8 Fatal Fury: City of the Wolves Mistakes That Could Cost You the Match

The action-packed game titled “Fatal Fury: City of the Wolves” has been released for enthusiasts of fighting games. Skilled players will find themselves right at home, while beginners can benefit from its Smart Style system akin to the simplified controls in “Street Fighter 6”. This system streamlines gameplay to a more intuitive layout similar to that of “Smash Bros”.

Even for those using Smart Style, simply pressing the Special Move button repeatedly won’t take beginners too far in Arcade Mode or South Town’s episodes, nor will it be effective in online play. To excel, practice is key, but understanding and avoiding common mistakes can give newcomers a competitive edge right from the start.

8. Jumping Too Much

Use Jumps Tactically or Get Juggled

Tap in an upward direction to pull off a Short Hop.
Press the direction for a full-on Jump.

In 2D-fighter games, it’s common to feel the urge to leap frequently since a miscalculated jump can create opportunities for combos. Some players are even skilled enough to execute cross-ups, where hitting their grounded opponent at the back of their head causes them to land behind the opponent instead, confusing which side they should block and leaving them vulnerable for further attacks.

On the other hand, it leaves them vulnerable to aerial assaults, which each player on the team experiences to some extent. Instead of weakening their defense, they can find themselves weakened by their opponent’s combo attacks. Players must be aware of when and how high to leap. For instance, short jumps are effective for swift overhead attacks and luring opponents into making mistakes.

7. Not Moving Enough

Even the Biggest Bruisers Need to Move

Press in an upward direction while Dashing or Sprinting (tap forward twice) to pull off a Dash Jump.

Instead, it’s ineffective to remain stationary on one part of the screen; characters that excel at managing screen space, such as Billy Kane and his team, require movement to avoid becoming a static target. For instance, mastering the short hop technique can surprise an opponent with swift attacks when least expected.

As a fan, I’ve found that executing a well-timed dash jump is a game-changer when trying to bridge the gap and deal with opponents who rely heavily on projectiles. It’s also worth noting that many characters in this game have armored moves, which allow them to plow through their opponent’s attacks, causing damage while taking less of it themselves.

6. Falling Wherever They Like

Roll With the Punches to Fight Back

Press Light Punch+Left/Right for a short Tech Roll.
Press Heavy Punch+Left/Right for a long Tech Roll.

A useful tip for most 2D fighting games is mastering the timing of getting back up after a knockdown. Although it may seem straightforward, each character has a unique speed for rising from the ground. If an opponent attacks at just the right moment during your recovery, they can continuously keep you on the ground with the appropriate combo. This technique is called okizeme, and characters like Kain excel in this area. If players don’t vary their knockdown escape strategies, Kain and similar characters will maintain control over them.

Fortunately, FF: CotW provides a convenient ability in the Tech Roll maneuver. Utilizing the specified button presses allows players to either move away or toward their adversary upon landing. Evading harm is achievable by rolling away, while rolling towards can facilitate counterattacks. It’s essential to note that tech rolling might expose beginners to throws, so it could be more prudent for them to roll backward until they develop a solid offensive strategy.

5. Random SPG Placement

The SPG Can Be a Player’s Ace-in-the-Hole

Accel Ratio (SPG at the start of the health bar) increases REV Gauge by 25%.
Flux Ratio increases the gauge by 19%.
Final Ratio increases the gauge by 17%.

Drawing inspiration from the TOP system in Garou: Mark of the Wolves, the Selective Potential Gear (SPG) system allows players to choose a segment of their health bar for improvement. When this chosen section is depleted, their attacks gain an extra boost. This empowerment enables them to perform REV Blows, creating some space from the opponent, recuperating health, and unleashing their character’s ultimate super combo, known as the Hidden Gear move.

For novice players, it’s advisable to position this feature either in the midpoint (Flux Ratio) or at the end (Final Ratio) of their health bar. It won’t provide as significant an energy surge as placing it at the start (Accel Ratio), but it offers more meter for strategic play. This way, they can retaliate with powerful REV Blow combos, or reverse the situation using a Hidden Gear move.

4. Not Knowing When to Feint or Brake

Lull the Opponent into a False Sense of Security Instead

Press Rev+Heavy Kick, or Rev+Heavy Kick+Forward or Down for Feints (Arcade Style only).
Press Rev during certain special moves to Brake (Arcade Style only).

Shrewd players understand the art of luring opponents into committing errors. By deceiving them to move in certain directions, they can create opportunities for retaliation. For instance, it might lead them into an air strike trap, make them misjudge their tech roll distance and attack thin air, or provoke them into using a super before evading it.

CotW” empowers players by allowing them to subtly manipulate attacks. This is done through feints, which stop the attack before it hits, placing the player in a neutral state ready to counter any missed strike. Additionally, there are brakes that allow players to cancel a move mid-strike and transition into another attack, useful for extending combos. Mastering both can make an opponent reveal openings.

3. Overheating

Running The REV Gauge Too Much Will Burn The Player Out

Do Special Moves with both Punch or Kick buttons (Forward+Special+Heavy in Smart Style) to do a Rev ART.
Press both Heavy Attacks (or R2/RT) during SPG to do a REV Blow.
Hold R1/RB to REV Guard.

When players get confident to attack more aggressively, they might be enticed to excessively boost their REV gauge. This feature allows them to execute advanced forms of special moves using REV Arts, land powerful REV Blows while in SPG, and shove aggressive foes back with the REV Guard. However, every REV technique requires energy. If they use them too frequently, they’ll overheat and run out of energy.

In this game, players cannot perform REV maneuvers until their meter refills, which happens quicker when they are on the attack and land hits. However, it’s not beneficial as they’ll have limited moves at their disposal. Over-blocking will also increase the REV Gauge, meaning players can’t solely defend for extended periods.

2. Blocking When They Could Be Defending

Relying on Just Defends Works Better Than Just Defense

Press Back or Down/Back just before an attack connects to Just Defend.
Press Forward or Down/Forward during multi-attack strings for Hyper Defense.
Both will recover health and REV gauge, and cancel into multiple attack options from specials to supers.

One drawback of overheating is that players are unable to perform “Counter Defense Maneuvers.” Originating from “Garou: Mark of the Wolves,” this technique slightly regenerates a player’s health whenever they execute it, and grants them an opportunity to retaliate during their opponent’s attacks. However, these techniques can be challenging to pull off, as they necessitate holding back at the exact moment your opponent’s attack is about to connect.

If players master this technique, they’ll recover slightly, decrease their REV meter slightly while it’s still activated, and give their opponent an attack opportunity. Players can counterattack using a special move or a super, which will always connect after a Perfect Block. Additionally, they could attempt to mimic Street Fighter 3’s parries by quickly tapping forward during attacks, known as Hyper Defense. This function is similar to Perfect Block, but it’s more effective against multiple attack combinations.

1. Skipping Training Mode

There’s No Harm in Practicing Offline

Training Mode will help players experiment with their combos in different situations.
It offers many toggleable options, from different guard timings to combo trials.
Episodes of South Town will also help players learn as they fight as it scales gradually with the player’s level.

In fighting games, training modes can sometimes feel monotonous, despite having flashy combo trials and instructional command lists. However, they are crucial for players to understand which tools from their character’s arsenal work best in forming combos. It’s more beneficial to learn which setups might cause a character to overheat during training rather than finding out in the heat of an Online Ranked match.

If players are interested in mastering FF: CotW’s techniques by engaging in one-on-one encounters and earning rewards like customizable avatars and color schemes, they might want to explore the South Town (EOST) mode. This way, they can gradually grasp the game’s strategies as their skills progressively improve. Unlike SF6’s World Tour mode, EOST is more condensed, but it provides ample opportunity for players to familiarize themselves with the main roster and fully utilize their tools.

2025-05-03 03:08