Author: John "Zidiane" Silvia

Learning a new game can be a daunting task, especially when there are unique mechanics to pick up. Luckily for the game we’re talking about today, Skullgirls players are known for being very helpful and welcoming to newcomers. As just one in many examples of players doing their best to teach others, Salty. N has crafted this comprehensive combo guide that goes over all of the mechanics of combo building

This video contains information on combo stages, bursts and burst baits, IPS and Undizzy, the Drama bar, and of course gives incredibly helpful tips on how to start pulling off combos yourself. This video is all anyone would ever need to learn about combos, so hopefully you enjoy it and can apply these lessons in your own game.

While the entire video is worth watching, here are some helpful links to get you to specific parts in the video: there is the section on Combo Stages, Infinity Breakers, Drama Gauge, and Counter Hits. There’s also the moment he starts actually putting combos together with Combo Tips, and explains Damage Multipliers, Aerial Combo Strategies, Combo Perks, followed by the Conclusion which wraps everything taught in this video into one combo.

Source: Salty. N

Learning a new game can be a daunting task, especially when there are unique mechanics to pick up. Luckily for the game we’re talking about today, Skullgirls players are known for being very helpful and welcoming to newcomers. As just one in many examples of players doing their best to teach others, Salty. N has crafted this comprehensive combo guide that goes over all of the mechanics of combo building

This video contains information on combo stages, bursts and burst baits, IPS and Undizzy, the Drama bar, and of course gives incredibly helpful tips on how to start pulling off combos yourself. This video is all anyone would ever need to learn about combos, so hopefully you enjoy it and can apply these lessons in your own game.

While the entire video is worth watching, here are some helpful links to get you to specific parts in the video: there is the section on Combo Stages, Infinity Breakers, Drama Gauge, and Counter Hits. There’s also the moment he starts actually putting combos together with Combo Tips, and explains Damage Multipliers, Aerial Combo Strategies, Combo Perks, followed by the Conclusion which wraps everything taught in this video into one combo.

Source: Salty. N

With AH3LM recently being released on Steam and a brand new Arcana Heart game announced, now is the perfect time to actually get into the series. While the game does have many complex systems, there is no shortage of players willing to break it down to help newcomers out. Today we see one such player, FrostyBolty, explaining the finer details of “clashing” to help you get into the title.

In his blog post he goes over exactly what clashing is in detail. Clashing may be familiar to people who play a lot of anime fighters, but the mechanic takes effect “when two attacks collide with each other, but when none of the attacks can hit the opponent.” FrostyBolty goes on to explain the different occurrences that can cause clashes, as they are different than in some games like BlazBlue and Guilty Gear. He explains that in Arcana Heart, if the attacks connect with each other they will clash, even if they’re in range to hit the opponent.

There are a few other specifics you can read up on, but he explains the exact properties in further detail. When two non-projectile clash they “essentially resets the situation so both players can act at the same time.” After this brief overview, he really gets into the nitty-gritty of specific situations, examples, and all the options you can use out of a clash scenario. It’s really worth the read, especially if you’re getting into the game.

Additionally, if you enjoyed that blog post, he has a few others to help player get into the game. He has one on the Homing Dash mechanic, Meter Management, Positional Advantage, as well as a simpler guide aimed at directing new players to what they should learn in the game first.

Source: FrostyBolty

Over the past month, we’ve heard many community leaders chime in on a large scale debate concerning the legality of a new controller for Super Smash Bros. The discussion has been intense and wide-spread, so you’ve likely heard something about it by now. As simple as the topic can be boiled down, the “Smash Box” is a new controller designed in the same breath as the HitBox where it is entirely controlled by buttons as opposed to analog or arcade sticks. The concern is that making this legal could lead to all manner of mods eventually making traditional players incapable of competing without modding themselves.

While the main hump that was being discussed was tournament legality at Genesis 4, a decision for that event has already been made in the Smash Box’s favor. Despite this, the conversation is far from over; other tournament organizers will need to come to their own decision on the Smash Box itself, as well as the prospect of any mods to GameCube controllers that may suddenly seem acceptable.

In the vein of this discussion, we have a respected voice in the community chiming in. While My Smash Corner primarily contributes to the community with tutorials and helpful videos, they take the opportunity to try and assess this topic from all sides objectively. Their take is inclusive of both sides of the argument, and they do a good job of striking an objective middle ground.

Partially related, you can also hear My Smash Corner’s take on what decides if something gets banned in competitive play. You can also follow up on this overarching Smashbox discussion in our other articles on the subject, with Hitbox Dustin or Hitbox Gravy, as well as some outside perspective from Yahoo! Esports.

Sources: My Smash Corner; TheCrimsonBlur

Have you ever wanted to be a real villain? If so, you just may be the kind of player who enjoys using boss characters in their fighting games. There is a special feeling we get when taking on story mode and being forced up against an overpowered villain, a feeling that we emulate for ourselves every time we play with these boss characters. It’s hard to deny their charm; who doesn’t enjoy feeling like a boss when they play, after all?

Today, to satisfy that innate need to play the villain, we have some comprehensive tutorials to for Verse and Antanov, the featured antagonists of King of Fighters XIV. InfernoKong put together these guides, spending a healthy amount of time going over everything one could want to know about these two. He covers the basic playstyle of each, goes in-depth into essential tactics and combos, and also goes into team options for them. If you have the time and the desire to improve with or learn these characters, do yourself a favor and check these out.

Source: APE OF THE U N I V E R S E

Skullgirls is a unique fighting game, in that most of the mechanics are specifically designed to reward resets over long combos. A successful reset–intentionally dropping a combo to start a new one–rewards the attacker with more damage than any basic combo, more meter gain, reduced meter gain for the defender, as well as more corner carry. The attacker may also get the use of their assist back–as an assist can be used once per combo–meaning more damage and meter gain, as well as using that assist to make the next reset attempt safe.

The bottom line is: the more you reset the more damage and resources you get, so learning the best ways to reset and capitalize off of correct reads is essential.

As for today’s tutorial, Liam brings us some tech that is widely underused by today’s players. This technique involves a 1-2 frame double jump cancel period at the start of a normal jump, which allows certain characters to instantly overhead faster than they otherwise are able to. While this is a bit difficult to pull off–especially on a traditional arcade stick–this seems like the kind of tech that could help define a character like Robo-Fortune.

Source: Liam

Remember that amazing Juri mod we got teased a few weeks back? Well, it looks like it is finally done. You can go download your classic Juri today and get access to this amazing work of art.

The mod has a bunch of great features, as detailed in the creator Brutal Ace’s announcement post. There are 10 new colors for this outfit, some of them borrowing from Super Street Fighter IV’s color options, while others look they loosely follow some of her colors in SFV. There is also a barefoot feature, allowing you to play her without anything on her feet–for whoever is into that–as well as an option to let her hair down. This all comes packaged with 4k textures, using her SFV body model instead of her SSFIV body, and gives her unique pink VFX on her attacks. This all replaces story costume 2 on your game, but you can use this link to switch the mod to replace one of her other outfits. Download the mod for yourself here.

Source: Brutal Ace (Deviant Art); Brutal Ace (Patreon)

Remember that amazing Juri mod we got teased a few weeks back? Well, it looks like it is finally done. You can go download your classic Juri today and get access to this amazing work of art.

The mod has a bunch of great features, as detailed in the creator Brutal Ace’s announcement post. There are 10 new colors for this outfit, some of them borrowing from Super Street Fighter IV’s color options, while others look they loosely follow some of her colors in SFV. There is also a barefoot feature, allowing you to play her without anything on her feet–for whoever is into that–as well as an option to let her hair down. This all comes packaged with 4k textures, using her SFV body model instead of her SSFIV body, and gives her unique pink VFX on her attacks. This all replaces story costume 2 on your game, but you can use this link to switch the mod to replace one of her other outfits. Download the mod for yourself here.

Source: Brutal Ace (Deviant Art); Brutal Ace (Patreon)