick Hop: F, F or all three punches -Backward Dash; Ground Roll: B, B or B+all three punches -Infinity Counter; Gamma Charge: B, D/B, D+any punch -Infinity Combo; Gamma Crush: QCT+all three punches REGULAR MOVES ANALYSIS: *********************** His S.Jab is a great pecking tool and can start combos. Use it freely, as it is totally safe and difficult to counter. The C.Jab is a great low hammer strike that will hit the enemy OTG easily. Hulk's S.Strong is a great comboable backfist which comes out and recovers quickly, and also has great range. The C.Strong is similiar only lower. The S.Fierce SMASHES the enemy across the screen for great damage, and it can be used as an easy combo finisher. It comes out fast but has HORRIBLE recovery and you WILL be punished if missed or blocked, so only use it when you're sure (e.g countering a missed attack from a distance) OR in a combo. This will also hit OTG. The C.Fierce is the Hulk's only regular launcher; it usually hits twice and does good damage; this move's recovery is fairly slow however, so only use it in combos or after ducking a high attack. Hulk's Short Kick has GREAT priority and works excellently against crouching peckers (huh,huh... he said "pecker" :) like Wolverine; it also works well as a tick (considering what little ticking is possible in this game). Hits OTG too. Hulk's S.Forward is a great-looking boot-kick ala Jeffry that has good range and priority--good in your offensive ground game; but, beware as it has a slight lag at the beginning, so make sure you get it out as early as possible. Finally comes the Roundhouse attacks which IMO should not be used too often; both have slow recovery and are not overly useful; the S.Roundhouse is an Air Launcher that usually hits twice, and makes a GREAT air counter that can be followed with an Air Combo (must guide Super Jump U/F) or Air Throw. The C.Roundhouse is IMO useless. When jumping, The J.Fierce and J.Forward provide good air priority, and the J.Roundhouse is a great jump-in attack. SPECIAL MOVE ANALYSIS: ********************** -Gamma Tornado- (Hulk grabs the opponent BY THE HEAD WITH ONE HAND, and spins them around a few times then whips them across the screen) A lot of fun when it connects, but difficult to connect with. The thing that really weakens it is that it can be tech hitted, so even in combos its damage can be nullified--it is also blockable =(. Just be careful where to use it; if you're up close after blocking an opponent's slow recovering attack (eg. another Hulk's blocked Gamma Tornado, or Juggernaut's Juggernaut Punch) go wild with it, and it will often grab. In combos, make really sure you cancel your regular attack with this EARLY; this is because Hulk's arm sticks out a mile for at least a full second, leaving him prey to anything! ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- -Gamma Charge- (Hulk exclaims "Gamma Charge!" and rushes the opponent) This is IMO Hulk's most useful attack. Although if blocked it leaves him open to anything, the Charge is easy to put in combos. And here's the best part: after initiating the Gamma Charge, you can change direction by hitting either F, B, U/F, U, or U/B plus a kick in the middle of the Charge to go into another Charge! WHENEVER you connect with a Gamma Charge you should always follow up with the appropriate direction change (usually U/F or U, I find) to juggle for another hit, making a POWERFUL 2 hit combination! This is also great for avoiding foes. Also note that this is arguably THE fastest Special Move in the game, and since it starts in a defensive position, it is the perfect counter-attack to ANY ground attack from under half a screen away. It is so fast in fact that you can counter even Safe Ground Combos a lot of the time! ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- -Vertical Gamma Charge- (Bruce exclaims "Gamma Charge!" and rises up into the air) This is a great air counter for high jumpers or even some Super Jumping foes if you have the time for the brief charge. It can be used in some combos, but its most important asset, like the horizontal version, is that you can change direction in mid-flight by hitting a direction+kick; if you knock them up, hold up and hit punch to juggle 'em with another Charge for great damage! ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- -Quick Ground Chuck- (Hulk growls as he rips up a piece of the floor and throws it at the opponent) This is Hulk's fireball move (if you would call it that); I see a lot of players overusing this, but I rarely do myself. His initiation AND recovery are both slow, and he can be hit EASILY from even the full screen by most projectiles before he actually throws the piece. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- -Ground Chuck- (Hulk rips up a piece of the floor or ground and holds it above his head, then throws it when commanded) IMO another useless move, except in a few combos. Other than that, this one actually has longer delays than the above version. Note however that Hulk can hit the opponent as he is ripping the ground up, so with proper timing this can work fairly well as an air counter. Also note that this is somewhat useful in his Safe Ground Combo. YOU CANNOT BLOCK AS HULK HOLDS THE CHUNK! ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- -One-Hand Drop- (Hulk grabs the opponent, brings him up over his head, leans over and slams them head-first into the ground) A good all-around Throw, use it up close whenever possible, unless you have a better opening for a combo. This is especially good after pestering the opponent with Shorts and Jabs to force them to block, then quickly pull this off. You can often follow with an OTG combo provided they don't Roll, as it leaves them just in front of Hulk's feet. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- -Drop Slam- (Hulk grabs an enemy out of the air and slams them downward) Use it when you feel like it, although IMO a well-placed Air Combo is more effective (unless of course you anticipate them air blocking). It IS possible to OTG after this, but the timing is quite difficult (thanks Onaje! :) ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- -Best Gem: Time This is Hulk's best Gem; not only is he sped up considerably, but this Gem gives him the ability to throw extra-fast Fierce and Roundhouse attacks-- that's right, so fast, you can chain two or even THREE Fierces together for a POWERFUL combo! ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- -Forward Dash; Short Hop- (Hulk hops forward a short distance) Emphasis on the SHORT part. Hulk's forward dash travels only short distance, a little over half screen before landing, and IMO shouldn't be used TOO often. It is pretty safe and you can cancel it with a backward dash, but it still is slow to do, so if the enemy knows you're coming, you're in trouble. It's also not too good if the enemy misses a DP move (eg. Wolverine's Tornado Claw), because if you're across the screen it may take too long to get over to them, at which time they'll have most likely recovered to defend himself. When going offensive, it is better to jump forward with the Hulk, because he has a fast jump with little hang time but decent distance is covered. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- -Backward Dash; Ground Roll- (Hulk tucks his shoulder in and rolls backward) A VERY good backward dash, it is quite fast and can avoid a lot of high attacks (eg. Cap's Strong Shield Slash). It doesn't travel too far, but it gets the job done. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- -Infinity Counter; Gamma Charge- (Hulk blocks his enemy's attack and counters with a Gamma Charge) A VERY good Infinity Counter, it works best on up close projectiles throwers (eg. if you block Shuma Gorath's Mystic Stare from a few steps away), and also on any up close attack that recovers too fast for you to counter otherwise (for example, Infinity Counter Magneto out of his standing Jab or Strong up close, because if you try to counter with something else after blocking it, Magneto will recover fast enough to block the counter; but, if Magnus throws his up close Roundhouse (the two-hit high kick), then its recovery is slow enough that you can block the whole thing and counter with a good combo, or even a Gamma Tornado :) ). Try to avoid countering jump-in attacks with this unless they're really deep, because it will likely miss. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- -Infinity Combo; Gamma Crush- (Hulk rises into the air (a little like a Vertical Gamma Charge), then exclaims "Gamma Crush!!" and comes crashing down with a large boulder in his hands) To be used only in certain special circumstances, it can be a weakness as well as a great srength. It has HUGE delays in all parts; the rock is VERY easy to block, then retaliate. Use it only in combos, or IMO its best way: as an air counter. Hulk can hit as he rises at first; the meteor will then hit the fallen foe. When Hulk hits them while rising up, he does good damage and when the boulder OTGs the fallen opponent the total damage is AWESOME. Also note that the Gamma Crush has EXTREMELY high priority, and will take out ANYTHING up close, if you anticipate. The only problem is, if the enemy DOESN'T throw anything out and decides to block, you're in deep shit :). NOTE: you may notice that when the screen darkens Hulk will face you (the screen)--this gives his IC a strength above some other fighters. If your foe manages to cross you up JUST as Hulk starts the IC, you may think that you'll rise in the wrong direction, but since Hulk starts facing the screen, he can go either way! So, if the enemy is in the air ANYWHERE above Hulk's head pull this off and it is guarenteed. You can only get 2 hits with the Gamma Crush maximum. OTG NOTE: it is actually possible to OTG after the Gamma Crush in the corner under special circumstances, being that the 2nd half of the Crush must hit the enemy HIGH in the air, as opposed to close to or Off the Ground. If you hit them high in the air, you will have time to land and OTG after. To do this, try and time the Crush so that it hits as high in the air as possible... COMBOS: ******* -Safe Air Magic Series: Jab -> Strong -> Forward -> Fierce -Safe Ground Combo: D.S.Short -> C.Fierce -> Air Combo If the enemy blocks... D.S.Short -> C.Fierce XX Ground Chuck -Ground Magic Series: Weak Start -Jumping Magic Series: Weak Start (2 hits average) -Launchers: C.Fierce -Air Launchers: S.Roundhouse -Straight Launchers: S.Fierce -Small Launchers: none *BASIC COMBOS* 1. J.Roundhouse, S.Jab -> S.Fierce 2. Gamma Charge, U/F or U Gamma Charge 3. C.Fierce XX Gamma Crush 4. D.S.Short -> C.Fierce XX Ground Chuck 5. S.Roundhouse (air counter) -> SJ.Air Throw 6. Strong or Fierce Throw, D.S.Fierce (OTG) 7. Activate Time Gem, S.Fierce -> S.Fierce 8. (corner) D.S.Jab -> S.Fierce XX Gamma Tornado (FS) 9. (corner) S.Roundhouse (2 hits) XX Gamma Tornado (FS) *INTERMEDIATE COMBOS* 10. J.Roundhouse, S.Short -> S.Strong XX Gamma Charge, U/F or U Gamma Charge 11. J.Short -> J.Strong, S.Strong XX Gamma Charge, U/F or U Gamma Charge 12. J.Short -> J.Roundhouse, D.S.Short -> S.Strong XX Gamma Tornado (FS) 13. (in corner) D.S.Jab -> S.Strong XX Fierce Gamma Tornado (FS), S.Short (OTG) -> S.Fierce 14. J.Roundhouse, D.S.Short -> C.Fierce -> SJ.Jab -> SJ.Strong -> SJ.Forward -> SJ.Fierce (FS) 15. J.Short -> J.Strong, S.Short -> S.Strong XX Short Gamma Charge, C.Fierce (OTG) -> SJ.Jab -> SJ.Strong -> SJ.Forward -> SJ.Fierce (FS) 16. J.Short -> J.Strong, D.C.Fierce XX Gamma Crush 17. J.Roundhouse, S.Jab -> S.Strong XX Short Gamma Charge, D.S.Short (OTG) -> C.Fierce -> SJ.Jab -> SJ.Strong -> SJ.Forward -> SJ.Fierce (FS) 18. Activate Time Gem, J.Roundhouse, D.S.Jab -> S.Fierce -> S.Fierce 19. (corner) Fierce or Strong Throw, S.Short (OTG) -> S.Forward XX Gamma Charge XX U/F or U Gamma Charge 20. D.S.Short -> C.Fierce -> SJ.Jab -> SJ.Strong, Strong Air Throw 21. J.Short -> J.Roundhouse, S.Short -> S.Roundhouse (2 hits) XX Gamma Charge 22. S.Roundhouse (air counter) -> SJ.Jab -> SJ.Strong -> SJ.Forward -> SJ.Fierce (FS) 23. J.Short -> J.Forward, D.C.Short -> C.Forward XX Short Gamma Charge, C.Short (OTG) -> C.Fierce XX Gamma Crush 24. S.Roundhouse (air counter) XX Gamma Crush :) 25. Activate Time Gem, Strong or Fierce Throw, D.S.Fierce -> D.S.Fierce 26. (corner) Activate Time Gem, Strong or Fierce Throw, D.S.Fierce (OTG) -> S.Fierce -> S.Fierce 27. (corner) D.C.Short -> C.Fierce XX Gamma Crush, D.C.Short -> C.Fierce -> SJ.Jab -> SJ.Strong -> SJ.Forward -> SJ.Fierce (FS) 28. Activate Time Gem, D.C.Short -> C.Forward XX Short Gamma Charge, S.Fierce (OTG), S.Fierce 29. (corner) C.Fierce (2 hits) XX Gamma Crush, C.Short -> C.Short -> S.Fierce 30. Activate Time Gem, D.C.Fierce, C.Fierce, C.Fierce (2 hits), SJ.Jab -> SJ.Strong -> SJ.Forward -> SJ.Fierce (FS) 31. Activate Time Gem, D.C.Fierce, C.Fierce, C.Fierce (2 hits) XX Gamma Crush 32. (corner) D.S.Short -> C.Fierce (2 hits) XX Short Rising Gamma Charge, C.Short (OTG) -> S.Fierce *ADVANCED* 33. J.Short -> J.Roundhouse, S.Short -> S.Forward XX Short Gamma Charge -> Short Gamma Charge U/F, D.C.Short (OTG) -> C.Fierce XX Gamma Crush 34. (corner) J.Short -> J.Strong, C.Fierce XX Upwards Gamma Charge XX U Gamma Charge, C.Fierce -> SJ.Jab -> SJ.Strong -> SJ.Forward -> SJ.Fierce (FS) 35. Activate Time Gem, J.Roundhouse, D.C.Fierce, C.Fierce, C.Fierce (2 hits) XX Gamma Crush, D.C.Short -> C.Fierce XX Gamma Crush Comments (#11): this is a combo I listed in my old Hulk FAQ, but it had one mistake--YOU must be in the corner, not the opponent, because Hulk turns around when he throws the enemy with the Tornado. So try this if you're cornered, and even if you're a little out of the corner, you can connect with the Short if you dash. Remember, the FS is activated by the Gamma Tornado. You can OTG the opponent after the Throw, but because of the FS restrictions, you cannot perform any Special Move, or Air Combo. So the S.Short -> S.Fierce is the only thing you can do (or variations of that, like maybe C.Short -> C.Roundhouse). Comments (#27,29): See Gamma Crush section for more info. COMBO OVERVIEW: *************** GROUND COMBOS: his Safe Ground Combo can take some getting used to, making it difficult to perform a true offense with it. When his Ground Combos to connect they can do some mean damage, be it with a Double Gamma Charge, or Short Gamma Charge, OTG combination. His ground combos are definetely as powerful, in some cases more powerful, than his Air Combos. AIR COMBOS: Hulk's SJ.MS comes out fairly easy, with only the SJ.Short being difficult to connect with. PERSONALLY I enjoy using Ground Combos with the Hulk, but to each his own. When you have a level charged, be sure to use the Gamma Crush after the C.Fierce instead. THROW COMBOS: straight and to the point, Hulk's Throw combos are not REALLY powerful, but can be done. A simple Fierce Throw, D.S.Fierce (OTG) does hefty damage, however it is highly dangerous to use if the enemy can Safety Roll consistantly, because of the bad recovery on the S.Fierce (however, if you are powered up with the Time Gem, IMO it is worth the risk doing two or three D.S.Fierces :). If you throw the enemy into the corner, it is possible to connect with a D.S.Short and OTG from there... and of course, the Gamma Tornado can be comboed after when you throw the enemy INTO the corner (see combos). When up close, Throw combos are a great option for damage. OTG COMBOS: Other than after his Throws, Hulk can also OTG off of his Short Gamma Charge. The timing can be difficult, because Hulk has to turn around after the Charge first. S.Short connects the easiest, then go from there. IMO this OTG option is worth going for; the recovery on the Short Gamma Charge is not so bad; frequently if the enemy can manage to Safety Roll out of this combo, you will recover in time to defend against a counter, with the possible exception of buffered ICs like Wolverine's Weapon X. TACTICS: ******** Offensive: The best way for Hulk to play is what I call "Offensive-reactionary". Basically, this is defending yourself without turtling :). Jump in fairly liberally, and mix up your jumping attacks; his J.Roundhouse has great range so it can often snag the enemy when they don't expect it (i.e. earlier than their attempted air counter). Once they catch on to this, be more cautious with your jumping. Often one of the best tactics is to jump in and air block; the advantage to this with the Hulk is that, because of the range of the J.Roundhouse, he can wait a split-second before choosing to air block--if you jump and realize the enemy's not gonna do anything except wait for you, throw out the J.Roundhouse; if you realize that they might attempt an air counter, you often have enough time to air block. You will have to vary this strategy vs. some, however, like Captain America, who can snag you in the air with a Stars `n' Stripes from quite a distance away. Another thing to do when jumping in is absolutely nothing :). If you're opponent tends to stand there and block while you jump in, don't hit him at all, land, then Throw 'em! On the ground, Hulk's Forward Dash won't help you much offensively, except maybe from extreme range--when you do dash, be ready to immediately tap back to block if something happens. If you manage to get in close successfully, peck at the enemy with your S.Jab, S/C.Short and maybe S.Forward, possibly for a Throw attempt or quick combo. Dashing Jump: It bears mention that, when I say jumping in offensively above, I usually mean with the Dashing Jump. Hulk's Dashing Jump looks like his regular dash, except it goes higher, further and faster. This allows him to get in fast, so mix it in with the regular jump. Defensive: Hulk plays quite a good defensive game, but I personally would not play a turtler's game with him, mainly because he lacks a fast projectile with short lag time. Instead, play him a bit like Guile (who, mind you, had a projectile :) -- wait in the D/B defensive position for the enemy to throw out something haphazardly, be it a jumping attack, standing attack, or Special Move (not ANY Special Move, though) and immediately counter with the Gamma Charge OR if you are a little scared that it may be blocked, something else (like S.Fierce). You MUST learn when and when not to throw out a Gamma Charge--once you do, you can snag enemies with ease on reaction. On a jumping foe, your best move is the S.Roundhouse or C.Fierce, OR the Rising Gamma Charge, but only if the enemy is overhead--same goes for the Ground Chuck. Once you have a level charged, the Gamma Crush becomes a potent reactionary air counter... In the air: Hulk is not amazing in the air; you should try to stay on the ground as often as possible when the enemy is airborne, especially against Magneto, Iron Man, Psylocke or Wolverine. If you do get yourself up there, the J.Forward is a half-decent defense, but up close the J.Fierce has amazing priority and damage. And when in doubt (unless they're close), air block! BEST JUMP-IN CHAIN: Short -> Roundhouse. HULK'S ENDING: ************** (NOT word for word...) Hulk defeats Thanos, and the Titan pleads him to finish him there. Hulk says Thanos must live with his defeat. Hulk returns home to Betsy, and they both take a vacation to Vegas (his girlfriend remarks on how they should've taken the plane, as opposed to Hulk jumping there... :) ############################################################################# IRON MAN: --------- Beginning Pose: Iron Man drops in with his jet pack, ready for the fight Winning Pose 1: Iron Man holds up his fist, which lights up with energy as he exclaims "Superior Tech!" Winning Pose 2: Iron Man clenches his gauntlet, which lights up with energy as he exclaims "Superior Tech!" Taunt: Iron Man clenches his gauntlet, which lights up with energy as he exclaims "Superior Tech!" Regular Color: Red and Gold 2nd Color: Red and Silver (spin-off of his battle armor from the 80's :) Background: the STARK Enterprises space station, with a large component of machinery in the background. Post-Match Quotes: Vs. Iron Man-"You can copy the armor, but you'll never match the man inside." Close Fight-"You came close... time for some modifications." -"I've fought AIM flunkies that were tougher than you!" -"Take my advice, learn some new moves." -"I don't have time for you jokers." -"Not exactly cutting edge, are you?" STORY: ****** For those of you who don't know who Iron Man is: Millionare playboy industrialist and inventor Anthony Stark was on a business trip to Vietam, and was kidnapped by gorrilla soldiers. During the kidnapping Stark was fatally wounded by shrapnel from a hidden land mine. He became imprisoned with a briliant scientist, and together they created a special chestplate that would keep him alive as long as he wore it. They also planned an escape, and eventually created a whole suit of cybernetic armor with the chestplate to aid in their escape. Before they could attempt it, the scientist was taken out of the cell and killed. Tony Stark vowed revenge and destroyed the gorilla soldiers. From then on he vowed to fight injustice as Iron Man! Iron Man was responsible for the formation of the Avengers, and was their field leader until they found Capain America frozen in the arctic. Shellhead soon left to leave Cap in charge, but has worked as an Avenger off and on ever since. Constantly upgrading his armor, he eventually cured the wound caused by the shrapnel and was free, but decided to stay as Iron Man. Now, the mad Titan known as Thanos has discovered the all-powerful Infinity Gems which control the very fabric of the universe. Iron Man has joined the battle against Thanos alongside his fellow Avengers, the X-Men and Adam Warlock to take back the Gems... CHARACTER OVERVIEW: ******************* Now that Capcom has entered its fourth in the Marvel/Capcom series, we are seeing that Iron Man is quite the popular character, apparent by all the players (including myself) who are angry that he was taken out of MvSF. But how about in this game? :) Well, Scrubs playing him may seem annoying at first, but with his Special Moves having such bad recovery, you will soon see that IM is not really a scrub character at all. An experienced player can be devastating playing keep-away and turtling, and if you're like me and don't like playing that way, it is possible to play Iron Man with a pecking, offensive game as well. He also has one of the coolest, and most damaging ICs in the game. If you're a button masher again, he's not for you. If you wan't to learn to play him properly and use his moves at the right time, he can be a lot of fun. MOVES LIST: *********** -UniBeam: HCT+any punch (can be done in mid-air) -Repulsor Blast: HCB+any punch -Smart Bomb: any punch+any kick (same strength; can be done in mid-air) -Flight: QCB+all three kicks (can also be done in mid-air) -Knee Dive: D+Forward in mid-air -Rocket Corner Slam: F or B+Fierce (close) -Repulsor Slam: F or B+Strong (close) -Air Repulsor Slam: F or B+Strong or Fierce (close) -Best Gem: Soul -Forward Dash; Rocket Slide: F, F or all three punches -Backward Dash; shoulder jet slide: B, B or B+all three punches -Infinity Counter; Repulsore Blast: B, D/B, D+any punch -Infinity Combo; Proton Cannon: QCT+all three punches REGULAR MOVES ANALYSIS: *********************** An important part of Shellhead's repitiore, some regular moves in many ways are like Special Moves. Both Jabs are useful for starting dashing combos, and can act fairly well as ticks up close. Same with Short Kick; they both have slightly longer range than the Jabs, and the C.Short is good for ticks. S.Strong, along with his Repulsor Blast comprise his air defenses; if the enemy is jumping in deep and is going to land IN FRONT OF YOU, S.Strong is a good defensive weapon. It is a little more difficult to connect with than the Repulsor Blast, but with proper timing you can catch jumping opponents and follow with a Super Jump and Air Combo. On the ground this will not launch a standing opponent, so use it in combos and always try to cancel it with a UniBeam at least. C.Strong is one of his Regular Launchers, but although this may seem strange, his S.Roundhouse is actually a BETTER Launcher than this, I find. This is because this uppercut will launch the opponent at a slightly weirder angle, and unless you direct your Super Jump JUST so, you'll miss with anything except maybe SJ.F+Fierce. C.Forward is a short foot slide, with decent range, although I wish he slid further. Use this to go under most high attacks from a few steps away. When it connects you can OTG with a S.Fierce, or a VERY quick C.Short, in most cases. S.Forward is an awesome pecking attack for Iron Man's up close offensive game (see Tactics). S.Fierce will send the opponent FLYING with good damage, and you should always cancel it with a UniBeam if it connects, so they will at least eat block damage and leave Shellhead in relative safety. If the enemy blocks, Iron Man's recovery is SLOW, so they're usually quick enough to counterattack. Be especially careful of using this when the enemy is airborne. BTW, this will hit downed opponents up close. One of Iron Man's best attacks, IMO. C.Fierce is actually a true projectile, which also does great damage and is good for quick attacks from a distance. If it connects up close (rare), cancel it with a UniBeam, but you probably won't be using it too much. Its only really good use is if you duck a high projectile (eg. Cap's Strong Shield Slash), as the missle is fast enough to catch just about any opponent before they recover from it; if it connects in this case, follow it up with a UniBeam for at least block damage. Do NOT use this when the enemy is in the air, because Iron Man's recovery is not so good. S.Roundhouse will launch the opponent STRAIGHT up, making it easier for a SJ.Air Combo, but Iron Man must be practically pressing right up against them for it to connect. So, it's best only in dashing combos when you're pretty sure it'll connect. When it does though, prepare for a big combo. C.Roundhouse is IMO a very useful attack; it comes out and recovers fairly slow, but if blocked it will push the opponent far away enough usually not to worry about a retaliation. This will also catch a lot of low opponents by surprise and does GREAT damage, as well as hitting twice. Use it to finish off most of your easy combos, and if it connects, cancel it with a Jab UniBeam for at least block damage. J.Roundhouse is best used for jumping in very high; this has bad horizontal range, but is great to start jump-ins with if you connect with it; use if the enemy is stupid enough to throw a slow recovering move from the ground; this will also hit crouching blockers easily... BTW, you can also direct the J.Roundhouse upward, producing a jumping version of his S.Roundhouse--use? None that I know of... (how 'bout it Charles? :) SPECIAL MOVE ANALYSIS: ********************** -UniBeam- (Iron Man exclaims "UniBeam!", rears back and fires a thick beam of light energy from the UniBeam housing on his chest) This is Shellhead's primary projectile attack, and will reach across the whole screen. This is one of Iron Man's best keep-away moves, so constantly pester the opponent from across the screen with these, then move in (so you aren't labeled a turtler); remember, though, to quit throwing them if they manage to jump, because Iron Man's recovery will leave him open to a jump-in. On the same token, don't use it too often any distance close enough for them to dash in at you, unless you have a big opening, because if they manage to block, even though the UniBeam pushes them considerably far, they may still be able to hit the Golden Avenger as he recovers. This is great in a lot of combos, even though most of time it is blockable (which is OK in most combos because the enemy will most likely be pushed too far away to counter), and can rack up a lot of hits--max of 8 hits. Great damage, too. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- -Air UniBeam- (While in mid-air, Iron Man exclaims "UniBeam!", rears back and fires a thick beam of light energy from the UniBeam housing on his chest) This is a great move for opponents a distance away in the air; this combined with his Flight, jumping Fierce (directed) and the Smart Bomb make him very difficult to get to in the air. I wouldn't recommend using this up close in the air, because if blocked Iron Man could be left open for an Air Combo or Air Throw. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- -Repulsor Blast- (Iron Man holds up his hand and exclaims "Repulsor Blast!", firing both repulsors in four directions; bottom left, then top right, followed by bottom right and top left. This is Iron Man's primary air counter; if you knock the opponent out of the air with the second shot (top right) then they will be juggled by the next (bottom right) and fall behind Shellhead. Occasionally if you hit a deep jumping opponent with the first hit you can juggle for 3. If you connect on the last hit you'll only get one hit. This will hit standing opponents up close, but it is much too easy to block or avoid, and Iron Man's recovery isn't too great. So, stick with using it whenever the enemy is in the air, and you shouldn't have to worry about retaliation, because if the JAB Repulsor Blast is Air Blocked, the enemy is usually pushed too far away to do any damage. It's REAL good in combos, and does good damage with 2 hits, SOMETIMES 3. NOTE: you can OTG after the Repulsor Blast in certain cases. On most larger opponents you can OTG pretty much always, however on some of the smaller fighters, or depending on distance, the Blast will only hit once and IM will go into recovery as they lay there. See combos. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- -Smart Bomb- (Iron Man exclaims "Smart Bomb!" and fires two small bombs from shoulder launchers) The Jab+Short version drops bombs a few steps away, the Strong+Forward in the middle of the screen, and the Fierce+Roundhouse drops them across the screen. On the ground I really don't see any need for the Smart Bombs. They come out relatively slow and can be jumped fairly easy. To keep them pinned back, allowing you to move in close, you can mix these up with the UniBeams, and the Jab+Short version can act as an air counter if the enemy is considerably deep. On the ground, the Smart Bombs should not be a large part of your repitiore. NOTE: because of their start-up, the Smart Bombs aren't all that useful offensively, however IF they connect fairly late, you can actually dash in and combo the enemy! See combos. In the air, these are VERY useful techniques for Iron Man; this combined with the Air UniBeam and his jumping Fierce (directed) make Iron Man EXTREMELY difficult to catch in the air. During Iron Man's Flight, this is your best weapon; if the enemy tries to jump from a ways away, they can be hit with the Fierce+Roundhouse, and if they try to dash under you to nail you from the bottom, the other two strengths should keep them back. Follow in with Flight or dashing (if you land in time). Like Scorpion's Harpoon from MKx, the Smart Bombs cannot be done repeatedly, i.e. if you try to tap Fierce+Roundhouse then immediately Fierce+Roundouse again, Iron Man will throw two Smart Bombs then you'll probably get his jumping Fierce. So, the enemy does have a window of opportunity to jump up and get to you; but that's OK, because if they try a jump from under you, quickly nail 'em with your jumping Roundhouse (provided you're recovered in time). You must also be more careful against quick dashers, mainly Wolverine and Psylocke; if they see the Smart Bombs early enough, they can dash under you and Drill Claw or PsiMaelstrom (ouch) respectively--in addition, Magneto can usually dash under and use the Magnetic Tempest. If the try to jump from mid-range, you can usually get 'em with a properly timed and directed jumping Fierce, and if they try to jump from full screen, possibly for a mid-air projectile or an Infinity Combo like Spider-Man's, a UniBeam is usually suffecient to nab 'em first. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- -Flight- (Iron Man activates his boot jets to fly in the air) This is controllable in all directions, and if going up it can go just a bit further than a Super Jump. It is also possible for him to put on an extra burst of speed for an "air dash" in ANY direction, i.e. you can air dash D/F by tapping diagonal down and forward and hitting all three punches like a normal dash. To land, do the motions for the Flight again. I find myself using this a lot, because it will evade a lot of problems on the ground that even a Super Jump can't, because of its ability to maneuver forward or back. For example, try to avoid Juggernaut once he's used his Cytorrak Power-up (the one where he glows red) until it has worn off. When you're Flying, use constant Smart Bombs and UniBeams to keep the opponent on the ground (see Smart Bomb above for more tactics), then follow them in for the attack. This is also great for avoiding a lot of Infinity Combos. You must, however, be careful where you are in flight; you can really mix it up and Fly all over, sparatically dropping Smart Bombs and the opponent probably won't be able to catch you; but, you also cannot get in any definite attacks. The only way to do this on standing opponents is if you Fly at about forehead level (because if you're up at Super Jump height, you cannot see Shellhead's opponent, unless they jump up there with you. So, you're aiming won't be as precise) and try an attack. But, they will then have the ability to hit you with any DP move or Uppercut. You CANNOT Air Block during Flight. You should really be careful and keep your distance when flying, unless the enemy leaves themselves open, in which case air dash down toward them and nail 'em with a combo of some kind, like A.D.Short -> A.D.D+Fierce. NOTE: to charge your Infinity Meter quickly, fly at the top of the screen and hit a button repeatedly (Fierce is best I would think.) ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- -Knee Dive- (In mid-air, Iron Man dives at around a 45 degree angle with his knees stuck out) If blocked, Iron Man will bounce off his foe to RELATIVE safety, so in most cases don't be too afraid to use the Knee Dive; what you DO have to worry about is long-range counters, mainly dashing ICs like the Final Justice or Weapon X. NOTE: to avoid the bounce off (when you anticipate the enemy can counter), you can chain the Knee using IM's normal Jumping MS; chain into a J.D+Fierce... ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- -Air Palm Beam- (Iron Man fires a small range beam in the desired direction) Holding it U or U/F will cause him to fire up at a 45 degree angle, holding D or D/F will fire it down at 45 degrees, and holding F will fire it straight forward. This is Iron Man's best mid-range air attack, and is also good in jump-ins. The downward version is an alternative to the Knee Dive if you jump a projectile. The forward version is good for air-to-air combat and if it connects you should cancel into a UniBeam for at least block damage. The U/F version is fun to use if you're flying and the enemy Super Jumps; fly UNDER them and shoot them from the bottom! ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- -Rocket Corner Slam- (Iron Man grabs the opponent and slides toward the corner with his rocket boots, slamming them against the corner; if too far away from the corner, Iron Man will eventually release them with a repulsor burst) A VERY effective Throw, this is one of Iron Man's best up close techniques. It does great damage and can be followed with an OTG combo, but the best part about it is that it ALWAYS takes the opponent into the corner if you're ANYWHERE close to it, where you can do the OTG combo and possibly follow it up with more cornering tactics. a VERY important move for the Golden Avenger, IMO. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- -Repulsor Slam- (Iron Man grabs the opponent, then knocks them to the ground with a burst of repulsor energy) Also a decent Throw, if you actually have the enemy in the corner, this is often easier to follow with an OTG combo. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- -Air Repulsor Slam- (Iron Man grabs the opponent in mid-air, then knocks them to the ground with a burst of repulsor energy) If you're up close use it if you want, but it cannot be followed with an OTG combo UNLESS it hits REALLY close to the ground. It can, as well, be used IN Air combos. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- -Best Gem: Soul- This is Iron Man's best Gem for two reasons; this will of course cause Stark's health to gradually refill for a period of time. And secondly (big correction here, got this mixed up with the Reality Gem when I first wrote the FAQ, and forgot to change it :), it powers up IM's attacks. If Iron Man hits his opponent, he will electrocute them, but as well their Infinity Bar will drain slowly for a period of time! :) Even better, when the electricity hits the enemy, IM's meter will regain even MORE health than usual. This is a great way to turn the tides in battle; if you're low on health and the opponent has a full Infinity Bar, especially if their IC is particularily dangerous (i.e. Shuma Gorath's), pull this off and try hard to get an attack in; you will regain some health to continue the fight, and they won't have an IC ready! ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- -Forward Dash; Rocket Slide- (Stark slides forward on his rocket boots) One of the better dashes in the game, it travels a good distance and is quite fast, as well as recovering fast enough to block any counters. If you're on the ground, you should be pressuring the opponent by dashing forward with a Safe Ground Combo then dashing back again. If the enemy misses ANY move that leaves them open briefly, then's your chance to attack. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- -Backward Dash; Shoulder Jet Slide- (Shellhead ignites forward-facing jets on his shoulders and slides backward) Also quite fast, this is great mixed up with the forward dash and, in the air, Flight, to keep the opponent guessing. If the enemy misses a move that you have dashed away from, quickly pull off a UniBeam to nail 'em. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- -Infinity Counter; Repulsor Blast- (Iron Man blocks his enemy's attack and counters with a Repulsor Blast) This Infinity Counter is especially effective after blocking jumping attacks, and don't use it on crouching moves like Slides, because Iron Man will block then fire his repulsors first high, allowing a crouching low enemy to get in a hit. NOTE: using the same conditions as the normal Repulsor Blast, you can also OTG after this... ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- -Infinity Combo; Proton Cannon- (Iron Man exclaims "Proton Cannon!" as a big-ass shoulder-mount cannon appears and sits on his shoulder, and he fires a THICK beam across the screen) As far as I know, this cannot be used in combos, but it is also one of the most damaging moves in the game. It is Iron Man's best air counter if his Infinity Bar is charged, as his opponent will actually BOUNCE off the muzzle of the gun as it appears, then get juggled with the subsequent 20+ hits! You can also use it against other slow-recovering moves, i.e. if you block another Iron Man's Proton Cannon. That's is the only problem with it; if blocked, Iron Man has CONSIDERABLE recovery time, and if the enemy is fairly close they can dash and combo or do a dashing move (i.e. Wolverine's Berserker Barrage), and if they're a distance away they can use just about any projectile. So, just be careful where you use it, and primarily stick to it as an air counter. Does a max of 30 whopping hits! COMBOS: ******* -Safe Air Magic Series: Jab -> Short -> Strong -> F+Fierce NOTE: For some reason, Iron Man has NO "finisher" for his Air Combos, or actually the only thing is that his SJ.Roundhouse and Fierce DO NOT initiate the FS, so you can actually tack on a Special Move afterwards for more hits! -Safe Ground Combo: D.S.Jab -> S.Strong -> S.Fierce XX Jab UniBeam If the enemy blocks... D.S.Jab -> S.Strong -> S.Fierce XX Jab UniBeam -Ground Magic Series: Weaker to Stronger -Jumping Magic Series: Weaker to Stronger (2 hits average) -Launchers: C.Strong, S.Roundhouse -Air Launchers: none! (oops :) -Straight Launchers: S.Fierce, C.Roundhouse -Small Launchers: none *BASIC COMBOS* 1. D.S.Jab -> S.Strong -> S.Fierce XX Jab UniBeam (UniBeam blockable unless in corner, but safe) 2. S.Short -> S.Forward XX Jab Rupulsor Blast, C.Short (OTG) -> C.Roundhouse 3. C.Fierce XX Fierce UniBeam 4. D.C.Short -> S.Roundhouse -> SJ.Fierce Air Throw 5. S.Jab -> C.Forward -> S.Fierce (OTG) *INTERMEDIATE COMBOS* 6. J.Short -> J.Roundhouse, D.C.Short -> S.Strong -> C.Roundhouse XX Jab UniBeam 7. D.C.Short -> C.Strong -> SJ.Jab -> SJ.Short -> SJ.Strong -> SJ.F+Fierce 8. Fierce Throw into corner, D.C.Short (OTG) -> C.Roundhouse XX Jab UniBeam 9. D.S.Short -> S.Forward XX Jab-Repulsor Blast, D.C.Short (OTG) -> S.Roundhouse -> SJ.Jab -> SJ.Short -> SJ.Strong -> SJ.F+Fierce 10. (corner) Fierce Throw, D.C.Short (OTG) -> C.Strong -> SJ.Jab -> SJ.Short -> SJ.Strong, Fierce Air Throw 11. J.Short -> J.D+Fierce, D.C.Short -> C.Forward, S.Fierce (OTG) 12. Smart Bomb, D.S.Jab -> S.Short -> S.Fierce XX Jab UniBeam 13. Smart Bomb, D.C.Short -> C.Forward -> S.Fierce (OTG) 14. Smart Bomb, D.S.Short -> S.Forward XX Jab Repulsor Blast 15. Smart Bomb, D.S.Short -> S.Roundhouse -> SJ.Jab -> SJ.Short -> SJ.Strong -> SJ.F+Fierce 16. (corner) Strong Throw, D.C.Short -> C.Strong -> SJ.Jab -> SJ.Short -> SJ.Strong -> SJ.D+Fierce 17. D.C.Short -> C.Forward, C.Short -> C.Strong -> SJ.Jab -> SJ.Short -> SJ.Strong -> SJ.D+Fierce *ADVANCED* 18. Ironman's MARVELous Combo: Start by Flying and be near corner. Be relatively above the enemy. Smart Bomb. After the Smart Bomb, Air Dash diagonally Down/Forward right away. FL.AD.Jab -> FL.Short -> FL.Strong -> FL.Forward -> FL.D+Fierce XX Flying Command (to land), S.Short -> S.Forward XX Jab-Repulsor Blast, D.C.Short -> S.Roundhouse -> SJ.Jab -> SJ.Short -> SJ.Strong -> SJ.U+Fierce XX Flying Command (to start Flying), FL.Jab -> FL.Short -> FL.Strong -> FL.F+Fierce XX Jab-UniBeam. Air Dash diagonally Up/Forward. FL.AD.Jab -> FL.Short -> FL.Strong Comments (#18): Special thanks to James Chen for this MARVELous Combo! Since I have yet to get all of its hits, I will use his explanation from his combo FAQ: "This combo works best, for me, against Hulk. Also, I start it when I am in the corner and Hulk is standing barely outside of it. I start Flying and fly to the proper place to initiate the combo. It works against other enemies, but you have to leave out some moves or the combo will start missing in certain parts. It works best on Hulk. Now, in the beginning, I say to Smart Bomb. I usually SKIP this move because I don't want to bother with it. I haven't done the whole combo with the Smart Bomb at the beginning but I HAVE done enough of the combo after the Smart Bomb at the beginning to know that it will all connect together. So if you want to try the whole combo, start by Smart Bombing (1 hit from this). Airdash Diagonally Down/Forward (hold Offensive Crouch and hit all three punches) and while airdashing, press the buttons Jab, Short, Strong Forward, Fierce VERY VERY VERY VERY quickly. I cannot emphasize this enough. You must press the five buttons FAST and after Airdashing... if you do not Air Dash first, the five hits will NEVER connect (6 hits so far). Here's where the combo gets VERY tricky: After hitting Fierce, IMMEDIATELY cancel the Fierce with the Flying Command and hit S.Short RIGHT away. There must be NO pause between these three commands and if there is, you're sunk. Do the Air Combo and when you hit Fierce, do the Flying Command and hit S.Short RIGHT away!!! VERY VERY VERY quickly... I'm saying it again because this is VERY important. The time it takes to do all three moves (Fierce from the Airdash, Flying Command, S.Short) all fits into about 1 second of real time. You HAVE to do the moves that fast or you'll never connect the Fierce from the air and the Short from the ground. After hitting S.Short, hit S.Forward for the ground combo and cancel that into the Jab Repulsor Blast. Against smaller characters, the Jab Repulsor Blast will NEVER hit unless you skip a couple of buttons from the original Flying Dash Air Combo. So against smaller guys, dash down with F.AD.Jab, F.Strong, F.Fierce XX Flying Command (to land), S.Short, S.Forward XX Jab Repulsor Blast... but against Hulk and Juggernaut and Blackheart, go ahead and keep the five hits from the air (so the S.Short -> S.Forward XX Jab Repulsor Blast will add four hits making the total go up to 10). After the Jab Repulsor Blast, the enemy will land RIGHT behind you. Quickly Dash towards them (backwards from original facing direction) and hit C.Short into a S.Roundhouse (against the big guys like Hulk, you don't need to Dash, making this part a little easier to time). This launches them into the air for an Air Combo. The Short will hit them off the floor and the Roundhouse will launch them... warning, though, if your opponent rolls, they WILL escape the combo at this point. So this combo is not DEFINITE as the enemy CAN roll away at this point (the two OTG hits make it 12 hits now). Now, after launching them, Super Jump and VERY quickly, hit SJ.Jab -> SJ.Short -> SJ.Strong -> SJ.UP.Fierce. You must do this fast and early so that the enemy is POSITIVELY above you and that the SJ.UP.Fierce will hit them ABOVE you. If they are too low, the Fierce will miss or the rest of the combo will just whiff and fail (4 more hits... up to 16). Here is the second tricky part. You have to do the three codes in sequence VERY quickly again... just like before when you had to land. SJ.UP.Fierce, Flying Command (to start Flying), F.Jab. These three must be done is sequence VERY quickly... as quickly as you had to do the landing part of the combo earlier. Again, you should do those three commands in the time span of about 1 second or LESS if possible. You'll start flying and the F.Jab should BARELY get them before they start falling too low after being hit by the SJ.UP.Fierce. Now complete the Air Combo part by hitting Short, Strong, Fierce after the Jab (so after executing the Flying Command, hit F.Jab -> F.Short -> F.Strong -> F.Fierce). You CANNOT skip any of these buttons because each hit will subsequently start causing the enemy to slowly by slowly rise upwards in relation to you... by the time the Fierce hits, the enemy will be right next to you and in front of you... if you don't hit will all four buttons, you'll never raise them high enough for the Jab UniBeam to hit... so hit with all four buttons and cancel the Fierce with a Jab UniBeam... also be sure that you used a Straight Fierce (neutral joystick or holding Toward). This adds 4 hits from the Flying Combo and another 4 hits or so from the UniBeam, bringing the total up to 24 hits. The Jab UniBeam will bounce the enemy UPWARDS. Thus, you can Air Dash AGAIN after them (Hold Up/Forward and hit all three punches) and quickly hit F.AD.Jab -> F.Short -> F.Strong. This is where my combo ends. You MIGHT be able to tack on more moves or something, but it's hard to tell because at this point of the combo, both of you have risen CLOSE TO BEING OUT OF THE screen so it's hard to tell what is going on. The original poster of this combo said that after the F.Strong, you can do an Air Throw and I'm not sure what's stopping you from adding another F.Fierce XX Jab-UniBeam. But by this point in the combo, I have usually lost all coherency and am completely confused so that these hits only happen if I'm lucky. You CANNOT get these three hits if you didn't start the combo while you are near the corner. These last three hits can only be tacked on if YOU started near the corner which results in the enemy being cornered at this point. So if you aren't in the corner by this point, the last three hits will never connect (The last three hits are what brings the total to 27!). The exact number of hits varies from time to time because sometimes, the UniBeam will hit less times than normal and sometimes the last three hits will work part way etc. Good luck with this combo. It's VERY possible but will almost NEVER be pulled off in real combat. Better to plunk in credits yourself and practice on a 2nd player just sitting there (hope you have tons of money for this). Some tips to help you: 1) When you do the parts with the Flying Command (to land and to fly), you HAVE to do it VERY quickly. I cannot emphasize this enough. Speed will get you through it and if you're too slow, you'll never pull the whole combo off. 2) Keep in mind all the moves you want to do. Make sure you don't start the combo and get to a point where you go, "What move was I supposed to do next?!?!?" and fail to keep the combo going. Remember all the moves beforehand so they all come out in a very instinctive nature. 3) Practice, practice, practice." COMBO OVERVIEW: *************** GROUND COMBOS: IM's Ground Combos are slightly limited, but effective. His Safe Ground Combo has good push-away, and if it connects, it does a little bit of damage. His S.Short -> S.Forward XX Jab Repulsor Blast is a great base combination that can be used after a jump-in or dash-in, and in most cases, it can be OTGed after for huge damage! Hitting the enemy OTG is fairly safe after the Repulsor Blast, provided you use the C.Short to start it; the C.Roundhouse seems to connect the easiest, but has slow recovery and will be punished if the enemy Safety Rolls. Other than these two combinations Shellhead doesn't have many options other than to Air Combo... AIR COMBOS: The C.Strong has decent range and speed, but must be followed with a guided Super Jump. S.Roundhouse has no range and bad recovery, but hits the enemy straight up into the air; depending on the situation, either can work; however when you have the opportunity, the S.Roundhouse is more worth while (eg. during a definite dashing combo). Once in the air, his Air MS is fairly straight forward--until you get to the finish. First of all, SJ.Roundhouse does NOT work, wether you guide it up or down. Leave the SJ.Forward out of the chain unless you're a good deal over your enemy, since it is directed downward. Likewise, direct the SJ.Fierce depending on the enemy's position. Since it does NOT execute the FS, tack on a Jab UniBeam if the enemy is in front of you. THROW COMBOS: In both Throw's cases, OTG combos will only occur in the corner. Fortunately, the Fierce Throw usually brings the enemy to the corner :). The timing for the C.Short is really weird for both Throws and can take some practice (MUST BE DONE FAST), but OTG combos are a good way to punish the enemy after bringing them into the corner. OTG COMBOS: Already mentioned both the Throws and Repulsor Blast (see above). TACTICS: ******** Offensive: Although this may not be considered the best way to play Iron Man, it is certainly more fun than turtling. From a distance, pester with Jab UniBeams and the occasional Smart Bomb, and constantly dash in, ready to block if necessary. If during your offense the enemy attempts to jump up or forward, use the Jab Repulsor Blast to knock 'em down. Once you get to mid-range, you are in the right position; peck with the S.Forward, and if it connects, quickly chain into a Jab Repulsor Blast (if you're close enough and you have fast enough reflexes!) or a C.Roundhouse; the S.Forward has excellent range, recovery and priority, so do not be afraid to use it. Your Safe Ground Combo, D.S.Jab -> S.Strong -> S.Fierce is also heavily recommended from this range. If the enemy blocks your S.Forward, S.Short or the like, try for a Throw, or delay a chained follow-up (eg. if they block S.Forward, pause briefly then chain into S.Fierce, which may catch their attempted counter). Throughout this whole offense be ready for the enemy to screw up, be it jumping to avoid you, or throwing out a slow move you anticipate, so you can nail them with the Proton Cannon! You can also go offensive from the air, pushing them back with Smart Bombs (either while jumping or flying), then follow them to get close; note that AFAIK there is no for sure follow-up to the Smart Bombs if they are blocked or hit (i.e. you cannot get your Smart Bombs blocked, then land in time to Throw them during the block stun), but still allows you to get into mid-range, limiting the enemy's defenses (eg. projectiles) and forcing them to fight face to face. Dashing Jump: Good range and speed on this one. Not as important to IM as others IMO, because of his Flight and his excellent dash. Defensive: Of course, Iron Man's defense is great, however I SERIOUSLY suggest that you do not play totally defensive, and have some fun with offense, to make the game interesting. To defend against jump-ins, Iron Man has the all-powerful Repulsor Blast. Now, unless you're absolutely sure it will connect, stick to the Jab version, as it has slightly better recovery and, usually, the enemy cannot counter in time if they air block it. Against dashing opponents, the S.Fierce or S.Forward will usually deter them; refrain from using a defense like the Uni- Beam, because an enemy with a quick dash can stop and block in time, leaving you open to counter. In the air: Of course, Shellhead can fly, but always remember that you cannot air block, which means if the enemy is attacking you during Flight, you must either get away, or use a quick enough move that you will snuff their attack. If the enemy can fly like yourself (Magneto, Dr. Doom or another IM), keep them at bay with the UniBeam, and the occasional Smart Bomb--try to stay away from these guys and get on the ground. Against Super Jumpers you fall quickly, the Smart Bombs work well, and remember that they have only a short period of time to hit you, so try to avoid the attack, then counter... BEST JUMP-IN CHAIN: for everyone, J.Short -> J.D+Fierce is best, and you can toss a J.Strong in between in most cases. IRON MAN'S ENDING: ****************** (not word for word...) Iron Man defeats Thanos and gains the Infinity Gems, but starts with that "Absolute power corrupts absolutely" stuff and throws it away. But, he soon discovers that the Infinity Gems cured his techno-organic virus that had plagued him for quite some time; his long-time friend Captain America (Steve Rogers) tries to console him, telling him he's been given a chance at a second life; this of course makes Tony feel guiltier than ever. ############################################################################# WOLVERINE: ---------- Beginning Pose: Logan rears back, unsheathes his claws and exclaims "Let's go, bub!" Winning Pose 1: Logan pulls off his mask and remarks "Rookie" Winning Pose 2: As with his taunt, Logan scrapes his claws together Taunt: Wolverine scrapes his claws together Regular Color: Yellow and Blue 2nd Color: Yellow and Black Background: a wooden bridge overlooking a beautiful mountain range, presumably in Canada (probably in the B.C. Rocky Mountains). In the later rounds the bridge will fall to the valley bellow, then in the final round when the player wins, it drops into a waterfall and the player is is left on a large rock. Post-Match Quotes: Vs. Wolverine-"You've got the face bub, but not the moves!" Close Fight-"Good thing you finally lost, you were starting to tick me off!" -"Next time bub, try fighting back!" -"I'm still the best there is at what I do." -"I've had manicures that were tougher on my claws than that fight!" STORY: ****** For anyone who's actually never heard of Wolverine, here's his story: Actually, the man known as Logan has a past shrouded in almost complete mystery. As far as I know (haven't kept up with the comics lately), it is believed that Logan was found in the Canadian Wilderness by government operatives and forced into a secret program known as Weapon X. It was discovered that he was in fact a mutant, born with the ability to heal all wounds and sickness MUCH faster than homo sapiens, as well as heightened smell, sight and hearing. They then laced his skeleton with the indestructible metal known as adamantium, making it virtually unbreakable. Along with this skeleton came powerful, retractable claws of the same substance which extended from the back of his hand. His time as a Weapon X operative is almost a complete mystery, with not even Wolverine knowing what went on; Logan suspects that they wiped his memory and implanted false memories. When Logan quit the Weapon X program, many other operatives were put into action, like Maverick, Vindicator, and the deadly mercenary known as Deadpool. After leaving, Wolverine was found by Professor Charles Xavier, and joined the elite mutant team called the X-Men. But Logan still yearns to uncover the mystery of his past... Now, the mad Titan known as Thanos has discovered the all-powerful Infinity Gems which control the very fabric of the universe. Logan has joined the battle against Thanos alongside the Avengers, his fellow X-Men and Adam Warlock to take back the Gems... CHARACTER OVERVIEW: ******************* Well, he still is primarily a button-mashing character, however experienced players will soon find that against Wolverine scrubs, if they just pay attention and react carefully, he's just as easy to beat as a scrub playing any other character. Now, if you wan't to enjoy playing him, Wolverine can be a lot of fun and he's a really cool fighter. If you like big multi-hitting combos, he's definetely for you, and playing offensive is definetely his style. As long as you know when and where to use his Special Moves, he can be quite the opponent. MOVES LIST: *********** -Berserker Barrage: QCT+any punch (tap punch repeatedly for more hits) -Tornado Claw: F, D, D/F+any punch (tap punch repeatedly for more hits) -Drill Claw: any direction+any punch+any kick (same strength; can be done in mid-air) -Double Knee Kick: S.Forward -> Forward -Claw Slide: hold D/F+Fierce -Dive Kick: D+Forward (in mid-air) -Shoulder Mount Adamantium Hell: F or B+Strong (close) -Ground Mount Adamantium Hell: F or B+Fierce (close) -Airborne Adamantium Hell: F or B+Fierce or Strong (close in mid-air) -Best Gem: Power -Dash Forward; Quick Dash: F, F or all three punches -Dash Back; Hop Back: B, B or B+all three punches -Infinity Counter; Drill Claw: B, D/B, D+any punch -Triangle Jump: tap opposite direction when meeting wall or screen side in mid-air -Infinity Combo 1; Super Berserker Barrage: QCT+all three punches -Infinity Combo 2; Weapon X: F, D, D/F+all three punches REGULAR MOVES ANALYSIS: *********************** Wolverine's regular moves are his bread and butter, opening the enemy up to big damage with his Special Moves. S.Jab is LIGHTNING fast and if you're going for hits and priority this is a great combo start. As well, it can be used as an air counter if the opponent is jumping in around eye level. If it connects in this case, follow through with a S.Fierce, or a S.Roundhouse and Tornado Claw. The S.Strong is quite good in combos and in many cases can be done repeatedly to make Logan slash back and forth for many hits. Logan's ever-popular S.Fierce is without a doubt on of his best attacks, and can be used defensively to counter a LOT of attacks, including jump-ins because it covers his whole front. It is a Strike and will send the opponent flying across the screen (does not activate the FS, remember) for good damage. If I had a choice I would rather put the S.Roundhouse in combos so I could follow with his whole 5+ hit SJ.Air Combo. Both S.Short and C.Short are useful when hitting the enemy OTG, or for a tick. C.Forward has decent range and is also his only knockdown. If it connects, especially in a combo, cancel it with a BB OTG or follow with D.C.Short to OTG the opponent and continue into a combo. S.Roundhouse is Wolverine's Regular Launcher, and you should always follow with an Air Combo or at least a Tornado Claw. It's decent as an air counter, but otherwise its range is limited and if the opponent is fast when you miss it he can counter with ease. Stick with it in combos. Crouching Roundhouse knocks too far away (MIGHT be a Strike :) to follow with any Special Move except maybe the Drill Claw, unless in the corner. Its main advantage is range, and if you see a projectile coming, quickly pull this off to slide under it. If blocked the opponent can counter quickly, so be careful. J.Fierce is great in air-to-air combat and is his most reliable jump-in. If it connects in this case, QUICKLY cancel into Roundhouse for a jump-in combo (if you're fighting a large enough character, i.e. not Wolverine, Spider-Man or Psylocke). His recovery on this is also quite exceptional. J.Roundhouse has a greater range than the J.Fierce and because it is more horizontal it is more effective in an air battle. Because of it being quite horizontal it isn't as good as the J.Fierce for jumping in, unless you're jumping in real deep. Note that against taller characters, this will sometimes hit twice, though not as often as in CotA. If blocked, this also has slower recovery and you can be quickly countered by an uppercut move or ICO. SPECIAL MOVE ANALYSIS: ********************** -Berserker Barrage- (Wolverine exclaims "Berserker Barrage!" and dashes forward, slashing his claws in a wild furry) IMO this is not all it's cracked up to be. In combos sure, it's awesome. But out of a combo it is actually a weakness. After the BB is finished, Logan will rear back in a little bit of a rage, and he can easily be countered for a moment. As well, the BB is extremely slow along the ground, so if you're not right next to the opponent they'll see it coming, and may even counter with an IC! (Mind you, the range is pretty deceptive, with his slashes reaching slightly farther then it looks.) One good thing is that it is fairly easy to do from a crouch, so if you duck a high attack (i.e. Captain America's Strong Shield Slash) from close or, at the most, a step away, you can roll to forward and hit Fierce. For the most part, only use it in combos. The BB generally gets about 8-9 hits if you tap punch repeatedly. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- -Tornado Claw- (Logan exclaims "Tornado Claw!" and rises into the air spinning with claws extended) Also IMO a weakened move from X-Men:CotA, its range appears to have been decreased (in X-Men, I could nail a missed attack from almost half a screen away with the T.Claw), but I still like it, especially in combos. Its damage is still pretty good, and is an excellent air counter to most jump-ins. It has a high priority on jumping attacks, even some Air Special Moves (eg. Psylocke's PsiDrill, the torpedo move when she comes out of her Ninjitsu Teleport). But of course, like all DPs, this has HORRIBLE recovery, and if blocked or missed Logan is left wide open to ANYTHING. Even from across the screen, the opponent can dash in for a big combo. I usually get about 8 hits using Fierce with this when repeatedly tapping punch. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- -Drill Claw- (Wolverine exclaims "Drill Claw!" and spins torpedo-like in the desired direction with claws extended) The main purpose of this move, IMO, is defense. Although he can no longer Drill Claw backwards, his backward dash compensates for this. The main thing in this case is that he can Drill Claw into the air from the ground, up backwards, straight up, or upwards and forward. It is also a rock-solid defensive move in the air, and because of its speed you can nail most foes before they even get to you in the air! This is an excellent, clean, powerful counter to any missed attack from a distance, if you're a little aprehensive about dashing in. It can also be used as an air counter if directed U/F, acting as a sort of DP. Now, in X-Men:CotA I thought this was quite a safe move, but in MSH there are plenty of counters the opponent can use, even if you've bounced away from him when it is blocked. Below is a list of what each character can do to you: -Hulk: Gamma Charge (of course) -Iron Man: UniBeam or even his Proton Cannon! -Wolverine: Drill Claw or even Weapon X... -Psylocke: PsiThrust IC, Strong PsiBlast -Spider-Man: Web Swing or Jab Web Throw -Captain America: Shield Slash, Charging Stars or even Final Justice! -Magneto: EM Disruptor or Magnetic Tempest IC -Shuma Gorath: Mystic Smash or dash+Devitalization -Juggernaut: Juggernaut Splash/Punch/Headcrush (damn, maybe his S.F+Fierce too...) -Blackheart: Heart of Darkness IC, Inferno, or maybe Dark Thunder -Doom: Gauntlet Blast, Photon Array -Thanos: Spear Slide, C.Fierce In addition, most characters, except perhaps Juggernaut, Hulk, Blackheart and Shuma Gorath can dash forward and Combo! So, you still have to be quite careful with the so-called "safe" Drill Claw. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- -Double Knee Kick- (Wolverine brings his knee up into the enemy's gut, then extends into a high snap kick) Good for 2 hits (duh), this is a great double hit in combos, and will push you pretty far away if blocked, preventing a lot of counters. It looks cool too, so if you dash in you can put it in the Magic Series and still cancel into the Fierce or Roundhouse, or a Special Move looks cool too. BTW, the second hit will not come out unless you actually make contact with the enemy. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- -Claw Slide- (Wolverine slides real low on his belly with his claws extended) This thankfully has retained its range from X-Men: CotA. It does good damage, and knocks down, allowing an OTG combo followup. If you wanna finish a combo with this, I suppose it's OK, but its greatest asset is its range. It can reach further than his C.Roundhouse, so if you've crouched a high attack you can choose between this or the Drill Claw. This does around the same damage I believe, but the Drill Claw can knock a Gem out. Alternately, the Claw Slide can start and OTG combo... ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- -Dive Kick- (Wolverine dives downward at an angle with a kick) He had an air stomp ala Chun Li in X-Men: CotA. It is still here, but has been changed a little. It is now a downward diving kick, and if it is blocked or connects Wolverine will bounce away (a lot like Iron Man's Knee Dive), though it is not totally safe from dashing counters (eg. Final Justice). It has great speed, so it is ideal as a counter if you are mid distance away in the air and the opponent throws just about any ground attack. It may be possible, BTW, to cancel this with a Drill Claw. It can be cancelled into a Special Move, but the Drill Claw may not connect--like IM's D+Forward, Logan can also chain this with his Jumping MS, preventing a possible counter. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- -Shoulder Mount Adamantium Hell- (Wolverine hops on the opponents shoulders and claws the hell outta the back of their head. He then flips them over frontwards) This is one of my favorite Throws and if you're ANYWHERE near the corner, you can follow it with a Claw Slide or sometimes an OTG combo. If you tap B and F repeatedly and hit the button real fast, Logan will claw faster, also getting in more hits as well as damage. Altogether this does good damage if the enemy doesn't tech hit it. If the enemy tech hits their landing, it still does OK damage. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- -Ground Mount Adamantium Hell- (Wolverine lays his opponent down on their back, sits on them, claws the hell outta them, then kicks off) Because of the kick-off at the end you cannot follow this up, as far as I know. It also appears to do the same damage as the Strong Throw, so I think the Shoulder Mount is the better of the two. As with the Strong, tap B and F repeatedly and tap Fierce fast and you'll get more hits/damage. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- -Air Adamantium Hell- (Same as Strong Throw, but in mid-air) Use it as you please, it does the same damage as the ground version. I believe it can be put into some Air Combos as well, but remember it can still be tech hitted. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- -Best Gem; Power- This is Wolverine's special Gem, because not only does it increase the damage of his attacks, it also gives him his old Shadows from X-Men: CotA; when the Gem is activated, mirror images of Wolverine trail behind him for a time. These images are invulnerable, but can attack, effectively multiplying his hits in a combo. As well, Wolverine is sped up CONSIDERABLY, allowing you faster recovery on some moves (i.e. you can get in even more Jabs or Strongs in a combo). ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- -Dash Forward; Quick Dash: (Wolverine dashes forward quickly) a VERY fast dash, use it to counter pretty much any missed attack from a distance, and whenever on the ground mix it up with the backward dash and Drill Claw to keep the opponent guessing. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- -Dash Back; Back Hop- (Wolverine kicks off the ground and hops back slightly) Fairly quick, mix it up with Forward dashing and Drill claws to counter on the ground. This MAY also avoid some really low attacks (eg. Cap's Jab Shield Slash). ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- -Infinity Counter; Drill Claw- (Logan blocks the opponents attack and retaliates with a fast Drill Claw) Not very effective on airborne attacks, its main strength is range. Not only can you counter a lot of horizontal attacks, but you can also counter a lot of projectiles. For example, blocking Captain America's Strong Shield Slash from mid-range will allow you to retaliate with this and it should connect. Mind you, it is IMO better to counter with a dashing combo. I think personally that ICOs should be for jump-in attacks only, because you can easily put in any combo or quite a few Special Moves after blocking attacks with the same amount of proficiency. Mind you, this would be easier to counter a lot of REALLY quick recovering attacks with this, like Hulk's standing Jab... --------------------------------------------------------------------------- -Triangle Jump- (Wolverine rebounds of a wall to jump forward) The main strength of this is for defense; if you've jumped and the opponent tries to dash in for an air counter, IC or the like, you can jump back and Triangle Jump over their head. It can also be done during a Super Jump, which can easily avoid and go over a lot of ICs. Use this a lot, if not just to avoid the opponent if they're trying to go heavy on the offensive. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- -Infinity Combo 1; Super Berserker Barrage- (Wolverine exclaims "Berserker Barrage!!" and rushes forward in a wild furry of slashes, finishing with a S.Fierce) The only difference between this and the normal version is the damage, hits, and final hit (you may also notice the sound of the slashing is much faster). Like the regular one, it will initiate the FS and can be followed up in the corner with a juggle or OTG combo in the corner. However, like the regular BB, it has considerable recovery time if missed (however if blocked (unlike the regular BB) the recovery isn't too bad, except against really fast attacks), and is also slow along the ground. So, it is best used in a combo or after the enemy does a slow recovering move. The SBB can do up to 12 hits. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- -Infinity Combo 2; Weapon X- (Wolverine rears back, crosses his arms, unsheathes his claws, then with a grunt dashes EXTREMELY fast at the opponent; if he connects, he goes into an automatic multi-hit brutal combo, slashing andkicking the hell outta his foe, finishing by jumping forward, slashing a jagged X across the screen) IMO the third best-looking IC in the game (next to Magneto's Shockwave in 1st and Psylocke's Psionic Maelstrom), it gives you a real rush if it connects, and does great damage, although not as much as the SBB. If this is blocked, however, the opponent can QUICKLY counter with a combo. The dash is quite fast, and Logan has a high priority over most ground attacks during the dash (except for most ICs nd projectiles) so get your timing down pat for it. This is because the place you're going to use it is if the enemy misses a move from a close enough distance, be it a DP or IC (great after Iron Man's Proton Cannon!). You can also block an attack and counter with this, but be precise with the motions, i.e. hit all three punches at the END of the DP motion, otherwise when you're moving from the blocked position to F you may get an ICO. The Weapon X always has a max of 12 hits. COMBOS: ******* -Safe Air Magic Series: Jab -> Short -> Strong -> Forward -> Fierce or Roundhouse -Safe Ground Combo: D.S.Jab -> S.Short -> S.Strong -> Tornado Claw or BB -If the opponent blocks... D.S.Jab -> S.Short -> S.Strong -> S.Forward -> S.Fierce -Ground Magic Series: Zig-Zag -Jumping Magic Series: Zig-Zag (4 hits average) -Launchers: S.Roundhouse -Air Launchers: none -Straight Launchers: S.Fierce -Small Launchers: C.Strong Note: all combos beginning with D.S.Jab can use 2 or maybe even 3 Jabs if the enemy is Juggernaut, Shuma Gorath, Hulk or Blackheart (often others as well). *BASIC COMBOS* 1. J.Fierce, S.Strong, S.Fierce 2. D.S.Jab -> S.Short -> S.Strong -> S.Forward -> S.Fierce 3. (corner) C.Fierce -> C.Roundhouse XX Tornado Claw 4. (corner) C.Roundhouse XX BB or SBB 5. D/F+Fierce, BB or SBB (OTG) * INTERMEDIATE COMBOS* 6. (corner) D.S.Jab -> S.Short -> S.Strong XX Fierce Berserker Barrage (FS), C.Short (OTG) -> C.Strong -> S.Roundhouse 7. J.Jab -> J.Fierce, D.S.Jab -> S.Short -> S.Strong -> C.Forward, C.Short (OTG) -> S.Forward XX Tornado Claw or BB 8. D.S.Short -> S.Roundhouse -> SJ.Jab -> SJ.Short -> SJ.Strong -> SJ.Forward XX Drill Claw 9. J.Jab -> J.Fierce, D.S.Jab -> S.Short -> S.Strong XX Fierce Tornado Claw 10. J.Fierce -> J.Roundhouse, D.S.Jab -> S.Short -> S.Strong -> C.Forward XX Berserker Barrage (OTG) (FS) 11. J.Jab -> J.Short -> J.Fierce, D.S.Jab -> S.Short -> S.Strong -> S.Roundhouse -> SJ.Jab -> SJ.Short -> SJ.Strong -> SJ.Strong -> SJ.Strong -> SJ.Forward XX Drill Claw 12. (corner) J.Jab -> J.Short -> J.Strong -> J.Forward, D.S.Jab -> S.Short -> S.Strong XX Super Berserker Barrage (FS), C.Short (OTG) -> C.Strong -> S.Roundhouse 13. J.Fierce -> J.Roundhouse, D.S.Strong -> Double Knee Kick -> S.Roundhouse -> SJ.Jab -> SJ.Short -> SJ.Strong -> SJ.Forward -> SJ.Roundhouse (FS) 14. (corner) Strong Throw, D.C.Short (OTG) -> C.Strong -> C.Roundhouse XX Tornado Claw 15. (corner) Strong Throw, D.C.Short (OTG) -> C.Strong -> C.Roundhouse XX Berserker Barrage (FS) 16. (corner) Strong Throw, D.C.Short (OTG) -> C.Roundhouse XX SBB (FS) 17. (corner) Strong Throw, D.C.Short (OTG) -> C.Strong -> S.Roundhouse -> SJ.Jab -> SJ.Short -> SJ.Strong -> SJ.Strong -> SJ.Forward XX Drill Claw U/F, SJ.Jab -> SJ.Fierce (FS) 18. D/F+Fierce, D.C.Short (OTG) -> C.Strong -> S.Roundhouse -> SJ.Jab -> SJ.Short -> SJ.Strong -> SJ.Strong -> SJ.Forward -> SJ.Fierce (FS) 19. D.S.Jab -> D.S.Jab -> C.Short -> C.Fierce XX BB or SBB *ADVANCED COMBOS* 20. (corner) J.Jab -> J.Short -> J.Strong -> J.Forward, D.S.Jab -> S.Short -> S.Strong -> C.Forward, D.S.Short (OTG) -> C.Strong -> S.Roundhouse -> SJ.Jab -> SJ.Short -> SJ.Strong -> SJ.Strong -> SJ.Forward XX Fierce+Roundhouse Drill Claw U/F, SJ.Jab -> SJ.Fierce (FS) 21. (corner) J.Jab -> J.Short -> J.Strong -> J.Forward, D.S.Jab -> S.Short -> C.Strong -> S.Roundhouse -> SJ.Jab -> SJ.Short -> SJ.Strong -> SJ.Strong -> SJ.Forward XX Fierce+Roundhouse Drill Claw U/F, SJ.Jab -> SJ.Roundhouse (FS), SJ.Short (OTG) \/ C.Strong -> S.Roundhouse 22. (corner) J.Fierce, D.S.Jab -> S.Short -> S.Strong XX SBB, J.Jab -> J.Short -> J.Strong -> J.Forward -> J.Fierce Comments (#20): thanks to James Chen for this awesome combo! Here is his explanation for this 19 hit combo: "Okay, the combo is pretty normal except there is one part I would like to clarify. After the Upwards Drill Claw, Wolverine will hit the enemy and recoil upwards. After recoiling up, Wolverine is free to do more moves. This is where you do the SJ.Jab -> SJ.Fierce/Roundhouse in the two combos. Basically, you have to do them RIGHT after the Drill Claw connects as fast as possible. The timing is hard, but not TOO hard." Comments (#21): another awesome Logan combo from James Chen! Here's his walkthrough for this 19 hit: "...I must point out that in order to get the last three OTG hits off, it's VERY hard to time. After hitting the enemy with the J.Roundhouse after the Drill Claw, both of you fall down at nearly the exact same time. You land slightly after they do and if you're timing was perfect, you can OTG them with C.Short. However, many times, you won't land quickly enough to hit them with the C.Short before they can recover and the OTG misses. If you find that you are not going to land quickly enough to hit them with a C.Short, you can change that C.Short into a SJ.Short. Basically, press Short RIGHT before you land and from the air, you can kick them off the floor and continue with the C.Strong -> S.Roundhouse. However, if you do this method, it may be better to try with C.Strong -> S.Fierce because you'll be further out from the corner." Comments (#18): Just to note, the D/F+Fierce should be done from around its max range, so that the fallen enemy is right at your feet. COMBO OVERVIEW: *************** GROUND COMBOS: Plenty of options here. You can do a full D.S.Jab -> S.Short -> S.Strong -> Double Knee Kick -> S.Fierce combination in most cases, but his best option without using an Air or OTG combo from here (see below) is to chain into a Tornado Claw or Berserker Barrage; the Tornado Claw is faster coming out with more initial range, so it's better on a dash, but you should definetely go for the BB (or SBB) finish in the corner, so you can follow with a few OTG hits for more damage. In addition, you can finish your Ground Combos with a variety of OTG hits (see below). AIR COMBOS: The most flexible character in the game for Air Combos, Logan not only has an easy, full SJ.MS, but he can also chain EASILY up to 3 Strongs in one Air Combo for more hits and slightly more damage. His S.Roundhouse launches the enemy well with only a small forward arc; easy to follow with his huge Air Combos. IMO Air Combos are good options for doing serious damage with Wolverine, other than Ground Combos involving the SBB. THROW COMBOS: Powerful OTG combos can be had after a Strong Throw into the corner; remember however that WOLVERINE must be in the corner, as the Throw reverses sides. Afterward, you must hit with a long-range attack, or dash in with a C.Short and combo. OTG COMBOS: Many options available here. Other than after his Strong Throw in the corner, Wolverine can OTG after C.Forward as well as his BB or SBB. After the C.Forward, the easiest option is to cancel into a BB or SBB to hit OTG, however if the enemy Safety Rolls you're in trouble. You can also usually OTG with a C.Short because the C.Forward's recovery is fast enough; follow into a full combo. In the corner, the BB and SBB execute the Flying Screen, so no Air Combos or Special Moves are permitted. D.C.Short -> C.Strong -> S.Roundhouse is your best little combination here, since the S.Roundhouse still launches them, allowing you to set up your next tactic, or get away for a breather. TACTICS: ******** Offensive: Wolverine is an offensive machine; dashing in is extremely effective in all cases, be it to counter missed attacks or set up the enemy, as it is QUITE fast and can be easily interrupted with a block. The S.Jab and S.Short work well as possible ticks, and pretty much every regular attack except crouching Fierce and Roundhouse is safe if blocked. If you anticipate a high counter- attack, you can slide underneath it with D/F+Fierce XX BB or SBB for a quick and damaging combo. You can also go offensive with his quick jump, ready to air block if necessary; the J.Roundhouse or J.Fierce deals with most airborne attempts at countering you... Once you have a level charged, worry about connecting with the Weapon X, unless you see an obvious opportunity to combo into the SBB; the Weapon X will easily take out just about any attack they throw at you. Dashing Jump: BIG range here, very easy to traverse the whole screen fairly quickly. Again, not overly useful for Logan, because his jump is already quite fast and long-ranged PLUS he has one of the fastest forward dashes in the game. Defensive: The S.Fierce is pretty much all you need for offensive enemies; it will cover air and ground, and recovers fast enough in case the enemy dashes and blocks or jumps and blocks. The S.Roundhouse and Tornado Claw are also useful as air counters, however the latter, if air blocked, doesn't have the best of recovery. In the air: Wolverine does quite well in the air, even against those like Iron Man and Magneto with flight. J.Roundhouse and J.Fierce are quite adiquate to deal with anything up close. From a distance, the Drill Claw is a great counter to a missed or air blocked attack... J.Strong can also be done multiple times and has high priority against any jumping foe. BEST JUMP-IN CHAIN: Take your pick. If you're looking for good solid hits with good damage, J.Fierce -> Roundhouse is your best option. If you're looking for hits, a whole J.Jab -> J.Short -> J.Strong -> J.Forward will connect fairly easily--against the tall fighters, even more can connect. WOLVERINE'S ENDING: ******************* (NOT word for word...) He just goes back to the X-mansion, and yacks with Cyclops about how being a god's not for him, and needed to find out his past for himself. He then drives away on his kick-ass bike. ############################################################################# PSYLOCKE: --------- Beginning Pose: Psylocke floats in dressed as a ninja, sheds the clothes and goes into her fighting stance. Winning Pose 1: she plays with her bangs and exclaims "No Sweat!" Winning Pose 2: goes into a martial arts ready stance. Taunt: Psylocke beckons the opponent, saying "come on..." Regular Color: Blue outfit 2nd Color: Black outfit Background: On the roof of a moving train at night Post-Match Quotes: Vs. Psylocke-"Another Psylocke!? Spiral and I must have a little chat" Close Fight-"You will never come that close to defeating me again!" -"I will not embarass you by letting this fight continue further." -"Perhaps you should consider and easier opponent." NOTE: Betsy's Taunt will actually hit the enemy for minute damage! It can also knock Gems away from the enemy! :) STORY: ****** With her telepathic powers, Psylocke can send blasts of psionic energy, or fashion a "psychic knife" which cuts both physically and mentally. As a favor to the Mandarin, Spiral blended Betsy Braddock's genes with those of a ninja warrior (this is also why she appears Asian, although she is of British descent). She has now joined her fellow X-Men, the Avengers, and Adam Warlock in defeating the mad Titan known as Thanos to regain the Infinity Gems, which hold together the very fabric of the universe. CHARACTER OVERVIEW: ******************* Can also be used, on the surface, as a button-masher character. However when you really get down to it, she can't do any real damage unless you use her properly. Like Wolverine she is primarily an offensive fighter, and can also work quite well on defense, and can be great at anticipating/countering the enemy's mistakes with her Ninjitsu Teleport. If you like big combos, she is definetely the right choice, being able to use all three of her ICs in full combos for huge damage. And the PsiMaelstrom is truly a sight to behold. :) When used properly she can also be a lot of fun to use. MOVES LIST: *********** -PsiBlast (Downward): QCT+Jab (can be done in mid-air) -PsiBlast (Forward): QCT+Strong (can be done in mid-air) -PsiBlast (U/F): QCT+Fierce (can be done in mid-air) -PsiBlade: QCT+any kick (can be done in mid-air) -Ninjitsu Teleport: HCB+any button (can be done in mid-air) -PsiDrill: any direction+punch after Ninjitsu Teleport (can be done in mid-air) -Forward Flip Kick: F+Forward -Forward Slide Kick: F+Roundhouse -Back Roll Kick: B+Roundhouse -Flip Kick: U+Roundhouse (in mid-air) -Triple Jump: U during any jump (repeat for 3) -Vertical Launch: F or B+Strong (close) -Rolling Slam: F or B+Fierce (close) -Roll Drop: F or B+Fierce or Strong (close in mid-air) -Best Gem: Power -Dash Forward; Forward Roll: F, F or all three punches -Dash Back; Back Roll: B, B or B+all three punches -Infinity Counter; Short Psiblade: B, D/B, D+any punch -Infinity Combo 1; PsiThrust: QCT+all three punches (can be done in mid-air) -Infinity Combo 2; Psionic Maelstrom: QCT+all three kicks -Infinity Combo 3; Kochou Gakure: QCB+all three kicks (can be done in mid-air) REGULAR MOVES ANALYSIS: *********************** S.Fierce is Psylocke's Straight Launcher, or "strike". If it connects it knocks the opponent across the screen. This is a great finisher to simple combos, and also not a bad air counter to deep jumpers. If ducked Psylocke is left vulnerable (with small opponents), so make sure it connects. C.Fierce is Psylocke's Regular Launcher, and is all around one of her best attacks. Try to put this in most of your combos so you can follow with a Super Jump and Air Combo. It is also a decent air counter, and comes out quite fast. If missed, her recovery is slow enough to get countered fairly easily, so make sure it connects. For some simple combos, cancel this into a Fierce PsiBlast or a Roundhouse PsiBlade in the corner. More importantly, this move can easily be cancelled into her Psi MaelStrom for GREAT damage! S.Jab may not seem like much, but is a great starter for big combos; as well, because it is upward, it acts fairly well as an air counter; if it connects as one, cancel into S.Fierce for an easy two hit. So fast it is very difficult to counter. Her C.Roundhouse is a good all-around sweep, and recovers fast enough to go into an OTG combo. If you like keeping it simple, it has great range and initiation speed, so you can use it to counter a lot of high moves from a few steps away. Chain at least into a Jab PsiBlast, unless the enemy knows how to Safety Roll on reaction here. Psylocke's J.Roundhouse is her best single jump-in attack, it has excellent range and priority over early attempted air counters. Standing Strong has limited range, but is a great up-close move with high priority. S.Forward has more range than the S.Strong, and otherwise is the same; use often up close as a great pecking attack. SPECIAL MOVES ANALYSIS: *********************** -PsiBlast (Downward)- (Psylocke exclaims "PsiBlast!" and throws a surge of psychic energy from her forehead down to the ground) On the ground the only real use for this is to hit close downed opponents (eg. cancelled out of C.Roundhouse). Make sure not to do it if the opponent is in the air, or Betsy'll get hit easily. In the air, this is a good attack if you manage to jump over the enemy's projectile, epsecially a Hyper-X (eg. if you anticipate Iron Man doing his Proton Cannon, Super Jump, and on the way down whip off a Jab PsiBlast). If you want a simple jump-in combo, jump in with Fierce or a short jumping MS, and cancel with a Jab PsiBlast. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- -PsiBlast (Straight)- (Psylocke exclaims "PsiBlast!" and throws a surge of psychic energy from her forehead straight at the opponent) Your basic straight-forward projectile, once it's airborne it isn't very fast, so stick with it in combos, or to counter a missed attack. Up close it can be ducked, so be careful. In the air use it if the enemy is at your level, and you shouldn't be too worried about a counter up there. One thing to note is that the projectile is quite wide in its dimensions, and will hit a lot of large crouching opponents (eg. Hulk), or opponents coming down out of the air. NOTE: at around 1/3 screen distance, you can actually dash after this and combo when it connects... ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- -PsiBlast (U/F)- (Psylocke exclaims "PsiBlast!" and throws a surge of psychic energy from her forehead up in the air at an angle) This is a GREAT juggle in many corner combos; whenever you throw 'em up in the air with a launcher, you should at least go for this. It is also a decent air counter as the enemy jumps in at you, because it comes out fast, but you should try and air counter 'em with a a crouching Fierce+combo instead. In the air it is pretty useless unless the enemy is over your head in a Super Jump. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- -PsiBlade- (Psylocke exclaims "PsiBlade!" and surrounds herself with psychic energy, spinning upward and forward) Each strength of kick makes it go slightly higher, but slightly less forward. So, a Short PsiBlade has good horizontal range, but almost no upward range, Forward goes up and forward slightly, and Roundhouse is almost vertical. A great air counter and AWESOME in combos, each PsiBlade racks up three hits. But here's the best part--all three PsiBlades can be chained together! To do all three consecutively, perform a QCT+Short, then quickly tap Forward, then Roundhouse; the next two PsiBlades will automatically cancel into the Short, racking up 9 hits total! As an air counter, your best bet is the Roundhouse PsiBlade, and this is very difficult to take priority over. Against deep or far-jumping enemies, use the Forward PsiBlade. In the air the PsiBlade has great priority, and all three chained together are AWESOME combo finishers. Use the Roundhouse version if the enemy attempts to gain a higher position over you (i.e. tries to Double Jump/Super Jump over you), and use the Short or Forward version in air-to-air combat. Note that if blocked all PsiBlades can be QUICKLY countered, especially the Roundhouse version. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- -Ninjitsu- (Betsy exclaims "Ninjitsu!" and teleports to one of 6 positions, each position showing a sillouette of her, so the opponent doesn't know where she appears 'till the last minute!) These are the positions that she appears in, pertaining to each button (when facing right): Jab- top left of screen Strong- same spot Fierce- top right of screen Short- bottom left of screen Forward- behind opponent Roundhouse- bottom right of screen This is IMO a VERY useful move, and essential to playing the "untouchable" Psylocke. Use these teleports FREQUENTLY, to confuse the opponent and mainly to counter a lot of their moves. Note that you do HAVE to use them in the right place, or else they will anticipate your appearance and counter--they are best used when YOU anticipate one of their moves. See tactics for more info. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- -PsiDrill- (As Psylocke appears from a Teleport, she dives in the desired direction with a psionic blade in front) This is the only attack Betsy can perform RIGHT out of a Ninjitsu teleport, but it has the advantage of going in any direction! So even if the opponent anticipates where you'll reappear, you can PsiDrill in the opposite direction and hopefully avoid him. If you appear anywhere on the ground, you can wait the split-second and then use any attack (i.e. combo if you appear behind them), but in the air this is basically the only thing you can do besides fall. If the opponent is in the air when you appear up there, direct the PsiDrill appropriately to nab them. If you appear in the air and they're on ground, PsiDrill downward. If blocked, Betsy will bounce away, leaving her open to dashing combos and other types of counters :). NOTE: The PsiDrill IS a Special Move because it can knock Gems out of the opponent. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- -Forward Flip Kick- (Psylocke rolls forward, comes up and throws an overhead kick) This is lightning fast, so use it to counter low attacks. Unlike what I previously said, it is NOT an Overhead (thank's Onaje :), however it is still quite fast and therefore is useful against persistant sweepers. If it connects, cancel with a Jab PsiBlast, or the three PsiBlades if they're standing--or, chain into a Fierce/Roundhouse combo. See Combos... ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- -Forward Slide Kick- (Psylocke lunges forward with a kick) -Back Roll Kick- (Psylocke rolls backward, then forward a little and kicks upward) Both of these kicks will pass under projectiles and a lot of other high attacks. Up close the Forward Slide Kick will pass through the opponent and Psylocke will end up behind the opponent; good surprise tactic. The Back Roll Kick is GREAT for avoiding jump-in attacks, and if the enemy was trying a cross-up attack, the kick as you recover may even hit them. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- -Triple Jump- (Psylocke appears to sort of step up from her jump into another) A GREAT move for avoiding attacks, and ICs. One good tactic (although I think a Forward Ninjitsu is a better idea) is to jump in at the opponent, and the second the start to air counter, Double/Triple Jump to avoid it and nail 'em for real on your way down. Note that the Double/Triple Jump can also be done as you begin to fall from a Super Jump, so if you really wanna avoid big ICs like Iron Man's Proton Cannon, Super Jump then Double/Triple Jump, and it may even take you off the screen! Remember though, it is in a lot of cases better to Ninjitsu Teleport so you can actually attack them. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- -Vertical Launch- (Psylocke grabs the opponent and launches them up in the air) This is a great Throw because it allows you to juggle the opponent with just about anything, including Super Jump+Air Combo (the SJ must be directed appropriately however). An easy follow-up in the corner would be the Triple PsiBlade. Remember that this can be tech hitted. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- -Rolling Slam- (Psylocke grapples the opponent, then flies rolling through the air to slam them into the ground) The great thing about this Throw is that it brings the opponent into the corner from just about anywhere on the screen. It can also be followed up with a dashing OTG combo, but remember of course it can be tech hitted. Use this if you're pretty much ANYWHERE on the screen :). ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- -Roll Drop- (Psylocke grabs an airborne opponent, and drops to the ground rolling) Decent damage and a good follow-up to a launcher... If you can go for an Air Combo it is a little better than this, and as always this can be tech hitted. It can be followed with an OTG combo in the corner, and like the standing version will bring them close enough from just about anywhere--dash and OTG. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- -Best Gem; Power: This is Psylocke's special Gem, because not only does it increase the damage of her attacks, it also gives her her old Ninjutu shadow move from X-Men: CotA; when the Gem is activated, mirror images of Psylocke appear in front and behind her; these images can hit, but are invulnerable--only the real Psylocke in the middle can be hit. Not only does this potentially give more hits to combos, but it also allows her to do more damage AND is great for confusing the enemy. If you stay in the air a lot when the Power Gem is activated, I find a lot of human opponents get nervous and can screw up. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- -Forward Dash; Forward Roll- (Psylocke rolls onto her shoulder and into a ball, rolling towards the enemy) -Backward Dash; Back Roll- (Psylocke twists around to roll on her shoulder, then rolls away from the opponent) Not only does it get you across the screen faster, but Psylocke's dash is particularly effective for avoiding attacks. When she dashes, Betsy will perform a roll across the ground; if you interrupt the dash with any attack, she will immediately stand and perform the move. You can also hold back to cancel the roll and block. Now, when rolling, Betsy is invulnerable to many higher attacks, like projectiles (eg. Iron Man's Smart Bombs) if timed correctly. Dashing back is also a great way to avoid jump-in attacks or other dashing or charging moves. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- -Infinity Counter; Short PsiBlade- (Betsy blocks the opponent's attack and counters with a Short PsiBlade) Not terribly powerful, nor do I believe it can be chained into the other PsiBlades. But, if you wanna use it, go ahead, because it allows you to counter ANY move, period, no matter how good it recovers. This is one of the better ICOs, because it can easily counter a lot of jump-in attacks and a lot of ground attacks. Use it as you wish. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- -Infinity Combo 1; PsiThrust- (Betsy placing a hand to her head, then surrounds herself with psionic energy, exclaims "PsiThrust!" and dives in the desired direction) An extremely versitile Infinity Combo, the direction can be controlled in any way (except straight down) while standing. As well, you can perform it a second time by holding in another desired direction and hitting any button as the first Thrust is finished (in a similiar fashion to Hulk's Gamma Charge). Besides being totally devastating in combos, it is great by itself as well. It can be used as an air counter, so when the opponent is on his way down at you, perform the PsiThrust and direct it U/F; if they block, redirect it for the second Thrust appropriately. If the opponent attempts to cross you up, activate the PsiThrust and direct it U/B to catch them. And one of the best places to use it; if you jump over an opponent's projectile, activate the PsiThrust and direct it D/F; then direct the second half D/F again for more hits. To get the max hits out of the horizontal version with no fuss, perform the first half, then direct the second half D/F, which will OTG for 10 hits total and great damage. First of all, thanks to Onaje Everett, I now know that you can DEFINETELY juggle after BOTH parts of the PsiThrust; you just have to be fast enough, after the second part, to hit the enemy JUST before they land in the corner. It is, however, still easier to combo after the first half. So, if you've had a clean horizontal hit with the PsiThrust, you can instead not follow with the second Thrust, and instead follow with an OTG combo from there. Note that if blocked, the PsiThrust will leave Betsy open for a counter, so be watchful. So far as I can tell, the PsiThrust has a maximum of 10 hits. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- -Infinity Combo 2; Psionic Maelstrom- (Psylocke exclaims "Psi Maelstrom!" and rises spinning HIGH into the air, surrounded by psionic energy) This is IMO the second-coolest Infinity Combo in the game, next to Magneto's Magnetic Shockwave. This can do pretty good damage, especially inside of a combo. Note the opponent literally has an ETERNITY to counter if this is blocked or misses, including being able to Super Jump up and Air Combo you on your way down! So, make ABSOLUTELY sure this connects. Outside of a combo it has AMAZING priority on jump in attacks, i.e. if the opponent begins to start one of their jump in attacks (just as their kick or punch begins its animations), QUICKLY perform the IC and you will still catch them and carry them into the air for over 20 hits! Another way to use it is if the opponent is above you shooting an airborne projectile (i.e. you dash under Iron Man as he throws an air UniBeam over your head, and perform the PsiMaelstrom), or as an easy counter to a missed or blocked DP move (eg. Wolverine's Tornado Claw). The Psionic Maelstrom has a max of 25 hits, so far as I've seen. I do believe mashing on the Kicks will increase hits... ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- -Infinity Combo 3; Kochou Gakure- (Psylocke hovers and calls upon a rush of psionic "butterflies" (at least that's what they look like), who envelope her, then fly forward from above her head) Except in combos, I see no real reason to use this; as an air counter, it is easily blocked, but can really rack up the block damage. Otherwise, the other two ICs are generally better. This also has high priority up close to take out just about anything, however the PsiMaelstrom will also work here :). NOTE: it is possible to OTG after this in the corner if you are VERY fast. COMBOS: ******* -Safe Air Magic Series: Jab -> Short -> Forward -> Fierce/Roundhouse -Safe Ground Combo: D.S.Jab -> S.Short -> C.Fierce -> SJ.Air Combo -If the opponent blocks... D.S.Jab -> S.Short -> C.Fierce XX Fierce PsiBlast -Ground Magic Series: Zig-Zag -Jumping Magic Series: Zig-Zag (4 hits average) -Launchers: C.Fierce -Air Launchers: none -Straight Launchers: S.Fierce -Small Launchers: C.Forward Note 1: I will refer to all three PsiBlades chained together simply as the "Triple PsiBlade". Note 2: all combos beginning with D.S.Jab can use two Jabs if the fighter is Juggernaut, Shuma Gorath, Hulk or Blackheart (maybe others as well). *BASIC COMBOS* 1. D.S.Jab -> S.Strong -> S.Fierce XX Strong PsiBlast (PsiBlast is blockable unless in corner, but safe if S.Fierce connects) 2. D.S.Jab -> S.Short -> S.Strong -> S.Forward -> S.Fierce 3. D.C.Short -> C.Strong -> C.Roundhouse XX Jab PsiBlast (OTG) 4. D.C.Short -> C.Fierce XX PsiMaelstrom (FS) 5. (corner) D.S.Jab -> S.Strong -> C.Fierce XX Roundhouse PsiBlade 6. C.Short -> C.Roundhouse XX PsiThrust (OTG) (Angle PsiThrust D/F) 7. Fierce Throw (into corner), C.Short (OTG) -> C.Strong -> C.Roundhouse 8. (corner) J.Roundhouse, C.Strong -> C.Fierce XX Fierce PsiBlast 9. Forward Flip Kick XX Triple PsiBlade 10. Forward Flip Kick XX PsiMaelstrom (FS) *INTERMEDIATE COMBOS* 11. D.S.Jab -> S.Short -> C.Fierce -> SJ.Jab -> SJ.Short -> SJ.Forward -> SJ.Roundhouse 12. D.C.Short -> C.Strong -> C.Roundhouse XX Kochou Gakure (OTG) 13. D.S.Jab -> S.Short -> C.Fierce -> SJ.Jab -> SJ.Short -> SJ.Forward -> Triple PsiBlade 14. J.Fierce, D.C.Short -> C.Fierce -> SJ.Jab -> SJ.Short -> SJ.Forward -> Kochou Gakure 15. J.Fierce -> J.Roundhouse, D.S.Jab -> S.Short -> S.Strong -> S.Forward -> C.Fierce -> SJ.Jab -> SJ.Short -> SJ. Forward XX Triple PsiBlade 16. Fierce Throw into the corner, C.Short (OTG) -> C.Fierce -> SJ.Jab -> SJ.Short -> SJ.Forward -> SJ.Roundhouse (FS) 17. J.Fierce -> J.Roundhouse, D.S.Jab -> S.Short -> S.Strong -> S.Forward XX Triple PsiBlade 18. (corner) PsiThrust (only first half), C.Short (OTG) -> S.Strong XX Triple PsiBlade 19. (corner) PsiThrust (only first half), C.Short (OTG), C.Short, C.Short -> C.Strong XX Triple PsiBlade 20. (corner) PsiThrust (only first half), C.Short (OTG), S.Fierce XX Roundhouse Psi Blade 21. J.Short -> J.Forward -> J.Roundhouse XX Air Jab PsiBlast 22. (corner) Strong Throw, Triple PsiBlade 23. (corner) PsiThrust (only first half), C.Short (OTG) -> C.Fierce XX PsiMaelstrom (FS) 24. (corner) PsiThrust (only first half), C.Short (OTG) -> C.Fierce -> SJ.Jab -> SJ.Short -> SJ.Forward XX Kochou Gakure 25. (corner) Strong Throw, D.S.Jab -> S.Strong -> S.Fierce 26. Strong Throw, D.C.Fierce -> SJ.Jab -> SJ.Short -> SJ.Forward -> Kochou Gakure 27. (corner) Strong Throw, J.Jab -> J.Short -> J.Forward XX PsiThrust 28. J.Fierce -> J.Roundhouse, D.S.Jab -> S.Short -> S.Strong -> S.Forward -> C.Roundhouse XX Jab PsiBlast (OTG) 29. J.Fierce -> J.Roundhouse, D.S.Jab -> S.Short -> S.Strong -> S.Forward -> C.Roundhouse XX PsiThrust D/F (OTG) 30. (corner) Fierce Air Throw, D.C.Short (OTG) -> C.Fierce -> SJ.Jab -> SJ.Short -> SJ.Forward XX Triple PsiBlade 31. (corner) Fierce Air Throw, D.C.Short (OTG) -> C.Fierce XX PsiMaelstrom (FS) 32. (corner) PsiThrust (both parts), C.Fierce -> SJ.Jab -> SJ.Short -> SJ.Forward -> SJ.Fierce 33. (corner) PsiThrust (both parts), C.Fierce XX PsiMaelstrom (FS) 34. (corner) PsiThrust (both parts), S.Strong -> S.Fierce XX Triple PsiBlade 35. PsiDrill (upward), PsiMaelstrom (FS) 36. Forward Flip Kick -> C.Fierce -> SJ.Jab -> SJ.Short -> SJ.Forward XX Triple PsiBlade 37. J.U+Roundhouse, Triple PsiBlade (air-to-air OR jump-in :) 38. (corner) Kochou Gakure, C.Short (OTG) -> SJ.Jab -> SJ.Short -> SJ.Forward XX Triple PsiBlade *ADVANCED COMBOS* 39. (corner) J.Jab -> J.Short -> J.Fierce, D.C.Short -> C.Forward -> C.Fierce -> SJ.Jab -> SJ.Short -> SJ.Forward, Fierce Air Throw, D.C.Short (OTG) -> C.Fierce -> SJ.Jab -> SJ.Short -> SJ.Forward XX Kochou Gakure 40. (corner) J.Jab -> J.Short -> J.Strong, D.S.Jab -> S.Short -> S.Strong -> S.Forward -> C.Fierce -> SJ.Jab -> SJ.Short -> SJ. Forward -> SJ.U+Roundhouse (FS). While enemy starts falling back down and passes you (you'll still be in same Super Jump), SJ.Short -> SJ.U+Roundhouse. When enemy starts falling back down, Jump up and meet them in the air with J.Jab -> J.Short -> J.Forward -> J.U+Roundhouse Comments (#27): Yes, this does work. It takes a lot of timing, but you can REGULAR jump after the enemy, air combo them, and finish with the PsiThrust. The IC usually is directed straight forward, but you'll most likely have to move it down for the big guys. BTW, this is unconfirmed for the home versions, I pulled this one off at the arcade--it was kind of a fluke at the time and I haven't been able to duplicate it on the Saturn/PS yet... Comments (#40): thanks to James Chen for this awesome combo! Here is his explanation for this 19 hit combo: Special thanks to James Chen for his AWESOME 18 hit combo; here's his explanation, as I have yet to get the whole thing to work. "It's pretty basic up until after the first SJ.U+Roundhouse. After doing this, the enemy will start falling down. Wait until they pass by you and hit SJ.Short so that you hit them while they are just barely below you. After the second SJ.U+Roundhouse, they will be bounced back up and you will land first. Jump up and meet them in the air with the appropriate moves. In the dashing portion of the combo, eliminate some moves against smaller enemies. A variation of this combo HAS been done before but it seems like it ONLY works on Wolverine and even on him, it's not consistent. Instead of jumping up to meet the enemy after they start falling at the end, you can wait for the enemy to just hit the ground and OTG them and juggle them. Against Wolverine, I have juggled him with S.Jab -> S.Short -> S.Strong -> S.Forward -> S.Fierce but it doesn't seem to always work. The other method is more of a sure-fire way to get in five extra hits, but this method is easier to time (but less likely of getting all five hits in). COMBO OVERVIEW: *************** GROUND COMBOS: Like Wolverine, lots of options. She can do a full D.S.Jab -> D.Short -> S.Strong -> S.Forward -> S.Fierce or S.Roundhouse combination on most cases, and on big guys that last hit can be her C.Fierce launcher. You can also stop at S.Forward and chain into a Triple PsiBlade or the like; very flexible. Once you have a level charged, damage is better done with the Kochou Gakure in an Air Combo, or a PsiMaelstrom cancelled out of a C.Fierce. If you're near the corner, I recommend one of the fine selection of PsiThrust combos :). Just remember to judge your distance and the size of the enemy so you don't overstep in the ground MS and screw up. AIR COMBOS: C.Fierce launches pretty near perfect, and her full SJ.MS is fairly easy. SJ.Strong does not connect all that often however, but chaining the SJ.MS into either the Triple PsiBlade or Kochou Gakure makes up for it. Pretty much a toss up between Ground and Air Combos--choose which suits you better. THROW COMBOS: although many don't regard her as being a powerful Thrower, Betsy's Throw options are great. When outside of the corner, the Strong Throw can set up some spectacular combinations, and if you want to bring the enemy to the corner AND do some mean damage, the Fierce Throw does a fine job. To top it off, she can mimic her Fierce Throw in the air, which will bring them to the ground in the corner for an OTG combo too! (Just check out #31! :) OTG COMBOS: Other than after the Throws, Betsy can also OTG off of a C.Roundhouse with a Jab PsiBlast or the PsiThrust. Additionally, she can OTG after the first half of the PsiThrust (see PsiThrust section). TACTICS: ******** Offensive: The S.Jab, S.Forward and S.Strong are all safe, fast offensive attacks to open the enemy up to a combo; use her dash on the ground well, always ready to hold back to block. Throw alternating PsiBlastes then follow them in for the kill. The Forward Slide Kick and Forward Flip Kick are also excellent attacks to utilize, as they can avoid many attacks and the Flip Kick will take out low attacks. Refrain from using Psylocke's other Special Moves and her ICs unless in a combo, or obvious opening, as the recovery is not worth it. Dashing Jump: Pretty much like Wolverine's, fast with a lot of range. Similarily, her dash and already excellent jump do quite well, so this isn't ALL that important to her offensive gameplay IMO. Defensive: For air defense Betsy can use the Roundhouse PsiBlade, as well as C.Fierce and either the PsiThrust (U/F) or PsiMaelstrom if you interrupt the enemy's jumping attack. On the ground the S.Forward will keep them at bay, as will alternating PsiBlastes. Her backward dash can also avoid some of the higher projectiles and offensive attacks, as well as some jump-ins with anticipation. In addition, she can also utilize her Teleport, which will avoid attacks and often set up a counter-attack. Let's use some scenarios: Vs. Juggernaut: If Juggernaut begins a Fierce Juggernaut Punch from across the screen (you are on the far left), quickly perform a Jab Ninjitsu; you will disappear right out from under him, then appear over his head! Follow with the PsiDrill and maybe even get a Gem out of it. OR, use a Short Ninjitsu and PsiDrill upward for a juggle (thanks Oj :). Sometimes you may appear too far away to attack, so just throw out the appropriate PsiBlast and continue into an offense. Vs. Hulk: If you're fast enough to see the Gamma Charge coming (i.e from across the screen), quickly perform a Forward Ninjitsu; Hulk will fly right through you and you'll appear behind! NOTE: Make sure not to do this too early, or else he can reverse the direction and nail you. As well, oftentimes you won't appear RIGHT behind him, but you usually have enough time to nail him with the PsiDrill. Vs. Iron Man: You anticipate a Proton Cannon; immediately do a Forward Ninjitsu as he begins to fire; end up right behind him, and do as you will!!!! The Ninjitsu makes for a LOT of technique and fun; anytime you see the opponent coming, go nuts with the teleports and nail 'em when they least suspect it. Here's a good tactic--jump in at the opponent, but at the last minute pull off a Forward Ninjitsu. BOOM! They throw a missed air counter, and land right behind them and attack! Just don't do this too often, or the enemy will simply wait and then counter you... In the air: J.U+Roundouse deals nicely with higher airborne attacks, as well as J.Fierce if you're a little on top of them. However, the various PsiBlades are effective counters to most offenses in the air, even against flyers like Magneto. BEST JUMP-IN CHAIN: See Wolverine--exactly the same idea. PSYLOCKE'S ENDING: ***************** (NOT word for word...) She dumps the Infinity Gauntlet, as she says she believes that one person does not deserve that kind of power. She believes in a democratic leadership, and that's why she joined the X-Men. ############################################################################ SPIDER-MAN: ----------- Beginning Pose: Spider-Man drops down on a thread of webbing from the top of the screen and exclaims "showtime!" Winning Pose 1: Spider-Man goes into a ready stance and exclaims "Spider Sense tingling!" Winning Pose 2: Spider-Man nods and exclaims "One for J.J.!" Winning Pose 3: Spider-Man gives a thumbs-up and exclaims "One for J.J.!" after he hangs his camera from a thread to take a picture Taunt: Spider-Man flicks a finger at the opponent and a word bubble accompanies his verbal taunt, either "Do your job!", "Hey!", or "C'Mon!" Regular Color: Red and Blue suit 2nd Color: Red and Black suit Background: on a large window-washer's platform, steadily rising up the side of a building Post-Match Quotes: Vs. Spider-Man-"Just what I need... Another clone!" Close Fight-"Oh great... Do you know how much it costs to dry-clean this costume?!" -"I hear they're looking for people at the clown college." -"You'll make somebody a great sidekick someday." STORY: ****** For those few who've never heard of Spider-Man before, turn on your TV :), or read this section: Young teen chemistry student Peter Parker was bitten by an experimental radioactive spider during a demonstration and soon found he had great strength and agility, along with a keen "spider sense" allowing him to tell when danger was near. Deciding to use his powers for good, he doned a costume and adopted the name of Spider-Man. It has been years since the experiment occured, and Peter Parker is now a responsible adult, married to the love of his life, Mary Jane. He has had an exciting past, and despite many offers and turn-downs to teams like the Fantastic Four, the Avengers and the X-Men, he has managed to stay a loner (however, he is officially a reserve member of the Avengers). He has now joined the rest of the heroes in an attempt to save the entire universe itself from the mad Titan known as Thanos, who has gained posession of the Infinity Gauntlet, in it the six Infinity Gems which control the very existance of the universe. It's all up to them... CHARACTER OVERVIEW: ******************* Damn, but he is annoying. :) Spidey's a good solid character, relying on Air Combos, and yet works well for beginners. Using a healthy mix of Web-Ball and dashing combo offense, and his great air priority, along with a useful IC which must be used carefully, Spider-Man is easily one of the most powerful characters in the game, and if you're new to the game, I recommend starting with Spidey :). MOVES LIST: *********** -Web Ball: QCT+any punch -Air Web Ball: QCT+any punch in mid-air -Spider Sting: F, D, D/F+any punch (punch again for downward slash) -Web Swing: HCB+any kick (can be done in mid-air) -Straight Web Throw: HCB+Jab -Diagonally U/F Web Throw: HCB+Strong -Straight Up Web Throw: HCB+fierce -Triangle Jump: jump up into corner wall, tap in opposite direction -Double Rolling Slam: F or B+Fierce (close) -Shoulder Toss: F or B+Strong (close) -Air Double Rolling Slam: F or B+Strong or Fierce (close in mid-air) -Best Gem: Power -Forward Dash; Forward Hop: F, F or all three punches -Backward Dash; Back Hop: B,B or B+all three punches -Infinity Counter; Spider Sting: B, D/B, D+any punch -Infinity Combo; Maximum Spider: QCT+all three punches REGULAR MOVES ANALYSIS: *********************** S.Jab, despite it being a jab, has decent range and is great for starting off dashing combos, or generally pecking and ticking the enemy up close. It has decent recovery, so don't be afraid to miss it. S.Strong is Peter's Regular Launcher, and is a great attack that will launch then enemy sky high. Stick with it after jump-ins or dash-in combos, because its range isn't huge. It can be used to to a certain extent as an air counter; if so, cancel into a Spider Sting, provided the enemy is high enough above you. S.Fierce is his most powerful punch, and will knock the enemy away, as it is a strike. Not a bad combo finisher, but try and put in a Spider Sting as opposed to this if this can connect. C.Fierce has nice range and decent power. Nothing special, though; Go for this if you duck a high move and are too far away for his Crouching Forward to connect. S.Forward is one of his higher priority attacks, especially against close low attacks (eg. sweeps); mix this in heavily up close, and when it connects, you can cancel into a S.Roundhouse. C.Forward is one of THE corniest kicks I've ever seen! Still, it is his Small Launcher, so put it into combos with his standing Roundhouse. Other than that there's nothing big about it, as its range is very short. S.Roundhouse is Spidey's Air Launcher comes out pretty fast, and following the C.Forward does good damage and sends the enemy sky high. The best thing about this is, that unlike a lot of other Air Launchers, this is actually VERY effective on opponents jumping in, because it has decent range. So, when the enemy jumps in and you don't want to meet them with an Air Combo, either do a Spider Sting, or the Flip Kick cancelled into a Super Jump plus an Air Combo or Spider Sting! If you connect with this on the ground, cancel it with either a cool-looking Spider Sting if you're right up close, or a Fierce Web Ball and attempt a further combo. C.Roundhouse is a double-leg sweep that has great range and is not a bad Ground Combo finisher. Its recovery is not amazing, so only use it when you're fairly sure it will connect, otherwise try and cancel it with a Web Ball. SPECIAL MOVES ANALYSIS: *********************** -Web Ball (Ground)- (Spidey exclaims "Web Ball!" and throws a gob of web fluid at the enemy) This is a pitifully weak projectile, but effective nonetheless. This can be thrown fairly quickly so you can effectively play keep-away with these. However because of its speed, it makes an even better offense; follow it in to the opponent after throwing one to press the offense! As well, these will gob up the opponent, rendering them helpless for a brief moment. Do not mistake this; it is NOT the Sub-Zero cheese we're used to in MK. No, because the enemy recovers so quickly, it is virtually impossible to web up the enemy from any distance but right up close and then go in for a major combo. But, if you do manage to web 'em and you're fairly close, go for a simple combo, nothing too fancy in case you screw up. Also, don't forget Spider-Man's Infinity Combo; the second you see the enemy webbed, execute the Maximum Spider for big damage. This usually only works at full screen distance... And here's something that really sucks; the Web Ball will NOT gob up the Juggernaut--he instantly breaks free! This doesn't mean you can't use the Web Ball against him, just don't expect to see him open for a combo after it. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- -Web Ball (Air)- (Spidey exclaims "Web Ball!" and throws a gob of web fluid at the enemy while in the air) All strengths throw a Web Ball diagonally down toward the enemy. These can be used repeatedly from mid to far distance to really cheese the CPU, who likes to fall for them while executing moves from a distance. However it becomes quite boring after a while, so IMO only use it slow the enemy up then move in for the kill. As well, this is a good technique if you jump in with a Roundhouse; it is possible for Spidey to bounce off the enemy's head when the kick is blocked, then you can instantly pull off a diagonal Web Ball and they sometimes fall for it. Again, if you web the enemy fairly close, go for a simple combo. If you web them from a fair distance, go into the Maximum Spider! This also has the same problem with Juggernaut (see above). ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- -Spider Sting- (Spidey exclaims "Spider Sting!" and rises into the air with an uppercut in the typical DP fashion; if the punch is tapped again, Spidey will follow with a downward punch at the apex of the uppercut) This is your basic Dragon Punch, extremely effective to finish off your ground combos. You must be extremely careful to connect with this, because Web-head's recovery is horrible and any good opponent WILL punish you. If it connects and sends the enemy up in the air, tap punch again and Spidey will slash downward with a double punch for an extra hit. Make sure this connects as well or Spidey's in for a beatin'. And always remember that this is probably your most trusted air counter. ALSO NOTE: this DP has GREAT priority, almost like the DP of the ol' SF2 days (*Sigh*, nostalgia :); the Jab DP is actually somewhat useful in up close combat, and will often snuff the enemy's regular attack. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- -Web Swing- (Spidey exclaims "Web Swing!" and shoots a strand of webbing to grab onto the air (!) above him, then swings forward with his feet extended) This does good damage if it connects, and if it is blocked Spider-Man will pass through the enemy, still doing block damage. This can be done in the air and is the perfect escape, especially if you're about to land from a Super Jump right in an Infinity Combo like Iron Man's Proton Cannon (oww!). Be careful where to use it, because even after it's blocked, the enemy will turn around and probably nail you with a long range move of some sort. It is also quite slow coming out, so be watchful. Try to use it if the enemy misses a slow recovering move, like an Infinity Combo, or a DP across the screen. You can also use it if you anticipate a fairly slow low move (eg. Jab Shield Slash, Magneto's C.Roundhouse), and if quick enough (probably using Short), you'll hit them before they can block in time. The Short version is actually fast enough to work in a SJ.Air Combo, and should be the only one used for taking out attacks on the ground, as it comes out FAIRLY quick--excellent against slower low attacks (eg. Magneto's C.Roundhouse). ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- -Web Throw (Straight)- (Spidey shoots a strand of webbing forward at the opponent; if it connects, Spider-Man will swing the enemy around his head like a lasso then exclaims "Web Throw!" and throws them to the other side of the screen) This is pitifully slow coming out, but does great damage if it connects. You may find that the enemy doesn't fall for this often, but I've also found that if you combine this from full screen with Air Web Balls and the occasional Maximum Spider, the enemy will have difficulty countering it even if they block. Probably the best place to use this is after blocking certain enemy's Infinity Combos (eg. Iron Man's Proton Cannon) from full screen, and it should nail them as they recover. NEVER throw this Web when the enemy is up in the air. Remember that like Hulk's Gamma Tornado, this can be tech hitted, as can the other Web Throws. BTW, the Web Throw is actually fairly effective from full screen. This is because after about 3/4 screen, Spidey will let the thread loose, and from here on it becomes a normal projectile, meaning it will cancel other projectiles, as well as doing some damage. Same goes for the other two Web Throws; using the U/F is great for nullifying air projectile attempts, too. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- -Web Throw (Diagonal U/F)- (Spidey shoots a strand of webbing up into the air in front of him at the opponent; if it connects, Spider-Man will swing the enemy around his head like a lasso then throws them to the other side of the screen) This suffers the same speed problem as the straight Web Throw, but you should try and use it whenever the enemy is a fair distance away and in the air. An ideal spot to use it is after blocking an air projectile from that distance, or on the way down from the enemy's Super Jump. The angle must be exact, however, and the enemy can jump over this move with ease. Try to never do this Grab on the ground, because you could get nailed with a projectile, Dashing move/combo, or Infinity Combo. This is involved in a really cool combo, however. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- -Web Throw (Straight Up)- (Spidey shoots a strand of webbing up into the air above his head at the opponent; if it connects, Spider-Man will swing the enemy around his head like a lasso then throws them to the other side of the screen) This also comes out slow, and should never be done when the enemy is on the ground, or if they are a far distance in the air. The only time to use this is when the enemy attempts to cross-up or just jump over you. As well, if you're feeling lucky, dash forward when the enemy Super Jumps and try to grab 'em as they fall. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- -Triangle Jump- This is a good all-around defensive technique if the enemy is coming at you with an attack and you want to get behind them; as well, this can save Spidey's arse from a lot of Infinity Combos. This is also good because the beginning animations are simply a slightly faster version of the beginning animations of the Maximum Spider, with Spidey flipping up onto the wall; use this to your advantage. Here's a cool fakeout; perform a Triangle Jump, and if you jump forward the enemy may jump up to hit you, but instantly pull off the Maximum Spider to avoid them and counter with the Infinity Combo! ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- -Double Rolling Slam- (Spider-Man grabs the opponent and flips over frontwards twice, flinging them to the ground) A decent Throw that does good damnage, do it when you feel like it. Occasionally you can get in a C.Roundhouse (which means an OTG COMBO will probably connect too...), but I rarely bother because of its recovery. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- -Shoulder Toss- (Spidey grabs the opponent's arm and vaults him over his shoulder, hopping a little) This recovers faster than the Fierce so the chances of an OTG combo are better. I have yet to discover many though, so experiment. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- -Air Double Rolling Slam- (Spider-Man grabs the opponent and flips over frontwards twice, flinging them to the ground from the air) Basically the same properties as the standing version, it cannot be followed up with anything as far as I know, unless you're very close to the ground. Use it if you want, although IMO an Air Combo is better (unless they're air blocking of course). ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- -Best Gem; Power- This is Spider-Man's best Gem; a mirror image of Web-Head is created on the opposite side of the opponent, and will mimic Spider-Man's action, including hitting the enemy. This will therefore double the hits performed AND the damage as well. It also isn't bad to confuse the opponent, but try not to get confused yourself. NOTE: This Power up does great things to his ICO... :) ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- -Forward Dash; Forward Hop- (Spider-Man hops forward quickly) Unlike the Hulk's forward dash, this one comes out faster and goes further. Use it when the enemy misses a DP move, or any really slow recovering move. Holding B or performing any move will halt the dash, and timing this is VERY important with the range of his dash. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- -Backward Dash; Back hop- (Speaks for itself) Decent speed, goes pretty far. Use it to interrupt a forward dash or to avoid an overly offensive opponent. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- -Infinity Counter; Spider Sting- (Spider-Man blocks an attack and counters with a Spider Sting) This is excellent after blocking a jump-in. DO NOT do this move like crazy, and you should definetely make sure the enemy is up close when you do this counter. For example, use this counter if you block Wolverine's Berserker Barrage, but DON'T use it immediately after blocking Magneto's Magnetic Shockwave Infinity Combo from a distance, because Spidey will actually go into his Uppercut with Magneto across the screen; sure, you won't take any further damage, but it is a waste of your Infinity Bar and if fast the enemy may hit you with a projectile, in this case a good Magneto player would probably do the EM Disruptor or grab you with a Hyper Grav. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- -Infinity Combo; Maximum Spider- (Spider-Man leaps backward and onto the side of the screen, then flies through the air at the opponent at a controlled angle; if he connects, he plays a game of pinball with the enemy, knocking them repeatedly up into the air with flying punches and kicks, zig-zagging across the screen) This is a really effective Infinity Combo for a few reasons; first of all, it does respectable damage, although not as much as some like Iron Man's. Secondly, it comes out quite fast after he jumps to the corner, so it is hard to avoid, and as well, if you're quick you can dash in after the enemy has landed from the Maximum Spider and get in an extra hit with a crouching Roundhouse, and possibly more (I've connected a few times; This is almost guarenteed every time vs. Juggernaut, because when he's lying on the ground he takes up most of the bottom of the screen, making the hit really easy to connect). Now, the best thing about this move is that you can control one of three directions; hold F before he springs off the wall to fly out straight forward. Hold U and Spidey will shoot up diagonally and forward. Hold D and Spider-Man will fly downward at an angle. Use the F version mainly if you're in the air with the enemy especially if you manage to get above them as they're chucking projectiles like Magneto's Magnetic Wave. Use the U/F from the ground if they are in a Super Jump ar flying (Magneto and Iron Man). Holding D should also be used mainly on the ground, or during a normal jump, and is best utilized as the enemy throws an attack, which will probably miss Spidey. NOTE: the Maximum Spider does NOT go through projectiles, unless they are in their early frames of animation. An ideal place to use the Maximum Spider is IMMEDIATELY after webbing up the enemy with a Web Ball. I have had human opponents fall for it numerous times before. BTW, unlike I said before, through experience I have come to realize Spidey's IC is not as invulnerable as I thought. Despite bouncing away when blocked, Webhead can be countered QUICKLY by the following moves: -Hulk's Gamma Charge -Iron Man's Proton Cannon! -Wolverine's Drill Claw, or even his Weapon X! -Psylocke's PsiThrust! -Spider-Man's Web Swing (I think...), or another Maximum Spider -Captain America's Charging Stars, or Final Justice! -Magneto's EM Disruptor or Magnetic Tempest IC -Shuma Gorath's Mystic Smash -Juggernaut's Headcrush/Punch/Splash -Blackheart's Inferno, or Heart of Darkness IC -Doom's Gauntlet Blast, or Photon Array -Thanos' Power IC, Reality IC, Spear Slide or C.Fierce In addition to these, most opponents can dash in and combo. The Maximum Spider usually gives a max of 5 hits. COMBOS: ******* -Safe Air Magic Series: Short -> Strong -> Forward -> Fierce or Roundhouse -Safe Ground Combo: D.S.Short -> C.Forward -> S.Roundhouse -> SJ.Air Combo If the enemy blocks... D.S.Short -> C.Forward -> S>Roundhouse -> Web Ball -Ground Magic Series: Weaker -> Stronger -Jumping Magic Series: Zig-Zag (4 hits average) -Launchers: S.Strong -Air Launchers: S.Roundhouse -Straight Launchers: S.Fierce -Small Launchers: C.Forward *BASIC COMBOS* 1. J.Roundhouse, D.S.Short -> S.Forward -> S.Roundhouse XX Jab Web Ball 2. J.Roundhouse, S.Jab -> S.Strong -> Fierce Spider Sting (1st hit only) 3. D.C.Short -> C.Forward XX Fierce Spider Sting 4. Fierce Throw, C.Roundhouse (OTG) *INTERMEDIATE* 5. Fierce Throw, C.Short -> C.Forward -> S.Roundhouse -> SJ.Jab -> SJ.Short -> SJ.Strong -> SJ.Fierce (FS) 6. FiercE Throw, C.Short -> C.Forward XX Fierce Spider Sting 7. J.Roundhouse, S.Strong -> SJ.Short -> SJ.Strong -> SJ.Forward -> SJ.Roundhouse (FS) 8. J.Short -> J.Roundhouse, S.Strong -> SJ.Jab -> SJ.Short -> SJ.Strong -> SJ.Forward -> SJ.Fierce (FS) 9. J.Jab -> J.Short -> J.Strong, S.Short -> S.Strong -> SJ.Jab -> SJ.Short -> SJ.Strong -> SJ.Forward -> SJ.Roundhouse (FS) 10. D.C.Short -> C.Forward -> S.Roundhouse -> SJ.Jab -> SJ.Short -> SJ.Strong -> SJ.Forward XX Short Web Swing 11. D.C.Short -> C.Forward -> S.Roundhouse XX Spider Sting 12. J.Jab -> J.Short -> J.Strong -> J.Fierce -> Dashing S.Short -> C.Forward -> S.Roundhouse -> SJ.Jab -> SJ.Short -> SJ.Strong -> SJ.Forward -> SJ.Roundhouse (FS) 13. J.Short -> J.Roundhouse -> Dashing C.Short -> C.Forward -> S.Roundhouse -> Strong Web Throw 14. D.C.Short -> C.Forward -> S.Roundhouse -> SJ.Air Throw 15. Maximum Spider, C.Short (OTG) -> C.Forward -> S.Roundhouse -> SJ.Jab -> SJ.Short -> SJ.Strong -> SJ.Forward -> SJ.Fierce (FS) 16. Maximum Spider, C.Short (OTG) -> S.Strong XX Fierce Spider Sting (1st hit) 17. D.S.Short -> S.Roundhouse XX Short Web Swing *ADVANCED COMBOS* 18. Spiderman's Marvelous Combo: J.Jab -> J.Short -> J.Strong -> J.Fierce -> Dashing S.Short -> C.Forward -> S.Roundhouse XX Strong Spider Sting (1st hit), S.Strong -> SJ.Jab -> SJ.Short -> SJ.Strong -> SJ.Forward XX Jab Web Ball, SJ.Jab -> SJ.Short -> SJ.Fierce (FS), C.Strong (OTG) -> S.Roundhouse -> SJ.Jab -> SJ.Short -> SJ.Strong -> SJ.Forward -> SJ.Roundhouse (FS) Comments (#13): Looks AWESOME and does great damage with the Web Throw. You may have to step back slightly to connect with Web Throw on smaller characters. It must be timed to grab JUST BEFORE the apex of their flight--practice! Remember that the timing will vary depending on the enemy's weight and size! Comments (#18): VERY Special Thanks to James Chen for this amazing combo! I have yet to see EVERY hit connect, and I've only gotten some of these hits to connect. "First, start off with your normal jumping attacks... 3 for small guys, 4 for big guys, and 2 for the tiny guys. Assuming we're doing this on biggest opponents, this would be 4 hits. I usually do it with a J.Jab -> J.Short -> J.Strong -> J.Fierce. Now, when you land, do a Dashing S.Short into a C.Forward, into a S.Roundhouse into a Strong Spider Sting. (another 4 hits... 4+4 = 8). Do all four hits VERY quickly. Here is the important part: you must hit the Strong button for the Spider Sting ONLY ONCE. If you hit it more than once, you're sunk. Hitting the Strong button more than once will cause Spiderman to attempt both hits of the Spider Sting and the second hit will miss and cause him to pause too long for the rest of the combo to connect. After the first hit of the Spider Sting, the enemy will be bounced upwards and start falling down unable to block anything. If you did only ONE hit with the Spider Sting, Spiderman will have already landed and free to move again. So while the enemy is falling, you can peg them with a Standing Strong as they fall and launch then RIGHT back up. So when you do the Spider Sting, hit the Strong button once, wait a while until the enemy starts falling down, and then hit Strong again to hit them. If you hit Strong too quickly, you may accidentally make Spiderman do the second hit of the Spider Sting so it's best to wait until you definitely see the enemy start falling down before you hit Strong to hit the enemy back up. Also, hold forward on the joystick after the Spider Sting to make Spiderman take about a half-step to reach the enemy quicker (another Strong punch brings the total to 9). Next, Super Jump after the Standing Strong. In you are doing this to the enemy in the corner make sure you Super Jump STRAIGHT UP, not Forward Flip. Forward Flip Super Jump will cause you to fly behind the enemy and you'll miss with all of your air hits. Instead Jump straight up. If you AREN'T in the corner, go ahead and Forward Flip Super Jump. Do a SJ.Jab -> SJ.Short -> SJ.Strong -> SJ.Forward XX Jab Web Ball. Do these five hits VERY VERY VERY VERY VERY quickly. It is IMPORTANT that you do it VERY fast. If you aren't in the corner, skip the SJ.Forward in the air on SMALL enemies (Spiderman, Wolverine, and Psylocke). Assuming we're in the corner and doing this to a big enemy, that brings the total up to 14. Now, AS FAST AS POSSIBLE, hit Jab. You HAVE to hit the enemy while both of you are on your way down BEFORE they break out of the Web encasing. If you don't, they can block and you're combo is over. THIS IS THE HARDEST PART OF THE COMBO TO GET TO CONNECT. 99% of the time I fail to do this combo successfully, it's here so if you can't get it to connect, don't be discouraged. Just try again. Anyhow, as SOON as Jab connects with the enemy, switch to SJ.Short and then to SJ.Fierce for three hits in the air (SJ.Jab -> SJ.Short -> SJ.Fierce). When you start hitting the enemy after Web Ball, you'll both be starting to fall down. By the time the combo finishes, your Fierce will make contact right before both of you touch the floor. Thus, after you pummel the enemy into the ground, you land right next to him setting him up for the next part (17 hits so far). C.Strong -> S.Roundhouse. The Fierce from the air prevents the enemy from rolling (because of the Flying Screen Phenomenon). The C.Strong will hit the enemy off the floor and the S.Roundhouse will launch them for another Air combo. Super Jump after the launched enemy for a SJ.Jab -> SJ.Short -> SJ.Strong -> SJ.Forward -> SJ.Roundhouse Air Combo finish! This builds the count to 24! I have done this combo lots of times now so yes, it really works!!! A swift good look to whoever tries it! It's really tough! A few extra tips: 1) Be VERY VERY VERY fast with the chain combos in the air or you're in trouble. 2) MAKE SURE YOU DO NOT ACCIDENTALLY MAKE SPIDEY try for the second hit with the Spidey Sting. Hit the button ONCE for the Spidey Sting and make sure you don't start hitting Strong for the launch too early as I did. 3) Keep in mind all of the moves you want to do before you start the combo... make sure the moves all come out of you on reaction. There is no time for memory recall while doing this combo! 4) Practice practice practice..." COMBO OVERVIEW: *************** GROUND COMBOS: his Safe Ground Combo is fairly effective, but not too damaging; if the full combo connects, the Web Ball does pitiful damage and if the enemy notices he can frequently shake out in time to avoid further comboing. If you manage to connect while pestering with the Safe Ground Combo and react quickly enough, you can usually stop at S.Forward and chain into a Fierce Spider Sting for better damage (depends on your enemy's width). Other ground options are limited; basically, the only decent finisher is the Spider Sting, be it after a S.Strong or S.Forward. IMO his Air Combos are more worth it. AIR COMBOS: S.Strong is faster and is better in up close combat, while C.Forward -> S.Roundhouse launches slightly better. Once you're in the air, the entire 5 hit combination comes out quite smoothly. Nothing else to note here, except that, for the most part, this is his best way to combo. THROW COMBOS: quite limited, unfortunately. Once in a while you can connect with a C.Roundhouse after the Fierce Throw, and because of this is may be possible to start a full combo with C.Short OTG. However the OTG is quite unconsistant, and I'm not sure on the timing. Not terribly important IMO... (additions?) OTG COMBOS: The only possibility is almost as inconsistant as with his Fierce Throw. It is possible to OTG after the Maximum Spider. Against the larger characters it is easier, and most often a C.Roundhouse will connect solidly. Practice the timing for the C.Short OTG to string together better combos. Besides, the C.Short doesn't have the bad recovery of the C.Roundhouse, in case the enemy Safety Rolls. TACTICS: ******** Offensive: Jumping in appears to be your best offense, with a nice arc and speed. His dash is fairly fast, with slightly less range than Wolverine's, however there is a SLIGHT delay between the dash and dashing attacks, so VERY fast attacks can snuff it. Spidey's J.Roundhouse deals well with standing opponents, and can even snuff some slower air counters if done early enough (eg. Hulk's C.Fierce). Up close his S.Jab is VERY fast with high priority and easily hits crouchers; it's even good around mid distance, as it has decent range. His S.Strong and S.Forward work well up close too, however they're slightly slower and may be snuffed by quicker attacks (eg. Logan's S.Jab)--the advantage here is that the S.Strong is of course a Launcher... Dashing Jump: Unfortunately, he has none, as you cannot interrupt his hop with a jump. He doesn't REALLY need it though, he can jump fairly quick and far, and his regular dash is good as it is. Defensive: Spidey's S.Fierce is fast and knocks the enemy back, also covering almost as much as Wolverine's S.Fierce, though it's not good vs. jump-ins. Use it mainly to deter dashing attacks, as it stays out longer than, say, a Jab, so it's not as hard to time--a varied Web Ball is also somewhat safe on dashing enemies. The S.Strong is a very good air counter and can be chained into a Fierce Spider Sting for a quick air counter combo. The S.Roundhouse is also useful on jump-ins, but it is slower than the Strong uppercut--however, it has better range, so it is more useful on far jump-ins. And of course, the Spider Sting will also take priority over just about any jump-in attack (I recommend using Jab if you're unsure if they'll air block). In the air: J.Fierce provides good air-to-air coverage, with a little bit of range; J.Strong is somewhat useful up close, and of course J.Roundhouse works well for those underneath you. Likewise, if you're above the enemy, a Web Ball can stop them from jumping up to meet you. As well, don't forget the Maximum Spider if the enemy comes at you in the air with slower moves (eg. another Spidey's Web Ball). BEST JUMP-IN CHAIN: your choice, really. Again, for good solid damage use J.Fierce -> J.Roundhouse--for more hits, J.Jab -> J.Short J.Strong -> J.Forward, or even more on taller fighters. SPIDEY'S ENDING: **************** (Not word for word...) Basically, Peter Parker returns home to his apartment and tells Mary Jane that he saved the universe ("Another day, another universe saved!"). Mary Jane then announces she's having a baby, bla, bla, bla. The rest is just some mushy stuff. ############################################################################# CAPTAIN AMERICA: ---------------- Beginning Pose 1: Cap slides in off of a rope across the screen. Beginning Pose 2: Cap stands adjusting his glove. His shield flies in from the opposite side of the screen and he jumps up and catches it. Winning Pose 1: Cap holds his shield high and exclaims "Victory!" Winning Pose 2: Cap exclaims "Freedom Prevails!" Winning Pose 3: Cap smiles, raises his thumb to the opponent and exclaims "Thumbs up, soldier!" Taunt: Cap salutes and exclaims "Thumbs up, soldier!" Regular Color: Blue suit (plus red and white of course) 2nd Color: Darker Blue suit Background: what looks like a post-apocalyptic New York, with crumbled buildings and such. Post-Match Quotes: Vs. Spider-Man-"There's no substitute for a living legend of WWII!" Close Fight-"Thanks for the excersise pal." -"I'm getting too old for this." -"The fancy costume doesn't make a warrior. Get some training. ****** STORY: ****** At the beginning of World War II, a proud American named Steve Rogers signed up for the U.S. Armed Forces, to go fight for his country overseas. He was turned down, however, because his body was much to frail to pass the physical test. Crestfallen, he returned to his home, where government specialists found him and proposed a dangerous experimental procedure. Still determined to help his country, Rogers agreed, and the experiment was successful; Rogers' body was augmented to that of an Olympic-class gymnast and he gained heightened strength and stamina. Given a red, white and blue suit and shield made of a near indestructible metal known as adamentium (also what Wolverine's skeleton and claws consist of, BTW), he became a symbol of all that is American; Captain America. He fought patriotically against the tyranny of the Nazis alongside Namor the Submariner and the original Human Torch (not Johnny Storm, the android) as the Invaders. After the war, Captain America was frozen solid, and was thawed out by the super hero team known as the Avengers in the 60's, which at the time consisted of Giant-Man, the Wasp, Iron Man and Thor (the Hulk had recently quit the group). He soon joined the team, and after Iron Man left, he became their field leader. Since then, he has remained in the Avengers as a symbol of liberty and justice. Now, the mad Titan known as Thanos has gained possession of the all-powerful Infinity Gems, and Captain America has joined the fray alongside the X-Men, his fellow Avengers and Adam Warlock to regain them before the universe is destroyed. CHARACTER OVERVIEW: ******************* Without a doubt the most well-rounded character in the game, and some would say the best. He has a great offense built around his amazing Safe Ground Combo, and can also work well on defense, especially when countering jump-ins with the Jab Stars `n' Stripes, which allows him to OTG afterward for huge damage. Couple this with the insane priority and damage of his Fierce attacks and a multi-purpose IC, and you've got one hell of an opponent. Good for beginners, deadly in the hands of an expert. And to top it all off, he's good for a laugh, with one of the corniest speech-tracks in all of fighting games! MOVES LIST: *********** -Shield Slash (Low): QCT+Jab (can be done in mid-air) -Shield Slash (High): QCT+Strong (can be done in mid-air) -Shield Slash (Diagonal U/F): QCT+Fierce (can be done in mid-air) -Stars `n' Stripes: F, D, D/F+any punch -Cartwheel: HCB+any punch -Charging Star: HCT+any kick -Double Jump: U during any jump -One-hand Slam: F or B+Strong or Fierce (close) -Ground Launch: F or B+Forward or Roundhouse (close) -One-hand Drop: F or B+Strong or Fierce (close in mid-air) -Infinity Combo; Final Justice: QCT+all three punches -Best Gem: Power -Forward Dash; Quick Run: F, F or all three punches -Backward Dash; Back Handspring: B,B or B+all three punches -Infinity Counter; Jab Stars `n' Stripes: B, D/B, D+any punch -Infinity Combo; Final Justice: QCT+all three punches REGULAR MOVES ANALYSIS: *********************** Cap's Jabs are basic fast attacks, useful up close and as ticks. S.Strong is a Regular Launcher that does well as an air counter and comes out fairly fast; follow it with a Strong Stars `n' Stripes or Air Combo. S.Fierce is Cap's Strike, with GREAT range, and you should always cancel it with a Jab Shield Slash if it connects for at least block damage. Also note that the S.Fierce has GREAT priority against dashing attacks... C.Fierce is Cap's other Regular Launcher, and is IMO one of Cap's primary weapons. This is an excellent air counter and has a LOT of priority on both jump-in and ground attacks; the C.Fierce is also a great Launcher with good height and a perfect straight-up launch; very easy to follow with a SJ.Air Combo. S.Short will hit opponents OTG, and is a very useful pester/tick up close. S.Roundhouse does great damage and is also a decent air counterattack. It has GREAT range; whenever this connects, cancel it into a Jab Shield Slash or Final Justice. C.Roundhouse also has great range and always knocks the enemy down. You can tack this on at the end of a combo if you want but there are better options. Whenever this connects cancel into a Jab Shield Slash for easy extra damage. J.Fierce has INSANE priority, some would say too much; because of the vertical and horizontal range it covers, it is great for air-to-air combat but is also an easy jump-in attack. This should be your prime weapon whenever you're in the air. J.Roundhouse is decent in air-to-air combat, but the J.Fierce is better--however, you can perform a downward jump kick with J.D+Roundhouse, which is an excellent jump-in attack from closer ranges. SPECIAL MOVE ANALYSIS: ********************** -Shield Slash (Low)- (Captain America exclaims "Shield Slash!" and throws his shield to skim across the ground, generally hitting the enemy in the shin area) If you miss with this, it usually will hit the far wall and rebound to fall to the ground, where you must again pick it up by walking over it. If it is blocked fairly close or it connects, it will bounce back into the Avenger's hand. This is the best Shield Slash to tack on the end of most combos, and is best utilized otherwise to avoid most high projectiles and attacks (eg. another Cap's Strong Shield Slash) and counterattack. Do not use this when the opponent is in the air, because although Cap's recovery is decent, it is rarely enough to avoid an air attack. In the air, this will fire the Shield down at a 45 degree angle. If you miss near a corner, it'll bounce off the wall and you'll have to pick it up again; if it is blocked or it connects, Cap will usually catch it as he falls. This a great technique for chipping away at the enemy on the ground, and is best utilized after jumping ANY straight or D/F ground projectile attack. It can also be used in some simple combos. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- -Shield Slash (High)- (Captain America exclaims "Shield Slash!" and throws his shield through the air to connect about eye level) Again, if you miss with this, it usually will hit the far wall and rebound to fall to the ground, where you must again pick it up by walking over it. If it is blocked fairly close or it connects, it will bounce back into his hand. This is IMO not as useful as the Jab Shield Slash, mainly because it can be ducked. It comes out faster than the Jab version, however. It can be jumped over with ease as well (in addition, Psylocke and Shuma Gorath can dash under it!). It can be used OK in some combos, but usually the Jab is SAFER. In the air, this will throw it across the screen straight. If you miss near a corner, it'll bounce off the wall and you'll have to pick it up again; if it is blocked or it connects, Cap will usually catch it as he falls. This is OK if you're across the screen from the opponent and you're both in the air; it is faster than a lot of other mid-air projectiles, like Magneto's EM Disruptor, and also great if Spider-Man tries to Web Swing over to you. Try not to use it in up close air-to-air combat except to finish a combo because if they air block it Cap's in trouble. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- -Shield Slash (U/F)- (Captain America exclaims "Shield Slash!" and chucks his shield upward at around a 45 degree angle) Again, if you miss with this, it usually will hit the far wall and rebound to fall to the ground, where you must again pick it up by walking over it. If it is blocked fairly close or it connects, it will bounce back into his hand. This is a good way to counter some block air attacks, or against an annoying Magneto player who loves to chuck Magnetic Waves (although IMO it's better to get under him for a Stars `n' Stripes or Air Combo). It can also be used to a certain extent in combos after launchers. Do NOT use this if the opponent is on the ground, because they will have plenty of time to dash in and attack. In the air, this will fire it upward at a 45 degree angle. If you miss near a corner, it'll bounce off the wall and you'll have to pick it up again; if it is blocked or it connects, Cap will usually catch it as he falls. This is basically identical to the ground version, only in the air (duh). The only real reason I can think of to use this is on opponents higher than you in a Super Jump, or in Magneto's, Dr. Doom's and Iron Man's case, during Flight. Again, don't use this when the enemy is close in the air, because it'll probably miss them and they'll put a world of hurt on the Star Spangled Avenger. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- -Stars `n' Stripes- (In the typical Dragon Punch fashion, Cap exclaims "Stars `n' Stripes!" and rises into the air with his shield pushed ahead of him) It hits once with the shield, and without, the Fierce can hit up to 7 times! This move is totally DEVASTATING if you don't have a shield and have the Power Gem engaged, hitting 9 times with the shadows for HUGE damage! At first, this may seem like Cap's awesomest move, but I really have learned to be careful with it. First of all, unless you're ABSOLUTELY sure that it will connect, best in a combo, stick with the Jab version; the reason for this is because he has the worst DP-move recovery time in the game, and if he misses he is left at the mercy of ANYTHING; one of my friend's favorite moves here is to jump up as Cap falls and Air Throw him... Even in a combo, I find this tends to miss a lot unless you've got 'em in a corner. This also isn't too bad as an air counter, but you're best to use Jab in this case as well, because it can still be air blocked and the enemy will have time to punish you even after he lands if you use the Strong or especially Fierce Stars `n' Stripes. It is powerful though, bear in mind, so if you can get it in a combo TRY VERY HARD to do so. NOTE: it is possible to OTG after the Jab version as an air counter or NOT. See Combos. NOTE: do NOT use the Stars `n' Stripes as an air counter when the Power Gem is activated. The falling opponent will get hit by the first few hits, but as Cap spins around to repeat the opponent will fall SLIGHTLY further and the rest will miss, potentially leaving you open. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- -Cartwheel: HCB+any punch (Cap performs a cartwheel forward) A generally overlooked move, this is a VERY effective technique for Cap, especially against keep-away fighters like Iron Man; it allows him to pass through his opponent and more importantly, through projectiles. The timing must be precise to go through projectiles, and I would recommend not doing it through them up close, because his recovery is instant, but so might his opponents. For example, if you were to Cartwheel through Spider-Man's Web Ball, you would come out unscathed, but Spidey would recover in time to hit Captain America as he recovers instantly from his Cartwheel, easily with a Throw! So, your best bet is to use it from a distance to avoid projectiles and GET close, then when you're close use the appropriate tactics. Also, as an alternative to his Infinity Counter, you can Cartwheel through a lot of fast jump-in attacks and counter them from behind (eg. Iron Man's D+Forward Knee Thrust.) Note: I will require more time to research this, but I believe the Cartwheel can be used in the same fashion as Ken's Roll from SFA2; use it in the middle of a combo, and the instant you recover, Throw... This is a pretty thorough list of the things you should and shouldn't Cartwheel through for each fighter (remember that you must TIME it against projectiles--too early or too late and you'll get hit): Yes: Hulk's Ground Chuck, Iron Man's Knee Thrust, Iron Man's Jab UniBeam, Iron Man's Smart Bombs, Iron Man's missle (C.Fierce), Wolverine's C.Roundhouse, Psylocke's PsiBlast, Psylocke's PsiDrill (move after coming out of Teleport), Spider-Man's Web Ball, Web Throw or Web Swing, Captain America's Shield Slash, Magneto's Hyper Grav (I think), Magneto's Magnetic Wave, Shuma Gorath's Mystic Stare, Shuma Gorath's Stone Drop, Blackheart's Inferno (not the tracking version...) No: falling part of Hulk's Gamma Crush IC, Iron Man's Proton Cannon :), Iron Man's Strong/Fierce UniBeam, Iron Man's Repulsor Blast, Wolverine's BB or SBB, Psylocke's PsiThrust or Kochou Gakure, Magneto's Shockwave, or I don't think EM Disruptor either, Any of Juggernaut's Special Moves!, Shuma Gorath's Mystic Smash, either of Blackheart's ICs, or Dark Thunder NOTE: If anyone has additions or corrections to this list, please submit them, I have done all of these, but maybe some of them were very lucky and they don't work consistently... Whew! So as you can see, it can be extremely effective, but can also be your doom if the opponent recovers fast enough to hit you as you come out of the Cartwheel, or the move stays out too long and you come out right in it anyways! ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- -Charging Star- (Cap exclaim's "Charging Star!" and rushes the opponent with his shield out) Without the shield and/or with the Power Gem initiated, this will also hit multiple times; this is another prime example of what I'm talking about with being careful. If this is blocked, the enemy has plenty of time to set up a beautiful combo, so you must make sure this connects; after hitting a standing enemy with a standing Roundhouse or Short -> Forward -> Roundhouse series, you can finish with this; it does good damage. It will also hit OTG cancelled out of a C.Roundhouse. Here's its greatest strength: it nullifies projectiles! Remember how Colossus' Shoulder Charge absorbed Fireballs and continued on through? Well, the Charging Star works in a similiar fashion, although Cap doesn't advance quite a ways after he has absorbed the projectile. This makes it so Cap cannot barrel through any projectile and smack the opponent, but he can still do this if you're right up close. Ideal for long-lasting projectiles, like any of Dr.Doom's beams, Magneto's EM Disruptor, or Iron Man's UniBeam. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- -Double Jump- (Cap performs a hop in the air to increase his vertical distance) This is a great way to avoid most ground-based projectiles, even more so than the Super Jump. This is because the Super Jump usually puts you up much too high for you to nail 'em with a Jab Shield Slash while they shoot their projectile. Remember you can Double Jump ANYTIME during a jump, so use it if you accidentally jump in at your opponent and they prepare to counter with one of their Launchers or other air counters (eg. Wolverine's standing Roundhouse). ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- -One-hand Slam- (Cap grabs the opponent and slams them into the ground over his shoulder) Decent damage and can sometimes be followed with an OTG combo. I'd be trying to connect with the Forward or Roundhouse Throw, though, as you have the potential for a lot more damage. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- -Ground Launch- (Cap grabs the opponent, falls on his back and heaves them high into the air) The better of his two types of ground Throws, this Throw lines the enemy up PERFECTLY for a Fierce Stars `n' Stripes as soon as you turn around. You can usually follow it up with a jumping Air Combo, although you'll have to direct the jump forward. You can also juggle with an Air Throw, or D.C.Fierce+Air Combo... OR a Final Justice :). See combos. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- -One-Hand Drop- (Cap grabs the enemy in mid-air and chucks them into the ground one-handed) Decent damage but as far as I can tell it can't be followed up, unless it happens real close to the ground. Go for it if you want. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- -Best Gem; Power- This is Captain America's best Gem; once activated, he will not only be more powerful, but shadows of himself trail behind him and mimic his movements, adding extra hits to attacks. His Stars `n' Stripes hits 9 times, as he repeats the rising uppercuts, and if you do a Shield Slash it will be followed by shadows and hit three times. Go for a big combo when this Gem is activated, but remember to be RIGHT up close if you're trying to hit with the shadowed Stars `n' Stripes, because when turning around for another uppercut Cap may miss the opponent. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- -Forward Dash; Quick Run- (Cap dashes forward quickly) A fairly fast dash, mix it up with his backward dash on the ground to keep the enemy guessing. Dash in for a big combo whenever you see the chance. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- -Backward Dash; Back Handspring- (Cap performs a back handspring) A fairy fast retreat, mix it up with the forward dash and the Cartwheel to mix it up and counter when the enemy screws up. It MAY be possible to avoid really low hits (i.e. Wolverine's D/F+Fierce Claw Slide) with this. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- -Infinity Counter; Jab Stars `n' Stripes: B, D/B, D+any punch (Cap blocks an opponent's attack and counters with the Stars `n' Stripes) This Infinity Counter is especially effective after blocking jumping attacks, and don't use it on crouching moves like Sweeps, because Cap will block then fly into the air and miss them, leaving himself wide open. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- -Infinity Combo; Final Justice- (Captain America stands still to gather energy as the screen grows dark, then exclaims "Final Justice!" and dashes at the enemy as in the Charging Stars. If he connects, he will knock the opponent up then proceed to pummel the opponent senseless with a multi-hit juggle combo, then finishes by grabbing them and performing a jumping inverted piledriver into the ground) This does great damage, although not as much as other Infinity Combos (eg. Juggernaut's), but is quite effective and can be put in combos. Do NOT just pull it out of the blue, because just like the Charging Star, if blocked the Final Justice leaves him open to a quick but painful combo from his foe. Instead, either fit it into a combo, or wait until the opponent leaves an opening; a prime example would be after most Infinity Combos, especially ones with huge recovery like Iron Man's or Juggernaut's; just block and do the Final Justice; I myself, if blocking an Infinity Combo right up close, prefer to go into a combo if they stay close enough (like Wolverine's Super Berserker Barrage), but in some cases if you block from a fair distance the Final Justice would be the better choice. The priority AFTER the standing pose is quite high, so much that you can even catch jump-ins and ANY regular move at ANY range, and a lot of Special Moves too. If you have great reflexes, you can simply watch for the opponent to twitch in the beginning of ANY move and pull it off... :) BTW, this WILL hit downed opponents, but ONLY the charge itself--Cap WILL NOT go into the combo, so don't bother. The Final Justice gives 9 hits. COMBOS: ******* -Safe Air Magic Series: Short -> Forward -> Fierce or Roundhouse -Safe Ground Combo: D.S.Short -> S.Forward -> S.Roundhouse XX Final Justice or Charging Star If the opponent blocks... D.S.Short -> S.Forward -> S.Roundhouse XX Jab Shield Slash -Ground Magic Series: Weaker -> Stronger -Jumping Magic Series: Zig-Zag (3 hits average) -Launchers: S.Strong, C.Fierce -Air Launchers: none -Straight Launchers: S.Fierce -Small Launchers: none *BASIC COMBOS* 1. D.S.Short -> S.Forward -> S.Roundhouse XX Jab Shield Slash 2. D.S.Short -> S.Forward -> S.Roundhouse XX Roundhouse Charging Star 3. D.S.Short -> S.Forward -> S.Roundhouse XX Final Justice 4. D.S.Short -> S.Forward -> C.Roundhouse XX Jab Shield Slash (OTG) 5. J.Fierce, S.Jab -> S.Fierce 6. J.Fierce, S.Roundhouse XX Roundhouse Charging Star 7. J.Fierce -> S.Roundhouse XX Final Justice 8. D.C.Short -> C.Forward -> C.Roundhouse XX Jab Shield Slash (OTG) 9. Roundhouse Throw, Fierce Stars `n' Stripes *INTERMEDIATE COMBOS* 10. D.S.Short -> S.Forward -> C.Fierce -> SJ.Jab -> SJ.Short -> SJ.Forward -> SJ.Roundhouse (FS) 11. D.S.Short -> S.Forward -> C.Roundhouse XX Forward Charging Star (OTG) 12. J.Fierce, C.Jab -> C.Strong -> C.Roundhouse XX Jab Shield Slash (OTG) 13. J.Fierce, D.S.Jab -> S.Strong XX Strong Stars `n' Stripes (or Fierce in the corner) 14. J.Fierce -> J.Roundhouse, C.Forward -> C.Fierce -> SJ.Short -> SJ.Forward -> SJ.Fierce (FS) 15. D.C.Short -> C.Fierce -> SJ.Jab -> SJ.Short -> SJ.Forward -> SJ.Fierce (FS) 16. Forward Throw, juggle with Final Justice 17. Forward Throw, D.C.Fierce -> SJ.Jab -> SJ.Forward -> SJ.Roundhouse (FS) 18. Forward Throw, SJ.Fierce Air Throw 19. Roundhouse Throw, J.Jab -> J.Short -> J.Forward -> J.Fierce 20. (corner) Fierce Throw, D.C.Short -> C.Fierce -> SJ.Short -> SJ.Forward -> SJ.Fierce (FS) 21. Jab Stars `n' Stripes (as an air counter), D.C.Short (OTG) -> C.Fierce -> SJ.Short -> SJ.Forward -> SJ.Roundhouse (FS) 22. J.Jab -> J.Short -> J.Roundhouse, D.S.Short -> C.Forward -> C.Fierce -> SJ.Jab -> SJ.Short -> SJ.Fierce (FS) 23. J.Fierce, D.S.Short -> C.Strong XX Jab Stars `n' Stripes, D.C.Short (OTG) C.Fierce -> SJ.Jab -> SJ.Forward -> SJ.Roundhouse 24. D.S.Jab -> C.Strong XX Jab Stars `n' Stripes, D.S.Short (OTG) -> C.Forward XX Jab Shield Slash 25. D.S.Jab -> C.Strong XX Jab Stars `n' Stripes, D.S.Short (OTG) -> S.Roundhouse XX Final Justice 26. (corner) Roundhouse Throw, Jab Stars `n' Stripes, D.C.Short -> C.Fierce -> SJ.Jab -> SJ.Short -> SJ.Strong -> SJ.Forward -> SJ.Fierce (FS) 27. (corner) J.Jab -> J.Forward -> J.D+Roundhouse, D.C.Short, S.Strong XX Jab Star `n' Stripes, C.Short (OTG) -> S.Strong -> SJ.Jab -> SJ.Short -> SJ.Strong -> SJ.Forward -> SJ.Fierce (FS) -> SJ.Roundhouse, SJ.Fierce -> SJ.Roundhouse 28. (corner) J.Jab -> J.Forward -> J.D+Roundhouse, D.C.Short, S.Strong XX Jab Star `n' Stripes, C.Short (OTG) -> S.Roundhouse XX Final Justice *ADVANCED COMBOS* 29. Captain America's MARVELous Combo: Enemy must be in corner. J.Jab -> J.Short -> J.Roundhouse \/ D.S.Short -> S.Forward -> C.Fierce XX Strong Stars `n' Stripes, C.Short -> S.Strong -> SJ.Jab -> SJ.Short -> SJ.Forward -> SJ. Fierce. While enemy starts falling back down and passes you (you'll still be in same Super Jump), SJ.Fierce. When enemy starts falling back down, Jump up and meet them in the air with J.Jab -> J.Short -> J.Fierce. Comments (#27): Thanks to guyver3 for this cool combo. The only thing that really needs to be talked about is the final SJ.Fierce -> SJ.Roundhouse. It is possible to connect with the SJ.Roundhouse, then another Fierce -> Roundhouse because the FS executed by his Air Combo finisher throws them forward into the wall, not downward. Comments (#29): VERY special thanks to James Chen's MSH Combo FAQ for this Amazing 17 hit combo! I have cut and pasted the explanation from James Chen's FAQ. Thanks, James! There are only a few things I need to discuss for this combo. First of all, for smaller characters you need to change the initial three hits to only two hits with J.Fierce -> J.Roundhouse highly recommended. And in the Dashing Combo portion, skip the S.Forward on smaller enemies. Another problem is that after launching the enemy off the ground with the C.Short -> S.Strong, for no reason it is hard to connect all four hits from the Super Jump. Sometimes, the first hit just misses, especially against Iron Man. It might be safe to do a SJ.Short -> SJ.Forward -> SJ.Fierce and then the rest and skip the SJ.Jab. After completing the Air Combo (SJ.Jab -> SJ.Short -> SJ.Forward -> J.Fierce), the enemy will be knocked upwards and you'll still be in the air. The enemy will start falling back downwards and will fall faster than you and pass you by. This is when you hit Fierce again. You will hit them out of the air while you are both on your ways down and you'll land. The enemy, after being knocked BACK up, will start falling down again. Jump up after them and meet them in the air with the last three hits. After the last hit, they will be free to block again. An alternate of this combo that doesn't allow the enemy to roll away is to skip the Strong Starts and Stripes, C.Short -> S.Strong portion. Go directly from the C.Fierce into the SJ.Jab -> SJ.Short -> SJ.Forward -> SJ.Fierce portion. Then, at the end of the combo, instead of jumping back up to meet the enemy in the air, you can just wait until they land and do an easy S.Short -> S.Forward -> S.Roundhouse Juggle Combo that they can't roll away from. COMBO OVERVIEW: *************** GROUND COMBOS: Although Cap's overall combinations are not huge or multi-hitting, it is my opinion that Cap is the most well-rounded comboer in the game. His Safe Ground Combo is HIGHLY damaging, and versitile in that you can complete the entire combo (D.S.Short -> S.Forward -> S.Roundouse XX Jab Shield Slash), or finish with a C.Roundhouse and Jab Shield Slash or Charging Star to OTG, or you can chain into a C.Fierce if you need to, OR you can cancel into a Final Justice for huge damage. The reason why this is so powerful is that the original Safe Ground Combo is Cap's best offensive pecking move, and when the S.Short -> S.Forward hits, you usually have enough time to react and go into a bigger combo. This versitility of this combo is what makes Cap such a great comboer. In addition to the Safe Ground Combo variations and his Launcher, Cap can also perform small combos finishing with the Stars `n' Stripes; the first 3 hits of the Safe Ground Combo USUALLY push too far away for even a Fierce Stars `n' Stripes to connect, however you can do a D.S.Short -> S.Forward or D.S.Jab -> S.Strong and finish with the DP move (use the Strong Stars `n' Stripes after the S.Strong unless in the corner). To top it all off, if you wanna show off, finish your ground combos with a Jab Stars `n' Stripes, and follow with an OTG combo! Even if they Safety Roll, the Standing or Crouching Short recovers to fast to easily counter. AIR COMBOS: if you choose to use them, Cap's Air Combos are all right. Unfortunately, you can get only 3 hits consistantly with Cap, however 5 is frequently possible with proper timing; depending on the opponent, experiment to see how many hits you are comfortable with. IMO Cap's Ground combos say it all, but you may want to throw in an Air Combo here an there for variety (or as an air counter). THROW COMBOS: Cap's Strong/Fierce Throw leaves the enemy close to help keep the pressure on them, and sometimes you can follow with an OTG combo; like Spider-Man, Cap's OTGs after this Throw are not very consistant, although you will have better luck connecting with the C.Short in the corner. To get a guarenteed Throw combo (i.e. the enemy cannot Safety Roll) and put some more distance between you, use the Forward/Roundhouse Throw. After this, the best option for good, solid EASY damage is a Fierce Stars `n' Stripes, which will ALWAYS connect if you do it immediately as you recover from the Throw animations. For more damage, your best option is a D.C.Fierce and Air Combo. Other than that, you can show off by following them into the air for a jumping MS, or an Air Throw. HOWEVER, once you have a level charged, a well timed Final Justice will do major damage and woo the crowds (it's not that hard to time either). OTG COMBOS: Cap has two other options for OTGing besides his Strong/Fierce Throw. The most obvious is after a C.Roundhouse; the recovery is too great to go into a full OTG combo, however you can cancel the C.Roundhouse with a Jab Shield Slash or Charging Star for quick and easy damage. Just remember that if the enemy manages to Safety Roll, both of these attacks will most likely leave you open to a counter. The other OTG option allows Cap to really destroy jumping opponents with the use of his Jab Stars `n' Stripes. After knocking a close enemy out of the air with the Jab DP move, you can quickly dash in and OTG! This is an extremely powerful way to counter a simple mistake of not air blocking :). And to top it off, the Jab Stars `n' Stripes frequently recovers too fast for the enemy to counter IF they air block it! TACTICS: ******** Offensive: Cap's best offense is his dashing Safe Ground Combo. If it connects, it does great damage and you can finish with a variety of moves--if they block, you get pushed away and they cannot counter. The majority of your offense should revolved around this combo. Once up close, peck with S.Short in hopes of a Throw, and the Jab Stars `n' Stripes can work well to deter slower regular attacks. Remember from mid-range the C.Fierce is a formidable weapon for snuffing regular attacks. When jumping in, Cap has the VERY high-priority J.Fierce, and this is pretty much all you need. Dashing Jump: Good range and height, pretty useful when combined with Cap's supreme J.Fierce to nullify most defenses. Go offensive mixing in HEAVILY the Safe Ground Combo with dashing. Defensive: Cap is also good on defense. Against dashing opponents the S.Fierce will work well, as well a Jab/Strong Shield Slash from afar. The Shield Slash as a whole can be used as keep-away, but this can get boring and repetitive (and will also eventually stop working). Against jumping opponents, the C.Fierce provides excellent coverage and will launch the opponent; the Jab Stars `n' Stripes is another good option, and you can OTG after the Jab version in most cases (which equals big damage). In the air: All you need is the J.Fierce, period :). NOTE: he also has GREAT Air Throw priority (thanks Oj :) BAST JUMP-IN CHAIN: J.Fierce -> J.Roundhouse, period. :) CAP'S ENDING: ************* Basically, he just yaks with Thor for a few moments, then throws the Infinity Gauntlet into a black hole (yawn...) ############################################################################# MAGNETO: -------- Beginning Pose: Magneto retracts his forcefield and exclaims "Playtime has ended!" Winning Pose 1: Magneto crosses his arms and snickers. Winning Pose 2: Magneto "wills" his helmet to disappear, and holds his hand up, flowing with EM energy and exclaims "I am supreme!" Taunt: Magneto holds his hand up, flowing with EM energy and exclaims "I am supreme!" Regular Color: Red and Purple 2nd Color: Yellow/Orange and Purple (IMO worst colors in the game!) Background: Inside Asteroid M, with transparent floor and instrument panels Post-Match Quotes: Vs. Magneto-"If that is the best you can do, I pity the mutants of your alternate Earth." Close Fight-"Your strength is great, but it still pales before my unlimited might." -"You squander your power in a vain attempt to beat the Master of Magnetism." -"You've learned a valuable lesson today. I am powerful and you are nothing." -"Is that all? I expected more from a so-called super-being." STORY: ****** Erik Magnus Lensherr was born into a world of Nazi brutality; of course, the Nazis' prejudice also had to include mutants, so at a very young age, he was placed in a Nazi death camp. Learning that only the strong survive, Magnus took the idea to heart when his mutant control over magnetism surfaced. He began a world crusade for mutantkind, determined to make homo sapiens pay for their prejudice against homo superior, and in truth ended up following the same discriminative ideals of the Nazis. He is considered to be THE most dangerous mutant alive, and is the arch-enemy of the famed X-Men, the organization of mutants lead by Charles Xavier to find a friendly way to live with humans in harmony. Recently a band of mutants known as the Acolytes pledged their total alligience to Magneto, and currently lives and plots in an artificial satellite of his own design, dubbed Asteriod M. His mission? To allow all mutants to live peacefully, in a world that is "rightfully theirs". But now, the mad Titan known as Thanos has gained possession of the all-powerful Infinity Gems, controlling the very fabric of the universe. In an attempt to save all in existance, Magneto has apparently joined forces with the X-Men, the Avengers, and Adam Warlock to seize the Gems and restore peace. Magneto wishes foremost to teach Thanos a lesson about conquering, and he has a further hidden agenda... CHARACTER OVERVIEW: ******************* I like Magneto because he oozes class; if you're one of those Wolverine spazzos, then I really don't think the Master of Magnetism is for you. You cannot simply go crazy on the controls and get something--instead you have to use the right moves at the right time, and KNOW YOUR COMBOS. Magneto scrubs will sit back and toss off Hyper Gravs and EM Disruptors, both of which leave him open if defended against. If used PROPERLY Magneto can be devastating. Although significantly weakened since he was the big boss of X-MEN: CotA, Magneto is still extremely effective and can be quite effective with his various combo setups. He has two effective ICs, and the Shockwave is IMO the coolest looking IC in the game. As well, it is definite that Magneto's Super Jumping Air Combos are THE EASIEST to perform in the game, and also IMO the most rewarding. If played right, I believe Magneto can still be as devastating as he used to be (well, just about, anyways...:); and besides, he's just so damn cool! Definetely one of my favorites. MOVES LIST: *********** -EM Disruptor: HCT+any punch -Air EM Disruptor: HCT+any punch in mid-air -Magnetic Wave: U, U/F, F+any punch in mid-air -Hyper Grav: HCB+any kick (can be done in mid-air) -Gravitation: QCB+all three kicks -Scrap Hold: F or B+Fierce (close) -EM Repulse: F or B+Strong (close) -Air Scrap Hold: F or B+Strong or Fierce (close in mid-air) -Best Gem: Space -Forward Dash; Grav Dash: F, F or all three punches -Backward Dash; Backward Grav Dash: B, B or B+all three punches -Infinity Counter; Shockwave Surge: B, D/B, D+any punch -Infinity Combo; Magnetic Shockwave: QCT+all three punches -Infinity Combo; Magnetic Tempest: QCT+all three kicks (can be done in mid-air) REGULAR MOVES ANALYSIS: *********************** S.Jab is fast with virtually no chance of being countered, it will start combos and can be used up close as a tick. S.Strong is a regular launcher, but I find it is difficult to easily follow up with a Super Jump and Air Combo because it throws the enemy up at an akward angle; so, the C.Fierce is the better alternative, IMO. C.Strong is a Strike; if it comes down to the nitty-gritty up close, this is an instant Strike, meaning it knocks the opponent away from Magneto immediately--it also has decent priority as well. For that reason it is not too good in combos unless you finish one with it. S.Fierce is a Strike, one of Magneto's best all-around attacks. It comes out fast, does respectable damage and has great range. C.Fierce is Magnus' other Regular Launcher, and is a GREAT air counter if the enemy is jumping from close (and if this connects on a jumping foe you can cancel into a Shockwave or Tempest!), and has decent priority up close. The recovery if blocked or missed is not too good, so it should be mainly used as a ground combo finisher to continue into an Air Combo. S.Roundhouse is a weird Launcher; if both hits connect, it will launch, but only in the corner or on large enemies (and it launches a little weirder, not so high and farther forward), and it does GOOD damage with both hits. If you wanna cancel it into a Special Move you must do it before the second hit. Be very careful to make sure this connects, because Magneto's recovery time is considerable. I don't recommend doing Air Combos with this, because as I said the angle is really weird and it is difficult to follow them into the air with a Super Jump; instead, if finishing combos with this, cancel the first hit only, as I said above, with a Jab EM Disruptor. C.Roundhouse is a very fast knockdown and a good combo finisher, again make sure this connects because the recovery time is slow. If this connects and you have an Infinity Combo charged, cancel into a Shockwave to hit them on the ground repeatedly for AWESOME damage, provided of course they cannot Safety Roll consistantly, or you don't think they will (and unless you're near the corner; see Shockwave for more info). Both J.Fierce and J.Roundhouse are great, solid jump-in attacks, go for them if you want good damage. J.D+Short produces a downward kick which is excellent for starting jump-in MS chains. SPECIAL MOVE ANALYSIS: ********************** -EM Disruptor- (Magneto exclaims "EM Disruptor!" and fires an electromagnetic beam straight across the screen) This is Magneto's primary projectile, and has its ups and downs; it reaches across the whole screen and if the enemy is a distance away you can play a pretty good game of keep-away with it. The big disadvantage of this is its recovery; Magneto recovers VERY slowly from this move, so you must be careful it connects, or make sure the enemy is far away enough not to counter if they block. For this reason it cannot be consistantly used for keep-away, because if they manage to jump it Magnus is in trouble. For the same reason it cannot be used up close with any reliability, because if blocked they're right there to counterattack. It does, however, do great damage and always knocks down (unless the Space Gem is being used by the opponent, or the opponent is the Juggernaut); it is great in combos if used right, i.e. if it connects, fine, but if it is blockable, make sure knocked the enemy far enough away so they can eat block damage and can't retaliate. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- -Magnetic Wave- (Magneto throws his hands downwards in front of him, whipping off a pink wave of magnetic energy) This is much slower than the CPU's from X-Men: CotA, and the motions are really annoying for me. If I use it, it is not repeatedly, but rather as part of a pestering tactic, combined with Air EM Disruptors and Hyper Gravs. The point is, you have to make REALLY sure the enemy isn't under you when you throw one, because they can use a quick DP move to knock you down, or a Jumping Combo. Ditto if they're above Magnus in a Super Jump. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- -Hyper Grav- (Magneto exclaims "Hyper Grav!" and produces four spheres of EM energy; if the enemy is caught with these, they will be floated over to Magneto for a beating) The Hyper Grav is now blockable, unlike in X-Men:CotA (thankfully, I think), but still is an effective move standing or in the air; this tracks the enemy considerably, although it is still avoidable if they get far enough away (the spheres will dissolve eventually), best with a Super Jump. But, it can frequently catch the enemy by surprise, especially when they're in the air. As well, you can perform a great fake-out when jumping in; start to jump in, ready for a combo, but stop short to them and fire off a Hyper Grav-- likely, they'd have thrown out some sort of air counter, and you will grab them for a combo. Be careful not to use this too close, because like many of his other moves, he has considerable recovery time. Once you do grab the enemy with this, get ready for a good combo, because this is your best chance; you're best to do either the Shockwave right in their face, and if you don't have one charged do a crouching Fierce into an Air Combo. NOTE: technically, the opponent is actually airborne when caught in the Hyper Grav. It is for this reason that the S.Jab -> S.Fierce combo will not usually get both hits. But, the Launcher into Air Combo still works fine, as do a few other ground combos. But, the best part is that you can actually jump in at them when they're caught and get all SIX hits of your Regular Jumping Magic Series, because you aren't Super Jumping and the opponent has not been launched, so no "finisher" will come out. You can even tack on a Special Move to finish it as well! See tactics for more info. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- -Gravitation- (Magneto takes to the skies) This is controllable in all directions, and if going up it can go just a bit further than a Super Jump. It is also possible for him to put on an extra burst of speed for an "air dash" in ANY direction, i.e. you can air dash D/F by tapping diagonal down and forward and hit all three punches like a normal dash. To land, do the same motions again. I don't find myself using this as often as Iron Man's Flight, because Magneto's initiation time is slower and he can be hit when he first starts to float. Still, once you get up there it is easy to avoid your opponent, which can be a good thing if they have a Power Gem going, for example. When you are flying, pester the opponent A LOT with Magnetic Waves and Hyper Gravs to keep them at bay and force them to back off, then move in. Note that you CANNOT air block during Flight, so keep your distance unless the opponent leaves themselves open for a big Air Combo. NOTE: To quickly gain Infinity Meter energy, fly near the top of the screen and repeatedly perform a regular attack. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- -Scrap Hold- (Magneto grabs the opponent, surrounds them with scraps of metal, then releases them) This is one of the best Throws in the game, as it allows you to follow up with ANY major combo of your choice! This is because after Magneto releases the opponent from his grip, they remain held in the metal for long enough to connect with ANY attack before they are released. Note that they can escape from the metal faster by shaking the joystick and pressing buttons rapidly, but even then you should be able to get just about anything in. When it hits, dash in for a combo, best into a C.Fierce and Air Combo, or Shockwave; you can also start with a jump-in attack if you wish, but provided you're not full screen away, the Hyper Grav will bring them to you--remember that in some cases dashing in would be faster, however. Also note that there are also some cool combos possible after this with the Magnetic Tempest... NOTE: you can also direct which way Mags Throws the enemy as with the Strong one... ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- -EM Repulse: F or B+Strong (close) (Magneto grabs the opponent in one hand, then flings them in the desired direction with a burst of EM energy) Although IMO not as effective as his Fierce Throw, it has the advantage of being directed; if you aim it down, Magneto will slam them directly into the ground, where you can do at least a C.Short -> C.Roundhouse OTG combo. You can throw them straight, and in the corner this can be followed with an OTG combo as well. Or, if you direct it upward Magneto will fling them up and forward slightly. Because of the forward slightly part, I have yet to connect with a Super Jumping Air Combo, although a Magnetic Tempest may combo... ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- -Air Scrap Hold: F or B+Strong or Fierce (close in mid-air) (Magneto grabs the opponent in the air, surrounds them with scraps of metal, then drops them to the ground) Basically the same properties as the ground version, if you grab them way up high in a Super Jump, it is doubtful you will reach them in time for a combo before they wriggle free. If you catch them low to the ground, dash in when you land for a big combo or Hyper Grav+big combo, and if you cannot reach them in time do a Magnetic Tempest IC! ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- -Best Gem: Space- This is Magneto's best Gem; when activated, he exclaims "Force Field!" initiating his Force Field from X-Men: CotA--Magneto is COMPLETELY invulnerable when the Field is around him :), and he can attack as he likes. Go totally offensive when this is going, it's really your only chance. Beware though, it doesn't last very long. NOTE: The field will actually take damage from hits, making it waste away quicker. Therefore, if the enemy can repeatedly smack the field, they can get rid of it pretty quickly (forgot to mention this before; Wolverine can make short work of it with repeated S.Strongs!) ALSO NOTE: Blackheart can still grab you with his Fierce/Roundhouse Demons, and Shuma can actually still grab you with his IC! ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- -Forward Dash; Grav Dash- (Magneto floats forward quickly) A fairly fast dash, mixing this up with the backward dash is quite effective at keeping the opponent guessing, until they make a mistake and you can connect with a dashing combo. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- -Backward Dash; Backward Grav Dash- (Magneto floats backward quickly) Identical to the forward dash in every respect (except it goes back ;) ), use it along with the forward version on the ground to keep the opponent on their toes, or just to avoid certain attacks and make a hasty retreat. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- -Infinity Counter; Shockwave Surge: B, D/B, D+any punch (Magneto blocks an opponent's attack, then xclaims "Shockwave!"and fires a wave of EM energy from his open palm into the ground; a single geyser of energy rises from the ground to hit the opponent) For his ICO, Magneto performs one blow of his Magnetic Shockwave. This is IMO one of the best Counters in the game; it does decent damage, looks painful, and can counter both ground and air attacks fairly easily. It is especially good when the enemy jumps in with an attack, because the Infinity Counter fires up vertically. If an attack leaves an opponent up close to Magneto you can use it as well, although I would prefer a combo myself... Just make sure not to block a projectile or long-range move with Magneto's Counter (eg. after blocking Iron Man's Proton Cannon!) because it will miss and Magneto will be left open for a long moment. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- -Infinity Combo; Magnetic Shockwave- (Magneto exclaims "SHOCKWAVE!" and fires a wave of EM energy from his open palm into the ground, creating consecutive geysers of EM energy to surge up from the ground across the screen) This is my favorite, and IMO best looking Infinity Combo in the game, because the whole screen shakes and the opponent goes literally FLYING into the next screen, and it sounds like an explosion; whatever geyser the opponent gets hit with, they will be blown into the next hit, then the next, etc..., so if you hit the opponent up close you'll smash 'em with all of the geysers for maximum damage--and the maximum damage is quite respectable. It can be put in many combos and is PERFECT after you grab 'em with the Hyper Grav. It should, however, stay in combos; the only other place I can think of to use it is after blocking a slow recovering move from fairly close (eg. Juggernaut's standing F+Fierce). This is because, again, Magneto's recovery time is horrible after the Shockwave, and the Shockwave can be avoided by a simple Super Jump, and Magnus will be left at the enemy's mercy when they land; same if they block it fairly close. It is quite ineffective from more than a few steps away, because it's extremely slow moving, and the geysers get progressively weaker as they go. This will hit the enemy OTG and the damage off of a C.Roundhouse is QUITE good. Like the Final Justice, this also has high priority against most attacks up close, so with proper timing, it can be used against jumpers... The Shockwave gets a max of 13 hits (see below). NOTE: the number of hits you get with the Shockwave is dependant on screen position. For some reason, when you hit the enemy right in the corner, you will get maybe 5 hits, then they will fall to the ground and you will go into recovery. Ideally, if YOU'RE back is in the corner and you hit a close enemy with a Shockwave, you will get the full 13 hits (and huge damage)--when this occurs, the enemy undergoes the Flying Screen, and they land almost in the other corner. Therefore, the further away you're opponent is from the corner, the more hits you get. For this reason, the Shockwave must be used carefully; if you Hyper Grav, C.Roundhouse or Fierce Throw the enemy and they end up close to the corner, the Shockwave may not be a good option. If the Hyper Grav or Fierce Throw puts them near the corner, go for a C.Fierce+Air Combo or D.C.Jab -> C.Fierce+Air Combo respectfully, as opposed to a Shockwave-- chances are you'll do more damage. As for the C.Roundhouse, you won't be able to do anything else but a Shockwave, but IMO it will be a waste of IC energy if you do it close to the corner... see combos. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- -Magnetic Tempest- (Magneto exclaims "Magnetic Tempest!" and calls forth scraps of metal, which he immediately flings at the opponent) This is weaker than the Shockwave :(, but has the advantage of being able to track the opponent; not the greatest choice of attacks when you nab 'em with the Hyper Grav, but it can also be done in the air, even in a big combo. It also comes out VERY fast, so use it to nail offensive opponents when they try and come in for the kill. Also quite potent if the enemy misses with a slow-recovering move (scratch that, just about any move) and you cannot get in in time for a combo. To top it all off, you can OTG after it if you hit an opponent who's on the ground. Definetely under-used, but it is actually one of his best weapons outside of combos because of its speed. The Magnetic Tempest gets 10 hits. COMBOS: ******* -Safe Air Magic Series: Jab -> Short -> Strong -> Forward -> Fierce or Roundhouse -Safe Ground Combo: NONE! (Magneto has NO moves to finish a combo with that will leave him relatively safe when blocked! Another reason to be careful with Magneto...) -Ground Magic Series: Weak Start -Jumping Magic Series: Zig-Zag (3 hits average) -Launchers: S.Strong, C.Fierce, S.Roundhouse (both hits) -Air Launchers: none -Straight Launchers: S.Fierce, C.Strong -Small Launchers: none *BASIC COMBOS* 1. D.S.Jab -> S.Fierce 2. D.S.Short -> S.Roundhouse (1st hit) XX Jab EM Disruptor 3. J.Fierce, D.S.Short -> S.Roundhouse (both hits) 4. J.Roundhouse, C.Short -> C.Strong 5. C.Roundhouse XX Shockwave (OTG) (FS) 6. Hyper Grav, Shockwave (FS) 7. D.C.Fierce -> SJ.Jab -> SJ.Short -> SJ.Strong -> SJ.Forward -> SJ.Roundhouse (FS) 8. Fierce Throw, D.S.Jab -> S.Fierce 9. Fierce Throw, D.S.Short -> S.Roundhouse (1st hit) XX Jab EM Disruptor 10. Fierce Throw, Shockwave (FS) 11. C.Fierce XX Shockwave or Magnetic Tempest (can be an air counter :) *INTERMEDIATE COMBOS* 12. D.C.Jab -> C.Fierce -> SJ.Strong -> SJ.Forward -> SJ.Roundhouse (FS) 13. Hyper Grav, C.Fierce -> SJ.Jab -> SJ.Short -> SJ.Strong -> SJ.Forward XX Jab EM Disruptor 14. J.Strong -> J.Fierce, D.S.Short -> C.Fierce -> SJ.Jab -> SJ.Short -> SJ.Strong -> SJ.Forward XX Magnetic Tempest 15. Air Dash diagonally Down/Forward. FL.AD.Jab -> FL.Short -> FL.Strong -> FL.Forward -> FL.Fierce -> FL.Roundhouse XX Jab EM Disrupter 16. Fierce Throw, D.C.Jab -> C.Fierce -> SJ.Jab -> SJ.Short -> SJ.Strong -> SJ.Forward XX Magnetic Tempest 17. J.Jab -> J.Strong -> J.Fierce, D.C.Jab -> C.Fierce -> SJ.Air Throw, Shockwave (FS) 18. (corner) J.Jab -> J.Strong -> J.Fierce, D.C.Jab -> C.Fierce -> SJ.Air Throw, D.C.Jab -> C.Fierce -> SJ. Jab -> SJ.Short -> SJ.Strong -> SJ.Forward -> Magnetic Tempest (FS) 19. Fierce Throw, D.C.Short -> C.Roundhouse XX Shockwave (OTG) 20. J.Short -> J.Roundhouse, D.S.Short -> C.Roundhouse XX Shockwave (OTG) 21. J.D+Short -> J.Forward -> J.Roundhouse, D.C.Short -> C.Fierce XX Shockwave (FS) 22. D.S.Short -> S.Roundhouse (1st hit) XX Shockwave (FS)/Magnetic Tempest 23. (in or near corner) Strong Throw U, Shockwave (FS) 24. (corner) J.Jab -> J.Short -> J.Strong -> J.Fierce, D.C.Jab -> C.Strong XX Magnetic Tempest 25. Fierce Throw, Magnetic Tempest, D.C.Roundhouse (OTG) *ADVANCED COMBOS* 26. J.Fierce -> J.Roundhouse, D.C.Short -> S.Fierce XX Magnetic Tempest, D.C.Short -> C.Fierce XX Shockwave (FS) 27. Fierce Throw, Magnetic Tempest (from just inside mid-range), D.C.Short -> C.Fierce -> SJ.Jab -> SJ.Short -> SJ.Strong -> SJ.Forward XX Magnetic Tempest 28. J.Jab -> J.Strong -> J.Fierce, D.S.Short -> C.Roundhouse XX Roundhouse Hyper Grav, C.Fierce -> SJ.Jab -> SJ.Short -> SJ.Strong -> SJ.Forward XX Magnetic Tempest Comments (#26): Thanks to Onaje Everett for this kick-ass combo. Try to hit as late as possible with the Tempest... Comments (#28): special thanks to James Chen for this great combo; note that the Hyper Grav must be very fast and catches the opponent off the ground, and according to James, this only works on Blackheart, although I have yet to get it to work period :( Good for 21 hits. COMBO OVERVIEW: *************** GROUND COMBOS: The only really good Ground Combo he has is D.S.Short -> S.Roundhouse (1st hit) XX Jab EM Disruptor. This does good damage, but is VERY dangerous to Mags if it is blocked or avoided. Only use it in obvious situations. Other than that, he as his options for comboing into either IC recently added to this compendium, these combos give Mags much more options for damage on the ground... thanks to Onaje Everett :). AIR COMBOS: Probably the best Air Comboer in the game, Magnus' SJ.MS is smooth and fast, allowing for all 5 hits to connect with ease. It also does good damage off of the C.Fierce AND, if you have it available, you can finish the Air Combo with a Magnetic Tempest too. Definetely Magneto's best combo option, next to his Ground IC comboing... THROW COMBOS: Pretty much already said. The Fierce Throw will set the enemy up for anything you want; go for Magneto's D.S.Short -> S.Roundhouse (1st hit) XX Jab EM Disruptor, or D.C.Jab -> C.Fierce+Air Combo. If you have a level charged, go for a Shockwave or C.Roundhouse XX Shockwave. JUST REMEMBER your screen position; if you think you've thrown the enemy too close to the corner, sacrifice the C.Roundhouse OTG possibility and bring them to you with the Hyper Grav for a lone Shockwave. If you've thrown the enemy right into the corner and you yourself are also close to the corner, just go for a regular combo. As for the Strong Throw, I tend not to use it much, with the Fierce Throw being dominant. You can OTG afterwards, but only in the corner, and it is not very consistant. OTG COMBOS: The only thing to really talk about here is Magnus' C.Roundhouse slide; when you have an opening for a combo with an IC charged, C.Roundhouse XX Shockwave (or variations of it) makes a VERY potent combo. REMEMBER to check your screen position (see Shockwave section). Because of the recovery of the C.Roundhouse, other OTG combos are not possible (except in the rare #12 Hyper Grav combo; see above). TACTICS: ******** Offensive: Flying and dashing combinations work best. He has a quick dash, but the problem lies in not having a Safe Ground Combo, meaning when you get up close you must rely on Jabs and Shorts only, mixed in with C.Short/C.Forward for those who block high; try to work this in most on the ground in hopes for a Throw. Another option is his excellent S.Forward, which will poke well, and combo into a Jab EM Disruptor. An air offense with Flying and jumping is also useful, mixing in the Hyper Grav (from safe distances) as well as the occasional Magnetic Wave, and jump in, mixing in C.Short to start combos when they block high, and Throws when they block low. From Onaje Everett: here's a good fake when going for a launch: D.C.Short -> Fierce XX Jab EM Disruptor. Sometimes, if you delay the Disruptor, your opponent will twitch and get hit by it. Dashing Jump: (OOPS! :) Magneto has none :). He doesn't really need one--he has a quick dash, good jump range and of course he can fly. Defensive: Magneto is all around better on defense, unfortunately. The Hyper Grav can grab an offensive jumper, or slower dasher, if done early enough. S.Fierce also works well to deter dashing opponents, and in the air, the EM Disruptor can push jumpers back. S.Roundhouse also, surprisingly, has high priority on jump-in attacks... Up close rely on your Shorts and Jabs, as well as C.Strong for priority. Above all else, be careful with Hyper Gravs and EM Disruptors, as the start-up and especially recovery time makes them more weapons here. In the air: Most of Magnus' jumping attacks are angled downward, to deal best with grounded enemies. The J.Strong deals fairly well up close with jumping enemies, and the EM Disruptor works wonders from a distance. J.Forwar also hits well air-to-air... BEST JUMP-IN CHAIN: Again, J.Fierce -> J.Roundhouse is best for solid damage. J.D+Short -> J.Forward -> J.Roundhouse is an easy chain to use for more hits... MAGNETO'S ENDING: ***************** (NOT word for word...) Magneto becomes all-powerful with the Infinity Gems now in his possession, and uses them to create a second moon orbiting Earth, fully habitable, for homo superior to live and thrive without prejudice. Magneto rules this new world of mutants, and is heralded as a savior and ruler of the new "Avalon". ############################################################################# SHUMA GORATH: ------------- Beginning Pose: Shuma Gorath drops out of a portal. Winning Pose 1: Shuma crosses two tentacles and peeks out his eye. Winning Pose 2: Shuma goes into a weird pose, kinda like he's modelling (!) Taunt: Shuma Gorath crosses two of his tentacles, and says "Waste of Flesh!" Regular Color: Pink/Purple skin 2nd Color: Green skin (looks awesome :) Background: In a deserted desert-like landscape, littered with bones of many different animals. There are no corners, since once you are hit at the edge of the screen, you break through it and loop the background over. Post-Match Quotes: Vs. Shuma-"Remember well, when you fight yourself, you are always victorious!" Close Fight-"For the pain you have caused me, I will feed on your immortal soul!" -"No one can stand against my tentacled fury!" -"Your struggles amuse me, but my powers are too great to waste here." STORY: ****** (Thanks to Charles Washington for this info) Shuma is an enemy of Dr. Strange. In his dimension, he was the Sorceror Supreme, as Strange is the Sorceror Supreme of the Marvel Universe. At first he was good, but eventually events transpired to make him hate his people, and he got mad and went on a hunt for power like Thanos did with the Infinity Gauntlet. Unlike Thanos, he succeeded, and destroyed every living person, planet, star, galaxy, and even the fabric of space itself in his dimension until he was that dimension's entire universe. His lust for power was not satiated, so he traveled to other dimensions, destroying their universes as well. Until he came to Earth and went against Dr. Strange who, after Shuma pulled him into the `Chaos Simension' used the Eye of Armaggaddo (it contains the mystical power of every known dimension) to seal Shuma in his own dimension, as Strange himself escaped. Apparently Shuma has now escaped his dimension, and seeks the Infinity Gems so that none can stop him from fulfilling his infinite hunger... CHARACTER OVERVIEW: ******************* A VERY difficult fighter to get used to, Shuma Gorath's moves are devastating but you have to be VERY careful how to use them. He also has some really effective setups and an extremely effective Infinity Combo. Zangief players will probably find him as the grappler in the game, and if you do NOT Throw, you will NOT win with Shuma Gorath IMO. If you use him carefully and you don't waste opportunities to Throw, he can be a really tough opponent. My favorite character. MOVES LIST: *********** -Mystic Stare: charge B, F+any punch -Mystic Smash: charge B, F+any kick (can be done in mid-air) -Devitalization: QCB+any kick -Blob Drop: F or B+Strong or Fierce (in mid-air; close) -Stone Drop: D+Forward in mid-air -Bite `n' Throw: F or B+Strong or Fierce (close) -Energy Drain: F or B+Forward or Roundhouse (close; can be done in mid-air) -Best Gem: Time -Forward Dash; Crawl: F, F or all three punches -Backward Dash; Teleport: B,B or B+all three punches -Infinity Counter; Short Mystic Smash: B, D/B, D+any punch after blocking an attack -Infinity Combo; Chaos Dimension: QCT+all three punches, then Strong, Forward, Fierce or Roundhouse to grab (can be done in mid-air) REGULAR MOVES ANALYSIS: *********************** S.Jab and S.Short are VERY useful up close as ticks; use often to open the enemy up to Shuma's damaging Throws. In addition, these attacks are also the only regular moves that will actually COMBO into the Devitalization. S.Strong is the best of his punches to cancel into kicks quickly, as it it is his most powerful NON-STRIKE attack. It also has good range. Used to start most of his ground combos. Also has good priority against long-ranged poking attacks. S.Fierce is a Strike with great damage and range, but it is NOT an airborne projectile. The C.Fierce is the same thing, just lower. S.Forward is Shuma's Regular and only Launcher, a must for any of his really big combos. A decent air counter if timed right. Its range is minimal, so make sure you're in a combo or right up close when you do this. S.Roundhouse is another Strike, Shuma Gorath's most powerful regular move. It can hit a maximum of 6 times if started right up close. To cancel this into a Mystic Stare, let 3 or 4 of the hits land and then cancel. If blocked it pushes Shuma Gorath far away enough to avoid a lot of counters. C.Roundhouse is another Strike; Shuma Gorath crouches and throws all of his tentacles upward. This is IMO his best air counter, but cannot be followed up by anything. Still, good damage so use as an air counter often. J.Fierce is his eyebeam (the same as S.Fierce) in mid-air, and can be directed diagonally upward as well by holding any upward direction. Good all-around for air-to-air attacks and combos. J.Roundhouse is Shuma Gorath's best single jump-in, as it is angled downward slightly. J.Forward is the spinning "helicopter" attack; despite what other guides might say, this move is simply his J.Forward, NOT U+Forward in mid-air. Anywho, this is a fast and effective air-to-air attack, and O.K. for jump-ins. J.Strong will hit the enemy OTG and is involved in a LOT of big combos with the Chaos Dimension :). SPECIAL MOVES ANALYSIS: *********************** -Mystic Stare- (Shuma Gorath exclaims "Mystic Stare!" and throws a ring of eyeballs at the opponent) When this connects it can do up to 6 hits. It is not very damaging, nor does it knock down. It comes out fairly fast and his recovery is OK, but he can still be hit by a jumping attack if they get over the Stare in time. All in all you have to be careful with this move. Stick with this as much as possible in combos, or to pester from across the screen and allow you to get closer. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- -Mystic Smash- (Shuma Gorath exclaims "Mystic Smash!", rolls into a spiked ball and flies toward the opponent in an arc) The Roundhouse version travels the whole screen in a high, wide arc, the Forward version around half screen with a lower arc, and the Short goes about a quarter of a screen with an almost horizontal arc. If blocked Shuma Gorath will bounce off, but is not safe from long-range or dashing counters, as well as of course ICOs. If this is air blocked, (i.e. the enemy jumps at you and you try and counter with it), then it will bounce enough away to be safe. The Roundhouse version should be used to surprise opponents from full screen, especially if they are taunting you or doing some other move from that distance. It is also great for countering some ICs from that distance, like Iron Man's Proton Cannon if you block from across the screen. Since the Roundhouse travels the furthest, it also bounces away the furthest, leaving Shuma Gorath less vulnerable to a counter. Note that up close this attack will usually fly over most opponents (except the Juggernaut, Blackheart and Hulk). The Roundhouse is also in most cases a good air counter, especially against a Super Jumping enemy. The Forward version is good if the opponent is a few steps away, but the bounce when blocked leaves him open to a lot. Generally not used unless the opponent foolishly misses a move from that distance. It can also be used after blocking slower recovering moves from here (eg. blocked EM Dirsuptor from mid-range). The Short version is both one of his best moves and one of his worst. The recovery leaves Shuma Gorath quite close to the opponent for any any counter. This is however, an excellent counter to a lot of low attacks and blocked moves up close, and is guarenteed to hit even little guys like Spider-Man from here. It is ideal after blocking a lot of slow recovering moves from up close (eg. Wolverine's Berserker Barrage or Super Berserker Barrage.) In the air, this is used mainly as a surprise or defensive tactic, as you require the charge back. Use immediately after blocking an airborne attack, or projectile. The Roundhouse version is great after a Super Jump to get over the opponent, especially if they're doing an IC. The Mystic Smash hits 6-8 times for good damage. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- -Devitalization- (Shuma Gorath grabs his opponent, stretches into the air, then slams them to the ground and hits them again as they land) This is unblockable, unlike Hulk's Gamma Tornado, and because of this, it should be mixed up frequently within your offensive game, i.e. pester/tick your opponent with lots of Jabs and Shorts, and then suddenly spring this on them, which is easier than usual, as the Devitalization has extended range. It has a great weakness though; if it misses, the recovery is horrible and the enemy has plenty of time to counter--it can also be ducked. It is possible to combo this out of a S.Jab or S.Short... ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- -Bite `n' Throw- (Shuma morphs into a large toothed maw, grabs the opponent, and tosses them away) Throwing is one of Shuma Gorath's best assets, IMO. This does decent damage, and in the corner it can be followed up with a nice juggle. This is also great for putting some distance between you and your foe. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- -Energy Drain- (Shuma Gorath wraps the enemy in his tentacles, and glows yellow, sapping the life out of them) This is a GREAT move, and Shuma is the only character with the ability to do this! It doesn't give you an amazing amount, but it can be enough to continue the fight. After Shuma Gorath releases them, you can actually juggle them; out of the corner you can usually tag them with a few hits from the S.Roundhouse, and in the corner, the possibilities are high. Provided the opponent doesn't tech hit, you can jump and re-Throw with this before they land for more energy to you! ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- -Blob Drop- (Shuma Gorath morphs into a blob, slimes the opponent and drops them to the ground) The Roundhouse and Forward Air Throws are the same as the ground ones; this Throw is different than its ground version, and if you're ahead in health this should be the one to go for. It does a little more damage than the Energy Drain, and it can be followed up with an OTG combo in the corner (see the combo section). ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- -Stone Drop- (Shuma Gorath angles his tentacles upwards, then petrifies himself and falls to the ground) Contrary to popular belief, this does NOT petrifiy, unless of course you have the Time Gem activated. Still, if you end up directly over your enemy as they miss a move, especially a projectile, the Stone Drop is a powerful counter. Beware, if blocked Shuma is left significantly open to attack. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- -Best Gem; Time- Once the Time Gem is activated, ANY regular attack you perform (including the Stone Drop), will momentarily turn the opponent to stone. The petrification lasts long enough to plot a juicy follow-up, including re-petrification. What I mean by the last technique is this: once you petrify the opponent, ANY attack, PERIOD, will bring them immediately back to normal. So, you simply have to make it so when they unpetrify you can immediately petrify them again before they can do anything about it. A prime example is with Shuma Gorath's S.Roundhouse; because it hits 6 times, you can use it repeatedly on them until the Time Gem run out, once you have already petrified them! This is because the first hit unpetrifies (after already hitting them with a regular attack), the 2nd hit petrifies, the 3rd unpetrifies, the 4th petrifies, the 5th unpetrifies, and the 6th will leave them petrified again! Repeat until the Gem runs out... The disadvantage about this is that if you don't manage to get in all 6 hits (not close enough, opponent was in the air, etc...) the combo is over. I have found something much better and more effective: because his S.Fierce is a Strike, you can use it repeatedly in the corner! The Strike will launch the enemy EVER SO SLIGHTLY forward and up, but because they're in the corner they cannot fly forward and will be petrified in the air against the wall; repeat! But here's the best part--keep going while watching the meter for the Time Gem. Just before it runs out, make sure the enemy is still petrified, then nail 'em with any of the following: -jumping Roundhouse Grab for more life off them and more to you! -Mystic Smash/Stare -jumping Fierce Throw -> OTG combo! -S.Roundhouse for a few extra hits -Chaos Dimension Activation to juggle, then hop up and grab! Follow the IC with an OTG combo! The latter will do the most damage of course, but you may not have a full Infinity Bar, or you badly need life. If so, hop up and grab with Roundhouse; then you may be able to juggle with another Roundhouse as you fall from the grab! Total Devastation! NOTE: if you can get off the right number of hits in a combo, it will re-petrify and you can go from there--for example (thanks to Onaje Everett): J.Strong -> J.Roundhouse, C.Strong (2 hits) XX Mystic Stare, follow with what you want! WORDS OF ADVICE: once the Time Gem is activated, don't waste your time with a Mystic Smash/Mystic Stare after petrifying, or any Special Move for that matter, especially the Chaos Dimension, because it wastes much too much time; time in which you could be repeatedly petrifying the opponent! ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- -Forward Dash; Crawl- (Shuma Gorath gets down low and crawls forward on all six legs) Great for avoiding a lot of high attacks and projectiles, but it's fairly slow ON START-UP :). Be careful only to do it when you're sure the enemy can't hit you low at first. Excellent once it gets moving though. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- -Backward Dash; Teleport- (Shuma Gorath disappears with only his eyeball floating bakwards, then re-forms around it) He doesn't go very far, but he is TOTALLY invulnerable during this. Use it best to avoid various dash-in attacks and keep holding back when dashing so you can come out of it with a Mystic Stare. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- -Infinity Counter; Short Mystic Smash- (Shuma Gorath blocks the opponent's attack and counters with a Short Mystic Smash) This is a GREAT Infinity Counter, doing respectable damage and racks up some good hits. It is ideal for most standing attacks, and even up close projectiles (eg. if Psylocke throws a Strong PsiBlast from a few steps, you can ICO and it should connect). It is OK to counter some jump-in attacks, but only deep hits, otherwise Shuma Gorath may pass underneath his airborne foe. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- -Infinity Combo; Chaos Dimension- (When activated, Shuma will lunge out slightly with a shorter version of his S.Strong; he will then begin glowing, and if he grabs the enemy during this time, he will morph into a large sphere and envelope his opponent. He then carries them into the center of the screen high in the air, spread out into a hurricane-looking form, and exclaims "Chaos Dimension!!". The opponent is then dropped hard into the ground from the hurricane, and Shuma Gorath appears just overhead, falling from a portal) The opponent first takes damage when the hurricane-form begins, then even more damage as they hit the ground. Quite powerful, and IMO one of the most effective ICs in the game, it is extremely difficult to avoid up close. Once Shuma Gorath begins glowing he cannot perform any Special Moves, nor any regular moves. By tapping any button, he will jab out with one tentacle a VERY short distance. However, the really powerful thing about this is that the activation of the Chaos Dimension itself can hit the opponent. If it connects, you can calmy move up to the opponent and perform the grab for an easy and powerful combo! The easiest way to do this is to use the Chaos Dimension activation as an air counter, or up close to snuff regular attacks, OR in a combo, and the grab will be virtually unavoidable. In addition, the Chaos Dimension can be followed with an OTG combo! (See the combo section). COMBOS: ******* -Safe Air Magic Series: Short -> Strong -> Forward -> U+Fierce -Safe Ground Combo: D.S.Strong -> S.Roundhouse XX Mystic Stare If the enemy blocks... D.S.Strong -> S.Roundhouse XX Mystic Stare -Ground Magic Series: Punch to Kick -Jumping Magic Series: Punch to Kick (2 hits average) -Launchers: S.Forward -Air Launchers: none -Straight Launchers: C.Forward, S.Fierce, C.Fierce, S.Roundhouse, C.Roundhouse -Small Launchers: none *BASIC COMBOS* 1. J.Roundhouse, C.Jab -> C.Roundhouse 2. J.Roundhouse, S.Jab XX Roundhouse Devitalization 3. Roundhouse Throw, S.Roundhouse 4. (corner) Fierce or Roundhouse Throw into corner, S.Strong -> S.Roundhouse *INTERMEDIATE COMBOS* 5. (corner) Roundhouse Throw, D.S.Forward -> SJ.Short -> SJ.Strong -> SJ.Forward -> SJ.U+Fierce (FS) 6. D.S.Strong -> S.Forward -> SJ.Short -> SJ.Strong -> SJ.Forward -> SJ.U+Fierce (FS) 7. (corner) Fierce Throw into corner, jumping Air Throw 8. (corner) Fierce Air Throw, J.Strong (OTG), S.Forward -> SJ.Short -> SJ.Strong -> SJ.Forward -> SJ.U+Fierce (FS) 9. J.Strong -> J.Roundhouse, S.Roundhouse (2-3 hits) XX Mystic Stare 10. (corner) J.Strong -> J.Roundhouse, D.S.Jab -> S.Forward -> SJ.Short -> SJ.Strong -> SJ.Forward -> SJ.U+Fierce (FS); While enemy starts falling back down and passes you (you'll still be in same Super Jump), SJ.Strong -> SJ.D+Forward 11. (corner) S.Forward -> SJ.Short -> SJ.Strong -> SJ.Forward -> SJ.U+Fierce (FS); While enemy starts falling back down and passes you (you'll still be in same Super Jump), SJ.U+Fierce, C.Jab (OTG) -> C.Roundhouse 12. (corner) Grab with Roundhouse, S.Forward -> SJ.Short -> SJ.Strong, Roundhouse Air Throw, Air Forward Mystic Smash 13. J.Strong -> J.Roundhouse XX Roundhouse Mystic Smash, C.Jab (OTG) S.Forward -> SJ.Short -> SJ.Strong -> SJ.Forward -> SJ.U+Fierce (FS) 14. Grab with the Chaos Dimension, J.Strong (OTG), S.Forward -> SJ.Short -> SJ.Strong -> SJ.Forward -> SJ.U+Fierce (FS) *ADVANCED COMBOS* 15. (corner) J.Strong -> J.Roundhouse, D.S.Forward XX Chaos Dimension (Activation), Chaos Dimension Grab, J.Strong, S.Forward -> SJ.Short -> SJ.Strong -> SJ.Forward -> SJ.U+Fierce (FS) 16. Shuma Gorath's MARVELous Combo: Activate Chaos Dimension (doesn't have to hit), Activate Mind Gem; After Mind Gem fills up your meter to full again, grab with the Chaos Dimension, J.Strong, S.Forward XX Chaos Dimension Activation, grab with Chaos Dimension Comments (#16): Special thanks to James Chen for this AWESOME combo. Here's his explanation: "...you can actually get two Chaos Dimensions in one combo. If you activate the Mind Gem, you can still activate the Chaos Dimension. Do those two and wait until your meter fills up. After it does, you still have time to run up and grab the enemy before the Chaos Dimension effect wears off. Grab them and the Chaos Dimension will begin. After coming out of the portal, do the J.Strong before you land to OTG the enemy. Then do a S.Forward XX Chaos Dimension (do these quickly so that the Chaos Dimension activation will hit the enemy). Then jump up and grab them again just like in combo #15. You won't be able to hit them again after the Chaos Dimension because there is only one OTG per combo. But by this point, the enemy should be just about dead." COMBO OVERVIEW: *************** GROUND COMBOS: His Safe Ground Combo is alright, but doesn't do much damage. I recommend pecking with singular attacks instead so you can tick for a Throw. In this case, S.Jab XX Devitalization is the best option, because the Throw will connect wether the Jab is blocked or not. Altogether this is your best combo, without getting into Air Combos. AIR COMBOS: Leaving SJ.Jab out, Shuma's SJ.MS is fairly easy to perform; for most cases you have to hit U+Fierce to finish the combo. The S.Forward launches fairly high and straight up, so connecting with the Air Combo is not too difficult. When not going for a Throw or Chaos Dimension, an Air Combo is your best option for doing damage. THROW COMBOS: Shuma is pretty much the grappler in MSH, with all of his Throws doing a good deal of damage and allowing for a combo in all cases. After the Fierce Throw in the corner, an easy combo is to follow with S.Roundhouse--this will frequently get all 6 hits on bigger fighters. You can also dash in usually and hit S.Forward for an Air Combo. When not in the corner, the Roundhouse Throw appears to be your best option (for that matter, it's your best option in the corner too! :). When outside of the corner, simply follow it with S.Roundhouse for a few extra hits; other follow-ups are possible, but can be fairly difficult to perform. When in the corner, you can follow with the S.Roundhouse for max hits, or you can hit S.Forward for an Air Combo, OR you can try for a Chaos Dimension OR you can jump up and Air Throw! The same goes for the Roundhouse Air Throw in the corner... OTG COMBOS: Other than rare occasions after the Mystic Smash (see combos), the biggest OTG opportunity is, of course, off of the Chaos Dimension :). Immediately after dropping out of the portal, you can hit the fallen enemy OTG with a WELL timed J.Strong; then as you land hit S.Forward and Air Combo! This is the best follow-up, but you can also vary the combo after the J.Strong. ALWAYS attempt the OTG combo after the IC, it makes Shuma Gorath truly a nightmare :). TACTICS: ******** Offensive: The two things you have as Shuma offensively are the Mystic Stare, and your Throws. Throwing should be your goal in a fight, be it a regular Throw (for energy gain and Throw combos), the Devilitilization (for damage) or the Chaos Dimension. The Mystic Stare's recovery is exceptional from a distance; use it to pin the opponent back, then either dash or jump in. Always be ready to block in either case, and in the air, focus on attacking with J.Strong and J.Roundhouse--if you think an air counter is coming fast and you start holding back, it can double as a backward charge for a mid-air Mystic Smash (to counter if they try to throw lower-priority air counters). Up close, stress the S.Short when RIGHT up close, especially against those pecking with low attacks (eg. Spider-Man), and the S.Jab, both to tick for a possible Throw. The S.Strong is also a highly useful weapon from mid-range or a few steps--if it connects, chain into a S.Forward and Air Combo, or S.Roundhouse if too far away. Once you have a Chaos Dimension charged, IMO you should not activate it from a distance then go after them. It is much more effective if you stun the enemy with the activation up close, then grab them--therefore it is best used up close when you get there, unless you're on defense (see below). Dashing Jump: Quite important to playing a good Shuma, mixed in with his ground dash. This allows him to get in quick, possibly suprising the enemy, allowing for a Throw/Combo, and can pin them into the corner, where Shuma does the most damage with his combos. Defensive: The Mystic Smash is a powerful, but dangerous counter to air attacks; if air blocked, you lose initiative, and if missed you can be hit; IMO you should not rely on the Mystic Smash here. The S.Forward provides good coverage and will also launch the opponent--his best air counter IMO is C.Roundhouse, which will not allow follow-ups because it is a Strike, however it is quite fast and damaging, so it's worth it. Other than that, you have Shuma's excellent invulnerable backward dash, and if done early will avoid jump-ins, and even downward projectiles if the enemy doesn't anticipate it. On the ground, the S.Strong, S.Fierce and S.Roundhouse all provide excellent defense against dashing opponents. In the event that you block a slower attack up close, counter with the Short or Forward Mystic Smash. If you anticipate a projectile fast enough, you can often dash under (provided the projectile is high enough), or you can try to time the appropriate Mystic Smash over it... Also remember that the Chaos Dimension activation can provide excellent coverage, and will often take priority over up-close attacks. In the air: J.Roundhouse is decent when jumping in, or in air-to-air combat, but the J.Forward and J.Fierce are best against others who are airborne. J.Strong is his best jump-in attack, and can hit OTG too. BEST JUMP-IN CHAIN: J.D+Fierce -> J.Roundhouse works wfairly well, but starting with J.Strong is often easier, as it can hit deeper. SHUMA GORATH'S ENDING: ********************** (NOT word for word...) Basically Shuma gains the Gems and it shows him growing extremely large into space, and saying how he's all-powerful and all-knowing, yadda-yadda-yadda. I think he's actually eating the universe (pretty cool...) ############################################################################# JUGGERNAUT: ----------- Beginning Pose: Juggernaut bends a steel girder and exclaims "I'm Unstoppable!" Winning Pose 1: Juggernaut calmly walks over to the opponent and stomps on their fallen body Winning Pose 2: Juggernaut calmly walks over to the fallen opponent, picks them up and cackles in their face. Taunt: Juggernaut clasps his fist in his hand and exclaims "I'm the Juggernaut!" Regular Color: Brown and Red suit 2nd Color: just more red, basically :) Background: In the middle of a partially constructed building, with construction crews all around, some working and some watching the fight. Post-Match Quotes: Vs. Juggernaut-"Get this through your stupid head. There is only one Juggernaut!" Close Fight-"You remind me of my brother... I HATE MY BROTHER!" -"A few hits and it's over. They just don't make 'em like they used to." -"That was embarassing. Maybe you should try fighting old, sick people." STORY: ****** I don't clearly remember his story; his real name is Cain Marko, and I think he finds the Cytorrak Stone after being buried in an avalanche or something of the like. His brother-in law (or foster brother?) is none other than Professor Charles Xavier, founder of the X-Men. I think he blames Professor X for the avalanche and has been an enemy of the X-Men ever since. The mad Titan Thanos has now gained possession of the all-powerful Infinity Gems, which make up the very fabric of the cosmos. While the Avengers, the X-Men and Adam Warlock fight to regain control of the universe before it is destroyed, Cain Marko seeks to defeat Thanos to gain the Gems for himself, making himself the ruler of all. CHARACTER OVERVIEW: ******************* More than anything else, Juggernaut is just plain FUN to play. He is definetely not a scrub character, or a character for beginners, because all of his moves (except the Earthquake) have horrendous recovery--Juggernaut must play a healthy mix of pecking (w/ S.Jab), Throwing and reactionary countering with his other attacks. Once you understand exactly how his invulnerability works, and how to use it, his powerful combos, Throws and IC will humiliate and also destroy the opponent. MOVES LIST: *********** -Juggernaut Punch: HCT+any punch -Earthquake: F, D/F, D+any punch (can be done in mid-air) -Juggernaut Splash: HCT+any kick -Cytorrak Power-up: F, D, D/F+all three punches -Object Pick-up: D,D+all three punches (over item), then any P to throw it -Double Fist Thrust: F+Fierce -Headbutts `n' Uppercut: F or B+Fierce (close) -Cackling Slam: F or B+Strong (close) -Air Drop: F or B+Strong or Fierce (close in mid-air) -Best Gem: Space -Forward Dash; Shoulder Charge: F, F or all three punches -Backward Dash; Back Slide: B,B or B+all three punches -Infinity Counter; Juggernaut Punch: B, D/B, D+any punch -Infinity Combo; Juggernaut Headcrush: QCT+all three punches REGULAR MOVES ANALYSIS: *********************** S.Jab has great range because of his size. This can trade hits with any attack, so if you get hit or not, follow into a combo. This is an excellent pecking attack from mid or close range. C.Strong trades hits nicely, so if you see, say, Wolverine coming in with his C.Roundhouse, throw this out to absorb it and counter. It also has great priority over low attacks and sweeps, and it will also hit Off the Ground. S.Fierce is an Air Launcher and comes out relatively fast, compared to his other Fierces--like most of Juggy's moves, it also does massive damage. If it connects on a standing opponent, immediately cancel into a Jab or Strong Juggernaut Punch or even better, a Headcrush IC. It is also a decent air counter and you can follow with a guided Air Combo. Long recovery on this, so try and make sure it connects. C.Fierce is Juggy's only Regular Launcher, sending the enemy straight up. If it connects and easy Air Combo is possible. Also very long recovery, so try to avoid throwing it out of nowhere. S.Short is a useful pecking move/tick up close, and takes excellent priority over low attacks. If the Short kick connects, chain into a S.Strong and combo from there. C.Short is a fast attack that will start combos well, and can OTG too; chain into a C.Forward if it connects on a standing opponent, then OTG. C.Forward is also important, 'cause it's his only knockdown attack. Great unstoppability, so try and connect with this a lot up close, so you can follow with a Headcrush or Juggernaut/Earthquake Punch OTG. The S.Roundhouse is another Air Launcher, and does sickening damage if it connects. This is your best air counter to deep jumping opponents. Do NOT use it out of the blue, because if blocked you're dead, if ducked you're dead, and if you miss with it the enemy can dash in for an easy attack. J.Fierce is IMO his best jumping attack, its range is limited but is the most damaging way to jump in at the opponent. Comes out fast as well; this is the move to use in the air, NOT his J.Roundhouse, because it is a kick aimed upwards and will rarely connect solidly on a standing opponent. J.Short and J.Forward are of limited use; the only place to use these to attacks is chained together. When meeting an opponent in mid-air try to connect with these two hits as an Air Combo, as no other attack in the air is really reliable. If you wish to get more jump-in hits, do the J.Short into a J.Fierce. SPECIAL MOVES ANALYSIS ********************** -Juggernaut Punch- (Juggernaut exclaims "Juggernaut Punch!" and rushes the opponent, driving them into the ground with a brutal downward punch; they then bounce off the ground and across the screen) Does HEFTY damage and executes the FS. The recovery is VERY, VERY SLOW, giving the opponent over a full SECOND to counter. The idea is to make ABSOLUTELY sure that this connects, and when it does it is definetely worth the caution! In addition, Juggernaut will absorb all hits during the rush, so if the opponent begins to throw ANY projectile or long range attack (NOT including ICs!), quickly perform a Fierce Juggernaut Punch to barrel through it and smack 'em down. Remember to make sure you're ahead in health of course because the attacks will still do damage to you. Also not a bad combo finisher. Jab goes a few steps, Strong half the screen and Fierce travels full screen. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- -Earthquake- (Juggernaut exclaims "Earthquake!" and slams his fists into the ground like his C.Strong, producing ripples of shockwaves across the ground) Easily jumped over and slow coming out AND in recovery, this should be another one of your carefully used attacks. When up close it trades hits surprisingly well, but IMO the Juggernaut Punch is better in this case and does MUCH more damage. Annoying to put in combos, and things no longer fall from the ceiling when he shakes the ground as they did in X-Men: CotA. Be VERY careful when using this and pretty much any place you can use this to hit the opponent, you can usually do a Juggernaut Punch instead. Fortunately if blocked, it is very hard to counter and will push the enemy quite far away; FOR THIS REASON IT IS IMPORTANT--whenever you know you've made a mistake and the enemy blocks a regular attack, cancel into the Earthquake to push them back... NOTE: this can quickly be comboed after in the corner :). ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- -Juggernaut Splash- (Juggernaut flies into the air with a growl and lands in a full body splash on top of the opponent) MAJOR damage when it connects, and is great for avoiding most ground-based projectiles. If the opponent sees it coming they can block and then have over a full second or so to counter as Juggernaut gets up off his face! Again, be VERY careful using this and in the air it's great for going over missed attacks, especially projectiles. For example, because of the Roundhouse version's range, you can Super Jump over Iron Man's Proton Cannon and come crashing down on him with it! ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- -Cytorrak Power-Up- (Juggernaut raises his fists to the air and exclaims "Power-Up!"; he then begins to glow red) Once activated Juggernaut's attacks will do almost twice as much damage! This plus the Power Gem activated and Juggernaut can take off over a THIRD of his foe's health with one F+Fierce! Try to do this whenever you have the chance, and you should basically be treating it like a Taunt, as it takes him around a full second to power up. Once activated, try your best to get in a big combo. BTW, if you activate the Space Gem (see Best Gem) and get in a Cytorrak Power-Up, go TOTALLY offensive as you're pretty much invincible! ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- -Double Fist Thrust- (With a growl Juggernaut thrusts both of his fists straight in front of him) Although it is considered a launcher, it launches the enemy at a VERY shallow angle, so that the only thing that connects is a Roundhouse Juggernaut Splash. It does monster damage and has amazing range, about half the screen! Best used in combos or to counter an attack from a distance, this is IMO quite good at trading hits with close projectiles and even dashing combos! This has the worst recovery of all his attacks, so be VERY careful that it hits. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- -Headbutts `n' Uppercut- (Juggernaut grabs his opponent, headbutts them twice then uppercuts them away) In the corner this can be EASILY followed with an OTG combo (sometimes a juggle if quick, eg. Headcrush), and by itself it looks hilarious and does good damage. Get it in whenever up close and you can't connect with a combo. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- -Cackling Slam- (Juggernaut grabs the opponent, cackles in their face and slams them headfirst into the ground) IMO the better of the two Throws, it does great damage, looks humiliating and can be followed up in the corner, with an OTG combo or FAST juggle. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- -Air Drop- (Juggernaut grabs the opponent and whips them to the ground) Decent damage, do it if you want. It MAY be possible to OTG them on YOUR way down with a Short Juggernaut Splash... ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- -Best Gem; Space- The Space Gem is Cain's special Gem, becauses it causes him to turn a grey color and take almost NO DAMAGE, definitely none from blocked Special Moves, or regular moves! This is your chance for you to go offensive big time, because most of your fighting with Marko will be reactionary. The "Super Armor" given by this Gem also makes it TOTALLY impossible for Juggernaut to be knocked down, with the exception of Throws. A good time to do the Cytorrak Power-Up and kick a little arse. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- -Forward Dash; Shoulder Charge- (Juggernaut dashes foward with his shoulder in front) IMO quite useless, as he doesn't travel all that far, and this cannot be easily interrupted by a backward dash. Only use it when you see a clear opening for a Dashing combo. When the enemy throws a projectile, you can dash through it and combo, though IMO a Juggernaut Punch works better because of its speed. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- -Backward Dash; Back Slide- (Juggernaut slides backward in retreat) Speed isn't too bad, but Juggy doesn't really need a backward dash with his absorbing power. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- -Infinity Counter; Juggernaut Punch- (Juggernaut blocks an attack and counters with a Jab Juggernaut Punch) VERY good ICO, it does great damage and comes out LIGHTNING fast. It also has fair range, so don't be afraid to counter some long-ranged attacks or up-close projectiles. Refrain from using this on jumping attacks unless extremely deep. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- -Infinity Combo; Juggernaut Headcrush- (Juggernaut exclaims "headcrush!" and rushses the opponent with his head stuck out; once he's done the headbutt the enemy flies over behind his head) Does MONSTER damage. Be VERY careful that this connects, because the recovery is about as slow as with the Juggernaut Punch. This is best used in combos IMO, and one of Juggernaut's best techniques. You can even OTG in some cases to REALLY demolish the opponent! COMBOS: ******* -Safe Air Magic Series: Jab -> Short -> Strong -> Fierce -Safe Ground Combo: D.S.Short -> S.Strong XX Earthuake If the enemy blocks... D.S.Short -> S.Strong XX Earthquake -Ground Magic Series: Weak Start -Jumping Magic Series: Weak start (2 hits average) -Launchers: C.Fierce, F+Fierce -Air Launchers: S.Roundhouse, C.Roundhouse, S.Fierce -Straight Launchers: none -Small Launchers: none *BASIC COMBOS* 1. D.S.Short -> S.Strong XX Earthquake 2. J.Strong, S.Short -> F+Fierce 3. J.Strong, S.Fierce XX Fierce Earthquake 4. J.Fierce, C.Fierce -> SJ.Jab -> SJ.Short -> SJ.Strong -> SJ.Fierce (FS) 5. C.Short -> C.Forward XX Earthquake Punch (OTG) 6. J.Fierce -> J.Roundhouse, D.S.Fierce XX Juggernaut Headcrush 7. (corner) Strong/Fierce Throw, Juggernaut Headcrush (OTG) *INTERMEDIATE COMBOS* 8. C.Short -> C.Forward XX Jab Juggernaut Punch (OTG) 9. C.Short -> C.Forward XX Juggernaut Headcrush (OTG) 10. J.Short -> J.Fierce, D.S.Short -> S.Fierce XX Juggernaut Headcrush 11. D.S.Jab -> F+Fierce XX Roundhouse Juggernaut Splash 12. (corner) J.Short -> J.Strong, D.S.Jab -> C.Fierce -> SJ.Jab -> SJ.Short -> SJ.Strong -> SJ.Fierce, C.Short (OTG) -> S.Roundhouse 13. (corner) Fierce Throw, C.Forward (OTG) 14. J.Short -> J.Strong, D.S.Short -> S.Fierce XX Juggernaut Headcrush, Juggernaut Headcrush, D.C.Short (OTG) -> S.T.Fierce 15. Strong Throw, S.Strong (OTG) XX Headcrush 16. Activate Mind Gem, J.Short -> J.Fierce, D.S.Short -> S.Fierce XX Headcrush, Headcrush, Headcrush !!!! 17. Activate Power Gem, Power Up, Headcrush, Headcrush (100% :) 18. (corner) Strong Earthquake, S.Jab XX Headcrush 19. (corner) D.S.Jab -> S.Strong XX Jab Earthquake, S.F+Fierce XX Roundhouse Juggernaut Splash Comments (#14): thanks to James Chen! Here's his explanation: "There's not much to say about this combo. Basically, the only thing that needs to be talked about is when to do the second Headcrush. After the first one, Juggernaut pauses for a while and the enemy goes flying up into the air. Now, Juggernaut recovers fairly quickly from the first Headcrush and he does so while out of view (the view follows the flying body of the enemy you just Headcrushed). So basically, you have to activate the second Headcrush even before you come into view (in the opposite direction, as that's where the Headcrush causes them to go flying). Also, after the second Headcrush, you have to start your dash at about the same point in order to OTG them in time." According to James Chen you cannot do this on Juggernaut, Hulk, or Blackheart. It is difficult to do it on every one after that, and easy on Spider-Man, Wolverine and Psylocke. Comments (#18): as in the sequal, XvSF, you can follow the Earthquake Punch in the corner IF you are about half screen away. COMBO OVERVIEW: *************** GROUND COMBOS: His Safe Ground Combo does plenty of block damage, but when the Jab connects and you chain into Strong, finishing with a Juggernaut Punch is much more damaging. _IMO_ when not using OTG combos OR the Headcrush, an Air Combo is better. AIR COMBOS: Amazingly enough, the big guy has a nice easy C.Fierce launcher, and the SJ.MS, leaving out the SJ.Forward, will connect solidly. IMO Juggy's best damage option without an OTG or Headcrush combo. THROW COMBOS: Both the Fierce and Strong Throw, in or near the corner, can be followed with various attacks, including the Headcrush. Pretty straight-forward. OTG COMBOS: The best way for Jug to do damage on the ground is after a C.Forward. From this you can OTG with a Jab/Strong Juggernaut Punch, Earthquake Punch or Headcrush. IMO this is your best option without using an Air Combo. Just remember not to use constantly as the enemy can Safety Roll if anticipated. TACTICS: ******** Defense/Offense: (NOTE: I included these two sections together simply because Juggernaut's offense IS his defense, pretty much, since his offensive attacks absorb their attacks.) In order to be at all effective with Juggernaut you MUST take advantage of his "Unstoppability". What this means is that Juggernaut has the ability to absorb attacks and continue his own. For example, Juggernaut has no FB and has a short jump, so dealing with projectiles can be a problem right? WRONG. Just perform a Juggernaut Punch through them! Note that Juggernaut will not PASS through the projectile; it will in fact hit him, but it will not phase him and he will continue to barrel through and plow the enemy into the ground. Juggernaut CANNOT absorb the following attacks: 1. Swift, powerful knock-downs. Examples: -any sweep that knocks down, like Cap's C.Roundhouse -Spider-Man's Spider Sting 2. chained combos Examples: -if you absorb Cap's S.Short, but he chains into S.Forward -> S.Roundhouse... -Psylocke jumps in with J.Short, but chains into J.Forward -> J.Fierce... 3. Super Combos. Examples: -Iron Man's Proton Cannon :) -Psylocke's PsiThrust 4. Fierce or Roundhouse Jumping Attacks Examples: -you attempt to stop Magneto's J.Roundhouse with S.Roundhouse, this will NOT work (unless of course you throw the S.Roundhouse first, in which case you will perform it as a normal air counter, as opposed to absorbing it). NOTE: for #2, IF the attack you are performing when they hit you (with their first attack) comes out before their next hit, it will be successful. In the Psylocke example, if you start a S.Fierce and she hits you just as Juggy brings his arm up, the Roundhouse usually doesn't come out fast enough to cancel out the uppercut, and you'll launch her. The following is a list of ways to use Juggernaut's Unstoppability with each move: S.Jab, C.Forward- Both great unstoppable attacks with good speed, ideal for offense and working up close. Because of its great speed, the S.Jab is perfect against pesky little guys like Wolverine who like to dash in with Jabs and such--this will usually come out fast enough to negate his attack, and you can quickly cancel into a S.Strong+Earthquake Punch to push them back. The C.Forward is also good in this respect, although if they are even remotely fast and chain into another attack from the one you're absorbing, this sweep will not come out fast enough to connect with. This is great against an opponent who uses a lot of unchainable attacks up close, or lots of FBs from this range. C.Fierce, F+Fierce- use BOTH with caution. The C.Fierce does big damage, and if you are DASHING when it absorbs an attack, you will usually launch the enemy for an air combo. If the enemy is quick with their MS you will frequently get interrupted with this attack, and weary opponents will simply sweep you. Same with the F+Fierce, except the good thing about this is that a Roundhouse Splash will ALWAYS connect after this if you cancel fast enough. It can be seen coming though, so try to absorb attacks with it from mid-range, especially FBs and dashing regular attacks. S.Roundhouse, S.Fierce- again, both are slow and if anticipated can be swept or comboed. Use these as air counters to those who like jumping in with attacks other than Fierce or Roundhouse, but time them extra early so they will have difficulty chaining into a MS. If they don't jump in with weak attacks, just make sure that you time the attack to hit as an air COUNTER instead of trying to absorb the jump-in. Juggernaut Punch- overused in other places, the JP's greatest asset is its tremendous speed once he starts moving, and its absorbing ability. From anywhere on the screen except from FULL screen, if you see the enemy start a FB, IMMEDIATELY whip off a Juggernaut Punch (Fierce from CLOSE to full screen, Strong from mid-screen, etc...). Just beware not to do this as often against Iron Man when he has a level charged :). The JP is also fairly useful with absorbing regular attacks, but I find its recovery is far too long to do this often--in this case, stick with F+Fierce from mid-range and Jabs and C.Forwards up close. Earthquake Punch- absorbs attacks QUITE well, but the only reason I see to use it here is against dashing attacks, as it will push them away considerably. Headcrush- a VERY important unstoppable attack, this move is LITTERALLY unstoppable. With the exception of ICs, this CANNOT be stopped by ANYTHING, including chains, sweeps and J.Roundhouse and Fierce. This is because of its tremendous speed; ANYTIME you see the enemy do ANYTHING (really, anything), whip this off to take it out; unless it's an IC or the enemy is above you, I GUARENTEE this will take it out! One thing to note however is not to do it against full screen projectiles, as the Headcrush's range prevents it from hitting that far; you'll absorb the projectile, but the Headcrush will often not reach them. Dashing Jump: Quite important to Juggy, IMO. This allows him to go OFFENSIVE from even across the screen--utilize this on overly-defensive opponents who do not throw out enough attacks to absorb/counter. In the Air: You should not jump with Juggernaut unless the opportunity presents itself for a jump-in combo IMO, as Juggernaut's air arsenal is limited. His J.Jab has decent range and is good if they pester you in the air, but you shouldn't really be up there anyways. The only good move he has in the air is J.Fierce for priority up close, but most opponents can snag him with a jumping kick before he reaches them. The Juggernaut Splash doesn't help you much either, because if you miss you're toast. Juggernaut's game is generally defensive, so stay grounded. BEST JUMP-IN CHAIN: J.Fierce -> J.Roundhouse is again, best for solid damage, and J.Short -> J.Forward is your best jump-in chain IMO, though J.Short -> J.Fierce works as well. ############################################################################# BLACKHEART: ----------- Beginning Pose: Blackheart rises up from a portal in the ground and laughs menacingly Winning Pose 1: Blackheart clenches his fist full of energy and laughs menacingly Winning Pose 2: Blackheart raises his hands to the sky and laughs menacingly Winning Pose 3: Blackheart raises his hands to the sky and exclaims "Blackheart rises!" Taunt: Blackheart clenches his fist full of energy and laughs menacingly. Regular Color: Black and blue 2nd Color: Reddish blue Background: Hell, or some nether-realm of that sort. The entire place is ablaze with hellfire, with many shadowy souls writhing in horror in the back. One of my favorite backgrounds. Post-Match Quotes: Vs. Blackheart-"You are merely a reflection, cast in my image, to test my loyalty to Mephisto." Close Fight-"Evil prevails again, but you did put up a struggle worth noticing." -"My father Mephisto will be happy to welcome one so weak into his kingdom!" -"So much courage in the face of evil, yet so little skill." STORY: ****** Blackheart is the son of Mephisto, lord of darkness. He aspires to become more evil than his father and overthrow him as the emporer of the underworld. The Infinity Gems will give him the opportunity to do so... CHARACTER OVERVIEW: ******************* Well, my opinion of Blackheart has somewhat changed. If you play him with a good mix of offense with his S/C.Forward, Air Dash and demons, and defense with his other attacks, Blackheart can be a dangerous opponent, and actually pretty enjoyable to use. He is DEFINETELY not a scrub character, you HAVE to be careful how you use ALL of his moves, esp. the Infernos and Dark Thunders. With a lot of practice he can be just as good as any other fighter. MOVES LIST: *********** -Downward Dark Thunder: HCT+Jab -Forward Dark Thunder: HCT+Strong -Upward Dark Thunder: HCT+Fierce -Close Lightning Inferno: HCB+Jab -Mid-Screen Lightning Inferno: HCB+Strong -Far Lightning Inferno: HCB+Fierce -Ice Inferno: HCB+Strong -> Strong -Fire Inferno: HCB+Fierce -> Fierce -Soul Absorb: F or B+Fierce (close) -Energy Surge: F or B+Strong (close) -Air Energy Surge: F or B+Strong or Fierce in mid-air (close) -Best Gem: Reality -Forward Dash; Forward Ground Warp: F, F or all three punches -Backward Dash; Backward Ground Warp: B,B or B+all three punches -Air Dash: F, F in mid-air -Infinity Counter; Dark Thunder: B, D/B, D+any punch -Infinity Combo; Armageddon: QCT+all three punches -Infinity Combo; Heart of Darkness: QCT+all three kicks REGULAR MOVES ANALYSIS: *********************** S.Jab is a good up-close attack for pecking/ticking, and you can chain two together for a simple combo (yawn). S.Strong is Blackheart's Regular, and only, Launcher. By itself it's a decent air counter, but it has a short delay before it hits--it is powerful, but it is best used chained out of S.Forward. S.Fierce has Blackheart release small pink demons from his chest, floating forward then falling shortly. From a distance they can counter slower missed attacks, or to hit opponents just as they land. S.Roundhouse has him kick forward slightly and release different demons; this is slightly faster and the demons are guarenteed if the kick hits--the kick has minimal range, and is not too quick. It may be used to surprise slower dashing opponents. See tactics for more info. Both C.Fierce and C.Roundhouse are basically low versions of the demons, with the little critters moving along the ground; this is somewhat useful for countering high attacks, and they come out slightly faster than the standing versions. See tactics for more info. S.Forward is Blackheart's best attack, and is IMO imperitive to playing a good Blackheart. This has excellent priority up close (against low attacks, use C.Forward instead), and in addition, also does decent damage and has great recovery. The S.Forward is also serves as Blackheart's best air counter--the most important feature of the S.Forward is that, following his MS, you can chain into S.Strong to launch the enemy. This allows Blackheart to deliver a powerful combo off of an air counter, OR a pecking attack. C.Strong is another good attack up close, with slightly longer recovery; good vs. up-close projectile attempts and slower high attacks. J.Fierce and J.Roundhouse are airborne versions of the S.Fierce/S.Roundhouse; again, there is a delay before the demons are released, and Blackheart's recovery isn't too good. They can be useful if you anticipate the opponent throwing a late air counter, or after his excellent air dash to surprise them. J.Forward and J.Strong are both excellent jump-in and air-to-air attacks. SPECIAL MOVES ANALYSIS: *********************** -Downward Dark Thunder- (Blackheart exclaims "Dark Thunder!" and brings his hands up to shoot lightning downward and forward at the ground) After the downward motion, the lightning travels low across the ground. Has a delay when it comes out, and the recovery is quite bad. From across the screen you are pretty much safe from counter however. Use mainly to deter slower dashers (or dashing enemies from across the screen). ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- -Forward Dark Thunder- (Blackheart exclaims "Dark Thunder!" and brings his hands up to shoot lightning forward across the screen) Basically the same as above, except slides and other low moves can avoid it; alternately, it can work better on airborne opponents. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- -Upward Dark Thunder- (Blackheart exclaims "Dark Thunder!" and brings his hands up to shoot lightning upward at an angle) Because the lightning is pretty wide this is a pretty decent way to keep the opponent away from jumping in. Refrain from using it if the enemy is anywhere within range on the ground, as the recovery is horrible. If air blocked, you're pretty safe in most cases. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- -Close Lightning Inferno- (Blackheart brings his hands up and sends a sphere towards the ground; when it connects, a huge geyser of lightning blasts up from the ground close to him) This produces a geyser only a few steps away from Blackheart, so it is pretty good for halting deep jumping opponents; if it connects, OTG with another Inferno (or Heart of Darkness) for a quick combo. If the enemy blocks they can dash forward and combo, so be watchful. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- -Mid-Screen Lightning Inferno- (Blackheart brings his hands up and sends a sphere towards the ground; when it connects, a huge geyser of lightning blasts up from the ground around 1/2 screen away) Good for keeping opponents pinned and forcing them to jump, falling prey to your Fierce Dark Thunder. If they block it from that distance you're pretty safe most of the time. If it connects follow with another Inferno of your choice or Heart of Darkness OTG. NOTE: if you pull this off when your foe gets closer than its max range (i.e. if they're closer than 1/2 screen), the Inferno will try to track the enemy, although they can usually avoid it. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- -Far Lightning Inferno- (Blackheart brings his hands up and sends a sphere towards the ground; when it connects, a huge geyser of lightning blasts up from the ground around a full screen away) Keep the opponent pinned with this, mixing in the Fierce/Stron Dark Thunder to keep them on the ground and move in for the kill. Like the Mid version this will attempt to track if the opponent is closer than full screen. If this connects follow with another one, or Heart of Darkness, for an OTG combo. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- -Ice Inferno- (Blackheart brings his hands up and sends a sphere towards the ground; when it connects, a huge geyser of ice and cold air shoots up from the ground around a 1/2 screen away) This one only comes up in the middle, but will attempt to track as I explained above. Despite its wording, this will NOT freeze the opponent for a combo, although you can follow it with another Inferno or Heart of Darkness OTG as usual. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- -Fire Inferno- (Blackheart brings his hands up and sends a sphere towards the ground; when it connects, a huge geyser of fire shoots up from the ground around a full screen away) This will track the opponent if they get closer than full screen. If it connects follow with another, or Heart of Darkness... Like the Fierce Lightning Inferno, use it to pin them across the screen, mixed with the Strong/Fierce Dark Lightning. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- -Soul Absorb- (Blackheart grabs the opponent in one hand, and calls forth small ghosts/souls to enter their body; he then tosses them away) Up close this is a good option, mixed in with Jabs and Shorts. You can OTG after it in the corner... ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- -Energy Surge- (Blackheart grabs the opponent and shocks them with energy, then throws them away) Pretty much the same as the Soul Absorb... ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- -Air Energy Surge- (Blackheart grabs the opponent in mid-air and shocks them with energy, then throws them away) Basically the same as the standing version, use whenever you meet the enemy up close in the air, especially during an Air Dash. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- -Best Gem; Reality- (Blackheart turns invisible) Blackheart is TOTALLY invisible, though it doesn't last long. Once invisible, try to mix up your movements and not give away your position. Dash forward and back a lot (and air dash) to keep you difficult to hit and avoid attempts to find you. One cool thing to do is pull off an Armageddon IC when they least expect it. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- -Forward Dash; Forward Ground Warp- (Blackheart "seeps" into the ground and re-appears a few steps forward) FORGET about dashing combos or getting in fast, because this is THE slowest dash in the game! However, the main thing about it is that he is TOTALLY invulnerable during the dash, so use it to avoid slow-moving attacks and come up with a appropriate counter. Mix in with the backward dash and air dash to confuse the enemy. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- -Backward Dash; Backward Ground Warp- (Blackheart "seeps" into the ground and re-appears a few steps backward) Same deal as the forward dash; use this one to avoid most projectiles or if you anticipate a jump in. Come up with a Special Move to counter if they missed you. Mix up with his other dashes for confusion. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- -Air Dash- (Blackheart floats forward quickly) MUCH faster than his ground dash, this is important to his offense. Fly over to the opponent and attack with Strongs and Forwards, and mix it up with the ground dashes; also be ready to throw out a Fierce during the Air Dash if the enemy leaves and opening. The Air Dash can also get you over a lot of ground- based attacks, especially many ICs. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- -Infinity Counter; Dark Thunder- (Blackheart blocks the enemy's attack and counters with a Dark Thunder) Useful mainly on jump-ins... Works well against dash-in blocked attacks too, and a lot of other long-ranged attacks. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- -Infinity Combo; Armageddon- (Blackheart holds his hands to the sky and glowing red rocks rain down on the whole screen) Despite its looks, it's not all it's cracked up to be. The damage is great but it is slow and easy to block. One advantage is that Blackheart recovers before the opponent does, wether they block or not (i.e. there is still rocks falling when Blackheart is free to move), so if they do block you can defend against their possible counter. This is IMO best used only on airborne foes, and it can be used in a few combos, but you've gotta be up close first. It is best used either on airborne opponents or after the enemy misses any slow recovering move. It is a VERY safe IC, and the opponent can only counter it right up close. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- -Infinity Combo; Heart Of Darkness- (Blackheart brings his hands up and sends a sphere towards the ground; when it connects, a huge geyser of energy shoots up from the ground under the opponent, followed by MANY little winged demons; Blackheart crosses his arms and begins to float upwards beside the geyser as the demons proceed to naw away at his opponent; he then finishes by landing and bringing up a huge Inferno) MANY hits from this, and you can get 30+ combos with this for great damage. You should basically treat this as a one of his Infernos, as it has about the same speed, and will track the enemy to a certain extent. If it connects, follow with one last Inferno OTG as they begin to fall. NOTE: it is actually possible to Air Dash and follow this up, since Bheart falls free as the enemy is finishingtheir reeling animation--with proper timing, you can land underneath them and combo them further! See combos. COMBOS: ******* -Safe Air Magic Series: Jab -> Short -> Strong -> Forward (note: his Fierce and Roundhouse cannot be used in Air Combos; his Forward is the finisher, as it does the FS) -Safe Ground Combo: none -Ground Magic Series: Kick to Punch -Jumping Magic Series: Kick to Punch (2 hits max) -Launchers: S.Strong -Air Launchers: none -Straight Launchers: none -Small Launchers: none *BASIC COMBOS* 1. J.Forward, C.Short -> C.Strong 2. S.Roundhouse/S.Fierce/C.Roundhouse/C.Fierce, Inferno 3. Inferno, Inferno (OTG) 4. Inferno, Heart of Darkness (OTG) 5. Heart of Darkness, Inferno (OTG) 6. S.Strong XX Armageddon *INTERMEDIATE COMBOS* 7. Inferno (close), S.Strong -> SJ.Jab -> SJ.Short -> SJ.Strong -> SJ.Forward (FS) 8. J.Strong -> J.Forward, C.Forward -> S.Strong -> SJ.Jab -> SJ.Short -> SJ.Forward (FS) 9. S.Forward -> S.Strong -> SJ.Jab -> SJ.Short -> SJ.Strong -> SJ.Forward (FS) 10. S.Roundhouse/S.Fierce/C.Roundhouse/C.Fierce, Strong Dark Thunder 11. S.Roundhouse (close), S.Forward -> S.Strong -> SJ.Jab -> SJ.Short -> SJ.Strong -> SJ.Forward (FS) 12. (corner) Strong/Fierce Throw, C.Short (OTG) -> S.Strong -> SJ.Jab -> SJ.Short -> SJ.Strong -> SJ.Forward (FS) 13. (corner) Strong/Fierce Throw, C.Short (OTG) -> S.Strong XX Armaggedon 14. any Inferno (close), C.Short (OTG) -> S.Strong -> SJ.Jab -> SJ.Short -> SJ.Strong -> SJ.Forward (FS) 15. any Inferno (close), C.Short (OTG) -> S.Strong XX Armaggedon 16. Heart of Darkness, Air Dash, S.Forward -> S.Strong -> SJ.Jab -> SJ.Short -> SJ.Strong -> SJ.Forward (FS) 17. (corner) S.Strong -> SJ.Jab -> SJ.Short -> SJ.Strong -> SJ.Forward (FS), J.Forward (OTG) -> S.Roundhouse 18. (corner) Heart of Darkness, Air Dash, S.Forward -> S.Strong -> SJ.Jab -> SJ.Short -> SJ.Strong -> SJ.Forward (FS), J.Forward (OTG) -> S.Forward -> S.Strong 19. (close) Inferno, S.Strong XX Armaggedon, S.Strong -> SJ.Jab -> SJ.Short -> SJ.Strong -> SJ.Forward (FS) NOTE: I STILL HAVE A FAIRLY LIMITED KNOWLEDGE OF BLACKHEART. ADDITIONS ARE DEFINETELY WELCOMED! COMBO OVERVIEW: *************** GROUND COMBOS: Pretty much non-existant. If you manage to hit the enemy up close, most likely with a Standing or C.Forward, you should chain into a S.Strong for an Air Combo. He has a limited Kick-Punch Ground MS, and no Special Moves fast enough to finish a Ground Combo. The only type of "Ground" combo he possesses would be off of his Fierce/Roundhouse Demons, or Infernos. AIR COMBOS: His SJ.Forward is the finisher, but the full Jab -> Short -> Strong -> Forward 4-hit does decent damage. When up close, the S.Forward -> S.Strong is the only real combo option Blackheart has, so use it. And of course, the S.Forward as an air counter can be chained into the S.Strong for the same combo... If you connect with the Air Combo in or near the corner, be sure to attempt the OTG as you fall with J.Forward... because the SJ.Forward initiates the FS, remember that you cannot continue into another Air combo (it would be an infinite of course... :) THROW COMBOS: Fairly limited, you can hit the enemy OTG with C.Short or C.Jab in the corner after either Throw and often chain into a further combo. An Inferno or Heart of Darkness will not OTG as far as I know, as it has too slow a start-up. OTG COMBOS: Off of an Inferno or Heart of Darkness, Blackheart can follow with another Heart of Darkness or Inferno with fast timing. If you manage to get close enough, you can also OTG with a C.Short and combo. NOTE: AGAIN, I STILL HAVE A FAIRLY LIMITED KNOWLEDGE OF BLACKHEART. ADDITIONS ARE WELCOMED! TACTICS: ******** Offensive: Although I still don't play him that much, I have more respect for Blackheart as an expert character now. Playing keep-away and defensive works, but you can also go offensive if you do it carefully. Keep defensive opponents pinned with Infernos, and utilize his Air Dash to get in close; when the enemy blocks as you come in, peck safely with J.Forward, then land. From this close range make use of your S.Jab/S.Short in hopes of a Throw, and S.Forward to possibly open up for a combo. Not much more to say here, you should make a healthy mix of offense and defense with Blackheart. Dashing Jump: None, AFAIK. He has his Air Dash though, so he doesn't really need it IMO. Defensive: S.Forward is really all you need as an air counter, or a counter to higher moves. Dashing opponents can be deterred with C.Forward; chain into S.Strong and combo. Also note that, with all the Dark Thunders, Blackheart's hands will hit as well, giving it a wider radius about his body... Use the Armaggedon when the enemy jumps if you have it, and mix up the Infernos from a distance along with your forward and backward dashes to confuse them. Additions? In the air: J.Forward and J.Strong are your best all-around attacks, and pretty much all you have. J.Short can be useful on blocking opponents for a possible tick, or to pester persistant crouchers. J.Jab has great priority as well... BEST JUMP-IN CHAIN: J.Forward -> J.Strong is really your only option, and works quite well. BLACKHEART'S ENDING: ******************** (NOT word for word...) Mephisto congradulates his son on his victory, then demands that Blackheart hand over the Gems. Blackheart refuses his pops, and takes the Gems to rule in place of his father (now that's respect for your elders. :) ############################################################################# Secret Character; DR. DOOM: --------------------------- Beginning Pose: Doom appears and exclaims "Now you face your Doom" Winning Pose 1: Many mirror images of Doom appear around the fallen enemy and Doom laughs menacingly Winning Pose 2: A Throne and servants appear to attend Doom, as he exclaims "Another victory." Taunt: Doom crosses his arms and laughs menacingly Original Color: Dark green cape 2nd Color: lighter green cape Background: appears to be the same as Magneto's, on Asteroid M ? TO PLAY AS DOOM: **************** Playstation and Saturn: First beat the game with any character, then save it to memory. With Short Cut Select OFF, go the character select screen. Tap down, down and hold it, and while holding press Short, then while still holding Short press Forward, then while holding both press Roundhouse. You must start this code on Spider-Man (so that the second downward tap lands you on Cap). If done correctly, Cap's image will be replaced with Doom's, behind the turbo selection. Thanks to wilhix@chanzero.com for the code! NOTE: From here on, if you save it to memory, Doom will always be selectable in the Shortcut mode, but if you want to play with Shortcut off, you'll have to imput the code again. STORY: ****** A native from his kingdom of Latveria, Dr. Doom is a technological genius who is not satisfied with his iron rule over his home country and seeks to dominate the world. Doom seeks to gain control of the Infinity Gems to accomplish not only this goal, but the goal of conquering the whole universe! CHARACTER OVERVIEW: ******************* IMO, Doom is not really that "cheesy", just really powerful :). He has enough weaknesses, in the recovery of his Special Moves, to make him vulnerable. He also has no Throw combos, which IMO weakens him, at least a little. All of his weaknesses are compensated with the extremely powerful and effective Photon Array; this IC is not only one of the most damaging moves in the game, but it is also a multi-purpose defensive attack AND can be used in combos! If use properly Doom is one of the strongest fighters in the game--Iron Man players may find a similarity in play here... MOVES LIST: *********** -Gauntlet Blast: QCT+any Punch (can be done in mid-air) -Photon Shock: HCB+any Punch (can be done in mid-air) -Molecular Shield: HCB+any Kick -Flight: QCB+all three Kicks (repeat to land) -Upward Energy Flash: F or B+Strong (close) -Ground Slam: F or B+Fierce (close) -Air Throw; Energy Flash: F or B+Strong (close in mid-air) -Air Throw; Air Drop: F or B+Fierce (close in mid-air) -Best Gem: none -Forward Dash; Forward Jets: F, F or all three punches -Backward Dash; Backward Jets: B,B or B+all three punches -Infinity Counter; Gauntlet Blast: B, D/B, D+any punch -Infinity Combo; Photon Array: HCT+all three punches (can be done in mid-air) REGULAR MOVES ANALYSIS: *********************** S.Jab and S.Short or are both useful up close as ticks/pestering moves. S.Forward is double hit snap kick, and will launch with both hits; this should be you're most used combo finisher. S.Strong is a good air counter with high priority, and seems to launch, but really weird. Note that, other than as an air counter, the S.Strong is very dangerous to use, as it seems to hit so high that it will often miss some standing opponents; it also has almost no horizontal range. Also try and refrain from using it in a MS combo. C.Fierce is another launcher, which has good priority up close, even against dashing opponents. It does however have a short start-up and recovery, making it difficult to use offensively or in combos. Must time the SJ after unless in the corner. C.Roundhouse is his knockdown move; fairly fast coming out, but slow in recovery, if blocked. If it hits, you CAN OTG after. J.Roundhouse is a Dive Kick which bounces Doom off when blocked, making it a safe jump-in attack, for the most part. Faster counters like dashes and ICs will connect; See tactics for more info. J.Strong seems to be your best jump-in. J.Fierce is his pop gun, useful on airborne opponents from a distance for good damage. This CANNOT be done on Air Combos, at least not consistantly. SPECIAL MOVES ANALYSIS: *********************** -Gauntlet Blast- (Doom charges his gauntlets briefly, then releases a thick beam of energy across the screen) The Gauntlet Blast is akin to Iron Man's UniBeam; it does good damage and reaches across the screen, and is also wide enough to hit jumpers in most cases. However, it has a short delay on startup so they can see it coming, and recovery similiar to the UniBeam, meaning if blocked you will be hit. The air version fires downward, and is useful during flight or a Super Jump when the enemy is attempting a ground attack, or when they try to jump up and meet you. AFAIK this cannot be used in ground combos because of the start-up. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- -Photon Shock- (Doom crosses his arms around his midsection and releases multiple bolts of energy in every direction) This is a very powerful attack that entirely covers Doom, making an excellent air counter (if air blocked you're usually safe), and having priority over dashing moves; if blocked close, he can be countered. It is however usable in Air Combos, and IMO is your best Air Combos finisher. It also provides an excellent defense when jumping or in flight against just about anything. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- -Molecular Shield- (Doom raises his arms and draws a spinning shield of rock bits around his body; after circling a few times they are released to fly forward) Once it has fully encircled Doom, he is pretty much invulnerable, except to some ICs. This can be used as a defense for just about anything, and will also hit OTG for many hits. Huge damage, and great block damage too, but if blocked, especially close, Doom can be hit in recovery. NOTE: if the opponent is hit with the rocks as they fly forward and Doom is free to move, you can hit the enemy for a combo as the rocks connect! See combos. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- -Flight- (Doom flies :) IMO more useful than Shellhead's or Magneto's, because of Doom's mid-air arsenal. He has the Gauntlet Blast for grounded opponents, and the Photon Shock/Array for defense and combos. This activates about as fast as Iron Man's Flight. See defense for more info. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- -Upward Energy Flash- (Doom grabs the enemym, holds them up, and sends them flying with a burst of energy) A good Throw to put distance between you and your opponent. Cannot be followed with an OTG combo :(. Same deal in mid-air. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- -Ground Slam- (Doom picks the enemy up and slams them one-handed directly to the ground) Useful if you want to keep your enemy close to you after Throwing. Same for the the air version. Also cannot be followed with an OTG combo :(. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- -Forward Dash; Forward Jets- (Doom activates his back jets and flies forward) Goes quite fast with a short start-up, useful for countering and dash-in combos. He also goes airborne slightly, so it may do well to avoid low attacks. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- -Backward Dash; Backward Jets- (Doom activates his forward jets and slides backwards) Also quite fast, useful against dashing opponents or to avoid jump-ins. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- -Infinity Counter; Gauntlet Blast- (Doom blocks an attack and counters with his Gauntlet Blast) Useful in many places, be it up close, or to counter attacks from a distance, especially projectiles. Try not to use it on jump-ins unless they're quite deep. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- -Infinity Combo; Photon Array- (Doom crosses his arms around his midsection and releases MANY bolts of energy in every direction) One of the most devastating moves in the game, it does HUGE damage and covers every angle. This makes it an awesome defense against pretty much anything. In addition, it can be used in Air Combos or OTG combos! If blocked, Doom is left WIDE open. COMBOS: ******* -Safe Air Magic Series: Jab -> Short -> Forward -> Photon Shock -Safe Ground Combo: D.S.Jab -> S.Short -> S.Forward -> Air Combo If the enemy blocks... D.S.Jab -> S.Short -> S.Forward (1st hit) -> S.Roundhouse -Ground Magic Series: Zig-Zag -Jumping Magic Series: Zig-Zag (3 hits average) -Launchers: S.Forward (both hits), C.Fierce -Air Launchers: none -Straight Launchers: S.Fierce -Small Launchers: none *BASIC COMBOS* 1. S.Short -> S.Forward (1st hit) -> S.Fierce 2. C.Short -> S.Forward (1st hit) -> S.Fierce XX Fierce Photon Shock 3. C.Short -> S.Forward (1st hit) -> S.Fierce XX Photon Array 4. C.Short -> C.Forward -> C.Roundhouse *INTERMEDIATE COMBOS* 5. S.Short -> S.Forward -> SJ.Jab -> SJ.Short -> SJ.Forward -> SJ.Roundhouse 6. S.Forward -> SJ.Jab -> SJ.Short -> SJ.Forward X Fierce Gauntlet Blast 7. S.Forward -> SJ.Jab -> SJ.Short -> SJ.Forward XX Fierce Photon Shock 8. S.Forward -> SJ.Jab -> SJ.Short -> SJ.Forward XX Photon Array 9. J.Jab -> J.Forward, D.C.Short -> C.Forward -> C.Roundhouse 10. D.S.Jab -> S.Short -> C.Roundhouse XX Photon Array (OTG) 11. D.C.Jab -> C.Short -> C.Strong -> C.Roundhouse, C.Short (OTG) -> S.Forward -> SJ.Jab -> SJ.Short -> SJ.Forward XX Photon Shock 12. J.Jab -> J.Short -> J.Strong, D.C.Short -> C.Roundhouse, C.Short (OTG) -> C.Forward -> S.Fierce 13. Photon Array (close), C.Short (OTG) -> S.Forward -> SJ.Jab -> SJ.Short -> SJ.Forward XX Photon Shock 14. Photon Array (close), C.Short (OTG) -> S.Forward -> SJ.Jab -> SJ.Short -> SJ.Forward XX Photon Array 15. C.Fierce or S.Forward (as air counter) -> SJ.Jab -> SJ.Short -> SJ.Forward XX Photon Shock or Photon Array 16. D.S.Jab -> S.Short -> S.Forward -> SJ.Jab -> SJ.Short -> SJ.Forward, Strong Air Throw 17. (from full screen) Molecular Shield, Photon Array 18. Molecular Shield (2nd half only), J.Jab -> J.Short -> J.Strong -> J.Forward XX Photon Shock 19. Molecular Shield (2nd half only), Fierce Gauntlet Blast 20. Molecular Shield (2nd half only), D.S.Forward -> SJ.Jab -> SJ.Short -> SJ.Forward XX Photon Shock 21. Molecular Shield (2nd half only), Photon Array 22. D.C.Short -> C.Strong -> C.Roundhouse XX Molecular Shield (OTG) *ADVANCED COMBOS* 23. Doctor Doom's Marvelous Combo: J.Jab -> J.Short, S.Forward -> SJ Jab -> SJ Short -> SJ Strong XX Photon Array (Fall with opponent) C.Short (OTG) -> S.Forward -> S.Fierce XX Photon Array 24. Doom's SECOND Marvelous Combo: :) J.Strong -> J.Forward, S.Forward -> SJ.Jab, SJ.Short, SJ.Strong XX Photon Array, SJ.Strong XX Photon Array, SJ.Strong, SJ.Forward, S.Forward -> SJ. Jab, SJ.Short, SJ.Strong XX Photon Array, J.Strong XX Photon Array Comments (#22): Thanks to David Litchman [davel@discovernet.net] for this combo! There are a couple of things to discuss with this. It is possible to hit the enemy with the Molecular Shield OTG or as a juggle, if you cancel fast enough. If you are slower and end up going for an OTG, the enemy can of course Safety Roll. HOWEVER, oftentimes, because of the Shield's all-around range, the enemy can be caught as they recover from the Roll, and even if they block, from this position it can be difficult to hit Doom. To catch them early, it is best done in the corner. Comments (#23): Thanks to elittles@oboe.aix.calpoly.eduto for this awesome combo! Here's his explanation: "This combo is pretty straightforward but there are some grey areas that need further explaination. You want to do this one in the corner for the best results. First jump in with a quick jab and then a short. Right after the jumping short Dr.Doom should be on the ground. From here you use Doom's S.Forward to begin the launcher. Now you are in the air and you begin the air magic series as usual. SJ Jab then SJ Short then SJ Strong. You want to use the SJ Strong in this combo, not the Forward; the forward will connect but will give you the wrong results. Once you connect with the SJ.Strong quickly cancel it into a Photon Array. If you have timed it right you will be RIGHT next to your opponent after the SJ.Strong and in perfect position for the Photon Array. You will know that you've done this part right because your opponent gets pummeled by basically the entire Photon Array and you are going down with with opponent at almost the exact same rate. Now this is by far the hardest part of the combo to time and as far as I know it WILL NOT WORK if you are not in the corner deep by this point in time. Perform a crouching short then quickly do a standing forward cancelling it into a standing fierce and then quickly cancelling it into a Photon Array (or a Photon Shock). As I said before the Crouching short is the hardest part of the combo and it is even harder against smaller people. To begin, start out on a big opponent such as Juggernaut, Hulk, or Thanos." Comments (#23): Thanks to BC2415@aol.com for this amazing combo similiar to #18! "O.K. This combo may seem complex but its pretty easy. First charge up four meters of super energy then start the combo. Do the basic jump-in and do your launcher and start an air combo. After the SJ.Strong, cancel into the Photon Array, then follow the victim down and do another SJ.Strong and cancel into another Photon Array. By this time you both should be pretty close to the ground. Your opponent will hit the ground and be OTG by the Photon Array. While this is occuring do a SJ.Strong then SJ.Forward (Mind you this is all in the same original super jump), this will juggle them. Then do a S.Forward to re-launch your victim. Do the basic air combo pattern and cancel a Photon Array after the SJ.Strong. Again follow your opponent down and do another SJ.Strong cancelled into a Photon Array. After this your opponent will know what "Doom" is all about!!" COMBO OVERVIEW: *************** GROUND COMBOS: a simple dashing MS finishing with the S.Fierce does respectable damage, and you can cancel it into a Photon Shock/Array and usually catch them with it. The best ground combo option Doom has, however, is definetely OTG after the C.Roundhouse, which recovers fast enough to carry into a C.Short OTG and combo. AIR COMBOS: Good damage; neither the SJ.Fierce or SJ.Roundouse work as Finishers, however the Photon Shock/Array does a fine job at this. S.Forward launches easily, but not too high, so SJ fast. C.Fierce launches at a very slight angle, but not too difficult to follow. THROW COMBOS: unfortunately non-existant; none of Doom's ground or Air Throws can be followed up. IMO this was done to compensate for the devastating Photon Array :). OTG COMBOS: Doom can OTG after the Photon Array or C.Roundhouse, but it must be done VERY fast. TACTICS: ******** Offensive: None of his Special Moves work very well on offense because of their recovery. When up close, the C.Strong has great priority, and when it connects you can chain into a S.Forward and Air Combo, or C.Roundhouse and OTG. The S.Forward by itself also has decent priority, so utilize it as well. Doom's Jabs and Shorts work well as ticks; his Throws have no combo possibilities, but they still do good damage. You can also utilize jumping and his Flight offensively, Air Dashing with quick mid-air attacks (Strong), and J.Roundhouse; when it is blocked, you will bounce to safety, and against opponents who can counter it, perform the Gauntlet Blast, Photon Shock or Photon Array during the bounce off. If the J.Roundhouse hits, quickly perform one of those attacks too. Dashing Jump: Great range and height here, useful for getting in close from a distance. Defensive: Doom does quite good on defense as well. The Photon Shock or Photon Array are almost perfect defenses, provided you use them with VERY fast reflexes, so you can interrupt their attacks, not giving them a chance to block it. S.Fierce is also useful as a counter to dashing opponents, and both S.Strong and C.Fierce do fairly well as air counters. Also remember to try the Molecular Shield on defense, be it on jump-ins or dash-ins (just remember to do it early so they cannot snuff it!) S.Roundhouse will also do well against persistant low attacks, especially slower slides (eg. Wolverine's D/F+Fierce). Also remember that, against airborne opponents, the C.Fierce or S.Forward will not only defend well, but also launch for an Air Combo; use frequently in this case. In addition to this, remember that it is VERY difficult to hit a Flying Doom, using the Photon Shock/Array as general defense, the Gauntlet Blast against grounded opponents, and the Pop Gun against other airborne opponents from a distance. In the air: Well, the Pop Gun deals well with enemies from a distance; the J.Roundhouse is great offensively on standing opponents (see offense). J.Strong is your best jump-in... BEST JUMP-IN CHAIN: Lots of choices here. J.Jab -> J.Short -> J.Strong is my favorite, but you can mix them up. DR. DOOM'S ENDING: ****************** Shows Doom standing over a fallen Thanos, saying the Titan is not worthy to weild the power. Then it shows his visage hovering over the earth, saying how he'll rule the world and the cosmos... ############################################################################# Secret Character; THANOS: ------------------------- Beginning Pose: Thanos raises his hand and exclaims "Pray!" Winning Pose 1: Thanos raises his hand and exclaims "Thanos Reigns!" Winning Pose 2: Nebula appears and clings to her master's side, as he raises his hand and exclaims "Destiny Awaits" Taunt: Thanos raises his hand and exclaims "Thanos Reigns!" Regular Color: Light Orange and Purple 2nd Color: Orange and Purple Background: The palace/fortress Thanos created for himself. Mephisto is sitting on the steps playing with a human skull :), and Lady Death is standing silently watching the fight. The pretrefied forms of Thor, the Scarlet Witch, Nove and She-Hulk are present as well. TO PLAY AS THANOS: ****************** Playstation and Saturn: First beat the game with any character, then save it to memory. With Short Cut Select OFF, go the character select screen. Tap up, up and hold it, and while holding press Fierce, then while still holding Fierce press Strong, then while holding both press Jab. You must start this code on Cap (so that the second upward tap lands you on Spidey). If done correctly, Spider-Man's image will be replaced with Thanos', behind the turbo selection. NOTE: From here on, if you save it to memory, Thanos will always be selectable in the Shortcut mode, but if you want to play with Shortcut off, you'll have to imput the code again. STORY: ****** A member of a powerful race known as the Titans, Thanos has been a tough opponent for the greatest Super Heroes, such as Adam Warlock and Iron Man. He is obsessed with impressing Lady Death, and wishes to court her. To do this, he steals the Infinity Gems and sets out to destroy all who oppose him. CHARACTER OVERVIEW: ******************* Thanos is considered by most to be far too cheesy, or powerful anyways. I would tend to agree, but playing him is sickengingly fun, especially with his huge, damaging combos. To say that you'll never be beaten would be going too far, but Thanos' ability to utilize 6 different ICs, AS WELL as using the Gems normally like everyone else, along with devastating combos in all forms and a move similar in properties to Hulk's Gamma Charge (the Spear Slide) make him a VERY difficult opponent when used right. If you're looking to beat him, better hope a scrub is playing as him. :) MOVES LIST: *********** -Bubble Shot: QCT+any Kick -Spear Slide: HCT+any Punch (can be done in mid-air) -Power Knee: D+Forward (in mid-air) -Rock Slab: F or B+Fierce (close) -Soul Drop: F or B+Strong (close) -Air Throw; Air Drop: F or B+Strong or Fierce (close in mid-air) -Forward Dash; Run: F, F or all three punches -Backward Dash; Hop: B,B or B+all three punches -Best Gem: none -Infinity Counter; Spear Slide: B, D/B, D+any punch -Infinity Combo 1; Reality Gem: B,D,D/B+Jab -Infinity Combo 2; Space Gem: B,D,D/B+Strong -Infinity Combo 3; Power Gem: B,D,D/B+Fierce -Infinity Combo 4; Time Gem: B,D,D/B+Short -Infinity Combo 5; Soul Gem: B,D,D/B+Forward -Infinity Combo 6; Mind Gem: B,D,D/B+Roundhouse REGULAR MOVES ANALYSIS: *********************** S.Jab is your basic quick punch, somewhat useful as a tick. His C.Jab is a very quick double-fisted uppercut, useful for starting combos, however because the upper is so low and small, it will not work too well as an air counter. S.Short is a quick knee, useful as a tick and has high priority up close, for starting combos. C.Short is a fast low kick, his primary OTG starter. S.Strong is a quick double-hit punch, useful in combos. C.Strong is Thanos' only launcher, somewhat useful as an air counter, and comes out fast; useful up close to snuff high attacks. S.Fierce releases a spherical energy burst in front of him, doing GREAT damage and it is also a Straight Launcher. Recovery is not all that good; useful for countering missed moves from a distance, however a dash-in combo or IC is obviously better. Use mainly to finish quick combos. His C.Fierce is the Stone Wave, a decent keep-away move at a distance, and does big damage, the closer it is, the more hits you get. Be careful up close however, as you can be countered if blocked. S.Forward is the same as S.Short, a fast knee, only more damaging and slightly slower. C.Forward is Thanos' only knockdown, and recovers fast enough to OTG after fully. S.Roundhouse is a 2-hit Rock Throw, doing good damage up close with both hits. It cannot be used conventionally as a projectile because of the lag on the first hit. Like the C.Fierce its recovery is very bad if blocked within countering range. The C.Roundhouse is the Fire Stomp; This racks up the hits and does decent damage up close, but again it has slow recovery if blocked within counter range. Useful as an OTG attack, but Thanos is quite vulnerable against jump-ins here. J.Fierce is a horizontal bolt a short distance in front of him (it is difficult to use in air combos; see combos)-- useful in air-to-air combat. J.Roundhouse is your best jump-in. SPECIAL MOVES ANALYSIS: *********************** -Bubble Shot- (Thanos winds up, then tosses a small bubble at the enemy; if it connects the bubble will grow to encircle the prone opponent for a moment) If this connects the enemy will stun for a considerable time, allowing a Spear Slide to connect, or dash-in combo. To make it somewhat fair, no IC is possible while the enemy is stunned. This projectile has considerable start-up and recovery, so be careful where you use it. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- -Spear Slide- (Thanos slides forward quickly, a small spear of energy at his head) This will be familiar to Hulk players, as it has similar properties to the Gamma Charge, without the charge time. It does the damage of the double Gamma Charge; it comes out almost as fast, making it ideal to counter just about any blocked attack; it can be OTGed after in certain special cases; and, it has tremendous recovery. The only difference is that this can be used in the air, to counter missed air attacks or to finish air combos. Use carefully. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- -Power Knee- (Thanos dives downward with a knee) This comes out fast, bouncing away if blocked. A good counter to jumped projectiles, and if you have the right angle, you can continue into a combo... ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- -Rock Slab- (Thanos grabs the opponent, then pulls up a slab of rock from the ground, smacking them away) A damaging Throw, you can follow it with an OTG combo ANYWHERE. Definetely should be used often. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- -Soul Drop- (Thanos grabs the enemy with a crackle of mental energy, then slams them down) Not as useful as his other Throw, as it cannot be followed up except VERY fast in the corner. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- -Air Drop- (Thanos grabs an airborne opponent and slams them to the ground) IIRC it cannot be followed up either. Use if you want. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- -Forward Dash; Run- (Thanos jogs forward quickly) A fairly fast dash, it will flow into a combo easily and can be cancelled into a backward dash easily too. Dash in for a big combo whenever you see the chance. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- -Backward Dash; Hop- (Thanos hops backward quickly) Decent for avoiding jump-ins or dashing opponents. Nothing else to comment on here. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- -Infinity Counter; Spear Slide- (Thanos blocks an attack and counters quickly with the Spear Slide) Useful on projectiles from about half screen or closer, or any other ground attack. Don't use it on jump-ins unless very deep. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- -Infinity Combo 1; Reality Gem- (Thanos calls two huge slabs of rock on either side of the opponent, then they slide together, crushing his foe) Will hit OTG, but I do not recommend this, as the recovery will go up considerably. Alternately, you can also juggle or OTG AFTER this IC; dash in as the enemy flies up after being crushed, then OTG. This IC is most useful from mid-range to full distance, to counter slower projectiles or missed attacks; if blocked up close you can usually be countered. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- -Infinity Combo 2; Space Gem- (Thanos releases a big rock shower from a portal, first above and just in front of him, then over the enemy's head) If you're fast, you can hit him when the first half misses, with big moves like Iron Man's Proton Cannon. I do not recommend using it from a distance, or it will be easily defended against. However up close, the first part will connect, then the second will hit OTG. Decent as an air counter to deep jumping opponents. NOTE: If the first part of this IC is air-blocked, it is impossible (or just difficult?) to continue to block the second. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- -Infinity Combo 3; Power Gem- (Thanos tosses a big orange ball, which rolls along the ground) Use to counter pretty much anything from about mid-range, after which it can be blocked in time usually, or you should dash in for a more damaging combo. This does HUGE damage, and IIRC will also hit OTG. If blocked up close the recovery is quite slow, so be careful. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- -Infinity Combo 4; Time Gem- (Thanos throws some form of energy pillar; if it connects, the enemy's speed is significantly decreased) Pretty straight-forward, IMO not a too useful way of using a level on your meter. May be useful on opponents who play too fast on offense for you to readily handle. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- -Infinity Combo 5; Soul Gem- (Thanos fires a bolt of mental energy from his head; if it connects, it will sap the enemy's energy away, then slam them to the ground) Takes away a hefty amount of life (and give it to you :), and can be OTGed after in the corner. If blocked, its recovery is HORRENDOUS, so only use it in obvious places. This will also work in combos, BTW :). ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- -Infinity Combo 6; Mind Gem- (The screen turns to a starscape and the opponent's controls are reversed) Useful only on human opponents, but can be highly confusing. Go for it if you want, it can really screw the enemy up :). COMBOS: ******* -Safe Air Magic Series: Jab -> Short -> Strong -> Forward -> Roundhouse -Safe Ground Combo: none -Ground Magic Series: Zig-Zag -Jumping Magic Series: Zig-Zag -Launchers: C.Strong -Air Launchers: none -Straight Launchers: S.Fierce -Small Launchers: none *BASIC COMBOS* 1. D.C.Short -> S.Strong (2 hits) XX Fierce Spear Slide 2. D.S.Jab -> S.Short -> S.Strong -> S.Fierce 3. D.S.Jab -> S.Short -> C.Fierce -> C.Roundhouse 4. J.Roundhouse, D.S.Jab -> S.Strong -> S.Fierce 5. Bubble Shot, Fierce Throw, D.C.Short -> S.Strong -> S.Fierce 6. Bubble Shot, D.S.Jab -> S.Short -> S.Strong XX Fierce Spear Slide *INTERMEDIATE COMBOS* 1. D.C.Jab -> C.Short -> C.Strong -> SJ.Jab -> SJ.Short -> SJ.Strong -> SJ.Forward XX Jab Spear Slide 2. J.Roundhouse, D.C.Jab -> C.Short -> C.Forward, C.Short (OTG) -> S.Forward XX Spear Slide 3. D.S.Jab -> S.Strong -> C.Forward, C.Short (OTG) -> C.Strong -> SJ.Jab -> SJ.Short -> SJ.Strong -> SJ.Fierce (FS) 4. J.Forward -> J.Roundhouse, D.S.Jab -> S.Strong -> C.Forward -> C.Roundhouse (OTG) 5. (corner) D.S.Jab -> S.Short -> S.Forward XX Space Gem IC 6. J.Fierce -> J.Roundhouse, D.S.Short -> S.Forward XX Soul Gem IC 7. (corner) D.S.Short -> S.Strong -> S.Forward XX Soul Gem IC, C.Short (OTG) -> C.Strong -> SJ.Jab -> SJ.Short -> SJ.Strong -> SJ.Fierce (FS) 8. D.C.Short -> C.Forward XX Reality Gem IC (OTG) 9. 2nd half of Space Gem IC, D.C.Short (OTG) -> S.Strong XX Fierce Spear Slide 10. Reality Gem IC, D.C.Short (OTG) -> C.Strong -> SJ.Jab -> SJ.Short -> SJ.Strong -> SJ.Forward -> Jab Spear Slide 11. Reality Gem IC, Power Gem IC 12. Reality Gem IC (close), J.Jab -> J.Short -> J.Strong -> J.Forward XX Jab Spear Slide 13. Reality Gem IC, Soul Gem IC (juggle--must time it!) 14. Fierce Throw, Reality Gem IC (OTG) 15. Fierce Throw, D.C.Short (OTG) -> C.Strong -> SJ.Jab -> SJ.Short -> SJ.Strong, Strong Air Throw 16. Fierce Throw, D.C.Short (OTG) -> S.Forward XX Soul Gem IC 17. Activate Time Gem, C.Roundhouse -> C.Roundhouse -> C.Roundhouse... 18. C.Roundhouse (2-3 hits from any distance) XX Bubble Shot, combo of your choice. 19. C.Roundhouse (2-3 hits from any distance) Reality Gem, D.C.Strong -> SJ.Jab -> SJ.Short -> SJ.Strong -> SJ.Fierce (FS) 20. (corner) Strong Throw, C.Short -> C.Strong -> SJ.Jab -> SJ.Short -> SJ.Strong -> SJ.Fierce (FS) 21. (corner) Strong Throw, C.Roundhouse *ADVANCED COMBOS* 22. J.Jab -> J.Short, C.Jab -> C.Strong -> SJ.Jab -> SJ.Short -> SJ.Strong -> SJ.Forward XX Jab Spear Slide, J.Short (OTG) -> C.Strong -> SJ.Jab -> SJ.Short -> SJ.Strong -> SJ.Forward, Jab Spear Slide 23. D.S.Jab -> S.Short -> C.Strong -> SJ.Jab -> SJ.Short -> SJ.Strong -> SJ.Forward XX Jab Spear Slide, J.Short (OTG) -> S.Forward XX Soul Gem IC 24. Spear Slide, D.C.Short (OTG) -> C.Strong -> SJ.Jab -> SJ.Short -> SJ.Strong -> SJ.Forward XX Jab Spear Slide 25. Reality Gem IC, D.C.Strong -> SJ.Jab -> SJ.Short -> SJ.Strong -> SJ.Forward XX Jab Spear Slide, J.Short (OTG) -> C.Strong -> SJ.Short -> SJ.Strong -> SJ.Forward -> SJ.Fierce (FS) 26. Reality Gem IC, D.C.Strong -> SJ.Jab -> SJ.Short -> SJ.Strong -> SJ.Forward XX Jab Spear Slide, J.Short (OTG) -> S.Forward XX Soul Gem IC 27. Reality Gem IC, D.C.Strong -> SJ.Jab -> SJ.Short -> SJ.Strong -> SJ.Forward XX Jab Spear Slide, J.Short (OTG) -> C.Strong -> SJ.Jab -> SJ.Short -> SJ.Strong -> SJ.Forward -> SJ.Roundhouse (FS) Comments (#17): yes, this is a SOMEWHAT infinite combo, at least until the Gem runs out... :) This will even dizzy in between, perhaps the only true dizzy combo in the game. After this dizzies, stop the C.Roundhouses and follow with your favorite combo. Comments (#22,#23): Thanks to BC2415@aol.com for these combos. The trick to this is to hit the fallen body of your opponent after the Spear Slide with a SJ.Short then re-launch and do the air combo again. Timing is crucial, similar to the J.Strong sfter the Chaos Dimension for Shuma Gorath. Comments (#24): see OTG overview below for more info. COMBO OVERVIEW: *************** GROUND COMBOS: Thanos does not have a Safe Ground Combo, so despite his high damage potential, you still have to be careful with your attacks. Doing a simple ground MS and finishing with S.Fierce or C.Fierce works well, but he can also do well with Air and OTG combos. Your choice. IMO it is definetely worth doing a ground combo if you have a level charged, so you can combo into a Soul Gem IC :). AIR COMBOS: His Air Combo is smooth until the last hit; the SJ.Fierce has very little range up or down, only forward. For this reason you will frequently be too high or too low for the SJ.Fierce to connect; against the large characters it will usually connect, so go for it in this case, however against smaller foes try and finish with the Spear Slide. Actually, you should be trying to finish with the Jab Spear Slide in any case, because of the J.Short OTG possibility--if they Safety Roll, you're still safe from counter, so always try for it. The SJ.Roundhouse will also work, but note that you must be slightly over your opponent for it to hit, since it hits downward. THROW COMBOS: The Rock Slab allows you to OTG in many places, so it should be your primary Throw; simply follow with the Reality IC, or D.C.Short and combo. OTG COMBOS: Heh. Many different places to use it here. After the second half of the Space Gem IC allows an OTG follow-up (provided it did not hit OTG in the first place)--ditto for the Reality Gem, though it is a BIG mistake to use the Reality Gem if the enemy can Safety Roll consistantly; you are left wide open for a counter. As well, you can also OTG after the Soul Gem IC in the corner... :) Other than that, the C.Forward recovers fast enough to OTG with an IC or the C.Short. To top it all off, he can OTG after a Jab Spear Slide in an air combo, provided you properly time the J.Short as you fall; this is a good move to use, as the recovery of the J.Short will leave you OK if the enemy Safety Rolls. It is also possible, in rare cases, to OTG after the ground-based Spear Slide; an OTG attack will usually connect in two major cases: a) if the Slide connects as an air counter, best with the Jab version (however, the Spear Slide should not be used in this fashion, as you can be hit by a high jumping attack), or b) if the Spear Slide connects from its maximum range. TACTICS: ******** Offense: S.Short is a great up close move, so use it along with your quick forward dash to get in close. Jumping in is fairly safe, you can use the Knee, or the J.Roundhouse, which has decent range, giving you time to react with an Air Block if you anticipate a counter. Nothing else much I can say. Dashing Jump: Again, good range and all-around useful for getting over to the opponent from a distance. You can even fake out early into a Power Knee if the enemy tries to move forward... Defense: Thanos works VERY well on defense, unfortunately making him a turtler. When you block an attack, you can counter with the lightning fast Spear Slide, or Power Gem IC on slower attacks. Of course, The Spear Slide will also snuff most attacks, or counter them if they miss (see Hulk's section :). The Reality Gem IC will frequently catch the opponent in the middle of just about any move, and the Space Gem IC also works well as an air counter to deep attacks. C.Strong is also a DECENT air counter, but lacks real vertical range, making it difficult to connect with; however, if it does you can of course follow with an Air Combo. In the air: J.Fierce is great in air-to-air combat, and of course if you can anticipate their attack, the Spear Slide usually takes it out. In the event that you jump a projectile from a distance, the Power Knee will frequently connect. BEST JUMP-IN CHAIN: If you hit fairly early with it, J.Fierce -> J.Roundhouse will work, however more hits are consistant with your basic Zig-Zag Jump-in. THANOS' ENDING: *************** Thanos contemplates what he should do now that he's omnipotent. You're given a choice for his path--to continue ruling the universe, or give up the gems. If you give up the gems, you see him working in the fields as a farmer, with his old Thanos costume hanging on a pole as a scarecrow! :) ############################################################################# Secret Character; ANITA: ------------------------ At the character select screen tap up, right, down, left, up, right, down, left, then hold up; then hold Jab, then hold Strong, and then hold Fierce. NOTE: From here on, if you save it to memory, Anita will always be selectable in the Shortcut mode, but if you want to play with Shortcut off, you'll have to imput the code again. --- NOTE: AS FAR AS EVERYBODY KNOWS, THIS CODE ONLY WORKS ON THE JAPANESE VERSION. IN ORDER TO PUT SOMETHING IN THIS SECTION, I HAVE TAKEN EXCERPTS FROM REINALDO'S ANITA FAQ, WITH HIS PERMISSION (HE IS BRAZILIAN AND DOES NOT HAVE PERFECT ENGLISH (THOUGH IT IS PRETTY GOOD), SO I CORRECTED ANY GRAMMATICAL/SPELLING ERRORS, AND EXCHANGED TERMINOLOGY TO MATCH THIS COMPENDIUM). SINCE I ONLY HAVE ACCESS TO THE NORTH AMERICAN VERSION, I OF COURSE CANNOT WRITE ANYTHING ON HER... DISCLAIMER: ALL OF THE INFORMATION AND OPINIONS IN THIS SECTION OF THE MSH COMPENDIUM ARE THOSE OF spidey@datacontrol.com.br AND NOT OF THE MAINTAINER, JOHN CULBERT. I JUST PROOF-READ IT, FOLKS. --- "- Sword Throw: Press Fierce+Roundhouse to put the sword on the ground. Press again to throw the sword (Just like Donovan's move). I don't know if it was just my impression, but I think that when the sword comes back (swinging in the air) you can jump around, avoiding to get it back. In this moment the sword HITS the enemy. Maybe this can make a good strategy... - Lightning Sword (B,D,D/B+any Punch): With this, Anita raises the sword with lightning around it. Can be done in the air and Anita MUST have the sword to do it. Note that the spirit that appeared behind Donovan doesn't appear here. In his place appears Mei Ling, Hsien Ko's sister (from Darkstalker's Revenge). Press Punch several times for more hits (+20!). (Again, just like Donovan's move). - Akuma's Burn (F,D,D/F+any Punch): Yes, I said Akuma! With this Anita raises the sword with fire around it, but Akuma appears behind her instead of the fire spirit. Cool, isn't it? Can be done in the air and Anita MUST have the sword to do it. This is also her ICO. (Again, just like... oh, you get the idea!) - Love For You (QCT+all Three Punches): Geez, what a stupid name... Anyway, this is her IC. Despite this dumb name the IC is AWESOME and REALLY ANNOYING at the same time! I get a maximum of 98 HITS (without a combo)! The damage is MONSTRUOUS and even the block damage is VERY HIGH! Cheese, anyone? :). Do you want some more? OK, it hits the enemy OTG! Imagine all the nasty combos you can do with that! Anita throws HUNDREDS of small heads of little girls (Doll's heads? Maybe it is, because the doll that she carries are headless!). VEEEERY STRANGE!!! Normal Moves: WATCH OUT!! She looks harmless but don't underestimate her!!! With the sword it's VERY HARD to get near her. The swords grants her almost 100% priority. Her C.Fierce keep happy jumpers away. The C.Roundhouse has a great range and can nullify a lot of other normal moves (even some specials!). And its hits takes DECENT energy. Her "Launcher" is the C.Fierce. BTW, Anita can perform a TRIPLE JUMP (like Psylocke) and avoid a lot of moves! However, it's hard to control. THROWS: Her throws are the same as Donovan (this is getting a little repetitive...). She levitates the opponent and smashes him/her on the ground. If you are one of those sadistic players, throw the opponent close to the corner and, if the opponent doesn't Safety Roll, release the IC....... He/she will call you a lot of bad names (expect things like son of a b**** and up), but who tells him/her that life is fair? ;) COMBOS: The combos are very easy (well, it seems)! I didn't get the pattern yet, but my friend's cousin (he doesn't know how to do combos) makes 5 hits JUST PRESSING THE BUTTONS! Her Ground MS is Zig-Zag, here are some example combos: 1) J.Jab -> J.Fierce, C.Roundhouse, C.Fierce (OTG) -> SJ.Jab -> SJ.Strong -> SJ.Fierce (FS) 1) D.S.Jab -> S.Strong -> S.Fierce Simple and safe. The Fierce will push you away from the opponent if he/she blocks. 2) D.S.Jab -> S.Strong XX Akuma's Burn A variation of #1, but you get one free hit. 3) D.S.Jab -> S.Short -> S.Strong -> S.Forward -> S.Fierce -> S.Roundhouse. Yes, all the six of her Magic Series. But the opponent must be in the corner in order to the S.Roundhouse connect. - Intermediate Combos: 1) J.Jab -> J.Short -> J.Strong -> J.Forward, C.Forward -> C.Fierce, SJ.Jab -> SJ.Short -> SJ.Strong -> SJ.Forward -> SJ.Fierce -> SJ.Roundhouse. Wow! 12 easy hits! Fell free to change the SJ.Fierce into a Akuma's Burn. You will not be able to connect the sj.Roundhouse, but you will get 12 hits anyway. I've tried to connect the Lightning Sword, but it seems too slow to combo in the air. - Cheesy Combos :) : 1)D.C.Roundhouse (or just C.Roundhnouse) XX Love For You If you do this,I hope you are bigger than your opponent. :) 2)Throw opponent next to the corner, Love For You Same thing as above, except that this time the opponent have a chance to Safety Roll. In the combo listed above if you are quick you get them BEFORE they fall! - Expert Combos: Still looking for... More to come (I hope). Don't be lazy! Send yours too!!! NOTES ABOUT HER SIZE: One more important point to consider is her size. Anita is the smallest character in the game. This gives her a lot of advantages: - Is hard to do a combo against her. Especially air combos. If you don't connect the moves quickly you'll probably miss her; - She can stay standing and pass below most of the projectiles; - Talking about standing, forget about hiting her with MOST of the standing moves (e.g. Ironman's Standing Strong or Roundhouse). PLAYING WITH HER: If you are a beginner and are tired of being beaten with Double Perfects, she is the character you need. Thanks to the priority that the sword gives to Anita in her moves, you can play offensively or defensively. As I said her C.Fierce keep jumpers away. In fact, a good strategy is for YOU to jump often at your opponent because just a few moves can stop or trade hits with Anita in the air. Her C.Roundhouse knocks down the opponent and if you press it again it will hit him/her on the ground. When you see the Mind gem don't think twice: GET IT! Her Infinity Combo is the cheesiest thing I've ever seen in a game! If you complained about the amount of block damage that Iron Man's Proton Cannon or Cyclops' Mega Optic Blast inflict, wait until you see Love For You. I don't have words to express my feelings about this move. Get the opponent near and release the move. Enjoy. PLAYING AGAINST HER Argh! I HATE HER!!! That tiny thing is VERY annoying! Let's face it: if you are playing against her controlled by an experienced (doesn't need to be a pro) player you are in DEEP trouble. The reasons? All the things that I mentioned before: priority, Love For You, etc. Good luck avoiding the Love For You. My advice is to keep away when she has at least one special bar full, waiting for an opening. If she gets you in the corner... well, prepare yourself to pass the joystick to the next player. Keep your distance throwing projectiles and avoid to get caught in the IC. If you are far away the results of the IC will be less effective (thank God!), and with some fighters you can avoid it if you are quick. With Iron Man and Magneto you must Super Jump and turn the flying on, go behind her and fell free to execute a Proton Cannon or Magnetic Shockwave :). With Blackheart Super Jump and Air Dash. Psylocke must Triple Jump and Captain must Double Jump. An alternative with Spidey is to Web Swing in the air and with Wolverine try to do an aerial Drill Claw. If you are near there are two alternatives to not take SO much damage: 1. Use a gem if you are REALLY near. THIS will knock her out of her IC. 2. Make the Infinity Counter. Note that some counters can save you, while others... The distance is very important too. The closer, the better. If the methods above didn't work there is one more thing you can do: cry. Last advice: the IC can "suck" you in if you jump above her or a small distance behind her. In other words: DON'T TOUCH HER while she is performing the IC. The biggest problem is that even if you find an opening to go for a combo, there is a great chance that the combos that you are used to using are hard to pull off on her. So have A LOT of patience and you may win. As I said, the skill of your opponent is very important to determine the level of challenge that you will have. But don't worry; Average players and up pick Anita sometimes, just for fun or to piss off someone (I am in this group :). Besides, I can't say the same thing of the beginers... Remember: some beginers can give you a headache. Don't underestimate the power of Anita!" --- MAINTAINER'S NOTE: ANY ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ON ANITA IS APPRECIATED; I MAY ONLY HAVE THE NORTH AMERICAN VERSION OF MSH, BUT I'M TRYING TO MAKE THIS COMPENDIUM AS COMPLETE AS POSSIBLE. ############################################################################# ########## # REVIEW # ########## PLAYSTATION: As far as graphics and sound go, they are pretty damn near arcade perfect. The sound has not been touched AFAIK, and as far as animation goes, some frames were taken out of some moves, but all in all it looks pretty good. All endings, characters combos and moves are intact as well. So what's wrong with it? What everyone's been complaining about everywhere: the slowdown. And DAMN is there slowdown! Basically it is the general type of slowdown you get in some games; during loading, or when there is an excess of movement of sprites on the game screen. The loading time is quite slow, but who really cares about that. The serious slowdown comes during play; depending on the conditions, combos, Special Moves and especially ICs can come out with a considerable lag, making the timing of combos and other attacks difficult. Now, here are examples of "ideal" settings and "the worst" settings. -For fastest Vs. play: shortcut on (i.e. quick character select screen), small character VS. small character (eg. Wolverine vs. Spider-Man), on Shuma Gorath's stage, Turbo ON. With this setup, there will be minimal slowdown; Spider-Man and Wolverine are the smallest characters, therefore their sprites during movement do not take up much of the speed. With shortcut ON, this cuts the loading time, and Shuma's stage, a fossil graveyard, has NO movement in the background, so it doesn't take up any of the speed either. During this game, the only significant slowdown will occur in the middle of either fighter's IC. -For slowest Vs. play: shortcut off, Juggernaut vs. Juggernaut (or Hulk or Blackheart) on Hulk's stage, Turbo OFF. With this setup, it will be almost unbearable to play. The big characters take up more of the screen, and therefore the speed will be slowed down. In addition, Hulk's stage, once the carosel in the background begins to move, has OODLES of movement (this is just an example, other stages do this as well). So this does NOT mean you HAVE to play small fighters on Shuma's stage, it is just the optimal conditions. The only time the slowdown makes the game VERY difficult to play is on a stage with a lot of movement, with both characters being large. Gradually you will become used to it, and you will adjust your combo timing. And ALWAYS remember to have the TURBO setting ON!!! ------ SATURN VERSION: It seems to me that the Saturn version is quite good. The slowdown is not really a problem during the fight for the most part, except during bigger ICs. I personally enjoy it MUCH more on the Saturn, mainly because the 6-button layout, so I don't have to use the L/R triggers as seperate Punches/Kicks, like you have to on the PS. If you have both systems, I highly recommend you get the Saturn version. Once again, Capcom and Sega has shown that their 2D fighting games rule on the Saturn. :) ############################################################################# CREDITS ******* First a VERY special thanks to James Chen for his GREAT combo FAQ, and Richard Cheung's original MSH FAQ for info on the game dynamics. FOR THE HOME VERSION UPDATE: )))))))))))))))))))))))))))) AT THE TOP OF THE LIST, HIS MAJESTY ONAJE EVERETTfor LOTS of additions/combos/corrections to stupid mistakes (there, happy Oj? :) - for his Thanos FAQ -Brian Scaramucci for his Thanos and Doom Moves/Codes FAQ - for his cool Doom combos. -Reinaldo f or his Anita FAQ (Japanese version only) and great Blackheart info - for plenty of info on Thanos and Doom -Ryan Jackson for some Doom/Thanos combo info -David Litchman [davel@discovernet.net] for Doom Molecular Shield Info -guyver3 for some Blackheart info and other combos. -Jason Jamieson for some good competition with Captain America (S.FIERCE! :) -Harry "Mr. Attitude" for some good half-decent Wolverine comp at the arcade This and all of my other FAQs can be accessed on my homepage: http://www.geocities.com/SiliconValley/Heights/1910 and www.gamefaqs.com You can also e-mail me at: tigeraid@geocities.com "I said it before and I'll say it again--democracy simply doesn't work!" -Kent Brockman, the Simpsons