I think I’ve seen a thread elsewhere for this, but I can’t seem to find it again so I’ll start one. I’m trying to generate more interest for this game with this thread. This thread probably won’t get too long since there’s only so much possible in the game, but it’ll still be good to have all the information available on SRK.
This is one of the absolute best puzzle games I’ve ever played (read the article at www.sirlin.net on slippery slope for part of the reason).
Although Gamefaqs FAQs covers the game pretty well, I was wondering if there was anything out there people do to counter certain strategies…turtling (counterattack) strategies and best speed strategies.
Though Ken and Donovan are top tier hands down, perhaps if anyone likes playing other characters, they could post their character specific strats.
Okay, I’ll post a bit of what I think I know and someone can correct me if they think I’m wrong.
First off, avoid building in column 4 when possible as this is the column that results in death.
There is a height bonus that you get the higher your blocks are stacked…this results in some interesting speed strategies as you can just drop blocks in columns 1 and 2 really fast to abuse the height bonus.
Chains are the best way of doing damage…learn to set up chains…not too much advice I can offer here since I often use intuition on crash gem placement…perhaps someone else can help here.
In the arcade version, there is a damage glitch with the Diamond if you flip it at the last second in certain places…look it up in gamefaqs or someone explain it better than I can in here. This glitch is a frequent cause of instant death for the opponent :).
Always make sure you can get to a block you built…leave a fuse running to your big blocks or clear some room to it…I find this easier if I build high vertically in one column, but leave an adjacent column as empty as possible for opponent’s countergems or placing my own crash gems.
I’ve had as much as I can take writing now, so post away guys.
Those “comebacks” discussed in Sirlins article are most easily refuted by Ken.
If their screen isn’t perfectly level, four or more rows of Ken’s pattern creates a horrible diagonal set of single gems, which you basically have to break to get to what you were building once they turn into normal gems (unless you have a diamond coming right away). Trying to dig through that gives Ken so much ammo that he can usually deal a decent KO off of that.
I think diamond glitch is basically that if you’re in a column and you can only flip up/down because it’s surrounded, flip right as it hits the surface, and your attack won’t be scaled down; this led to my stupid Devilot strat of building, building, building, and only breaking with the power diamond.
Hmm…got any advice on Morrigan? Im sort of colorblind, so unless im playing the games with the colors tweaked, im terrible with green/yellow. so i usually stack those on the sides, and then build as much as i can in the middle. I always get lucky and wind up chaining alot of green yellow (highest was 11 hit), but i want a more surefire way to use green/yellow, even with my color disadvantages. Any help would be appreciated. Donovans top tier? Didn’t know that. Ken’s top tier? I beat alot of them on kailerra, mainly because kens sometimes drop lots of red…
You’re mistaken. Ken has nothing to do with how a player uses their gems. I could play in such a way that I let Ken create a diagonal attachment when he attacks allowing me to clear half of my screen with one crash gem.
The only flaw I found in Sirlin’s article was the notion that you could comeback at anytime. There are definate strategies that lead to a game where the game is won 20 moves before it is literally over. For the most part though, he’s correct. In a fighting sense, it’s much like the SF3 series. Anytime you attack, you could actually be causing yourself damage if the opponent is timing and anticipating you properly. The game isn’t really about building. It’s about creating an arsenal of mass destruction and knowing when to recognize when the opponent will not be able to counter or launch his own offensive. The actual fight though is wrestling for the advantage in creating your arsenal.
I can’t believe capcom never made a sequel. Ridiculous.
I play Sakura whenever I play puzzle fighter and I mainly try and set up a power gem…color and location depending on my opponents attack pattern…for the diagonal patterns (Akuma, Devilot) I just build up a power gem of any color on the left side.
On the right side, I’ll put random colors together and the chains come naturally.
Edit: Just curious…if anyone here also plays Bust-A-Move as well…That’s my specialty!!!
Great thread, started playing this game a few days ago but I’m in need of some help. What is the best way to setup combos? For now thats what I have the most trouble learning.
Oddly enough, I tend to approach PF combos the way that combos work in fighting games. I like to focus on building a single power gem on the left side, while leaving a thread of blocks connecting to it, usually a couple of blocks above the bottom. I try to concentrate on doing a chain of small hits, then finish with a super (the power gem I’ve been building).
Keeping the opening hits small usually works for me when I want to do a big chain. I rarely try to combo a series of power gems, as I never feel comfortable dedicating that much room to building.
My girlfriend fucks me up in this game. When I’m Ken and she’s Chun she fucks me up…
I set up 3-4 combos and shit…but iono…it seems like the way she builds just lets her prepare for my attack…
AND SHE DONT EVEN PAY ATTENTION TO HOW CHARS ATTACK!
EDIT:
Also…during the later parts of the game…sometimes I put crash gems (is that what they’re called) out in the open. That way when they attack…it sets up for more combos…
Sak=Bad. She only drops red and blue in the middle. One Diamond trick and she’s either dead or your just waiting to blow up your whole screen with a crash gem. Anytime where a diamond is going to do damage AND give you a huge ass power gem=bad. She does damage though. If you can kill in one attack=tite. If the opponent gets his diamond and you’ve already attacked and sent a large ammount without killing=peace out to Sak:( It just isn’t hard to set up a huge 2 hit chain of doom based on one diamond.
what system is this game on? i saw it coming out again for GBA, but i don’t know if the GBA version has anything missing.
and apoc, would you mind hitting up the eagle thread? i’ve just got 2 character matchup problems (vega and bison), then i think my eagle is ready for evo:D
Its on Arcade, PC, PSX, Saturn, Dreamcast (jap), and GBA
PC version is rare, and doesn’t work on xp. An OK port, the version i got started on.
PSX, around here, is the most used version. Used for most tournies, around here at least. Arguably best port (first to include street puzzle).
Saturn, some people will argue with you and say this is the best one. It seems to me like the psx port…both damn near close to arcade.
Dreamcast, my favorite. No particular reason, no street puzzle mode. Its just i like playing dreamcast, cus its my fav system. standard port.
GBA, ehhh, its ok. Alright music and stuff…not my fav port. Plus, all the copies i played, it has a tendency to freeze on you. It has street puzzle mode (so you can unlock colors, win icons, characters, etc.), so thats a good thing. Good for a couple rounds on the road.
Dunno if spf2 for dc is rare or not, its a japanese disc too. Go with psx, it was once rare, but got re released around the time it came out on the GBA.
Street puzzle mode is a mode to unlock stuff, like colors for characters, sound tests, characters, stuff like that. You get them by playing as each character, and facing six people within that character. 48 people to play in all. For example, you choose Ryu, Choose from one of the 6 squares that state what you would get if you beat it - like “Ken’s Special Win Icon” - then you would fight ken, and if you win, you get his win icon. Then you do that for every character. Adds something to do other then arcade mode.
strats? the only strats u need in this game is speed, knowing the opponents counter and learning how to stack effectively. experience is the key. someone get mame!
