------------------------------------------------------- Super Street Fighter II Turbo HD Remix - Balrog (Boxer) ------------------------------------------------------- ---------- DISCLAIMER ---------- This FAQ can only be posted up by GameFAQs under my name. None of this material can be used elsewhere unless you get my written permission to do so. All you have to do is ask, and I'll let you use the information as long as I get credit. ----------------- Table of Contents ----------------- 1. Introduction [1I] 2. Revision History [2RH] 3. FAQ Notation [3FN] 4. What Changed? [4WC] 5. Moves List [5ML] I. Moves Explanation [5IME] i. Moves Explanation Introduction [5iMEI] ii. Straight Rush [5iiSR] iii. Low Rush [5iiiLR] iv. Dashing Upper [5ivDU] v. Alt. Dashing Upper [5vADU] vi. Buffalo Headbutt [5viBH] vii. Turn Around Punch [5viiTAP] viii. Super [5viiiS] 6. Combo List [6CL] I. B&B (Bread and Butter) Combos [6IBNBC] II. Super Combos [6IISC] III. Dizzy Combos [6IIIDC] 7. Gameplay Tips [7GT] I. Basic Gameplay Tips [7IBGT] II. Staying Charged Up [7IISTU] i. Staying Charged Up (Part 2) [7iSCH] 8. Special Thanks [8ST] 9. Contact Information [9CI] -------------------- 1. Introduction [1I] -------------------- I've decided to write a FAQ for Balrog out of boredom. I should spend time practicing with him, but I play casually, not competitively. Although I play casually, I still try to win my matches, and gain as much knowledge as I can about the game. Although I'm not that good at this game, I want to share my basic knowledge to the player base. Truth be told, I got most of this information through various resources, so most of it isn't my work. I've just compiled a bunch of information together to help people learn how to use Balrog effectively. Balrog was considered top tier in the original ST. They gave him the nerfs he needed, but I still think he's still quite as beastly as he was before, just not as abusable. As some of you already know, some people call him "Boxer" to prevent confusion. I'll be calling him Balrog in this FAQ from now on since we're already on the same page. ------------------------- 2. Revision History [2RH] ------------------------- Version 0.1 (1-23-09) - Happy Birthday to me! I'm sure I'll be adding more information and fixing the FAQ up as I go along. This FAQ is very messy right now, but I'll probably reformat the entire FAQ if I get the feedback for it, or if I personally feel I need to change it myself. I still have a lot of work to do, so the first version should tide you over until I get to fixing it. I want to make sure this FAQ is as perfect as it can possibly be... as long as I'm not lazy. --------------------- 3. FAQ Notation [3FN] --------------------- ub u uf Up-Back Up Up-Forward \ | / b -- n -- f Back Neutral Forward / | \ db d df Down-Back Down Down-Forward any Any button. P Any punch. K Any kick. LP/Jab Light punch. MP/Strong Medium punch. HP/Fierce Hard punch. LK/Short Light kick. MK/Forward Medium kick. HK/Roundhouse Hard kick. PPP/PP or KKK/KK Press the listed buttons together. s Standing. c Crouching. j Jumping. + Press at the same time. , Press in the listed order. xx Cancel into. charge Hold the direction for about 2 seconds. hold You can hold the button(s), then release it. when near Perform when next to your opponent. (x#) Perform x number of times. / Divides different inputs. ---------------------- 4. What Changed? [4WC] ---------------------- Since this game is based off of the original ST, I'm going to list the changes that were made to Balrog to give you a better idea as to how he used to work and how he works now. - Turn punch and headbutt award less meter. - Small and medium headbutts travel slightly farther and are barely less safe. - Throw range is decreased. - First hit of throw does less damage. - Turn Punch can be perform by holding 2 punches or 2 kicks, rather than all 3. - Super does a little less damage (around 50% rather than 60%). - Super input window is larger and is a fixed size, rather than random size. ------------------- 5. Moves List [5ML] ------------------- The game comes with a move list, but I'm gonna list it here anyway so you know which moves I'm talking about. Charge b, f + P Straight Rush Charge b, df + P Low Rush Charge b, f + K Dashing Upper Charge b, df + K Alt. Dashing Upper Charge d, u + P Buffalo Headbutt Hold PPP or KKK Turn Around Punch Charge b, f, b, f + any Super -------------------------- I. Moves Explanation [5IME] -------------------------- I added this section to help you understand each special and super moves better. However, most of this is not my work. By most, I mean everything you see in this tiny little section was done by Catalyst, and the only part where I actually put my own work in is where I label 'Personal Note'. I also edited the names of the special moves to help prevent confusion and keep you on the same page. ---------------------------------------- i. Moves Explanation Introduction [5iMEI] ---------------------------------------- With moves that charge by holding back or down, you can use the diagonal positions to charge up as well. For example, if you're holding back, you can jump backwards or block low and still maintain your charge. Important Note: With all of Balrog's Running Punches, the strength of the button pressed determines the speed and power of the move. * Light attacks go the shortest distance and do the least damage, but Balrog will stick his fist out faster giving the other fighter less time to react to the attack. * Hard attacks go a full-screen's distance and do good damage, but his fist takes longer to come out. Medium is a mix between both moves. ------------------------ ii. Straight Rush [5iiSR] ------------------------ Hits high and can be ducked under by an opponent blocking low. This move doesn't have a lot of uses except when you want to purposely miss with it and immediately go into his grab. Also you may work it into some combos. Personal Note: I wouldn't use this special unless you use it in a dizzy combo. It's not even good to use to whiff into grab because anyone who's decent at this game will know a grab is coming because you just lost your charge for your headbutt. Try to avoid this move as much as possible. --------------------- iii. Low Rush [5iiiLR] --------------------- You'll be using Balrog's Running Low Punch often. The Light Punch version comes out very quickly, and it's safe when blocked, plus it works great in combos. Use this to get in close and keep offensive pressure on your opponent. Also realize that the motion ends with a down-forward command which lets you charge up his Buffalo Headbutt for counter attacks. This attack hits low, if your opponent starts getting swept by it, many times they'll start doing one of two things. Either trying to directly counter your Running Low Punch or blocking low. If your opponent does a Dragon Punch-like move when you're close, hold your charge and hit them with a Crouching Medium Punch as they land and Cancel into his Running Low Punch for two hits and score another knock down. If they start blocking low, keep the pressure on by chipping away more of their life with Running Low Punches and look for throw and jump in oppotunities. ------------------------ iv. Dashing Upper [5ivDU] ------------------------ Personal Note: The difference between this one and Alt. Dashing Upper is this one doesn't knock down and takes a little bit more time to recover. I would also try recommending you to stay away from this unless you want to use it in a dizzy combo, because Alt. Dashing Upper is superior in two ways - it recovers faster, and you can keep your headbutt charged if you want to do your headbutt and throw mixup. You can use this to knock people out of the air, but then again you could always use the alternate version instead. ---------------------------- v. Alt. Dashing Upper [5vADU] ---------------------------- There's a couple of differences with this version of the Dash Uppercut although they may not be apparent at first. Unlike the normal Dash Uppercut, this low version will ALWAYS knock down, plus it allows you to charge up for Balrog's Headbutt a little faster after you execute it, because it ends in the down-forward position. --------------------------- vi. Buffalo Headbutt [5viBH] --------------------------- Even though this is no longer completely safe on block, it still has invincible frames of animation and is a heck of a tool to reverse attacks. Also since the Medium Punch version goes through fireballs now and has extended range, you can mess up people's timing a little easier when you're trying to get out of a projectile trap. ------------------------------- vii. Turn Around Punch [5viiTAP] ------------------------------- Personal Note: You can use this to knock people out of Dragon Punches if you time it correctly. If you want, you can charge TWO TAPs instead of one. You can try holding the kick version throughout the entire match. Whenever you feel like it, charge the punch version to at least one, release it, then release the kick version right after. You can use this move to generally catch people off guard. I'll add more info on this later. ------------------- viii. Super [5viiiS] ------------------- You can press and hold the Kick button after doing this move to do uppercuts instead of straight punches. If timed correctly this will go through Fireballs, and it takes off A LOT of power. Most people say this is the best Super in the game. You can "buffer" Balrog's super by doing a normal Dash Punch and then doing another back to towards motion and press Punch right as the first Dash Punch is ending. This means you'll get one normal Dash Punch followed by Balrog's Super which can catch players off guard and take off big time damage. What's happening here is the Dash Punch actually counts as the first part of the Super motion, and right as it's ending, doing the back to forward command + Punch is actually executing the Super. The timing on this can be tricky, but it's worth the time it takes to learn it. ------------------- 6. Combo List [6CL] ------------------- This game doesn't really revolve around combos, but there are definitely a handful of them. I'm only going to list his most practical combos. ---------------------------------------- I. B&B (Bread and Butter) Combos [6IBNBC] ---------------------------------------- - c.strong xx Low Rush - c.forward, c.strong xx Low Rush His first combo is his most important one. It does quick and good damage. You should use this combo almost every chance you get whether you need to get in to close the distance or to punish with it. His second combo is just an extension to his first one. The plus side is that it hits low, and does even more damage. ----------------------- II. Super Combos [6IISC] ----------------------- - c.jabx2 xx Super - c.strong/forward, Super The first combo helps you with a quick and low hit confirm into super. In the second combo, you can link it after a c.strong or forward, which gives you another hit confirm into super. The c.forward hits low, but you'll probably be using c.strong most of the time anyway. Either way, you can link the super off both of those pokes. ------------------------- III. Dizzy Combos [6IIIDC] ------------------------- I'm going to list the best possible dizzy combos for every character. Since each characters are physically built differently, it limits how many hits you can connect on them. I also only tested these combos with j.forward, but I think you can use j.fierce. I'll do some more tests later. - j.forward, c.jabx2 xx Straight Rush - j.forward, c.jab, s.jab xx Straight Rush - j.forward, c.jabx2, s.jab xx Straight Rush - j.forward, c.jabx3, s.jab xx Straight Rush - j.fierce, s.forward xx Dashing Upper - j.forward, c.jabx2 xx Super Very Small: Blanka Small: Chun Li, Dee Jay, M. Bison (Dictator), Vega (Claw) Medium: Akuma, Balrog (Boxer), Cammy, Dhalsim, E. Honda, Fei Long, Ken, Ryu, T. Hawk Large: Guile, Sagat, Zangief The first four combos I've listed are mostly just flashy combos since the fifth one does the most damage outside of a super. I've listed the combos in order according to size. You're probably thinking the characters who seem out of place are probably Dee Jay, Bison, Hawk, and Guile. For Dee Jay and Bison, it's possible to hit them with 'c.jabx2, s.jab xx Straight Rush', but you have to hit really deep for it to connect, hence why I only put them in the small section. Hawk is big, but his hitbox isn't wide enough to connect one more jab. Guile is short, but his hitbox is really, really wide. The dizzy combo with the super can be done on everyone except Vega since he's too thin. ---------------------- 7. Gameplay Tips [7GT] ---------------------- Under construction. ------------------------------ I. Basic Gameplay Tips [7IBGT] ------------------------------ 1. Start of the Round Suggestions: i. LP Low Rush ii. LK Alt. Dashing Upper > throw or MP Buffalo Headbutt iii. Far standing HP iv. Wait to see what opponent does. 2. Strategy/Technique/Block Strings: i. LK Alt. Dashing Upper to... a. Throw b. MP Buffalo Headbutt ii. Turn Around Punch > Turn Around Punch (hold all 6 buttons down, release PPP, delay then release KKK) iii. (Jumping LP) > crouching LP x 2 > crouching MP > LK Alt. Dashing Upper > throw or MP Buffalo Headbutt iv. (Jumping LP) to... a. Crouching LP > Turn Around Punch (hold MP HP before the jump, after crouching LP hold button, then release PPP) b. Crouching LP to... i. Crouching MP > LP Low Rush ii. LK Alt. Dashing Upper > throw or MP Buffalo Headbutt v. Crouching MK (blocked) to... a. Crouching MP to LP Low Rush or throw (Note: I don't think you can throw after a crouch MP. Will test it.) b. Crouching HK c. Throw 3. Best Combos: i. Jumping HP / HK > Crouching MP > LK Alt. Dashing Upper ii. Crouching MK > Crouching MP > LP Low Rush 4. Best Way to Avoid Projectiles: i. LP or HP Buffalo Headbutt (Boxer has invincible frames on start up of this move) ii. Vertical jump iii. Block 5. Best Reversals: i. Buffalo Headbutt ii. Super 6. Best Anti Air: i. LP or MP Buffalo Headbutt (ground to air) ii. LK Alt. Dashing Upper (ground to air, close/med distance, use against jump ins that won't reach) iii. Crouching HP (ground to air, close distance) iv. Far standing MP (ground to air, medium distance) v. Far standing LP (ground to air, close distance) vi. Super (ground to air, close/medium distance, if it connects, juggle with kicks) 7. Best Cross Up: i. Jumping HP ------------------------------ II. Staying Charged Up [7IISTU] ------------------------------ Balrog can keep his Dash Punches and Headbutt charged up when while executing some of his special moves. Because his Headbutt can be executed by going from a down-back to up-back position, the moment he comes out of it, he can launch right into a Dash Punch, or his Super. Also, with his Low Dash attacks, he can from a down-back to down-forward position and the instant he's out of his Dash Punch - He can Headbutt, because you're never losing your downwards charge. This sets up a lot of cheese and unpredictability with Balrog. You can use his Dash Uppercuts to get close and if your opponent blocks low you'll miss but be in a perfect position to grab them. If they attempt to counter you can go right into a Light Punch Headbutt and knock them back. And if you're playing against a projectile heavy character you might be dodging their Fireballs with your Headbutt, and it will surprise some players to see that the instant you come out of your Headbutt you're Dashing at them with your fist. These two charge techniques help the boxer get and stay close and they can be devastating when you get your timing and cheese tactics down. -------------------------------------- i. Staying Charged Up (Take 2) [7iSCH] -------------------------------------- Catalyst already went into detail about how to keep your charges when using Balrog. This is my own little section on trying to explain in more detail on how to help you maintain your charge to surprise your opponents, and HOPEFULLY help you understand it better if you didn't before. *takes a deep breath* Let's get started. The first thing you should do is always, ALWAYS charge for every single second of your matches, if possible, especially before the round starts. Since you can charge as soon as the screen loads, do it so you can get the initiative. If you want to wait and see what the opponent is going to do, that's fine. Just make sure you try your best to charge as much as you can. I cannot stress this enough. Balrog needs to connect his Low Rush to get in, whether it connect and hit or on block. Charge while you're crouching, charge while you're standing, charge while you're jumping, just keep charging! Learn how to get the basic idea on charging until you can do it in your sleep. Since Balrog's Low Rush and Alt. Dashing Upper ends in down-forward, you still get to keep your down charge for your headbutt. It allows you to use two of his specials consecutively, which leads to his mixup games. More on that later. There's also another trick! Although Balrog's Headbutt ends in the up position, if you charge from down-back, then end it in the up-back position, you still keep your back charge and you can launch any dash attacks after you recover from his headbutt! If you only charge down and end in up-back, you can't use dash attacks right after, but it allows you to charge them faster since the recovery gives you a bit of time to do so. It's still useful to charge buffer, so make sure you try your best to end his Headbutts with up-back. The tricks doesn't end there. You can launch a super right after your specials! You can launch your super right after a headbutt.Just charge down-back to up-back, then launch your super after you recover from your headbutt. It's VERY useful if you're trying to get within range of your opponent, and he's pushing you out with fireballs. Just headbutt over the fireball, then launch the super if you see another one coming. You can also whiff ANY your dash attacks (preferably Alt. Dash Upper due to faster recovery) into your super. How do you do this? It's easy. Since the first special requires you to make one back-to-forward motion, you simply just add another back-to-forward motion after that and you can launch the super right if you've recovered from the dash attack and time it properly. You should try to learn the timing for this as I find it useful to know. You should learn how to keep ALL of your charges as much as possible to make you more of a threat. Be wary of using this, since Balrog still have to travel across the screen, which makes him vulnerable to attacks. ----------------------- 8. Special Thanks [8ST] ----------------------- GameFAQs: For posting up this FAQ and many others across the website. Capcom: For remaking and rebalancing ST years after its release. The fans love you! Shoryuken.com: The community is great, and they give out great and possibly the the best info you could get on competitive fighting games. Catalyst: Creator of Eventhubs.com. Awesome site with solid basic and even intermediate information. This site helped out with the 'Moves Explanation' and 'Staying Charged Up' section. pandaman64: Gave me the information for the 'Basic Gameplay Tips' section. I felt like he contributed to one of the most important section in this FAQ. =P You: For reading this FAQ. This FAQ would be pointless without you! ---------------------------- 9. Contact Information [9CI] ---------------------------- It's usually hard to get into contact with me, but the best way to do it is to either find me lounging around the GameFAQs HDR board or e-mail me. Even though I don't respond to my e-mails very often, but you can try me at 'plastik_lazee@hotmail.com'. If you want to find me on AIM, my SN is 'Plastik Lazee' or 'Lethargic iPhi'. If you want to catch me on XBL, my GT is 'Lethargic iPhi'. I would like some feedback on the guide whether it's good or not. ANY feedback is appreciated. I made this guide for you, the people, so that you could learn and enjoy reading this. If you want to give me feedback, I'll be lurking around the 360 HDR boards in GameFAQs for a while. You'll most likely find me there. Thanks for reading. See you next time. ^_^ ---------------------------------------------------------- copyright © 2003 Plastik Lazee (plastik_lazee@hotmail.com) ----------------------------------------------------------