Introduction
Released in 2001, Capcom vs SNK 2 ("CvS2") is the sequel to the first fighting collaboration between the SNK and Capcom franchises. The main features include 6 Grooves (fighting styles), 48 total characters, a refined ratio system, and traditional Street Fighter gameplay. Although CvS2 is a Capcom-developed game, it still retains elements from SNK's popular King of Fighters games, which features a wide selection of characters in a team-based format.
Home versions of CvS2 can be found on the Dreamcast, PS2, Xbox and Gamecube. The Xbox and Gamecube versions of the game feature an extra Groove which showcases the EO ("Easy Operation") system that is designed only for Xbox and Gamecube console controllers. The EO system basically allows special moves to be done with ease using the right analog stick (on both the GC and Xbox pads), since those controllers were not designed well for fighting games.
Game Mechanics
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 on 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 or w/e.
- Use the air-to-ground vulnerability to set up for damaging combos for people who like to empty jump in a lot. For those that don't know what that means..I'll break it down. There's a point between when you come from the air and landing where your character is vulnerable to attacks (mainly low) where as 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.
- Learn where it's safe to interrupt a character's roll with an attack. Every character has different speeds when it comes to their rolls so learn about the most common characters' roll first then work from there. That'll help you avoid rolling supers or throws from your opponent.
Advanced Strategy
Tier List
When choosing which characters to learn it is important to pay attention to which characters have the strongest moveset or qualities that make them a step above the other characters in the game. All the characters in the High-Mid Tier can be (and often are) considered Top Tier among different respected players.
Boss Tier (Banned in all tournaments):
Evil Ryu Orochi Iori Shin Akuma God/Ultimate Rugal
Top Tier:
A-Bison A-Blanka A-Sakura C-Sagat
High-Mid Tier:
A-Vega A-Hibiki C-Ken C-Rolento C-Guile C-Honda K-Cammy K-Geese K-Rock K-Kyo N-Chun N-Iori
Mid Tier:
A-Yun A-Joe A-Athena A-Eagle A-Todo C-Yamazaki C-Kim C-Dhalsim C-Ryu C-Rugal K-Nakoruru K-Chang N-Akuma N-Mai N-Morrigan N-Maki N-Vice
Low-Mid Tier:
A-Terry A-Benimaru A-Haohmaru A-Yuri C-Balrog C-Kyosuke K-Raiden K-Zangief K-Ryo
Low Tier:
A-Dan N-King
Roll Cancelling
Roll cancelling (RCing) is a very exploitable glitch in CvS2, accomplished by cancelling the first 3 frames of any roll directly into a special move (and certain other things, like supers and stuff). This gives the roll-cancelled special move the properties of the roll in addition to whatever special properties it already had. Translation? Your roll-cancelled special move becomes invincible. It's important to note that like rolls, most RCed moves can be thrown as well. The only exception are moves that are airborne (shoto hurricanes) or are naturally invincible anyway (shoto uppercuts). Contrary to popular belief, the length of invulnerability time on the RCed move is NOT the same as the character's roll. RC invulnerability time is somewhere between 17~21 frames for every character. This last part should be common sense, but RCs can only be performed in grooves that have the ability to roll.
Performing roll cancels are just like what was written above: you cancel the first three frames of your roll into a special move. Translation? Do a motion for a special move and throw a LP+LK somewhere in there before you finish it. As the 3 frame window above suggests, RCs must be done very quickly to work. If you've ever done kara throws in 3S or Hwoarang's RF 3~4 in Tekken, you should have a general idea of how fast you have to press the buttons.
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 crouching forward 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 setup 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, save for Akuma's and Ken's dps; theirs only have 2 frames of start up and are fast enough to hit you during your ground recovery time.
safe jump-ins are character specific and differ based on character wakeup speed.
Character 'getting up speed':
- Tier 1: Hibiki
- Tier 2: Sagat = Guile = Bison = shotos = Rolento = Kyo = Yama = Rugal = Vice = Balrog = Maki = Eagle = Dhalsim = Kim = King = Yun = Haohmaru = Kyosuke = Joe = Nakoruru
- Tier 3: Geese = Sakura = Iori = Morrigan = Yuri = Athena = Ryo = Raiden
- Tier 4: Zangief = Terry = Mai
- Tier 5: Vega = Honda = Todo = Rock
- Tier 6: Chun = Cammy = Blanka = Benimaru
- Tier 7: Chang
Hibiki gets up the fastest in the game, which has been known pretty much ever since the game first hit the beta tests. Chang gets up the slowest. For the most part, the differences between each tier is about 4-5 frames. Hibiki seems to get up quite a bit faster than tier 2 though, probably about 10 frames'ish. Obviously, you want to find safe jump-in setups for tiers 2 and 6.
*List originally posted by Buktooth in the forums