Neo-Dio (NGBC)

Neo-Dio is a character in NeoGeo Battle Coliseum.

Introduction

The alien Neo-Dio first appeared as the final boss of World Heroes Perfect. He returns to participate in the NeoGeo Battle Coliseum event convinced he is the "Ultimate Life Form" and wishing to prove it.

Neo-Dio is a Boss character, with awesome music to boot, and as a result is hidden in the console version of the game. In order to unlock him, you must defeat him in "Survival Challenge" mode, where he appears after 15 wins. Unfortunately, Neo-Dio as he is playable in the game is missing two moves from his CPU-controlled incarnation: a four-way projectile and a move that summons a second Neo-Dio to grab the opponent's feet.

Moves List

All English move names come from the US PS2 version of the game.

Move	Convention
Forward	f
Back	b
Crouch	d
Up	u
Jump	j
Jump Forward	jf
Jump Backward	jb
Super Jump	d-u
Super Jump Forward	d-uf
Super Jump Backward	d-ub
Dash Forward	f,f
Dash Backward	b,b
Quarter Circle Forward/QCF	d,df,f
Quarter Circle Backward/QCB	d,db,b
Half Circle Backward/HCB	f,df,d,db,b
Dragon Punch/DP	f,d,df
Reverse Dragon Punch/RDP+P	b,d,db
Roll Cancel/RC	AB during normal hit
Guard (High)	b when enemy is attacking
Guard (Low)	db when enemy is attacking
Punch (Any)	P
Kick (Any)	K
Light Punch	A
Strong Punch	C
Light Kick	B
Strong Kick	D
Tag	E

Body Tosses

Move Name	English Move Name	Command
Rolling Throw		CD, b+CD or f+CD

Command Normals

Move Name	English Move Name	Command
Rokotsuna Abarabane	Bare Ribs	f+C
Sliding		df+K
	Triangular Jump	uf while jumping against a corner

Special Moves

Move Name	English Move Name	Command
Sonic Saber		QCF+P
Grand Saber		QCF+K
Burning Claw		HCB,f+P
Freezing Claw		HCB,f+K
Rolling Smash		d,u+K
Meteor Smash	Meteor Mash	air QCF+K
Thunder Blow		DP+P
Muteki no Teppeki	Invincible Wall	RDP+P

Desperation Moves

Move Name	English Move Name	Command
Ultimate Cannon		QCF(x2)+P
Ultimate Beast*		QCF(x2)+K
Ultimate Illusion**		A,B,C

_{*This move requires two Super stocks.
**This move requires all three Super stocks.}

Move Analysis

Normal Moves

s.A: Neo-Dio jabs with the blade on his far elbow. A quick hit that reaches about 1/4 of the screen away. It can chain into itself and cancel into special moves and is easily hit confirmed into either "Saber" move.

close s.A: Neo-Dio jabs with the blade on his near elbow. Similar in use to far s.A, but closer. It can chain into itself as well as far s.A.

c.A: Neo-Dio jabs with the blade on his near elbow from a crouching position. Like s.A, but low and with about a pixel less range. It cannot chain into anything other than itself.

c.C: Neo-Dio does an uppercut with his far hand while enlarging the blade on his elbow. Short horizontal range with OK damage, but its vertical range is amazing. Use this as a quickie anti-air.

s.D: Neo-Dio does a spinning kick. Good range and fair speed. This is a great move for RCing.

j.D: The infamous "drill" kick. Since the animation lasts through the entire jump, this is a useful jump-in that can hit multiple times.

Throws

Rolling Throw (CD): Neo-Dio grabs the opponent and rolls into a ball, flinging them over his head. This throw leaves the opponent fairly close to you, allowing you to jump over them as they get up or some other wakeup shenanigans.

Command Normals

Rokotsuna Abarabane (f+C):
Neo-Dio extends his ribs (seriously) outward to stab at the opponent. Though slow, it pulls the opponent toward you if it connects (hit or blocked, even against a jumping opponent) and is relatively safe on block. It can be used to set up tick throws or as part of a Guard Crush string.

Sliding (df+B or D or BD):
Neo-Dio slides forward with a kick. The D version includes a second kick and the BD version does a third kick, which knocks down. This move cannot be canceled into from any normal except c.B. Though it may not look like it at first, you can slide under airborne projectiles with this move, making it easier to approach characters like Chonshu or Robert.

Special Moves

Sonic Saber (QCF+P):
Neo-Dio dashes forward and does a horizontal slash with his elbow blade. A version hits once, while C version hits three times and travels farther. Like a certain boxer, the actual attack animation does not come out until the end of the dash or if Neo-Dio touches the opponent before the dash ends. This move is fairly block-safe, but does not knock down, except against jumping opponents. On hit, this can be used to set up a throw or just play mindgames with your opponent.

Grand Saber (QCF+K):
Neo-Dio dashes forward and does a vertical slash with his elbow blade. B version hits once, while D version hits three times and travels farther. Unlike Sonic Saber, this move does knock down. This is a quick "get the hell off me" move and also good as a combo ender.

Burning Claw (HCB,f+P):
Neo-Dio grabs the opponent and hits them with a fireball, setting them ablaze and knocking them down. A typical command throw, it sends the opponent farther away than his normal throw, leaving you with limited followup options in comparison.

Freezing Claw (HCB,f+K):
Neo-Dio grabs the opponent and hits them with an ice ball, freezing them solid. Definitely a move you'll want to get as often as you can, since you can combo into just about anything from this, and the opponent CANNOT mash out. While frozen, the opponent is considered airborne, meaning that any attack used afterward connects as if it had hit a jumping opponent.

Rolling Smash (d,u+K):
Neo-Dio extends blades from his joints and rolls upward. D version goes higher than B, but B goes slightly farther forward. A nice anti-air move, but the awkward command can make it difficult to use properly.

Meteor Smash (air QCF+K):
Neo-Dio extends blades from his joints and does a rolling dive. B dives at a steep angle and D dives much farther out. Strangely, this move does not knock down, but causes the opponent to flip as if hit while jumping. While not the quickest of moves, it can be used like many a diving attack to pressure opponents.

Thunder Blow (DP+P):
Neo-Dio leans forward and electrocutes the opponent with his hair. A does four hits, while C does six hits, but with a slightly longer startup time. A far-reaching attack with a good amount of stun, you can link almost any move afterward, if you're quick about it.

Muteki no Teppeki (RDP+P):
Neo-Dio puffs out his chest to catch the opponent's attack. Upon connecting, the opponent is frozen in place while Neo-Dio melts into the floor and reforms behind them. This is Neo-Dio's Super Cancelable move.

Desperation Moves

Ultimate Cannon (QCFx2+P):
Neo-Dio opens his chest and fires a blast of electricity. This is Neo-Dio's only projectile. While it has poor damage for a DM, it does move fairly quickly, knocks down and can destroy an opponent's projectiles without being destroyed.

Ultimate Beast (QCFx2+K):
Neo-Dio dashes at the opponent and performs a small combo, ending with him forcing spines from his body like a pufferfish. For two levels of meter, this does a bit more damage than Ultimate Cannon and has decent startup. Like other combo DMs, this move is highly unsafe on block, making using it outside a combo an ill-advised idea.

Ultimate Illusion (A,B,C):
Neo-Dio floats toward the opponent and grabs them. Afterward, Neo-Geegus (boss of World Heroes 2) appears and the two perform a short combo ending with a crossed Sonic Saber. At three levels, this is Neo-Dio's most costly and most damaging DM, taking off about half an opponent's life. Like Akuma's Raging Demon/Shungokusatsu/whatever, this is a command throw that moves, but an observant opponent can jump to avoid it.

Strategy

Neo-Dio is incredibly nerfed once actually played by humans, with two moves missing and the loss of his instant red life recovery and a large amount of DM damage. He can still put up a fight, though. He has a number of pressuring options and plenty of ways to set up and capitalize on his Freezing Claw.

Combos and Resets

• close s.Ax2, s.A XX QCF+D
  • His easiest and fastest BnB. You can also substitute three c.As, though this makes the cancel harder to time.
• c.C RC close s.D RC s.A XX QCF+D
• HCB,f+K, QCFx2+K
  • Possibly the only way to combo into this DM without shooting the damage to hell.