While Ken does have some tools that stand out from Ryu, his lack of versatility (especially in the zoning department) leads him to be an overall weaker character character in most matchups. Still, crafty New Ken players can find ways to outsmart their opponents.
Matchup placements are based off of Goukipedia's JP Average Matchup chart. Most old characters aren't played at a high enough level to warrant tier list placements, so with the exception of Old Ryu, Ken, T.Hawk, and Sagat, they'll be listed alongside their New counterparts.
| Serious Advantage (10-7) |
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|---|---|
| Advantage (6.5-6) |
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| Even (5.5-4.5) |     
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| Disadvantage (4-3.5) |     
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| Serious Disadvantage (3-0) |
  
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Serious Advantage Matchups
E. Honda (7-3)
fireball his ass (Needs more info.)
Even Matchups
T. Hawk (5.5-4.5)
Needs more info.
Blanka (5-5)
Round Start
Wait, cr.Forward, st.RH, cr.Strong, walk-up Shoryuken, knee bash.
Main Strategy
You basically want to rush him down and hope it works. Since your Hadouken is slow, his jump is fast and his normal moves have more range and damage, you will want to use your best normals (st.RH, cr.RH, cr.Jab, cr.Strong, cr.Fwd), walk-up Shoryuken and knee bash to keep the pressure on him. Use Hadoukens rarely, as if he reacts in time, you will lose the round. If you corner him, use a meaty Jab Hadouken and mix up knee bash, Jab Shoryuken and cr.kicks into Hadouken.
Old T. Hawk (5-5)
Needs more info.
Ken (Mirror Match)
Needs more info.
Cammy (4.5-5.5)
Needs more info.
Fei Long (4.5-5.5)
Main Strategy
Needs more info.
Sagat (4.5-5.5)
Needs more info.
M. Bison (Dictator) (4.5-5.5)
Needs more info.
Disadvantage Matchups
Ryu (4-6)
Needs more info.
Chun-Li (4-6)
Needs more info.
Zangief (4-6)
Needs more info.
Dee Jay (4-6)
Needs more info.
Vega (Claw) (4-6)
Needs more info.
Old Ryu (4-6)
Needs more info.
Old Ken (4-6)
Essentially you but stronger. (Needs more info.)
Guile (3.5-6.5)
Needs more info.
Balrog (Boxer) (3.5-6.5)
Round Start
Block, wait a bit and st.Strong, small step towards and cr.Forward, small step towards and Jab Shoryuken, jump back.
Main Strategy
From a distance, you want to zone him with Hadoukens. From shorter distances, you will want to play footsies with Jab Shoryuken, cr.RH, cr.Strong and knee bash. Only use Hadoukens between repeated Fierce punches or after a knock down, as he can react to the start-up and punish you for throwing them. Getting knocked down will then lead to a dangerous situation as you wake up, being that 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 (usually dizzies). His reversal move (Buffalo Headbutt) has a relatively long start-up, making it easy to time safe jumps at him. Thus, do your standard safe jump mix-ups (aerial Jab, Short, Forward or Fierce, sometimes cancelling the punches into Tatsumaki, then mixing up Jab SRK, knee bash, and crouching kicks). 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.
Serious Disadvantage Matchups
Old Sagat (3-7)
Needs more info.
Dhalsim (2.5-7.5)
Round Start
Block, wait a bit and Jab Shoryuken, walk-up Jab Shoryuken, knee bash, walk up and block.
Main Strategy
He can punish your Hadoukens on reaction from most distances, so you will have to rely on a rush down strategy. As his far pokes, even though with good range, have poor priority, Jab Shoryuken is a good option to stuff mashers and random pokes. That aside, you will want to walk up and hold him with your knee bash, stand just outside his close poke range and let him whiff one before holding him or use a crouching kick. He is relatively fat when it comes to cross-ups, but don't miss the timing if you knock him down or he will slide and throw you for free. Dhalsim has weak, hard-to-use and mostly useless reversals (his teleports), so abuse knee bash loops and meaty Shorts hit-confirms. This is your worst match-up, have no fear of being called cheap.
Akuma (2.5-7.5)
Call a tournament organizer. If one is unavailable, jab shoryuken.
