Blocking

To block, hold back on the joystick. To block low attacks, hold down back on the joystick. You can block just about anything apart from throws and command throws, such as Zangief's spinning pile driver. You will not take any damage whilst blocking standard punches or kicks, but you will take a very small amount of damage when blocking special moves and super combos. You cannot block in the air.

Jumps

There are three jump types in the game -holding up on the joystick will have you character jump straight up, holding up forward has them jump toward the opponent and holding up backward has them jump away from the opponent.

Throws

Each character has at least one throw technique. Throws are done by getting close to the opponent, holding forward (to throw them forward) or backward (to throw them backward) and then pressing either strong punch, fierce punch, forward kick or roundhouse kick. It depends on the character for which button you need to press, for example, Chun-Li can only throw with the strong and fierce punch buttons. To see what throws a character can do, go to the character section and check each fighter's page.

Stuns

If you repeatedly manage to hit your opponent with attacks within a few seconds, they will be stunned. This means that they will briefly be unable to move or block, so you've basically got the chance to get in a free combo. If you are stunned, press every button to shake off the stars quicker.

Meet the Bosses

BALROG

Balrog has become more of a threat in this game, mainly because he seems to have regained the ability to do his dash punches repeatedly. But the old tactics of just doing crouching roundhouse kicks when he charges at you still works, and he'll still often dash straight into projectiles.

VEGA

Vega was fast before and seems even faster now, but he really isn't much more difficult. If he jumps onto the cage, you can get him when he leaps at you with an uppercut move, such as Sagat's tiger uppercut or Guile's crouching fierce punch. Failing that, jump back as he leaps off and use a short or forward kick, as long as you time it well you should hit Vega and stop him from slamming you.

SAGAT

Same as ever with Sagat -never jump at him randomly, and just wait until he starts spamming tiger shots. When he does that, start jumping forward and time it so you can hit him before he can uppercut you.

M. BISON

Bison seems to enjoy abusing his head stomp move a lot in this game, and the CPU is very good at doing psycho crushers without having to charge them first. If he head stomps, block it and try and get him as he heads back towards you with his follow up attack -a shoryuken or something among the lines of an uppercut often works well. If you get him low on health, he'll often start spamming his psycho crusher, so either throw a projectile to stop him at long rage, or just jump out of the way.