The King of Fighters 2002 UM/Offense
Offense
Counter Hit
A counter hit happens when you attack then opponent during the startup frames or active frames of a special move, or (hyper)hop attack. This situation can be recognized on the screen by the appearance of the word "counter", and a very brief white flash. In a counter hit, the damage of the attack are increased. Counter hitting on a character in the air has the effect of extending the vulnerability for a brief moment allowing for a second attack to hit. An attack that knocks down on counter hit allows a second hit during the whole knockdown. With a counter hit jump CD is very easy to recover in time to land another attack. Some characters have certain moves or command stances that put them in a vulnerable counter hit state (Jhun's stances for example), so be careful.
Video example of an air juggle after a counter hit with jump + CD
Throws
Throws are performed by standing close to the opponent and pressing forward/backward + C or D. If the opponent is out of reach for the throw, the character will perform a stand C or D depending on the button pressed. In general, the C throw projects the opponent forward, and the mug D projects the opponent back (with some exceptions such as Blue Mary chopper with two projecting backward).
To break an incoming throw or tech a throw, you must press the correct throw button the opponent has, either C or D. This can be option selected by piano pressing quick C then D or D then C on your pad or arcade stick. The timing to tech throws is quite short; a way to practice them is to set the training mode dummy to the AI/CPU and to only block their incoming attacks and try to only tech their incoming throws. The randomness factor from the CPU will help your build up your throw breaking/teching reflect. The situations where you cannot break throws are:
- During a roll
- During the recovery of a special move in "counter hit state"
Air Throws
Some characters (like Yuri and Clark for example) can throw an opponent in mid air. It can be performed by pressing any direction (except up) + C/D during a jump or super jump, take note Air throws unlike regular throws can not be broken.
Command Throws
Some characters have special moves or desperation moves that have the properties of a throw. Unlike normal throws, command throws have a special whiff animation if executed outside of their reach. There are different types of command throws:
- One frame: This is the most common type of command throw. The single frame makes the throw execute almost instantly, which makes them very powerful and formidable both offensively and defensively. They can be used on wake up and will pass through the start up frames of most meaty attacks. Desperation command throws usually have invincible start up frames.
- Delayed: This is another special type of throw and is pretty common amongst the cast. The startup is usually quite slow, but during the startup animation, the character is invincible (the amount varies) and cannot be thrown. They are mainly used as good mixup options or as a reversal because of their invincibility.
- Other: Some characters command throws may either combine both of the properties of a one frame or delayed throw or may either have faster start up or more or zero invincibility frames.
Proximity Unblockables
Some special moves and desperation moves in KOF have an unblockable property to them. These moves are activated only in close range (the distance depends on their activation range), and have no whiff animation when executed out of its reach. The second feature is that the first hit (or all hits in certain exceptions) is completely unblockable. It is possible to roll to avoid the first hit. If performed within range and dodged immediately, the unblockable move will perform it's attack activation animation and they will be fully punishable. Note that some moves have unblockable invincible startup and / or cannot be thrown.
Video example #1, Kasumi's hcb, f + A/C
Video example #2, King's hcf + A/C
On The Ground (OTG)
There are moves that have the ability to hit an opponent that is knocked on the ground. Some of these attacks have the potential to hit standing opponent (it's usually a low attack), but also strike an fallen opponent. The OTG is only guaranteed when placed behind a blow that forces the knockdown.
Examples
Nameless - Kaiten Katatokkan Ougi Rasen (d/f/df+ABCD)
Andy - Kunai Bullet (d,d+A/C)
Vanessa - Gaia Gear (f, hcf+AC)
Hinako - Shiko Toumi (d,d+B/D)
Kyo-1 - 108 Shiki Yami Barai (qcf+A/C)
Instant Overheads and Cancels to Standing Overheads
Jump attacks which have very fast startup frames and low hit boxes can be used as instant overheads. An example is Leona's jump D, Kyo jump B or King's jump D. The downward angle of these attacks can hit an crouching opponent if they are done immediately after a neutral jump (or neutral hop).
Video explanation on Instant Overheads
Standing overheads canceled from any cancel-able normal attack will lose their overhead property. For example, Kim's f+B alone is an overhead attack to a crouching opponent, but a close + C to f+B to a crouching blocking opponent will defend just as two mid attacks.
An overhead cancel can be delayed, if one cancels into the overhead after the hitstop, it will regain its overhead property, but also lose its cancellable properties that these moves usually gain when cancelled into.
Counter Wire Attacks (aka CW)
There are some moves that have the property to send the opponent flying to bounce against the edge of the screen. It is possible to juggle the opponent with any move while they are falling from hitting the wall (or edge of the screen). There are however some moves that earn this property only during a counter hit and are marked with the CW acronym in the command list.
Earthquake Moves
Some attacks can knockdown an opponent that is standing anywhere on the screen away from the opponent. An example is Daimon's (dp+A) ground pound attack, or Hinako's (down, down + K) sumo stomp. To avoid getting hit, you must either crouch, or jump. A roll is considered standing, which will make you vulnerable to them too. Keep in mind that an earthquake can be used OTG, ONLY if the character was standing at the time of knockdown. Avoid it by quick recovering (fall breaker) after you've been knocked down.
Roll Cancel
These are not like CvS2. You can cancel any move (or non-cancelable) by a roll (pressing A + B) at the time of the hit. This action can be used to potentially dodge a guard cancel CD early, and can also be used in certain situations combo. Roll canceling uses one super meter stock.
Running Charge
"Running Charge" is a simple but useful technique that allows special attacks that require a vertical charge to come out whilst executing a run, the trick is to start running (press f,f) then move the stick/directional pad so that it's pointing in the down-forward direction but continue to hold, then quickly slide it to the up (ub/u/uf) position then press the designated face button then the move will come out, the trick is to hold down-forward so that you'll run and buffer the charge time at the same time, if you want to super cancel the charge move it would require you to buffer the input during the charge move when at times can get really difficult.
Examples
Terry - d[df]~u+P (1), [Buffer SC] qcb hcf+P
Ralf - d[df]~u+P
Kim - d[df]~u+K
Jhun Hoon - d[df]~u+P
Heidern - d[df]~u+P
Defense
Guard Cancel CD (aka Blowback Attack aka Guard Attack etc.)
Press C + D while in blockstun. It cancels the blockstun by a blow that knocks down the opponent. The Guard Cancel CD has short frames of invincibility at startup, but has a recovery. It can get you out of a lot of attack strings while you block, and resume the pace of the match. It does little damage when it hits (it is possible to kill an opponent if it removes the remaining life to them). However, its use is limited by 3 factors:
- 1.) It will cost you one level of your super meter
- 2.) Your opponent might try to bait your Guard Cancel CD by making you whiff a standing CD while you're in blockstun, which has a slow startup and exposes you to heavy punishment. If you sense that bait attempt, just try to block instead.
- 3.) This move is not instantaneous and it does have startup. You cannot punish EVERY attack with a Guard Cancel CD successfully, and you can be exposed to punishment at the end of it.
Guard Cancel AB (Break Roll/Guard Roll/Guard Cancel Roll)
By pressing only A + B or back + A + B back (to Guard Cancel Roll backwards), while in blockstun, it is possible to roll forward or backward. This roll is completely invincible and unthrowable, and has no frame of recovery. This is one of the most important defensive elements to learn and master, but also one of most outstanding features of the defensive system in KOF.
- 1.) It will cost you one level of your super meter
- 2.) If performed at the wrong time and inaccurately, a punishable and fully throw vulnerable regular, normal roll may happen instead or a crouching A (See also Details of the system: priority buttons).
Quick Recovery (Fall-breaker/Tech-Roll/Quick Rise)
If you press A + B when touching the ground during a knockdown, you will perform a 'quick recovery' or 'fall-breaker'. You will obviously recover more quickly off the ground than you would from a hard knockdown. You will not be OTG (on-the-ground) attacked but you can be thrown on the first frame of the standing recovery animation. There are attacks and certain command throws that have "hard knockdown" properties that mean that you cannot quick recover or fall-breaker from the attack or throw, which provides the opponent potential wake-up options and mix-ups.
