============================================================================ ###b d### A ########b Y##b d##P ######### ### ####b d#### d#b #########b Y##b d##P ######### ### #####b d##### d#^#b ### Y###P Y##b d##P #### ### ######bd###### d#P Y#b ### d##P Y##b d##P ######### ### *****Y**P***** d*******b *******C Y**bd**P ********* *** ***** YP ***** d**P***Y**b ***IY***b Y****P **** *** ***** ***** d**P Y**b ***I Y***b Y**P ********* ******** ***** ***** d**P Y**b ***I Y***b YP ********* ******** ____ _ _ ____ ____ ____ _ _ ____ ____ _____ ____ ____ / ___|| | | || _ \ | __|| _ \ | | | || __|| _ \ / _ \| __|/ ___| | |__ | | | || |_> || |__ | |_> | | |_| || |__ | |_> || | | || |__ | |__ \__ \| | | || ___/ | __|| / | _ || __|| / | | | || __|\__ \ __| || |_| || | | |__ | |\ \ | | | || |__ | |\ \ | |_| || |__ __| | |____/\_____/|_| |____||_| \_\ |_| |_||____||_| \_\\_____/|____||____/ ============================================================================ FOR ARCADE, SONY PLAYSTATION AND SEGA SATURN (1997/1998) ASCII art borrowed from James Chen's MSH Combo FAQ :) (see credits) Version 4.2 By John Culbert (tigeraid@geocities.com) You can find this FAQ and many more at the following URLs: http://www.geocities.com/SiliconValley/Heights/1910 (my homepage) http://www.gamefaqs.com VERSION UPDATES: ---------------- -added/edited many more combos for each character, too many to list -arranged combo lists similar to James' Combo FAQ, with basic-intermediate- advanced combos. -added "Character Overview" section, for my opinion on each fighter -added Dashing Jump section for each character in tactics section, elaborated on Dashing Jump -full Thanos/Doom sections -further explained Anita -other corrections/changes v4.2 update: -little corrections -added a few combos for Blackheart and Cap -added Magneto quote v4.0 update: -added stage descriptions -added most post-match qoutes (except for secret characters) -finally got fed up with everyone's bitching and changed IM's quote from "Superior Attack" to "Superior Tech" :) -some small stuff in Reinaldo's Anita section -cool Doom Combo -Blackheart combos, Heart of Darkness info -Juggernaut's Pick-up move -Juggernaut combo -MANY more Hulk combos -one Magneto Throw Combo -edited Magneto Dashing Jump section (he doesn't have one! :) -Psylocke combos -more Cap combos -more OTG combo info for IM -small Spidey combo stuff -little corrections INTRODUCTION TO THE UPDATED COMPENDIUM: *************************************** Well, MSH has finally come to the home systems! This gives me a chance to update the Compendium and still keep the FAQ recent! Version 3.0 (and now 3.5 and 4.0) has the following changes and/or additions: -cleaned things up and made the damn thing easier to read -changed some of my opinions/thoughts on the game (eg. my view on Blackheart; HAPPY ZEKU!?!? :) -re-organized and re-created each character's section for more info and easier reading. -cleaned up paragraphs in general, changed a few words here and there (eg. in the "What is MSH" intro below) -MORE COMBOS!!!!!! :) -added stuff missing from Juggernaut and Blackheart sections (esp. Juggy!) -cleaned up each character's combo list for easier reading, keeping my comments short, and putting all big explanations at the end of each list -added "combo overview" to each section to better explain combos and how to use them -added little character specifics I never bothered to update before -condensed each character's tactics section; now gives general tactics for each fighter relating to ALL situations -added section for home version specific info (eg. codes, other stuff) -added new sections for Dr. Doom, Thanos and Anita. So hopefully, this guide will become a little easier to read and give you in-depth and important info on playing the game. And remember, it's always more fun against a human opponent! :) PLEASE, SEND ANY ADDITIONS OR INFO YOU MAY HAVE! ############################################################################# WHAT IS MARVEL SUPER HEROES? **************************** IMO one of the best games Capcom has ever created, it is not as sloppy as X-Men: CotA, and not as cheesy or crappy as its successor X-Men Vs. Street Fighter (which had followed onto the home systems a little later). This has good solid gameplay and is not overly cheesy beyond most fighting games, as long as no one uses those DAMN-STUPID Infinite combos. The translation to both the PS and ESPECIALLY Saturn are fairly faithful to the arcade (see end of Compendium for review), and pretty much everything done in the arcade can be done here (as far as combos and tactics). So what is MSH, for those who didn't play it in the arcade? Well, it is the sequal to X-Men: Children of the Atom, which started this type of game, and MSH built upon it and made it even better. Not only does it have all our favorite Marvel Super Heroes, but it also has great control, spectacular moves, clean, smooth graphics, and of course, COMBOS. That's what seperates MSH apart from the many other 2D fighters, the combos. It has taken the idea of some regular moves cancelled into Special moves from its sister game series, Street Fighter, and adapted that concept, making ALL regular moves able to cancel into Special Moves and also into other regular moves, calling this a "series". It also has adapted the idea of a juggling system as well, making you able to perform many hits not only as juggles, but actually full combos in the air. This expanded combo system gives the player the option of performing good, solid ground combos, powerful low-numbered combinations, or full blown Jump-in -> Ground -> Off-the-ground -> Air Combo/Infinity Combo combinations! Even more depth was added to MSH's combo system, too much to explain in this intro; you must read on, True Believer... You're not going to find any stupid auto-button combos ala Killer Instinct 1, or even worse, like MK3. No, fighters, this combo system literally allows you to "create your own combos" as stressed in X-Men: CotA's intro, and is still quite present in MSH. So, this FAQ is a must-read for any MSH fan trying to learn the ropes; and don't think I'm the only other player out there; a definite recommendation is to read James Chen's MSH Combo FAQ, which will explain the combo system in even more detail than Yours Truly. ############################################################################# ******* LEGEND: BUTTONS ******* .-------------Jab JOYSTICK | .-----------Strong | | .---------Fierce U/B U U/F | | | \|/ | | | B--o--F | | | /|\ O O O D/B D D/F O O O | | | | | | | | | | | ----------Roundhouse | ------------Forward -------------Short QCT= Quarter Circle Toward (roll the joystick from D to F) QCB= Quarter Circle Back (roll the joystick from D to B) HCT= Half Circle Toward (roll the joystick from B to D to F) HCB= Half Circle Back (roll the joystick from F to D to B) + = enter commands simultainiously IC = Infinity Combo ICO= Infinity Counter MS = Magic Series MSH= Marvel Super Heroes SBB= Super Berserker Barrage (Wolverine: QCT+all three Punches) BB = Berserker Barrage (Wolverine: QCT+any Punch) EQ = Earthquake (Juggernaut: F,D/F,D+any Punch) JP = Juggernaut Punch (Juggernaut: QCT+any Punch) OTG= Off the Ground FS = Flying Screen J. = Jumping SJ.= Super Jumping S. = Standing C. = Crouching FL.= Flying AD.= Air Dashing NOTE: the diagram above is used mainly to indicate the various button names and joystick positions. Of course, the PS and Saturn controllers do not look like this, but I will not do up ASCII art for it, because I'd have to do 2 controllers, and the buttons can be custom-set anyways in the options--you get the idea, I'm sure... ############################################################################# *************** TRICKS/SECRETS: *************** Taunt: ------ To perform a Taunt on the PS version, tap D,D+Select. For the Saturn, hit D,D+L+R. See character sections for specific Taunts. Alternate Color Select: ----------------------- To choose the alternate (2 player color) for your character, at the character select screen, hold Up (for top row) or Down (for bottom row) for 3 seconds, then choose the character with any button. Disable Gems: ------------- To disable the use of all Gems in the two player mode, both players must hold START after choosing their fighters untl the round starts. Beat up the Loser: ------------------ At the end of the last round in any battle, tap Select (for PS) or L+R (for Saturn) BEFORE your points begin to tally up (provided you're the winner, of course :). You will regain control of your fighter and can attack your fallen, loser opponent! Any move will hit them on the ground, and they can be chained into another attack, but some attacks gain weird knock-away properties, and can you cannot perform Special Moves. :-( Secret Characters: ------------------ See specific character sections for Doom, Thanos and Anita. ############################################################################# *************** A WORD ABOUT... *************** INFINITY BAR: This is a bar located directly under your fighter's life meter, and as you perform moves, hit opponents, or get hit (performing Special Moves fills it the fastest), it will fill up. Once it is full, a one will appear beside it. This means you have one Infinity Level, allowing you to perform Infinity Combos and Infinity Counters. It can continue to be filled to level 2; You're maximum level depends on the character (i.e. Shuma Gorath can only use 1, but Iron Man can charge up to 3.) ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- INFINITY COMBO: This is a devastating move that can only be performed when at least one level of the Infinity Bar is full. Once activated, the screen will grow dark for a moment as the fighter gathers his/her energy; the announcer will then exclaim "Infinity!!", or an "X" will appear for the X-Men characters, and they will perform the move. Note that all animation, except the character's "gathering" of energy, is halted during the dark screen, so your opponent cannot move, i.e. if the enemy is standing right in front of you and you pull off the IC, they cannot avoid it. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- INFINITY COUNTERS: Similiar to Alpha Counters from SFA2, these are performed during a period known as a "block stun"; this means after blocking an attack, you must pull off this move before your fighter's blocking animation is done (before they bring their hands down), and it will interrupt your opponent's recovery animation from their attack. Technically this is known as "cancelling" your block. An ICO can only be done with one level of the Infinity Bar full. To do an ICO, roll from B to D in one motion and hit a punch immediately after blocking an attack. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- SUPER JUMPING: Super Jumps cause your character to jump very high into the air; to perform a Super Jump, quickly tap D before jumping, or hit all three kicks. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- THROWS: To perform a Throw, hold towards or away from the opponent and hit Fierce or Strong up close. To perform an Air Throw, hold F or B and hit Fierce or Strong up close IN MID-AIR. Some characters also have Throws with Forward and Roundhouse. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- TECH HITS: Tech hits allow you to recover and possibly reverse Throws done to you. To tech hit a Throw, perform the motion for one of your own Throws just as they Throw; this will cause no damage to you. It takes NO Infinity power to perform a tech hit. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- DASHING: To perform a dash forward, tap forward twice. To perform a retreating dash, tap back twice. Dashing is an important part of a lot of combos. Alternately, you can also perform a dash by hitting all three punches simultainously. To dash back, hold B while hitting the punches. Except for Blackheart, all characters can interrupt their forward dash with any move, including a backward dash. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- DASHING JUMPS: To perform a dashing jump, interrupt a normal dash with a jump forward. This will cause your fighter to jump much further than their regular U/F jump. This can be very useful for some characters, and not as useful for others. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- SAFETY ROLL: After being knocked down, it is possible to roll in recovery to standing. This does not lessen the damage of the knockdown, but it allows you to avoid an opponent's attempted ground attack or possible OTG combo, and you can also roll behind them and perhaps surprise them. To get a Safety Roll, perform a complete motion from B to D and hit any punch BEFORE you hit the ground. Note that if the move you're hit with executes the Flying Screen phenomenon, you cannot Safety Roll. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- DIZZYING: When a fighter is hit many times in a row with powerful moves in a short time (it doesn't have to be a combo), the small portrait of their face by their meters will show them getting pretty beaten up; after a certain point the character will bounce up then stand to be dizzy. At this point is the opponent's chance to do an attack or combo that the dizzy character will have no defense against. When your character is dizzy, shake the Joystick repeatedly and hit the buttons rapidly to regain control faster. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- INFINITY GEMS: These are special items that give you temporary special powers. You collect Gems from your fallen opponents, and start every match with some. Tap Select (on PS) or L+R (on Saturn) to cycle through them at the bottom of the screen. Perform a QCB and hit all three punches to activate your chosen Gem. Here's what they do for every character: Power (RED): This will increase your fighter's offensive power, allowing all of their attacks to do more damage. Mind (BLUE): This will cause your Infinity Bar to refill itself rapidly for a period of time! Soul (GREEN): This will cause your fighter's health to gradually refill for a period of time. If you're hit while regenerating, the meter will still go down, but will then continue to rise. Try and save this for when you really need it. Time (PINK): This will speed you up considerably for a period of time. Space (PURPLE): This will give you "Super Armor" that will raise your character's defense considerably and make them nearly impossible to knock down, except with Throws. When this is activated, try and go offensive for the time. Reality (ORANGE): This will allow you to throw projectiles by tapping a single button. The following is from Richard Cheung's MSH FAQ: Jab/Short: fireballs high/low respectively Strong/Forward: icicles down/up respectively Fierce or Roundhouse: electrical spheres homing/spread respectively Start: orange objects are lobbed at opponent whom will dizzy after about 2-4 hits (eg. Pumpkins, Akuma statues) NOTE: In addition to these special powers, each character also gains an additional special power from one of the Gems. For example, if Blackheart activates the Reality Gem, he not only has the ability to throw the various projectiles, but he will also be completely invisible for the duration! Defensive Gem Tactics: ---------------------- Try and reserve your gems for times of need (eg. use the life recovery when you have little life left). Note: activating a Gem can be used as a defensive technique as well. When activated, the Gem produces a distortion around the fighter that WILL hit the enemy if they are extremely close. The damage is minimal, but it will knock them away and let you catch your breath. Gem Knocking: ------------- Fighters have the ability to knock the enemy's Gem out of them, where it will bounce on the ground and lie there until someone walks over it and it becomes theirs. You must hit the enemy with a Special Move or IC to knock the Gem from them. Gems also enter the playing field when a "First Attack" is achieved, as well as "Danger". ############################################################################# THE MSH COMBO SYSTEM: ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ MAGIC SERIES: ************* This is the name given to Capcom's version of a chain combo system. X-MEN: CotA and MSH have adapted Street Fighter's original combo system so that there was a way to cancel normal attacks into other normal attacks as well as normal-->Special Attacks. Each fighter has his or her own Magic Series that follows a distinct pattern. Here are the various Series: *Wolverine, Psylocke, Dr. Doom and Thanos-"Zig-Zag": Jab -> Short -> Strong -> Forward -> Fierce -> Roundhouse *Iron Man, Captain America and Spider-Man-"Weaker to Stronger": any attack can cancel into another of higher strength. *Hulk, Magneto and Juggernaut-"Weak Start": any Jab or Short into anything Stronger. *Shuma Gorath-"Punch to Kick": ANY punch can be cancelled into ANY kick. *Blackheart-"Kick to Punch": ANY kick can be cancelled into ANY punch. Note that you can skip any of the steps in the series, but you cannot go backwards. The rules for the Ground Magic Series are that you can input crouching or standing attacks following the series (for example, Psylocke can cancel a standing Strong into a standing Fierce, or a crouching Fierce). You can perform a Magic Series while jumping as well; This is great for starting jump-in combos, allowing you to get in more hits as you jump in at the enemy before continuing a combo on the ground. The chaining of Jumping Magic Series into ground combos involves a lot of timing for different characters. There needs to be a different short pause for every character between the air combo and the ground combo (eg. jump in with Fierce followed by a Roundhouse with Wolverine, then do a crouching Short into a Roundhouse. There has to be a short pause between the jumping Roundhouse and the crouching Short). The pause allows you to land properly. This timing requires some practice, for if you hit the next button to early it may come out in the air and really screw you up. You must get a personal feel for each character. As well, MS combos can be done during a SUPER jump, but these are different from X-Men: CotA. Now, everyone has the SAME series, the Zig-Zag described above. Like the other two version of the Magic Series, it allows you to do any version of one button. See Air Combos for more info. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- AIR COMBOS: *********** These, put in loose terms, are juggles. But, the exception laid down in MSH is that they must be done as you jump in the air. So, to do an air combo by definition, you must knock the enemy up into the air with a launcher, or use the other two setups (see below), then follow them up and perform an air combo before either of you land. BOTH fighters must be in the air for an Air Combo to register (i.e. launching the opponent with Hulk's crouching Fierce then juggling quickly with a Vertical Gamma Charge will not count as an Air Combo, even if the Charge connected against an airborn enemy). There are three different ways to setup an enemy to perform a true Air Combo: -After knocking the enemy up with a launcher (eg. Hulk's C.Fierce) -Super Jumping up and connecting the combo to a Super Jumping enemy -Jumping up and connecting a combo to a jumping enemy or an enemy on their way down from a Super Jump, or perhaps DP move. As well, there are two different types of Air Combos: regular Jumping Air Combos and Super Jumping Air Combos. Read on... Setups: ******* Launchers: ---------- These are moves that knock the enemy up into the air for a juggle. Borrowing James Chen's terminology from his MSH combo FAQ, there are four different kinds of launchers: Regular Launchers: These are attacks that knock the enemy up high into the air wether they're on the ground or not (eg. Spider-Man's S.Strong.) EVERY character has at least one Regular Launcher. Straight Launchers: These launch the enemy across the screen (eg. Wolverine's S.Fierce). Except for Juggernaut and Blackheart, every character has at least one Straight Launcher, also refered to as a "Strike". Small Launchers: Launchers that knock the opponent just slightly up off the ground (eg. Psylocke's C.Forward). Not all characters have Small Launchers. Air Launchers: These launch enemies straight up and sky high only if the enemy was hit out of the air (eg. Hulk's S.Roundhouse). Not everyone has an Air Launcher. The Regular Launchers are by far the most effective, as they throw the enemy straight up in the air. Note that the enemy recovers on their way DOWN and can then air block everything (except if launched by a Throw, i.e. Captain America's Roundhouse Throw), so you must follow your opponent up after a Regular Launcher and hit them before they reach the apex of their flight. The Small Launchers and Air Launchers are best used combined. Since the Small Launchers throw the enemy up a short distance, you can immediately follow with an Air Launcher to juggle and throw them high up. Air Launchers can also be used simply as air counters; hit a jumping opponent with one, then follow with a high-hitting move (eg. Captain America's Stars `n' Stripes) or in many cases, an Air Combo. Now, in order to successfully follow up a Launcher, you must cancel the Launcher with a Super Jump, i.e. hit the enemy with the Launcher, then before its animation is complete, simply tap U and the Super Jump comes out automatically. Of course, you can always keep it simple by following it up with a rising attack, like a Spider Sting following Spider-Man's standing Strong. Super Jumping: -------------- You can Air Combo any Super Jumping enemy simply by following them up with your own Super Jump and nailing them as you go. This is not as precise as a Launcher because you must be a close distance to the enemy with your Super Jump, so some hits that connect after Launchers may not do so during a Super Jump. Regular Jumping: ---------------- Use this when the enemy does a regular jump towards you; jump up to meet them and try and get in your hits first. Also an ideal counter if the enemy misses a DP move (eg. Wolverine's Tornado Claw). ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- Types: ****** Super Jumping Air Combos: ------------------------- Something unique to MSH exists only in Super Jumping Air Combos; the ability to bring out a "combo finisher" similiar in fashion to Killer Instinct. In MSH, the combo system of Super Jumping is highly customized because not only does every character have the same Zig-Zag series, but the combo finishers are simply done by chaining in Fierce or Roundhouse at the end of that series (there are exceptions with Iron Man and Blackheart, however). Note that you can only perform these finishers if you do not start the combo with the Fierce or Roundhouse (otherwise thatwill finish the combo right there). The finishers are pretty cool and allow you to knock the enemy away and the camera will follow them to the ground. After they land, you'll jump back into the screen from the side (some finishers will also knock the enemy straight down towards the ground, but the same properties apply). This is known as the "Flying Screen" phenomenon, which I will explain later. NOTE: if you prefer, you can finish the Super Jumping Air Combo with any airborne Special Move (eg. Magneto's EM Disruptor); this may or may not be more effective, depending on the character. Regular Jumping Air Combos: --------------------------- The only difference between these and Super Jump Air Combos is that there is no special finisher. This will allow you to use the entire combo series if you wish. You can still cancel into a Special Move. So, if you and your opponent are both in regular jumps at each other, it is possible in theory to hit them with an entire 6 hit Zig-Zag series with any character that has the full Zig-Zag Regular Jumping MS (eg. Magneto), and then even cancel with a Special Move! Normal Move/Special Move Cancellation Combos: --------------------------------------------- Ah, the classics. Remember the good ol' Fierce Punch cancelled into a Dragon Punch with Ken and Ryu? Well, Capcom's given us much more possibilities, because ANY normal move can now be cancelled into a Special Move. This allows A LOT of freedom for combos, and these combos are usually very easy pull off. Also note that "any" normal move also includes mid-air moves cancelled into Air Special Moves (eg. Juggernaut's Juggernaut Splash), which is what allows Air Magic Series combos to cancel into Special Moves. Dashing Combos: --------------- Dashing before entering a combination allows for more hits. This is because it gives more momentum after your first hit, so it won't push you as far away from the enemy, allowing you to get in more hits. For example, Wolverine can perform a Jab -> Short -> Strong -> Forward series on Magneto, and perhaps even finish with a Drill or Tornado Claw. But if he performs the series while dashing into Mags, he can go into a Fierce or Roundhouse to finish off the series, whereas without the dash, the series would have pushed the opponent too far away for the last hit to connect. This skill should be mastered, because it is best utilized after the enemy misses a DP move like Spider Man's Spider Sting. As well, it is difficult but possible to initiate a Dash Combo after a jump-in hit or even series. The key is to tap F, F after you tap the button for your last hit plus the button you're going to start the Dash Combo with. This must be timed correctly so that the last F of the dash motion is tapped AS you plant your feet on the ground. For example, with Magneto, to perform a J.Strong -> J.Forward -> J.Fierce, D.S.Short -> S.Roundhouse XX Jab EM Disruptor, do all three hits of the Air Combo, but AS you are tapping Fierce you should also do the first F of the dash command; time it so that the first F comes out JUST as he finishes the J.Fierce, then the second F should be done simultainiously with the S.Short AS Magneto's feet hit the ground. Off the Ground (OTG) Combos: ---------------------------- An Off the Ground (OTG) combo starts with an attack that hits a downed opponent, and allows the attacker to continue into more hits. Technically, an OTG combo is NOT a true combo. The definition of a combo from way back in the SF2 days is-- "a series of attacks that, once the first hit has connected, the rest cannot be defended against." But, if the opponent is wary, he can perform a Safety Roll, which will avoid OTG attacks. But if he doesn't, the combo number will continue to rise. (NOTE: There is an exception to this rolling escape--see Flying Screen Combos). So, an OTG combo is a combo where you knock the enemy down, then combo them OFF the floor as they land. To do this, you must hit the fallen enemy with a low enough attack (eg. a sweep or perhaps slide). Now, no matter what move you used, when an opponent is hit while on the ground, they are "bounced" a VERY small ways into the air, then they fall again. During the time before they land, they cannot block anything, so you can hit them with any attack that will reach. As James Chen says, if you want a good example, watch the Attract Mode on the MSH machine. You will see Captain America fighting Shuma Gorath. In one of the scenes showing this match-up, you will see Cap knock a jumping Shuma Gorath out of the air with a Jab Stars `n' Stripes. Once the alien lands, Cap dashes in and performs a C.Short, knocking Shuma Gorath ever-so slightly OTG. The Star-Spangled Avenger then cancels into a C.Fierce, which is a Regular Launcher, catching him before he lands from the OTG hit. He then finishes by cancelling the Launcher with a Super Jump and a SJ.Fierce. One thing to remember is that rarely in this game to people stay on the ground for very long, even if they aren't rolling. You MUST hit an opponent OTG with a move that has significantly good recovery time; for example with Psylocke, she's fast enough to hit the enemy OTG with a C.Short after a C.Roundhouse because the sweep recovers so fast. Therefore, her C.Roundhouse is a good setup for an OTG Combo. On the other hand, Magneto's C.Roundhouse is far too slow in recovery for him to hit the enemy OTG afterwards (except for cancelling into a Shockwave of course). BTW, to be fair, you cannot do two OTG combos in one combination. For example, with Hulk you can do a- D.S.Short -> S.Forward XX Short Gamma Charge, C.Fierce (OTG) -> SJ.Air Combo. But, you cannot do a: D.S.Short -> S.Forward XX Short Gamma Charge, C.Jab (OTG) -> S.Strong XX Short Gamma Charge, C.Jab (OTG) -> etc.. As this would effectively create two OTG combos in one. This of course would make for infinite combos, because you could continuously OTG the opponent after every time you Short Gamma Charge. Flying Screen (FS) Combos: -------------------------- I will use James Chen's definition of the Flying Screen (FS): "The Flying Screen is the phenomena in MSH that causes the screen to scroll VERY quickly after certain moves hit the enemy. The view of the game follows the enemy and the person doing the hit disappears from the screen. Once the screen stops moving, the person who was hit will just lie there and the other player will hop into the screen from the side." (My Note: BTW, some FS attacks will knock the enemy straight into the ground as opposed to off screen, like finishing a Super Jumping Air Combo with Magneto's SJ.Fierce--it will send the enemy into the ground on the SAME screen. Note that the same FS restrictions explained below still apply) The FS happens after the following conditions: -after performing a Super Jumping Air Combo "finisher" (some exceptions) -after performing the following moves: Juggernaut's Juggernaut Punch Spider-Man's Web Throw Wolverine's Berserker Barrage (if all hits connect; same with the Super Berserker Barrage IC) Magneto's Shockwave IC Hulk's Gamma Tornado Psylocke's PsiMaelstrom Now, here's the catch--if your opponent is close or in the corner, there is no way for the screen to scroll, because the border is there. So, when you perform a move executing the FS phenomenon that knocks the enemy into a close corner, they will hover against the corner for a moment, then fall to the ground. As they land, you can easily perform an OTG combo, or juggle in some cases... (eg. Wolverine) -Limitations One good limitation is that the FS forbids the opponent from Safety Rolling PERIOD, so OTG combos WILL become true combos in this case. One thing against the comboer is that once you perform an OTG combo after the FS, the game will not let you perform ANY Air Combos or Special Moves; for example, with Wolverine if you perform a Berserker Barrage in the corner with all hits, the enemy will hover briefly, then when they fall, you can hit them OTG with a C.Short into S.Roundhouse. But, you CANNOT cancel the Roundhouse with a Tornado Claw, nor can you follow them up with a Super Jump and Air Combo! ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- Safe Air Magic Series/Safe Ground Combo: ---------------------------------------- Safe Air Magic Series: >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> James Chen noticed that some air attacks are directed at akward angles, so they sometimes miss in a SJ.Air Combo (eg. Psylocke's SJ.Strong). So, he made a list of all the Air Combos that were definite hits, and sometimes they aren't always the potential 5 hits (Jab, Short, Strong, Forward, Fierce or Roundhouse finisher). For example, Hulk's Safe Air MS is: Jab -> Strong -> Forward -> Fierce or Roundhouse Finisher Short is skipped because it would not usually connect in this combo. Still, 4 out of a potential 5 hits is OK. Safe Ground Combo: >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Another thing noticed by James Chen is that it is pretty easy to get countered after trying to connect with a Ground Combo because the move you tried to finish with, either to launch or finish right there, had such a slow recovery, that when blocked the enemy could easily combo you in return (for example, if you tried with Magneto to get in a simple C.Short into C.Roundhouse knockdown combo, but the opponent blocked it all low, Magneto is in BIG trouble, because the recovery on his C.Roundhouse is considerably slow. So, James Chen listed a good combo for each character, that can get big and multi-hitting if the enemy doesn't defend, but if blocked can be turned into something that leaves you in much less danger. One of his examples was with Wolverine: D.S.Jab -> S.Short -> S.Strong XX Fierce Berserker Barrage. Now, if you have a keen enough eye and see that the first two or so hits were blocked, then you could easily NOT do the Berserker Barrage, which if blocked would allow the enemy to do whatever he wants to Logan, and instead do this: D.S.Jab -> S.Short -> S.Strong -> S.Forward -> S.Fierce. After the enemy blocks the Fierce, Wolverine is a considerable distance away so that it is very difficult for the opponent to hit him during the recovery frames of the Fierce. Note that there are some exceptions to the safe combo; there are attacks that are fast enough to catch you even if you finished the combo the safe way. For example, Hulk's Gamma Charge is LIGHTNING fast coming out, so even if your attack has a very SLIGHT delay, he can still counter with it. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- Character Dimensions: ********************* In X-Men: CotA, there were three character sizes, with Sentinel, Colossus and Juggernaut being large, Silver Samurai and Omega Red being mid, and everyone else light. In MSH, it is even more detailed, going by height, width and weight. Height will determine how many hits you can get on a jump-in combo (eg. you can easily get all three hits of Psylocke's Jumping Magic Series on Blackheart, but you can only get one or two on a little guy like Wolverine). Width determines how many hits are possible in a dashing combo (eg. on Juggernaut, Wolverine can get 5 hits in a dashing combo, finishing with either Roundhouse or Fierce, but on a scrawny guy like Spider-Man you would not get as much, maybe 3 hits). Weight determines wether or not a few combos will work, usually because you cannot launch a fat dude like Juggernaut as high as you can launch, say, Psylocke. Here is the basic list of dimensions; learn them, so you know how many hits to do in a combo, so that you don't go overboard and mess up- Height (tallest to shortest) Blackheart Juggernaut Hulk Thanos Shuma Gorath Magneto Dr. Doom Ironman Captain America Psylocke Spiderman Wolverine Width (widest to thinnest) Juggernaut Hulk Thanos Blackheart Shuma Gorath Dr. Doom Magneto Captain America Ironman Wolverine Psylocke Spiderman Weight (lightest to heaviest) Spiderman Psylocke Wolverine Shuma Gorath Captain America Magneto Dr. Doom (?) Ironman Blackheart Thanos (?) Hulk Juggernaut ############################################################################# HULK: ----- Beginning Pose: Hulk clenches his fist and exclaims "Let's Rock!" Winning Pose 1: Hulk clenches his fist and exclaims "Let's Rock!" Winning Pose 2: Hulk clenches his fist and exclaims "Who's Next?" Taunt: Hulk clenches his fist and exclaims "Let's Rock!" Regular Color: Green skin, Purple pants 2nd Color: Grey skin, Purple pants Background: An amusement park at night, mainly with the merry-go-round in the background. Post-Match Quotes: Vs. Hulk-"That's why I'm the Hulk and you're just a green nutcase who drools too much." Close Fight-"Good fight! I might even have bruises from this!" -"Thanks I needed the nap." -"HULK SMASH! Sorry, I just had to say it." -"Have you ever considered Gamma Radiation? It works wonders for me." -"I said you wouldn't like me when I'm angry. Maybe you'll listen next time." -"I hope your medical insurance is payed up." -"Some days it just doesn't pay to get out of bed, does it? STORY: ****** For those who've never heard of the Incredible Hulk, crawl out from under your rock and read this: Mild-mannered chemist Bruce Banner was experimenting with the properties of gamma radiation. During a test, he was exposed to a large dose of the powerful energy. Banner mutated into a large green behemoth, and would do so from now on whenever he became enraged. He soon cured this problem, but mutated into another, grey version of the Hulk and then finally to his current state--smart, extremely powerful and green. But, Bruce will be forever trapped in the hulking body. Now, the mad Titan known as Thanos has gained possession of the all-powerful Infinity Gems, controlling the very fabric of the universe. In an attempt to save all in existance, the Hulk has joined forces with his fellow Avengers, the X-Men and Adam Warlock to seize the Gems and restore peace. CHARACTER OVERVIEW: ******************* Definetely one of the more solid characters in the game, he has surprising quickness and can do HUGE damage with his combos OR single hits. A healthy mix of offense with Throws a jump-ins, and defense with the powerful Gamma Charge makes playing Hulk a lot of fun, and also give your opponent quite a challenge. You just have to ensure that you learn how to use him properly, and you definetely cannot be a button masher with him, as the majority of his attacks have very bad recovery. MOVES LIST: *********** -Gamma Tornado: HCB+any punch -Gamma Charge: charge B, F+any kick -Vertical Gamma Charge: charge D, U+any kick -Quick Ground Chuck: HCT+any punch -Ground Chuck: D, D+all three punches (then any punch to throw) -One-Hand Drop: F or B+Fierce or Strong (close) -Drop Slam: F or B+Fierce or Strong (close in mid-air) -Best Gem: Time -Forward Dash; Quick Hop: F, F or all three punches -Backward Dash; Ground Roll: B, B or B+all three punches -Infinity Counter; Gamma Charge: B, D/B, D+any punch -Infinity Combo; Gamma Crush: QCT+all three punches REGULAR MOVES ANALYSIS: *********************** His S.Jab is a great pecking tool and can start combos. Use it freely, as it is totally safe and difficult to counter. The C.Jab is a great low hammer strike that will hit the enemy OTG easily. Hulk's S.Strong is a great comboable backfist which comes out and recovers quickly, and also has great range. The C.Strong is similiar only lower. The S.Fierce SMASHES the enemy across the screen for great damage, and it can be used as an easy combo finisher. It comes out fast but has HORRIBLE recovery and you WILL be punished if missed or blocked, so only use it when you're sure (e.g countering a missed attack from a distance) OR in a combo. This will also hit OTG. The C.Fierce is the Hulk's only regular launcher; it usually hits twice and does good damage; this move's recovery is fairly slow however, so only use it in combos or after ducking a high attack. Hulk's Short Kick has GREAT priority and works excellently against crouching peckers (huh,huh... he said "pecker" :) like Wolverine; it also works well as a tick (considering what little ticking is possible in this game). Hits OTG too. Hulk's S.Forward is a great-looking boot-kick ala Jeffry that has good range and priority--good in your offensive ground game; but, beware as it has a slight lag at the beginning, so make sure you get it out as early as possible. Finally comes the Roundhouse attacks which IMO should not be used too often; both have slow recovery and are not overly useful; the S.Roundhouse is an Air Launcher that usually hits twice, and makes a GREAT air counter that can be followed with an Air Combo (must guide Super Jump U/F) or Air Throw. The C.Roundhouse is IMO useless. When jumping, The J.Fierce and J.Forward provide good air priority, and the J.Roundhouse is a great jump-in attack. SPECIAL MOVE ANALYSIS: ********************** -Gamma Tornado- (Hulk grabs the opponent BY THE HEAD WITH ONE HAND, and spins them around a few times then whips them across the screen) A lot of fun when it connects, but difficult to connect with. The thing that really weakens it is that it can be tech hitted, so even in combos its damage can be nullified--it is also blockable =(. Just be careful where to use it; if you're up close after blocking an opponent's slow recovering attack (eg. another Hulk's blocked Gamma Tornado, or Juggernaut's Juggernaut Punch) go wild with it, and it will often grab. In combos, make really sure you cancel your regular attack with this EARLY; this is because Hulk's arm sticks out a mile for at least a full second, leaving him prey to anything! ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- -Gamma Charge- (Hulk exclaims "Gamma Charge!" and rushes the opponent) This is IMO Hulk's most useful attack. Although if blocked it leaves him open to anything, the Charge is easy to put in combos. And here's the best part: after initiating the Gamma Charge, you can change direction by hitting either F, B, U/F, U, or U/B plus a kick in the middle of the Charge to go into another Charge! WHENEVER you connect with a Gamma Charge you should always follow up with the appropriate direction change (usually U/F or U, I find) to juggle for another hit, making a POWERFUL 2 hit combination! This is also great for avoiding foes. Also note that this is arguably THE fastest Special Move in the game, and since it starts in a defensive position, it is the perfect counter-attack to ANY ground attack from under half a screen away. It is so fast in fact that you can counter even Safe Ground Combos a lot of the time! ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- -Vertical Gamma Charge- (Bruce exclaims "Gamma Charge!" and rises up into the air) This is a great air counter for high jumpers or even some Super Jumping foes if you have the time for the brief charge. It can be used in some combos, but its most important asset, like the horizontal version, is that you can change direction in mid-flight by hitting a direction+kick; if you knock them up, hold up and hit punch to juggle 'em with another Charge for great damage! ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- -Quick Ground Chuck- (Hulk growls as he rips up a piece of the floor and throws it at the opponent) This is Hulk's fireball move (if you would call it that); I see a lot of players overusing this, but I rarely do myself. His initiation AND recovery are both slow, and he can be hit EASILY from even the full screen by most projectiles before he actually throws the piece. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- -Ground Chuck- (Hulk rips up a piece of the floor or ground and holds it above his head, then throws it when commanded) IMO another useless move, except in a few combos. Other than that, this one actually has longer delays than the above version. Note however that Hulk can hit the opponent as he is ripping the ground up, so with proper timing this can work fairly well as an air counter. Also note that this is somewhat useful in his Safe Ground Combo. YOU CANNOT BLOCK AS HULK HOLDS THE CHUNK! ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- -One-Hand Drop- (Hulk grabs the opponent, brings him up over his head, leans over and slams them head-first into the ground) A good all-around Throw, use it up close whenever possible, unless you have a better opening for a combo. This is especially good after pestering the opponent with Shorts and Jabs to force them to block, then quickly pull this off. You can often follow with an OTG combo provided they don't Roll, as it leaves them just in front of Hulk's feet. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- -Drop Slam- (Hulk grabs an enemy out of the air and slams them downward) Use it when you feel like it, although IMO a well-placed Air Combo is more effective (unless of course you anticipate them air blocking). It IS possible to OTG after this, but the timing is quite difficult (thanks Onaje! :) ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- -Best Gem: Time This is Hulk's best Gem; not only is he sped up considerably, but this Gem gives him the ability to throw extra-fast Fierce and Roundhouse attacks-- that's right, so fast, you can chain two or even THREE Fierces together for a POWERFUL combo! ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- -Forward Dash; Short Hop- (Hulk hops forward a short distance) Emphasis on the SHORT part. Hulk's forward dash travels only short distance, a little over half screen before landing, and IMO shouldn't be used TOO often. It is pretty safe and you can cancel it with a backward dash, but it still is slow to do, so if the enemy knows you're coming, you're in trouble. It's also not too good if the enemy misses a DP move (eg. Wolverine's Tornado Claw), because if you're across the screen it may take too long to get over to them, at which time they'll have most likely recovered to defend himself. When going offensive, it is better to jump forward with the Hulk, because he has a fast jump with little hang time but decent distance is covered. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- -Backward Dash; Ground Roll- (Hulk tucks his shoulder in and rolls backward) A VERY good backward dash, it is quite fast and can avoid a lot of high attacks (eg. Cap's Strong Shield Slash). It doesn't travel too far, but it gets the job done. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- -Infinity Counter; Gamma Charge- (Hulk blocks his enemy's attack and counters with a Gamma Charge) A VERY good Infinity Counter, it works best on up close projectiles throwers (eg. if you block Shuma Gorath's Mystic Stare from a few steps away), and also on any up close attack that recovers too fast for you to counter otherwise (for example, Infinity Counter Magneto out of his standing Jab or Strong up close, because if you try to counter with something else after blocking it, Magneto will recover fast enough to block the counter; but, if Magnus throws his up close Roundhouse (the two-hit high kick), then its recovery is slow enough that you can block the whole thing and counter with a good combo, or even a Gamma Tornado :) ). Try to avoid countering jump-in attacks with this unless they're really deep, because it will likely miss. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- -Infinity Combo; Gamma Crush- (Hulk rises into the air (a little like a Vertical Gamma Charge), then exclaims "Gamma Crush!!" and comes crashing down with a large boulder in his hands) To be used only in certain special circumstances, it can be a weakness as well as a great srength. It has HUGE delays in all parts; the rock is VERY easy to block, then retaliate. Use it only in combos, or IMO its best way: as an air counter. Hulk can hit as he rises at first; the meteor will then hit the fallen foe. When Hulk hits them while rising up, he does good damage and when the boulder OTGs the fallen opponent the total damage is AWESOME. Also note that the Gamma Crush has EXTREMELY high priority, and will take out ANYTHING up close, if you anticipate. The only problem is, if the enemy DOESN'T throw anything out and decides to block, you're in deep shit :). NOTE: you may notice that when the screen darkens Hulk will face you (the screen)--this gives his IC a strength above some other fighters. If your foe manages to cross you up JUST as Hulk starts the IC, you may think that you'll rise in the wrong direction, but since Hulk starts facing the screen, he can go either way! So, if the enemy is in the air ANYWHERE above Hulk's head pull this off and it is guarenteed. You can only get 2 hits with the Gamma Crush maximum. OTG NOTE: it is actually possible to OTG after the Gamma Crush in the corner under special circumstances, being that the 2nd half of the Crush must hit the enemy HIGH in the air, as opposed to close to or Off the Ground. If you hit them high in the air, you will have time to land and OTG after. To do this, try and time the Crush so that it hits as high in the air as possible... COMBOS: ******* -Safe Air Magic Series: Jab -> Strong -> Forward -> Fierce -Safe Ground Combo: D.S.Short -> C.Fierce -> Air Combo If the enemy blocks... D.S.Short -> C.Fierce XX Ground Chuck -Ground Magic Series: Weak Start -Jumping Magic Series: Weak Start (2 hits average) -Launchers: C.Fierce -Air Launchers: S.Roundhouse -Straight Launchers: S.Fierce -Small Launchers: none *BASIC COMBOS* 1. J.Roundhouse, S.Jab -> S.Fierce 2. Gamma Charge, U/F or U Gamma Charge 3. C.Fierce XX Gamma Crush 4. D.S.Short -> C.Fierce XX Ground Chuck 5. S.Roundhouse (air counter) -> SJ.Air Throw 6. Strong or Fierce Throw, D.S.Fierce (OTG) 7. Activate Time Gem, S.Fierce -> S.Fierce 8. (corner) D.S.Jab -> S.Fierce XX Gamma Tornado (FS) 9. (corner) S.Roundhouse (2 hits) XX Gamma Tornado (FS) *INTERMEDIATE COMBOS* 10. J.Roundhouse, S.Short -> S.Strong XX Gamma Charge, U/F or U Gamma Charge 11. J.Short -> J.Strong, S.Strong XX Gamma Charge, U/F or U Gamma Charge 12. J.Short -> J.Roundhouse, D.S.Short -> S.Strong XX Gamma Tornado (FS) 13. (in corner) D.S.Jab -> S.Strong XX Fierce Gamma Tornado (FS), S.Short (OTG) -> S.Fierce 14. J.Roundhouse, D.S.Short -> C.Fierce -> SJ.Jab -> SJ.Strong -> SJ.Forward -> SJ.Fierce (FS) 15. J.Short -> J.Strong, S.Short -> S.Strong XX Short Gamma Charge, C.Fierce (OTG) -> SJ.Jab -> SJ.Strong -> SJ.Forward -> SJ.Fierce (FS) 16. J.Short -> J.Strong, D.C.Fierce XX Gamma Crush 17. J.Roundhouse, S.Jab -> S.Strong XX Short Gamma Charge, D.S.Short (OTG) -> C.Fierce -> SJ.Jab -> SJ.Strong -> SJ.Forward -> SJ.Fierce (FS) 18. Activate Time Gem, J.Roundhouse, D.S.Jab -> S.Fierce -> S.Fierce 19. (corner) Fierce or Strong Throw, S.Short (OTG) -> S.Forward XX Gamma Charge XX U/F or U Gamma Charge 20. D.S.Short -> C.Fierce -> SJ.Jab -> SJ.Strong, Strong Air Throw 21. J.Short -> J.Roundhouse, S.Short -> S.Roundhouse (2 hits) XX Gamma Charge 22. S.Roundhouse (air counter) -> SJ.Jab -> SJ.Strong -> SJ.Forward -> SJ.Fierce (FS) 23. J.Short -> J.Forward, D.C.Short -> C.Forward XX Short Gamma Charge, C.Short (OTG) -> C.Fierce XX Gamma Crush 24. S.Roundhouse (air counter) XX Gamma Crush :) 25. Activate Time Gem, Strong or Fierce Throw, D.S.Fierce -> D.S.Fierce 26. (corner) Activate Time Gem, Strong or Fierce Throw, D.S.Fierce (OTG) -> S.Fierce -> S.Fierce 27. (corner) D.C.Short -> C.Fierce XX Gamma Crush, D.C.Short -> C.Fierce -> SJ.Jab -> SJ.Strong -> SJ.Forward -> SJ.Fierce (FS) 28. Activate Time Gem, D.C.Short -> C.Forward XX Short Gamma Charge, S.Fierce (OTG), S.Fierce 29. (corner) C.Fierce (2 hits) XX Gamma Crush, C.Short -> C.Short -> S.Fierce 30. Activate Time Gem, D.C.Fierce, C.Fierce, C.Fierce (2 hits), SJ.Jab -> SJ.Strong -> SJ.Forward -> SJ.Fierce (FS) 31. Activate Time Gem, D.C.Fierce, C.Fierce, C.Fierce (2 hits) XX Gamma Crush 32. (corner) D.S.Short -> C.Fierce (2 hits) XX Short Rising Gamma Charge, C.Short (OTG) -> S.Fierce *ADVANCED* 33. J.Short -> J.Roundhouse, S.Short -> S.Forward XX Short Gamma Charge -> Short Gamma Charge U/F, D.C.Short (OTG) -> C.Fierce XX Gamma Crush 34. (corner) J.Short -> J.Strong, C.Fierce XX Upwards Gamma Charge XX U Gamma Charge, C.Fierce -> SJ.Jab -> SJ.Strong -> SJ.Forward -> SJ.Fierce (FS) 35. Activate Time Gem, J.Roundhouse, D.C.Fierce, C.Fierce, C.Fierce (2 hits) XX Gamma Crush, D.C.Short -> C.Fierce XX Gamma Crush Comments (#11): this is a combo I listed in my old Hulk FAQ, but it had one mistake--YOU must be in the corner, not the opponent, because Hulk turns around when he throws the enemy with the Tornado. So try this if you're cornered, and even if you're a little out of the corner, you can connect with the Short if you dash. Remember, the FS is activated by the Gamma Tornado. You can OTG the opponent after the Throw, but because of the FS restrictions, you cannot perform any Special Move, or Air Combo. So the S.Short -> S.Fierce is the only thing you can do (or variations of that, like maybe C.Short -> C.Roundhouse). Comments (#27,29): See Gamma Crush section for more info. COMBO OVERVIEW: *************** GROUND COMBOS: his Safe Ground Combo can take some getting used to, making it difficult to perform a true offense with it. When his Ground Combos to connect they can do some mean damage, be it with a Double Gamma Charge, or Short Gamma Charge, OTG combination. His ground combos are definetely as powerful, in some cases more powerful, than his Air Combos. AIR COMBOS: Hulk's SJ.MS comes out fairly easy, with only the SJ.Short being difficult to connect with. PERSONALLY I enjoy using Ground Combos with the Hulk, but to each his own. When you have a level charged, be sure to use the Gamma Crush after the C.Fierce instead. THROW COMBOS: straight and to the point, Hulk's Throw combos are not REALLY powerful, but can be done. A simple Fierce Throw, D.S.Fierce (OTG) does hefty damage, however it is highly dangerous to use if the enemy can Safety Roll consistantly, because of the bad recovery on the S.Fierce (however, if you are powered up with the Time Gem, IMO it is worth the risk doing two or three D.S.Fierces :). If you throw the enemy into the corner, it is possible to connect with a D.S.Short and OTG from there... and of course, the Gamma Tornado can be comboed after when you throw the enemy INTO the corner (see combos). When up close, Throw combos are a great option for damage. OTG COMBOS: Other than after his Throws, Hulk can also OTG off of his Short Gamma Charge. The timing can be difficult, because Hulk has to turn around after the Charge first. S.Short connects the easiest, then go from there. IMO this OTG option is worth going for; the recovery on the Short Gamma Charge is not so bad; frequently if the enemy can manage to Safety Roll out of this combo, you will recover in time to defend against a counter, with the possible exception of buffered ICs like Wolverine's Weapon X. TACTICS: ******** Offensive: The best way for Hulk to play is what I call "Offensive-reactionary". Basically, this is defending yourself without turtling :). Jump in fairly liberally, and mix up your jumping attacks; his J.Roundhouse has great range so it can often snag the enemy when they don't expect it (i.e. earlier than their attempted air counter). Once they catch on to this, be more cautious with your jumping. Often one of the best tactics is to jump in and air block; the advantage to this with the Hulk is that, because of the range of the J.Roundhouse, he can wait a split-second before choosing to air block--if you jump and realize the enemy's not gonna do anything except wait for you, throw out the J.Roundhouse; if you realize that they might attempt an air counter, you often have enough time to air block. You will have to vary this strategy vs. some, however, like Captain America, who can snag you in the air with a Stars `n' Stripes from quite a distance away. Another thing to do when jumping in is absolutely nothing :). If you're opponent tends to stand there and block while you jump in, don't hit him at all, land, then Throw 'em! On the ground, Hulk's Forward Dash won't help you much offensively, except maybe from extreme range--when you do dash, be ready to immediately tap back to block if something happens. If you manage to get in close successfully, peck at the enemy with your S.Jab, S/C.Short and maybe S.Forward, possibly for a Throw attempt or quick combo. Dashing Jump: It bears mention that, when I say jumping in offensively above, I usually mean with the Dashing Jump. Hulk's Dashing Jump looks like his regular dash, except it goes higher, further and faster. This allows him to get in fast, so mix it in with the regular jump. Defensive: Hulk plays quite a good defensive game, but I personally would not play a turtler's game with him, mainly because he lacks a fast projectile with short lag time. Instead, play him a bit like Guile (who, mind you, had a projectile :) -- wait in the D/B defensive position for the enemy to throw out something haphazardly, be it a jumping attack, standing attack, or Special Move (not ANY Special Move, though) and immediately counter with the Gamma Charge OR if you are a little scared that it may be blocked, something else (like S.Fierce). You MUST learn when and when not to throw out a Gamma Charge--once you do, you can snag enemies with ease on reaction. On a jumping foe, your best move is the S.Roundhouse or C.Fierce, OR the Rising Gamma Charge, but only if the enemy is overhead--same goes for the Ground Chuck. Once you have a level charged, the Gamma Crush becomes a potent reactionary air counter... In the air: Hulk is not amazing in the air; you should try to stay on the ground as often as possible when the enemy is airborne, especially against Magneto, Iron Man, Psylocke or Wolverine. If you do get yourself up there, the J.Forward is a half-decent defense, but up close the J.Fierce has amazing priority and damage. And when in doubt (unless they're close), air block! BEST JUMP-IN CHAIN: Short -> Roundhouse. HULK'S ENDING: ************** (NOT word for word...) Hulk defeats Thanos, and the Titan pleads him to finish him there. Hulk says Thanos must live with his defeat. Hulk returns home to Betsy, and they both take a vacation to Vegas (his girlfriend remarks on how they should've taken the plane, as opposed to Hulk jumping there... :) ############################################################################# IRON MAN: --------- Beginning Pose: Iron Man drops in with his jet pack, ready for the fight Winning Pose 1: Iron Man holds up his fist, which lights up with energy as he exclaims "Superior Tech!" Winning Pose 2: Iron Man clenches his gauntlet, which lights up with energy as he exclaims "Superior Tech!" Taunt: Iron Man clenches his gauntlet, which lights up with energy as he exclaims "Superior Tech!" Regular Color: Red and Gold 2nd Color: Red and Silver (spin-off of his battle armor from the 80's :) Background: the STARK Enterprises space station, with a large component of machinery in the background. Post-Match Quotes: Vs. Iron Man-"You can copy the armor, but you'll never match the man inside." Close Fight-"You came close... time for some modifications." -"I've fought AIM flunkies that were tougher than you!" -"Take my advice, learn some new moves." -"I don't have time for you jokers." -"Not exactly cutting edge, are you?" STORY: ****** For those of you who don't know who Iron Man is: Millionare playboy industrialist and inventor Anthony Stark was on a business trip to Vietam, and was kidnapped by gorrilla soldiers. During the kidnapping Stark was fatally wounded by shrapnel from a hidden land mine. He became imprisoned with a briliant scientist, and together they created a special chestplate that would keep him alive as long as he wore it. They also planned an escape, and eventually created a whole suit of cybernetic armor with the chestplate to aid in their escape. Before they could attempt it, the scientist was taken out of the cell and killed. Tony Stark vowed revenge and destroyed the gorilla soldiers. From then on he vowed to fight injustice as Iron Man! Iron Man was responsible for the formation of the Avengers, and was their field leader until they found Capain America frozen in the arctic. Shellhead soon left to leave Cap in charge, but has worked as an Avenger off and on ever since. Constantly upgrading his armor, he eventually cured the wound caused by the shrapnel and was free, but decided to stay as Iron Man. Now, the mad Titan known as Thanos has discovered the all-powerful Infinity Gems which control the very fabric of the universe. Iron Man has joined the battle against Thanos alongside his fellow Avengers, the X-Men and Adam Warlock to take back the Gems... CHARACTER OVERVIEW: ******************* Now that Capcom has entered its fourth in the Marvel/Capcom series, we are seeing that Iron Man is quite the popular character, apparent by all the players (including myself) who are angry that he was taken out of MvSF. But how about in this game? :) Well, Scrubs playing him may seem annoying at first, but with his Special Moves having such bad recovery, you will soon see that IM is not really a scrub character at all. An experienced player can be devastating playing keep-away and turtling, and if you're like me and don't like playing that way, it is possible to play Iron Man with a pecking, offensive game as well. He also has one of the coolest, and most damaging ICs in the game. If you're a button masher again, he's not for you. If you wan't to learn to play him properly and use his moves at the right time, he can be a lot of fun. MOVES LIST: *********** -UniBeam: HCT+any punch (can be done in mid-air) -Repulsor Blast: HCB+any punch -Smart Bomb: any punch+any kick (same strength; can be done in mid-air) -Flight: QCB+all three kicks (can also be done in mid-air) -Knee Dive: D+Forward in mid-air -Rocket Corner Slam: F or B+Fierce (close) -Repulsor Slam: F or B+Strong (close) -Air Repulsor Slam: F or B+Strong or Fierce (close) -Best Gem: Soul -Forward Dash; Rocket Slide: F, F or all three punches -Backward Dash; shoulder jet slide: B, B or B+all three punches -Infinity Counter; Repulsore Blast: B, D/B, D+any punch -Infinity Combo; Proton Cannon: QCT+all three punches REGULAR MOVES ANALYSIS: *********************** An important part of Shellhead's repitiore, some regular moves in many ways are like Special Moves. Both Jabs are useful for starting dashing combos, and can act fairly well as ticks up close. Same with Short Kick; they both have slightly longer range than the Jabs, and the C.Short is good for ticks. S.Strong, along with his Repulsor Blast comprise his air defenses; if the enemy is jumping in deep and is going to land IN FRONT OF YOU, S.Strong is a good defensive weapon. It is a little more difficult to connect with than the Repulsor Blast, but with proper timing you can catch jumping opponents and follow with a Super Jump and Air Combo. On the ground this will not launch a standing opponent, so use it in combos and always try to cancel it with a UniBeam at least. C.Strong is one of his Regular Launchers, but although this may seem strange, his S.Roundhouse is actually a BETTER Launcher than this, I find. This is because this uppercut will launch the opponent at a slightly weirder angle, and unless you direct your Super Jump JUST so, you'll miss with anything except maybe SJ.F+Fierce. C.Forward is a short foot slide, with decent range, although I wish he slid further. Use this to go under most high attacks from a few steps away. When it connects you can OTG with a S.Fierce, or a VERY quick C.Short, in most cases. S.Forward is an awesome pecking attack for Iron Man's up close offensive game (see Tactics). S.Fierce will send the opponent FLYING with good damage, and you should always cancel it with a UniBeam if it connects, so they will at least eat block damage and leave Shellhead in relative safety. If the enemy blocks, Iron Man's recovery is SLOW, so they're usually quick enough to counterattack. Be especially careful of using this when the enemy is airborne. BTW, this will hit downed opponents up close. One of Iron Man's best attacks, IMO. C.Fierce is actually a true projectile, which also does great damage and is good for quick attacks from a distance. If it connects up close (rare), cancel it with a UniBeam, but you probably won't be using it too much. Its only really good use is if you duck a high projectile (eg. Cap's Strong Shield Slash), as the missle is fast enough to catch just about any opponent before they recover from it; if it connects in this case, follow it up with a UniBeam for at least block damage. Do NOT use this when the enemy is in the air, because Iron Man's recovery is not so good. S.Roundhouse will launch the opponent STRAIGHT up, making it easier for a SJ.Air Combo, but Iron Man must be practically pressing right up against them for it to connect. So, it's best only in dashing combos when you're pretty sure it'll connect. When it does though, prepare for a big combo. C.Roundhouse is IMO a very useful attack; it comes out and recovers fairly slow, but if blocked it will push the opponent far away enough usually not to worry about a retaliation. This will also catch a lot of low opponents by surprise and does GREAT damage, as well as hitting twice. Use it to finish off most of your easy combos, and if it connects, cancel it with a Jab UniBeam for at least block damage. J.Roundhouse is best used for jumping in very high; this has bad horizontal range, but is great to start jump-ins with if you connect with it; use if the enemy is stupid enough to throw a slow recovering move from the ground; this will also hit crouching blockers easily... BTW, you can also direct the J.Roundhouse upward, producing a jumping version of his S.Roundhouse--use? None that I know of... (how 'bout it Charles? :) SPECIAL MOVE ANALYSIS: ********************** -UniBeam- (Iron Man exclaims "UniBeam!", rears back and fires a thick beam of light energy from the UniBeam housing on his chest) This is Shellhead's primary projectile attack, and will reach across the whole screen. This is one of Iron Man's best keep-away moves, so constantly pester the opponent from across the screen with these, then move in (so you aren't labeled a turtler); remember, though, to quit throwing them if they manage to jump, because Iron Man's recovery will leave him open to a jump-in. On the same token, don't use it too often any distance close enough for them to dash in at you, unless you have a big opening, because if they manage to block, even though the UniBeam pushes them considerably far, they may still be able to hit the Golden Avenger as he recovers. This is great in a lot of combos, even though most of time it is blockable (which is OK in most combos because the enemy will most likely be pushed too far away to counter), and can rack up a lot of hits--max of 8 hits. Great damage, too. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- -Air UniBeam- (While in mid-air, Iron Man exclaims "UniBeam!", rears back and fires a thick beam of light energy from the UniBeam housing on his chest) This is a great move for opponents a distance away in the air; this combined with his Flight, jumping Fierce (directed) and the Smart Bomb make him very difficult to get to in the air. I wouldn't recommend using this up close in the air, because if blocked Iron Man could be left open for an Air Combo or Air Throw. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- -Repulsor Blast- (Iron Man holds up his hand and exclaims "Repulsor Blast!", firing both repulsors in four directions; bottom left, then top right, followed by bottom right and top left. This is Iron Man's primary air counter; if you knock the opponent out of the air with the second shot (top right) then they will be juggled by the next (bottom right) and fall behind Shellhead. Occasionally if you hit a deep jumping opponent with the first hit you can juggle for 3. If you connect on the last hit you'll only get one hit. This will hit standing opponents up close, but it is much too easy to block or avoid, and Iron Man's recovery isn't too great. So, stick with using it whenever the enemy is in the air, and you shouldn't have to worry about retaliation, because if the JAB Repulsor Blast is Air Blocked, the enemy is usually pushed too far away to do any damage. It's REAL good in combos, and does good damage with 2 hits, SOMETIMES 3. NOTE: you can OTG after the Repulsor Blast in certain cases. On most larger opponents you can OTG pretty much always, however on some of the smaller fighters, or depending on distance, the Blast will only hit once and IM will go into recovery as they lay there. See combos. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- -Smart Bomb- (Iron Man exclaims "Smart Bomb!" and fires two small bombs from shoulder launchers) The Jab+Short version drops bombs a few steps away, the Strong+Forward in the middle of the screen, and the Fierce+Roundhouse drops them across the screen. On the ground I really don't see any need for the Smart Bombs. They come out relatively slow and can be jumped fairly easy. To keep them pinned back, allowing you to move in close, you can mix these up with the UniBeams, and the Jab+Short version can act as an air counter if the enemy is considerably deep. On the ground, the Smart Bombs should not be a large part of your repitiore. NOTE: because of their start-up, the Smart Bombs aren't all that useful offensively, however IF they connect fairly late, you can actually dash in and combo the enemy! See combos. In the air, these are VERY useful techniques for Iron Man; this combined with the Air UniBeam and his jumping Fierce (directed) make Iron Man EXTREMELY difficult to catch in the air. During Iron Man's Flight, this is your best weapon; if the enemy tries to jump from a ways away, they can be hit with the Fierce+Roundhouse, and if they try to dash under you to nail you from the bottom, the other two strengths should keep them back. Follow in with Flight or dashing (if you land in time). Like Scorpion's Harpoon from MKx, the Smart Bombs cannot be done repeatedly, i.e. if you try to tap Fierce+Roundhouse then immediately Fierce+Roundouse again, Iron Man will throw two Smart Bombs then you'll probably get his jumping Fierce. So, the enemy does have a window of opportunity to jump up and get to you; but that's OK, because if they try a jump from under you, quickly nail 'em with your jumping Roundhouse (provided you're recovered in time). You must also be more careful against quick dashers, mainly Wolverine and Psylocke; if they see the Smart Bombs early enough, they can dash under you and Drill Claw or PsiMaelstrom (ouch) respectively--in addition, Magneto can usually dash under and use the Magnetic Tempest. If the try to jump from mid-range, you can usually get 'em with a properly timed and directed jumping Fierce, and if they try to jump from full screen, possibly for a mid-air projectile or an Infinity Combo like Spider-Man's, a UniBeam is usually suffecient to nab 'em first. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- -Flight- (Iron Man activates his boot jets to fly in the air) This is controllable in all directions, and if going up it can go just a bit further than a Super Jump. It is also possible for him to put on an extra burst of speed for an "air dash" in ANY direction, i.e. you can air dash D/F by tapping diagonal down and forward and hitting all three punches like a normal dash. To land, do the motions for the Flight again. I find myself using this a lot, because it will evade a lot of problems on the ground that even a Super Jump can't, because of its ability to maneuver forward or back. For example, try to avoid Juggernaut once he's used his Cytorrak Power-up (the one where he glows red) until it has worn off. When you're Flying, use constant Smart Bombs and UniBeams to keep the opponent on the ground (see Smart Bomb above for more tactics), then follow them in for the attack. This is also great for avoiding a lot of Infinity Combos. You must, however, be careful where you are in flight; you can really mix it up and Fly all over, sparatically dropping Smart Bombs and the opponent probably won't be able to catch you; but, you also cannot get in any definite attacks. The only way to do this on standing opponents is if you Fly at about forehead level (because if you're up at Super Jump height, you cannot see Shellhead's opponent, unless they jump up there with you. So, you're aiming won't be as precise) and try an attack. But, they will then have the ability to hit you with any DP move or Uppercut. You CANNOT Air Block during Flight. You should really be careful and keep your distance when flying, unless the enemy leaves themselves open, in which case air dash down toward them and nail 'em with a combo of some kind, like A.D.Short -> A.D.D+Fierce. NOTE: to charge your Infinity Meter quickly, fly at the top of the screen and hit a button repeatedly (Fierce is best I would think.) ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- -Knee Dive- (In mid-air, Iron Man dives at around a 45 degree angle with his knees stuck out) If blocked, Iron Man will bounce off his foe to RELATIVE safety, so in most cases don't be too afraid to use the Knee Dive; what you DO have to worry about is long-range counters, mainly dashing ICs like the Final Justice or Weapon X. NOTE: to avoid the bounce off (when you anticipate the enemy can counter), you can chain the Knee using IM's normal Jumping MS; chain into a J.D+Fierce... ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- -Air Palm Beam- (Iron Man fires a small range beam in the desired direction) Holding it U or U/F will cause him to fire up at a 45 degree angle, holding D or D/F will fire it down at 45 degrees, and holding F will fire it straight forward. This is Iron Man's best mid-range air attack, and is also good in jump-ins. The downward version is an alternative to the Knee Dive if you jump a projectile. The forward version is good for air-to-air combat and if it connects you should cancel into a UniBeam for at least block damage. The U/F version is fun to use if you're flying and the enemy Super Jumps; fly UNDER them and shoot them from the bottom! ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- -Rocket Corner Slam- (Iron Man grabs the opponent and slides toward the corner with his rocket boots, slamming them against the corner; if too far away from the corner, Iron Man will eventually release them with a repulsor burst) A VERY effective Throw, this is one of Iron Man's best up close techniques. It does great damage and can be followed with an OTG combo, but the best part about it is that it ALWAYS takes the opponent into the corner if you're ANYWHERE close to it, where you can do the OTG combo and possibly follow it up with more cornering tactics. a VERY important move for the Golden Avenger, IMO. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- -Repulsor Slam- (Iron Man grabs the opponent, then knocks them to the ground with a burst of repulsor energy) Also a decent Throw, if you actually have the enemy in the corner, this is often easier to follow with an OTG combo. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- -Air Repulsor Slam- (Iron Man grabs the opponent in mid-air, then knocks them to the ground with a burst of repulsor energy) If you're up close use it if you want, but it cannot be followed with an OTG combo UNLESS it hits REALLY close to the ground. It can, as well, be used IN Air combos. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- -Best Gem: Soul- This is Iron Man's best Gem for two reasons; this will of course cause Stark's health to gradually refill for a period of time. And secondly (big correction here, got this mixed up with the Reality Gem when I first wrote the FAQ, and forgot to change it :), it powers up IM's attacks. If Iron Man hits his opponent, he will electrocute them, but as well their Infinity Bar will drain slowly for a period of time! :) Even better, when the electricity hits the enemy, IM's meter will regain even MORE health than usual. This is a great way to turn the tides in battle; if you're low on health and the opponent has a full Infinity Bar, especially if their IC is particularily dangerous (i.e. Shuma Gorath's), pull this off and try hard to get an attack in; you will regain some health to continue the fight, and they won't have an IC ready! ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- -Forward Dash; Rocket Slide- (Stark slides forward on his rocket boots) One of the better dashes in the game, it travels a good distance and is quite fast, as well as recovering fast enough to block any counters. If you're on the ground, you should be pressuring the opponent by dashing forward with a Safe Ground Combo then dashing back again. If the enemy misses ANY move that leaves them open briefly, then's your chance to attack. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- -Backward Dash; Shoulder Jet Slide- (Shellhead ignites forward-facing jets on his shoulders and slides backward) Also quite fast, this is great mixed up with the forward dash and, in the air, Flight, to keep the opponent guessing. If the enemy misses a move that you have dashed away from, quickly pull off a UniBeam to nail 'em. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- -Infinity Counter; Repulsor Blast- (Iron Man blocks his enemy's attack and counters with a Repulsor Blast) This Infinity Counter is especially effective after blocking jumping attacks, and don't use it on crouching moves like Slides, because Iron Man will block then fire his repulsors first high, allowing a crouching low enemy to get in a hit. NOTE: using the same conditions as the normal Repulsor Blast, you can also OTG after this... ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- -Infinity Combo; Proton Cannon- (Iron Man exclaims "Proton Cannon!" as a big-ass shoulder-mount cannon appears and sits on his shoulder, and he fires a THICK beam across the screen) As far as I know, this cannot be used in combos, but it is also one of the most damaging moves in the game. It is Iron Man's best air counter if his Infinity Bar is charged, as his opponent will actually BOUNCE off the muzzle of the gun as it appears, then get juggled with the subsequent 20+ hits! You can also use it against other slow-recovering moves, i.e. if you block another Iron Man's Proton Cannon. That's is the only problem with it; if blocked, Iron Man has CONSIDERABLE recovery time, and if the enemy is fairly close they can dash and combo or do a dashing move (i.e. Wolverine's Berserker Barrage), and if they're a distance away they can use just about any projectile. So, just be careful where you use it, and primarily stick to it as an air counter. Does a max of 30 whopping hits! COMBOS: ******* -Safe Air Magic Series: Jab -> Short -> Strong -> F+Fierce NOTE: For some reason, Iron Man has NO "finisher" for his Air Combos, or actually the only thing is that his SJ.Roundhouse and Fierce DO NOT initiate the FS, so you can actually tack on a Special Move afterwards for more hits! -Safe Ground Combo: D.S.Jab -> S.Strong -> S.Fierce XX Jab UniBeam If the enemy blocks... D.S.Jab -> S.Strong -> S.Fierce XX Jab UniBeam -Ground Magic Series: Weaker to Stronger -Jumping Magic Series: Weaker to Stronger (2 hits average) -Launchers: C.Strong, S.Roundhouse -Air Launchers: none! (oops :) -Straight Launchers: S.Fierce, C.Roundhouse -Small Launchers: none *BASIC COMBOS* 1. D.S.Jab -> S.Strong -> S.Fierce XX Jab UniBeam (UniBeam blockable unless in corner, but safe) 2. S.Short -> S.Forward XX Jab Rupulsor Blast, C.Short (OTG) -> C.Roundhouse 3. C.Fierce XX Fierce UniBeam 4. D.C.Short -> S.Roundhouse -> SJ.Fierce Air Throw 5. S.Jab -> C.Forward -> S.Fierce (OTG) *INTERMEDIATE COMBOS* 6. J.Short -> J.Roundhouse, D.C.Short -> S.Strong -> C.Roundhouse XX Jab UniBeam 7. D.C.Short -> C.Strong -> SJ.Jab -> SJ.Short -> SJ.Strong -> SJ.F+Fierce 8. Fierce Throw into corner, D.C.Short (OTG) -> C.Roundhouse XX Jab UniBeam 9. D.S.Short -> S.Forward XX Jab-Repulsor Blast, D.C.Short (OTG) -> S.Roundhouse -> SJ.Jab -> SJ.Short -> SJ.Strong -> SJ.F+Fierce 10. (corner) Fierce Throw, D.C.Short (OTG) -> C.Strong -> SJ.Jab -> SJ.Short -> SJ.Strong, Fierce Air Throw 11. J.Short -> J.D+Fierce, D.C.Short -> C.Forward, S.Fierce (OTG) 12. Smart Bomb, D.S.Jab -> S.Short -> S.Fierce XX Jab UniBeam 13. Smart Bomb, D.C.Short -> C.Forward -> S.Fierce (OTG) 14. Smart Bomb, D.S.Short -> S.Forward XX Jab Repulsor Blast 15. Smart Bomb, D.S.Short -> S.Roundhouse -> SJ.Jab -> SJ.Short -> SJ.Strong -> SJ.F+Fierce 16. (corner) Strong Throw, D.C.Short -> C.Strong -> SJ.Jab -> SJ.Short -> SJ.Strong -> SJ.D+Fierce 17. D.C.Short -> C.Forward, C.Short -> C.Strong -> SJ.Jab -> SJ.Short -> SJ.Strong -> SJ.D+Fierce *ADVANCED* 18. Ironman's MARVELous Combo: Start by Flying and be near corner. Be relatively above the enemy. Smart Bomb. After the Smart Bomb, Air Dash diagonally Down/Forward right away. FL.AD.Jab -> FL.Short -> FL.Strong -> FL.Forward -> FL.D+Fierce XX Flying Command (to land), S.Short -> S.Forward XX Jab-Repulsor Blast, D.C.Short -> S.Roundhouse -> SJ.Jab -> SJ.Short -> SJ.Strong -> SJ.U+Fierce XX Flying Command (to start Flying), FL.Jab -> FL.Short -> FL.Strong -> FL.F+Fierce XX Jab-UniBeam. Air Dash diagonally Up/Forward. FL.AD.Jab -> FL.Short -> FL.Strong Comments (#18): Special thanks to James Chen for this MARVELous Combo! Since I have yet to get all of its hits, I will use his explanation from his combo FAQ: "This combo works best, for me, against Hulk. Also, I start it when I am in the corner and Hulk is standing barely outside of it. I start Flying and fly to the proper place to initiate the combo. It works against other enemies, but you have to leave out some moves or the combo will start missing in certain parts. It works best on Hulk. Now, in the beginning, I say to Smart Bomb. I usually SKIP this move because I don't want to bother with it. I haven't done the whole combo with the Smart Bomb at the beginning but I HAVE done enough of the combo after the Smart Bomb at the beginning to know that it will all connect together. So if you want to try the whole combo, start by Smart Bombing (1 hit from this). Airdash Diagonally Down/Forward (hold Offensive Crouch and hit all three punches) and while airdashing, press the buttons Jab, Short, Strong Forward, Fierce VERY VERY VERY VERY quickly. I cannot emphasize this enough. You must press the five buttons FAST and after Airdashing... if you do not Air Dash first, the five hits will NEVER connect (6 hits so far). Here's where the combo gets VERY tricky: After hitting Fierce, IMMEDIATELY cancel the Fierce with the Flying Command and hit S.Short RIGHT away. There must be NO pause between these three commands and if there is, you're sunk. Do the Air Combo and when you hit Fierce, do the Flying Command and hit S.Short RIGHT away!!! VERY VERY VERY quickly... I'm saying it again because this is VERY important. The time it takes to do all three moves (Fierce from the Airdash, Flying Command, S.Short) all fits into about 1 second of real time. You HAVE to do the moves that fast or you'll never connect the Fierce from the air and the Short from the ground. After hitting S.Short, hit S.Forward for the ground combo and cancel that into the Jab Repulsor Blast. Against smaller characters, the Jab Repulsor Blast will NEVER hit unless you skip a couple of buttons from the original Flying Dash Air Combo. So against smaller guys, dash down with F.AD.Jab, F.Strong, F.Fierce XX Flying Command (to land), S.Short, S.Forward XX Jab Repulsor Blast... but against Hulk and Juggernaut and Blackheart, go ahead and keep the five hits from the air (so the S.Short -> S.Forward XX Jab Repulsor Blast will add four hits making the total go up to 10). After the Jab Repulsor Blast, the enemy will land RIGHT behind you. Quickly Dash towards them (backwards from original facing direction) and hit C.Short into a S.Roundhouse (against the big guys like Hulk, you don't need to Dash, making this part a little easier to time). This launches them into the air for an Air Combo. The Short will hit them off the floor and the Roundhouse will launch them... warning, though, if your opponent rolls, they WILL escape the combo at this point. So this combo is not DEFINITE as the enemy CAN roll away at this point (the two OTG hits make it 12 hits now). Now, after launching them, Super Jump and VERY quickly, hit SJ.Jab -> SJ.Short -> SJ.Strong -> SJ.UP.Fierce. You must do this fast and early so that the enemy is POSITIVELY above you and that the SJ.UP.Fierce will hit them ABOVE you. If they are too low, the Fierce will miss or the rest of the combo will just whiff and fail (4 more hits... up to 16). Here is the second tricky part. You have to do the three codes in sequence VERY quickly again... just like before when you had to land. SJ.UP.Fierce, Flying Command (to start Flying), F.Jab. These three must be done is sequence VERY quickly... as quickly as you had to do the landing part of the combo earlier. Again, you should do those three commands in the time span of about 1 second or LESS if possible. You'll start flying and the F.Jab should BARELY get them before they start falling too low after being hit by the SJ.UP.Fierce. Now complete the Air Combo part by hitting Short, Strong, Fierce after the Jab (so after executing the Flying Command, hit F.Jab -> F.Short -> F.Strong -> F.Fierce). You CANNOT skip any of these buttons because each hit will subsequently start causing the enemy to slowly by slowly rise upwards in relation to you... by the time the Fierce hits, the enemy will be right next to you and in front of you... if you don't hit will all four buttons, you'll never raise them high enough for the Jab UniBeam to hit... so hit with all four buttons and cancel the Fierce with a Jab UniBeam... also be sure that you used a Straight Fierce (neutral joystick or holding Toward). This adds 4 hits from the Flying Combo and another 4 hits or so from the UniBeam, bringing the total up to 24 hits. The Jab UniBeam will bounce the enemy UPWARDS. Thus, you can Air Dash AGAIN after them (Hold Up/Forward and hit all three punches) and quickly hit F.AD.Jab -> F.Short -> F.Strong. This is where my combo ends. You MIGHT be able to tack on more moves or something, but it's hard to tell because at this point of the combo, both of you have risen CLOSE TO BEING OUT OF THE screen so it's hard to tell what is going on. The original poster of this combo said that after the F.Strong, you can do an Air Throw and I'm not sure what's stopping you from adding another F.Fierce XX Jab-UniBeam. But by this point in the combo, I have usually lost all coherency and am completely confused so that these hits only happen if I'm lucky. You CANNOT get these three hits if you didn't start the combo while you are near the corner. These last three hits can only be tacked on if YOU started near the corner which results in the enemy being cornered at this point. So if you aren't in the corner by this point, the last three hits will never connect (The last three hits are what brings the total to 27!). The exact number of hits varies from time to time because sometimes, the UniBeam will hit less times than normal and sometimes the last three hits will work part way etc. Good luck with this combo. It's VERY possible but will almost NEVER be pulled off in real combat. Better to plunk in credits yourself and practice on a 2nd player just sitting there (hope you have tons of money for this). Some tips to help you: 1) When you do the parts with the Flying Command (to land and to fly), you HAVE to do it VERY quickly. I cannot emphasize this enough. Speed will get you through it and if you're too slow, you'll never pull the whole combo off. 2) Keep in mind all the moves you want to do. Make sure you don't start the combo and get to a point where you go, "What move was I supposed to do next?!?!?" and fail to keep the combo going. Remember all the moves beforehand so they all come out in a very instinctive nature. 3) Practice, practice, practice." COMBO OVERVIEW: *************** GROUND COMBOS: IM's Ground Combos are slightly limited, but effective. His Safe Ground Combo has good push-away, and if it connects, it does a little bit of damage. His S.Short -> S.Forward XX Jab Repulsor Blast is a great base combination that can be used after a jump-in or dash-in, and in most cases, it can be OTGed after for huge damage! Hitting the enemy OTG is fairly safe after the Repulsor Blast, provided you use the C.Short to start it; the C.Roundhouse seems to connect the easiest, but has slow recovery and will be punished if the enemy Safety Rolls. Other than these two combinations Shellhead doesn't have many options other than to Air Combo... AIR COMBOS: The C.Strong has decent range and speed, but must be followed with a guided Super Jump. S.Roundhouse has no range and bad recovery, but hits the enemy straight up into the air; depending on the situation, either can work; however when you have the opportunity, the S.Roundhouse is more worth while (eg. during a definite dashing combo). Once in the air, his Air MS is fairly straight forward--until you get to the finish. First of all, SJ.Roundhouse does NOT work, wether you guide it up or down. Leave the SJ.Forward out of the chain unless you're a good deal over your enemy, since it is directed downward. Likewise, direct the SJ.Fierce depending on the enemy's position. Since it does NOT execute the FS, tack on a Jab UniBeam if the enemy is in front of you. THROW COMBOS: In both Throw's cases, OTG combos will only occur in the corner. Fortunately, the Fierce Throw usually brings the enemy to the corner :). The timing for the C.Short is really weird for both Throws and can take some practice (MUST BE DONE FAST), but OTG combos are a good way to punish the enemy after bringing them into the corner. OTG COMBOS: Already mentioned both the Throws and Repulsor Blast (see above). TACTICS: ******** Offensive: Although this may not be considered the best way to play Iron Man, it is certainly more fun than turtling. From a distance, pester with Jab UniBeams and the occasional Smart Bomb, and constantly dash in, ready to block if necessary. If during your offense the enemy attempts to jump up or forward, use the Jab Repulsor Blast to knock 'em down. Once you get to mid-range, you are in the right position; peck with the S.Forward, and if it connects, quickly chain into a Jab Repulsor Blast (if you're close enough and you have fast enough reflexes!) or a C.Roundhouse; the S.Forward has excellent range, recovery and priority, so do not be afraid to use it. Your Safe Ground Combo, D.S.Jab -> S.Strong -> S.Fierce is also heavily recommended from this range. If the enemy blocks your S.Forward, S.Short or the like, try for a Throw, or delay a chained follow-up (eg. if they block S.Forward, pause briefly then chain into S.Fierce, which may catch their attempted counter). Throughout this whole offense be ready for the enemy to screw up, be it jumping to avoid you, or throwing out a slow move you anticipate, so you can nail them with the Proton Cannon! You can also go offensive from the air, pushing them back with Smart Bombs (either while jumping or flying), then follow them to get close; note that AFAIK there is no for sure follow-up to the Smart Bombs if they are blocked or hit (i.e. you cannot get your Smart Bombs blocked, then land in time to Throw them during the block stun), but still allows you to get into mid-range, limiting the enemy's defenses (eg. projectiles) and forcing them to fight face to face. Dashing Jump: Good range and speed on this one. Not as important to IM as others IMO, because of his Flight and his excellent dash. Defensive: Of course, Iron Man's defense is great, however I SERIOUSLY suggest that you do not play totally defensive, and have some fun with offense, to make the game interesting. To defend against jump-ins, Iron Man has the all-powerful Repulsor Blast. Now, unless you're absolutely sure it will connect, stick to the Jab version, as it has slightly better recovery and, usually, the enemy cannot counter in time if they air block it. Against dashing opponents, the S.Fierce or S.Forward will usually deter them; refrain from using a defense like the Uni- Beam, because an enemy with a quick dash can stop and block in time, leaving you open to counter. In the air: Of course, Shellhead can fly, but always remember that you cannot air block, which means if the enemy is attacking you during Flight, you must either get away, or use a quick enough move that you will snuff their attack. If the enemy can fly like yourself (Magneto, Dr. Doom or another IM), keep them at bay with the UniBeam, and the occasional Smart Bomb--try to stay away from these guys and get on the ground. Against Super Jumpers you fall quickly, the Smart Bombs work well, and remember that they have only a short period of time to hit you, so try to avoid the attack, then counter... BEST JUMP-IN CHAIN: for everyone, J.Short -> J.D+Fierce is best, and you can toss a J.Strong in between in most cases. IRON MAN'S ENDING: ****************** (not word for word...) Iron Man defeats Thanos and gains the Infinity Gems, but starts with that "Absolute power corrupts absolutely" stuff and throws it away. But, he soon discovers that the Infinity Gems cured his techno-organic virus that had plagued him for quite some time; his long-time friend Captain America (Steve Rogers) tries to console him, telling him he's been given a chance at a second life; this of course makes Tony feel guiltier than ever. ############################################################################# WOLVERINE: ---------- Beginning Pose: Logan rears back, unsheathes his claws and exclaims "Let's go, bub!" Winning Pose 1: Logan pulls off his mask and remarks "Rookie" Winning Pose 2: As with his taunt, Logan scrapes his claws together Taunt: Wolverine scrapes his claws together Regular Color: Yellow and Blue 2nd Color: Yellow and Black Background: a wooden bridge overlooking a beautiful mountain range, presumably in Canada (probably in the B.C. Rocky Mountains). In the later rounds the bridge will fall to the valley bellow, then in the final round when the player wins, it drops into a waterfall and the player is is left on a large rock. Post-Match Quotes: Vs. Wolverine-"You've got the face bub, but not the moves!" Close Fight-"Good thing you finally lost, you were starting to tick me off!" -"Next time bub, try fighting back!" -"I'm still the best there is at what I do." -"I've had manicures that were tougher on my claws than that fight!" STORY: ****** For anyone who's actually never heard of Wolverine, here's his story: Actually, the man known as Logan has a past shrouded in almost complete mystery. As far as I know (haven't kept up with the comics lately), it is believed that Logan was found in the Canadian Wilderness by government operatives and forced into a secret program known as Weapon X. It was discovered that he was in fact a mutant, born with the ability to heal all wounds and sickness MUCH faster than homo sapiens, as well as heightened smell, sight and hearing. They then laced his skeleton with the indestructible metal known as adamantium, making it virtually unbreakable. Along with this skeleton came powerful, retractable claws of the same substance which extended from the back of his hand. His time as a Weapon X operative is almost a complete mystery, with not even Wolverine knowing what went on; Logan suspects that they wiped his memory and implanted false memories. When Logan quit the Weapon X program, many other operatives were put into action, like Maverick, Vindicator, and the deadly mercenary known as Deadpool. After leaving, Wolverine was found by Professor Charles Xavier, and joined the elite mutant team called the X-Men. But Logan still yearns to uncover the mystery of his past... Now, the mad Titan known as Thanos has discovered the all-powerful Infinity Gems which control the very fabric of the universe. Logan has joined the battle against Thanos alongside the Avengers, his fellow X-Men and Adam Warlock to take back the Gems... CHARACTER OVERVIEW: ******************* Well, he still is primarily a button-mashing character, however experienced players will soon find that against Wolverine scrubs, if they just pay attention and react carefully, he's just as easy to beat as a scrub playing any other character. Now, if you wan't to enjoy playing him, Wolverine can be a lot of fun and he's a really cool fighter. If you like big multi-hitting combos, he's definetely for you, and playing offensive is definetely his style. As long as you know when and where to use his Special Moves, he can be quite the opponent. MOVES LIST: *********** -Berserker Barrage: QCT+any punch (tap punch repeatedly for more hits) -Tornado Claw: F, D, D/F+any punch (tap punch repeatedly for more hits) -Drill Claw: any direction+any punch+any kick (same strength; can be done in mid-air) -Double Knee Kick: S.Forward -> Forward -Claw Slide: hold D/F+Fierce -Dive Kick: D+Forward (in mid-air) -Shoulder Mount Adamantium Hell: F or B+Strong (close) -Ground Mount Adamantium Hell: F or B+Fierce (close) -Airborne Adamantium Hell: F or B+Fierce or Strong (close in mid-air) -Best Gem: Power -Dash Forward; Quick Dash: F, F or all three punches -Dash Back; Hop Back: B, B or B+all three punches -Infinity Counter; Drill Claw: B, D/B, D+any punch -Triangle Jump: tap opposite direction when meeting wall or screen side in mid-air -Infinity Combo 1; Super Berserker Barrage: QCT+all three punches -Infinity Combo 2; Weapon X: F, D, D/F+all three punches REGULAR MOVES ANALYSIS: *********************** Wolverine's regular moves are his bread and butter, opening the enemy up to big damage with his Special Moves. S.Jab is LIGHTNING fast and if you're going for hits and priority this is a great combo start. As well, it can be used as an air counter if the opponent is jumping in around eye level. If it connects in this case, follow through with a S.Fierce, or a S.Roundhouse and Tornado Claw. The S.Strong is quite good in combos and in many cases can be done repeatedly to make Logan slash back and forth for many hits. Logan's ever-popular S.Fierce is without a doubt on of his best attacks, and can be used defensively to counter a LOT of attacks, including jump-ins because it covers his whole front. It is a Strike and will send the opponent flying across the screen (does not activate the FS, remember) for good damage. If I had a choice I would rather put the S.Roundhouse in combos so I could follow with his whole 5+ hit SJ.Air Combo. Both S.Short and C.Short are useful when hitting the enemy OTG, or for a tick. C.Forward has decent range and is also his only knockdown. If it connects, especially in a combo, cancel it with a BB OTG or follow with D.C.Short to OTG the opponent and continue into a combo. S.Roundhouse is Wolverine's Regular Launcher, and you should always follow with an Air Combo or at least a Tornado Claw. It's decent as an air counter, but otherwise its range is limited and if the opponent is fast when you miss it he can counter with ease. Stick with it in combos. Crouching Roundhouse knocks too far away (MIGHT be a Strike :) to follow with any Special Move except maybe the Drill Claw, unless in the corner. Its main advantage is range, and if you see a projectile coming, quickly pull this off to slide under it. If blocked the opponent can counter quickly, so be careful. J.Fierce is great in air-to-air combat and is his most reliable jump-in. If it connects in this case, QUICKLY cancel into Roundhouse for a jump-in combo (if you're fighting a large enough character, i.e. not Wolverine, Spider-Man or Psylocke). His recovery on this is also quite exceptional. J.Roundhouse has a greater range than the J.Fierce and because it is more horizontal it is more effective in an air battle. Because of it being quite horizontal it isn't as good as the J.Fierce for jumping in, unless you're jumping in real deep. Note that against taller characters, this will sometimes hit twice, though not as often as in CotA. If blocked, this also has slower recovery and you can be quickly countered by an uppercut move or ICO. SPECIAL MOVE ANALYSIS: ********************** -Berserker Barrage- (Wolverine exclaims "Berserker Barrage!" and dashes forward, slashing his claws in a wild furry) IMO this is not all it's cracked up to be. In combos sure, it's awesome. But out of a combo it is actually a weakness. After the BB is finished, Logan will rear back in a little bit of a rage, and he can easily be countered for a moment. As well, the BB is extremely slow along the ground, so if you're not right next to the opponent they'll see it coming, and may even counter with an IC! (Mind you, the range is pretty deceptive, with his slashes reaching slightly farther then it looks.) One good thing is that it is fairly easy to do from a crouch, so if you duck a high attack (i.e. Captain America's Strong Shield Slash) from close or, at the most, a step away, you can roll to forward and hit Fierce. For the most part, only use it in combos. The BB generally gets about 8-9 hits if you tap punch repeatedly. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- -Tornado Claw- (Logan exclaims "Tornado Claw!" and rises into the air spinning with claws extended) Also IMO a weakened move from X-Men:CotA, its range appears to have been decreased (in X-Men, I could nail a missed attack from almost half a screen away with the T.Claw), but I still like it, especially in combos. Its damage is still pretty good, and is an excellent air counter to most jump-ins. It has a high priority on jumping attacks, even some Air Special Moves (eg. Psylocke's PsiDrill, the torpedo move when she comes out of her Ninjitsu Teleport). But of course, like all DPs, this has HORRIBLE recovery, and if blocked or missed Logan is left wide open to ANYTHING. Even from across the screen, the opponent can dash in for a big combo. I usually get about 8 hits using Fierce with this when repeatedly tapping punch. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- -Drill Claw- (Wolverine exclaims "Drill Claw!" and spins torpedo-like in the desired direction with claws extended) The main purpose of this move, IMO, is defense. Although he can no longer Drill Claw backwards, his backward dash compensates for this. The main thing in this case is that he can Drill Claw into the air from the ground, up backwards, straight up, or upwards and forward. It is also a rock-solid defensive move in the air, and because of its speed you can nail most foes before they even get to you in the air! This is an excellent, clean, powerful counter to any missed attack from a distance, if you're a little aprehensive about dashing in. It can also be used as an air counter if directed U/F, acting as a sort of DP. Now, in X-Men:CotA I thought this was quite a safe move, but in MSH there are plenty of counters the opponent can use, even if you've bounced away from him when it is blocked. Below is a list of what each character can do to you: -Hulk: Gamma Charge (of course) -Iron Man: UniBeam or even his Proton Cannon! -Wolverine: Drill Claw or even Weapon X... -Psylocke: PsiThrust IC, Strong PsiBlast -Spider-Man: Web Swing or Jab Web Throw -Captain America: Shield Slash, Charging Stars or even Final Justice! -Magneto: EM Disruptor or Magnetic Tempest IC -Shuma Gorath: Mystic Smash or dash+Devitalization -Juggernaut: Juggernaut Splash/Punch/Headcrush (damn, maybe his S.F+Fierce too...) -Blackheart: Heart of Darkness IC, Inferno, or maybe Dark Thunder -Doom: Gauntlet Blast, Photon Array -Thanos: Spear Slide, C.Fierce In addition, most characters, except perhaps Juggernaut, Hulk, Blackheart and Shuma Gorath can dash forward and Combo! So, you still have to be quite careful with the so-called "safe" Drill Claw. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- -Double Knee Kick- (Wolverine brings his knee up into the enemy's gut, then extends into a high snap kick) Good for 2 hits (duh), this is a great double hit in combos, and will push you pretty far away if blocked, preventing a lot of counters. It looks cool too, so if you dash in you can put it in the Magic Series and still cancel into the Fierce or Roundhouse, or a Special Move looks cool too. BTW, the second hit will not come out unless you actually make contact with the enemy. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- -Claw Slide- (Wolverine slides real low on his belly with his claws extended) This thankfully has retained its range from X-Men: CotA. It does good damage, and knocks down, allowing an OTG combo followup. If you wanna finish a combo with this, I suppose it's OK, but its greatest asset is its range. It can reach further than his C.Roundhouse, so if you've crouched a high attack you can choose between this or the Drill Claw. This does around the same damage I believe, but the Drill Claw can knock a Gem out. Alternately, the Claw Slide can start and OTG combo... ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- -Dive Kick- (Wolverine dives downward at an angle with a kick) He had an air stomp ala Chun Li in X-Men: CotA. It is still here, but has been changed a little. It is now a downward diving kick, and if it is blocked or connects Wolverine will bounce away (a lot like Iron Man's Knee Dive), though it is not totally safe from dashing counters (eg. Final Justice). It has great speed, so it is ideal as a counter if you are mid distance away in the air and the opponent throws just about any ground attack. It may be possible, BTW, to cancel this with a Drill Claw. It can be cancelled into a Special Move, but the Drill Claw may not connect--like IM's D+Forward, Logan can also chain this with his Jumping MS, preventing a possible counter. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- -Shoulder Mount Adamantium Hell- (Wolverine hops on the opponents shoulders and claws the hell outta the back of their head. He then flips them over frontwards) This is one of my favorite Throws and if you're ANYWHERE near the corner, you can follow it with a Claw Slide or sometimes an OTG combo. If you tap B and F repeatedly and hit the button real fast, Logan will claw faster, also getting in more hits as well as damage. Altogether this does good damage if the enemy doesn't tech hit it. If the enemy tech hits their landing, it still does OK damage. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- -Ground Mount Adamantium Hell- (Wolverine lays his opponent down on their back, sits on them, claws the hell outta them, then kicks off) Because of the kick-off at the end you cannot follow this up, as far as I know. It also appears to do the same damage as the Strong Throw, so I think the Shoulder Mount is the better of the two. As with the Strong, tap B and F repeatedly and tap Fierce fast and you'll get more hits/damage. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- -Air Adamantium Hell- (Same as Strong Throw, but in mid-air) Use it as you please, it does the same damage as the ground version. I believe it can be put into some Air Combos as well, but remember it can still be tech hitted. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- -Best Gem; Power- This is Wolverine's special Gem, because not only does it increase the damage of his attacks, it also gives him his old Shadows from X-Men: CotA; when the Gem is activated, mirror images of Wolverine trail behind him for a time. These images are invulnerable, but can attack, effectively multiplying his hits in a combo. As well, Wolverine is sped up CONSIDERABLY, allowing you faster recovery on some moves (i.e. you can get in even more Jabs or Strongs in a combo). ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- -Dash Forward; Quick Dash: (Wolverine dashes forward quickly) a VERY fast dash, use it to counter pretty much any missed attack from a distance, and whenever on the ground mix it up with the backward dash and Drill Claw to keep the opponent guessing. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- -Dash Back; Back Hop- (Wolverine kicks off the ground and hops back slightly) Fairly quick, mix it up with Forward dashing and Drill claws to counter on the ground. This MAY also avoid some really low attacks (eg. Cap's Jab Shield Slash). ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- -Infinity Counter; Drill Claw- (Logan blocks the opponents attack and retaliates with a fast Drill Claw) Not very effective on airborne attacks, its main strength is range. Not only can you counter a lot of horizontal attacks, but you can also counter a lot of projectiles. For example, blocking Captain America's Strong Shield Slash from mid-range will allow you to retaliate with this and it should connect. Mind you, it is IMO better to counter with a dashing combo. I think personally that ICOs should be for jump-in attacks only, because you can easily put in any combo or quite a few Special Moves after blocking attacks with the same amount of proficiency. Mind you, this would be easier to counter a lot of REALLY quick recovering attacks with this, like Hulk's standing Jab... --------------------------------------------------------------------------- -Triangle Jump- (Wolverine rebounds of a wall to jump forward) The main strength of this is for defense; if you've jumped and the opponent tries to dash in for an air counter, IC or the like, you can jump back and Triangle Jump over their head. It can also be done during a Super Jump, which can easily avoid and go over a lot of ICs. Use this a lot, if not just to avoid the opponent if they're trying to go heavy on the offensive. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- -Infinity Combo 1; Super Berserker Barrage- (Wolverine exclaims "Berserker Barrage!!" and rushes forward in a wild furry of slashes, finishing with a S.Fierce) The only difference between this and the normal version is the damage, hits, and final hit (you may also notice the sound of the slashing is much faster). Like the regular one, it will initiate the FS and can be followed up in the corner with a juggle or OTG combo in the corner. However, like the regular BB, it has considerable recovery time if missed (however if blocked (unlike the regular BB) the recovery isn't too bad, except against really fast attacks), and is also slow along the ground. So, it is best used in a combo or after the enemy does a slow recovering move. The SBB can do up to 12 hits. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- -Infinity Combo 2; Weapon X- (Wolverine rears back, crosses his arms, unsheathes his claws, then with a grunt dashes EXTREMELY fast at the opponent; if he connects, he goes into an automatic multi-hit brutal combo, slashing andkicking the hell outta his foe, finishing by jumping forward, slashing a jagged X across the screen) IMO the third best-looking IC in the game (next to Magneto's Shockwave in 1st and Psylocke's Psionic Maelstrom), it gives you a real rush if it connects, and does great damage, although not as much as the SBB. If this is blocked, however, the opponent can QUICKLY counter with a combo. The dash is quite fast, and Logan has a high priority over most ground attacks during the dash (except for most ICs nd projectiles) so get your timing down pat for it. This is because the place you're going to use it is if the enemy misses a move from a close enough distance, be it a DP or IC (great after Iron Man's Proton Cannon!). You can also block an attack and counter with this, but be precise with the motions, i.e. hit all three punches at the END of the DP motion, otherwise when you're moving from the blocked position to F you may get an ICO. The Weapon X always has a max of 12 hits. COMBOS: ******* -Safe Air Magic Series: Jab -> Short -> Strong -> Forward -> Fierce or Roundhouse -Safe Ground Combo: D.S.Jab -> S.Short -> S.Strong -> Tornado Claw or BB -If the opponent blocks... D.S.Jab -> S.Short -> S.Strong -> S.Forward -> S.Fierce -Ground Magic Series: Zig-Zag -Jumping Magic Series: Zig-Zag (4 hits average) -Launchers: S.Roundhouse -Air Launchers: none -Straight Launchers: S.Fierce -Small Launchers: C.Strong Note: all combos beginning with D.S.Jab can use 2 or maybe even 3 Jabs if the enemy is Juggernaut, Shuma Gorath, Hulk or Blackheart (often others as well). *BASIC COMBOS* 1. J.Fierce, S.Strong, S.Fierce 2. D.S.Jab -> S.Short -> S.Strong -> S.Forward -> S.Fierce 3. (corner) C.Fierce -> C.Roundhouse XX Tornado Claw 4. (corner) C.Roundhouse XX BB or SBB 5. D/F+Fierce, BB or SBB (OTG) * INTERMEDIATE COMBOS* 6. (corner) D.S.Jab -> S.Short -> S.Strong XX Fierce Berserker Barrage (FS), C.Short (OTG) -> C.Strong -> S.Roundhouse 7. J.Jab -> J.Fierce, D.S.Jab -> S.Short -> S.Strong -> C.Forward, C.Short (OTG) -> S.Forward XX Tornado Claw or BB 8. D.S.Short -> S.Roundhouse -> SJ.Jab -> SJ.Short -> SJ.Strong -> SJ.Forward XX Drill Claw 9. J.Jab -> J.Fierce, D.S.Jab -> S.Short -> S.Strong XX Fierce Tornado Claw 10. J.Fierce -> J.Roundhouse, D.S.Jab -> S.Short -> S.Strong -> C.Forward XX Berserker Barrage (OTG) (FS) 11. J.Jab -> J.Short -> J.Fierce, D.S.Jab -> S.Short -> S.Strong -> S.Roundhouse -> SJ.Jab -> SJ.Short -> SJ.Strong -> SJ.Strong -> SJ.Strong -> SJ.Forward XX Drill Claw 12. (corner) J.Jab -> J.Short -> J.Strong -> J.Forward, D.S.Jab -> S.Short -> S.Strong XX Super Berserker Barrage (FS), C.Short (OTG) -> C.Strong -> S.Roundhouse 13. J.Fierce -> J.Roundhouse, D.S.Strong -> Double Knee Kick -> S.Roundhouse -> SJ.Jab -> SJ.Short -> SJ.Strong -> SJ.Forward -> SJ.Roundhouse (FS) 14. (corner) Strong Throw, D.C.Short (OTG) -> C.Strong -> C.Roundhouse XX Tornado Claw 15. (corner) Strong Throw, D.C.Short (OTG) -> C.Strong -> C.Roundhouse XX Berserker Barrage (FS) 16. (corner) Strong Throw, D.C.Short (OTG) -> C.Roundhouse XX SBB (FS) 17. (corner) Strong Throw, D.C.Short (OTG) -> C.Strong -> S.Roundhouse -> SJ.Jab -> SJ.Short -> SJ.Strong -> SJ.Strong -> SJ.Forward XX Drill Claw U/F, SJ.Jab -> SJ.Fierce (FS) 18. D/F+Fierce, D.C.Short (OTG) -> C.Strong -> S.Roundhouse -> SJ.Jab -> SJ.Short -> SJ.Strong -> SJ.Strong -> SJ.Forward -> SJ.Fierce (FS) 19. D.S.Jab -> D.S.Jab -> C.Short -> C.Fierce XX BB or SBB *ADVANCED COMBOS* 20. (corner) J.Jab -> J.Short -> J.Strong -> J.Forward, D.S.Jab -> S.Short -> S.Strong -> C.Forward, D.S.Short (OTG) -> C.Strong -> S.Roundhouse -> SJ.Jab -> SJ.Short -> SJ.Strong -> SJ.Strong -> SJ.Forward XX Fierce+Roundhouse Drill Claw U/F, SJ.Jab -> SJ.Fierce (FS) 21. (corner) J.Jab -> J.Short -> J.Strong -> J.Forward, D.S.Jab -> S.Short -> C.Strong -> S.Roundhouse -> SJ.Jab -> SJ.Short -> SJ.Strong -> SJ.Strong -> SJ.Forward XX Fierce+Roundhouse Drill Claw U/F, SJ.Jab -> SJ.Roundhouse (FS), SJ.Short (OTG) \/ C.Strong -> S.Roundhouse 22. (corner) J.Fierce, D.S.Jab -> S.Short -> S.Strong XX SBB, J.Jab -> J.Short -> J.Strong -> J.Forward -> J.Fierce Comments (#20): thanks to James Chen for this awesome combo! Here is his explanation for this 19 hit combo: "Okay, the combo is pretty normal except there is one part I would like to clarify. After the Upwards Drill Claw, Wolverine will hit the enemy and recoil upwards. After recoiling up, Wolverine is free to do more moves. This is where you do the SJ.Jab -> SJ.Fierce/Roundhouse in the two combos. Basically, you have to do them RIGHT after the Drill Claw connects as fast as possible. The timing is hard, but not TOO hard." Comments (#21): another awesome Logan combo from James Chen! Here's his walkthrough for this 19 hit: "...I must point out that in order to get the last three OTG hits off, it's VERY hard to time. After hitting the enemy with the J.Roundhouse after the Drill Claw, both of you fall down at nearly the exact same time. You land slightly after they do and if you're timing was perfect, you can OTG them with C.Short. However, many times, you won't land quickly enough to hit them with the C.Short before they can recover and the OTG misses. If you find that you are not going to land quickly enough to hit them with a C.Short, you can change that C.Short into a SJ.Short. Basically, press Short RIGHT before you land and from the air, you can kick them off the floor and continue with the C.Strong -> S.Roundhouse. However, if you do this method, it may be better to try with C.Strong -> S.Fierce because you'll be further out from the corner." Comments (#18): Just to note, the D/F+Fierce should be done from around its max range, so that the fallen enemy is right at your feet. COMBO OVERVIEW: *************** GROUND COMBOS: Plenty of options here. You can do a full D.S.Jab -> S.Short -> S.Strong -> Double Knee Kick -> S.Fierce combination in most cases, but his best option without using an Air or OTG combo from here (see below) is to chain into a Tornado Claw or Berserker Barrage; the Tornado Claw is faster coming out with more initial range, so it's better on a dash, but you should definetely go for the BB (or SBB) finish in the corner, so you can follow with a few OTG hits for more damage. In addition, you can finish your Ground Combos with a variety of OTG hits (see below). AIR COMBOS: The most flexible character in the game for Air Combos, Logan not only has an easy, full SJ.MS, but he can also chain EASILY up to 3 Strongs in one Air Combo for more hits and slightly more damage. His S.Roundhouse launches the enemy well with only a small forward arc; easy to follow with his huge Air Combos. IMO Air Combos are good options for doing serious damage with Wolverine, other than Ground Combos involving the SBB. THROW COMBOS: Powerful OTG combos can be had after a Strong Throw into the corner; remember however that WOLVERINE must be in the corner, as the Throw reverses sides. Afterward, you must hit with a long-range attack, or dash in with a C.Short and combo. OTG COMBOS: Many options available here. Other than after his Strong Throw in the corner, Wolverine can OTG after C.Forward as well as his BB or SBB. After the C.Forward, the easiest option is to cancel into a BB or SBB to hit OTG, however if the enemy Safety Rolls you're in trouble. You can also usually OTG with a C.Short because the C.Forward's recovery is fast enough; follow into a full combo. In the corner, the BB and SBB execute the Flying Screen, so no Air Combos or Special Moves are permitted. D.C.Short -> C.Strong -> S.Roundhouse is your best little combination here, since the S.Roundhouse still launches them, allowing you to set up your next tactic, or get away for a breather. TACTICS: ******** Offensive: Wolverine is an offensive machine; dashing in is extremely effective in all cases, be it to counter missed attacks or set up the enemy, as it is QUITE fast and can be easily interrupted with a block. The S.Jab and S.Short work well as possible ticks, and pretty much every regular attack except crouching Fierce and Roundhouse is safe if blocked. If you anticipate a high counter- attack, you can slide underneath it with D/F+Fierce XX BB or SBB for a quick and damaging combo. You can also go offensive with his quick jump, ready to air block if necessary; the J.Roundhouse or J.Fierce deals with most airborne attempts at countering you... Once you have a level charged, worry about connecting with the Weapon X, unless you see an obvious opportunity to combo into the SBB; the Weapon X will easily take out just about any attack they throw at you. Dashing Jump: BIG range here, very easy to traverse the whole screen fairly quickly. Again, not overly useful for Logan, because his jump is already quite fast and long-ranged PLUS he has one of the fastest forward dashes in the game. Defensive: The S.Fierce is pretty much all you need for offensive enemies; it will cover air and ground, and recovers fast enough in case the enemy dashes and blocks or jumps and blocks. The S.Roundhouse and Tornado Claw are also useful as air counters, however the latter, if air blocked, doesn't have the best of recovery. In the air: Wolverine does quite well in the air, even against those like Iron Man and Magneto with flight. J.Roundhouse and J.Fierce are quite adiquate to deal with anything up close. From a distance, the Drill Claw is a great counter to a missed or air blocked attack... J.Strong can also be done multiple times and has high priority against any jumping foe. BEST JUMP-IN CHAIN: Take your pick. If you're looking for good solid hits with good damage, J.Fierce -> Roundhouse is your best option. If you're looking for hits, a whole J.Jab -> J.Short -> J.Strong -> J.Forward will connect fairly easily--against the tall fighters, even more can connect. WOLVERINE'S ENDING: ******************* (NOT word for word...) He just goes back to the X-mansion, and yacks with Cyclops about how being a god's not for him, and needed to find out his past for himself. He then drives away on his kick-ass bike. ############################################################################# PSYLOCKE: --------- Beginning Pose: Psylocke floats in dressed as a ninja, sheds the clothes and goes into her fighting stance. Winning Pose 1: she plays with her bangs and exclaims "No Sweat!" Winning Pose 2: goes into a martial arts ready stance. Taunt: Psylocke beckons the opponent, saying "come on..." Regular Color: Blue outfit 2nd Color: Black outfit Background: On the roof of a moving train at night Post-Match Quotes: Vs. Psylocke-"Another Psylocke!? Spiral and I must have a little chat" Close Fight-"You will never come that close to defeating me again!" -"I will not embarass you by letting this fight continue further." -"Perhaps you should consider and easier opponent." NOTE: Betsy's Taunt will actually hit the enemy for minute damage! It can also knock Gems away from the enemy! :) STORY: ****** With her telepathic powers, Psylocke can send blasts of psionic energy, or fashion a "psychic knife" which cuts both physically and mentally. As a favor to the Mandarin, Spiral blended Betsy Braddock's genes with those of a ninja warrior (this is also why she appears Asian, although she is of British descent). She has now joined her fellow X-Men, the Avengers, and Adam Warlock in defeating the mad Titan known as Thanos to regain the Infinity Gems, which hold together the very fabric of the universe. CHARACTER OVERVIEW: ******************* Can also be used, on the surface, as a button-masher character. However when you really get down to it, she can't do any real damage unless you use her properly. Like Wolverine she is primarily an offensive fighter, and can also work quite well on defense, and can be great at anticipating/countering the enemy's mistakes with her Ninjitsu Teleport. If you like big combos, she is definetely the right choice, being able to use all three of her ICs in full combos for huge damage. And the PsiMaelstrom is truly a sight to behold. :) When used properly she can also be a lot of fun to use. MOVES LIST: *********** -PsiBlast (Downward): QCT+Jab (can be done in mid-air) -PsiBlast (Forward): QCT+Strong (can be done in mid-air) -PsiBlast (U/F): QCT+Fierce (can be done in mid-air) -PsiBlade: QCT+any kick (can be done in mid-air) -Ninjitsu Teleport: HCB+any button (can be done in mid-air) -PsiDrill: any direction+punch after Ninjitsu Teleport (can be done in mid-air) -Forward Flip Kick: F+Forward -Forward Slide Kick: F+Roundhouse -Back Roll Kick: B+Roundhouse -Flip Kick: U+Roundhouse (in mid-air) -Triple Jump: U during any jump (repeat for 3) -Vertical Launch: F or B+Strong (close) -Rolling Slam: F or B+Fierce (close) -Roll Drop: F or B+Fierce or Strong (close in mid-air) -Best Gem: Power -Dash Forward; Forward Roll: F, F or all three punches -Dash Back; Back Roll: B, B or B+all three punches -Infinity Counter; Short Psiblade: B, D/B, D+any punch -Infinity Combo 1; PsiThrust: QCT+all three punches (can be done in mid-air) -Infinity Combo 2; Psionic Maelstrom: QCT+all three kicks -Infinity Combo 3; Kochou Gakure: QCB+all three kicks (can be done in mid-air) REGULAR MOVES ANALYSIS: *********************** S.Fierce is Psylocke's Straight Launcher, or "strike". If it connects it knocks the opponent across the screen. This is a great finisher to simple combos, and also not a bad air counter to deep jumpers. If ducked Psylocke is left vulnerable (with small opponents), so make sure it connects. C.Fierce is Psylocke's Regular Launcher, and is all around one of her best attacks. Try to put this in most of your combos so you can follow with a Super Jump and Air Combo. It is also a decent air counter, and comes out quite fast. If missed, her recovery is slow enough to get countered fairly easily, so make sure it connects. For some simple combos, cancel this into a Fierce PsiBlast or a Roundhouse PsiBlade in the corner. More importantly, this move can easily be cancelled into her Psi MaelStrom for GREAT damage! S.Jab may not seem like much, but is a great starter for big combos; as well, because it is upward, it acts fairly well as an air counter; if it connects as one, cancel into S.Fierce for an easy two hit. So fast it is very difficult to counter. Her C.Roundhouse is a good all-around sweep, and recovers fast enough to go into an OTG combo. If you like keeping it simple, it has great range and initiation speed, so you can use it to counter a lot of high moves from a few steps away. Chain at least into a Jab PsiBlast, unless the enemy knows how to Safety Roll on reaction here. Psylocke's J.Roundhouse is her best single jump-in attack, it has excellent range and priority over early attempted air counters. Standing Strong has limited range, but is a great up-close move with high priority. S.Forward has more range than the S.Strong, and otherwise is the same; use often up close as a great pecking attack. SPECIAL MOVES ANALYSIS: *********************** -PsiBlast (Downward)- (Psylocke exclaims "PsiBlast!" and throws a surge of psychic energy from her forehead down to the ground) On the ground the only real use for this is to hit close downed opponents (eg. cancelled out of C.Roundhouse). Make sure not to do it if the opponent is in the air, or Betsy'll get hit easily. In the air, this is a good attack if you manage to jump over the enemy's projectile, epsecially a Hyper-X (eg. if you anticipate Iron Man doing his Proton Cannon, Super Jump, and on the way down whip off a Jab PsiBlast). If you want a simple jump-in combo, jump in with Fierce or a short jumping MS, and cancel with a Jab PsiBlast. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- -PsiBlast (Straight)- (Psylocke exclaims "PsiBlast!" and throws a surge of psychic energy from her forehead straight at the opponent) Your basic straight-forward projectile, once it's airborne it isn't very fast, so stick with it in combos, or to counter a missed attack. Up close it can be ducked, so be careful. In the air use it if the enemy is at your level, and you shouldn't be too worried about a counter up there. One thing to note is that the projectile is quite wide in its dimensions, and will hit a lot of large crouching opponents (eg. Hulk), or opponents coming down out of the air. NOTE: at around 1/3 screen distance, you can actually dash after this and combo when it connects... ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- -PsiBlast (U/F)- (Psylocke exclaims "PsiBlast!" and throws a surge of psychic energy