Guilty Gear XX Accent Core

Guilty Gear XX Accent Core Official Logo

Introduction

Game Release Summary
Title	Guilty Gear XX Λ Core
System	Naomi 2
Release Date	2006 Dec 20
Developer	Arc System Works
Publisher	Sega
Aliases	Guilty Gear XX Accent Core, Guilty Gear Accent Core, Accent Core, GGXXAC, GGAC, AC

Guilty Gear XX Λ Core, usually referred to as Guilty Gear XX Accent Core, is the most recent version of Guilty Gear XX released to Japanese arcades on December 20, 2006. The 4th installment in the GGXX Series.

In addition to balance changes along the lines of those in #Reload and Slash, Λ Core features a new type of special move, the "Force Break," which consumes 25% of the Tension bar when used. Most characters have gained new special moves, and some have had existing specials (or powered-up versions of existing specials) converted into Force Break attacks. It also introduces moves that make opponents stick briefly to walls or slide across the floor of a stage. New additions also include Slashback, a form of parrying with reduced block stun, and throw breaks.

In addition to its gameplay changes Λ Core features the first major aesthetic change for the series since the original release of Guilty Gear XX. All voices, including that of the announcer, have been re-recorded (or replaced with previously unused samples), sometimes by different actors. The playable characters artwork was also redone.

Both versions of the game feature three gameplay modes per character, based on the Guilty Gear, Guilty Gear X, and Λ Core fighting systems.

Controls

The controls for Guilty Gear is unusual compared to most other fighting games. The correct arcade layout resembles this (numbers indicate the joystick directions):

7 8 9    (K) (S) (HS)
4(5)6    (P)     (D)
1 2 3

In particular, Kick (K), Slash (S), and Hard Slash (HS) are on the first row. In the second row are Punch (P), an empty spot, and Dust (D). It may help to think of the buttons as being in a "rainbow" formation instead of row formations.

While the Start/Taunt (T) button has no assigned position, the two Start buttons should not be close to each other, to avoid accidentally (or not,,,) forcing the other player into a disruptively vulnerable Taunt animation.

A Capcom control panel can be quickly converted into a suitable Guilty Gear panel by removing or disabling the MK button. The buttons can be reassigned in the arcade setup menu, avoiding rewiriing.

Common Arcade Bastardizations:

The arcade mechanic just reads off the setup menu ("Punch", "Kick", "Slash", "Hard Slash", "Dust") and assigns the buttons in reading order (top-left to bottom-right):

    P  K  S
    HS    D

The arcade mechanic is in the Capcom mentality of punches in top row and kicks in bottom row:

    P  S  HS
    K     D

Game Mechanics

Retained Game Mechanics

Normal Attacks: The standard attacks that every character has access to are Punch (P), Kick (K), Slash (S), Hard Slash (HS), and Dust (D) (see below), each of which can be done while standing, crouching, or jumping (in mid-air). In addition to this, the Slash attack has two forms: close Slash, written as S(c), and far Slash, written as S(f); however, close and far Slash can only be done while standing.

Command Normal: A normal attack which varies by character, performed by pressing Forward and any attack button except Dust. All characters have a Forward + Punch attack which (except for Testament's, which instead hits as an overhead attack) offers upper-body invincibility, and all characters except for Bridget have a Forward + Hard Slash attack that deals the most damage that any normal attack can. Most characters have a Forward + Kick attack, and the properties of these vary. Only Bridget has a Forward + Slash attack; this attack is the equivalent of other characters' Forward + Hard Slash.

Taunting: This is a move used solely to show off or taunt the other player. It typically deals no actual damage, although some characters' taunts, such as Dizzy's, can inflict tiny, but lethal, damage. Taunting adds a small amount of tension to the opponent's tension gauge. Taunting after winning causes the opponent to start the following round (within the same match) with 50% tension - this is called rakushou, which is Japanese for "easy win".

Respect: Holding forward while hitting the taunt button causes your character to carry out an act of respect. The respecting character pauses to praise the opponent's fighting style. Unlike a taunt, a respect can be cancelled with a move or ground movement at any time, and thus can be used to trick a player into believing that their opponent is vulnerable (but you cannot cancel into Respect).

Dashing: By tapping forward (backward) twice, the character can dash forward very briefly (hop backwards). Holding the directional button after a forward dash causes the character to run forward (except for a few characters). Forward dashing can be instantly cancelled if one uses the Faultless Defense (see below) maneuver. Backdashing gives the player some frames of invulnerability, allowing the character to avoid certain attacks with a well-timed dash.

Air Dashing or AD: A dash performed after having already jumped into the air. Each character -- except for Potemkin -- can air dash once, and Millia and Dizzy can air dash twice. Air dashing provides no invulnerability frames and cannot be cancelled with Faultless Defense.

Instant Air Dashing or IAD: An advanced technique which allows the character to instantly air dash from the ground and immediately perform air attacks. Performed by quickly tapping forward after jumping forwards, or quickly tapping back after jumping backwards, and works because the computer recognizes the forward jump as the first motion for the air dash, so the player only needs to tap one more time to complete the air dash input.

High Jump or HJ, or Super Jump or SJ: Tapping Down and then quickly pushing Up makes the character jump higher than normal. A high jump can also be performed diagonally (pushing Up-Right, or Up-Left). A trail of "shadows" follows the character during a High Jump.

Double Jump or DJ: A character can jump directly up or diagonally up while already in the air. This technique is useful for avoiding attacks or confusing the opponent. A double jump cannot be performed after a High Jump (usually—the exception arises from a Jump Install).

Gatling Cancel or Gatling Combo: If a successful normal attack is performed while standing, crouching or in mid-air, and is quickly followed up with a second normal or command normal attack, the character can "cancel" the recovery frames of their initial attack into the second attack and the opponent does not have the opportunity to block the second attack. This second attack, in turn, can be followed by yet another attack, usually one of equal or greater damage, and so on, allowing skilled players to chain together long combos.

Just Link: Similar to gatling cancels and special cancels, a "just link" allows the player to link together two attacks (usually normal -> normal or occasionally normal -> special) that, normally, cannot be linked together via gatling cancel or special cancel. What distinguishes a "just link" is the precise timing required to link the moves, which is usually in the range of 1-3 frames, and that very few moves can be "just linked". (One famous example is #R Slayer's S(c)-S(f)-> (just link) S(c)-S(f), although there are certainly others.)

Special Cancel: If a successful normal attack is quickly followed up with a particular special attack, the character can "cancel" the recovery frames of the normal attack into the special attack. Usually, special attacks themselves cannot cancel into other moves (although they can still link to other attacks), requiring Roman Cancels (see below) to allow further attacks to be made after a special attack.

Jump Cancel or JC: Some attacks can be interrupted ("cancelled") by jumping during the attack, sending the attacker airborne after the attack. This cancel allows the player to follow their opponent into the air for an air combo. Jump-cancelling in the air after an air attack is called Double Jump Cancelling or DJC.

High Jump Cancel or HJC: Much like the Jump Cancel, but canceling into a high jump. High jump cancelling can also allow the player to follow their opponent into the air for an air combo, but usually does not allow double jump cancelling (see Jump Install below for DJ during HJ/HJC).

Throw: Pressing Forward/Back and Hard Slash on the ground when near an opponent on the ground performs a throw, which typically knocks the character to the ground.

Air Throw: Much like the throw, but done air-to-air. The range of such a throw is usually double that of a normal throw. Air throws have different effects depending on the character -- for example, Venom's and Anji's air throw cause their opponent to "float" further into the air, and several characters can induce "wallbounce", allowing combos from the throw. A player may also be able to combo into an air throw if the air throw is performed on the first frame the opponent recovers (in mid-air) from an attack.

Dust Attack: An overhead attack which launches the enemy into the air, after which the character may press Up to follow the character into the air and continue attacking. Although the execution time and recovery for this move is slow, it is still a viable mix-up option and can lead into damaging knockdown combos.

Blocking: The standard way to defend against an opponent's attack is to block it. Block by holding Back on the D-pad/stick; however, until the opponent actually attacks, the character simply walks backwards. After blocking an attack, it takes a certain amount of time before you recover from the block and are able to continue moving and fighting. (This effect is called block stun.)

Instant Block or IB: Holding Back (i.e. blocking) just before the attack would hit. If done correctly, your character will flash white very briefly and react from the block much more quickly (i.e. you will incur less block stun), allowing you to interrupt your opponents attack combos, for example.

Recovery or Teching: After being knocked into the air or struck after being knocked down, pressing any direction except Down and any attack button allows the character to "recover" or "tech out", regaining control. Recovery does not work against certain attacks that disallow recovering (such as throws, among others).

Tension Gauge: This bar increases whenever the character performs certain actions such as attacking, blocking and running toward his opponent. If a player performs a taunt move, his opponent's tension gauge also raises slightly. Expending part or all of one's accumulated tension, or having a certain amount of tension in reserve, enables the use of certain special abilities:

Overdrive Attack or Super: Each character has one or more unique overdrive attacks, such as Ky's Ride the Lightning or Sol's Tyrant Rave. Using one of these moves costs 50% of a full tension bar. An overdrive attack is typically a more complex move to pull off than other attacks. Certain characters' overdrive attacks grant a short period of invincibility during the move's start-up, which can allow a well-timed overdrive to protect against an opponent's incoming attack.

Dead Angle Attack or DAA: While blocking against an attack, holding forward and any two attack buttons pushes the opponent away and knock them down. This move requires 50% of a full tension bar. This move is not guaranteed to hit. Experienced players can bait their opponent to use a DAA, block it, and then punish their opponent during the recovery of the DAA. ("Dead-Anger Attack" is also a viable romanization, as the 'L' and 'R' sounds are indistinguishable in Japanese)

Faultless Defense or FD: Holding Punch and Kick while blocking creates a green ring that rotates around the character, negating any block damage and increasing pushback from the opponent's attacks. This technique is the only way for a mid-air character to block attacks from a grounded (standing) character. Faultless defense gradually expends the tension gauge, and the player must still pay attention to attack levels - i.e., a standing FD will not defend a low attack. (an alternative romanization of the name gives "Fortress Defense", however, the accepted name is "Faultless")

Roman Cancel or RC: Pushing any three Attack buttons (except Dust) during a successful attack performs a Roman Cancel, which cuts the attack's animation short and expends 50% of a full tension gauge. Whereas most attacks are followed by a recovery delay during which the player cannot attack or defend, a well-timed Roman Cancel lets you ignore this recovery time, allowing the creation of some particularly innovative combos. ("Roman Cancel" is thought to be an abbreviation of "Romantic Cancel", although what that could possibly be referring to is unknown.)

False Roman Cancel or FRC: Performing a Roman Cancel during certain attacks performs a False Roman Cancel instead, requiring 25% of the tension gauge instead of the full 50%, giving off a blue flash instead of the normal red one. The disadvantage is an FRC can only be done in specific animations of the attack, making the timing more difficult. ("False Roman Cancel" is thought by some players to be a mistranslation of "Force Roman Cancel".)

Staggering: Certain attacks make a character "staggered", a state in which they are stunned and cannot block or avoid additional attacks or make attacks. However, the character's recovery can be sped up by by shaking the stick or quickly "mashing" on the D-pad and the buttons.

Counter Hit or CH: If a character is about to execute an attack (that is, their attack animation has started but the attack itself hasn't become "active") and they are interrupted ("countered") by an attack from the opponent, then the interrupting attack is a "counter hit". Counter hits have differing properties depending on what move was used in the counter hit.

Dizzy or Stun: A character who is hit for a lot of damage over a short period of time can become "dizzy", a state similar to being staggered except that little birds(?) fly around the character's head, and the status lasts for longer. Recovery can be sped up in the same method as recovering from being staggered. (Not to be confused with the character named "Dizzy".)

Psyche Burst or Burst: Put simply, the Burst Gauge is a gauge located below the life gauge which carries over from one round of the match to the next and allows the player to expend part of the bar to "burst" (or make Burst Attacks). This burst is activated by pressing any attack button and Dust simultaneously, and has two purposes. The first is to break out of an opponent's combo by knocking them away, a technique known as the "blue burst". This deals no damage, but it gives the character back one third of their burst gauge if successful. The second purpose is to hit the opponent with the burst attack itself, a technique called a "gold burst". If this attack hits, it fills the attacker's tension gauge to maximum. One should note that although there are several frames of invincibility at the start of the burst attack, it is possible to be air-thrown out of a burst attempt if the air throw occurs before the burst effect becomes active.

Guard Gauge: A small bar located underneath the player's life bar, this indicates how much the player has been blocking. This gauge starts filled midway, decreases as the character takes damage and increases as they block damage, returning gradually to midway while they do neither. A low guard gauge decreases damage taken, reducing the effectiveness of each successive hit of an opponent's combo. If the gauge goes high enough that it flashes, attacks that hit the character are considered "counter hits" and may have certain predefined attack properties depending on the attack used. Unlike other games with a guard gauge, a full guard gauge does not cause a guard crush.

Instant Kill Technique or IK: Simultaneously pressing all 4 attack buttons causes the character to go into an Instant Kill mode where the tension gauge turns red and starts to gradually decrease. The character can unleash a special Instant Kill Attack while in this mode, which kills the opponent if it hits but extinguishes the attacker's tension bar for the entire round if it misses. Should the tension gauge reduce to zero in this mode, the character's life bar will decrease at the same rate until the attack is performed or Instant Kill mode is canceled by the same 4 buttons. The Instant Kill is difficult to use successfully and is usually only possible on a "dizzied" character, and other states where it is impossible to block (eg. after ABA loses her Moroha (Berserker) mode).

Adjusted Damage: There are two reason why some characters take more damage than others: the defense modifier (ratio), and the guts rating of a character. For example, Chipp's defense mod is 1.30, so he takes 130% damage of whatever damage is dealt to him, while Potemkin has a defense of 0.87 takes only 87% of the original damage. In regard to the guts rating, a character takes less damage when they have less health left, so an attack which remove the character's first 5% of health will not remove all of his last 5%. Furthermore, the guts system adjusts damage differently for overdrive attacks than for special and normal ones.

The "Tiger Knee" (TK) Maneuver or Tiger-Kneeing or "Instant(-Air) {special attack}": While not officially mentioned, many players have observed and exploited this phenomenon. Aerial-only special and overdrive attacks can be performed close to the ground, even to the extent of effectively BEING on the ground, by performing the necessary directional motion and then moving quickly to diagonally up-back or up-forward (whichever is more convenient) before pressing the necessary attack button.

Jump Install or JI: A glitch in Guilty Gears X and an actual feature then on, jump installing can allow you to double jump and airdash in situations where you normally could not. Moves that take you off the ground and into the air usually prevent you from double jumping after an FRC or RC. By Jump Installing, you make the game engine consider you in a jumping state before you execute the move. Jump installing is usually is performed by pressing up during a Jump Cancelable move and then canceling into another normal or a special before you have a chance to jump. The Jump Install can allow for longer and more damaging combos. There are many variations on the Jump Install, such as TK Jump Installing or Super Jump Installing.

New Game Mechanics

Slashback or SB: Pressing Slash and Hard Slash while blocking creates a gold sphere that encircles around your character for 2 frames. If you block an attack during this short time frame, a gold "splash" indicates success, and block stun recovery is cut down considerably to negligible. If the gold sphere wears off before an attack strikes, you are left unable to block or attack for a short while. Often compared to a parry.

Force Break or FB: Character-specific attack using the D button that cost 25% tension, thereby placing it between special attacks and overdrive attacks. Often compared to EX attacks.

Throw Break: Occurs when two characters attempt to throw each other at the same time. A purple spark indicates a succesful throw break, pushing the two characters apart.

Slide Effect: Certain attacks cause your opponent to slide along the ground. Unlike a regular knockdown, a slide effect may last longer, does not grant Off-The-Ground damage reduction, and counts towards a combo Beat, but the distance increases. An uninterrupted slide effect ends into a regular knockdown.

Wallstick Effect: Some attacks send your opponent against the screen edge and cause them to stick to the edge (wall) for a short while. During a wallstick effect, the character is in mid-air and does not move anywhere. All options available while hit airborne are available (to wit, Psyche Burst).

"Level 6 Attack": A select few attacks have additional stun, spark, and sound effects. These attacks are colloquially referred to as "Level 6" attacks, to distinguish them from unadorned Level 5 attacks.

Basic Strategy

Rule 1: Hit them a lot.

Rule 2: Don't get hit.

I. Hitting them a lot:

Universal Anti-Air: 6P (except Testament). All characters with such a move have upper-body (above-waist) invulnerability. Variations are in the exact size and height of invulnerability, attack range, and animation timing (some are slow, some are fast). See Command Normal above.
Universial Mid/Overhead hit: 5D. All Dust Launcher attacks must be blocked high. All Dust Launchers are also very slow to connect. Some characters have extra overhead attacks (e.g. Testament 6P).
Universal Sweep: 2D (except Robo-Ky). Some characters have more than one sweep attacks.
Universal power attack: 6H (except Bridget). Often very slow and qutie often very painful. See Command Normal above.
Basic Gatling Combo: P, K, S, H, D. Generally, all characters can Gatling in this order, though not all attacks can be involved (e.g. Johnny's far Slash cannot Gatling into Hard Slash).

II. Don't get hit.

Aerial Faultless Defense: air 4 P K. FD is the only way to block a ground-to-air attack (i.e. when you are in the air and your attacking opponent is still on the ground).
Backdash: 4, 4. Backdashing grants you a short period of invulnerability, thus doubling as a dodge. The timing of backdashes and invulnerability is different for each character.
Double Jump: air 7/8/9. A late double-jump can be used as an evasive maneuver.
Air Dash: air 4, 4 (backwards) or 6, 6 (forward). Air dashing changes your trajectory and distance.

Advance Strategy

Tier List

Combined Tier list of below: (Credits to koogy and Zakuta Asura)

Rank	Characters
S	Testament, Eddie, Slayer
A	Baiken, Potemkin, Jam, May, Millia
B	Axl, A.B.A, Zappa, Robo-Ky, Order-Sol, Faust, Venom
C	Sol, Ky, Dizzy, Chipp, I-no
D	Anji, Bridget, Johnny

Other Lists

Woshige's list

Rank	Characters
S	Testament, Eddie, Baiken, Potemkin
A	Slayer, Jam, May
B	Millia, Axl, Zappa, Robo-Ky
C	Sol, Ky, Chipp, Order Sol, ABA, Faust, Venom, Dizzy, I-No
D	Bridget, Johnny, Anji

N-O's list:

Rank	Characters
S	Eddie > Testament >>> Baiken >> Slayer >>> Millia > Potemkin
A	Jam >> Axl > ABA > Faust
B	May, Robo-Ky, Zappa > Venom, Order Sol, Dizzy
C	Sol, Ky, I-No, Chipp
D	Bridget > Johnny >> Anji

Koichi's list:

Strong Characters: Eddie, Testament

Stupid Characters: Potemkin, May, Slayer, ABA, Jam

Good Characters: Baiken, Ky, Sol, Millia, Axl, Venom, Order Sol, Zappa

Lesser Characters: Faust, Chipp, Dizzy, Robo-Ky, Anji

CRAP CHARACTERS: I-No, Johnny, Bridget

Notes and References

The Characters