Master Capcom vs. SNK 2 Credits & Keys

AntMag.NET

Alright, so you've jumped into Capcom vs. SNK 2 and you're wondering what all the fuss is about with the different moves and how things are explained. This section is gonna break down the absolute basics you need to know before we really dive into the fighters themselves. Think of it as your cheat sheet for understanding the game's language.

First off, why even bother with a guide for a game that's been out for a while? Simple: because it's awesome, and there's always more to learn, especially with 48 characters and multiple 'Grooves' to play around with. We'll help you figure out who works best with what Groove, though honestly, my personal go-to's are usually C- and N-Groove. Don't be afraid to experiment though!

Quick Heads-Up: The strategies you'll find in the Match-Up sections are mostly geared towards beating the CPU. Going up against real players? You'll need to adapt, as these tactics might not hold up. I'm hoping to add some human-vs-human strategies down the line, so stay tuned!

Also, I'm not going to pretend to be a master of every single character. Sometimes I take breaks, and when I come back, I'm a bit rusty. If you're looking for super-specific advice or have questions about a character I don't cover in depth, definitely hit up forums like Shoryuken.com. A lot of the info here actually came from those communities, so big thanks to them!

Now, let's get into the nitty-gritty:

2. Keys [002]

This is your legend, your Rosetta Stone for understanding all the move notations. Memorize this, and you'll be reading move lists like a pro in no time:

Directions: u (up), f (forward), d (down), b (back), df (down-forward), db (down-back), uf (up-forward), ub (up-back)
Motion Inputs: qcf (quarter-circle forward), qcb (quarter-circle back), hcf (half-circle forward), hcb (half-circle back), 360 (full 360-degree turn), 720 (two full 360-degree turns), fdp (forward Dragon Punch motion: f, d, df), bdp (back Dragon Punch motion: b, d, db)
Buttons: LP (Light Punch), MP (Medium Punch), HP (Heavy Punch), LK (Light Kick), MK (Medium Kick), HK (Heavy Kick), PPP (all three punches), KKK (all three kicks)
Special Notations: Ch. (Charge move), (air) (move can be done in the air), (AIR) (move MUST be performed in the air)
Other Terms: CC (Custom Combo), RC (Roll Cancel), SC (Super Cancelable), JD (Just Defend)

3. Breakdown of Attacks [003]

This section helps you categorize the huge variety of moves in CvS2. Knowing what type of move you're dealing with is key to understanding its strengths and weaknesses.

Projectiles

These are your classic fireball-style attacks that can control space and hit from across the screen. If a character has one, it's usually a core part of their game plan.

Gou Hadoken (Akuma)
Messatsu Gou Hado (Akuma)
Tenma Gou Hado (Akuma)
Zanku Hadoken (Akuma)
Crystal Shoot (Athena)
Psycho Ball Attack (Athena)
Kikouken (Chun-Li)
Kikou-Shou (Chun-Li)
Gadoken (Dan)
Shinku Gadoken (Dan)
Yoga Fire (Dhalsim)
Hadoken (Evil Ryu)
Metsu Hadoken (Evil Ryu)
Double Wind Slice (Geese)
Wind Slice (Geese)
Sonic Boom (Guile)
Secret Cyclone Slash (Haohmaru)
Dark Thrust (Iori)
Hurricane Upper (Joe)
Screw Upper (Joe)
Hadoken (Ken)
Double Venom Strike (King)
Venom Strike (King)
Cross Cutter (Kyosuke)
Super Cross Cutter (Kyosuke)
Kachou Sen (Folding Fan Fandango) (Mai)
Swan's Ranpango (Mai)
Soul Fist (Morrigan)
Soul Phoenix (Morrigan)
Shichikapu Kanui Inushika (Nakoruru)
Dark Thrust (Orochi Iori)
Cyclone Sock (Rock)
Double Gust Punch (Rock)
Kaiser Wave (Rugal)
Wind Slice (Rugal)
Haoh Sho Koh Ken (Conquering Crunch) (Ryo)
Tiger Flame Punch (Ryo)
Hadoken (Ryu)
Shinku Hadoken (Ryu)
Tiger Cannon (Sagat)
Tiger Shot (Sagat)
Ground Tiger Cannon (Sagat)
Ground Tiger Shot (Sagat)
Shinku Hadoken (Sakura)
Gou Hadoken (Shin Akuma)
Messatsu Gou Hado (Shin Akuma)
Tenma Gou Hado (Shin Akuma)
Zanku Hadoken (Shin Akuma)
Power Wave (Terry)
Ultimate Ecstasy Crunch (Todo)
Kaiser Wave (Ultimate Rugal)
Wind Slice (Ultimate Rugal)
Haoh Sho Koh Ken (Conquering Crunch) (Yuri)
Rai Oh Ken (Yuri)
Tiger Flame Punch (Yuri)

Anti-Air

These moves are your bread and butter for shutting down opponents who love to jump in on you. They're usually risky if they whiff or get blocked, so timing is everything.

Messatsu Gou Shoryu (Akuma)
Psycho Sword (Athena)
Buffalo Head Butt (Balrog)
Lightning Fist (Anti-Air) (Benimaru)
Super Lightning Kick (Benimaru)
Vertical Rolling (Blanka)
Hoyoku-Sen (Chun-Li)
Kouryuken (Dan)
Kouryurekka (Dan)
Messatsu Gou Shoryu (Evil Ryu)
Shoryuken (Evil Ryu)
Somersault Kick (Guile)
Somersault Strike (Guile)
Secret Crescent Moon (Haohmaru)
Slash of Supreme Judgment (Haohmaru)
Fire Ball (Iori)
Double Cyclone Upper (Joe)
Tiger Kick (Joe)
Shinryuken (Ken)
Shoryuken (Ken)
Fire Ball (Kyo)
New Wave Smash (Kyo)
Spinning Kick (Kyo)
Lightning Upper (Kyosuke)
Shadow Out Kick (Kyosuke)
Super Lightning Upper (Kyosuke)
Super Shadow Out Kick (Kyosuke)
Carpinal Blade (Morrigan)
Shadow Blade (Morrigan)
Lela Mutsube (Nakoruru)
Fire Ball (Orochi Iori)
Rising Tackle (Rock)
Destroyer Cutter (Rugal)
Total Annihilation (Rugal)
Koho (Tiger Blast) (Ryo)
Shoryuken (Ryu)
Tiger Uppercut (Sagat)
Messatsu Gou Shoryu (Shin Akuma)
Rising Tackle (Terry)
Rising Ecstasy Crunch (Todo)
Destroyer Cutter (Ultimate Rugal)
Total Annihilation (Ultimate Rugal)
Yuri Double Upper (Yuri)
Yuri Super Upper (Yuri)
Aerial Russian Slam (Zangief)

Air

These are your aerial assaults. Great for closing distance or catching opponents off guard, but be careful – they're prime targets for anti-air attacks.