Strategy Guide








ch.P Dashing Punch
ch.K Dashing Uppercut
ch.P Dashing Sweep
ch.K Ducking Uppercut
hold 2P or 2K, release Turn Punch (the longer the buttons are held, the more damage - over 60 seconds is max.)
ch.P (reversal only) Buffalo Headbutt


ch.P Crazy Buffalo
ch.K (level 3) Unknown


Balrog kicks major bootie! He is very quick and has some very devastating moves. A basic combo is to jump in with fierce [HP] or roundhouse [HK], crouching jab [LP], crouching short [LK], Dashing Sweep. If the character is tall enough, you can use a Dashing Punch or Uppercut instead (but the Sweep is probably better, since it brings em down). The unnamed level 3 super is a very devastating move. Its similar to (Dudley's) Screw Punch. If you juggle someone with a crouching fierce [HP] and they recover, time it right and the 'screw punch super' will connect! If you catch them, continue with a Dashing Uppercut as the super ends. Its better than biting their ears off! If you don't have 3 levels, just wait for a valid opening and do a simple strong punch [MP] into and Crazy Buffalo super. Or juggle again, then nail them with the Crazy Buffalo. Finally, if a Shotokan character does a crouching roundhouse [HK] near you, block, and after it pushes you away, do a Crazy Buffalo to hit them every time!

---Noel---            

It should be noted that X-mode Balrog's dashing punches can't be ducked. Also, the super move done with kick is a super turn-around-punch. It seems to be, at level 3, surprisingly damaging, maybe better than the rushing punch super [Crazy Buffalo].

As for combos, Balrog can combo like a mindless idiot. Jumping whatever + standing/crouching jabs [LP]/ shorts [LK]/ strong [MP]/ forward [MK]. You can squeeze in two ducking jabs [LP]/shorts [LK] and one standing short/ jab on most characters, and two standing jabs/ shorts on the bigger-sized ones.

---Rod M---            

Balrog is like his Super Turbo version. He has all of his rushes and his Turn Punch. I only saw V mode Balrog and he did not have his headbutt. X or A mode may have it. His high rushing punch [Dashing Uppercut] is very good with instant recovery like before. Small characters can crouch underneath it though. This is different from ST where all the characters could crouch underneath Balrog's high rushing punch [Dashing Uppercut], but his back to offensive crouch punch [Dashing Sweep] had to be blocked low (probably his best move in ST). A3 Balrog still has that low rushing punch [Dashing Sweep] but the recovery has increased. In fact, when I did it from up close, I got hit before I recovered. It's still very quick and knocks down, but it seems to be counterable when close now. His standing fierce [HP] is still very good and has tons of range. And it crushes guard like Ken's towards + forward kick [MK] - almost a full notch. This punch can also be crouched under by smaller characters. Balrog kept most of his other normal attacks and his low forward [MK] and strong [MP] are still very good. My opinion of Balrog so far is that he is very good against the bigger characters because they cannot crouch underneath his moves. A Blanka player tried several times to play against him and it was not a pretty sight. Rushing punch, standing fierce [HP], rushing punch, standing fierce [HP], repeat. The sequence was so fast that Blanka could not jump out. His guard was getting crushed every other second too. I'm sure you can reverse attack Balrog's rushes but some characters just don't have good reversal attacks. I can see similar patterns working against Sodom, Birdie, and maybe even Zangief - as long as you watch out for his Lariats. And don't even try to Alpha Counter anything in this game cause ACs suck in general... His Turn Punch is no longer very useful since the startup time has been increased by twofold at least and it does not go through fireballs like in Hyper Fighting.

---John Choi [via alt.games.sf2]---            












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