Hulk Hogan: Brawler
Counter Style: NORMAL
The immortal Hulk Hogan. What is there to say. If EVER there was a name synonymous with the pro-wrestling it would be this man. With almost every shift in the sport hes been there. He almost single handedly carried the WWF(yah WWF) through the 80’s. The advent of cable television was the rocketship that propelled Hulkamania into every home, into the hearts of all his fans. But even when he and WWF parted ways and he went to WCW he was right at the center of the next biggest shift from pro-wrestling to sports entertainment. Like them of not, the NWO pre-dated DX and changed the business of wrestling forever. But none of that has anything to do with Hulk Hogan in WWE All Stars, right? We all wanna know whats up with the 24inch pythons and the leg drop right? Well wait no longer because here it is. The Hulkster is a man of few tools. But what he was works well. At least, at first.
PROS
Can’t be knocked down by normal strikes. let me repeat. CANNOT BE KNOCKED DOWN BY NORMAL STRIKES. So wail on him with your QS>QS>QS crap all day. When its done hes just gonna shake it off and Hulk up. (I totally marked out when I saw this BTW)
Finisher hits standing or grounded opponents
Has a pin series from strike combo
Offensively OVERWHELMING
Deals good damage
CONS
No chain grabs
No reliable way to cause JUG
Strike dependent
Signature Moves: all require 1 stock of super bar and build roughly 25% of finisher bar when successful
Scoop Power Slam[throw]: QS+QG
Backbreaker[throw]: HS+HG gives long KND
Atomic Knee Drop[throw]: B+QS+QG gives long KND-HK. Late in the match getting hit by this signature could be fatal. Given that it gives that long KND-HK, and that his finisher hits standing OR grounded opponents that means the Hulkster can prime and perform his finisher on you without fear.
Jumping Leg Drop[strike]: running HS+HG on a grounded opponent. Why on earth he has two versions of this move baffles me. Especially seeing how this one REQUIRES the opponent to be grounded. It also doesnt give any type of special state. Its basically just a gimped version of his finisher. IMHO…this signature should have been the BIG BOOT. But what do I know?
Finisher: requires full finisher bar
Jumping Leg Drop[strike]: tap LB(L1)+RB(R1) to “prime” finisher then tap them again to perform. Pretty standard outside of the fact that it hits standing and grounded opponents, making it something to watch for if he scores any type of KND. As noted earlier, he gets a finisher free off of Atomic Knee Drop signature.
Strike Combos
QS>QS[TRUE]>QS[TRUE]>QSTRUE HULKAMANIA LIVES IN THIS COMBO!!! Pretty coincidental that the first combo he has is also his best. I do believe the programmers knew that he was gonna be a popular character so they gave him this mash string. I mean if you dont reverse the first hit, it just keeps going. And the last hit gives him a KB. If used near the ropes or when the opponent is backed against the turnbuckle or to ropes this can be a pain to deal with. Because its like he just keeps punching, if you get hit, the combo is guaranteed, and if you block the KB is negated bc there is nowhere to go.
QS>HS(KB)
QS>QS[TRUE]>QS[TRUE]>HS>QSTRUE
QS>QS[TRUE]>QS[TRUE]>HS>HSTRUE This will likely be youre primary way to get juggles. Off of the QS string, they only have one chance to either block or reverse, thats the first HS. If it hits mash out the second HS to get your guaranteed juggle, if its blocked STOP bc the jumping double axe handle is extremely punishable.
QS>QS[TRUE]>QS[TRUE]>HS>QG(STN)>QG(JUG)
QS>QS[TRUE]>QS[TRUE]>HS>HG(KND)
QS>QS[TRUE]>QS[TRUE]>QG(KB)
QS>QS[TRUE]>HS>QSTRUE
QS>QS[TRUE]>HS>HSTRUE same as the juggle combo noted above, just shorter.
QS>QS[TRUE]>HS>QG(STN)>QG(JUG) if you are gonna use the combos with HS as the third link, this should be your preferred combo if you need a STN or JUG
QS>QS[TRUE]>HS>HG(KND)
QS>QS[TRUE]>QG(KB)
QS>QS[TRUE]>HG(KND)
B+QS>HS(KB)
B+QS>QS>QS[TRUE]>QS(KB)
B+QS>QS>QS[TRUE]>HS>QSTRUE
B+QS>QS>QS[TRUE]>HS>HSTRUE
B+QS>QS>QS[TRUE]>HS>QG(KND)
B+QS>QS>QS[TRUE]>HS>HG(PIN) one of Hulk’s sneaky ways to go into a pin attempt from his relentless strike combos.
B+QS>QS>HS>QSTRUE
B+QS>QS>HS>HSTRUE
B+QS>QS>HS>QG(KND)
B+QS>QS>HS>HG(PIN)
B+QS>QS>QG(KND)
B+QS>QS>HG(KND)
F+QS>HS(KND-S) REALLY GOOD COMBO. I know its not TRUE but its the Hulksters quickest way to score a special state that gives him a means to breathe if need be.
F+QS>QS[TRUE]>QG(KND)
F+QS>QS[TRUE]>HG I know this isnt really pertinent but I enjoy doing this combo while wearing his 3rd alternate outfit (Hollywood Hogan) because its the dirty heel eye rake.
F+QS>QS[TRUE]>QS>QS(KB)
F+QS>QS[TRUE]>QS>HS>QSTRUE
F+QS>QS[TRUE]>QS>HS>HSTRUE
F+QS>QS[TRUE]>QS>HS>QGTRUE
F+QS>QS[TRUE]>QS>HS>HG
F+QS>QS[TRUE]>QS>QG(KND)
F+QS>QS[TRUE]>QS>HG DIRTY EYE RAKE PART 2!!!
F+QS>QS[TRUE]>HS>QSTRUE
F+QS>QS[TRUE]>HS>HSTRUE
F+QS>QS[TRUE]>HS>QGTRUE
F+QS>QS[TRUE]>HS>HG
As you can see Hogan is a fairly straightforward character. Everything he has is pretty much the same no matter how you modify his attacks (as in the F or B), part of me thinks this was somewhat intentional because every current gen fighting game has that one or two characters where its just lets mash it out. His greatest asset in his constant pressure is also the Hulkster’s main weakness. If youre adept at countering or can get him outside of his comfort zone he is very easy to shut down. But with his high damage output and Hulk up armor he can be a tank that just keeps rolling at you. Save up that signature bar and mix up a grab every now and again, and Hulkamania can run wild on opponents.