I don’t have a lot of confidence in this translation, because he used a lot of terms I’m not too familiar with, but here we go anyway…
FROM HERE, THESE ARE MAGO’S WORDS.
Honestly speaking, this is a game where the compatibility of the character and the player make all the difference - so, tiers can?t really be counted on. But I just wanted to take a shot at making a tier list, so here we are.
I?ll talk a bit about each character.
Sagat
No complaints. But there aren?t really a whole lot of characters who can stick it to him. But if he had more 6.5 - 3.5 matchups then he?d probably be more common, so you can play him strongly. Even when you are down, he can come back in an instant, making him a stupidly powerful tank. The only character who can threaten his position is Akuma.
Akuma
This is a character that?s still being worked out. When we do figure him out, I can see him easily making S rank. His damage output, footsies, and wakeup game are top class, but he?s lacking in the all-important vitality, which is why he?s here for the moment.
Ryu
An all-purpose character who has all the essential tools. But since he has so many tools to work with, his difficulty to use is also top class. If you use him well, you can gain an advantage over all the characters, but I don?t think you?ll ever have a 7 - 3 match in your favor.
E.Honda
This guy is unexpectedly strong. He has a tough time against Sagat and Chun, and Ryu and Akuma give him slight problems. But I think he has an advantage over everyone else?perhaps?
Abel
He has some problems against Ryu and Sagat. It?s probably a 4.5 - 5.5 matchup against both. Akuma can be difficult, but with Abel?s damage output and depending on playstyle you can pull out a win. He also also problems against Gief and Rufus, but to do this well against the upper classes is more than enough to earn him this spot.
Zangief
He has lots of advantages, but his weaknesses against Sagat and Akuma really hurt. Perhaps a slight disadvantage against Ryu as well, but he tends to dominate the characters below him.
Balrog (Boxer)
This was a character who was considered to be really strong before, but now the general feeling is not so much? But he does have good moves and plenty of advantages, so he gets this spot.
Chun-Li
She really benefits from the game system. She has a slight disadvantage against Sagat, but lately people are starting to think that she has an advantage against Ryu. She?s great for her speed and wakeup pressure, but with her low health, if she gets rushed down she can die in a hurry. So using her is very difficult. She doesn?t have a lot of bad matchups, and except for Akuma she can fight with the top class characters, so she gets this spot.
Rufus
There?s never been a character so hard to tier. When he works, he works. When he doesn?t, he doesn?t. He?s this kind of character. His footsies are horrible, but in close he can really do some damage. To put it simply, he works against characters he can get in on, and doesn?t against characters he can?t.
C.Viper
People said before that she could possibly be broken, but now that things have calmed down she falls into this spot? She has a disadvantage against Sagat, and Ryu is also a tough fight. She also possibly has problems against Akuma. She also has a few other bad matchups. But her damage output and wakeup games land her this spot.
Bison (Dictator)
Same with Balrog, before people thought he was pretty strong, but now he?s probably around here. He can hang with Ryu and Akuma, but he?s got a lot of bad matchups and not enough solid good matchups.
Ken
He?s like a poor man?s Rufus. He can?t deal as much damage in close as Rufus, but he does have more options. Against the characters you can get in on its fine, but against the characters who have a good keep away game its harder for Ken to get in than Rufus.
Blanka
Not really a whole lot I can say about him.
El Fuerte
The character based on luck. His moves are all sorta cheap, but they?re all hard to defend against. Against Sagat, his run throws and splashes work well, and he can kill him just with that. But he has low health, and if he can?t get in he can?t do damage, so he has a lot of difficult situations. He can cause problems and be completely stumped.
Dhalsim
Although he can fight pretty evenly with Sagat, Ryu, and Akuma, honestly speaking he is at a slight disadvantage. Sagat is about 4 - 6 perhaps? There are other characters against whom he has a disadvantage, and he doesn?t have a lot of advantageous matchups.
Vega (Claw)
Is he really this weak? I have to wonder? But he does end up second to last here. But there aren?t many people who use him around me so I?m not really sure.
Guile
He has almost no good matchups. Perhaps a slight advantage against Bison? It takes a lot of work to win his bad matchups, so using him requires a lot of skill. A really unfortunate character.