Dual Blades Thread Redux

For many who are unfamiliar with the game Dual Blades is a GBA fighter that was really unique: http://youtube.com/watch?v=PjzMiKeYfxU

Unfortunately due to poor marketing it never got the appreciation it deserved and there are many secrets and tricks that never got around which could’ve made the game competitive. This is for the 0.000000000000000000000001% of the fighting population who have actually played the game.

It had many of the advanced enhancement of modern fighters like Roman Cancelling, Parrying, Super Cancelling, the works…

Any questions or comments on how the game is played or character reviews are welcome. :china:

I hate that god damn smiley face

YES! DB thread is back! And yes the artwork sucks and the lack of blockstun is a down but the game has fantastic mechanics from today fighters!

Yes! BTW do you want me to do the Character Strategies and Combos again? Why did that thread have to be deleted?:crybaby:

Hi everyone,

Believe or not I’m the programmer and the designer of this forgotten fighter :slight_smile: We were 3 people actually.

It really surprised me to see some people still interested in it. It’s been 5 years…

I just wanted to say the game would have an european release but it never saw the daylight since me and my friends left the company. It would have some little additional features like:

  • Power Cancels (Aka Guilty Gear FRCs)
  • Free Cancels (This was already in the game but it never named: it’s canceling any move into a special or power move without connecting it, but requires some power meter. So it can be used for fakes!)
  • Zombie Characters (Aka Guilty Gear Ex Chars) These characters had extra/changed moves and new move properties.
  • Some move and balance fixed, I don’t remember it’s been too much time :slight_smile:
  • “Last Chance” feature: When your health falls below zero (but not too much) your character doesn’t KO but has a last chance to fight with 0 health (no healing applies since this point)
  • Bonus game system changed to point system. Different block positions give diferent point bonuses.

I had to play the game again to check these:) These are all I can remember.

Well, I had put my heart into this game, but since it lacked good sprites, animation and speedy gameplay, it was a failure…

I just wanted to flush the things inside me, thanks for reading :slight_smile:

A W E S O M E!!!

Last Chance seems kinda eh… what were the specifics? Free Cancel mode was already introduced, and Zombie Characters is just another name for EX characters imo.

Bonus point system seems intriguing though, care to elaborate on that please?:pleased: Did you introduce block stun in the Euro version? That would’ve made the game do a complete 180!!:rofl:

I uncovered a myriad of glitches and combos for the US version, would you care to divulge if some of these were “accidents” or intentional easter eggs for your own amusement.

Case in point:

Alperen’s Soul/Blade mode system. I realized that when you switched modes the scaling wore off, not only that but the juggle state when doing the move remained the same even when the foe was OTG.

Even cooler was that D.BS (Alperen’s super fast broken sword slash that hits low but attacks high for some insane reason) in the corner could be chained (very strict timing) many times but uncombo and not scale even though it registers as a hit.

So Alperen’s sickenly powerful combo I created was:

Soul Mode J.BS, DDD BS, BF SL, DDD BS, switch to Weapon Mode Soul Spear, wait for opponent to get up D.BS xN, finishing off with Weapon Combo 3. This did IMMENSE damage, nearing 100%.

Then there’s also the-

-Duke infinite

-EX Nagasapa infinite

-Efe infinite (my best character :cool:)

-Kanae infinite (one of the best female fighters I’ve ever played, props for who on your team designed her :tup:)

-and several other glitches, most notablystanding up frame when a character falls allowing them to be ground comboed, Kanae’s BnB used this principle from her FB SL Projectile juggle.

BTW, Slasher, I must congratulate you and your cohorts for making a very fun game.:tup: Are you of Turkish descent, because it seems like the company was based there?

P.S., Brandon reaaaaally sucks:rofl:

Plz white shadow if thats not much to ask. Also where do you have them uploaded?

Ala UMK3 relaunchers! lol

WS why dont you make a combovid out of it??

ARRGH! I just posted a long movelist thingie on kanae and my windo froze ^$&@#&$@!(&!@ :mad::sad: This sucks my original thread was deleted and had all my stuff too but I’ll surely start over now that there’s interest. For my sanity I’ll just stick to listing the combos tho.

lol If only I knew how to do that, I have no skill inediting or anything like that. Sowwy. :razzy:

Hey, never heard of this game… it is really to hard to find it now? (original, of course)

I will try to play it, seems at least fun, Nintendo handhelds are really crying for good fighting games, so is nice to know about this.

Well the problem is that it is a GBA fighting game which had limited release in North America. :sad:

KANAE

Kanae is a combofiend, plain and simple. She is one of the most enjoyable characters to play and is one of the top tiers in Dual Blades. She has many combos and for expert players even her B&B does a fantastic 49% of damage! Combined with her speed, priority, and excellent special/super moves she is a force to be reckoned with!

KEY:

B button = BS

A button = SL

L button = K

R button = PW

SL+PW = Overhead


Beginner Combos:

J.BS, S.BS, FB+SL, DF+BS (7 hits 45% Damage)

-Your basic bread and butter. Solid damage.

J.BS, air DF+BS, BF+BS. (5 hits, 37% Damage)

-An alternate B&B. Less damage but easier to connect midscreen than the other combo.

S.SL (2 hits), FB+SL, DF+BS (6 Hits 19% Damage)

-Standard ground combo. Highly recommended because Magic (FB+SL) is a pretty safe move to cancel into if your opponent blocks due to the lack of block stun.

C.BS (2 hits), FB+SL, DF+BS (7 hits 28% Damage)

-More meatier version of the above combo. Good for damaging an opponent landing from an aerial special move or a close range attack.

Advanced Combos:

J.BS, S.BS, FB+SL, wait right before opponent descends S.BS OTG!, FB+SL, DF+BS (9 hits 49% Damage!)

-One of the most satisfying combos the game has to offer. Tons of damage. But let me go into detail on the physics of this combo.

When a move or throw puts an opponent into a juggle state there is a very small window before the opponent collapses where the sprite is standing. During this small period of time certain moves can “catch” the opponent right before the collapse and continue a ground combo string.

The reason why this is considered an advanced combo is not only due to the strict timing but it also requires you to remember the falling rates of each individual character in the game. Here’s a brief list to help you:

Normal Fall Speed: Duke, Brandon, Nagasapa, Jaman

Medium Fall Speed: Shin, Rungard, Kanae

Fast Fall Speed: Efe, Alperen

This isn’t the only character that can utilize this glitch in the engine but Kanae definitely makes the best use since her quick normals can take excellent advantage. In fact she makes such good use of this that she even has an infinite! (although it is insanely hard to do.)

J.BS, S.BS, FB+SL, wait right before opponent descends S.BS OTG!, FB+SL, DF+K (7 hits 47% damage)

-This is a cool combo which can set up a lot of resets and cornertraps. Not only that but last ditch extended recovery combos can be done as well.

Super Combos:

Note: I am not going to include all the possible links because most are common sense, but I will include the most damaging. Remember, the less hits usually means more overall damage.

Basic: J.BS, S.BS, Slash Dance, DF+BS (10 hits 55% Damage)

-Slash Dance is the best out of the low bar supers. Fast and easy to combo into and from.

Advanced: J.BS, S.BS, FB+SL, wait Slash Dance, FB+SL, DF+BS (11 hits 58% Damage)

-Doing the OTG for this super is much easier than with your normals because of the faster startup. Although it only does 3% more damage I think it is worth it considering that it takes little practice to master.

Basic: J.BS, S.BS, Samurai Slicer, J.BS, S.BS, DF+BS (25 hits 63% Damage)

-This combo can be extended to ridiculous levels which I will cover in my later post but this is the most basic way to maximize damage without getting too fancy. Insane damage, I love this super.

Advanced: J.BS, S.BS, Samurai Slicer wait until near end J.BS, FB+SL, S.BS, FB+SL, S.BS, FB+SL, DF+BS (25+ Variable hits, 64%+ Damage)

-Almost not worth it. In fact I rarely attempt it knowing that I might not finish it, the main reason why I mention it is because even if you mess up you still do tons of damage regardless. And if you complete it you get a supreme sense of satisfaction.:cool: Keep in mind (…J.BS, FB+SL …) isn’t a cancel so it doesn’t count as using your cancel counter.

Basic: J.BS, S.BS, FB+SL, Dragon Tail (25 hits 55% Damage)

-Blah blah blah… Not a recommended super to use. Apart from the decent AA properties it has it doesn’t really do anything of worth and isn’t as versatile as Slash Dance.

Advanced: Nothing of use…

Basic: J.BS, S.BS, Sudden Death (12 hits 64% Damage)

-Immense damage for such a simple combo. Trust me extending this combo is a bad idea because it scales HORRIBLY. Please don’t do it.

J.BS, S.BS, FB+SL, Sudden Death hold up (4 hits 60% Damage)

-The Anti-Air version. Just a random tidbit of info. The AA version of Sudden Death cannot be parried because of the cinematic effect of the super which centers Kanae automatically. This doesn’t mean anything when already comboed though.

Well that does it for the main combo section. If this gets bumped I will continue to list Kanae’s:

-Strategies/Tactics and Mindgames

-Miscellaneous combos and Techniques

-In depth coverage of her normals/special/supers

-As well as her EX mode.

Toodles!

Im curious just cause i wanna say i played it but are their still copies of this and how much is it worth/ run for.

I like these kinda things, plus it looks like a deep fighting game just looks bad and it was on the advance lol. I cant put it down till i play it.

It is.

Keep in mind that battle engine isn’t what you would call “refined” but it is unique and fun.

^^ Co sign! i would like to read again the Nagasapa guide if its not a bother White!

Will do. I will start her guide when I’m finished with Kanae’s strats and some general battle strategy info.

GENERAL STRATEGY! v.1.0.

This is the zone where I explain some of the “advanced” basics (what a oxymoron :looney:) of the game:

The Knockdown Cancel Effect-

In Dual Blades there is an interesting effect that occurs when you an opponent in midair. If hit by a normal move they will simply land automatically on their feet. However, if you cancel your normal immediately after an aerial hit the properties of the special/super move will transfer to the opponent’s sprite.

Uses- It can set up and buy some time, like all knockdowns should. Not only that but it prevents them from doing a quick throw when near you. This leads to other general strategies such as Cornerdashing and Knockdown Taunting.

The Knockdown Taunt-

This is probably one of the things that few fighters have and Dual Blades is probably the best user of this tactic. Immediately after a knockdown you do a taunt, and that’s pretty much it.

Uses- Taunts in Dual Blades build a significant amount of meter and can be the decisive means of winning by a getting a super bar at the last minute of battle.

**Warning! ** Some characters like Efe and Alperen get up very quickly and can punish you, especially if your taunt is long. A few characters like Jaman and Kanae can use their quick dash supers and hit you from far away- distances normally not reachable by most characters.

Not only that but if you do a knockdown and the character falls within proximity to you should never risk a taunt because any character can get up throw you or counter you with a quick special or super.

Don’t forget that some special moves have longer ending animations which equalize the knockdown time of your opponents as well!

The Cornerdash-

Simply put, it is dashing an opponent in the corner when a knockdown occurs.

Uses- Like any other fighting game the corner is bad place to be as many highly damaging combos normally unavailable to you are present; let’s not forget the cornertraps.

Note- Jaman’s dash cannot do this although he can crossup. (not recommended)

The Throw Principle-

Unlike most current fighters Dual Blades doesn’t have a starting throw animation, tech hits, or even block stun. This leads to some interesting throw games not seen since the days of Super Turbo.

Uses-

Starter Throw: A fun little game in itself. This occurs in the beginning of a match when 2 characters move close to each other and mash --> BS to activate their throw the first. In Dual Blades every intrinsic character throw has the same priority (not the same effect/damage though) so the person who wins the throwing war is usually the person who was fast enough to activate it within the first few milliseconds.

Advantages- Obviously there is the quick damage advantage but depending on the character it can set up a free taunt and/ or cornerdash.

*Duke players should practice Starter Throwing because it his throw when DF+ BS’d 4 times does amazing damage. An opponent facing Duke will instantly be intimidated as such prospective damage and either back away in the beginning or face you and fail due to being psyched out!:devil:

Counter Throw: This is a VERY unique part of playing Dual Blades. It involves the exploitation of the lack of block stun in the game. When a character in does a special move or attacks with normal too deep (especially jump ins) all you have to do is throw them to get them off your back.

Throws in Dual Blades have no startup whatsoever so even in the middle of multi-hitting attacks such as Kanae’s BF+BS/SL she can be thrown in the middle of her attack.

Wake Up Throw: My favorite use of throwing in this game. It utilizes the instantaneous startup of the throw similar to the way wakeup DP moves use their quick startup and/or invincibility to hit and opponent attempt to crowd them.

When an opponent hits you in the air with a non-knockdown move or normal and you land directly near them you can instantly throw them as soon as you land. There is really nothing they can do in that situation as the priority will beat darn near anything they attempt before or after you land.

If they knock you down by a combo and the ending of their last attack takes awhile to recover they are also just as susceptible to Wakeup Throwing. Not even the cheating computer can beat a Wakeup Throw from you and will humorously backdash away if they are in your vicinty after they knock you down.

Parry Throw: An often risky but highly rewarding maneuver. It involves parrying the hit of a multi-hitting or deep hit and throwing immediately afterwards before the the second stage of the attack hits. It requires a lot of timing to do but takes off the pressure, esp. if you’re stuck in the corner. (Duke players especially need to use this for aformentioned reasons.)

Depending on the opponent there might be a high cost if you mess up so be wary!

**Sub-strategy: **

  • Sometimes a cunning opponent will do a move with tons of recovery time just you bait a counter-super or your own risky attack only to use Recovery and counter your counter. However Counter Throwing will stop such methods regardless of if they Recovered or not because it will hit them even if they block.

  • Experienced players will also backdash or jump away to get away from you after they knock you down to prevent a Wake Up Throw (like the computer) but you can surprise them with a wake up super (depending on the character) and catch them in mid-air or recovering from their dash. (Jaman/Kanae are exceptional at this)

  • Parry Throws can be countered if you bait the move or attack and cancel immediately into a super. This will throw their timing off they will get hit.

*Kanae’s Final Punishment will REALLY pack a wallop if used in such a scenario albiet risky because they could still throw you.

And that’s pretty much it for now, if more tactics pop into the ol’ noggin I’ll make a revision.:wink:

Oh good news White! I managed to record some combos using VGBA and they look great!

Whenever I got the time I will rec all of the posted combos and sent them to you for your aproval!

Sure, but throw what format?

BTW what do you think of the guide so far? Found anything useful?:pleased:

Maybe an AVi or wmv just for you to test it and review it.

yes, the guides are amazing! BTW Kanae inf FB+SL, wait right before opponent descends S.BS OTG!, Repeat?

I ask this cause I managed to do like 4 repts of it. (hard BTW)

Nope actually that would only be an infinite during Free Cancel mode.

Ha ha actually I discovered 2 infinites but just to be a jerk I’ll show you the insanely hard one:

J.BS, FB+SL…

Now this is the hard part, you have to quickly jump slightly backwards then do the aerial DF+SL move in a way that causes the OTG to occur making your opponent’s sprite stand up. After that immediately, then IMMEDIATELY do another FB+SL to repeat the process.
**

THIS IS @#$%&! HARD!!!1!!!11!!!:annoy::mad:**

This is necessary to do because Kanae has a limited amount cancels (unless in Free Cancel mode of course) but the combo is directly from the OTG effect and thus doesn’t count as cancel from a normal.

I applaud anyone who can do more than 2 reps before passing out and dying in a pool of their own tears of sadness.