SAKURA

SPECIAL MOVES

HADOUKEN (FIREBALL)

QUARTER CIRCLE FORWARD + PUNCH

SHOUOKEN (DRAGON PUNCH)

FORWARD, DOWN, DOWN FORWARD + PUNCH

SHUNPUU KYAKU (HURRICANE KICK)

QUARTER CIRCLE BACK + KICK

SAKURA OTOSHI

FORWARD, DOWN, DOWN FORWARD + KICK

COMBOS

DHALSIM

CHARACTER INTRO

Dhalsim is another very technical character who will spend most of his time fighting from a distance. He also has some excellent normals that stop jump ins cold such as back and medium punch.

When his opponent does get in close he is able to create high/low mix up traps using his Yoga Fire and Teleport abilities.

His Ultra is great in the corner in that you are able to execute it on a downed opponent and create a high/low mix up using his jumping fierce or low attacks.

Dhalsim is not a bad character by any means but he does take a lot of of patience and skill to play.

COMMAND NORMALS

IN AIR DOWN + KICK

• Drill Kick.

IN AIR DOWN + PUNCH

• Drill Headbutt

SPECIAL MOVES

YOGA FIRE
QUARTER CIRCLE FORWARD + PUNCH

YOGA FLAME
HALF CIRCLE BACK + PUNCH

YOGA TELEPORT: All of the below can be done in the air.

TELEPORT (BEHIND)
FORWARD, DOWN, DOWN-FORWARD + THREE PUNCHES

TELEPORT (FRONT)
FORWARD, DOWN, DOWN-FORWARD + THREE KICKS

TELEPORT RETREAT (MID)
BACK, DOWN, DOWN-BACK + THREE PUNCHES

TELEPORT RETREAT (FAR)
BACK, DOWN, DOWN-BACK + THREE KICKS

SUPER

YOGA INFERNO:
QUARTER CIRCLE FORWARD X2 + PUNCH

ULTRA

YOGA CATASROPHE
QUARTER CIRCLE FORWARD X2 + THREE PUNCHES

COMBOS

MASTER GUIDE COMBOS

• (b + mk or db + mk or db + mp), cancel into lp yoga flame
• (b + mk or db + mk or db + mp), cancel into lp yoga flame, super cancel into super
• b + lp (1 hit), cancel into lp/mp/ex yoga flame,
• db + lp, super
• jumping d + hp, super
• focus attack level 2, super
• focus attack level 3, dash cancel into ultra, b + hk, standing hp

RUFUS

CHARACTER INTRO

Out of all the new characters in Street Fighter IV, Rufus is hands down the most powerful and the most able to deal with other top characters such as Sagat and M. Bison. Believe it or not, he is quicker than most of the cast and is equipped with a dive kick similar to Yun's from Street Fighter 3 which makes him very difficult to deal with in close range.

Rufus has some very solid normals such as his crouching Hard Punch which reaches across almost 3/4 of the screen. His jumping Hard Kick is a great air-to-air move which can be followed up with his EX Snake Hands move that takes close to a quarter of his opponents life. He also has a decent anti-air normal which is crouching medium punch.

Beyond that, he has arguably the best EX move in the whole game which is his EX Messiah Kick. This move will counter and beat almost  every move in the game if timed correctly. When blocking poke string he can throw this out there to interrupt the string and continue his offense. Once Rufus has meter it is best to try to bait the EX Messiah Kick before you continue your rushdown.

Finally, he can connect his Ultra from many different situations, one being after his Light Kick, Hard Kick target combo. This is probably one of the easiest launchers in the game so when Rufus has an Ultra be sure to not get hit with that target combo.

If none of the orignal World Warriors interest you and you want a new character that is easy to pick up and play then Rufus is probably the character for you.

COMMAND NORMALS

IN AIR, DOWN-FORWARD + MK

• Dive kick

SPECIAL MOVES

KYUSIESHU KICK (MESSIAH KICK)
QUARTER CIRCLE FORWARD + KICK

• LK: Combos after initial hit.
• MK: Low attack.
• HK: Overhead.

GINGA TORNADO
QUARTER CIRCLE FORWARD + PUNCH

JATOTSU NATURE (SNAKE HANDS)
FORWARD, DOWN, DOWN-FORWARD + PUNCH

SUPER

SPECTRAL ROMANCE
QUARTER CIRCLE FORWARD X2 + PUNCH

ULTRA

SPACE OPERA SYMPHONY
QUARTER CIRCLE FORWARD X2 + THREE PUNCHES

BALROG

CHARACTER INTRO

Balrog is a safe character who can deal damage both by being played offensively or defensively due to his wide range of special moves to help him close in on the other player and normal moves that have some of the best speed and priority in the game.

His Buffalo Headbutt is one of his more useful specials in that it allows him to pass through projectiles, punish many ground and air attacks and allows him o combo into his Ultra. His Light Punch Dash Straight is a great offensive move because it is safe on block and all of his EX Dash Punches have armor allowing him to absorb a hit as he closes in on his opponent.

His crouching jab is very fast and typically leads to some of his most damaging combos. Crouching jab can also stop his opponents rushdown by interrupting poke strings, giving him the offensive edge in an instant. HIs crouching hard punch is also a great anti air, making it virtually impossible to jump in at him from many angles.

Once on the offensive, he has many damaging combos that lead to his Ultra and the ability to mix up highs and lows with his specials which makes him one of the stronger characters in Street Fighter IV.

FULL BALROG STRATEGY GUIDE AT 1UP.COM MYCHEATS

SPECIAL MOVES

DASH STRAIT
CHARGE BACK, FORWARD + PUNCH

• Light Punch version safe from max range.

DASH UPPER
CHARGE BACK, FORWARD + KICK

DASH LOWER STRAIT
CHARGE BACK, DOWN FORWARD + PUNCH

DASH LOWER SMASH
CHARGE BACK, DOWN FORWARD + KICK

DASH SWING BLOW
CHARGE BACK, DOWN FORWARD + HOLD PUNCH

• Overhead attack.

BUFFALO HEADBUTT
CHARGE DOWN, UP + PUNCH

• Passes through projectiles.

TURN AROUND PUNCH (TAP)
HOLD THREE PUNCHES OR KICKS

• Passes through projectiles.

SUPER

CRAZY BUFFALO
CHARGE BACK, TOWARDS, BACK, TOWARDS + PUNCH

ULTRA

VIOLENT BUFFALO
CHARGE BACK, TOWARDS, BACK, TOWARDS + THREE PUNCHES

COMBOS

MASTER GUIDE COMBOS

• cr.lp x3, cancel into lp dash straight
• cr.lp x2, cancel into ex dash upper, cr.lp, cr.lk, cancel into hp buffalo headbutt
• focus attack (opponent collapse), dash cancel into cr.mk, cr.lk, cancel into hp buffalo headbutt
• close standing lp x2, far standing lp x2, cr.hk
• hp buffalo headbutt, super or ultra
• lp dash swing blow, cr.lk, cancel into lp dash straight, cancel to super
• jump in hk, far standing hk, cr.lk, cancel into ex dash upper, cr.lp x2, hp buffalo headbutt/super/ultra

VEGA

CHARACTER INTRO

Vega is currently a character that takes a lot of work and patience to win with. Japanese player INO has said your best strategy is to try to time out the opponent, if that tells you anything.

He has some decent pokes and specials, but overall weak combos and no reliable way to pull off his Ultra to mount a come back.

COMMAND NORMALS

NEAR WALL, UP TOWARDS

• Triangle Jump

SPECIAL MOVES

ROLLING CRYSTAL FLASH
CHARGE BACK, TOWARDS + PUNCH

SCARLET TERROR
CHARGE DOWN-BACK, TOWARDS + KICK

SKY HIGH CLAW
CHARGE DOWN, UP + PUNCH

FLYING BARCELONA ATTACK:
CHARGE DOWN, UP + KICK ~ PUNCH

SUPER

FLYING BARCELONA SPECIAL
CHARGE DOWNBACK, DOWN FORWARD, DOWNBACK, UP FORWARD + KICK ~ PUNCH

ULTRA

BLOODY HIGH CLAW
CHARGE DOWNBACK, DOWN FORWARD, DOWNBACK, UP FORWARD + THREE KICKS

COMBOS

MASTER GUIDE COMBOS

• cr.lp, cr.lp or cr.mp, cancel into lp rolling crystal flash
• df + hk, cr.mk or ex flying barcelona attack
• cr.mk, cr.lp or cr.mp, cancel into ex flying barcelona attack
• far standing hp, cr.lp or cr.mp, cancel into ex flying barcelona attack

ABEL

CHARACTER INTRO

Abel is a French MMA fighter and one of four of the new characters introduced in Street Fighter IV. He has a wide range of moves that allow him to close in on his opponent (Wheel Kick and Marseilles Roll) where he can deal real damage through his command grab and numerous combos.  He also has a solid command normal, towards and medium kick which also allows him to close space and start combos considering you can cancel it into a dash towards your opponent.

He relies heavily on mix ups and trickery to deal damage so playing him can be a bit of gamble. He has no realiable anti air (Falling Sky is best used in combos) and can be thrown and even Dragon Punched on the recovery frames of his Marseilles Roll. His Change of Direction is not safe if any part of it is blocked, so its always best to combo into it off of a crouching medium punch or one of his other normals.

His Ultra is very useful in that not only can you combo into it anytime you land his crouching hard punch, it will go through fireballs from virtually anywhere on the screen at any time.

Overall, Abel is a decent character but does not have the tools that say M. Bison and  Sagat have to control the match and force the opponent to make moves. He has some pretty damaging combos but all of them take a bit of execution and meter to perform, so he is not as easy to pick up and play as other characters in the game. With a strong anti air and less recovery on his change of direciton he would be a much stronger character.

FULL ABEL STRATEGY GUIDE AT 1UP.COM MYCHEATS

COMMAND NORMALS

FORWARD KICK
TOWARDS + MK

• Tap forward after the hit to dash forward. Can combo into MP/FP on counterhit after the dash.

SPECIAL MOVES

CHANGE OF DIRECTION
QUARTER CIRCLE FORWARD + PUNCH

• Follow up with towards + punch for an over head or towards + kick for a low hit.
• Finish with towards + punch for a throw or towards + kick for a low throw.
• First hit is not safe if blocked, so be sure to combo into it directly.

WHEEL KICK
QUARTER CIRCLE BACK + KICK

• Armor breaking move.
• EX Version passes through fireballs.

MARSEILLES ROLL

QUARTER CIRCLE FORWARD + KICK

• Goes through fireballs and other attacks.
• Can be thrown and sometimes hit out of the recovery.

FALLING SKY
FORWARD, DOWN, DOWN-FORWARD + PUNCH

• Grabs airborne opponents, but not a great anti-air.
• Can be cancled from the last hit of crouching Hard Punch.

TORNADO THROW
HALF CIRCLE BACK + PUNCH

SUPER

MUSHIN
QUARTER CIRCLE FORWARD X2 + PUNCH

ULTRA

MUGA
QUARTER CIRCLE FORWARD X2 + THREE PUNCHES

• Goes through fireballs from anywhere on the screen.

COMBOS

MASTER GUIDE COMBOS

• cr.lp, close standing mp (1 hit), cancel into mp change of direction, f+p, f+p
• jump in mk, close standing mp, (2 hit), cancel into super
• cr.lk, cr.lp x2, far standing mp
• fwd + mk, dash, close standing hp, cancel into mp change of direction, f+p, f+p
• fwd + mk counterhit, cancel into dash, close standing mp, cancel into mp change of direction, f+p, f+p
• cr.mp, cancel into mp change of direction, fadc into cr.hp (2 hit), cancel into (lk marseille rolling, mp skyfall) or ultra
• second low, fadc into close standing hp (1 Hit), cancel into hp change of direction, f+p, f+p
• focus attack (opponent crumple), dash cancel into cr.hp, ultra