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	Ye
Air Recovery	Yes	Yes	Yes
Ground Recovery (roll)	No	Yes	Yes
CPS1 Chain	Yes	No	No
Number of Moves	Less than Z-ISM	Equivalent to Alpha 2	More than 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).

+ It's slightly easier to cancel normal moves into special moves/supers.

+ 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).

Walk Speed Differences

X - x1.02

Z - x1.00

V - x1.04

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

Sakura Chunli：3F

Other Char：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