Street Fighter IV (Old Wiki Page)

Mechanics

Throwing

Throws are performed by tilting the stick forward or neutral or backward, then pressing LP + LK. Normal throws hit on the third and fourth frame, making them some of the fastest normal moves in the game. Throws will connect against a guarding opponent, or during the startup of an opponent's attack. Throws will not connect against an airborne or knocked down opponent, against an opponent who is still in guard or hit stun following an attack or if they hit at the same time as an opponent's attack. Some characters have command throws that involve different joystick motions and have different properties.

Normal throws can be escaped by pressing LP + LK within 10 frames of the opponent starting to throw (within 7 frames of the throw hitting). Command throws cannot be escaped, but jumping can avoid them, as can properly timed or invincible attacks. Joystick motions during a throw escape don't matter, so you can for instance hold down/back on the stick and press LP + LK. This will result in an escape if the opponent tried to throw, and a crouching attack if they did something else.

Dashing

Dashing is performed by tapping the stick forward twice or backward twice. Backward dash has limited invincibility frames, even if backdashing in the corner. Forward dash speed, backward dash speed, and the invincibility/airborne frames for backdashing vary by character:

Character	Forward Dash	Backdash	Invincible	Grounded	Airborne	Distance
Abel	16	25	1~8		9~18	short
Akuma	18	25	1~8	9	10~18	normal
Blanka	21	26	1~8		9~19	long
Boxer	18	24	1~8		9~17	long
C. Viper	19	27	1~8		9~17	long
Chun	15	22	1~8		9~18	long
Claw	20	22	1~8	9	10~19	long
Dhalsim	32	29	1~8	9	10~18	long
Dictator	17	25	1~8		9~17	normal
El Fuerte	16	19	1~7		8~12	short
Guile	19	26	1~8		9~19	normal
Honda	19	27	1~8	9	10~18	normal
Ken	18	27	1~8			short
Rufus	20	27	1~8	9	10~25	normal
Ryu	18	27	1~8	9	10~18	short
Sagat	18	29	1~8		9~23	normal
Zangief	26	26	1~8		9~16	short

Because Level 1 Focus Attacks have the same stun regardless of hit, guard, or character, forward dash speed also determines how much disadvantage you have after Dash Canceling a Focus Attack. For instance, Chun has +1, Abel and Fuerte neutral, Dictator -1, everyone else increasing disadvantage.

Focus Attack

Also knowing as FA, saving attack, or SA.

Basic Operation

Hold MP + MK at the same time to start "charging" a Focus Attack.

Focus Attacks can broadly be separated into three "levels", which correlate to how long the player charges the attack.

Level 1

If you time this correctly, this can be used to "bypass" one hit of another move. Otherwise, it has no effect other than making your character start a Focus animation.

A Focus Attack that absorbs a hit actually costs some life. However, the lost life is grayed out and can be regained, provided you don't get hit. As soon as you are hit, you cannot regain any more life.

Note that it can only absorb one hit, so if Ken did his Fierce Shoryuken, although Ryu would absorb the first hit, the second and third hits would connect as usual.

The time taken to "Focus Absorb" a move means "fishing" for a Focus Attack is not very practical. So players who would go "Parry Hunting" in 3S are unable to do so here.

It appears that one can Focus through a low or high attack.

Focus Attacks cannot be done in the air.

You can be thrown out of a Focus Attack.

You still build your Revenge gauge when "Absorbing" a hit.

Level 2

After the initial press of the MP + MK buttons, you can keep holding the buttons down. As you do so, your character will keep "charging up" his/her Focus Attack.

You can let go of the buttons at any time to perform a Focus Attack proper. The longer the buttons are held, the more damage is done. You can combo into the Focus Attack with some characters, such as Crimson Viper.

Level 3

After a certain amount of time, the Focus Attack is simply released of it's own accord. When it does so, an "ink splatter" effect is applied to the screen.

This attack is unblockable, does good damage and sends your opponent into a "crumpled" state. You can be thrown or hit out of a Level 3 Focus attack early on in it's animation, although you become invulnerable when the character starts glowing white.

Crumpled state

In this state, an opponent is helpless. You get a free hit on them, which can be comboed into. However, the Crumpled state is quite strange, the opponent is not as easy to combo as if they were stunned normally. You only have a finite time to hit the opponent when they are crumpled.

It's typically best to unleash your Ultra Combo if you have it when you crumple your opponent, as it's guaranteed to connect.

During Crumple state, there are two stages the opponent goes through before falling to the ground. The first stage is a very vulnerable one... the opponent can be hit with nearly anything (as if they were just standing there).

However, if you are too late, the opponent falls and you lose the ability to hit them with a full combo. I believe you can only hit them once, and they will drop afterward. Thus, it is recommended to dash after seeing a Focus Attack connect successfully. Your window of opportunity to combo shrinks dramatically if you do not dash forward... not only because of timing but because of distance.

Focus canceling

Some special and normal attacks can be "Focus Canceled" by pressing and holding the MP + MK buttons as a special or normal move connects. This can be used to combo a special attack into a Focus Attack with some characters.

However, you can then take this one stage further by dashing forward or backward when holding the MP + MK buttons. Doing so costs two stocks (50%) of your Super meter.

Dash Canceling a Focus Attack has NO cost.

Special moves

Super moves usually require doing the motion for a special move twice, e.g. QCF, QCF + P. This uses up four stocks (100%) of your super meter.

Super meter is filled by doing special moves, or by connecting with a normal move. Whiffed normal moves do not fill super meter. The move lists for each character show how many points a move adds to the super meter. There are 1,000 points in a full meter.

EX Specials

Completing a Special motion by pressing two punch or kick buttons instead of one changes the properties of the move. This uses up one stock (25%) of your super meter.

Shortcut input

• DP - can be performed as DF,D,DF; in other words tap the stick into the lower corner twice. Also DF,D,DB,D,DF,D,DB; in other words wiggle the stick from one lower corner to the other and back. Useful when you are guarding low, or when you are being crossed up.
• 360 - can be performed as F,DF,D,DB,B,UB or B,DB,D,DF,F,UF. In other words, a 225 degree rotation ending in up and back or up and forward. Reduces the chance of jumping.

Ultra Combo

As your character receives damage, his or her Revenge gauge will rise. Once it gets beyond the white line on the circular gauge, you are able to perform your character’s Ultra Combo (usually performed by performing the super motion using all three punches or kicks).

Even after your Ultra meter rises past the white line, it will still charge. This affects how much damage an Ultra Combo does. If your Ultra is at max, and you land it, it will do huge damage.

Quick Recovery

Press down on the stick, or any two buttons, in order to get up faster when knocked down.

Armor

Some moves in the game grant "armor" to a character. For example Zangief's EX Bear Grab can absorb one hit. Focus Attacks also grant armor if timed correctly.

However, some moves in the game are also considered to be "Armour-Breaking." That is to say, any armor will be negated by the move in question. For example, Blanka can negate Dhalsim's Focus Attack with a Blanka Ball.

Characters

Fei Long*	Cammy*	Akuma	Gouken*
Dhalsim	Blanka	Chun-li	Ryu
E. Honda	Zangief	Guile	Ken
Seth*
M. Bison	Sagat	Vega	Balrog
Abel	C. Viper	Rufus	El Fuerte
Sakura*	Rose*	Dan*	Gen*

_{* Playable only in console versions}

Arcade originals

• Dhalsim
• E. Honda
• Blanka
• Zangief
• Chun-Li
• Guile
• Ryu
• Ken
• M. Bison (Dictator)
• Sagat
• Vega (Claw)
• Balrog (Boxer)
• Abel
• C. Viper
• Rufus
• El Fuerte
• Akuma

Console exclusives

• Cammy
• Dan
• Fei Long
• Gen
• Gouken
• Rose
• Sakura
• Seth

Console exclusive content

Unlockable content

Console versions of the game start with the 16 original arcade characters, two colors, and one personal action. Everything else must be unlocked by satisfying various conditions.

Characters

All of the console exclusive characters must be unlocked. Only Seth needs to be beaten with a given character to satisfy the requirement. The matches before Seth can be completed using any character. (unconfirmed)

To unlock...	Requirements
Cammy	Beat Arcade Mode with C. Viper.
Fei Long	Beat Arcade Mode with Abel.
Gen	Beat Arcade Mode with Chun-Li.
Rose	Beat Arcade Mode with M. Bison.
Sakura	Beat Arcade Mode with Ryu.
Dan	Beat Arcade Mode with Sakura.
Akuma	Defeat Akuma.
Gouken	Beat Arcade Mode with Akuma. Defeat Gouken.
Seth	Beat Arcade Mode with everyone.

Akuma

To unlock Akuma as an opponent, play Arcade Mode while meeting the following requirements:

1. Start Arcade Mode with a character that you have already used to beat Arcade Mode.
2. Finish Arcade Mode without losing a round and meeting minimum requirements, determined below.

Setting	Perfects
1-round match	1 perfect round
3-round match	2 perfect rounds
5-round match	3 perfect rounds
7-round match	4 perfect rounds

Gouken

Note: Gouken can be unlocked as an opponent and beaten without unlocking him as a playable character. This is caused by not yet having unlocked Akuma as a playable character and finishing Arcade Mode with him.

To unlock Gouken as an opponent, play Arcade Mode while meeting the following requirements:

1. Start Arcade Mode with a character that you have already used to beat Arcade Mode.
2. Finish Arcade Mode without losing a round and meeting minimum requirements, determined below.

Setting	Perfects	Flashy finishes	First Attacks
1-round match	1 perfect round	3 flashy finishes	5 First Attacks
3-round match	2 perfect rounds	5 flashy finishes	10 First Attacks
5-round match	3 perfect rounds	7 flashy finishes	15 First Attacks
7-round match	4 perfect rounds	9 flashy finishes	20 First Attacks

A flashy finish is a round completed using a Super Combo or Ultra Combo. Both moves count towards this requirement.

Downloadable content

On the PlayStation 3, the game's version number is 1.01 as of February 17, 2009.

Alternative costumes

	Release date
Name	American	European
Brawler Pack	February 17, 2009	February 20, 2009
Femme Fatale Pack	February 24, 2009	February 27, 2009
Shoryuken Pack	March 3, 2009	March 6, 2009
Shadoloo Pack	March 10, 2009	March 13, 2009
Classic Pack	March 17, 2009	March 20, 2009

Pack	Character	Description
Brawler	Abel	Singlet
Brawler	El Fuerte	Chef
Brawler	E. Honda	Tsuna
Brawler	Rufus	Bubble jacket and pigtails
Brawler	Zangief	Hagger outfit
Femme Fatale	Cammy	Shadoloo assassin
Femme Fatale	Chun-Li	Dress
Femme Fatale	C. Viper	Uniform with exposed midriff
Femme Fatale	Rose	Gypsy
Femme Fatale	Sakura	Gi*
Shoryuken	Akuma	Tsuna
Shoryuken	Dan	Sparring gear
Shoryuken	Gouken	Tsuna
Shoryuken	Ken	Lined gi and sneakers
Shoryuken	Ryu	Shirtless
Shadoloo	Balrog	Apollo Creed
Shadoloo	M. Bison	Torn uniform without hat
Shadoloo	Seth	Pants
Shadoloo	Sagat	Leggings
Shadoloo	Vega	Colonial
Classic	Blanka	Explorer
Classic	Dhalsim	Wrap
Classic	Fei-Long	Bruce Lee from Enter the Dragon
Classic	Guile	Nash
Classic	Gen	Mask

_{* Selecting Color 10 will change the gi into a t-shirt.}

External links

• General forum on Shoryuken
• Guide on EventHubs.com
• SFIV: The Real Story on How to Unlock Akuma and Gouken
• Wikipedia article

Street Fighter IV