The King of Fighters '98: Ultimate Match/Blue Mary

From SuperCombo Wiki

Introduction

Mary has a perfect little assortment of moves; you’ll have to learn how to use them, though. Baffle the opponent with quick movements and well-placed special moves.

Final Edition Change List

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Moves list

At a glance

Normal throw
Viktor Nage (throw) f/b + C
Head Throw (throw) f/b + D
Command moves
Hammer Arch f + A
Double Rolling f + B
Climbing Arrow df + B
Special moves
M. Spider qcf + P
Spin Fall qcf + K
M. Reverse Face Lock qcb + B
M. Headbuster qcb + D
Straight Slicer b (charge) f + K
┗ Crab Clutch (during Straight Slicer) qcf + K
Vertical Arrow dp + K
┗ M. Snatcher (during Vertical Arrow) dp + K
Back Drop Real (throw) hcb f + P
Super special moves
M. Typhoon (throw) hcb hcb + K
M. Dynamite Swing qcf qcf + K
M. Splash Rose qcf hcb + P

Normal moves

  • cl.C – two-step move, and cancelable, making it pivotal for combos.
  • st.C – although it is slow to get out, it is a two-step move, and both steps are cancelable. When it comes out, just cancel it into something for damage control.
  • cr.D – slow to get out and not cancelable, so it’s hard to use. Use cr.B.
  • cr.B – spammable.
  • j.D – although it has crossup capability, it is difficult to link to a ground hit. It is quick to get out and the reach is long, so use it as an overhead.
  • j.A – for most jumping in, this is probably the best to use.

Command moves

  • Hammer Arch
  • f + A
  • Mary clasps her hands, hops and brings them hammering down. Thus, this is an overhead, and has low-level invincibility at startup. The recovery has been decreased from OG. The cancelled-into version can combo from strong attacks, and since the move travels forward, it can close up some distance.

  • Climbing Arrow
  • df + B
  • Mary kicks upward with one leg while the rest of her body is close to the ground. The reach is short, but the hitbox upwards has extremely high priority. It is possible to use it as an anti-air.

  • Double Rolling
  • f + B
  • Two kicks, the first a low jumping kick, the second a crouching low kick. The first step does not do pushback. When not cancelled into, the second step is a low hit; when cancelled into, the second step is cancelable. The reach is short, so it’s hard to use.

Special moves

  • Spin Fall
  • qcf + K
  • Mary flies through the air, doing a heel-dropping kick at low altitude. If you make it so the very tip will hit, you won’t be very open.

  • M. Spider
  • qcf + P
  • A moving throw in which Mary flies through the air, and if she makes contact with the opponent, she grabs them and gets them into a lock. Although at first, it appears (and kind of is!) difficult to differentiate from Spin Fall, this one can be intercepted by a well-placed normal move.

  • Straight Slicer
  • b (charge) f + K
  • An extremely low rushing jump kick. Hits low. For the strong version, the hit is actually blockable high and low if launched anywhere near the opponent. The weak version now combos from weak moves. When it hits, you can combo into Crab Clutch.
  • Crab Clutch
  • qcf + K during Straight Slicer hit
  • Pretty straightforward: Mary gets the opponent into a lock. Extra damage for free, but you gotta hit with the Straight Slicer first.

  • Vertical Arrow
  • dp + K
  • Mary kicks, rising diagonally upward. It looks like an anti-air, but the invincibility is short and the hitbox doesn’t have high priority. When it hits, you can combo into M. Snatcher.
  • M. Snatcher
  • dp + K during Vertical Arrow hit
  • Pretty straightforward: Mary grabs the opponent in the middle of her kick, and takes them to the ground. Extra damage for free, but you gotta hit with the Vertical Arrow first.

  • M. Reverse Face Lock
  • qcb + B
  • Trap move. It grabs special moves, midair attacks, and overheads.
  • M. Headbuster
  • qcb + D
  • Trap move. It grabs ground normal moves and command moves (except for the foot-level low-hitting moves). This one launches the opponent, so you can juggle with Vertical Arrow or M. Splash Rose.

  • Back Drop Real
  • hcb f + P at throwing distance
  • A one-frame throw. The grabbing range is wide-ish; it is pretty safe, even in combos.

Super special moves

  • M. Typhoon
  • hcb hcb + K at throwing distance
  • A high-damage one-frame throw. You can essentially use it where you would use Back Drop Real.

  • M. Splash Rose
  • qcf hcb + P
  • Locking ranbu super that combos from strong moves. It has full-body invincibility at startup. It also travels forward until it touches the opponent, so it does great for interruption

  • M. Dynamite Swing
  • qcf qcf + K
  • A diagonally-upward-traveling kneeing. If this initial knee part hits, Mary grabs the opponent from midair and continues with a ranbu. The location for hitting is bad, and it is possible for Mary to miss out on grabbing the opponent. It has full-body invincibility at startup and combos from weak moves, so you can use it as an anti-air.

Combos

Basic

  • j.A > cl.C (2 hit) >> Hammer Arch >> Back Drop Real or M. Typhoon
  • A safe combo from strong attacks.
  • cl.B > cl.C (2 hit) >> Hammer Arch >> certain special moves
  • Only possible when very close. The timing for the link is pretty harsh.
  • cr.B (>> cr.B) >> cr.A >> weak Straight Slicer
  • A damage intensifier from weak moves.
  • j.D > j.D
  • The second j.D is done while ascending. The reach is long, so even a rear jump will work.

The Basics

Due to the addition of the combo from cr.B, Mary’s offense has been substantially strengthened from OG. Even just jumping in with j.D, then pressing with the three options of cr.B (low), Hammer Arch (overhead), and Back Drop Real (throw) is strong. In particular, the constant threat of Back Drop Real lets you move dominantly. Avoid botching the combo from cr.B; it’s a real deal-maker, so make sure you got the Straight Slicer charging down pat.

When jumping in, stuff like aiming for Back Drop Real or a low hit from an empty jump, or showing off j.D and rushing with Straight Slicer will also be effective on occasion.

On the topic of defense, the first thing is anti-air, but Climbing Arrow and Vertical Arrow are unreliable, and M. Splash Rose and M. Dynamite Swing require gauge. However, if you get M. Reverse Face Lock and M. Headbuster to succeed just once, those alone will make it that much of a tougher problem for the opponent to make a move on you: when you won’t be able to trap them, like when the opponent whiffs a jump attack, intercept them with Vertical Arrow; on the ground, add to their troubles with cr.B. The effectiveness doubles once you’ve informed the opponent that you can trap at any time you so please, just because they have to consider not hitting you.

Also, for anti-air when you have gauge, use M. Surprise Rose when you spot a big ol’ normal/super jump. The reason for using this is higher damage than M. Dynamite Swing (whose damage is kind of low, and won’t give the same sense of urgency). Still, use M. Dynamite Swing reliably for short/hyper hops, and when you have gauge, the opponent will have to avoid jumping in.

Continuing on to the topic of interruption. For this, use mostly Back Drop Real and M. Splash Rose. First, note that after such things as blocking jump attacks, using Back Drop Real is a pretty commonplace (i.e. expected) tactic. Pressing between this and a counter-counter tactic (like st.A) is powerful.

Against rushing moves, interrupt with M. Splash Rose or M. Reverse Face Lock. Always be careful when it comes to the location of the very tip of the opponent’s rushing move. If things don’t seem like they’ll work out, swapping in M. Dynamite Swing is also okay.

Keep going with the offense and defense, ransacking the opponent’s life bars piece by piece. Mary’s not a brutish bruiser; that’s just what it takes.

Advanced Strategy

Match-Ups