Super Street Fighter 2 Turbo/Ryu

Introduction

Moves Analysis

Combos

Strategies

Match-ups

Competitive Overview

Strengths & Weaknesses

New & Old Versions Comparison

Color Options

Normal Moves

Command Normals

Throws

Special Moves

Super Move

Bread & Butter

Meaty Combos

Crouching Opponent Only

Cross Up Only

Corner Only

Juggles

Super Combos

Overview

Basics

Zoning

Button-Release Hadouken

Built-In Shoryuken

Buffered-Motion Shoryuken

Mixups

Additional Notes

Serious Advantage Match-ups

Advantage Match-ups

Fair Match-ups

Disadvantage Match-ups

Serious Disadvantage Match-ups

Ground Normals

Aerial normals

Shinkuu vs Hadouken

Vs. E. Honda:

Vs. O. E. Honda:

Vs. Blanka:

Vs. O. Blanka:

Vs. Cammy:

Vs. O. Cammy:

Vs. Dee Jay:

Vs. O. Dee Jay:

Vs. O. Fei Long:

Vs. O. M. Bison (dictator):

Vs. Chun-Li:

Vs. O. Chun-Li:

Vs. Fei Long:

Vs. Guile:

Vs. O. Guile:

Vs. Ken:

Vs. O. Ken:

Vs. M. Bison (dictator):

Vs. O. Ryu:

Vs. Sagat:

Vs. T. Hawk:

Vs. O. Vega (claw):

Vs. O. Zangief:

Vs. O. Balrog (boxer):

Vs. O. Dhalsim:

Vs. Ryu (self):

Vs. O. T. Hawk:

Vs. Zangief:

Vs. Balrog (boxer):

Vs. Vega (claw):

Vs. Dhalsim:

Vs. O. Sagat:

Ryu is the game's protagonist. He is considered a good all around character. Even though he is not the strongest in any aspect, he does have very good moves overall. Say, his projectile, the Hadouken, is the second best in the game, only after O.Sagat's tiger. His special anti-air, the Shoryuken, is also the one with second best priority among the ones that do not demand a charge to execute. Finally, he has a good super move, which helps him in tight situations.

Ryu's strategy in the Street Fighter II series is, mostly, to employ his Hadoukens wisely so as to pressure enemies and either force them to take risks or get pushed into the corner. Would the enemy jump forward, Ryu has several moves to deal with that, being the Shoryuken the most damaging one. However, unlike Ken, his projectile has a relatively fast start-up, which allows him to use it as a poke tool. This is the main reason why he has less trouble against a number of characters which have the advantage or fair match-ups against Ken.

Super Street Fighter II Turbo Ryu does not have a completely invulnerable Shoryuken nor a Hurricane Kick that is invulnerable up until it hits, like he did in CPS-1 Street Fighter II Champion Edition and Hyper Fighting. However, he gains better mobility with a short Tatsu that recovers much faster and a command punch that works as a dash. In addition, he has another command punch that is unblockable against crouching characters.

Among all characters (old versions included), Ryu is considered the fifth or sixth best character on the game, only behind the so called "big four" or "big five", which consists of Dhalsim, Vega (Claw), Old Sagat and Balrog (Boxer), plus Chun Li if she is included. However, he actually has a small advantage against Chun Li in head-to-head combat. If mastered, Ryu can deal with pretty much any situation.

If you want to check Youtube and Nico Nico Douga for high level footage, check players such as ShootingD, Daigo, Futachan, Gotoh, Kurahashi, DGV (Dark Gaiden), Mike Watson, John Choi and Alex Valle, among others.

Strong special moves, but with long recovery;
N.Ryu's Shoryuken is not fully invincible: it often loses cleanly against Buffalo Headbutt, Scarlet Terror, Rising Hawk and Short Maximum Jacknife;
Ryu's Hadouken speed and special properties allow it to be used as a poke;
Two special moves to deal with ticks and meaties: Shoryuken and Tatsu;
Second best super in the game;
Average throw range;
Most normals have average range;
The normals with most range have a very long recovery time;
All shotos's diagonal jumping Fierce and Roundhouse attacks have nerfed dizzy properties;
Most supers will beat Ryu's from mid to close range.

To select O.Ryu, choose Ryu and then press → → → ← Jab/Fierce, pressing Short simultaneously with the punch button for the alternate color.

Here is the list of differences:

Obvious stuff: O.Ryu can't tech throws, does not have the new punches (dash, overhead, and air juggle) and Super;
O.Ryu has a faster pre-jump animation by 1 frame;
O.Ryu has some differences in some of his normals:
- Far Standing Jab has a fatter hitbox;
- Far Standing Short has a slower startup and is chain cancellable;
- Crouching Short has much better priority;
- Far Standing Forward has a slower startup;
- Crouching Forward has much better priority;
- Close Standing Roundhouse activates from a closer distance;
- Crouching Roundhouse has much better priority and do more damage;
- Diagonal Jumping Strong behaves exactly like the Neutral Jumping one while for N.Ryu its a new Juggling Punch;
- Both Jumping Fierces do more damage;
- Diagonal Jumping Short has worse priority during the first 10 active frames;
- Diagonal Jumping Forward has better air-to-air priority but has somewhat worse air-to-ground priority;
- Neutral Jumping Roundhouse has better air-to-air priority but worse air-to-ground priority and do more damage;
- Diagonal Jumping Roundhouse has better air-to-air priority but has somewhat worse air-to-ground priority. It also does more damage;
O.Ryu's ordinary (blue) Hadoukens have one less start-up and one less recovery frame, making the overall recovery 2 frames faster. Thus, they are better for zoning;
O.Ryu's Shoryukens are completely invincible until the recovery frames, while for N.Ryu he is vulnerable during the rising/hitting part;
O.Ryu's Shoryukens have many more active frames, but the same overall recovery;
O.Ryu's Forward and Roundhouse Tatsumakis spin two less times than N.Ryu's;
O.Ryu's air Tatsumakis have a bigger hitbox, do more damage and have a 50% chance of being unblockable if they connect on the first frame;

Jab	Strong	Fierce	Start	Old


Short	Forward	Roundhouse	Hold	Old Alternative

--Born2SPD

Disclaimer: To better understand the diagrams, read this.

Close Standing Jab:

Damage	4[0]
Stun	0~5
Stun Timer	40
Chain Cancel	No
Special Cancel	Yes
Super Cancel	Yes
Frame Advantage	+4
Frame Count		2	4	5
Simplified		1 + 2	4	5

Ryu performs an elbow smash in front and above his head. Fast start-up anti-air up close, with just OK priority.

Far Standing Jab:

Damage	4[0]
Stun	0~5
Stun Timer	40
Chain Cancel	Yes
Special Cancel	Yes
Super Cancel	Yes
Frame Advantage	+4
Frame Count		2	4	4	1
Simplified		1 + 2	4	5

Rapid-fire Jab that has very good priority (Ryu's arm is completely invulnerable) but just acceptable reach and very low damage.

Crouching Jab:

Damage	4[0]
Stun	0~5
Stun Timer	40
Chain Cancel	Yes
Special Cancel	Yes
Super Cancel	Yes
Frame Advantage	+4
Frame Count		2	4	4	1
Simplified		1 + 2	4	5

Rapid-fire ducking Jab with average reach and very good priority. Ryu's arm is completely invincible.

Close Standing Strong:

Damage	22[0]
Stun	5~11
Stun Timer	60
Chain Cancel	No
Special Cancel	Yes
Super Cancel	Yes
Frame Advantage	-1
Frame Count		1	2	2	6	4	3	4
Simplified		1 + 3		2	17

Ryu performs a hook. This move has a not very good recovery, so try canceling it into some special such as the hadouken to avoid punishment.

Far Standing Strong:

Damage	22[0]
Stun	5~11
Stun Timer	60
Chain Cancel	No
Special Cancel	Yes
Super Cancel	Yes
Frame Advantage	+7
Frame Count		1	2	4	3	3	1
Simplified		1 + 3		4	7

Ryu performs a straight punch. This move has very good recovery, reach and priority. Works as anti-air against moves whose extended limbs are vulnerable, but notice Ryu's body moves forward a bit, so you need some room to use it correctly. Ryu's whole arm is invincible in this attack.

Crouching Strong:

Damage	22[0]
Stun	5~11
Stun Timer	60
Chain Cancel	No
Special Cancel	Yes
Super Cancel	Yes
Frame Advantage	+7
Frame Count		1	2	4	3	3	1
Simplified		1 + 3		4	7

Ryu does a crouching straight. Good damage, stun, recovery and priority. Ryu's whole arm is completely invincible. This move can be used as a safe meaty against several invulnerable special attacks from the correct distance. However, this can be countered by standing still (which shrinks the hurtbox horizontally) and then either attacking or walking up and throwing. It is also unsafe against most supers, which is yet another reason to (always) have an eye on the enemy's super bar.

Close Standing Fierce:

Damage	28[1]
Stun	3~9 / 10~16
Stun Timer	40 / 80
Chain Cancel	No
Special Cancel	Yes / No
Super Cancel	Yes / Yes
Frame Advantage	-9 / -7
Frame Count		3	2	6	10	13
Simplified		1 + 3	8		23

Ryu does a close upper. Good priority anti-air if the enemy is on top of you, and if he is close it can be canceled into any special attack for a basic but damaging combo. Bad recovery.

Far Standing Fierce:

Damage	28[1]
Stun	10~16
Stun Timer	80
Chain Cancel	No
Special Cancel	No
Super Cancel	Yes
Frame Advantage	-7
Frame Count		3	2	6	10	12	1
Simplified		1 + 5		6	23

Similar to far.strong, but with higher damage and longer reach, but the head hitbox moves forward just as much and the recovery is hideous. This move can not be canceled into specials, so make sure it hits or you will pay the price.

Crouching Fierce:

Damage	28[1] / 22[1]
Stun	3~9 / 10~16
Stun Timer	40 / 80
Chain Cancel	No
Special Cancel	Yes / No
Super Cancel	Yes / No
Frame Advantage	-12 / -9
Frame Count		3	3	8	10	12	1
Simplified		1 + 3	11		23

Uppercut from crouching position. It does good damage and has a deceptively long horizontal reach, but just average to low priority and quite long recovery. This move is unsafe on block or hit and is mainly used in combos or as close-up anti-air. Favor standing Fierce if you can for the latter.

Close Standing Short:

Damage	12[0]
Stun	0~5
Stun Timer	40
Chain Cancel	Yes
Special Cancel	No
Super Cancel	Yes
Frame Advantage	+3
Frame Count		2	3	2	4	3	1
Simplified		1 + 5		2	8

Ryu performs a low kick that can be canceled into a far Short or crouching Short. This move must be blocked low.

Far Standing Short:

Damage	14[0]
Stun	0~5
Stun Timer	40
Chain Cancel	No
Special Cancel	Yes
Super Cancel	Yes
Frame Advantage	+0
Frame Count		2	2	8	4	1
Simplified		1 + 4		8	5

High side kick with good priority, but sort of slow. Good anti-air.

Crouching Short:

Damage	4[0]
Stun	0~5
Stun Timer	40
Chain Cancel	Yes
Special Cancel	Yes
Super Cancel	Yes
Frame Advantage	+4
Frame Count		3	4	4	1
Simplified		1 + 3	4	5

Rapid fire crouching low kick. Mediocre priority but good reach.

Close Standing Forward:

Damage	24[0]
Stun	5~11
Stun Timer	60
Chain Cancel	No
Special Cancel	Yes
Super Cancel	Yes
Frame Advantage	+3
Frame Count		2	1	6	4	4	1
Simplified		1 + 3		6	9

Knee bash with a good recovery.

Far Standing Forward:

Damage	24[0]
Stun	5~11
Stun Timer	60
Chain Cancel	No
Special Cancel	No
Super Cancel	No
Frame Advantage	+3
Frame Count		3	4	8	6	1
Simplified		1 + 7		8	7

High side kick with good priority, but very slow start-up. Good anti-air if you can hit the button early enough.

Crouching Forward:

Damage	22[0]
Stun	5~11
Stun Timer	60
Chain Cancel	No
Special Cancel	Yes
Super Cancel	Yes
Frame Advantage	+3
Frame Count		1	2	6	4	4	1
Simplified		1 + 3		6	9

Crouching side kick. This move has good reach and recovery, but is has projected vulnerable hitboxes before and after it becomes active. It is an important tool when closing the gap on the enemy and trying to push him into the corner as it can be canceled into Hadoukens. It is also used in bread and butter combos.

Close Standing Roundhouse:

Damage	30[1] + 4[1]
Stun	10~16 + 1~7
Stun Timer	80 + 70
Chain Cancel	No
Special Cancel	No
Super Cancel	No
Frame Advantage	-1 / +7(+6)
Frame Count		3	4	8	4	10	1
Simplified		1 + 7		8	4	11

Ryu performs an axe kick that hits twice if the enemy is close enough. This is not a very useful move, but it is safe on block from point-blank range and often trades with aerial attacks. If you use it as a meaty, you can combo a crouching kick for two or three hits. you often have better options, though.

Far Standing Roundhouse:

Damage	30[1]
Stun	10~16
Stun Timer	80
Chain Cancel	No
Special Cancel	Yes / No
Super Cancel	Yes / No
Frame Advantage	-7 / -3
Frame Count		2	4	8	10	7
Simplified		1 + 2	12		17

Ryu's staple Roundhouse kick. Mediocre anti-air that can be canceled in the odd event that it hits during the first active part. This move can not be canceled into specials if it hits while the leg is fully extended.

Crouching Roundhouse:

Damage	26[1]
Stun	5~11
Stun Timer	130
Chain Cancel	No
Special Cancel	Yes
Super Cancel	Yes
Frame Advantage	-9
Frame Count		3	6	6	8	11
Simplified		1 + 3	6	25

Ryu's sweep kick. This move generates a fast knockdown if it hits. It has good range and the priority is such that it beats or trades with a number of moves. The recovery, however, is very long, so good players will try to bait this move so as to punish it afterward. This can be canceled into Hadoukens so you can push the enemy towards his corner or Shoryukens and Short tatsus for super meter. Knowing the timing for walking up cr.Rounhouse xx Hadouken is an important skill for shoto players.

Neutral Jumping Jab:

Damage	12[0]
Stun	1~7(-2)
Stun Timer	40
Special Cancel	Yes

Frame Count		2	∞

Ryu performs a jumping jab that is active throughout the whole jump. Ryu's hand has a relatively large active hitbox around it, making this a good air-to-air move. It can be used for jumping on you opponent after a knockdown and not generate much push-back, allowing you to apply mix-ups such as throw, cr.forward xx Hadouken/super or delayed Jab SRK (to beat reversal throws).

Diagonal Jumping Jab:

Damage	12[0]
Stun	1~7(-2)
Stun Timer	40
Special Cancel	Yes

Frame Count		2	∞

Ryu performs a jumping jab that is active throughout the whole jump. Ryu's hand has a relatively large active hitbox around it, making this a good air-to-air move. It can be used for jumping on you opponent after a knockdown and not generate much push-back, allowing you to apply mix-ups such as throw, cr.forward xx Hadouken/super or delayed Jab SRK (to beat reversal throws). This beats Zangief's Lariats from the right distance and still hits him if he crouches.

Neutral Jumping Strong:

Damage	22[0]
Stun	5~11
Stun Timer	50
Special Cancel	Yes

Frame Count		2	2	20	4	4	4	∞
Simplified		4		20	∞

This aerial punch stays active for quite some time, for a Strong punch. It has very good horizontal reach and Ryu's arm is completely invincible. A move to be considered when afraid of wall dives crossing you or aerial attacks in general. This attack does not hit crouching opponents.

Diagonal Jumping Strong:

Damage	24[1] + 4[1]
Stun	3~9 / 0~5
Stun Timer	40 / 20
Special Cancel	Yes / No

Frame Count		1	2	1	5	4	4	4	4	∞
Simplified		4			5	4	∞

Ryu jumps with an upper punch that hits twice and juggles in the air. The first active part has good horizontal reach and priority. If you successfully land this attack in the air, you may use it again until you obtain three aerial hits. This can be considered as anti-air, specially if you react early and you believe the opponent will try a late aerial attack. A super can also be comboed after this move, for a total of 5 hits. From the right distance, this move beats Lariats and Blanka's rolling attacks. However, any grounded enemy can avoid the attack by crouching, which is specially dangerous against Zangief, E. Honda and Hawk, as they can throw while crouching (stomach press, Oiicho and typhoon, in this order).

Neutral Jumping Fierce:

Damage	26[1]
Stun	11~17(-1)
Stun Timer	60(+20)
Special Cancel	Yes

Frame Count		2	2	8	4	4	4	∞
Simplified		4		8	∞

Diagonal Jumping Fierce:

Damage	26[1]
Stun	3~9
Stun Timer	40
Special Cancel	Yes

Frame Count		2	2	8	4	4	4	∞
Simplified		4		8	∞

This move has very good air to ground priority, and Ryu's arm is also completely invincible. It can be used as anti-air from certain distances, and also beats or trades most other aerial attacks.

Neutral Jumping Short:

Damage	14[0]
Stun	1~7(-2)
Stun Timer	40
Special Cancel	Yes

Frame Count		3	40	∞

This stays out for quite some time, but it has a very short reach. Mostly useless.

Diagonal Jumping Short:

Damage	12[0]
Stun	1~7(-2)
Stun Timer	40
Special Cancel	No

Frame Count		2	3	10	∞
Simplified		5		∞

This stays out for quite some time, but safe jumps aside, this does not have many uses. Its main downside is the short reach.

Neutral Jumping Forward:

Damage	22[0]
Stun	5~11
Stun Timer	50
Special Cancel	No

Frame Count		5	13	6	6	∞
Simplified		5	13	∞

OK kick that stays active for some time. It can be used in certain situations where the enemy has trouble knowing which way to block. That aside, prefer neutral Strong, Fierce or Roundhouse.

Diagonal Jumping Forward:

Damage	22[0]
Stun	5~11
Stun Timer	50(+10)
Special Cancel	No

Frame Count		2	3	13	3	3	3	∞
Simplified		5		13	∞

Rather long aerial kick with poor priority. It can be used as a cross-up aerial attack, but diagonal Roundhouse is better for that. It can be used in safe jumps, to get less push-back if it gets blocked.

Neutral Jumping Roundhouse:

Damage	28[0] / 26[0]
Stun	11~17(-1)
Stun Timer	60(+20)
Special Cancel	Yes / No

Frame Count		2	4	4	4	3	3	∞
Simplified		2	8		∞

Neutral spin kick that has good reach. The first active part becomes active very fast, saving you from some troublesome situations.

Diagonal Jumping Roundhouse:

Damage	26[1]
Stun	3~9
Stun Timer	40
Special Cancel	No

Frame Count		2	3	7	3	3	3	∞
Simplified		5		7	∞

Ryu's best cross-up attack. This also has good reach, but as it projects vulnerable hitboxes, it can also be countered if you whiff. From certain distances, this can also be used as anti-air, in the same fashion as diagonal jumping Fierce, hitting your enemy from above his attack or around the head.

Swing (Over head) punch: (On ground, → + Strong)

Damage	4[0] + 28[1]	File:Ryu swing1anm.png					File:Ryu swing6anm.png
Stun	1~7 + 1~7
Stun Timer	70 + 70
Frame Advantage	Hit standing: -2 / +0(-1) Else: +7 / +9(+8)
Frame Count		14	2	2	3	2	4	4
Simplified		1 + 16		2	3	10

This move can only be blocked while standing. It has properties similar to those of aerial heavy attacks, which can be checked on the different recovery times depending on hitting standing or crouching opponents. However, Ryu is considered on the ground and can be thrown out of the move if the enemy reacts to its slow start-up or attempts a reversal counter throw.

Rush/Dash punch: (On ground, → + Fierce)

Damage	4[0] + 28[1]					File:Ryu dash5anm.png
Stun	1~7 + 1~7
Stun Timer	70 + 70
Frame Advantage	+9 / +8(+7)

Frame Count		8	2	1	2	6	2	4
Simplified		1 + 10		1	2	12

This is a good move to push you forward so as to close the gap between you and the enemy. It works as a dash if you want to get in position for an anti-air Shoryuken or simply get face-to-face to the enemy and throw before he reacts. A main advantage of using this move instead of walking while exchanging projectiles is that you can use a Hadouken as soon as you recover, while walking forward and attempting a Hadouken immediately will give you a Shoryuken instead due to command overlapping. It can also be used to punish enemies from close range, as it gives you enough time to link most your normals after it. For example, standing Fierce or crouching Forward into red Hadouken.

Ryu can throw using Strong, Fierce, Forward, and Roundhouse. The direction of the joystick determines the direction the enemy gets thrown at. All his throws have the same range and do 32 points of damage (plus two more if behind in rounds). Due to the start-up and recovery properties if it fails, the towards+Fierce throw is often preferred.

Normal Throws Throwboxes:

Damage		32
Stun		7~13
Stun Timer		100
Range	(from axis)	48
(from throwable box)		19

Shoulder Throw a.k.a. Seoi Nage: (←/→ + Strong/Fierce)

Both punch throws are the same, which allow Ryu to grab the enemy and throw him above his head.

Circle Throw a.k.a. Tomoe Nage: (←/→ + Forward/Roundhouse)

The kick throws are also the same and have Ryu pull the enemy towards himself, lay down and throw them with the aid of his leg.

Hadouken a.k.a. Fireball: (↓↘→ + P)

Detailed Input: (↓ [0~6f] ↘ [0~6f] → [0~10/9/7f] Jab/Strong/Fierce)

Startup:


Frame Count	2	6	2	1
Simplified	11

Active:
Jab Version:

Strong Version:

Fierce Version:

NOTE: A lot of frames were omitted here, because in each frame the fb's hitbox move 1-3 pixels forward, the images are all uploaded though with the same name pattern, so you can still see them.

Ryu throws a blue ball of energy at his opponent. The strength of the punch determines its speed: Jab flies the slowest, while Fierce flies the fastest. The Jab and Strong versions do 12% damage while the Fierce one does 13% from point-blank range to mid screen, and 12% from further away.

Although all 3 versions (Jab, Strong, Fierce) have Ryu release the fireball at the same interval, Ryu will recover from the vulnerable "after-throw" state fastest after a Jab fireball and slowest after a Fierce fireball. However, the difference is almost imperceptible. You can reduce the recovery of strong and Fierce Hadoukens by kara or special canceling a jab or short into them. Conversely, all versions will have the longest recovery when canceled out of a Fierce or Roundhouse. Some characters such as Vega can punish Hadoukens on block or hit from close distance, so watch out for that. In addition to it, the move can evade completely when used from point-blank range, as some characters' attacks move their hitboxes towards a bit. This leaves Ryu wide open for throws or any ground combo they want to use.

This move is known to do high amounts of stun damage. Three hits in a row and pretty much any enemy falls dizzy.

Shakunetsu Hadouken a.k.a. Red Fireball: (←↙↓↘→ + P)

Detailed Input: (← [0~6f] ↙ [0~6f] ↓ [0~6f] ↘ [0~6f] → [0~10/9/7f] Jab/Strong/Fierce)

Startup:


Frame Count	2	6	2	1
Simplified	11

Active:
Jab Version:

Strong Version:

Fierce Version:

NOTE: A lot of frames were omitted here, because in each frame the fb's hitbox move 1-3 pixels forward, the images are all uploaded though with the same name pattern, so you can still see them.

This is very similar to the normal fireball, except it will knock a grounded opponent down if it hits at close range or put them in a burning hitstun if it hits a grounded opponent from farther away. Both damage and recovery are the same as those of ordinary hadoukens. As for some curiosity, this is one of the few special attacks that do not force a standing state on the enemy if it hits, but Ryu does not take any advantage or disadvantage from this.

Some Ryu players use plenty of red fireballs, while others opt for the normal one almost exclusively. It seems to be at least partially a matter of taste.

Getting a knockdown with a red fireball can be a good opportunity to flick in a Short Hurricane Kick just to build meter. You have a moment or two of free time as the opponent falls and rises anyway, so you can look to land from the Hurricane Kick in time to throw another meaty fireball onto the opponent who's just standing up and continue your pressure.

Ryu's fireballs (blue or red) will disappear if they do not hit anyone after some time, but this is rather long such that only Jab projectiles may ever disappear before leaving the screen, and that if both players walk or jump in the same direction the projectile is going for some distance.

Shouryuken a.k.a. Dragon Punch: (→↓↘ + P)

Detailed Input: (→ [0~6f] ↓ [0~6f] ↘ [0~10/9/7f] Jab/Strong/Fierce)

	Jab	Strong	Fierce			Jab	Strong & Fierce	Jab	Strong & Fierce
Damage	32[2] / 22[2]	34[2] / 22[2]	38[2] / 22[2]
Stun	9~15 / 2~8
Stun Timer	100
Super Meter	7

Frame Count (Jab)				4	4	2		8		10	11	5
Simplified (Jab)				4	4	10				26
Frame Count (Strong)				4	4	2		12		14	14	5
Simplified (Strong)				4	4	14				33
Frame Count (Fierce)				4	4	2		16		14	21	5
Simplified (Fierce)				4	4	18				40

Ryu does an upper which is fully invincible, follows up with a rising punch, then remains completely defenseless as he falls back to the ground. Hit anyone with this move and they will take a full knockdown. Jab makes him jump the lowest and most vertical, does 20% if it hits early and is only vulnerable around the head. This move is very good for evading projectiles, it's Ryu's best reversal. The Strong version rises a bit higher and does 21% damage, but it is vulnerable around most Ryu's torso too. Fierce rises up the highest, does the most damage (24%), but has the same worse vulnerability during the rising part and the longest recovery. It is much harder - sometimes impossible - to evade projectiles with these moves, and they trade or lose cleanly to a number of other attacks after the initial invulnerable frames. If Ryu hits the enemy during the rising part of the move, it will deal 18% damage for all versions.

Since a properly-timed Dragon Punch will beat most other moves, its simplest and most common application is as a general anti-air counter, because you have a lot of time to react and time the attack as you see the opponent approaching through the air. Because it'll knock down, you can continue pressuring with whatever you like, such as a meaty fireball or a cross-up attack. In addition to it, any character that can not alter its jump arc will be unable to evade the move if you time it late, for highest damage, as Ryu will be invulnerable.

You can also use it to stuff virtually any normal ground attack from your opponent, but the timing for this is much more difficult. It's high-reward but also high-risk strategy, since missing can result in you being wide open to punishment. Unless your opponent is very predictable, this can be considered a very high-level strategy that should only be attempted with caution. Again, it seems largely a matter of taste; some excellent Ryu players attempt a lot of ground Dragon Punches, while other great players almost never try them. Sometimes players will immediately do another ground Dragon Punch if the first one misses, reasoning that the second might connect with the opponent's counterattack if they time it just a bit too late.

The Dragon Punch is an excellent reversal move in general. Bear in mind, however, that the first frames when Ryu raises his fist are not anymore invulnerable while still considered on the ground. Thus, Ryu can be thrown out of the move that precise instant.

Tatsumaki Senpuu Kiaku a.k.a. Hurricane Kick: (↓↙← + K)

Detailed Input: (↓ [0~6f] ↙ [0~6f] ← [0~10/9/7f] Short/Forward/Roundhouse)

Startup:


Frame Count	4	4	3
Simplified	11

Active:
- Short Version: This happens only once.
- Forward Version: This happens 4 times.
- Roundhouse Version: This happens 5 times.

	Short	Forward	Rh
Damage	24[1]	26[1]	28[1]
Stun	3~9
Stun Timer	90
Super Meter	6
Frame Count				3	3	3	3

Recovery:


Frame Count	4	4	4	0
Simplified	12			0

Ryu advances with a spinning kick that will knock down the opponent if it hits. Different kicks have different effects: Short has the lowest duration and speed, while Roundhouse has the highest. The Short and Forward versions do 15% damage; the Roundhouse version does 16%. Ryu is invulnerable during the first four frames of the move and is airbone by the time he can be hit again: this makes this attack a good option for evading safe jumps, meaty cross-ups and tick throws such as Zangief's spinning pile driver or T. Hawk's typhoon: he can never be thrown out of the move from the ground, unlike a Shoryuken. As soon as Ryu recovers from the move, he can only jump or block, thus the recovery listed as of zero frame. The next frame, he can not throw.

The use of the Tatsumaki for evading jumps is when they are timed so that you Shoryuken will not hit before they touch the ground, that is, it is a proper safe jump. The start-up of the move has the same length as the Tatsumaki's invulnerability, which lasts for 4 frames, before frame skipping. Thus, Ryu can deny a blocked aerial attack if it is a safe jump by using a reversal Tatsumaki, but as his invulnerability ends quickly, this can be countered by installed attacks (example1 example2 example3).

The Hurricane Kick safely travels right over some projectiles and, with good positioning and timing, can be used to punish characters like Dhalsim and Guile for trying to use them. More information can be found in the specific character matchups.

Another trick with the Hurricane Kick is to use it to set up throws. Often this is done at close range with the Short version so that it takes place quickly, hopefully before the opponent can react in time. They see the Hurricane Kick come out and stay ducking, and then you land and throw them.

Kuuchuu Tatsumaki Senpuu Kiaku a.k.a. Air Hurricane Kick: (In air, ↓↙← + K)
Active: (The Air version does not have a startup animation)
- Short Version: This happens only once.
- Forward Version: This happens twice.
- Roundhouse Version: This happens 3 times.

	Short	Forward	Rh
Damage	18[1]	20[1]	22[1]
Stun	3~9
Stun Timer	90
Super Meter	6
Frame Count				3	3	3	3

Recovery:


Frame Count	4	4	4	4	∞	5
Simplified	∞					5

The Tatsumaki can also be done while airborne. Again, stronger kicks give it longer duration. Unlike the ground version, it does not always move Ryu forward; if performed while jumping backwards, Ryu will continue moving in that direction.

The Air Hurricane Kick has some interesting effects on the speed and trajectory of the jump, as felineki writes:

The character's vertical velocity is not directly affected. Rather, their gravity value is temporarily adjusted. Every character has their own jump gravity value (as I'm sure you've noticed, Dhalsim falls much more slowly from a jump than Claw). This normally stays constant throughout a jump. However, when a shoto performs a mid-air hurricane kick, their gravity value is temporarily decreased. This gives them the effect of falling more slowly if it is performed on the way down, or allowing them to gain more height if done on the way up.

The decreased gravity value lasts as long as the character's leg is out, able to hit. As soon as they pull their leg back in, the gravity value returns to normal.

In addition, they are given a slight boost in horizontal velocity as the kick starts (a forward boost if jumping forward or straight up, a backward boost if jumping back). This additional velocity lasts until they actually touch the ground.

The Air Hurricane Kick has a multitude of uses. It serves as an alternative air attack with alternative properties than Ryu's normal attacks and may interact with opponent anti-air moves differently. As it changes jump properties, it can surprise the opponent. Done correctly, it can actually cross-up enemy air counters like the Flash Kick to hit the opponent from behind. Or it can be used for purposes as simple as building meter on the way down from a jump that you otherwise aren't interested in doing an attack in, such as when jumping far back away from an opponent or jumping straight up over a projectile from a distance.

While the Air Hurricane Kick looks like the grounded one, in fact it has much worse priority. Also, it does not recover instantly when Ryu touches the ground.

--Raisin (March 29, 2007)
--Special thanks to felineki for the info on the Air Hurricane Kick.

Shinkuu Hadouken: (↓↘→↓↘→ + P)

Detailed Input: (↓ [0~14f] ↘ [0~14f] → [0~14f] ↓ [0~14f] ↘ [0~14f] → [0~9f] P)

Invincible part:

Damage	16[1] * 5
Stun	0~4 * 5
Stun Timer	20 * 5

Frame Count		2	6	1 + [18] + 1	1	1	1	1
Simplified		10			4... (41)

Non-invincible part:


Frame Count	1	1	1	2	3...
Simplified	...37 (41)

Ryu becomes invulnerable and throws a projectile that hits up to 5 times and dissipates any other projectile it comes across. It can be used as a juggle, often as anti-air, in case it may hit up to four times. It gives you a long frame advantage if blocked. Note that if you use it from point-blank range, it will only hit couple of times, and then you will be wide open for punishment.

This move does 10% damage per hit, causes the hitstun of a Jab or Short and a blockstun as long as that of Fierce or Roundhouse attacks.

When fighting other shoto characters -- Ryu, Ken, O.Ryu, O.Ken, and even Akuma -- you may want to burst your super through their projectiles. However, this often fails from time to time, and the opponent has time to block the remaining hits from the super, or evade them entirely with reversal Jab Shoryuken. It turns out this depends not only whether they are cornered or not at their side of the screen (when it is guaranteed that they will not have time to block), but on how many hits they took during that round. Any even number of hits taken means the full super connects, while an odd number of hits means they can block it. This has been tested to work on all ST/X versions (Japan, World, Asia, and USA).

This section lists useful combos that are plausible for match play. Combos that end in a hadouken can use either the blue or red versions, and may knock down if the red version is used.

j.hk, cr.mk xx fp hadouken
j.fp, cr.fp xx fp hadouken
j.hk, st.fp xx fp hadouken

meaty f + fp, cr.fp xx hadouken
meaty f + fp, cr.mp, cr.hk (xx fp hadouken if blocked)
meaty cl.hk, cr.hk (xx fp hadouken if blocked)
meaty cl.mk, cr.mk xx hadouken

f + mp, cr.hk
cross up j.hk, f + fp, cr.fp xx fp hadouken

cross up j.hk, cr.mp, cr.mk xx fp hadouken (this combo also works in corner w/o the crossup)
cross up j.hk, cr.mp, (hit-confirm) xx fp shoryuken

meaty cr.mk, cr.mk xx fp hadouken
meaty jab hadouken, (walk up if needed) cr.rh
meaty jab hadouken, strong or fierce hadouken
meaty jab hadouken, super

j.mp (2 hits), j.mp (xx hurricance kick for meter)
j.mp (2 hits), j.mp (1 hit), super (2 hits)
j.mp (2 hits), super (3 hits)
anti-air super (2 hits), j.mp (xx hurricane kick to regain some meter)

If you use super as anti-air and it hits three or four times, you can not combo jumping strong punch after it.

Any of the above combos that end with a crouching move xx hadouken can be modified to end with a super instead. To cancel a crouching normal into Ryu's super, press the button for the normal at the beginning of the second fireball motion for the super. Examples:
- cr.mk xx super (↓↘→, ↓ + mk, ↘→ + Jab)
- cr.fp xx super (↓↘→, ↓ + Fierce, ↘→ + Jab)
- cr.mp, cr.mk xx super (↓ + mp, pause, ↘→ ,↓ + Forward, ↘→ + Jab)
- j.Fierce/Roundhouse, cr/st.Fierce xx super (↓↘→ + Fierce in the air, ↓/neutral + Fierce, ↓↘→ + Strong)

In order to cancel a punch into super, you have to pause for a split second before pressing the button, or you will get a hadouken instead of a normal. If using a kick, instead of pausing, you can just walk forward. This can be used to do walk-up cr.forward xx super.

Goryus 18:44, 22 May 2007 (UTC)

Super Turbo Ryu is a very flexible character. He has powerful combos, solid mixups, dangerous traps, and a great super. His moves provide him with an amazing toolbox, allowing him to avoid projectiles and punish mistakes easily and on the fly.

Ryu's basic game centers around two moves: the Hadouken (Fireball) and the Shoryuken (Dragon Punch).

The Hadouken is a powerful move - it advances across the screen independently of Ryu, harming anything it touches. Even if blocked, it still does damage (albeit only a little). As a result, throwing one forces the opponent to react; they have to try and find a way around it, or they will eventually succumb to the constant chip damage.

Every character has an easy way to try and avoid the Hadouken: jumping over it. Unfortunately for them, Ryu has also been equipped with the game's best anti-air move: the Shoryuken. If an opponent reacts to a Hadouken by jumping over it, Ryu can respond by performing a Shoryuken as they are coming down. Since they cannot block while in the air, there is nothing they can do to prevent it from hitting them.

If a character jumps over a Hadouken from a distance, out of the range of Ryu's Shoryuken, he can still walk forward and force them to land on a cr.hk (depending on the range of his jumping attacks). They cannot block this when timed correctly, and it will knock them down.

Ryu's ideal positioning against most characters is at the very end of their jump arc - this gives him the maximum amount of time to recover from a Hadouken, while still being in range to hit them with a Shoryuken if they try to jump.

The Fireball Trap

Ryu's famous Fireball Trap is a simple but deadly pattern he can follow on a cornered opponent. After scoring a knock-down on an opponent in the corner, Ryu can first position himself at the end of their jump arc, and then throw a Jab Hadouken as they are getting up. The Jab Hadouken hits meaty, after which Ryu can immediately throw a second Jab Hadouken, which hits just after the first. Finally, he throws a Fierce Hadouken just as the second Jab Hadouken ends.

If done correctly, the enemy cannot jump out of this pattern. If they try to jump between any of these fireballs, the next fireball will hit them on the way up, they will be knocked down, and the pattern can be begun again. If they decide to jump after the last fireball in the pattern, Ryu can use his Shoryuken to knock them out of the sky and back into the corner. Then he can throw a meaty Jab Hadouken as they are getting up, and repeat the process all over again.

A few characters can break the pattern by evading the Jab Hadouken with an invulnerable move. Ryu and Ken can use their Jab Shoryukens to escape. Honda can use a Buttslam, which can be countered by a Shoryuken, but if you have committed to throwing a Fierce Hadouken, you can get a move to whiff and be punished for it as Honda descends. In order to avoid this problem, consider using the button-release Hadouken.

Hadouken tick

If you knock an enemy down at their corner, try getting from close to mid distance and throwing a Jab Hadouken so that it hits near their back. This gives you time to walk up and throw them while their are worried about cr.forward xx red Hadouken, walk up and retreat to bait reversals and walk-up Jab shoryuken. If the Hadouken hits, you can combo a crouching kick as they recover. Note that this strategy has risks: as the Hadouken has to land really meaty, many special attacks that have short periods of invulnerability can be used to evade the projectile completely, which would not be possible otherwise. This includes Ryu's short tatsu, short flash kick, Dee Jay and Vega's (Claw) flip kicks and many supers.

Tencho bait

Throw a few Fierce or Strong Hadoukens at your enemy. If they get blocked and you feel they are about to jump in, step back and throw a Jab Hadouken for them to land on it.

Feints

Ryu (or Ken) have to duck for a split second if they throw a Hadouken while walking or standing still. Other players can react to this and the move's initial frames to evade the projectile or even punish you for using it. Ryu can fake Hadouken by simply ducking and standing, or throwing some standing Jab or Strong punches. Use this against enemies that can punish Hadoukens on reaction, such as Vega (Claw), M. Bison (Dictator), Sagat and others. If they jump in, punish with a Fierce Shoryuken. Against charge characters, mix up Hadoukens with rush punches and short tatsus so as to be at the end of their jump arc while pushing them back to their corner at the same time. That is the most dangerous distance for you to be if they guess right, but with mix-ups it should get difficult for your enemies to jump the right time.

The Super

Ryu's super is one of the best in the game, and he is capable of charging it up very quickly. It has three important properties that make it so dangerous:

It blows through lesser projectiles, and will hit the character that threw them. In matches against other characters with projectiles, such as Dhalsim or Sagat, getting the super charged is a major turning point - it neutralizes their fireball, and let's Ryu play the game at his pace.

It can easily be combo'ed into for massive damage (see Combos, above). A basic combo into super does around 70% of an opponent's health in damage, and will almost certainly end the round if it hits them.

When blocked, it keeps the opponent trapped in blockstun for a long time, allowing Ryu to close the distance and follow up with one of his deadly mixups (see Mixups, below). The additional blockstun can also be used to extend his fireball trap, with the pattern: meaty Jab Hadouken, super, Jab Hadouken, Fierce Hadouken.

Check this article at Nohoho's blog for an explanation on how to use negative-edge special attacks to avoid whiffed normals.

The built-in Shoryuken is an advanced technique that takes precise execution to be effective. When mastered, it will allow you to safe-jump on certain characters without the risk of getting countered (video example). It is explained in this post at Nohoho's blog. Do not try to use this technique against characters you are not comfortable safe-jumping at.

After a Ryu player performs the Shoryuken motion, he or she is allowed some time before pressing (or releasing) the punch button, and the move will still come out. This time is greatest when using a Jab Shoryuken, which is handy, since that's the version with least vulnerability. This technique can be important as it allows you to counter things in a way that wouldn't be possible otherwise, since the Shoryuken motion is relatively slow.

For instance, when dealing with moves with fast start-up, like Blanka's rolling attack, you can realize your enemy is likely to attempt such an attack, and buffer the →↓↘ motion. If the enemy does perform the move you are expecting, simply press the Jab button to counter it. On the other hand, would he not perform the attack you wanted to counter, simply avoid pressing punch buttons for a brief moment, and behave accordingly.

This technique can also be used with projectile wars. Often, you want to advance (walking, rush punch, short tatsu) instead of using your Hadoukens, because 1) this would push your enemy close to his corner, 2) it is safer than being trapped in the Hadouken's long recovery, and 3) allows you to react to some-random jumps. However, would your enemy keep on throwing projectiles, you are likely to block one them, accept the corresponding chip damage, and get pushed back to your own corner in the process, which is bad. Since the Jab Shoryuken makes Ryu's legs and body invulnerable, you can use it to avoid such projectiles. From a distance, you can easily input the full motion on reaction, but this is not true when closing the gap. Thus, you can advance and buffer the motion when you expect he might throw a projectile.

A similar strategy can be used when you are cornered by projectile characters. It is not possible to react to all projectiles from such a range, but if you buffer the motion and pay attention to the projectiles themselves, then you will be able to react and avoid some of them, which may give you room to try and escape the trap. Simply predicting them is risky, since most players will throw in some feints so as to make you whiff the move and punish you.

Once Ryu scores a knockdown, he has one of two choices: he can continue pressuring with his Hadouken, or he can move in and attack with his powerful mixups as they are regaining their feet.

Cross Ups

Ryu can cross up his opponents as they are getting up by jumping a little over them and pressing Roundhouse. When done correctly, this has to be blocked in the opposite direction, because Ryu is no longer in front of them when the Roundhouse kick connects. If Ryu deliberately aims at the spot right above his opponent's head, it is often very difficult to tell whether the attack will cross up or not - and if the opponent guesses wrong, regardless of which side Ryu ends up on, Ryu gains a huge opportunity to hit the opponent with one of his Bread & Butter combos. A common technique is to follow with a cr.Strong as you land so you can confirm whether you are hitting the enemy or he blocked. If your enemy did not block, immediately cancel the crouching Strong into a Shoryuken, for high damage and a full knockdown. Else, apply Ryu's usual mix-ups such as throw, cr.Roundhouse, cr.Forward xx red Hadouken, late Shoryuken or simply waiting for him to make a mistake.

In addition to the previous strategy, Ryu can jump forward the way he normally would for a safe jump, from the front. As he is at the apex of the jump, perform an air tatsu to cross the enemy up as you land, obtaining another knock down. You can also jump above your enemy in a way that a cross-up Roundhouse would whiff. Before landing, perform an air Tatsumaki to hit your enemy if he tries to walk up and throw you.

Other mix-ups from an aerial roundhouse can be found in the strategy section of the Yoga Book Hyper (translated into English here). The general idea is to keep the enemy guessing whether they should reverse or not, stand or not, even if he correctly blocks the aerial attack.

High/Low

Ryu's → + Strong command normal has to be blocked high - it will hit any opponent who is blocking low. In addition, it can be linked into his cr.RH for a 3 hit combo, and a knockdown. Similarly, Ryu's cr.Fwd xx red Hadouken has to be blocked low - it will hit any opponent who is blocking high (also scoring a knockdown).

If your opponent is not fast enough, randomly choosing one of these two patterns as he is recovering from a knockdown or cross-up Roundhouse will give you a 50/50 chance of hitting him again, scoring another knockdown, and continuing the assault. However, know that Ryu's overhead swing has a long start-up, which allows players with good reactions to block or even counter it.

Throw Baiting

Ryu has two normal moves after which he can always link cr.Forward: → + Fierce, and cr.Strong. In addition, he can link cr.Forward after a meaty st.Forward or cr.Forward.

By performing one of these moves as an opponent is getting up, Ryu is threatening to hit the opponent with a powerful combo. To prevent this, the opponent will likely block the move. However, these attacks are also excellent throw set-ups - simply wait until the move has finished, and then press → and Fierce to throw the opponent. If the timing fails, you will obtain the rush punch again, setting up a new basic guessing game. The more you repeat this, the move the enemy is likely to try a reversal, else he will be pushed towards his corner while you gain a lot of super meter.

Savvy opponents will know that they can escape the throw by either A) counter-throwing, or B) performing a reversal move. But here is the trick to this mixup: doing either requires them to stand up. Since cr.mk can be linked after these moves, you can link cr.Forward xx red Hadouken instead of trying to throw them. This will hit them if they try to counter-throw or perform a reversal move, knock them down, and let you follow up with another mixup.

It is important to pay attention to what happens to your Hadoukens after you throw them. Ryu can only ever have one Hadouken on the screen at a time, so if an opponent jumps straight up to pass over the Hadouken, attempting to throw a second one will simply fail and result in a normal move. This gives the opponent plenty of time to close the gap and fight the game on his terms.

In order to play Ryu well, you must be able to react to how your opponent reacts to your Hadoukens.

Goryus 17:24, 23 May 2007 (UTC)

Matchups classified with this diagram in mind, for the old characters i guessed the positions.

--Born2SPD

Dark Gaiden has given some match-up advice on his interview on Shoryuken.com. In addition to it, the SRK user zaspacer has organized many high level footage in his Street Fighter Dojo. Be sure to check those out!

8 - 2

Round start

Block; step back a bit then use crouching Strong (beats HHS and Dos Koi headbutt); jump back.

Main Strategy

Use your projectile game to zone him, and cr.Roundhouse or SRK to punish jump-ins. Against Buttslams, prefer Shoryukens, back + strong or cr.strong xx red Hadouken, as N.Ryu's increased crouching kick vulnerability gets them stuffed, usually. If he gets up close, do not panic. Watch out for opportunities such as a jump-in or a Buttslam. Try red Hadoukens between his pokes occasionally. If he does a super, either SRK him right away if you got the time or simply block the first hit and use a reserval Shoryuken to knock him out of the air. If you score a knockdown, simply have him wake up on meaty Hadoukens and continue with your zone game. Do not attempt normal meaties against him: odds are you will eat a free Oiicho throw.

7.5 - 2.5

Round Start

Block, walk up block, walk up cr.kick xx Hadouken, cr.Strong.

Main Strategy

Stay on the ground. Crouching Strong beats a number of his pokes, but does not have enough reach to guarantee that you will control him in footsies. Use Hadoukens from a distance to push him back. If he uses his horizontal rolling attack, block it standing and do a reversal Fierce Hadouken to punish him. If Blanka jumps in on top of you, use a Shoryuken. If he jumps from a distance such that it would whiff, use cr.Roundhouse, standing Strong and jumping Fierce as anti-air. Blanka can often counter those moves, so mix them up to keep him off balance. If you score a knockdown, use your projectile game or jumping Fierce if you believe he will try a reversal. Do a Hadouken as you land to punish a possible reversal back hop. The horizontal rolling part of Blanka's super can be hit by Hadoukens.

He is strictly weaker than Blanka. No cross-up aerial Short means you only need to worry about dizzy combos from the front.

7.5 - 2.5

Round start

Block, rush punch into throw, jump back, backwards juice kick.

Main strategy

Use your projectile game to zone her, and use standing Strong or cr.Roundhouse to punish jump-ins. If she gets up close, try a red Hadouken between her pokes, or a walk-up cr.Forward or Roundhouse into Hadouken only if she does not have super. Jump ins, Spinning Backfist and Hooligan Combination can all be punished with a Shoryuken on reaction.

Mostly the same as Cammy, but she has no super, Hooligan Combination and cross-up aerial Short, giving her less chances of delivering high damage.

7 - 3

Round Start

Walk up and block, walk up cr.kick into Haoduken, block.

Main Strategy

Use a barrage of Hadoukens to cancel his Max Out game, and rush punches or short Tatsus to close the gap and push him into the corner. If he jumps, you will be in position for a Shoryuken for high damage and a full knockdown. At the corner, keep the pressure up with Hadoukens, rush punches into throw and crouching kicks into Hadoukens. Do not threat him with whiffed normals: most his normals have good priority and will either beat or trade with your attacks. This is specially true for cr.Forward, which gets beaten cleanly by Dee Jay's cr.Strong and cr.Forward. If he tries to escape, use close standing Fierce or Shoryuken. If he jumps from a distance such that a SRK is unsafe, try a perfectly spaced sweep, diagonal Fierce or check his usual action after he lands. Due to the threat of cr.roundhouse, you may be able to simply walk up and throw him. Neutral jumping roundhouse will stuff his diagonal jumping Roundhouse, but it is very risky. Only use it if you know for sure it will get used.

If you score a knockdown against Dee Jay, consider either safe jumping, meaty Hadouken, cross-up tatsu or meaty cr.Forward into cr.RH or another cr.Forward. Dee Jay's reversals have trouble hitting low, so you can usually punish him afterwards (Up kicks) or simply stuff him (Machine Gun Upper). Avoid meaty Jab Shoryukens, as his standing Roundhouse will punish it on block and his Short upkicks will beat it cleanly.

As it is usual against charge projectile characters, pay attention to his style, the clock and your life lead. The more jumpy the enemy gets, the more dangerous it is to throw Hadoukens, but the more damage you deal if you feint and punish with Shoryukens. Also, as his projectiles are fast and some of his normals have long reach, watch out when throwing a Hadouken if the previous one has been blocked or if you are at a frame disadvantage. You may eat a Max Out or a standing Roundhouse and get hit out of your projectile.

If cornered, stay calm. Dee Jay may get a sort of long block-string pressure going, but he will eventually have to either give up frame advantage or take some risk such as jumping in or trying to predict a Hadouken with standing RH. Be ready to sweep, SRK or get a red Hadouken in between his pokes. Also, be wary of supers, which will surely get all hits if you are cornered.

Watch out for trying to reversal throw after his awesome cross-up aerial Forward kick. Talented Dee Jays will use cr.Jab linked into cr.Short either once or twice, canceling it into MGU for major damage. Concentrate on softening the throw in that situation, and consider yourself lucky if your opponent always goes for the st.Strong xx Dread Kicks, which can be simply blocked.

Mostly the same as N.Dee Jay, but he has no Super and must rely only on MGU for a special anti-air.

He is Fei Long without the Rekka Kicks but with a few more cancels. Zone him, and get your cr.Roundhouse well spaced. He is also easily cross-up on full knockdowns.

6 - 4

Use a barrage of hadoukens to cancel her kikouken game, and rush punches or short tatsus to close the gap and push her into the corner. If she jumps, you will be in position for a shoryuken for high damage and a full knockdown. At the corner, keep the pressure up with hadoukens, rush punches into throw and crouching kicks into hadoukens. If she tries to escape, use close standing fierce or shoryuken. If she jumps from a distance such that a SRK is unsafe, block or jump back . Her super is a threat when charged. Because she can store it while walking forward, be extra careful with your projectiles. If she uses the neckbraker on your wake-up, block it low. It will change sides and hit as a cross-up if she does it from point-blank range. She can hit you out of hadoukens with a number of safe pokes such as standing forward kick. Time a projectile between pokes to avoid getting countered, but know you will be wide open for a dizzy combo if she guesses right and jumps in.

She has no super, which is a big help to you, but her aerial game is boss-like. You will only beat her jump-ins with deep Shoryukens or close Fierces: all other normals are likely to get stuffed. That aside, a less troublesome match for you.

6.5 - 3.5

6.5 - 3.5

Round Start

Walk up and block, walk up and RH Tatsu if he uses Sonic Boom, walk up cr.kick into Haoduken, block.

Main Strategy

Use a barrage of Hadoukens to cancel his sonic boom game, and rush punches or short Tatsus to close the gap and push him into the corner. If he jumps, you will be in position for a shoryuken for high damage and a full knockdown. At the corner, keep the pressure up with Hadoukens, rush punches into throw and crouching kicks into Hadoukens. If he tries to escape, use close standing Fierce or Shoryuken. If he jumps from a distance such that a SRK is unsafe, crouching Strong should beat all his jump-ins.

Guile can be easily crossed up. If you score a knockdown and you are either losing or near your own corner, try the safe and tested cross-up RH then cr.Strong combo, or other mix ups, such as throw, Jab into throw or cr.Forward xx Hadouken as he recovers.

Same as above.

6.5 - 3.5

Round Start

Hadouken, walk up and block, walk up st.Strong, wait.

Main Strategy

Your fireball game is better: you have faster projectiles, shorter start-up and shorter overall recovery. Force him to take risks and punish accordingly, closing the distance when possible to push him into the corner.

If he whiffs a Fierce or Strong Shoryuken, or a Shoryureppa, it might be hard to guess which side he will land. By crouching and using the Forward kick, you will get the right direction everytime. As it is not that safe and his Jab Shoryuken is a threat, do cr.Forward, ←↙↓↘→ + P + K so as to cancel the kick into either a red Hadouken or a Tatsu. If you are cornered and you have super, do a cr.Forward xx super as you normally would when the enemy lands in front of you.

If you feel like pressuring his wake-up with Shoryukens for chip damage (mostly recommended if Ken is about to die), always use the Jab one, and make sure he wakes on on it. Else, Ken's Jab Shoryuken will stuff yours due to its better horizontal and vertical range. Conversely, if Ken is pressuring your wake-up with a Jab SRK, just accept the chip, as Strong and Fierce Shoryukens lose cleanly and Jab Shoryuken may also get hit around Ryu head cleanly, which is easier for Ken to do than the other way around.

Ken's cross-up Tatsu causes the hit or blockstun of a Fierce or Roundhouse, take that into account when trying to reverse knee bash attempts.

6-4

Round Start

Hadouken, walk up and block, walk up st.Strong, wait.

Main Strategy

Old Ken's Hadoukens can be annoying, but you still have a better start-up on your Hadouken and, more importantly, a faster projectile speed. Because of that, he has to constantly throw Hadoukens at you if he wants to get a projectile exchange going, which makes him more predictable.

You can not counter his diagonal Roundhouse with standing punches, as the leg is invulnerable, so get your walk-up Shoryuken ready or simply block. Else, keep your Hadou-Shoryu game going, sweep him if he jumps from a distance or do a late Jab Hadouken or walk up standing punch if he is happy with Shoryukens when landing.

His close game can be very dangerous, as if he is worked with the shotos' option selects, his Shoryuken will beat yours, resetting the situation. You need reversal throws to escape if he does not make a mistake.

6.5 - 3.5

Round Start

Block, Strong Hadouken, rapid-fire st.Jab.

Main Strategy

Dictator will try to poke you with his kicks and hit you out of your projectiles, then force you to throw a Hadouken or predict one and punish with a ToD combo. Also, he will want to put you in a defensive position and tick throw you from a range only Shoryuken will work, as Tatsus get beat by his punches. To avoid that, Ryu will use well placed projectiles, which will put Dictator on defense and force him to either play patiently and carefully, or take constant risks.

If you get him cornered, pressure him with Hadoukens. He is particularly vulnerable to your [projetile trap].

From full screen, Dictator can punish Hadoukens on reaction with Headstomps. Thus, keep constantly feinting so you can throw occasional Hadoukens (Fierce only). If you bait a Headstomp, diagonal Strong can punish it for some good damage and a full knockdown.

Learn the timing for crossing him on on knockdowns. This will put Dictator in a situation his only hope is to block correctly. If he does not, he will eat aerial Roundhouse, cr.Strong and either a Hadouken or a Shoryuken, which can be hit-confirmed. If he blocks correctly, he still has to deal with guessing games between throw, cr.kick (xx Hadouken) and Shoryuken. Avoid Tatsu as a follow-up as Dictator can react with diagonal Strong for a 3-hit juggle combo.

Training should help you differentiate jump-ins from Headstomps and Devil's Reverse. You must punish the jump-ins with Shoryukens: allowing Dictator to land aerial attacks on you is a losing strategy, even if you manage to block them. His tick throw game is very strong, and his block strings will allow him to get meter early, limiting your options.

If he tries a super from mid or long distance, use a Shoryuken on reaction. If you bait a super by jumping, Fierce beats it on the way down, if he is not anymore invulnerable, which is usually the case. Do not throw Jab Hadoukens from close and mid distance when he has bar: he will punish with the super on reaction.

If he tries a Headstomp while you are standing, crouch to avoid it. Zone him carefully and be ready to Shoryuken jump-ins.

Round Start

Block, walk up and block.

Main Strategy

Be careful here. His blue projectiles are better than yours, so he will zone better. Try to build your super bar while staying away from the corner, where he is deadly. Also, notice his blue Hadoukens have better start-up, which can cause some confusion if you are not used to facing him instead of N.Ryu. Be careful when trying to reverse with a Hadouken after having blocked a Hadouken of his, as there is a good chance you will get hit out of your projectile. As soon as you have super, his game will be ijn your favor and he will hve to be extra careful with his projectiles, the with difference from N.Ryu that he has no hope of ever building a super of his. Watch out for random jumps and juice kick shennanigans.

Do not challenge his wake-up with any Shoryukens and do not challenge his Shoryukens on your wake-up. Remember: he is invincible during the whole active part of the move.

6.5 - 3.5

Round Start

Block.

Main Strategy

This match-up has some interesting aspects regarding zoning. Ryu has the better recovery on his projectile, the Hadouken, but Sagat's has options among which area of the screen he covers and either a faster or slower projectile than those of Ryu. Also, while Ryu remains vulnerable for more time after throwing his projectile, Sagat happens to have a faster punishment for extended limbs with his aerial Roundhouse than Ryu with any of his jump-ins. However, Ryu has the option of either ducking high Tigers or using Tatsu through or above low Tigers, together with modifying his jump arc on reaction with the air Tatsus if he mistimes a neutral jump.

While both characters are strong from a distance, Ryu has trouble due to Sagat's fast projectiles and his worse ability to punish limbs from further away. Ryu's super through low Tigers also allows Sagat to block the remaining hits due to the extended limbs giving enough time to recover, so accepting damage while getting cornered is risky. On the other hand, while Sagat's Tiger Uppercut has more range than Ryu's Shoryuken and is safer on block, it has much less invulnerability. Up close, Ryu has stronger tools: the threat of the Shoryuken, longer range on his cancelable crouching kicks, Shakunetsu Hadouken that knocks down, negates Sagat a range where he can jump in and not eat a Shoryuken, punishes any high fast Tiger on reaction after ducking them and punishes slow projectiles with reaction super. Thus most Ryu players will choose to rush Sagat down.

To close the gap, keep feinting to bait a jump in, Short Tatsu through low tigers and rush punches when Sagat can not throw a projectile on your face. You can get Sagat to jump by throwing many projectiles, but as his jump arc is short and his aerial Roundhouse has good damage and range, this is riskier than usual. Do not get carried away when trading projectiles.

Your usual anti-airs (Shoryuken, st.Short, st.Strong, diagonal Fierce) work well in this match, but you must be aware of his range. As for Sagat, a Ryu player will soon learn not to spam jumps against him, as just three of his options - Tiger Uppercut, far Fierce and crouching Roundhouse - are enough to negate almost any air attack.

If you score a knockdown, your two main options are meaty Hadouken or cross-up Tatsu. A safe jump is possible (same timing as against Claw), but harder to time due to Sagat's Uppercut having a start-up of just three frames, and maybe useless, if he gets a Jab one to come out, which is safe on block. Also due to the fast start-up, built-in Shoryukens are hard. Consider the cross-up Tatsu if you are not about to corner the opponent, and the Hadouken otherwise, naturally. Tiger Uppercut has a deceiving range when he gets cross-up, and as Ryu's leg is partially vulnerable, he can be hit out of the move if he lands close, even it Sagat's move comes out the wrong way. Favor Tatsus at the apex of Ryu's jump, to hit Sagat safely and land outside the range of his crouching Roundhouse. Avoid Shoryukens on his wake-up, unless he is spamming Jab Tiger Uppercut: he can simply block and punish with a Fierce punch, every time.

It s a good idea to save your super for punishing slow high Tigers and as a mix-up in the corner, where Sagat will have very few options. Do not go for unavoidable chip damage, unless that will get him to die or at least deny him block against special moves. Also, recall that the extended limbs on low Tigers will allow Sagat to block the remaining hits almost every time, even if the corner or the end of the screen limit his reeling animation. Sagat's super is invulnerable: punish the recovery, and watch-out for predictable Hadoukens from mid and close range.

6 - 4

Round Start

Crouching Strong, wait, jump back.

Main Strategy

Hawk can kill you with his Typhoon loop. Fast. You have to keep him out if you want to survive. Hawk's plan, on the other hand, is to get in. This is the match-up, not trying to escape the loop, which means you are already counting on luck or an execution mistake.

Hawk has several ways of getting in, but all of them put him in range for some of Ryu's melee attacks, or force him to give up blocking, which also leaves him wide open to Hadoukens. He can simply walk up and do a typhoon, which you can counter with a crouching kick or Red Hadouken. We can whiff a normal outside your range and throw you faster by previously buffering the command, which you can also stop with a crouching kick or Hadouken. The normal whiff can be a warning. This, however, force you to throw a normal or a projectile which he can predict and punish with cr.RH, getting a fast knockdown, or even walk-up and Rising Hawk, which gives him the full knockdown, to great advantage. From a range, he can control some space with Roundhouse, which gets stuffed by your Strong punch, and can be hit if he attacks again by a properly timed Hadouken.

Other ways of getting in are aerial normals (Jab "wall" or Fierce) and the Condor Dive, or simply dive, for short. Both are extremely dangerous: the dive knocks you down while even accepting a jumping normal will probably lead to you getting sucked into Mexican Typhoon. The dive gives Ryu some time to either block it or punish it, which can be done with a Shoryuken, standing Jab or standing Short, depending on the angle. Notice he can only dive until the apex of his jump. As he falls, he can only use normals. The normals, usually Jab, can be swept from the right range, or punished with a Shoryuken from closer range. Know your options (SRK, sweep, standing/jumping punches) and be ready to use them. If the jump is ambiguous, try to simply jump back, as accepting it will lead to a safe option-select throw attempt. If you have super, you can use it as anti-air in that situation. Crouching Roundhouse gives you a safe jump on Hawk, if it hits. You have to wait for a split second before jumping, or your aerial attack will whiff.

If he gets you in his loop, your only way out is the super. Among Ryu's specials, the one that has the best chance of escaping the loop is Short Tatsu. Rarely, the Tatsus can also allow Ryu to escape the installed Rising Hawk after safe jumps, but this demands certain fortunate distances and timing from Hawk as he jumps. It may also help before the typhoon, as a Rising Hawk, crouching Strong or Fierce do less damage than the command throw, and there is a small chance that they mistime a move and you get away with a throw or Shoryuken. Hawk players know that the super will push them back, so they will often try to predict it and punish with a dive, jump or Rising Hawk. Watch out, try to read his intentions and not be predictable.

Ryu is you, so keep your zoning and footsie tricks in mind, and make good use of aerial Tatsus to avoid getting hit by Hadoukens. Do not throw slow Hadoukens from close range when he gets his super: motion buffering and reactions will allow the opponent to punish it on reaction. Also, do not cancel the tip of crouching kicks into Hadouken: the opponent can reversal super after the kick. If you are about to kill him, never use Strong of Fierce Shoryukens to chip him to death: the vulnerability with allow them to be stuff cleanly by reversal Shoryukens.

4.5 - 5.5

Round Start

Stand still and wait, Red Hadouken, walk up cr.Forward xx Hadouken, walk up cr.kick, jump back + tatsu.

Main Strategy

Here's your objective: 1) don't get knocked down, 2) don't block jumps if you can trade or beat them, 3) don't get overwhelmed by his footsie arsenal and 4) don't get cornered. His objective is to land SPDs, get in melee range so as to put you on pressure and corner you, so you are vulnerable to safe jumps into SPD loops.

Your projectile game mostly fails against Zangief, as 1) he can evade Hadoukens with Lariats and 2) his jumps are short, often allowing him to hit your extended arms before you can react with a Shoryuken. You will want to throw projectiles in the hope he messes up and with timing such that he will get hit if he tries to predict them with a Green Hand. He can also use his st.Forward kick to poke you from outside your normal move range. If it whiffs, you can try crouching or standing Strong to stuff it, but recall these two options project your hitboxes forward a bit. That aside, you can try walk up sweep or cr.Forward, simply faint or use a Red Hadouken between his pokes. While Zangief can counter all these, mixing up between them all makes it troublesome for Zangief to use his many ground tools. You must try not to default to blocking, at it allows Zangief to Lariat in front of you freely, getting meter and position while you stay pinned due to block recovery. If you see a Lariat and you are not blocking, however, you can walk up and sweep him with your crouching Roundhouse. Also, keep in mind that kick Lariats are vulnerable at the end of the move and punch Lariats have the range increase as Zangief spins. This means you risk getting stuffed if you guess a kick lariat wrong (hadouken) or SPDed or punched if you guess a punch Lariat wrong (while walking forward for a crouching kick). From middle distance, use rush punches to quickly advance and punish Lariats, being ready to use a SRK in case he jumps.

Do not default to Shoryukens as a reversal move against Zangief. First of all, it is not safe on block, and due to Zangief's SPD range, he can usually throw you as you land. In addition to it, the move is throwable before getting airbone. If Zangief tries a delayed SPD or even a Running Bear grab from maximum range, he may throw you out of the Shoryuken. Ryu's Short tatsu will be very helpful in such situations, but do not overuse the move: after a safe jump, if Gief sees it coming, he can Lariat you out of it and earn a cross-up guessing game that will most like end in you taking a lot of damage. In the worst case, you may be dizzied and lose the round there.

This is one of the many match-ups where you must not allow the opponent to freely jump on you. Unless he is out of range, have the Shoryuken, standing RH kick or the sweep ready. Each time you block a jump-in, you are vulnerable to guessing games which are on his favor. Know the ranges of your different anti-airs and apply them. Also, be careful with your sweeps, since overusing the move can lead to eating a deadly combo into a knockdown.

If you score a knockdown, know your jumping Strong and Jab punches will stuff his reversal Lariat. This will force him to block, which then gives you some mean guessing games with options among throw, delayed Jab Shoryuken or Short Tatsu (for throw mashers) and crouching kicks into Hadouken or super. If you get him on his corner, pressure him with cr.kicks into Hadouken, sweeps and projectiles. Lariats are risky for him there, as he has little room to walk back and avoid sweeps, but he is forced to try something risky in that situation. Be on the safe side, though: if he grabs you, he can steer his SPDs to spin in the direction of his own corner, extending his pressure in both sides of the screen.

In this match-up, do not

try cross-up Tatsus;
try meaty grounded normal attacks;
spam Forward and Roundhouse Tatus;
default to Shoryuken as a reversal;
default to Red Hadouken between his pokes;
default to backward or down back, getting pinned down during Lariats;
try meaty aerial kicks;
try any meaty aerial attack on top of him;
discard the risk of him jumping on you.

Zangief does have a slight advantage against Ryu, but if Ryu is on his toes, he can give Zangief a lot of trouble.

4 - 6

Round Start

Block, wait a bit and st.Strong, small step towards and cr.Forward, jump Back.

Main Strategy

Your plan is to somehow prevent Boxer from getting his offense going and killing you before you can try something. His offense comes from his many awesome rush punches, TAP, high priority special headbutt, good range and priority normals and the best super in the game. Use standing Strong to punish predictable or random rushes, and zone him with Hadoukens. Mix their speeds to make it harder for him to simply ignore them while building meter by headbutting though them, punish jumps and Fierce headbutts appropriately. If you score a knockdown, use safe jumps, cross-up tatsus, or simply have him wake up on a Hadouken.

Safe jump -> Block 1. throw 2. cr short, throw 3. wait 1 frame or 2, cr forward xx fireball 4. cr mp, frame trap cr RH

If he gets close, watch out for predictable Hadoukens, as he can headbutt though them for a knockdown and then apply a mean guessing game on your wake-up. His main options are Jab Heabutt (beats anything but blocking), bait (so as to punish a reversal or whiffed Fierce), cr.Jab (x1/2) into hold or bait, meaty cr.Forward into hold or linked into cr.Strong xx Low Rush. This last combo dizzies almost every time when you are waking up, so be on your toes with your reversals or simply block. When he builds super, try to build yours and minimize risks. In no account should throw slow Hadoukens near him when he has full bar. Take note that his super will beat yours almost always, so be careful if using frame traps. If you can bait his super, jumping Fierce beats it after the invulnerability wears off. Your cr.Strong can beat his cr.Strong from the right range, and it will also stuff his standing Fierce. You can eat a cr.RH from that range, though.

4 - 6

Round Start

Block, walk back, jump back, jump back and tatsu.

Main Strategy

There are two main strategies for fighting Claw: total rushdown (Gotoh, Futachan) or turtling (ShootingD).

Total rushdown will be trying to get close, use normals on prediction to try and stuff his pokes (e.g., if both attack at the same time, cr.RH usually beat or trade with most his moves, but can lead to a 3-hit combo if he jumps or at least a slide or cr.Strong if it misses), and counter his wall dives by mixing up your many options. While he can hit you out of any attack but a Shoryuken with proper timing, he has no way of beating all options among Hadouken, let him land and Hadouken, Shoryuken, rush punch to dash and Shoryuken, st.Short, towards diagonal RH, towards diagonal Strong, neutral Jab/Short/Strong, backwards diagonal RH/Fierce/Strong. Attacking early so as to hit aerial attacks means he will no longer be active as he lands while trying to throw or hit Hadoukens or standing normals will leave him vulnerable to most aerial options. If you do not jump as the proper direction, though, he will often have the initiative or be able to hit you as you land.

Learning to safe jump Claw is extremely important. That is your only chance, together with mixing up cross-up tatsus, to try a comeback when he gets a life lead, which will happen many times. While Claw has control of both ground and air, he can get dizzied around 75% of the time if you score a 3-hit combo on his wake-up. Else, if he reversals, knock him down again to continue your offense.

There is a distance where, if Claw jumps in, he can get swept him for free. Naturally, he will rarely jump from that distance, which means you can try to throw occasional projectiles as he tries to advance or back off to reposition himself. Most his pokes are vulnerable at the height of his stomach, which is a region most Ryu's far and crouching normals can not reach. However, this means a Hadouken can hit him out of most his pokes, if it does not get stuffed. If he jumps in from close distance, you can react immediately with a Shoryuken, or use st.Short. From a slightly larger distance, st.Strong will hit most his jump-ins.

The main threat of being offensive against Claw is the chance of dying from a single knockdown. A series of ambiguous dives can make it hard to block and reverse, leading to other full knockdowns and high damage. Your best bet, usually, is to try a Shoryuken and a Tatsu. Shoryukens will meaty and close to meaty dives, but get stuffed by cross-up dives with proper timing and trade with reversal Shoryukens from the front. Meaty dives will be beat by reversal tatsus, and beat them otherwise. The command →↓↘→+punches (piano) + kicks (piano) has a good chance of option-selecting between Shoryuken and Tatsu on ambiguous cross-ups. This is used by DGV, damdai and several top Japanese players. Else, you can try to hold all punches and use →↓↘→ + punches (piano release), to try an option select between Shoryuken and blocking.

The power of the Flying Barcelona Attack is precisely the reason why another strategy is employed: total turtle. The Japanese player ShootingD is famous for this approach. Basically, you will walk back, crouch block and jump back into tatsu, Strong, RH or nothing and get your back to the corner, so you can not be cross-up with wall dives. The only way to cross you up is by using super, Izuna Drop or by throwing you out of the corner first. Here, the Ryu player will rely on fast reflexes to punish Claw's jump-ins and rolling attacks (Rolling Cristal Flash), punish or evade wall dives, stuff or counter walk-up throws and block everything else. In between Claws pokes, he can throw seemingly random Hadoukens to deal damage and try to get a life lead, which will be exploited for more damage as Claw gets more reckless or predictable trying to equalize. If you socre a knockdown, the plan is to either have him wake up on a Hadouken, unless you are losing. If you need the comeback, either safe jump or cross-up tatsu, with occasional walk up and either use the overhead swing or fake it, in the hope he tries a flip kick.

In this match, Claw has the clear advantage, but with fast reflexes and good execution you can make it much harder for him to obtain damage from his offense. Ryu has the chance of killing Vega every time he knocks him down, and if the player is fast enough to SRK his jump-ins, his offesnive options are quite limited in terms of damage.

3 - 7

Round Start

Wait and cr.Strong;
Small step and Jab SRK;
Block, small step and block.

Main Strategy

Dhalsim has lots of ways around your Hadoukens if he has room, so you need to constantly feint before using them, and use them sparingly anyway. Particularly, he can jump and drill from most distances to hit your extended limbs. While his far attacks have awesome reach and recovery, they have poor priority. Ryu can often punish whiffed normals with his own normals from just outside Dhalsim's reach. Dhalsim players will avoid poking from those distances, though, harassing you with standing kicks and Yoga Fires. Do not jump at him honestly: he has several normals that beat your aerial normals cleanly or hit you around the apex of your jump, before you decide to attack. If you predict a Yoga Fire or react to one from close range, use Roundhouse Tatsu for good damage and a full knockdown.

After full knockdowns, always use meaty jumps, else he will either punish or avoid your attacks with slides. His hitbox is relatively fat, so he is vulnerable to cross-ups, but remember you have to hit meaty, or he will slide below you, then use a hold or a throw afterward. Dhalsim also has bad reversals, so meaty attacks are interesting. Meaty cr.Forward into cr.Forward xx Hadouken will dizzy almost every time. If he ever uses Yoga Teleport to surprise you (odds are he will not, it just does not work unless you are about to block a slow projectile), cr.Strong x2 xx Hadouken should dizzy him most the time.

When he gets super and you are cornered, control your impulses. Predictable pokes, jumps or Hadoukens can be punished with his super.

Your main plan is to 1) constantly feint while throwing a few Hadoukens to get some damage, maybe a life lead, with some luck, 2) pay attention to his Yoga Fire pattern, as the knockdown after a Tatsu gives you the chance to win the round right there, 3) get full super so you are able to scare him, shutting down his constant poking, super on reaction to mid-screen Yoga Fire or Flame and super in between his pokes as he tries to push you back and 4) use Shoryuken, air Tatsus or diagonal Strong against his air game (these last two options demand acting early).

Stun Timer

Super Meter

Frame Count

Simplified

3 - 7

Round Start

Strong/Fierce Hadouken (loses to standing Fierce, sort of beats doing nothing);
Short Tatsu (avoids low Tigers, loses to standing Fierce);
Step up cr.RH (against whiffed st.Fierce and straight jump RH);
wait a bit and Hadouken (if he whiffs anything);
wait, block, step up and block (most stable options).

Main Strategy

O.Sagat has even faster projectiles than O.Ryu, and the overall recovery is also faster. He will wear you down in a projectile war. In addition to it, his jump has a shorter arc, making it easy for him to hit extended arms after Hadoukens, while his low Tiger is much harder to hit (only by prediction). Thus, committing to throwing projectiles is more dangerous to Ryu than to Sagat. Sagat also has the longer reach of his Tiger Uppercut and cr.RH in relation to Ryu's Shoryuken and cr.RH. Ryu, on the other hand, has ways of avoiding projectiles with Jab Shoryuken, Short Tatsu, jump, jump and air Tatsu. In addition to it, he has his super move, which will force O.Sagat to be more careful with his Tigers.

Your plan is to fire projectiles as appropriate to gain meter while avoiding, blocking or nullifying his Tigers as safely as you can; use standing normals (st.Strong, st.Short) and Shoryukens if he jumps, and be on your toes if he ever tries a surprise Tiger Knee. If you score a knockdown, your most stable option is meaty Hadouken and then another Hadouken to push him back or a Short Tatsu to get closer and apply pressure (better with full bar). The idea of throwing as many projectiles while feinting is still valid, but as his Tigers recover so much quicker than your Hadoukens, he will be with the advantage when it comes to hitting the enemy out of his projectiles and punishing extended limbs. Try to obtain a full bar so he will hesitate and give you more room to advance and apply a Hadouken/cr.kick xx Hadouken pressure and eventually take him to the corner or force him to take risks such as Tiger Knee, Tiger Uppercut jump-ins and normals by prediction.

Sagat's extended limbs will mean that he will have time to recover if you use super against a low Tiger and he is neither cornered or on the other side of the screen. Keep that in mind before using super or reaction to a slower low Tiger midscreen just to see Sagat get away with less damage than you have accumulated to obtain full bar. Only the high Tiger will make him vulnerable to the full super anywhere in the screen.

Sagat has some trouble with cross-up Tatsus. However, his Tiger Uppercut does have good reach in the early stages. Do not try cross-up Tatsus that land close to him, but favor timings that will allow you to hover past him, hitting him from behind as he is already rising in the air. If you are one attack away from killing him, consider jumping in a way you could do a cross-up Tatsu, and simply using Roundhouse, hitting him just before crossing him up.

If you mess-up a jump so that O.Sagat is likely to Tiger Uppercut you, there is nothing that can avoid damage if he times his move right. It is no different than him jumping at you honestly. However, if he messes up and uses the move too early, know that you may trade or even beat the move cleanly with your aerial Fierce punch. In other words, it does not hurt to try. From close distance, consider a hovering air Tatsu, which sometimes evades his retaliation Tiger Uppercut, would he try to hit with the deep part of the move. Good Sagat players will simply use early st.Roundhouse to beat anything you try when jumping from closer range (similarly to your cl.Fierce, but with no proximity requirements), so do not consider this a reliable option, at all.

This can not be stressed enough: be on your toes, many tournament matches have ended with Ryu losing for having accepted (read "blocked") a single jump in that was either his only chance of a comeback or a sure kill if he reacted and used (Fierce) Shoryuken in time.

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