Super Street Fighter 2 Turbo/O. Guile

Introduction

Guile is a all-around balanced character. He can pressure his enemies by shielding his advances with Sonic Booms and also use them as a barrier, together with his Flash Kick, to apply chip damage while holding a defensive position. However, he has been toned down quite a bit, compared to his CPS-1 versions. His Sonic Booms have slightly projected vulnerable hitboxes, his main poke - the crouching Forward kick - has worse priority and he has lost his dangerous CPS-1 chains. Similarly to other characters, his aerial normal moves have worse priority.

Most O.Guile's normal attacks do more damage than N.Guile's, and he plays more like classic SF2 Guiles from CE and HF.

Picking Old Guile

To select O.Guile, choose Guile and then press ↑ ↓ ↓ ↓ and Jab or Fierce, pressing Short simultaneously with the punch button for the alternate color.

Normal	Secondary

--Born2SPD

Strengths

• Fastest recovering fireball in the game (21 frames), and pretty fast to come out also.
• Relatively fast walk speed.
• Versatile Moveset.
• Flash kick is a great anti air.
• Fireball is incredibly good both as a defensive, and offensive tool.
• Good range on most normals/command normals, and good damage.
• High damage combos/air throws.

Weaknesses

• Can be safejumped/crossed up fairly easily, then is left with no reversal special.
• Most normals have long recovery and/or startup.
• Struggles in situations where he cannot fireball.
• Diagonal jump normals all have horrible air to ground priority.
• Most high damage combos are not easy.
• Anti airs take practice to use effectively.
• Having a reversal that requires down charge, and lacking throw tech, can lead to problems. Dictator and Chun in particular have a lot of ways to set up guaranteed throws on old Guile.

New & Old Versions Comparison

Here is the list of differences:

• Obvious stuff: O.Guile can not tech throws and does not have a Super;
• O.Guile has some differences in some of his normals:
  • Far Standing Strong does not have an anti-air hitbox (the first part is better, but he does not has a second active part like N.Guile has) but it does more damage;
  • Crouching Strong does more damage;
  • Close Standing Fierce does more damage, and has a bigger activation range;
  • Crouching Fierce does more damage;
  • Far Standing Fierce is the back fist (N.Guile has a straight punch instead, his back fist that is now a command normal also does less damage);
  • Close Standing Forward does more damage;
  • Far Standing Forward has worse feet vulnerability during start-up (plus he does not have the command normal versions) but it does more damage;
  • Crouching Forward does more damage;
  • Both Standing Roundhouse kicks are the classic kicks from the CPS-1, while N.Guile has a mediocre anti-air one for the close version and a donkey kick as the far one;
  • Crouching Roundhouse does more damage;
  • Both Jumping Fierces do more damage;
  • Diagonal Jumping Short is not a cross-up attack;
  • Both Jumping Forwards do more damage;
  • Both Jumping Roundhouses does more damage;
• The Knee Bazooka is performed with Short instead of Forward. It also does more damage;
• The Reverse Spin Kick does more damage;

O.Guile has some benefits like the ability to do the back fist and the standing short while charging for Booms, his standing Roundhouse is a decent anti-air, plus most of his normals are more damaging, but all in all N.Guile is slightly better due to the cross-up and most of the normal moves he has gained.

Moves Analysis

Disclaimer: To better understand the diagrams, read this.

Normal Moves

Ground Normals

• Close/Far Standing Jab:

Damage	4[0]
Stun	0~5
Stun Timer	40
Chain Cancel	Yes
Special Cancel	Yes
Frame Advantage	+4
Frame Count		3	4	2	3
Simplified		1 + 3	4	5

Rapid-fire jab. Guile's arm is fully invincible, but it does not have much reach, just like other such Jabs. It is a good move. Some characters can crouch under this attack, Dhalsim, Sagat, Boxer, Gief, Hawk, Deejay, and old Fei cannot crouch it however.

• Crouching Jab:

Damage	4[0]
Stun	0~5
Stun Timer	40
Chain Cancel	Yes
Special Cancel	Yes
Frame Advantage	+4
Frame Count		3	4	5
Simplified		1 + 3	4	5

The crouching version also has rapid-fire properties, and similar priority.

In some matchups this is a useful move to apply pressure and be safe vs a reversal special. This mainly applies to Chun Li, and shotos, you want to space the cr lp so it hits from max range.

• Close Standing Strong: (Base max activation range: 40)

Damage	22[0]
Stun	5~11
Stun Timer	60
Chain Cancel	No
Special Cancel	Yes
Frame Advantage	+3
Frame Count		3	3	3	3	3	3
Simplified		1 + 3	3	12

This is not very safe if you do not cancel, and not very useful.

• Far Standing Strong:

Damage	26[1]
Stun	5~11
Stun Timer	60
Chain Cancel	No
Special Cancel	Yes
Frame Advantage	+3
Frame Count		2	2	4	3	3	3
Simplified		1 + 2	2	13

Guile performs an upper that has good reach. Unlike N.Guile's, this move does not work as anti-air, but it has faster start-up. Useful for frame traps, usually cancelling into sonic boom. Though the fireball usually cannot reach in time to actually combo.

• Crouching Strong:

Damage	22[0]
Stun	5~11
Stun Timer	60
Chain Cancel	No
Special Cancel	Yes
Frame Advantage	+6
Frame Count		3	4	4	4
Simplified		1 + 3	4	8

This has just acceptable range for a crouching Strong move. The priority is poor, so this is mostly used in combos and to punish moves such as whiffed Tatsumakis. This move hits low in mirrors, vs Deejay, vs old Sagat, and it can hit a few other characters low if done from max range.

• Close Standing Fierce: (Base max activation range: 61)

Damage	26[1]
Stun	10~16
Stun Timer	80
Chain Cancel	No
Special Cancel	Yes
Frame Advantage	-10
Frame Count		3	3	10	8	6	5
Simplified		1 + 3	3	29

All the characters that can't crouch stand jab, cannot crouch this either. Except for N.Fei, Claw, and Honda, who can crouch stand jab, but not close stand fierce. In addition to dealing more damage, this also has a bigger activation range than N.Guile, allowing you to get this from slightly further away.

• Far Standing Fierce:

Damage	26[1]
Stun	10~16
Stun Timer	80
Chain Cancel	No
Special Cancel	No
Frame Advantage	-1
Frame Count		2	3	4	5	10	8
Simplified		1 + 9			5	18

Guile's patented backfist punch. Its awesome range makes this Guile's best punish normal move. It can used at anti air at certain ranges, but mostly to punish projectile recovery after you canceled the projectile itself with a Sonic Boom and the opponent is left open. This move has relatively low priority and can by punished if whiffed.

• Crouching Fierce:

Damage	26[1]
Stun	10~16
Stun Timer	80
Chain Cancel	No
Special Cancel	No
Frame Advantage	-4 / +0
Frame Count		2	3	4	12	9	1
Simplified		1 + 5		16		10

The main anti air to use when being jumped on and you aren't charged for a flash kick. This takes training to time: you want it to trade if the enemy attacks the right time. It can also be used as a feint, tricking the enemy into thinking you stood up and lost charge.

• Close/Far Standing Short:

Damage	12[0]
Stun	0~5
Stun Timer	40
Chain Cancel	Yes
Special Cancel	Yes*
Frame Advantage	+3
Frame Count		2	2	4	3	3
Simplified		1 + 4		4	6

Low kick with awesome reach and priority, just poor damage. O.Guile has an advantage over N.Guile related to this move, which is being able to throw it without losing back charge.

• Crouching Short:

Damage	14[0]
Stun	0~5
Stun Timer	40
Chain Cancel	Yes
Special Cancel	No
Frame Advantage	+3
Frame Count		3	3	4	3	3
Simplified		1 + 6		4	6

This move combos into itself. A fast attack to push a close opponent away to ideal c.Forward range. The priority is horrible and the start-up is long for a Short, so this is mainly used as a feint or in combos or block strings.

• Close Standing Forward: (Base max activation range: 38)

Damage	24[0]
Stun	5~11
Stun Timer	60
Chain Cancel	No
Special Cancel	No
Frame Advantage	+8
Frame Count		3	3	4	3	3
Simplified		1 + 6		4	6

Pretty much solely used as an anti air when the opponent is above you. Useful vs shotos to stuff jump fierce and other air normals. This has a lot of frame advantage, which allows you to link things like cr mp after it lands, and close fierce on some characters. Though this is not useful aside from styling when getting a KO.

• Far Standing Forward:

Damage	24[0]
Stun	5~11
Stun Timer	60
Chain Cancel	No
Special Cancel	No
Frame Advantage	+0
Frame Count		2	2	2	3	5	4	3	2	2	2
Simplified		1 + 9				5	13

Sobat kick. Good priority, may avoid low normals, but cannot be steered like N.Guile's.

• Crouching Forward:

Damage	24[0]
Stun	5~11
Stun Timer	60
Chain Cancel	No
Special Cancel	No
Frame Advantage	+5
Frame Count		3	4	5	4	4
Simplified		1 + 7		5	8

Guile's main poke. It has a very good range, but poor priority. The key to using this attack well is not using it all the time, but positioning yourself so that it will hit or control space when the enemy is not throwing his pokes, which often beat Guile's.

• Close Standing Roundhouse: (Base max activation range: 40)

Damage	28[1]
Stun	10~16
Stun Timer	80
Chain Cancel	No
Special Cancel	No
Frame Advantage	+9
Frame Count		3	4	4	9
Simplified		1 + 7		4	9

High side kick. It has good recovery, but poor priority.

• Far Standing Roundhouse:

Damage	28[1]
Stun	10~16
Stun Timer	80
Chain Cancel	No
Special Cancel	No
Frame Advantage	-7
Frame Count		4	4	5	6	8	9	1
Simplified		1 + 8		5	24

High roundhouse kick that works very well as a trade anti-air. Due to its poor priority, you are not likely to hit cleanly if the enemy sticks out an attack, but it is good enough to have them land on a Sonic Boom, if you maintain a back charge. It can be used if the enemy is not on top of you, when you would need a crouching Fierce instead, assuming no down charge for a Flash Kick.

• Crouching Roundhouse:

Damage	28[1]
Stun	5~11
Stun Timer	130
Chain Cancel	No
Special Cancel	No
Frame Advantage	-26 / +7
Frame Count		3	4	5	4	6	8	6	4
Simplified		1 + 7		5	28

Frame Count	5	4	6
Simplified	5	10

Used as an anti air at a certain range. The second active part of the move has very good range, which can be used to control space in specific situations, such as on the enemy's wake-up or after forcing him to block a Sonic Boom, with noticeable frame advantage. However, while it has good priority, there is enough time to react with Shoryukens, Dos Koi headbutts and other moves.

Aerial normals

• Neutral Jumping Jab:

Damage	12[0]
Stun	1~7(-2)
Stun Timer	40
Frame Count		3	4	∞
Simplified		7		∞

Pretty much only useful for the occasional safejump. One good property of this move is that it stays active throughout the whole jump.

• Diagonal Jumping Jab:

Damage	12[0]
Stun	1~7(-2)
Stun Timer	40
Frame Count		3	4	24	4	∞
Simplified		7		24	∞

Weird hitbox, decent for punishing fireballs when jumping from really far away, particularly vs sim and sagat. Does not stay active long enough to last the whole jump.

• Neutral Jumping Strong:

Damage	22[0]
Stun	5~11
Stun Timer	50(+10)
Frame Count		3	4	20	4	∞
Simplified		7		20	∞

Same startup as neutral jump fierce but more active frames, and less priority and reach. Decent despite this, but neutral jump fierce is usually preferred.

• Diagonal Jumping Strong:

Damage	22[0]
Stun	5~11
Stun Timer	50(+10)
Frame Count		3	4	20	4	∞
Simplified		7		20	∞

Usually diagonal jump fierce is preferred for the better priority, but this has more active frames, and is still pretty good nonetheless.

• Neutral Jumping Fierce:

Damage	26[0]
Stun	11~17(-1)
Stun Timer	60(+20)
Frame Count		3	4	8	4	∞
Simplified		7		8	∞

Guile punches down while in the air. This move has short reach, but good priority.

• Diagonal Jumping Fierce:

Damage	26[1]
Stun	3~9
Stun Timer	40
Frame Count		3	4	8	4	∞
Simplified		7		8	∞

A good air to air move. Can be used as anti-air with good reactions or to mix-up moves. Also used when jumping backwards to counter Dictator's stomps or Claw's wall dives.

• Neutral Jumping Short:

Damage	14[0]
Stun	1~7(-2)
Stun Timer	40
Frame Count		3	4	∞
Simplified		7		∞

For what it's worth this move is nothing special. Pretty much exclusively used for safejumps, and it stays active the whole jump to make this easier. Never use this when jumping a fireball as Guile gets a bigger hurtbox during startup.

• Diagonal Jumping Short:

Damage	14[0]
Stun	1~7(-2)
Stun Timer	40
Frame Count		3	4	∞
Simplified		7		∞

Unlike N.Guile, this move cannot be used as a crossup, which really limits its use, as the priority is pretty bad. Ok for safejumps still, stays active until he lands.

• Neutral Jumping Forward:

Damage	24[0]
Stun	5~11
Stun Timer	50(+10)
Frame Count		1	2	2	3	5	4	3	∞
Simplified		8				5	∞

Decent air to air, mainly used as an anti air vs Blanka.

• Diagonal Jumping Forward:

Damage	24[0]
Stun	5~11
Stun Timer	50(+10)
Frame Count		3	4	20	4	∞
Simplified		7		20	∞

A good jump move with acceptable range and priority. It stays active for quite some time, which is good or control space while airborne.

• Neutral Jumping Roundhouse:

Damage	28[0]
Stun	11~17(-1)
Stun Timer	60(+20)
Frame Count		2	4	5	4	4	∞
Simplified		6		5	∞

The same as diagonal jump roundhouse. Doubles as an air throw command like all other medium/heavy air normals. Both versions of jumping roundhouse are sometimes favoured over fierce since roundhouse does more dizzy, usually resulting in a dizzy combo ending in flash kick. Jumping roundhouse can hit the following characters standing if done quickly : Boxer, Sagat, Hawk, Gief, Claw, DJ.

• Diagonal Jumping Roundhouse:

Damage	28[1]
Stun	11~17(-1)
Stun Timer	60(+20)
Frame Count		2	4	5	4	4	∞
Simplified		6		5	∞

A jump-in move with very good range, but poor priority. It is very useful to hit extended limbs due to long recovery projectiles such as Hadoukens or Tigers. It can also be used as a punishing tool while the enemy is in the air after Shoryukens, Condor Dives and jumps in general. If you get lucky or time it well and the enemy is close enough, it will become Guile's most damaging throw: the Flying Buster Drop a.k.a. the back-breaker.

Command Normals

• Knee Bazooka: (On ground, ←/↖/↑/↗/→ + Forward)

Damage	24[0]
Stun	5~11
Stun Timer	60
Frame Advantage	-8
Frame Count		1	2	2	5	14	7
Simplified		1 + 5			5	21

Allows you to advance while charging a Sonic Boom, also useful to punish low tiger recovery.

• Reverse Spin Kick: (On ground and close, ←/↖/↑/↗/→ + Roundhouse. Base max activation range: 71)

Damage	30[1]
Stun	1~7
Stun Timer	70
Frame Advantage	+0
Frame Count		3	3	2	3	4	6
Simplified		1 + 15					6

Frame Count	4	3	3	3	3
Simplified	16

Guile performs an upside-down version of his crouching kick. This is a command normal, but it also demands you to be close enough to the opponent, so you can not take advantage of the reach. It is very good to trick the enemy into throwing a crouching move and punishing it by prediction, though.

Throws

O.Guile can throw using Strong and Fierce. If in air, he can throw with Forward and Roundhouse too. The direction of the joystick determines the direction the enemy gets thrown at. All his ground throws have the same range and do 32 points of damage (plus two more if behind in rounds).

• Ground Throws Throwboxes:

Damage		32
Stun		7~13
Stun Timer		100
Range	(from axis)	48
(from throwable box)		18

• Judo Throw: (←/↖/↑/↗/→ + Strong)

Guile's shoulder throw, leaves them further away than the dragon suplex, but if they tech the distance is not much. Useful if you want to throw them far away, especially vs old characters that cannot tech.

• Dragon Suplex: (←/↖/↑/↗/→ + Fierce)

The suplex throw, leaves them not too far away, and Guile recovers quickly.

• Flying Mare: (Min activation height: 32/48 upwards/downwards, ←/↖/↙/↓/↘/↗/→ + Strong/Fierce)

Damage		34
Stun		7~13
Stun Timer		100
Range	(from axis)	54
(from throwable box)		24

Grabs opponents slightly above airborne Guile. Useful vs buttslams, can be used a reactionary anti air in some matchups, the damage is pretty high, so if you get his on accident vs a walldive or something, it's often more than welcome.

• Flying Buster Drop: (Min activation height: 32/48 upwards/downwards, ↖/←/↙/↓/↘/→/↗ + Forward/Roundhouse)

Damage		46
Stun		7~13
Stun Timer		100
Range	(from axis)	54
(from throwable box)		24

Grabs opponents slightly below airborne Guile. Does insane damage when not teched. Basically this can kill if they have a little less than half life remaining. This move can be ok for punishing whiffed srks, flash kicks, up kicks from Chun etc. Though they can always tech, so only fully favoured if they are in range to be ko'd by this.

Special Moves

• Sonic Boom: (Charge ←, → P)

Detailed Input: (Charge ←/↙/↖ for at least 60f, [7~14f] → [11/9/7f] Jab/Strong/Fierce. It is needed to wait at least 1 frame after leaving the charge direction to enter with the P button)

• Startup:

Frame Count	2	2	2	2	1
Simplified	9

• Active:
• Jab Version:

Damage	17[1]					ST Old / HSF2	SSF2
Stun	5~11
Stun Timer	100
Frame Count		1	1	1	1	1...
Simplified		21

• Strong Version:

Damage	18[1]					ST Old / HSF2	SSF2
Stun	5~11
Stun Timer	100
Frame Count		1	1	1	1	1...
Simplified		21

• Fierce Version:

Damage	20[1]					ST Old / HSF2	SSF2
Stun	5~11
Stun Timer	100
Frame Count		1	1	1	1	1...
Simplified		21

O.Guile's projectile. The punch strength determines the projectile's speed and damage, Jab being the slowest/weakest and Fierce the fastest/strongest. This move recovers quickly, giving Guile time to walk up to apply pressure or punish jump-ins or long recovery moves. You can use ↙ so as to charge both Sonic Booms and Flash Kicks at the same time.
Also note that this move differs from SSF2. On ST, the projectile hitbox was decreased by 4px downwards. This was probably done to allow Blanka to slide under it. Unfortunatelly, it also affected O.Guile as well, even though it shouldn't, since Old characters are supposed to be like they were on SSF2. The reason for that is a technical one: on ST the projectile data is shared between New and Old characters, so when Capcom decided to nerf N.Guile's Booms, it inevitably nerfed O.Guile's too. This change is also responsible for Dhalsim's Crouching Punches being so safe agaisnt Guile.

• Somersault Kick a.k.a. Flash Kick: (Charge ↓, ↑ K)

Detailed Input: (Charge ↓/↙/↘ for 60f, [7~14f] ↑/↖/↗ [11/9/7/2f] Short/Forward/Roundhouse/any K if you are at a jumpable state. It is needed to wait at least 1 frame after leaving the charge direction to enter with the K button)

• Startup:

Frame Count (Short)	1	2	2
Frame Count (Forward)	2	2	1
Frame Count (Rh)	3	1	1
Simplified	5

• Active:

	Short	Forward	Rh		Short	Forward & Rh
Damage	32[0] / 22[0] / 22[0] 22[0] / 22[0]	32[1] / 22[1] / 22[1] 22[1] / 22[1]	32[2] / 22[2] / 22[2] 22[1] / 22[2]
Stun	7~13
Stun Timer	100
Frame Count (Short)				4	1		1	1	2
Frame Count (Forward)				3	1		1	1	3
Frame Count (Rh)				2	1		1	1	4
Simplified				9

NOTE: On the last active frame, Guile has a hurtbox of the exact same size of the hitbox which is placed exactly at the same coordinates, so don't be fooled by its looks, the move has very poor priority on that exact moment.

• Recovery:

Frame Count (Short)	2	2	25	5
Simplified (Short)	34
Frame Count (Forward)	4	4	28	7
Simplified (Forward)	43
Frame Count (Rh)	5	5	31	8
Simplified (Rh)	49

O.Guile becomes invulnerable for a split second, performing an acrobatic aerial kick that has good range and causes a full knockdown, however leaving himself vulnerable during a long recovery. The kick version determines how high the move hits and how much longer the recovery is, but the damage are almost the same. Short gives the fastest recovery while Roundhouse makes Guile jump higher, however yielding a longer recovery. It is recommended that one charges with ↙ so as to have a Sonic Boom available, if needed.

Misc Animations

Jump Animations

• Neutral Jump:

Frame Count	2	1	10	6	7	10	7	6	2	1	7*
Simplified	2	1	48							1	7*

• Back Jump:

Frame Count	2	1	4	5	6	6	6	5	16	1	7*
Simplified	2	1	48							1	7*

• Forward Jump:

Frame Count	2	1	4	5	6	6	6	5	15	1	7*
Simplified	2	1	47							1	7*

Guile has a considerably fast prejump. This is not bad as he has the "longest" real jump in the game, as he stays in the air for a while. Dhalsim has the actual longest jump, but he can use drills to get down quickly. In theory there might be times where characters with better throw range, or command grabs tick you, and you have no flash kick available. This could be an ok option to try if their timing is not on point, but since you have 2 frames of vulnerabilty, it's not reliable vs a good player.

The landing recovery has a special property which allows it to be canceled into certain actions. At the first landing frame, you can perform throws (including command throws), and on the second landing frame, you can start another jump, attack with a normal or special move, or block. Blocking not being until the second landing frame, as well as hitbox-hurtbox interactions having priority over throwbox-throw hurtbox is why sweeps work as anti airs in this game.
Things are different when jumping over your opponent, however. In that situation it's possible to walk back/forward, to jump again or to even block on the first landing frame! Strangely, if a throw is timed on the first landing frame of a jump that crosses over, a throwbox will never come out, even though that input will result in a normal coming out 2 frames later (like it normally would). Anyway, being able to block on the first landing frame can help a little bit on some safe jump crossup setups, or maybe in other situations as well if your character has a huge jump arc.

The Basics

Guile needs just about a second (60 frames) to charge his moves. This allows him to keep a constant wave of Sonic Booms coming, controling the space in front of him, while leaving himself vulnerable for little time, as the Sonic Boom is the fastest recovery projectile move in the game. His long range pokes allow him to punish mistakes and apply pressure of he decides to follow the Sonic Booms.

Guile wants to force characters without a projectile to jump or otherwise use some longer recovery move to avoid his Sonic Booms, then punish accordingly. Against motion projectile characters, Guile wants to take advantage of his fast charge time to throw as many Booms as possible, forcing the motion character to either throw too many projectiles as a counter, leaving themselves vulnerable for prediction attacks such as a jump-in, or throwing a projectile too late, getting punished by the reviled backfist punch or the knee bazooka (in case of Sagat's Low Tigers).

Even though Guile's Sonic Boom recovers fast, it has been given vulnerable hitboxes in front of the move. Also, most often he will not have a charge ready for the Flash Kick if the enemy jumps as you throw one. Finally, some moves such as Ryu's Tatsu can punish Guile for using a Sonic Boom, if close enough or as a prediction. As a result, Guile must feint while throwing projectiles, tricking the enemy into jumping over no Sonic Booms (eating a Flash Kick) or staying on the ground, getting pushed by the wave of Sonic Booms while accepting chip damage. Guile can feint or disturb his enemy by throwing different fast pokes while crouching, such as Jabs and Shorts, and using a cr.Fierce punch, which makes it look like Guile is on neutral position, apparently losing his vertical charge.

Advanced Strategy