Most of us around these parts have heard of the basics of footsies, the rock/paper/scissors foundation of Street Fighter play that’s relatively simple in concept and infinitely complex in execution. It’s one thing to know the basics, however, and another to understand to the extent that you can use footsies as a reliable tool to manipulate and win rounds with.
An interesting new video from Fararjeh reminds us of the basics but then takes things a few steps further, and if you’ve been wrestling to corral the chaos that Street Fighter 6’s often offense-heavy action brings, this might be the bridge you’ve been looking for.
Fararjeh lays out the groundwork of neutral to begin with, explaining the naturally emerging cycle as players set out to try to hit one another, put up defensive walls of attacks to thwart forward movement, and then start looking for opportunities to whiff punish said defensive walls in response.
A huge part of gaining advantage in Street Fighter is understanding this cycle to the point that you’re able to identify exactly where your opponent is in it, and then jump to the appropriate counter stage. Of course, things aren’t that cut and dry.
Characters can jump, dash, Drive Rush, and use the myriad of special moves that help them zip right through the critical thinking zones of footsies in maneuvers that are often referred to as “neutral skips.”
Neutral skips are maddeningly frustrating to players who are trying to play traditional footsies, probably in a manner comparable to how the proper tradition-loving Red Coats felt when the American revolutionists starting using guerilla warfare.
How is one supposed to refine their foundational footsie abilities when their foes simply don’t respect neutral enough to even engage in it? Should we just lower neutral on the priority rungs since it’s so easily cast aside in favor of Hail Mary advances that can lead to big damage?
Such a strategy might get you some wins, but you’ll soon hit a ceiling and lack consistency in your play. Fararjeh takes things further by explaining how to force your foes to respect neutral (or risk losing outright) and so offers you the tools to maintain more control and influence over your rounds, even in the face of seemingly endless Drive Rushes, Spin Knuckles, and Scissor Kicks.