Street Fighter Alpha 2

Introduction

Street Fighter Alpha 2, known as Street Fighter Zero 2 in Japan, Asia, South America, and Spain, is a 1996 fighting game originally released for the CPS II arcade hardware by Capcom. The game is a sequel to Street Fighter Alpha: Warriors' Dreams, which is itself a prequel to the Street Fighter II series in terms of plot and setting.

The game featured a number of improvements over the original, such as new endings, stages, moves and gameplay systems. Some character's endings were retconned from the original, overwriting their prior story (i.e. Akuma's), or tweaked.

All thirteen characters from the original Alpha return, with previously secret characters M. Bison, Akuma, and Dan now part of the immediate roster. Five additional characters are featured, extending the selectable roster to 18. The new characters include Zangief and Dhalsim from Street Fighter II; Gen from the original Street Fighter; Rolento from Final Fight; and Sakura, a new character who is a schoolgirl that idolizes Ryu and emulates his fighting techniques.

Street Fighter Alpha 2 also features an alternate version of Chun-Li in her Street Fighter II outfit as a hidden character, as well as Shin Akuma, a more powerful version of Akuma who appears as a secret computer-controlled opponent in the single player mode. The North American version of the arcade game also features three additional hidden characters who were not in the Japanese version: Evil Ryu, an alternate version of Ryu who uses the same power as Akuma; as well as extra versions of Zangief and Dhalsim who play like their counterparts from Street Fighter II: Champion Edition, including the omission of gameplay features such as super moves and air blocking.

--Scanman (talk) 10:00, 20 February 2019 (MSK)

The Characters


Adon Akuma Birdie Charlie Chun-Li Dan Dhalsim Gen Guy Evil Ryu		Ken M. Bison Rolento Rose Ryu Sagat Sakura Sodom Zangief

--Scanman (talk) 10:19, 20 February 2019 (MSK)

Notation

Joystick Notation

F - Forward -
B - Backward/Back -
U - Up -
D - Down -
QCF - Quarter circle forward -
QCB - Quarter circle backward -
HCF - Half circle forward -
HCB - Half circle backward -
DP - Dragon punch -
360/FC - Full circle -
720 - N/A -
Charge - Hold a tilt - Hold the stick in either or (Or both- ) then move to or respectively.

Six Button Notation

Expressed in the form: Notation - Move - Symbol

LP - Light/Jab Punch -
MP - Medium/Strong Punch -
HP - Heavy//Fierce Punch -
P - Any punch -
LK - Light/Short Kick -
MK - Medium/Forward Kick -
HK - Heavy/Roundhouse Kick -
K - Any kick -

--Scanman (talk) 10:19, 20 February 2019 (MSK)

Game Mechanics

Custom Combo (cc)

Press 2 and 1 or 2 and 1 when you have at least a lvl 1. This allows you to do multi special moves in a row, canceling recovery. Once activated you move forward very fast. The higher the lvl the more invincibility you get, generally for a normal sized character, at lvl 2/3 you can go through a fireball.

Invincibility on CC can be used to:

Blow thru tick throws
Blow thru fireballs
Anti-air
save yourself from chip death from super
Punish at laggy move/super
Go for a valle cc if you see them standing
Empty jump cc for a free valle cc
Counter CC

Valle CC

If the opponent is standing, you can activate a custom combo and start with a low hit which is unblockable into any cc you want.

Blowout CC

When around point blank to your oponent, when cc is activated and the opponent did any normal attack or was not blocking, they go into a stun animation. This allows you to hit them with pretty much anything for free.

Counter CC

Basically, your opponent does a cc, and you cc right back. This isnt easy but not impossible, allowing you to counter Valle ccs and blowouts.

Air super CC glitch

When is cc mode, as long as you have the meter, you can perform your air super if in the air. Akuma can super fireball from a +.

Juggles

Some moves have juggle properties this move include:

Sagat's Tiger Uppercut
Akuma's Shoryuken and Hurricane
Adon's Jaguar DP
Various Fireball supers
Chun-li's upkicks, super upkicks, super puffball, + in the air
- Note that all fireball super only juggle for 3 hits, so best used at lvl 1 for anti air. As for Akuma's juggles after a hurricane you can actually do the tech roll motion in the air and the dp will miss.

Alpha counter(AC)

, , + or . Varies per character and some are very strong like Rose's ac or Ken's . Piano kicks for best result. Do this when in block stun to cancel out into a pre-determined attack, which has some invincibility and temporarily creates a freeze effect. Knock down ACs cannot be tech rolled except by Sodom's Tengu Walking.

Alpha counter reversal

Delay any safe normal into any invincible move that will beat a alpha counter but will not come out unless the normal was ac'd. Ex. Shoto's cr., attempt to cancel it into a shoryuken right after cancel frame window is up. If the opponent acs, your cr. will be on the active frames since the acs freeze it temporarily and you will uppercut them. Ryu/Ken/Akuma - As mentioned before c.fp, s.mp, c.mp, or c.mk, cancelled late into DP. Any of these are easy and probably the most basic and most seen AC reversals. In Akuma’s case you can AC-reversal with teleport and be really safe while baiting their AC in the process.

Adon - Only really has c.mp into RH DP

Chun - s.mp, c.mp, c.mk into qcb + k overhead special. Overhead has a good bit of invincibility so it beats a lot of ACs but not everything.

Guy - A bit iffy. I’d just use c.mp or really late c.mk (2nd hit) into MK hurricane but it can lose to a lot of things. If you wanna burn meter c.mp/c.mk into qcf + P x2 Super should beat most ACs.

Dhalsim - Can bait with teleport just like Akuma, other than that not too much. Wouldn’t even use a super to AC reversal, better off saving the meter.

Gen - Probably the only character I don’t have much experience with AC reversals. I’d assume c.mp, c.mk into RH DP would work fine.

Sakura - Not a lot she can do since her shoryuken is too slow startup. You either have to AC reversal with a super or just eat the AC. Use s.mp or c.mp.

Rolento - Mainly c.mk into qcb + jab. Doesn’t escape everything but it’s pretty nice.

Gief - C.lk or d/b c.mk into KKK lariat. Will beat pretty much anything :party:

Charlie - I don’t AC reversal with Charlie since you’d have to lose your charge since you won’t know if you’re going to actually AC reversal until the last minute. Save the meter.

Birdie - Pretty sure all he can do is c.mp into turn punch? (And cancel into super, but not worth it) Anyone feel free to correct me.

Rose - Surprisingly not much. c.mp or c.mk and maybe c.fp into qcb + P x2 super is mostly it.

Sodom - s.mp, s.mk, c.fp into qcf + p x2 super, and MAYBE 720 super but I havn’t tested that so I’m tossing around some crazy theory fighter.

Sagat - Mainly just c.mp into fierce DP.

Bison - c.mk or c.mp into teleport.

Dan - c.mp, c.mk, or c.fp into (pray to god) a white DP, or just a super.

Sim- b+mp or fp to super or teleprt, but best save the metter unless you have a big lead or it will kill them.

Gen- pretty much anything, but best it s.fp to dp or dizzy super/lvl 2 rush. Lk dp is real good and safe.

Geif- c.lk to super or kkk

Charlie- c.mp to mk FK, but I rarely do them with him

Rose- c.fp to super fireball or lvl 3 grab

Sodom- only super, 720 always gets hit

Sagat- use s.mp for late cancel if they can’t duck it

Bison- anything to immeadiate teleport

Kara-cancel

Canceling any normal quickly before the hit frames come out. For example: + xx raging demon or cr. xx fireball. This allows for quicker meter building, for example Rolento kara cr. xx roll.

Throw

or + ///. Not all characters can throw with all buttons, for example Rose and Sagat only have throws.

Tech-throw

Basically when thrown, you have a slight window to reverse by throwing, to avoid most damage from the throw. Some throws do no damage at all when teched, for example Rolento's throw.

Tech roll

After a non-ac non throw knock down, do , , +, , or . This will roll you towards you opponent depending on strength used, with getting up in place and rolling far. These are punishable by any low hit, so be careful when using.

there are three distances available for the roll:

; an on-the-spot tumble - useful for when you want to be on your feet as quick as possible.

; travels a few character spaces forward. used when you want to avoid rush-down and need a bit of breathing room, i guess.

; similar to the version but can be used against opponents who throw a projectile immediately after you’ve been floored. allows you to get right back in their face. somewhat useful for grapplers. key word: mix-up

rolling can also be used to alter your falling trajectory and thus escape specific juggles. Ryu’s air -> j and Gen’s kiryu ( style) cr.xx Jakouha are two examples.

Soft Corner

This is when you have someone "cornered" but they are still able to be crossed-up. It is possible to make very ambiguous crossups if the opponent is positioned correctly.

--Scanman (talk) 10:20, 20 February 2019 (MSK)

kara-cancelling

Has a miniscule role in A2 but it does have its use. Basically karaicancel and normal into a move to build meter faster than normal. Some character can build meter very fast, ex. Ken c.fp kara into lp dp builds good meter, or c.fp kara into lp backroll with rolento, or c.fp kara into fireball with all shotos. Just something to keep in mind, almost every character can do this, Ill list best things to do soon.

Kara-cancels for meter:

Chun- c.fp xx kikoken or overhead

Rolento- c.fp xx lp back roll

Birdie- c.fp xx 360+lp

Shotos- c.fp or c.rh xx hadouken, lk hurricane, or lp shoryuken

Sodom- c.fp xx lp jitte scrape

Zangief- c.fp xx lp glove

Guy- c.mk xx lk hurricane

Rose- c.fp xx mp or hp reflect

Charlie- c.mp xx sonic boom

Stages

The following Stages have severe stage lag (they mess up CC's):

Birdie Rolento

Moderate:

Chun-Li Sodom Sim Sodom

The other stages are pretty good, but Best stage seem to be Ryu and Gens since there isn’t anything going on in the stage.

Stage select:

Press start on the characters portrait before you select your character.

Special Stages:

Hold start on Bison or Sagat, and continue to hold start and pick your character.

Basic Strategy

Don't jump a lot. It's a bad habit you should get rid of.
Learn how to play footsies (that is using your normals to gain an advantage over your opponent)
Don't be predictable. If something isn't working, don't keep on repeating it. If you uppercut once, don't try to uppercut five more times. Of course there's the mind game where they might not expect it but that's more advanced.
DON'T BE RANDOM. That's one of the worst things you can do.
Don't be a scrub. That is, don't say people are "CHEAP" for something like a level 3 super or a CC or make up some absurd rule like not using your super, etc.
Use the air-to-ground vulnerability to set up damaging combos for people who like to empty jump in a lot. For those that don't know what that means: There's a point between when you come from the air and landing where your character is vulnerable to attacks (mainly low) whereas even if you try to land to crouch block if your opponent hits you at the right time you'll get hit every time you try to empty jump in. I suggest to find this point put the training dummy on "ALL GUARD" to either jump at you or jump straight up. Once you've hit your opponent at that point they'll think twice about empty jumping again.

--Scanman (talk) 10:20, 20 February 2019 (MSK)

Advanced Strategy

Counterhit/Throw Mixups

The basic idea behind a counter hit/throw mixup game is to have the opponent make a choice to defend one of these options and followup.

Let's say you have Rolento and you start doing standing jabs in front of the opponent. What you want to do is either have the opponent attack, giving you the option to do a counter hit jab into cr. xx patriot circle combo, or have the opponent block so that you can throw them.

Counter hits do more damage and give more frame advantage than a normal hit.

Safe Jump-ins

A safe jump-in is when you jump-in with an attack and the opponents only options are to either block, or take the hit; If the opponent wakes up with a reversal uppercut/super/other invincible move, you'll still be able to land and block in time. If your jump-in connects, you can hitconfirm into the combo of your choice, or set up mixups.

The way safe jump-ins work is a little hard to explain; upon executing a jump attack, you have 2 frames of recovery time upon landing. A safe jump-in is set up so that your jump attack hits on the very last frame of your jump before you land, basically a meaty attack. If the opponent successfully wakes up with a reversal invincible move, by the time said move's start up time is finished, you're on the ground and blocking already.

This applies to pretty much every invincible move/super.

safe jump-ins are character specific and differ based on character wakeup speed.

--Scanman (talk) 10:20, 20 February 2019 (MSK)

Tier List

1996 USA:
1) Ken
2) Chun-Li
3) Rose
4) Ryu
5) Akuma
6) Adon
7) Sagat
8) Charlie
9) Rolento
10) M. Bison
11) Guy
12) Dhalsim
13) Sakura
14) Sodom
15) Zangief
16) Gen
17) Birdie
18) Dan

1996 Japan:
1) Chun-Li
2) Charlie
3) Rose
4) Adon
5) Birdie
6) Rolento
7) Guy
8) Dhalsim
9) M. Bison
10) Ryu
11) Ken
12) Sakura
13) Akuma
14) Sodom
15) Sagat
16) Zangief
17) Gen
18) Dan

Modern Tier List:
Top Tier
Chun-Li
Rose
Ken
Ryu

Second Tier
Zangief
Rolento
Sakura

Middle Tier
Akuma
Sodom
Charlie
M.Bison
Adon
Sagat
Dhalsim
Guy

Bottom Tier
Gen
Dan
Birdie

Community Links

Keiko SFA2 Blog :Keiko's SFA2 Blog Lots of useful SFA2 stuff, combos, custom combos, articles, guides, etc.
FightCade : https://www.fightcade.com An online platform for arcade gaming, where people gather to play online and chat about the game.
Discord Alpha 2 Group : https://discord.gg/YZJyDB3 A Discord group useful for finding people to discuss A2/play games with.
Facebook Group :https://www.facebook.com/groups/StreetFighterAlpha2/about/ The facebook group for Street Fighter Alpha 2.
SRK A2 Thread : https://forums.shoryuken.com/t/sfa2-hitboxes-now-available/46303 A thread on SRK with a lot of good info.
Advanced A2 Discussion :https://forums.shoryuken.com/t/advanced-a2-discussion/247 Similar to the above. Many of your possible questions are already answered on this thread.
A2 Quick Reference Thread : https://forums.shoryuken.com/t/alpha-2-quick-reference-thread/166573 Short guides for most characters.

Game Versions

Arcade
PC
Playstation
Playstation 2
Sega Saturn
Super Nintendo
Ninendo Switch
Playstation 4
Xbox One

Glitches/miscellaneous

High Knock Down Juggle Glitch

This is best explain by a old post from Endy 22, so I'm gonna copy and paste. Basically it is a knock down that pops your opponent WAY up in the air, allowing juggles. If you are too lazy just know easiest way to set it up is after a cc, ex Sagat does his cc, opponent tech rolls when Sagat is done, Sagat does c.rh which creates a HDK, juggles with HP tiger uppercut.
- Awhile back I posted an article about how special juggle combos could be done after knocking someone down with a CC(i.e. with Sagat; couching Roundhouse, juggle with Fierce Tiger Uppercut). Since then I've learned a lot more about how the high knockdown trick works as well as a bunch of combos that can be done using it. For those who missed the original article or have yet to see someone use the trick, I'll explain how it's done...
- Basically, when you're in CC mode and you do a move that knocks down, the opponent is knocked higher than they usually are when you are out of CC mode. For instance, when you activate a CC and then do a crouching Roundhouse, your opponent is knocked up in the air higher than a normal sweep would, so it's easier to follow up with another attack during the CC(this is one reason why the Valle CC is so devastating). The interesting thing is, you can still get the benefit of a high knockdown(HKD for short) _after_ a CC ends (meaning your CC meter has completely run out, and your opponent is getting up from the knockdown your CC caused). In order to get a HKD, you must first hit your opponent with any kind of CC that ends in a knockdown. Then, as your opponent is getting up or _right_ after, if you connect with a move that knocks down(a sweep for instance) they will be knocked high in the air(much higher than they normally should) allowing you to hit them with a juggling move before they land. note: You can only follow up a HKD with a move that juggles, like Akuma's DP or Guy's HK, all non-juggling moves will whiff.
- An interesting thing about HKD's is that you can normally only juggle an opponent knocked in the air on the way up or at the apex, as soon\ they start to fall you can no longer juggle. However, with a high knockdown, just like in CC mode, you can juggle an opponent no matter how high they are off the ground. This means, if you do a crouching Roundhouse that results in a high knockdown, you can wait till just before the opponent lands and still juggle them. Also, you aren't limited to initiating a HKD with a sweep, certain special moves that knock down will work, too. Another cool thing about HKD's is that they can be initiated with combos, as well. So, with E. Ryu as the opponent is getting up, you could do crouching Jab, crouching Short, Fierce Red Fireball(HKD), juggle with a Fierce Dragon Punch. It's also possible to do repeated high knockdowns. For instance, with Sagat I could do a crouching Roundhouse as their getting up(HKD), juggle with a Fierce Tiger Uppercut. Then as they're getting up from the TU, I could do another crouching Roundhouse(HKD), Fierce TU, crouching Roundhouse(HKD), Fierce TU, etc. As long as you keep getting consecutive HKD's it can be repeated.
- Now, landing a CC and then hitting your opponent with a knockdown move or combo as they're getting up _will not automatically_ result in a HKD. Whether you get the high knockdown or not is _completely_determined by what your opponent does after getting knocked down by the CC. Obviously, if they just block as they're getting up, there is no way you can hit them, so there's no chance for a HKD. So, you can only get a HKD in certain circumstances(most of which involve your opponent doing a particular action as they're getting up). Those circumstances include:
  - 1. The opponent rolls after the CC - This is the easiest and most common way to land a HKD in a match. If your opponent rolls right after getting hit by a CC, simply hit them out of it with a knockdown move or combo and you will get a high knockdown, FOR FREE. note: This will only work in regular SFA2, since you can't roll after a CC in A2Gold(and I'm assuming, Z2A).
  - 2. The opponent whiffs a Reversal Attack("Reversal" _has_ to appear) - This means if they do any kind of Reversal Attack(including Supers), and it misses, you can hit them during the recovery with a knockdown move or combo and get a HKD. i.e. Ryu does a Reversal DP and it whiffs, if you do a knockdown move as he lands it will result in a HKD.
  - 3. You stuff their Reversal Attack - Just like #2, except if you knock them out of the Reversal Attack with a knockdown move you will get a HKD.
  - 4. You do an AC reversal - If you stick out an attack as the opponent is getting up which they AC and you reverse it, you will get a HKD. So with Sagat, you could do a crouching Strong(they AC), 2in1 Jab Tiger Uppercut(knocks them out of their AC and results in a HKD), then juggle with a Fierce Tiger Uppercut.
  - 5. The opponent is holding 'back' - Meaning, if they're simply holding straight back on the stick while they're getting up and you hit them with a knockdown move or combo, you will get a HKD. I have_no_ idea why this works, especially since holding in any other direction won't result in a HKD. note: While experimenting, this happens to be the easiest way to get a HKD, and is a great way for doing repeated high knockdowns.
  - 6. You dizzy them with a HKD move or combo - If you dizzy your opponent with repeated HKD's, then hit them while they're dizzy with a knockdown move or combo, it will result in another HKD. i.e. With Sagat, you do crouching Roundhouse(HKD), Fierce TU, repeatedly till your opponent gets dizzy. While they're dizzy you could do a combo like Jumping Roundhouse, crouching Roundhouse(HKD), Fierce Tiger Uppercut. note: This is only really useful while practicing, since landing repeated HKD's on someone in a real match is just about impossible.
  - 7. You counter them as they're getting up - This one is kinda hard to explain, since I'm not exactly sure why this sometimes works, and sometimes doesn't. When I originally posted about the HKD trick, I believed that all you had to do was counter your opponent with a knockdown move as they're getting up and it would result in a HKD. Meaning, that if your opponent is entering any kind of joystick command(besides blocking) or button command, as they're getting up and you hit them with a knockdown move, you'd get a HKD. I soon found out that is not always the case. It works a lot of times when your opponent is going for a Reversal and miss-times it, and your knockdown move hits them, but not always. I guess it's something specific that they're doing that makes a HKD possible, but I'm not exactly sure what it is yet. note: This makes jump-in or crossup HKD combos possible.
  - 8. You AC their Reversal Attack - AFAIK, this one is worthless. If you rebuild your meter through repeated HKD's then have your opponent do a Reversal and you do an AC that knocks down, the AC will result in a HKD. Unfortunately, you can't follow-up the HKD because your opponent will have that 'spinning' animation and apparently can't be hit. I only mention this one, because I haven't bothered to try it with all the different AC's, so I'm not 100% sure that none of them can be followed-up.
  - 9. You link a knockdown move at the end of a non-knockdown CC - This is a special circumstance where you don't actually have to knock your opponent down with the CC before getting a HKD. Basically, if you do a CC consisting of all non-knockdown moves(like a bunch of standing normals or stream of fireballs) you can link a knockdown move at the end of the CC, and get a HKD. So, with Sakura you could activate a CC, do a bunch of standing normals(lame, I know), then just as your meter runs completely out, link a normal crouching Roundhouse while they're still in hit stun(results in a HKD), and then juggle with a Strong DP.
- Here's a list of moves for each character that will cause a HKD after a CC ends.
  - Ken: Crouching Roundhouse
  - Ryu/E.Ryu: Crouching Roundhouse/Crouching Roundhouse, Fierce Red Fireball
  - Chun Li: Crouching Roundhouse(close)
  - Rose: Crouching Roundhouse, Soul Spiral
  - Zangief: Crouching Roundhouse, df+Roundhouse
  - Sakura: Crouching Roundhouse
  - Akuma: Crouching Roundhouse, Fireball(close), Red Fireball(1,2 or 3 hit), d,db,f,uf+Punch move
  - Sagat: Crouching Roundhouse, Jab Tiger Uppercut
  - Charlie: Crouching Roundhouse
  - Rolento: Has no moves that will HKD
  - Dhalsim: db+Roundhouse, Strong/Fierce Yoga Fire, Yoga Flame
  - Guy: Crouching Forward, df+Roundhouse
  - Adon: Crouching Roundhouse
  - M. Bison: Crouching Roundhouse(slide)
  - Sodom: Crouching Roundhouse(slide)
  - Gen: Has no moves in either style that will HKD
  - Dan: Crouching Roundhouse
  - Birdie: Crouching Roundhouse

Ok, now there are two basic types of combos that can done using the HKD trick...

- Normal HKD combos:
  - Combos that can be done by characters who have specials that juggle(Akuma, Chun Li, Guy, E. Ryu, Sakura, Adon, Sagat) and can be done after any CC that knocks down(every other character has to rebuild meter so they can juggle with a SC). Examples:
    - Adon - Jumping Fierce, crouching Roundhouse(HKD), Roundhouse Jaguar Kick
    - E. Ryu - Crouching Jab, crouching Short, Fierce Red Fireball(HKD), Short HK, Fierce DP. (vs. Zangief, corner only)
    - Chun Li - Jumping Roundhouse, crouching Roundhouse(HKD), Triple Up-Kick
    - Sagat - Crossup Short, crouching Strong, Jab Tiger Uppercut, Fierce Tiger Uppercut

- After Rebuilding Meter:
  - Combos that are only possible after you rebuild your meter through doing repeated HKD's. Basically, there is no way you'd ever, EVER get this type of combo off in a real match, but do indeed work with some setting up. Examples:
    - Charlie - Jumping Roundhouse, crouching Roundhouse(HKD), Level 3 Somersault Justice (corner)
    - Guy - Jumping Roundhouse, crouching Forward(HKD), Level 3 Air Punch Super
    - Ken - Jumping Fierce, crouching Roundhouse(HKD), 2in1 Short Roll, Level 3 Shinryuken
    - Rose - Jumping Roundhouse, crouching Jab, crouching Short, crouching Strong, Short Drill(HKD), Level 2 Aura Soul Catch (corner)
    - Akuma - Jumping Fierce, crouching Roundhouse(HKD), Short HK, Short HK, jump towards Level 3 Air Super Fireball or Level 3 DP
    - Dhalsim - b+Fierce(headbutt), Jab Yoga Flame(HKD), Level 3 Yoga Inferno (corner)
    - Zangief - Crossup d+Fierce, bd+Roundhouse, Level 3 Air Catch Super(A2Gold, Z2A only)

There's a bunch of other combos that can done using the trick, but the examples should give you the idea. Also, it's possible to juggle with a CC after a HKD when you rebuild your meter.

Well, that's about all I have to report on the high knockdown trick. I hesitated to post all this, since A2 is such an old game, but figured someone may find it of interest. There's also another little CC trick I found that I was thinking of posting in the future, but this should be enough for now =).

--Jeff 22:17, 4 September 2008 (UTC)

**Street Fighter Alpha 2**
Characters
Adon - Akuma - Birdie - Charlie - Chun-Li - Dan - Dhalsim - Evil Ryu - Gen - Guy - Ken - M.Bison - Rolento - Rose - Ryu - Sagat - Sakura - Sodom - Zangief