The King of Fighters '98: Ultimate Match/Yuri Sakazaki

From SuperCombo Wiki

Introduction

Her combos are stronger and safer than in OG. Use normal moves in general, and aim for a combo when you see an opening.

Move list

At a glance

Normal throws
Oni Harite (throw) f/b + C
Silent Nage (throw) f/b + D
Midair throw
Tsubame Otoshi (air throw) f/d/b + C/D
Command move
En'yoku f + B
Special moves
Koōken qcf + P
Raiōken qcf + K (possible in midair)
Kūga (Yuri Chō Upper) dp + P
┗ Ura Kūga (Double Yuri Chō Upper) (during strong Kūga) dp + P
Hien Shippūken (Yuri Chō Knuckle) qcb + P
Hien Senpūkyaku (Yuri Chō Mawashi Geri) qcb + K
Super special moves
Haō Shōkōken f hcf + P
Hien Hōōkyaku qcf hcb + K
Hien Rekkō qcf qcf + P

Normal moves

  • st.D – although it has a low-priority hitbox, the reach is long, so use it to zone.
  • st.C – aims high and has quick startup, so it can be used as a jump checker. New to UM, if this touches the opponent, it can be cancelled.
  • st.B – aims high and has quick startup, so it can be used as a jump checker.
  • cr.D – has long reach, and is cancelable.
  • j.D – has excellent crossup capability. This is definitely the best option for jumping in.

Command move

  • En'yoku
  • f + B
  • An overhead with short reach. Should not be used close to the opponent because it leaves you wide open, but the hitbox has good priority, so you can use it in zoning.

Special moves

  • Koōken
  • qcf + P
  • An unlaunched projectile. Use the weak version, which doesn’t leave you too open, in combos, and the strong version, which has long reach, in zoning.

  • Kūga (Yuri Chō Upper)
  • dp + P
  • An anti-air move; the weak version travels nearly straight up, and the strong version advances forward a little. They are both two-hit moves, and either hit will now do knockdown. Use the weak version for suckering anti-air. The strong version has crouch-level invincibility, so use it for interrupting.
  • Ura Kūga (Double Yuri Chō Upper)
  • dp + P during strong Kūga
  • A second Kūga intended to juggle the opponent launched off the first Kūga. However, it can still be useful in other situations; you can use it even if the first one didn’t touch the opponent (leading to a possible maximum of two hits), or in hopes that your opponent will just maybe lower their dukes after they block the first Kūga.

  • Raiōken
  • qcf + K (possible in midair)
  • Yuri lays the smackdown from midair. When successful, it does an unrollable knockdown. Depending on the distance and the opponent’s height, the strong version can possibly do crossup. In UM, it can be started in midair, which makes it a whole lot more useful – when jumping over the opponent, it’s just like a crossup, except with a special move.

  • Hien Shippūken (Yuri Chō Knuckle)
  • qcb + P
  • A rushing move with slow startup. It doesn’t leave you too open if the very tip touches the opponent. It can now touch crouching opponents, and is a little more convenient to use.

  • Hien Senpūkyaku (Yuri Chō Mawashi Geri)
  • qcb + K
  • Yuri spins going through the air at low altitude, letting out a “roundhouse kick” (in truth, it bears more resemblance to Tatsumaki Senpūkyaku than to any real-life “Mawashi Geri”). The strong version flies too high to even touch crouching opponents. The weak version combos from weak moves, but does not do knockdown.

Super special moves

  • Hien Hōōkyaku
  • qcf hcb + K
  • A Ranbu-type super; it combos from weak moves. It has full-body invincibility, and does a lot of damage. The startup is now even faster, and is now safe even from the very tip of st.A.

  • Haō Shōkōken
  • f hcf + P
  • A big projectile. It negates any normal projectiles the opponent launches, making it a rather good counterattack for far-off projectiles. The weak version has a quicker startup than in OG, and now combos from strong attacks.

  • Hien Rekkō
  • qcf qcf + P
  • Yuri performs three consecutive multihit Kūga (or five for the MAX version). It has invincibility frames until the hitbox comes forth. The weak version combos from weak moves, as it is faster.

Combos

Basic

  • crossup j.D > cr.B (>> cr.B) >> st.A >> strong Kūga >> Ura Kūga
  • Now combos more safely.
  • j.D or cr.B > cr. C >> weak Koōken
  • Safe, even if blocked; does knockdown.
  • crossup j.D > cr.B >> cr.A >> st.A >> Hien Hōōkyaku
  • One such weak move can now turn into many many hits.

The Basics

First off, zone at mid-range. Mostly harden them up with cr.D, st.D, and cr.B, and sometimes prevent them from getting eager to jump with st.C and st.B. If they do get the jump on you, intercept with a weak Kūga and settle for traded hits (generally worse for them than it is for you, though). When you want to come in in one swift stroke, a weak Hien Shippūken will work.

Note that cr.D is cancelable, so you’ll want to take advantage of that. Basically, weak/strong Koōken will be alright, but you should also mix in weak Raiōken, weak Hien Shippūken, and/or nothing at all just so your timing isn’t predictable. Bear in mind that whichever move you use, you want the very edge to touch the opponent.

If you are successful in closing the gap into close range, try making them block cr.B cancelled into cr.A; from there, give them two options: zoning with vertical hop j.D and weak Raiōken, or crossup with normal jump j.D. The occasional unexpected cr.D and such is also effective.

If a crossup j.D hits, hit them up with a combo; if it is blocked, continue the blockstring from cr.B again. Remember, the idea is to avoid being read like a book and getting smacked with something like an anti-air; turtle up your opponent while paying careful attention.

For wakeup meaties, you have En'yoku and cr.B, sure, but you should aim for crossup j.D; En'yoku’s performance is not too good and the risk is too great. The j.D probably won’t be blocked, so even though the returns aren’t huge, it is difficult for the opponent to smack Yuri with an anti-air upon wakeup; therefore, the risk is likewise small.

Advanced Strategy

Match-Ups