Game Mechanics
Universal Abilities/Concepts
Life Meter
When you lose all your life, you die. Simple Enough, Right? Not quite.
Every character has a different amount of hit points. These hit points (and damage bonus) are adjusted on a percentage basis by your ratio selection. Also, as the life bar is depleted, you gain bonus damage scaling, making the lifebar longer than it appears. Lastly, you gain health after defeating an opponent in a round.
Life Chart
All health readings are assuming the character is ratio 2.
- 15600 - Zangief, Raiden, Chang
- 15200 - Geese, Rugal
- 14800 - Honda, Blanka, Balrog, Sagat, Dan, Yamazaki, Todo
- 14400 - Ryu, Ken, Guile, Bison, Eagle, Kyo, Terry, Ryo, Kim, Joe, Rock
- 14000 - Chun Li, Dhalsim, Maki, Rolento, Iori, Haohmaru, Hibiki
- 13600 - Vega, Sakura, Cammy, Kyosuke, Mai, Vice, Benimaru, Yuri, King, Nakoruru, Athena
- 13200 - Morrigan, Yun
- 12800 - Akuma
The number reading corresponding to each character simply refers to the exact amount of life units that the character has. Zangief, Raiden and Chang have 15600 life, or about 10 Sagat standing fierces worth (a Sagat standing fierce does 1600 without counter hit).
Ratio Health Bonuses/Changes=
Ratio 1: Health: -20% Damage: -18% Ratio 2: Health: +0% Damage: +0% Ratio 3: Health: +17% Damage: +17% Ratio 4: Health: +40% Damage: +30%
Low Health Scaling
When a character has a life total that is between 16~30%, each hit they take from then on is scaled by -10%.
When a character has a life total that is 15% or lower, each hit they take from then on is scaled by -25%.
Tons of fighting games do this, They figure it makes rounds "more exciting"
Note: if a single hit does enough damage to lower a character's health from 31% to 0%, it will not be scaled at all.
Life Regeneration Formula
The amount of life you gain back between rounds is directly related to how fast you finished off the opponent.
life gained = ( (time left on the clock + 1) * 300 / (total time in a round + 1)) * 10
The resulting number is always rounded down to the nearest 100.
Guard Meter
Stun Meter
Timer
Walking, Jumping, Crouching, Attacking
Blocking
Special Moves
Super Combos
Buffering (canceling)
High Jumping
Counter Hits
Cross Ups
Throws And Tech Hits
Autoguard
Trip Guard
Taunts
Groove System
Choose the groove that's in your heart. Generally the overall viability of the grooves goes something like A>C=K>>N=P>>S
C-Groove
Inspiration: Street Fighter Alpha Series
Sub Systems: Roll, Counter Attack, Tactical Recovery, Dash
Unique Systems: Air Block, Lvl 2 super canceling
Meter Length: 168 units (56x3 levels)
Guard Bar Length: 48 units
Damage Bonuses: lv1: 101% lv2: 102% lv3: 105%
Strengths: Meter efficiency
Weaknesses: Rushing the opponent down
Play if you enjoy: Footsie based gameplay
Characters well suited for C groove: Sagat, Blanka, Hibiki, Honda, Guile, Ken, Chun-Li, Rolento, Yun, Kim, Eagle, Rugal, Yamazaki
A-Groove
Inspiration: Street Fighter Alpha Series
Sub Systems: Roll, Counter Attack, Safe Fall, Dash
Unique Systems: Custom Combos
Meter Length: 144 units (72x2 levels)
Guard Bar Length: 48 units
Damage Bonuses: none
Custom Combo Length: 72 units on the timer, roughly 7.2 seconds (442/60 secs)
Strengths: Meter flexibility, meter savings if hit, safe YOLO
Weaknesses: can be vulnerable without meter, not a great groove for Cammy or Sagat.
Play if you enjoy: Long displays of training mode execution, flexibility of meter, winning.
Characters well suited for A groove: Blanka, M.Bison, Sakura, Vega, Iori, Hibiki, Rolento, Eagle, Todo, Rugal, Haohmaru
P-Groove
Inspiration: Street Fighter 3 Series
Sub Systems: Low Jump, Delayed Wakeup, Dash
Unique Systems: Parry
Meter Length: 192 units
Guard Bar Length: 38 units
Damage Bonuses: none
Strengths: Parrying yields free openings
Weaknesses: No defensive options, slow meter gain
Play if you enjoy: Parrying FTW
Characters well suited for P groove: Sagat, Cammy, Kyo, Geese, Rugal, Iori, Hibiki, Chun Li, Yamazaki, Rock, Vega, Raiden
S-Groove
Inspiration: King of Fighters 94
Sub Systems: Counter Attack, Low Jump, Tactical Recovery, Run
Unique Systems: Dodge, Charge
Meter Length: 100 units
Guard Bar Length: 48 units
Damage Bonuses: Full Meter: 115% Red Life: 5% Full Meter Duration: 166 units on the timer (996/60 secs)
Strengths: Dodge attacks, infinite level 1's
Weaknesses: No reliable meter source
Play if you enjoy: An easier, worse version of P groove with an infinite super ability. A challenge.
Characters well suited for S groove: Sagat, Cammy, Ryu, Terry, Benimaru, Yuri, Todo, Ken, Sakura, Raiden, Chun-Li, Zangief
N-Groove
Inspiration: King of Fighters 98 Advanced Mode
Sub Systems: Roll, Counter Attack, Low Jump, Safe Fall, Run
Unique Systems: Counter Roll, Break Stock
Meter Length: 216 units (72x3 stocks)
Guard Bar Length: 48 units
Damage Bonuses: Power MAX: 120%
Power MAX Duration: 150 units on the timer (900/60 secs)
Strengths: Rushing the opponent down
Weaknesses: Getting huge damage from meter.
Play if you enjoy: Rushdown based gameplay, with a side of Roll Cancels.
Characters well suited for N groove: Sagat, Blanka, Iori, Chun-Li, Vice, Honda, Akuma, Morrigan, Joe, Kyo, Ken, Hibiki, Ryu
K-Groove
Inspiration: Garou Mark of the Wolves/ Samurai Showdown
Sub Systems: Low Jump, Safe Fall, Run
Unique Systems: Rage, Just Defense
Meter Length: 72 units
Guard Bar Length: 43 units
Damage Bonuses: Full Bar - Normal attacks : 135% Special attacks : 130% Super attacks : 110%
Full Meter Duration: 180 units on the timer (1080/60 secs)
(random note:) Just Defending gives you 6 units of meter and 100 units of life.
Strengths: Scare Factor, multiple level 3's.
Weaknesses: Defensive options, chip damage
Play if you enjoy: Rush down while glowing red. YOLO supers.
Characters well suited for K groove: Sagat, Cammy, Blanka, Geese, Kyo, Hibiki, Rock, Mai, Nakoruru, Ryo, Balrog,