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The Birdie Really Sucks Mini-FAQ v0.1
for the PSX version of Street Fighter Zero 3
by Chris MacDonald
Unpublished work Copyright 1999-2001 Chris MacDonald
This document is protected by US Copyright Law, and the Berne Copyright
Convention of 1976. It is for private and personal use only--it cannot
be reprinted in part or in whole, or reproduced in any way or in any
form (written or otherwise). It is a free document that cannot be used
in any sort of commercial transaction, including selling it or giving
it away as a gift. This FAQ cannot be referenced, altered, or used by
anybody (including webmasters, publishers, and magazine staff) without
my express written permission. This FAQ was created and is owned by
me, Chris MacDonald <kmegura (at) yahoo (dot) com>. It can be found
exclusively at (www.GameFAQs.com). All copyrights and trademarks are
acknowledged and respected that are not specifically mentioned herein.
I expressly forbid the following publishers/publications from using this
FAQ, namely: Ziff-Davis Video Game Group (publishers of Expert Gamer),
Future Publishing, Ltd. (publishers of PlayStation Power, Official UK
PlayStation Magazine, etc.), IDG Media, Game 13th Magazine, Brady Games,
and Prima Games. Remember, plagiarism is a crime and is punishable by
law.
The Street Fighter game series and the Final Fight series are (c)
Capcom of Japan and (c) Capcom of America.
There's no reason why you couldn't use this FAQ for the US version of PSX
SFA3, or for the arcade version of SFA3, but most of the info. in this
file was tested / confirmed on the PSX version of SFZ3. Some of it may
not apply to other versions. I've had no experience with the Dreamcast
port of SFZ3, so I can't really comment on that.
Please note that this FAQ has no info. in it on Original Combos /
Variable Combos. I suck at those, and I'm not afraid to say it. If I
could pull off a half-decent one, you can be sure that it would be in
here. David Antoine has written a spiffy Birdie FAQ that can be found
at <
http://members.tripod.com/davidja>, or at www.gamefaqs.com. In
addition to being a great all-around FAQ, it also has some OC / VC
info. in it that you should check out if you're looking for V-ISM
combos.
=======================================================
YOU TOO CAN LEARN TO LOSE WITH BIRDIE IN 12 EASY STEPS!
=======================================================
1. Want to get a losing streak? It's time to play with Birdie!
2. Basic abilities that save Birdie from being totally useless
3. Learn how to lose with Birdie really fast: a short moves list
4. No matter how you play, Birdie is still lame: ISMS and Modes
5. How to leave yourself open to attack--Birdie's punches and kicks
6. Birdie's special moves, which hurt him more than his enemies
7. Like to make your challenger laugh? Try Birdie's Super Combos
8. Zero Counters, the only moves weaker than Birdie himself
9. A laughably short list of combos for Birdie
10. Attempting to win with Birdie
11. Random tidbits about the world's worst grappler
12. Special thanks to the people brave enough to actually use this guy
=========================================================================
1. WANT TO GET A LOSING STREAK? IT'S TIME TO PLAY WITH BIRDIE!
=========================================================================
Being a fanatic Saikyo-ryuu disciple, I have to start off this FAQ with
a Dan reference. So here it is; everyone knows that Dan is joke. The
cocky attitude, the bad taste in clothing, the taunts. We all know it.
The sad thing is that Birdie is a serious character, who means business.
And he bites, big time. Put the two side by side and Dan looks like a
very ticked-off and cheap Shin Bison when compared to Birdie.
So why use a guy who sucks? Whom Capcom carefully tweaked in each SF
game to make him weaker than before? Easy! Because beating someone
with Birdie is about a thousand times more exciting than winning with
an overpowered shoto-clone! Because Blanka and Rainbow Mika actually
pose a threat to you when you're using Birdie! Because when you take
away the knife and chains from the two of them, Birdie's just slow and
pathetic, while Cody could still kick your ass! And mainly because
you know that no matter how badly you play, you could be doing worse--
you could be using T. Hawk!
Yes, these are the true joys of mastering this mohawked marauder! So,
without further ado, let's find out about everybody's favorite loser!
------------------------------------------------------------------------
FAQ NOTATION
------------------------------------------------------------------------
This section outlines the basic controls for all characters:
(controller directions and results)
ub u uf Jump Up-Back Jump Up Jump Up-Forward
\ | /
b -- n -- f Walk Back / Block Neutral Walk Forward
/ | \
db d df Crouch / Low Block Crouch Offensive Crouch
(button layout and effect)
LP MP HP Light Punch Medium Punch Hard Punch
LK MK HK Light Kick Medium Kick Hard Kick
(FAQ abbreviations)
qcf / qcb - Press (d,df,f) or (d,db,b) on the control pad.
hcf / hcb - Press (b,db,d,df,f) or (f,df,d,db,b) on the control pad.
Rotate 360 - Rotate the control pad in a complete circle. You can
start and end the circle at any point (i.e. start at uf
and end at uf, or b to b, etc.) The shorthand motion for
this is f,df,d,db,b,ub or the reverse.
Rotate 720 - Perform the 360 motion twice (two full rotations).
PP / PPP - Press any two / all three Punch buttons.
KK / KKK - Press any two / all three Kick buttons.
(air) - The move can be performed while on the ground, or while
in the air (during a jump or after an air recovery).
x~x - All possible ranges are allowed (for example, ub through
uf, or MK through HP).
xzv / XZV - You can cancel the move into a special in the listed
ISM (lowercase), or into a Super Combo (uppercase).
xzv1 - The attack is only interruptable on the first hit.
xzvB - The attack is interruptable on both hits.
ZC / AC - Zero Counter (in SFZ) / Alpha Counter (in SFA)
OC / CC - Original Combo (in SFZ) / Custom Combo (in SFA)
(also known as Variable Combos or just V-ISM Combos)
SC - Super Combo
=========================================================================
2. BASIC ABILITIES THAT SAVE BIRDIE FROM BEING TOTALLY USELESS
=========================================================================
Listed below basic commands that every character (not just Birdie) can
use. The numbers indicate that there are more in-depth notes for that
ability written after the list:
1. Standing Block Hold b when attacked
1. Crouching Block Hold db when attacked
2. Mid-Air Block Hold b / db when attacked while in air
3. GP Protection Block Block an attack just before it hits
4. Zero Counter Block, f + same P + K (not in X-ISM)
5. Air Recoveries ...(see below)
...Neutral Breakfall Press PP when knocked into the air
...Front Breakfall Press f + PP when knocked into the air
...Back Breakfall Press b + PP when knocked into the air
6. Ground Recovery Press KK when knocked to the floor
6. Roll Behind Recovery Hold f during Ground Recovery
7. Original Combo Press same strength P + K in V-ISM
8. Taunt Press (b / f) + Select
Throw b / f + PP / KK when close
Air Throw Any dir. but d / u + PP when close in air
9. Tech. Hit (Throw Escape) Perform a throw as you are thrown (air)
10. Counter Hit Hit someone while they make an attack
11. Guard Crush Make your foe block attacks repeatedly
12. Dizzy Hit your opponent repeatedly
12. Dizzy Recovery Tap P / K and wiggle pad when dizzy
13. Hold Damage Increase As above, but use when you perform a hold
13. Hold Damage Decrease As above, but use when you're in a hold
14. Damage Reduction Press in any dir. + P / K when you are
14. ...(cont'd) damaged (repeat during multi-hit moves)
NOTES:
1. You take no damage when blocking normal moves, and minor damage
when blocking special moves, super combos, and their ilk.
2. Not all attacks can be air-blocked. Generally speaking, you can
air-block projectiles, any attack your opponent does in mid-air (or
an attack that takes them off the ground, like Ryu or Ken's
Hurricane Kick). You can't block attacks performed on the ground,
though.
3. When you use the Guard Power (GP) Protection Block, you perform a
normal block (standing / crouching / mid-air), but you don't lose
any power from your GP gauge for the _first block_. So if you're
hit by a multi-hit move, as long as you remain blocking,
successive hits drain the normal amount of GP energy from your
gauge. You'll know if you pulled off a GP block since you'll
flash blue.
4. Using a Zero Counter costs 1 Level of SC power (in Z-ISM), or 50%
of your OC gauge (in V-ISM). This is in addition to losing 1 block
of Guard Power from your GP gauge, which is permanently removed for
the rest of the round (for either ISM). Obviously this means that
you can't use a Zero Counter when your GP gauge reads "Danger".
5. When you use an air recovery, you flash (like a Dan wannabe). For
that moment that you flash, you're totally invincible. Once the
flash ends, you are vulnerable to attack (but you can block or
attack while still in air).
6. You can be attacked while rolling during either Ground Recovery.
7. Using an Original Combo costs at least 50% of your OC gauge to
initiate. Afterwards, the gauge begins emptying, and when it
reaches zero percent, the OC ends. OCs also end if you are hit,
or if the round ends. Note that you cannot block during an OC.
For more info, please read the section on Original Combos.
8. While taunting, you cannot move or block. Birdie's Select taunt
(no direction input) can hit for 1 point of damage, whether it is
blocked or not. Yes, you can kill someone with this. The other
two taunts (b / f + Select) do no damage.
9. Escaping from a throw (Tech Hitting) must be done just as you are
grabbed--the window of time in which to input (b / f + PP / KK)
is very short. When you escape a throw, you always land on your
feet, and you take no damage. Only command throws (b / f + PP
/ KK) or air throws (any direction but d / u + PP / KK) can be
escaped from; special throws like Birdie's Bandit Chain are
inescapable.
10. Counter Hits only occur when you hit someone for damage while they
are starting, in the midst of, or finishing an attack. For
example, jumping over Ryu's fireball and kicking him in the face
would net you a Counter Hit; hitting him while he was crouching
would not. This only applies to attacks; you can't Counter Hit
someone out of moves like the Shiraha Catch, Vega Warp, or
Zenpou Tenshin, since they can't cause damage (or in the case of
the Shiraha Catch, they don't normally cause damage). If you
Counter Hit someone, the damage of your attack increases (usually
by only 1-2 points). If they end up in the air, they can be
juggled (although they can air recover).
11. Every time you block an attack, your Guard Power Gauge decreases
somewhat. Once it completely empties, you are stunned and are
vulnerable for half a second. Afterwards, your GP Gauge refills,
but it will be one block shorter, making it easier for you to get
GC'd again. However, when not blocking, your GP Gauge slowly
refills, and if you block repeated attacks in a short period of
time, each attack does less and less guard damage per blocked hit.
For example, if you block a crouching MP, then block another one
a few seconds later, you take more GC damage than if you blocked
three crouching MPs done one after another.
12. If you are hit repeatedly with attacks, you will become dizzied.
Stronger attacks contribute more to dizzying than weak attacks.
If you are almost dizzied, but then there is a long period of
time before you're damaged again, your invisible "dizzy meter"
will have reset. When dizzied, you are unable to move and are
vulernable to attack. You can lessen dizzy time by tapping the
controller rapidly and mashing the P and K buttons.
13. When you are performing a hold-type throw (like the Bull Spike)
on your opponent, you can increase the number of hits and damage
by tapping the controller rapidly and mashing the buttons (the
same method you use to recovery from dizzies faster). This also
makes it harder for your opponent to get out of a hold, because
they can also mash the controller and buttons to try and get out
of the hold. In fact, this is one of the downfalls of hold
throws--even if your opponent fails to Tech Hit out of it, they
can mash the buttons to try and prevent you from doing added
damage.
14. Damage reduction is done by mashing the buttons--the same command
mentioned above for escaping from holds and lessening dizzy time.
It has two features; when done while you're getting hit, you'll
flash red and take less damage per hit (this works best against
multi-hit moves). Furthermore, if you were making an attack and
got hit, using damage reduction the moment you are hit will cause
you to continue your attack. You still take damage, but it has
been reduced, and you will still hit your foe if they were in
range. This only works for single-hit attacks, though.
=========================================================================
3. LEARN HOW TO LOSE WITH BIRDIE REALLY FAST: A SHORT MOVES LIST
=========================================================================
These moves are covered in more detail in sections 6 and 7. They are
listed in this order: command throws, special moves, command attacks,
and Super Combos.
Bull Spike When close, press b / f + PP
Bad Throw When close, press b / f + KK
Bad Scrap In air, any direction but d / u + PP when close
Bull Head Charge b,f + P
Bull Horn Hold PP / KK, then release
Murderer Chain When close, rotate 360 degrees + P
Bandit Chain When close, rotate 360 degrees + K
Birdie Lift Press HP when close (or just b + HP in V-ISM)
Bad Hammer Press u after both hits of the Birdie Lift
Body Slam In air, d + HP
Bull Drop Press f + HK
The Birdie Charge b,f,b,f + P
Bull Revenger qcf,d,df + P / K (not available in Z-ISM)
=========================================================================
4. NO MATTER HOW YOU PLAY, BIRDIE STILL SUCKS: ISMS AND MODES
=========================================================================
------------------------------------------------------------------------
THE ISMS
------------------------------------------------------------------------
In Street Fighter Zero 3, there are three different ISMs you can choose
from, and the ISM you select affects the way your character plays.
Shown below is a chart illustrating the differences between each ISM:
------------------------------------------------------------------------
ABILITIES X-ISM Z-ISM V-ISM
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Air Blocking No Yes Yes
Air Recovery Yes Yes Yes
Ground Recovery No Yes Yes
Taunts Only Dan Yes Yes
Guard Power Rating High Varies Varies
SC/OC Gauge Speed Slow Normal Fast
Levels Available 1 3 2 (50% / 100%)
Zero Counter Cost n/a 1 SC + 1 GP 50% OC + 1 GP
Damage Rating x1.2* x1.0 x0.8
Defense Rating x0.8 x1.0 x1.0
* This is excluding Super Combos. An X-ISM Super Combo does the same
damage as a Level 3 Z-ISM Super Combo (if they are the same SC; so
obviously Dhalsim and Cody are excluded). However, using a hidden
Mode (see below) will affect all damage inflicted, including SC
damage). Why SCs would not get a damage increase makes no sense
to me, but that's Capcom for ya.
Birdie is very versatile in X-ISM and Z-ISM; in X-ISM, your main
advantages are the Bad Hammer (hey, it's free damage), the ability to
do extra damage, and a really big Guard Power Gauge. Then again, you
get the Bull Revenger and multiple Super Combo levels in Z-ISM, which
is very handy since it's hard for Birdie to build up his SC gauge.
I tend to use Z-ISM more, but that's just me. I've never been of the
opinion that V-ISM Birdie is useful, since his Original Combos bite
when compared to other characters, and he's so slow that it's easy to
hit him out of one once it's activated. However, that doesn't mean
that you can't play a good V-Birdie. It's really up to your personal
preference. If I could pull off any of his OCs consistently, I'd
probably use him, too ;)
------------------------------------------------------------------------
HIDDEN MODES
------------------------------------------------------------------------
There are also hidden Modes available; these also change the way your
character plays. To unlock these modes in SFZ3 for the PlayStation,
you have to let 5 hours pass (by then all 3 are available), or beat
the game once.
For the arcade version of SFA3, once the title screen is purple-hued,
you can use all 3 modes. You can choose Classical Mode by holding
HP + HK at the title screen, then pressing Start to begin your game.
Likewise, you can pick Mazi Mode by using MP + MK instead, or Saikyo
Mode by using LP + LK. Note that in the arcade version of SFA3, the
Saikyo Mode has lots of glitches in it.
Here's a list explaining the hidden Mode differences:
------------------------------------------------------------------------
CLASSICAL MODE
------------------------------------------------------------------------
This functions exactly like X-ISM except for the following changes:
- No air blocking. - No SC or OC gauge!
- No air recovery. - No Alpha Counters.
- No ground recovery. - No Guard Power Gauge.
- No taunts (except for Dan). - No "missed throw" animation.
In addition, you character cannot be juggled around as much (which is
why you have no air recovery, since it's not needed). Having no GP
gauge is a huge plus since you cannot get Guard Crushed. Note that
the "no missed throw animation" only applies to command throws, not
special throws like the Murderer Chain or Bull Revenger.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
MAZI MODE (Serious Mode)
------------------------------------------------------------------------
In addition to the normal restrictions / benefits of whatever ISM you
choose, picking Mazi Mode results in the following changes:
- Your attacks inflicted much greater damage (using X-ISM or V-ISM
will further raise or lower your damage capability, too).
- However, you take around double damage from your opponent.
- You only need to lose one round to lose the match, although you
must win two rounds to proceed (so your enemy has a big advantage).
------------------------------------------------------------------------
SAIKYOU MODE (Strongest Mode)
------------------------------------------------------------------------
In addition to the normal restrictions / benefits of whatever ISM you
choose, picking Saikyou Mode results in the following changes:
- Your attacks inflict slightly less damage than normal (using X-ISM
or V-ISM will further raise or lower your damage capability, too).
- Your Guard Power Gauge is extremely short, making it easier for you
to be Guard Crushed (this is also affected by ISM-related GC Gauge
changes...a V-ISM Saikyou user has a really small GC Gauge!)
- You cannot interrupt normal moves into special moves or Super Combos
(so no two-in-ones or combos!).
- It's twice as easy for you to get dizzied.
I generally don't use Modes when playing with Birdie. Classical is
not that useful since Birdie already has a big GC meter anyway, so you
don't have to worry about getting Guard Crushed as much as you would
with other characters. Since it's easy to punish Birdie if he messes
up an attack, Mazi is not very handy either. And Saikyou mode just
plain sucks (unless you're fearless like Dan)!
=========================================================================
5. HOW TO LEAVE YOURSELF OPEN TO ATTACK--BIRDIE'S PUNCHES AND KICKS
=========================================================================
(All damage scores were determined in a vs. Z-ISM Cody match, since
Cody takes average damage. If you're fighting characters like Ryu or
Zangief, your attacks will do less damage. If you're fighting weaker
enemies like Juni or Balrog, they'll do more damage.)
This section lists each of Birdie's attacks, how to perform them, how
much damage they inflict, what they look like, and my spin on how
useful they are:
------------------------------------------------------------------------
LIGHT PUNCH (press LP)
------------------------------------------------------------------------
STANDING LP: BIRDIE BLOW (1 hit, 7 damage points)
Birdie jabs with his left fist. This move doesn't have much range,
but comes out quickly, and it can be comboed. Note that this move
won't hit crouching opponents. I always use the crouching LP instead
of this one, it's just too easy for your foe to duck under it.
CROUCHING LP: BIRDIE PUNCH (1 hit, 6 damage points)
Birdie jabs with his left fist while crouching. This move is quick
(for Birdie) and has a good range. It can be comboed. Works well
for pressure tactics.
JUMPING LP: BIRDIE KNUCKLE (1 hit, 7 damage points)
Birdie punches diagonally down-forward with his left fist. This move
lasts longer than the jumping Medium Punch, but it does less damage.
Okay for knocking people out of attacks, but doesn't work that well
as a jump-in attack since the priority isn't high, and the range is
pretty bad.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
MEDIUM PUNCH (press MP)
------------------------------------------------------------------------
STANDING MP: BIRDIE STRAIGHT (1 hit, 14 damage points)
Birdie delivers a straight punch with his right fist. This move
comes out slower than the standing Light Punch, but it has slightly
more range. It can be comboed. Note that this move won't always
hit crouching opponents (see "Stuff to Watch Out For" at the end of
this section). Again, I tend to use the crouching version more.
CROUCHING MP: BIRDIE STRAIGHT (1 hit, 13 damage points)
Like the Standing version, but done while crouching. This move is
good for doing GC damage (better than the crouching MK). This punch
also happens to be a great anti-air move that will out-prioritize
just about any air attack. It can be comboed, too, which should be
one of it's main uses.
JUMPING MP: BIRDIE KNUCKLE (1 hit, 13 damage points)
Looks just like his jumping Light Punch. This move comes out slower
than the jumping Light Punch and doesn't last as long, but has higher
priority and does more damage. Like the Light Punch, the range is
pretty bad, but it's an okay jump-in.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
HARD PUNCH (press HP)
(b + HP in V-ISM for the "close standing" version)
------------------------------------------------------------------------
STANDING HP: DOUBLE BIRDIE HAMMER (2 hits, 16 damage points [10,6])
Birdie clasps his hands together and delivers a downward hammer punch.
This move has the best range out of any of Birdie's standing attacks,
but suprisingly bad priority--lots of attacks can out hit it,
especially long-reaching low blows (like HK sweeps). It hits twice
normally, or once against a crouching foe (second hit only). This
attack does the best damage of any normal punch or kick, though.
Useful for doing Guard Power Gauge damage from afar.
CLOSE STANDING HP: BIRDIE LIFT (2 hits, 18 damage points [11,7])
(See "Birdie Lift" notes in the next section. It's listed there
because you cannot combo into it, unlike his other punches and kicks.)
CROUCHING HP: BIRDIE HEAD (2 hits, 17 damage points [10,7])
Birdie stands up slightly while headbutting out into the air. This
move doesn't have much range. However, it has very good priority,
and it makes a good anti-air, so you can pester people with it a lot.
If your opponent jumps in close to you, the crouching HP works better
than Birdie's crouching MP for anti-air, IMHO. This move hits twice
against most characters, excluding Chun-Li, Dan, Dhalsim, Nash, and
Ryu, against which it only hits once. Crouching opponents are only
hit once unless you're up against Cody, Sagat, or T. Hawk (you have
to be very close in order to get both hits on Sagat). Luckily, this
move can still hit a jumping opponent twice if you get them pretty
deeply.
In X-ISM or Z-ISM, you can combo off the first hit of this move into
a special move or Super Combo. Or, you can combo off the second hit
into a Super Combo. In V-ISM, you can combo off either hit into a
special move.
JUMPING HP: DOUBLE BIRDIE DROP (1 hit, 17 damage points)
Birdie quickly clasps his hands and punches between his legs. This
move has a lot of range (just slightly less than the jumping MK), and
has good priority. It won't hit people who are above Birdie though,
and it comes out very quickly so it's sometimes difficult to time.
Note that this move won't always hit crouching opponents (see "Stuff
to Watch Out For" at the end of this section). For that reason the
usefulness of this move is reduced somewhat. It makes a nice change
of pace from a jumping MK, but then again, so does the jumping HK,
which I personally prefer.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
LIGHT KICK (press LK)
------------------------------------------------------------------------
STANDING LK: TOE PRESS (1 hit, 6 damage points)
Birdie turns a bit and sticks out his left foot very low to the
ground. This move is not too slow, but has almost no range. Okay
for close pokes, but that's about it. The crouching LK is a better
bet. It does work just great for ticking into a throw attempt,
though, and it can be comboed.
CROUCHING LK: SLIDE KICK (1 hit, 6 damage points)
Birdie sticks out his left foot a short distance. A fast attack with
a less-than-average range. It's good for poking from up close, since
it's fast. As an added benefit, it can be comboed.
JUMPING LK: JUMPING KICK (1 hit, 6 damage points)
Like the Standing version, but done while jumping. This move can hit
people on the ground easily--it has a great vertical range. However,
hitting your opponent too soon prevents you from following with a
combo. Then again, it works great for keeping someone occupied while
you land and then throw them. Weirdly enough, you can jump away from
your opponent and still hit them with this attack.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
MEDIUM KICK (press MK)
------------------------------------------------------------------------
STANDING MK: SIDE KICK (1 hit, 13 damage points)
Birdie delivers a heel kick with his right foot. This move has good
range, but not as much as the standing Medium Punch, and it can't be
comboed. Note that this move won't always hit crouching opponents
(see "Stuff to Watch Out For" at the end of this section). Makes it
pretty useless, IMHO.
CROUCHING MK: UPPER KICK (1 hit, 12 damage points)
Birdie fully extends his right leg and kicks with his heel. This
move cannot be comboed but has huge range (the best of any crouching
attack) and works well as a long range poke, especially after being
pushed back after doing several ducking LK and LP attacks. One of
his best crouching attacks, to be sure.
JUMPING MK: JUMPING SIDE KICK (1 hit, 13 damage points)
Same as the Crouching version, but done while jumping. Like the
crouching MK, this move has great range, the best of any jumping
attack. Works well when you're jumping towards an opponent who is
far away from you. Note that this move never hits a crouching
opponent if you jump straight up. Even if you jump forward, you
won't always hit crouching opponents (see "Stuff to Watch Out For"
at the end of this section). It's a shame because this move is so
useful.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
HARD KICK (press HK)
------------------------------------------------------------------------
STANDING HK: BIRDIE KICK (1 hit, 17 damage points)
Birdie inches forward a step, turns and kicks out in front of him with
his left leg (sort of the reverse of his Medium Kick in appearance).
This move is slow and basically ineffective when compared to Birdie's
standing HP, which does better damage, to boot. Note that this move
won't always hit crouching opponents (see "Stuff to Watch Out For" at
the end of this section). So, this move should probably not be used
unless you want a little variety.
CROUCHING HK: ROLLING BIRDIE KICK (1 hit, 16 damage points)
Birdie turns and sweeps his leg along the floor. This is a knockdown
attack with good range, but not as much as Birdie's crouching MK.
Okay when you're close and want to trip your opponent, but that's
it's real only use, because it's slow and so easily punished.
JUMPING HK: JUMPING DROP KICK (1 hit, 17 damage points)
Birdie delivers a drop kick using both legs. Does plenty of damage
and has good range, but is not as far-reaching as the jumping Medium
Kick. Makes a great jump-in though, and comes out quickly. This
move can cross-up, but you have to get your spacing right. Also
works nicely in air-to-air fights.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
STUFF TO WATCH OUT FOR
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Provided below is a chart listing which of Birdie's standing attacks
will miss when used against a crouching character. To the right of
that is a list of which jumping attacks will miss a crouching character.
Please note that a jumping LP, LK, MP, HK, or Body Slam will always hit;
The MK and HP attacks are only listed here because they cannot always
hit your enemy, depending on who he or she is.
For example, if Gouki was crouching and Birdie tried to attack him,
every standing attack would hit, but his standing LP and MP would
always miss. If Birdie used a jumping attack, his jumping f + HP,
jumping u + MK, and jumping u + HP would always miss.
And in case you're wondering, yes, Birdie's standing LP and his jumping
u + MK will never hit a crouching character.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
CHARACTER STANDING ATTACKS JUMPING ATTACKS THAT MISS
THAT MISS
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Adon LP MP u + MK f + HP u + HP
Balrog LP MP MK HK f + MK u + MK f + HP u + HP
Birdie LP u + MK
Bison LP MP u + MK f + HP u + HP
Blanka LP MP u + MK f + HP u + HP
Cammy LP MP MK HK f + MK u + MK f + HP u + HP
Chun-Li LP MP f + MK u + MK f + HP u + HP
Cody LP u + MK f + HP u + HP
Dan LP MP f + MK u + MK f + HP u + HP
Deejay LP MP MK HK f + MK u + MK f + HP u + HP
Dhalsim LP u + MK f + HP u + HP
Fei Long LP u + MK f + HP u + HP
Gen LP MP MK HK f + MK u + MK f + HP u + HP
Gouki LP MP u + MK f + HP u + HP
Guile LP MP u + MK f + HP u + HP
Guy LP MP MK HK f + MK u + MK f + HP u + HP
Honda LP MP u + MK f + HP u + HP
Juli LP MP MK HK f + MK u + MK f + HP u + HP
Juni LP MP MK HK f + MK u + MK f + HP u + HP
Karin LP MP MK HK f + MK u + MK f + HP u + HP
Ken LP MP MK HK f + MK u + MK f + HP u + HP
Nash LP MP MK HK f + MK u + MK f + HP u + HP
Rainbow Mika LP MP MK HK f + MK u + MK f + HP u + HP
Rolento LP MP f + MK u + MK f + HP u + HP
Rose LP MP MK HK f + MK u + MK f + HP u + HP
Ryu LP MP MK HK f + MK u + MK f + HP u + HP
Sagat LP u + MK
Sakura LP MP MK HK f + MK u + MK f + HP u + HP
Sodom LP u + MK f + HP u + HP
T. Hawk LP u + MK
Vega LP MP u + MK f + HP u + HP
Zangief LP u + MK f + HP
=========================================================================
6. BIRDIE'S SPECIAL MOVES, WHICH HURT HIM MORE THAN HIS ENEMIES
=========================================================================
This section lists each of Birdie's attacks, how to perform them, how
much damage they inflict, what they look like, and my spin on how
useful they are:
------------------------------------------------------------------------
BULL SPIKE (b / f + two Punches)
------------------------------------------------------------------------
HITS AND DAMAGE
4 hits, 31 damage points (4,8,12,16,31)
5 hits, 34 damage points (4,8,12,16,31,34)
DESCRIPTION
Birdie grabs his opponent and headbutts them repeatedly in the gut.
COMMENTS
I'm pretty sure that this move has a glitch in it. I mean, it goes
to 16 points of damage, then leaps up to 31--making it the most
damaging command throw in the entire game. The fact that you can
then mash for more damage is really jacked up. Of course, this is
all very beneficial to Birdie, so I guess I shouldn't be complaining.
Well, as you already guessed, you should use this move a lot, because
the damage is sickening (more than his HP Murderer Chain--mash and
it's more than a Level 1 Bull Revenger!) Even better, Birdie tosses
his opponent up into the air after the move ends, so that you can
follow it with all kinds of insane juggles. Of course, your opponent
can Tech. Hit out of it or try and reduce damage, but that's the only
advantage the Murderer or Bandit Chain moves have over the Bull
Spike. However, this throw also has the worst range out of any of
Birdie's other throws. You have to be really close in order for it
to connect.
One neato tactic is to miss the throw on purpose. In V-ISM or X-ISM,
you gain a considerable amount of SC/OC power from a missed throw.
In Z-ISM, the amount gained is miniscule, so don't bother.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
BAD THROW (b / f + two Kicks)
------------------------------------------------------------------------
HITS AND DAMAGE
1 hit, 20 damage points
DESCRIPTION
Birdie grabs his opponent, using his chains to hurl them behind him
and into the air.
COMMENTS
This move's only real use is if you want to put some room between
yourself and your opponent by using the b + KK version. Of course,
if you know they will flip, you can use a well-timed Kick Bull
Revenger to try and nab them as they land. In the corner, you can
combo after it, but you don't have as many options as you do with the
Bull Spike. Not a very useful throw, in other words.
However, it has slightly better range than the Bull Spike, so if you
don't have the time to do a Murderer or Bandit Chain but need to
throw someone and aren't too close, you can always try for the Bad
Throw. Like the Bull Spike, you can miss with this move on purpose
to build up SC/OC power.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
BAD SCRAP (In air, any direction but d / u + two Punches)
------------------------------------------------------------------------
HITS AND DAMAGE
1 hit, 20 damage points
DESCRIPTION
Birdie grabs his opponent and uses his chains to slam them into the
ground.
COMMENTS
An air throw, 'nuff said. It's useful when you want to go for an
unblockable air hit (like when someone PP flips). Like the other
two throws, you can miss on purpose to build SC energy, but it's
not that useful a technique when you're jumping.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
BIRDIE LIFT (When close, press HP while standing)
(In V-ISM, press b + HP while standing)
------------------------------------------------------------------------
HITS AND DAMAGE
2 hits, 18 damage points [11,7]
DESCRIPTION
Birdie leans back and does a reverse (upwards) hammer punch.
COMMENTS
This move comes out really slowly (so slowly that it cannot be
comboed into, say, with a jumping attack), and if your opponent
isn't close to you, they may only get hit once instead of twice (it
only hits once if they block it). This move isn't useful for
anything aside from air juggles (see the combo section), or if
you're using X-ISM, for the Bad Hammer follow-up. For some obscure
reason (probably because Birdie sucks), your opponent sometimes can
and sometimes can't flip in air after being hit twice. I have no
idea why this is possible, but go figure.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
BAD HAMMER (In X-ISM, press u after both hits of the Birdie Lift)
------------------------------------------------------------------------
HITS AND DAMAGE
1 hit, 32 damage points (close standing HP: 13,8 = 21)
(bad hammer: + 11 = 32)
DESCRIPTION
Birdie performs a jumping HP attack after his close standing HP
(the Birdie Lift).
COMMENTS
Sure this move looks dumb, but it's free damage.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
BODY SLAM (In air, press d + Hard Punch)
------------------------------------------------------------------------
HITS AND DAMAGE
1 hit, 15 damage points
DESCRIPTION
Birdie holds his arms at his sides and attempts to fall onto his
enemy chest-first. Very weird looking.
COMMENTS
The Body Slam has high priority, but it's not the same as, say,
Zangief's Flying Body Press. This move leaves you nice and close for
a combo, and can be used often, as long as you attack upon landing so
that you don't get thrown. It also makes for a great cross-up
attack--in most cases you don't even need to position yourself
correctly and can just jump over your opponent and cross them up.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
BULL DROP (Press f + Hard Kick)
------------------------------------------------------------------------
HITS AND DAMAGE
1 hit, 17 damage points (if it hits while leg is falling)
1 hit, 18 damage points (if it hits while leg is rising)
DESCRIPTION
Birdie puts a hand in his pocket while lifting his left leg almost
straight up. He then drops his leg down.
COMMENTS
This move used to be an overhead, making it very useful. Now that
it's not, I don't really see the point of this attack. It can hit
twice, once when Birdie sticks his leg up, and again when he drops
it, but you can only get one hit or the other; not both (even on
big characters). The "leg up" hit has pretty decent priority, but
the chance of you actually hitting with it in the heat of battle
as an anti-air is next-to-nothing. You can hit with it after a
Bull Spike, though, and considering that it does 18 points of
damage, that's a pretty good combo!
------------------------------------------------------------------------
BULL HEAD (Charge b,f + Punch)
------------------------------------------------------------------------
HITS AND DAMAGE
Light Punch: 1 hit, 14 damage points
Medium Punch: 1 hit, 15 damage points
Heavy Punch: 1 hit, 16 damage points
DESCRIPTION
Birdie rears his head back, then slides forward, his skin turning a
bright red, and dust being kicked up in his wake. After sliding for
a moment, he headbutts his opponent.
COMMAND NOTES
You can also perform this move by charging down-back, for 2 seconds,
then pressing forward + Punch. This is useful if you want to stay
where you are but still keep a charge. If you wanted to then combo
the Bull Head (for example, using a standing LP), simply release the
controller, press LP, then press forward + LP for a 2-hit combo.
COMMENTS
This move is very slow to start up. Even with the LP version, it's
possible for a fast opponent to hit you out of this move, and it
only gets easier with the MP or HP version. To make matters worse,
Birdie is completely vulnerable while sliding forward; you can simply
stand your ground and hit him out of an oncoming Bull Head, or even
throw him (!) Seriously, it's not even risky; just toss out an
attack as Birdie is sliding and you get a guaranteed hit. The Bull
Head is incredibly slow to recover; no matter what version is used,
if it is blocked, your opponent can get a free hit on you. The
damage and priority are very low as well (I mean, come on, his HP
and HK do equal or more damage!)
The only good thing about this move is that it can be comboed. The
LP version comboes off of any cancellable attack, while the MP version
only cancels off of the standing or crouching MP, or the crouching HP
(1st hit in X-ISM or Z-ISM, 1st or 2nd hit in V-ISM). However, you
must be very close and do the cancel very quickly for the MP Bull
Head, or it won't count as a combo and can be blocked.
This move should be avoided at all costs and used only in combos, and
even then, only if you don't have enough power for The Birdie, which
is always a better alternative. The LP Bull Head works alright for
anti-air, and if your opponent flinches from up close, but that's
about it. The MP and HP Bull Head can be used in juggles, but I
still prefer the LP version in case my opponent flips.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
BULL HORN (Hold PP / KK and release)
------------------------------------------------------------------------
HITS AND DAMAGE
Hold for 0-2 seconds: 1 hit, 14 damage points
Hold for 3 seconds: 2 hits, 18 damage points (14,18)
Hold for 4-6 seconds: 3 hits, 26 damage points (14,20,26)
Hold for 7-12 seconds: 4 hits, 37 damage points (14,22,30,37)
Hold for 13+ seconds: 5 hits, 55 damage points (18,28,37,46,55)
DESCRIPTION
Birdie crouches while turning his back to the screen, then turns
back and slides forward. After sliding for a while, he headbutts his
opponent.
COMMAND NOTES
You have to hold at least two Punch or Kick buttons to charge up a
Bull Horn, but you can release one or both of the buttons, it makes
no difference. If you release just one button, then you can hold
down a second Punch or Kick (depending on what button you're still
holding) to start charging another Bull Horn, but it will begin
charging from Level 1 and not the level that you had charged to using
the previously held button. Make sure that you're not pressing
backward or forward when you press two or more buttons or else you'll
attempt a throw! You can start charging up the Bull Horn before the
round actually begins--and during a mid-boss conversation against the
CPU, you can charge it up to the Final lavel before continuing on
with the match!
One interesting thing about the Bull Horn is that there are many
ways to perform it. The most notable feature is that you can charge
multiple Bull Horns at the same time. Normally releasing PP / KK
results in a single Bull Horn. However, if you hold PPP / KKK and
release just one button, you will perform a Bull Horn. You can
then release a second button for another Bull Horn. Releasing the
final button does nothing, however. This is an advantage over the
standard double Bull Horn charge (PP + KK), since you still have all
three Kick buttons available to you (or the reverse), instead of just
one Punch and one Kick button. You can use the PPP method along with
the Kick buttons to charge five Bull Horns (PPP + KK), or even six
Bull Horns at one time (PPP + KKK)! Keep in mind, though, that
while you're charging, you cannot attack, so in the six Bull Horn
example, Birdie is left defenseless (unless you use the 'release
button' trick mentioned below).
Another aspect of this move is that the buttons held determine the
range, like so (the same applies to using Kick buttons):
Hold and release LP + MP for a short-range Bull Horn.
Hold and release LP + HP for a medium-range Bull Horn.
Hold and release MP + HP for a long-range Bull Horn.
This changes if you are charging up multiple Bull Heads. For example,
if you're charging two Bull Horns (PPP or KKK), then releasing any
button always gives you a long-range Bull Horn. What button you
release first affects the range of the second Bull Horn--you'll get
the same range no matter what remaining button you release:
If LP was released first, the second Bull Horn is long-ranged.
If MP was released first, the second Bull Horn is medium-ranged.
If HP was released first, the second Bull Horn is short-ranged.
So for example, let's say I'm charging five Bull Horns using PPP and
LK + MK. Now, I can still use HK to attack my opponent. If I use
a Bull Horn with Kick, releasing either or both Kick buttons will
result in a short-range Bull Horn. Later on, I decide to release
LP for another Bull Horn, which will be long-ranged. If at any time
in the future, I release MP or HP (or both buttons), I will get
another long-range Bull Horn.
Obviously one of the big setbacks with this move is that you can't
use whatever buttons are being held down to attack. However, you
can use them to perform special moves, since inputting a command
and pressing or _releasing_ a button causes your attack to execute.
For example, if I'm holding down PP and I charge back, forward, and
then release a Punch button, I get a Bull Head instead of a Bull
Horn. Similarily, if I rotate the controller 360 degress and release
one of the two Kick buttons I'm holding down, I get a Bandit Chain
instead of a Bull Horn. Now, yes, doing this means that you lose the
charge on your Bull Horn (it resets to one if you hold down another
button again), but this is useful if you have an opening for another
move. If you're holding down three of the same button and release
one to do a special move, you'll still have one more charged Bull
Horn left, though.
Another way to 'cancel' your Bull Horn is to just jump and release
the buttons in air, or perform a move and then release the buttons
while Birdie's attacking. If you're fast, any move will do, but if
you're not careful and try to release the buttons during, say, a
standing LP, you'll get the Bull Horn instead. Of course, make sure
you don't end up getting attacked in your haste to get rid of your
Bull Horn charge. Remember that you can cancel a normal attack into
the Bull Horn, so watch out for that, too, since it won't combo and
you risk getting smacked.
COMMENTS
This is Birdie's most damaging special move. The damage is not so
good early on, but the Final version (after holding the buttons for
13 seconds or more) does more damage than either of his Level 2
Super Combos! This move has other assets to it, but it has many
drawbacks as well.
One good thing about this move is that it can hit an airborne opponent
for the full number of hits, making it useful for anti-air, as long as
you have the timing down. The recovery on this move is very good, and
if it's blocked, you'll always recover fast enough to then block,
attack, or do whatever you want to. This is a huge plus because with
the exception of the Final Bull Horn, you can come right out of your
recovery with an unblockable throw (anything except the Bull Spike,
which has too short a range). It's basically free damage! If you
think your opponent is going to attack, you can even follow up with
another Bull Horn, a Bull Head, or the Birdie. Or just block and
see what your opponent does. Another bonus is that Birdie is
invincible while in his turn-around pose. This means you can use the
Bull Horn to pass through attacks and nail your opponent.
However, the invincibility window is very small, making it impossible
for Birdie to Bull Horn through a slow fireball or an attack with a
long duration (like Ryu's super hurricane kick). From afar, it's
a simple matter of waiting until the last possible moment before you
release the buttons. Up close, you have to practice your timing so
that you release the buttons for the Bull Horn _as_ your opponent
begins his attack. If you try to predict your enemy's attack and
release it beforehand, they can simply attack you once the
invincibility ends. The only time when you're assured free damage is
if you're close to someone who attempts a Super Combo with a short
duration, like a super fireball. You can just release the buttons as
soon as you see the screen darken, and you're pretty much guaranteed
the hits.
Another fault of this move is that once Birdie is rushing forward,
he is completely vulnerable to attack, just like with the Bull Head.
He can be hit or thrown out of it at any time prior to the actual
headbutting. A way to remedy this situation is to keep at least two
Bull Heads charged, both with different ranges. That way, if you
attempt a long-range Bull Head and get punished for it, you can try
a short-range Bull Head the next time around, and try and trick your
opponent into attacking you--of course, Birdie will have already
began headbutting by then, and will outhit your enemy (unless they
attacked you with a Super Combo).
Basically, you should always be charging one or more of these. It
can be hard to play without the use of two or more Punch or Kick
buttons. However, the Bull Horn (at higher levels) is basically a
free Level 2 Super Combo, damage-wise, making it worth the hassle.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
MURDERER CHAIN (Rotate 360 + Punch)
------------------------------------------------------------------------
HITS AND DAMAGE
Light Punch: 2 hits, 24 damage points (14,24)
Medium Punch: 2 hits, 27 damage points (15,27)
Heavy Punch: 2 hits, 30 damage points (16,30)
DESCRIPTION
Birdie wraps his chains around his opponent's neck and slams them
to the ground, once in one direction, then again in the other.
COMMAND NOTES
You can rotate the controller in either direction, it makes no
difference. This move can be ticked into from a standing or
crouching LP or LK, but you to have the attack hit or be blocked,
_then_ do the command for the Murderer Chain. Trying to stick it in
halfway through the command (ala Sodom's throws) just results in a
missed throw attempt.
COMMENTS
The good news is that the Murderer Chain is unblockable, and is
Birdie's most damaging special aside from the Bull Horn. The HP
version does as much damage as a Level 1 Birdie Super Combo, in
fact. It also leaves Birdie relatively close to his enemy, making
it easy to get in for another throw attempt. Plus it's the only
throw of his (along with the Bull Revenger), that your opponent
can't air recover from after it finishes.
The bad news is that the range on this move is pathetic--you have to
be really close to hit someone. This is a big problem because people
with better range on their throws (Zangief and Sodom), can simply
out-throw Birdie, no contest. Also, his Bull Spike does better
damage, and you can juggle after it, so unless your opponent is Tech.
Hit happy, stick with the Bull Spike.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
BANDIT CHAIN (Rotate 360 + Kick)
------------------------------------------------------------------------
HITS AND DAMAGE
Light Kick: 1 hit, 20 damage points (8,20)
Medium Kick: 2 hits, 24 damage points (6,12,24)
Heavy Kick: 3 hits, 29 damage points (6,12,18,29)
DESCRIPTION
Birdie uses his chains to slam his opponent into the ground once,
twice, or three times, then flings them behind him.
COMMAND NOTES
(See notes on ticking into the Murderer Chain, above.)
COMMENTS
Like the Murderer Chain, the Bandit Chain is unblockable. However,
that is it's only real asset. It not only does worse damage than
the Murderer Chain, but it has the same bad range as that move.
The only real use of this move is when you want to get your opponent
away from you, since it deposits them on the far side of the screen.
Your opponent can air flip once they're thrown, too. I was thinking
that you could perhaps juggle them with The Birdie, but for the life
of me I can't pull one off after the Bandit Chain, so who knows.
=========================================================================
7. WANT TO MAKE YOUR CHALLENGER LAUGH? TRY BIRDIE'S SUPER COMBOS
=========================================================================
This section lists each of Birdie's attacks, how to perform them, how
much damage they inflict, what they look like, and my spin on how
useful they are:
------------------------------------------------------------------------
THE BIRDIE (Charge b,f,b,f + Punch)
------------------------------------------------------------------------
HITS AND DAMAGE
Light Punch: 3 hits, 31 damage points (12,22,31)
Medium Punch: 4 hits, 54 damage points (15,30,42,54)
Heavy Punch: 5 hits, 65 damage points (15,30,44,52,65)
DESCRIPTION
Birdie performs multiple Bull Heads and finishes with a Bull Horn.
At Level 3, he will dizzy his opponent after the first three hits,
pause to taunt them with his LK win pose, then hit them with two
more Bull Horns.
COMMAND NOTES
You can also perform this move by charging down-back, for 2 seconds,
then pressing forward, back, forward + Punch. This is useful if you
want to stay where you are but still keep a charge. If you wanted to
combo The Birdie (for example, using crouching MP), simply press MP
(if crouching down-back), then tap forward, back, forward, and press
any Punch button. If you had been charging back, you would enter
forward, down-back + MP (for the hit), then forward + P to combo it
into The Birdie.
COMMENTS
The Birdie is not a really great Super Combo, but for Birdie, it's
pretty decent. The main advantage of this move is that it can juggle
for full hits at Level 1 or Level 3 if your timing is right (you can
never get the last hit with a Level 2 Birdie). This move can pass
through attacks (works best w/ projectiles) at the beginning, but so
could a Bull Horn, for about the same amount of damage or more (and
you'd still have Super Combo power to spare). This Super Combo has
a somewhat longer invincibility period than the Bull Horn, but it's
still pretty small. Nonetheless, in tight situations, there's
nothing like sailing through your opponent's attack and headbutting
them...repeatedly! Probably the biggest downfall of this Super Combo
is that the damage is pitiful at Level 1--it does the same amount as
an HP Murderer Chain. While it's easier to hit with the Birdie than
with a Murderer Chain, I still prefer to save up my power for a Level
3 Birdie.
However, this move can be comboed into off of any cancellable attack,
and since it's a Super Combo, it can also be comboed off of either
hit of Birdie's crouching HP (instead of just the first hit). This
makes it very useful for combos (it's always a better choice than the
Bull Head). However, outside of combos, you should not be using it
unless you want to juggle your opponent, or beat out a low-priority
attack. One nice thing about this move is it's fast recovery, so
if you use the Birdie out of the blue (even though I warned you not
to, heheh!) and it gets blocked, you're still in range to follow
up with a Murderer Chain, Bandit Chain, or Bad Throw (this doesn't
work with the Level 2 Birdie, though).
Note that the Level 3 version will not dizzy Shin Gouki (since he
cannot be dizzied). There is also some sort of strange glitch where
it will not dizzy your opponent, no matter who they are. I'm still
determining how this works, but I think it has something to do with
comboing into the Birdie. However, the advantage to this is that
Birdie recovers instantly after the third hit, so while you do not
get the remaining two hits, you can throw out an attack (even
something slow like an MP or crouching HP) and if it's cancellable,
you can combo it into a Bull Head. (Of course, if you're in Training
Mode, you can cancel it into another Level 3 Birdie for an infinite
combo!)
------------------------------------------------------------------------
BULL REVENGER (qcf,d,df + Punch or Kick)
------------------------------------------------------------------------
HITS AND DAMAGE
Light Punch / Kick: 2 hits, 32 damage points (16,32)
Medium Punch / Kick: 3 hits, 48 damage points (16,32,48)
Heavy Punch / Kick: 4 hits, 64 damage points (16,32,48,64)
DESCRIPTION
Birdie looks like he's going to leap into a pool or something. He
jumps forward, about the distance of a normal jump if Punch is used,
or the distance of two jumps (across the screen) if Kick is used.
Upon landing, he grabs his opponent and uses multiple Murderer and
Bandit Chains on his foe, always finishing with a Murderer Chain.
COMMAND NOTES
This move cannot be comboed into. However, you can cancel an attack
into a Punch-style Bull Revenger, and it will hit. In the corner,
you can also use the Kick-style Bull Revenger. Before I get to
cancelling into this move, I should mention that at any time that
Birdie starts the Revenger, his opponent can get out of the way by
simply jumping. You don't even have to start jumping before the
Revenger begins; just hold ub or u or uf when you see the Super flash,
and you'll jump to safety as Birdie leaps forward and misses. Worse
yet, you can throw an attack while jumping and you'll smack him. The
only time when someone can't jump out of the way is when they flipped
in air (like after a Bull Spike, Bad Throw, or Bandit Chain), and
are landing. Of course, they can still hit you as they fall and you
come leaping towards them, but this _is_ Birdie, after all, what did
you expect? Below is a list of timings for nabbing someone with the
Bull Revenger after flip.
- Use the KK Revenger if they flipped out of the Bad Scrap or the
Bandit Chain.
- Use the PP Revenger if they flipped out of the Bull Spike. The
PP and KK Revengers can be used interchangably in corners.
- If they did a neutral recovery, initiate the Bull Revenger as you
see the white flash.
- If they did a front or back recovery, initiate the Bull Revenger
just after they begin to fall while upright.
Remember, the Bull Revenger is inescapable in these situations, but
you can still be hit out of the Revenger leap by a quick opponent.
I don't know if this works all the time, I couldn't do it at all
against Cody, but had no problem when I tried this against Ryu.
Anyway, to continue:
Cancelling off of a standing or crouching MP is your best bet, since
it gives your opponent less time to react. However, you'll whiff the
Level 3 version if you use MP. If you use LP or LK, you can cancel
into the Level 3 version for a hit, but there are some problems. One
of them is that your opponent has more time to react. The other is
that you have to hit them from as far away as possible (unless you're
in the corner), since Birdie will otherwise just hop over them. You
can cancel this off of either hit of Birdie's crouching HP, but it
will always miss (unlike in previous games). Anyways, cancelling it
from a normal move is always a good tactic--this means that your
opponent's only option is to move out of the way or attack you.
Unless it's a high-priority move, then you get the Revenger. If your
opponent knows about jumping out of the way of the Revenger, though,
then don't use this move unless they're in a situation where they
can't jump (while recovering from a special move, landing from a
jump, etc.)
COMMENTS
The Bull Revenger's major drawback is that most people use it to hop
over fireballs and attack someone. This is a great use (and if you
have the chance, always go for it), but most players are smart enough
when fighting Birdie to not throw fireballs unless they're right next
to him or about a third of the screen away. In the first case, both
Revenger types will miss, and in the second case, the Punch Revenger
doesn't go far enough to hit, and the Kick version goes too far, so
your opponent is safe. Another problem with this move is that it has
very bad grab range--Birdie has to land _right next_ to his opponent
or he'll miss upon landing. It's not a problem for the Kick-style
Revenger, but if you're going to use the Punch version, don't use it
if your opponent is right next to you, or if they are further away
than about the range of a jumping forward MK.
This move has high speed and high priority. It comes fast, and it
has enough priority at any level to go through most any attack. The
only attacks that can easily hit it are air attacks (like a dragon
punch or hurricane kick). Since Birdie is going through the air,
attacks that hit straight ahead will usually miss him, too. Along
with the Murderer Chain, it cannot be air flipped out of after it's
finished (yay!)
If your opponent is fireball-happy, you can have a field day with
this move and really lay on the damage. If they're smart enough to
not use projectiles, you can still use the MP cancel trick (listed
above), for a pretty sure hit with the Bull Revenger, assuming they
don't jump. You can also use this move to punish them after an
attack with long recovery delay, like Ryu's rushing elbow (the
Seichuu Nidan Tsuki). As long as your opponent isn't right next to
you or in the unhittable area mentioned earlier, you should always
be ready to use this move to make your opponent pay for his
mistakes.
=========================================================================
8. ZERO COUNTERS, THE ONLY MOVES WEAKER THAN BIRDIE HIMSELF
=========================================================================
------------------------------------------------------------------------
ZERO COUNTER (While blocking, press f + the same strength P + K)
------------------------------------------------------------------------
HITS AND DAMAGE
1 hit, 4 damage points
DESCRIPTION
(Z-ISM) Birdie performs an LP Bull Head, minus the red skin.
(V-ISM) Birdie does his standing HK.
COMMENTS (for the Z-ISM version)
This Zero Counter is not very fast, meaning that your opponent can
hit you out of it. Considering that it costs 1 Super Combo level
plus one block of your Guard Power gauge, that makes it a pretty
awful move to use. Save this for a last-ditch, do-or-die type
situation.
COMMENTS (for the V-ISM version)
This Zero Counter is slow and has bad range. Plus, it costs half of
your OC meter plus one block of your Guard Power gauge. Just like
the Z-ISM version, you'll want to stay away from this move.
=========================================================================
9. A LAUGHABLY SHORT LIST OF COMBOS FOR BIRDIE
=========================================================================
This is Birdie after all, even Honda has more combos than this guy
(well, maybe not). But you get my drift.
Combos:
1. standing or crouching LP / LK -> LP Bull Head
2. standing or crouching MP -> LP / MP Bull Head
3. crouching HP (1st hit) -> LP / MP Bull Head
4. crouching HP (either hit) -> The Birdie
5. Preceed any combo with a jump-in attack
6. cross-up HK or Body Slam, crouching MP
7. jumping MK, crouching MK
Notes:
6. This combo is to be used aginst a crouching opponent. Use
crouching HP if you're fighting characters who can be hit by
his low HP.
7. This combo is handy because it keeps Birdie at a safe distance.
Juggles and other non-combo stuff:
1. Standing or crouching LP / LK / MP into Level 1 / 2 Bull Revenger
2. Standing or crouching LP / LK into Level 3 Bull Revenger
3. Bandit Chain or Bad Throw, if they flip, Bull Revenger as they land
4. Standing or crouching LP / LK / MP, tick into either Chain move
5. cross-up HK or Body Slam, tick into either Chain move
6. Bull Spike, Bull Drop or any standing attack but LK
7. Bull Spike, any crouching attack but LK / HK
8. Bull Spike, any jumping attack, Body Slam, or Bad Scrap
9. Bull Spike, Birdie Lift, Bad Hammer (X-ISM only)
10. Bull Spike, Bull Head
11. Bull Spike, The Birdie
12. Bull Spike, Bull Horn
13. Blocked Bull Horn, Murderer or Bandit Chain / Bad Throw
Notes:
1. Remember that this is escapable by jumping.
3. This is unescapable, but you must catch them with the Revenger
just as they reach the floor.
6. Against smaller characters, you can't always get the "leg up"
hit of the Bull Drop. In the corner though, you can get the
"leg up" hit against any character.
12. Obviously, it's easier to do this juggle with the short version
of the Bull Horn (LP + MP or LK + MK).
13. This doesn't work with the Final Bull Horn, since Birdie gets
pushed back too far. You can also do this after a blocked
Level 1 or Level 3 The Birdie.
Stuff do to in corners:
1. Bad Throw, Bad Scrap
2. Bull Spike, Bad Throw, or Birdie Lift, (jumping HP or HK) juggle
with a cancellable attack into the Bull Head / Bull Horn.
3. Bull Spike, jumping HK, crouching HP (both hits), The Birdie
Notes:
2. You could also cancel into the Birdie, but you wouldn't get the
full amount of hits. You can omit the jumping attack if you
want, and just juggle into the Bull Head or Bull Horn. Probably
the best combo to use when you're in the corner, especially if
you do a high damage juggle like crouching MP into Bull Horn.
3. This combo is a little weird. For starters, it works best against
large opponents, and even then, it won't come out 100% of the time.
What's more, you don't have to be in the corner with your enemy
(although that works best). As long as they're in the corner
after you've done the jumping HK and crouching HP, the rest of
the combo will still work. In any case, what you want to do here
is use the Level 3 Birdie. You'll end up behind them and they will
have been dizzied (your last two hits miss). At this point you can
finish them any way you like. I like substituting a jumping MP
instead of a jumping HK, so that I can use a KK Bull Horn.
However, you have very little time to do that (especially if your
opponent is rapping on the buttons), so another option is to take
a step forward, reverse Bull Spike to get them back in the corner,
then juggle them with the Bull Horn (or juggle them with a
crouching MP, then Bull Horn them). Or you could omit the Bull
Horn altogether and just to whatever type of Bull Spike juggle you
like.
Remember that in V-ISM, you can do any combo with crouch HP off of the
second hit instead of just the first hit into a special move. Also,
keep in mind that any time you use The Birdie in a combo, you run the
risk of having it glitch (see The Birdie notes in the section on Super
Combos). I don't know if this can happen in the arcade version,
though.
Also, any juggle involving the Bull Spike, Bad Throw, or Bad Scrap can
be Tech. Hit out of. If your opponent is good at Tech. Hitting, I
can't really recommend these. However, you can always attack them in
some other way if they do flip (a Bull Horn works nicely).
=========================================================================
10. ATTEMPTING TO WIN WITH BIRDIE
=========================================================================
Here are some random notes on trying to improve your Birdie skills.
- From up close, you always want to go for the Bull Spike. If you're
not that close, then tick into the Murderer Chain. If your enemy
is flip-happy, tick into the Bandit Chain, then Bull Revenger them
as they land after flipping.
- As for doing GC damage, try poking with two crouching LK or LP
attacks, then a crouching MK once you've been pushed out of range.
- From afar, poke with his crouching MK _a lot_. He's far enough
to be out of the way of any serious danger.
- Whenever your opponent leaves himself open, it's always time for
a jump-in combo. If you're not close enough but they're wide open
for a jump-in, using jumping MK, crouching MK instead.
- If someone jumps at you from afar, use his crouching MP to knock
them out of the air. If they jump in on you from a closer range,
use a crouching HP. If they do a late attack, just dodge it with
the Bull Horn's invincibility window and introduce them to your
head.
- Always keep charging down-back when playing with Birdie. If they're
close and they leave themselves open, you can instantly punish them
with the LP Bull Head. If the do some sort of high priority attack,
it's time for The Birdie!
- Once you have a Bull Horn charged up, you should use Birdie's Bad
Spike profusely. Bull Horn once they flip out for damage (or at
least block damage). Another option is to use the Punch Bull
Revenger if they flip out (if you use the Bad Throw, use the Kick
Bull Revenger if they flip out).
- Always have a Bull Horn charged and ready to go. It's fast, safe
to use even if it gets blocked, and it does mad damage. Don't
forget to use the invincibility to pass through certain attacks!
=========================================================================
11. RANDOM TIDBITS ABOUT THE WORLD'S WORST GRAPPLER
=========================================================================
At this point, you're probably considering going back to using Rainbow
Mika or your equally deadly Sodom. That's why I saved the real good
stuff for last (that's the same sort of philosophy that led to putting
fruit at the bottom of yogurt cups. No, you can't stir the good parts
of this FAQ up to the top of this file, but you could cut and paste
them. The good parts of this FAQ, that is, not the yogurt) ;)
So, here's the good stuff, in no particular order:
- Birdie takes less damage than most characters. Only Zangief is
sturdier than him. So next time Sakura starts giving you a beat
down, remember that you're doing more damage than she is.
Considering that you're a big-ass bouncer and that's she's a
skinny girl in high school, that seems kind of obvious, though.
- Birdie has the biggest Guard Power Gauge in the game, along with
Zangief. So he can sit back and block all day (or Zero Counter
all day, if you're really foolish), and he'll still be a-okay.
- Birdie's also the hardest character to dizzy right after Zangief
(after reading all this, you're considering using Zangief now,
aren't you?) So Rolento can smack him upside the head with his
rod (and a couple of grenades for good measure), and the only
thing that happens to Birdie is that his hair gets messed up.
Here's some really good stuff on that oh-so important element of
gaming, taunts:
- Birdie's got three of them. Hold back and press Start and he
licks his chains. Mmm, nutritious! Hold forward and press Start
to make him give you a thumbs up. What a good sport!
- The third one is the coolest. Just press Start, and Birdie will
whip out a switchblade knife. Unlike Cody, he can't then go and
shank people in the stomach with it, but that's okay. It still
hits for one point of damage (none if blocked). Against smaller
characters, this move won't hit from up close--you must take a
step back, then press Start.
Just to add to the hodgepodge, here's a list of Birdie's win poses.
Just hold the listed button to get the desired pose:
LP Birdie takes out his knife and flips it open.
MP, HK Birdie gives a thumbs up, then sticks out his tongue and gives
a thumbs down as his mohawk gets messed up.
HP Birdie licks his chain and says "I'm number one."
LK Birdie holds up two fingers and says "...to heaven."
MK Birdie holds up three fingers and says "I'm number one."
Remember that you may not get all of these poses unless you're in a
Birdie vs. Birdie match-up (for the PSX; it doesn't matter if you're
playing the arcade version).
And finally, here's some info. on everybody's favorite punching bag:
Height: 216 cm
Weight: 111 kg
3-Size: b156 w102 h106
Blood Type: O
Birthplace: England
Activities: Gluttony, criminal acts
Likes: Beer, beef jerky, talk of making money
Dislikes: Children, police
That's all!
=========================================================================
12. SPECIAL THANKS TO THE PEOPLE BRAVE ENOUGH TO USE THIS GUY
=========================================================================
In no particular order:
David Antoine <
http://members.tripod.com/davidja>
- For his uber-nifty Birdie FAQ. All the stuff on cancelling the Bull
Horn charge and doing a special move even if you've got a Bull Horn
charged up was taken from his FAQ, as well as the note on jumping
back and still hitting with Birdie's jumping LK.
Dash Taisen <
http://www.dashtaisen.com>
- For all the normal attack names, bio info, and other stuff.
Cammy <
http://cammy.grommit.com>
- For her notes on which charactes gain more / less gauge power from
their 'missed throw' animations.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
AUTHOR'S NOTE
------------------------------------------------------------------------
This FAQ is more of a "technical guide" about Birdie--it's not jam
packed with strategies on how to win with Birdie because admittedly,
I play a pretty awful Birdie. Rather, this FAQ presents Birdie's
abilities in detail, in the hopes that you, the reader, can use such
info. to play a better Birdie (or learn more about stomping on the
faces of your Birdie-using challengers). In either case, enjoy, and
feel free to mail me with comments / complaints / etc.
This FAQ has a companion file, the 'Street Fighter Zero 3: Perfect
Package FAQ v0.7" (for the Japanese PSX version), which I suggest
browsing through at some point because it explains in detail a lot of
the stuff that's just briefly touched upon in this FAQ. If you're
using Birdie in the arcades, then you'll want to read the arcade
version of that FAQ, the "Street Fighter Alpha 3 FAQ v2.2". Both
FAQs can be found at my page or GameFAQs (addresses listed at the top
of the FAQ).
Unpublished work Copyright 1999-2001 Chris MacDonald
