Street Fighter Alpha 3/System

Gameplay

Basic Abilites

Standing Block Hold b when attacked

Crouching Block Hold db when attacked

Mid-Air Block Hold b / db when attacked while in air

GP Protection Block Block an attack just before it hits

Semi-automatic Block (Unsure of how this works)

Alpha Counter Block, f + same P + K (not in X-ISM)

Throw Press PP (all characters) or KK (some characters). Can be done in the air too.

Tech. Hit (Throw Escape) Perform a throw as you are thrown (air)

Air Recoveries ...(see below)

...Neutral Breakfall Press PP when knocked into the air

...Front Breakfall Press f + PP when knocked into the air

...Back Breakfall Press b + PP when knocked into the air

Ground Recovery Press KK when knocked to the floor

Roll Behind Recovery Hold f during Ground Recovery

Original Combo Press same strength P + K in V-ISM

Taunt Press (b / f) + Start

Counter Hit Hit someone while they make an attack

Guard Crush Make your foe block attacks repeatedly

Dizzy Hit your opponent repeatedly

Dizzy Recovery Tap P / K and wiggle pad when dizzy

Hold Damage Increase As above, but use when you perform a hold

Hold Damage Decrease As above, but use when you're in a hold

Damage Reduction Press in any dir. + P / K when you are damaged (repeat during multi-hit moves)

ISMs

Quick Reference

Ability	X-ISM	A/Z-ISM	V-ISM
Walk Speed	x1.02	Equivalent to Alpha 2	x1.04
Air Blocking	No	Yes	Yes
Air Recovery	Yes	Yes	Yes
Ground Recovery (roll)	No	Yes	Yes
CPS1 Chain	Yes	No	No
Number of Moves	Less than A/Z-ISM	Equivalent to Alpha 2	More than A/Z-ISM
Timer for Special Moves Input	Equivalent to Alpha 2	+1 extra frame	+2 extra frames
Normal Move Cancel Window	Standard	Standard	+1 extra frame
Taunts	Only Dan	Yes	Yes
Normal Throws Hitbox Check	+4 extra pixels in each direction	Standard	Standard
Guard Power Gauge	+16 extra points	Standard	Standard (Cody loses 16 points)
Super Combo Meter Gain	Equivalent to Alpha 2	x0.5 ~ x0.8	Equivalent to Alpha 2
Levels Available	1	3	2 (50% / 100%)
Alpha Counter	n/a	Punch version from Alpha 2	Kick version from Alpha 2
Alpha Counter Cost	n/a	1 SC + 16 GP	50% OC + 16 GP
Damage Dealt	x1.2	Standard	x0.8
Damage Taken	x1.1	Standard	Standard
Chip Damage Dealt	x2.0	Standard	x0.5
Chip Damage Taken	x2.0	Standard	x0.5

A/Z-Ism

+ Air blocking.

+ Both ground and air recoveries.

+ Alpha Counters (these cost 1 level of the SC gauge and 16 points of the Guard Power gauge).

+ Taunting (once per round only, excluding Dan).

+ SC gauge charges up a little slower.

+ Access to all Super Combos (excluding Dhalsim).

- Damage per hit is average (less than in X-ISM and more than in V-ISM).

V-Ism

+ Air blocking

+ Both ground and air recoveries.

+ Alpha Counters (these cost 50% of a full Original Combo gauge and 1 notch of the Guard Power gauge).

+ Taunting (once per round only, excluding Dan).

+ Determine which range of attacks the character uses (far or close), by leaving the controller neutral or holding it forward/back when a Punch or Kick is pressed (does not apply to the button used to grab nor generally apply to all characters).

+ Normal moves gain 1 additional frame to be cancelled into special moves. This makes it possible to cancel moves when they hit late (like when used as anti air) and even allows it to work with a few normally uncancellable moves.

+ It's slightly easier to perform special moves/supers

+ Can only use Custom Combos instead of Super Combos.

+ Characters take less chip damage (0.5x modifier).

- Damage per hit is lower than in any other mode (0.8x modifier).

- It costs half an OC gauge to use an Alpha Counter.

- Characters inflict less chip damage (0.5x modifier).

X-Ism

+ Longer Guard Power gauge length (so it's harder to get Guard Crushed).

+ All attacks (excluding Super Combos) do more damage (1.2x modifier).

+ Characters inflict more chip damage (2.0x modifier).

+ Regular throws gain a little more range (throw check adds 4 pixels to the throwbox in each direction)

- No air block.

- No ground recovery roll.

- No Alpha Counters.

- No taunting (except for Dan).

- It's slightly more difficult to perform special moves/supers.

- X-ISM characters have access to only one predetermined, Level 3 Super Combo.

- Characters take slightly more damage from attacks (1.1x modifier).

- Characters take more chip damage (2.0x modifier).

List of normals that become cancellable in V-ISM

Character	Move
Ryu, Ken, Akuma	+ (late hit)
Ken	+ (second hit)
Chun Li	+ (late hit)
Sagat	Crouching (also works in X-ISM)
Birdie	Crouching (second hit)
Sodom	Standing
Charlie	+ (late hit)
Rose	Crouching (late hit)
Dan	Crouching (late hit)
Dhalsin	+ (late hit)
Gen (Mantis Stance)	Standing (late hit) Standing
Gen (Crane Stance)	Standing Crouching
Sakura	Crouching (late hit)
Cammy	+ (late hit)
Karin	Crouching (late hit)
Bison	Crouching
Juni, Juli	Standing (late hit)

Wake-up Recovery Frames

39F: Birdie

43F: Sodom Dictator

46F: Gen

47F: Charlie Dhalsim Rolento R.Mika

50F: Chunli

51F: Ryu Ken Sagat Adon Guy Rose Akuma Zangief Sakura Blanka Claw Cody Karin Boxer

55F: E.Honda

56F: Cammy Juni Juli

Pre-jump Frames

2F: Chunli Gen Claw

3F: Other Chars

5F: Birdie Sodom R.Mika

6F: Zangief

7F: Rolento(High Jump)

Activation Invincibility/Freeze Frames

Based on meter %

VC freeze and Invincible frame

72 value = 50%

144 value = 100%

VC Freeze frame：

72-79 6F

80-95 7F

96-111 8F

112-127 9F

128-144 10F

VC Invincible Frame：

72-79 12F

80-95 13F

96-111 14F

112-127 15F

128-143 16F

144 18F

Activation Start-up Frames

Rose：1F (ground), 3F (air)

Sakura, Chun Li：3F

Other Chars：5F

Characters With Full Invincibility Until Landing During Air Activation

(Hitting a button before landing will negate the invincibility)

Adon Guy Rose Akuma Dhalsim Sakura Cammy Juli Juni Charlie

Game Mechanics

• Mechanics guide (YouTube)
• Combo and Systems Guide by James Chen (archived)
• Crouch Canceling
• Kattobi Canceling
• Proxy (Whiff) Canceling