By David Sirlin, with contributions by John Choi, Derek Daniels, and Andrew Ward

March, 29 2000 | In Street Fighter Alpha 3, the range of Zangief's spinning pile drive (SPD) is 20% shorter if executed just before Zangief leaves the ground for a jump. Two methods of executing the SPD are covered that will help Zangief players avoid the common problem of getting these shorter-range SPD's. The difference in range has a fairly significant impact on gameplay.

In Street Fighter games, characters do not leave the ground for a jump the instant you hold one of the three up positions on the joystick: they first go through a few frames of pre-jump animation. Zangief has usually had the longest pre-jump time (6 frames in SF Alpha 3), giving the player enough time to complete the "360" motion without accidentally jumping.

Video Link     Full range jab SPD

Here's the weird part: if you execute Zangief's SPD during those 6 frames of pre-jump time, the SPD will have about 20% shorter range! I won't even speculate on why this is. A bug? A feature? Who knows?

Here are the actual ranges for the SPD (in pixels):

SPD (full range)
Jab: 84
Strong: 80
Fierce: 76

SPD (if executed during pre-jump)
Jab: 68
Strong: 64
Fierce: 60

The double suplex (360+k) has the same range, 64 pixels, no matter which kick is used. It gets shortened to a range of 56 pixels if executed during pre-jump time. (Note that this does not include the running grab.)

In all cases, the reduction of range is about 20%.

1) Interrupt a normal move into the SPD, otherwise known as "ticking." Low short cancelled into SPD, for example. Since you're doing a normal move (low short in this case) when you execute the SPD, you'll never be in the evil pre-jump state. Remember that your normal attack will have to connect with the enemy for this to work.

2) Interrupt a normal move (during its first couple frames!) into the SPD. Similar to do any normal move (stand jab, for example), then immediately SPD. I do mean immediately. If your SPD is completed a frame or two after the jab comes out, the jab will be cancelled and your SPD will come out. You will barely see the jab at all. The jab "anchors" you to the ground, preventing the dreaded pre-jump animation. Unlike method 1, you don't have to make your opponent block a normal move for this to work.

Method 2 is just a part of the slop factor in pretty much all Capcom games. You're allowed to interrupt the first few frames of normal moves with special moves. Not usually that useful, but 20% extra range on your pile driver is one good use!

This "extra" pile driver range is a big help to Zangief. For example, he can Jab SPD Akuma from beyond the range of Akuma's low forward range. And there is more to A3 than beating V Akuma, but not much more =)

--David Sirlin