universal fighting game guide

Universal Fighting Game Guide: Countering Your Opponent’s Tactics

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Anyone that has ever played a fighting game has been in this kid’s shoes before. Finding himself pit against a particular tactic that he doesn’t have the answer to, he just gets pummeled into submission, wondering what the heck just happened. While it’s easy to feel bad for the kid or vilify Justin Wong for being “cheap”, the kid has no one to blame but himself for getting beat like that. Not only did he fail to counter Justin’s projectile tactics, he just sat there and whined about it in hopes of shaming Justin.

In this edition of the Universal Fighting Game Guide, let’s talk about countering your opponent’s tactics. Whether it’s projectile spam, tick throws, resets, or whatever other gimmicks they have, you’re going to be ready with the perfect counter attack.

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How-to Learn Frame Traps in Street Fighter V

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Understanding the concept of frame traps is key to the high-level Street Fighter V experience. Thanks to new tools in training mode, it’s easier to learn than ever. I show you in this quick video how you can use the new guard recover action functionality to learn about frame traps and how you can make frame traps of your own!


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Universal Fighting Game Guide: Character Variety is the Spice of Life

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Becoming a master of every single character in any fighting game is really hard. Now that games have dozens of characters with nearly as many play styles and a countless number of moves to understand, reaching a peak level of effectiveness with everyone is prohibitively time-intensive for almost anyone. With only so much time one can spend on any given fighting game, most people lean heavily towards one main character and possibly a back-up.

I fully endorse the approach of learning every nook and cranny of one character. You don’t have to look very far for examples of people who have taken this approach, such as Smug of Dudley fame in the Street Fighter IV series. However, that doesn’t mean that any time you play with a character other than your main is a waste.

In this edition of the Universal Fighting Game Guide, we cover the virtues of character variety. No one will ever expect you to master every single character in a game, but so much can be learned by exploring the grass on the other side. Here’s how character variety can make you a better fighting game player.

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Universal Fighting Game Guide: Option Selects

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Have you ever fought someone that seemed like they were psychic? Someone that seemed to have a counter for your next move the instant you did it? Some players may just have a read on you. Others might have been really good guessers. Or, in very specific circumstances, they may have leveraged an option select to improve their odds of success. In this edition of the Universal Fighting Game Guide, we talk about the concept of option selects. This is probably the most advanced concept in all of fighting games, though I’ll try my best to break it down and simplify things. Continue reading →

Return of the Raging Demon

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Years ago, I publicly dumped Akuma. Despite having invested hundreds of hours into the character, I felt like our relationship had run its course. I hit a ceiling with that character that was lower than where I wanted to go, so I thought it would be best to move on. As I’ve said multiple times on this blog in the following years, dropping Akuma for Rose was the best thing I ever did in a fighting game. Since dropping Akuma, I’ve leveled up to the point where my Rose is currently ranked 3rd in the world on PSN, which is a milestone that I wouldn’t have foreseen in my wildest dreams.

Was the dramatic turnaround all due to the character change? Part of it certainly is. However, having gone back to watch some old video and having played with Akuma recently, it’s becoming more apparent that much of my success now comes from personal growth.

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Universal Fighting Game Guide: Collecting Data On Your Opponent

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As fighting game players, we spend a lot of time thinking about ourselves. We worry about memorizing our own combos and spend much of our time thinking about what we’ll do to control the flow of the match. However, it takes (at least) two to tango, and what they do is equally important to determining the outcome.

By paying attention to their behaviours and tendencies, you can put yourself in a much stronger position to win by using that knowledge against them. In this edition of the Universal Fighting Game Guide, we cover the concept of data collection, how to collect it and how to make it work for you.

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Universal Fighting Game Guide: Choking

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Mind over matter is a valid adage in the world of fighting games. Most matches are won by knowledge and good decision-making; not through large combos. However, the human mind can’t always be counted on when it’s under enough stress. Players in fighting games sometimes choke, just like anyone in any form of competition.

How can you take advantage of a choking opponent without caving under pressure yourself? Find out in this installment of the Universal Fighting Game Guide

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Universal Fighting Game Guide: Space Management

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In the vast majority of fighting games, the only thing separating you from your opponent is empty space. While there isn’t anything tangible in between, it’s imperative that you control that empty space. At this point, it’s fair to ask, “How do you control empty space?” and, “What does this have anything to do with fighting games?”.

With this latest instalment of the Universal Fighting Game Guide, let’s cover the concept of space management. We’ll discuss what that means, the different ranges you should be mindful of, and how to control space in a way that gives you a distinct advantage over your opponent.

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Universal Fighting Game Guide: Mind Games

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Everything in life has a physical and mental aspect to it. Fighting games are no different. The physical element comes down to your ability to execute the maneuver you want at the time you want it, regardless of the circumstances that may make you mess it up. When it comes to improving one’s ability to play a fighting game, most guides and training aids will focus on the physical aspect of fighting games.

With that said, the mental aspect of fighting games shouldn’t be overlooked. I’d go as far as to say that the mental aspect of fighting games is far more important than any physical factor. In today’s edition of the Universal Fighting Game Guide, let’s cover the mental element that will play the biggest part in your success or failure. That element is mind games.

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Fighting Game Knowledge And Paying It Forward

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One of the people I admire the most in the fighting game community is Ryan Gutierrez. Best known as Gootecks, he’s recognized as being a top Street Fighter III: Third Strike player, as well as a top Street Fighter IV player in the game’s early days. While he could have continued to pursue that path, he made a conscious decision to be a content creator with an eye on tutorials and advice for newcomers. Part of that decision probably was because he saw it as a more stable means of making an income from being a part of the FGC. However, he also recognized the importance of growing the community, which he’s most vocal about in the early days of his podcast. Without bringing new players into the scene, the FGC would have continued down the path of being a tiny niche market that was stuck playing the same old games for a decade. Without guys like Gootecks paying it foward, I may have missed out on some of the best and most rewarding times I’ve ever had playing video games.

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