After nearly a decade in hiatus, Capcom's signature mainline fighting game series resurfaces with its fourth main installment, combining the traditional 2D gameplay with modern fully-3D graphics.
(you have to say this sentence out loud in a 1940's olde tyme radio announcer voice...ok, read on)
You have all encountered this online, both in ranked matches and player matches - Ken. Lots and lots of people using Ken. Some are more skilled than others, but most are dragon punch-spamming noobs. The intent of this thread is to compile some strategies for new players to use so they can counter the ever-expanding Ken menace. I'll start with a couple of the most basic strategies that can also be applied against the other Shoto characters such as Ryu, Sagat, and Akuma.
1) Bait Ken into a dragon punch.
Most beginning Ken players tend to use a fierce dragon punch over and over, especially as a reversal after getting knocked down. Don't touch the blob!The trick here is to walk towards the downed Ken as if you're going to attack, and then block at the last second as he does a reversal fierce dragon punch. As he sails past you harmlessly and floats through the air, punish his foolish mistake harshly with a devastating combo or preferably, a combo into an Ultra. This will typically work against most Ken players a couple of times before they smarten up, but by then, it's too late.
2) Use cross-ups.
A cross-up is when you jump nearly all of the way over a character and attack their opposite side on the way down, setting yourself up for a combo or a throw. This technique can easily confuse newer players - it's easy to block in the wrong direction. In addition, you can jump over and cross-up Ken players who are standing up and bait them into a dragon punch. If done correctly, they will fly through the air while you land safely on their opposite side. You are now free to execute any number of high-damage combos as Ken floats back down to the ground.
Use these two techniques, and then go on offense as Ken will probably then retreat to the far side of the screen and start tossing fireballs. Watch for Ken trying to dragon punch you out of a jump as you come in over a fireball - again, these are easily avoided if you watch your distance and jump carefully.
These two strategies alone should be enough to easily beat any newer Ken player you run into online at least once. This isn't mean to be a be-all end-all of SFIV strategy, but more as a beginning point for people to post their own ideas and techniques.
(you have to say this sentence out loud in a 1940's olde tyme radio announcer voice...ok, read on)
You have all encountered this online, both in ranked matches and player matches - Ken. Lots and lots of people using Ken. Some are more skilled than others, but most are dragon punch-spamming noobs. The intent of this thread is to compile some strategies for new players to use so they can counter the ever-expanding Ken menace. I'll start with a couple of the most basic strategies that can also be applied against the other Shoto characters such as Ryu, Sagat, and Akuma.
1) Bait Ken into a dragon punch.
Most beginning Ken players tend to use a fierce dragon punch over and over, especially as a reversal after getting knocked down. Don't touch the blob!The trick here is to walk towards the downed Ken as if you're going to attack, and then block at the last second as he does a reversal fierce dragon punch. As he sails past you harmlessly and floats through the air, punish his foolish mistake harshly with a devastating combo or preferably, a combo into an Ultra. This will typically work against most Ken players a couple of times before they smarten up, but by then, it's too late.
2) Use cross-ups.
A cross-up is when you jump nearly all of the way over a character and attack their opposite side on the way down, setting yourself up for a combo or a throw. This technique can easily confuse newer players - it's easy to block in the wrong direction. In addition, you can jump over and cross-up Ken players who are standing up and bait them into a dragon punch. If done correctly, they will fly through the air while you land safely on their opposite side. You are now free to execute any number of high-damage combos as Ken floats back down to the ground.
Use these two techniques, and then go on offense as Ken will probably then retreat to the far side of the screen and start tossing fireballs. Watch for Ken trying to dragon punch you out of a jump as you come in over a fireball - again, these are easily avoided if you watch your distance and jump carefully.
These two strategies alone should be enough to easily beat any newer Ken player you run into online at least once. This isn't mean to be a be-all end-all of SFIV strategy, but more as a beginning point for people to post their own ideas and techniques.
^^^^^^ Funny post. I dont have a problem with the kens, Im better with Akuma then most people are with ken. I have a problem with the really good sagot players.
I don't worry too much about seeing a Ken. I just play with Cammy. Spider Lariat overrides Shoryukens. = D
Also, Cannon Strikes work great against flying kicks. Hurricane Kicks can be easily blocked and then you throw a Cannon Strike afterwards. Then, when all that Hadoken spamming starts in, you time your Hooligan Combo perfectly.
She really is a great anti-Ken character if you know what you are doing.
Gouken is the best character in the game against new players. I'm not very good, but I just love watching people repeatedly jump into my fireballs or my awesome 5 hit kick combo move thinking I'm gonna go across the screen. Unfortunately, I suck too much to make it work too well.
We all know that a scrub's twtich instrinct is to Fierce Shoryuken anything that moves, even a taunt from across the screen needs a Fierce Shoryuken. I use Cammy also, works great against Akuma, Ken, Balrog and Sagat spammers. Fireball spammers get the spinning back knuckle and hooligan combos insure you ultras or supers won't get blocked when you hit. Cammy's air throw defense works wonders too when you follow that fierce shoryuken. I uses to have problems with other characters with her, I just stuck it out as a take on all challengers. Cammy wasn't my favorite streetighter, I just hated playing against against her when I was playing ken, ryu or sagat back in the days of the arcades. A friend of mine played her so well, it took down even the people we thought was the best. That had to the be the best humbling experience I had and the end of 10 second rounds. Soon I learned to respect the little blond arrow.
Ken scrubs aren't that bad, we all can use the battle points. What's for breakfast?... There is some fresh Kens and Akuma left overs.
I remember when I faced a Ken who was talking trash before the match. Needless to say, I pulled out a can of Sagat on his ass and TIGER'd this and TIGER'd that.
Kens online love to do a jumping HK to crouching HK. Block high, block low, PUNISH. Sometimes they follow it up with a DP, if this is the case, stall a little, and PUNISH.
"i use blanka. for some reason, nobody expects this."
Him and Seth. No one ever sees it coming. Blanka's electric charge helps against those jump HKs, while his slide helps against those low HKs. Back those fucking Kens into a corner, and just spam the SHIT out of that electrical charge.
Seriously, though...I love using Cammy against them. They don't know what to do against flying Cannon Strikes and Spider Lariats most of the time. Plus, you throw the start of the Hooligan combo when a Hadoken gets thrown, and it freaks them out. They turn into hoppers, and that's when you Cannon Strike the FUCK out of them.
I've yet to have a problem with a Ken online. The Shoryuken spams haven't really affected me much. Once I get a foolproof way around Hurricane Kicks having priority over a couple of things, I should be indestructable against Kens.
Also, Abel works well too. His Marseille Roll makes Hadokens easy. The problem with him, however, is that his best moves are all close range, so you gotta be ready for Shoryukens and DPs.
I've yet to have a problem with a Ken online. The Shoryuken spams haven't really affected me much. Once I get a foolproof way around Hurricane Kicks having priority over a couple of things, I should be indestructable against Kens."
But see...even knowing what moves have priority over others, or that there is such a thing as priority in KFIV, pretty much means you're not the target audience for this thread. You're way more advanced, this is meant for new players who may be having problems against Kens.
I've yet to have a problem with a Ken online. The Shoryuken spams haven't really affected me much. Once I get a foolproof way around Hurricane Kicks having priority over a couple of things, I should be indestructable against Kens."
But see...even knowing what moves have priority over others, or that there is such a thing as priority in KFIV, pretty much means you're not the target audience for this thread. You're way more advanced, this is meant for new players who may be having problems against Kens."
That's why I'm trying to contribute advice to beat Kens? = P That little piece was simply to say that I've found my ways around them.
I keep falling for that cross-up thing all the time. But I'm starting to get the hang of it. I hope I can start beating those Kens soon, but my biggest wish was for people to just stop using him. It was sort of funny before, but now it's just annoying.
"Have you contributed anything to that guide yet? I keep meaning to, but I'm too self-conscious about my writing skills for such a thing."
What guide? I know little to nothing about guides. Do you have any idea how long it took for me to make the CoD W@W Achievement Guide? LOL I try to stay away from them now as much as I can.
Very cool guide indeed. Unfortunately, it's tough for me to put into words anything that I would say. Maybe once I get my video camera working again, I'll make some videos to add to it showing hand movements with the controller and how to perform some of the moves quickly and accurately...
...but then again, I need to get a bit quicker and more accurate with them myself. = D
You know you're on a bad Street Fighter bender when the Kens start kicking your ass. Seriously, my skills have diminished so greatly over the past two days that I'm ashamed of myself. Seems I can only win as Guile nowadays... TT__TT Oh, and that Ken flow chart had me laughing my ass off.
bison them... ken scrubs havent/dont play against bison... you let them throw a fire ball and you just headstomp....(even if headstomp is a shit move it beats the scrubs) a few cross ups for fun and the enevetable grab from the shoruken, i like to throw some focus's in for good messure
Pick Sagat and just standing hard kick or tigerupper them as they keep on jumping in on you, if they got the zoning deep for the jump-in attack Tuppercut is better option. out-fireball them with tiger shots (high tiger shots stop standard hurricane kicks too which is funny).
"Pick Sagat and just standing hard kick or tigerupper them as they keep on jumping in on you, if they got the zoning deep for the jump-in attack Tuppercut is better option. out-fireball them with tiger shots (high tiger shots stop standard hurricane kicks too which is funny). "
It seems like most Sagat players use that against every opponent, not just Ken. At least most of the ones I've faced off against, anyway.
Fireball spam, standing high kick, and then toss in the occasional uppercut or knee for the win.
"Pick Sagat and just standing hard kick or tigerupper them as they keep on jumping in on you, if they got the zoning deep for the jump-in attack Tuppercut is better option. out-fireball them with tiger shots (high tiger shots stop standard hurricane kicks too which is funny). "
It seems like most Sagat players use that against every opponent, not just Ken. At least most of the ones I've faced off against, anyway.Fireball spam, standing high kick, and then toss in the occasional uppercut or knee for the win."
Well when we played I tried to be on the offensive and combo you, but I have absolutely no idea how Gouken plays/what his moves are so I got owned.
Really want to practice against him but still haven't unlocked him yet out of laziness >.<
It seems like most Sagat players use that against every opponent, not just Ken. At least most of the ones I've faced off against, anyway.Fireball spam, standing high kick, and then toss in the occasional uppercut or knee for the win."
Yeah Sagat isn't my main, and I don't really like to play as him against anyone but those flowchart Ken's. Perhaps it's the way I destroy their 'jump in kick' world with Sagat's anti-air, and yet they blindly continue to jump towards me like some fly hitting a window pane over and over again.
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