Tips for Beginner Players to Level Up Quickly (USF4 Guide)

For those beginning to learn Ultra Street Fighter 4, it can be difficult to know where to begin to become better when so much is out there bombarding the newcomer given the series' long lifespan. I have compiled five quick tips for beginners to get a jump start to learning solid fundamentals. This guide is intended for complete beginners or those that are struggling mightily to win a single match against their local competition.

The Death of KOFXIII and the Rise of Anime?

As I and other predicted, KOFXIII has seen a dramatic drop in participation after this past EVO. It's an unfortunate consequence of the changing climate in the FGC. The release of USF4 coupled with the growing disinterest in KOF has spelled its ultimate demise. Thus, I have all but dropped it myself. I no longer practice the game nor have I taken the initiative to enter tournaments, and many seemed to have followed suit. Last month's Maxout in Kansas City, a place with a seemingly rich KOFXIII community did not draw enough interest to warrant running a tournament for it. For what it's worth, I really enjoyed my time playing KOF and found it more than worthwhile even though I never attained a sterling record of success.   -RIP KOFXIII -

The search for a new fighter or fighters to focus my attention and skills on is well underway. Unfortunately, I have been disheartened by the options in front of me. As I wrote a while back, UNiB held Iowa's attention span with admirable fortitude. Our community, including myself was really enjoying the game and personally myself and Blank had been taking it very seriously with extending practice sessions. But with the Japanese release of P4AU, our wandering eyes were powerless to resist the allure of the next shiny update to one of the most prolific anime fighters ever released.

Alas, Persona as a game has seen better days in our humble eyes of judgment. Since the game's Japanese release, we have barely touched the game in favor of laying around the apartment like a Narutard awaiting the latest fansub to be released. It's a sad sight indeed.

Results - 9/7/14 - Des Moines USF4 Ranbats 1.2 with Standings

Format- RR 2/3 games, Winner of each match gets a point, points are totaled and placement is determined. All ties are settled with another 2/3 game set between the tied players.

First- 5 points
Second -3 points
Third - 2 points
Rest -1 point

Results 1.2 - 16 man double elim bracket

1. NGamer3k (Sakura, Rose)

2. BobbyJay (Ibuki)

3. Jubatuba (Viper)

4. TopHat

5. BoLo

5. Grog

7. JDThunderHawk

7. Sondogg

9. kDotLo

9. Doller

9. Kamig

9. Mario

13. JinxU

13. GQDang

13. SpectrumPig

13. Dibble

Full Standings - People should stop changing their tags so I can keep a better record!

Anyone not mentioned has 1 point.

1. NGamer3k -10

2. BobbyJay - 5

3. Sondogg - 4

4. Jubatuba - 3

5. TopHat - 2

5. Grog - 2

5. SpectrumPig - 2

5. kDotLo - 2

5. Kamig - 2

5. D-Raw - 2

Full Results - UMSK - Omaha, NE - 8/16/14

Myself, along with Blank, Joker, Grog, Sondogg and others from around Iowa attended UMSK (Ultimate Marvelous Street Kombat), Omaha's tournament series hosted by Yulai Yang. It was a hype event as it was the first USF4 tournament in Nebraska and the return of the UMSK series which hadn't seen the light of day for quite some time. Results below.

USF4

1. Datrick (Zangief)
2. Evil Joe aka Belaul (Dhalsim)
3. NGamer3k (Sakura, Rose)
4. Jamarrvelous
5. TeQneek
5. Simon
7. Eratik Menace aka Leon
7. Synapsse
9. Hieu Do
9. Dicky Bui
9. Brandon-San
9. Grog
13. Damien
13. Jeffy
13. Miasma
17. Mark
17. Danny-San
17. DaWill
17. Spencer
17. Devon
17. Uli
17. Cory
17. Clayton
25. Family Man
25. CrunchBite
25. Stragteam
25. Kamig
25. BlankM
25. Joe
25. Dozer
25. W.P
33. KDotLo
33. Cody
33. Roboboombyyahh
33. Notorious B.R.G.
33. Z-Force

SFIII: Third Strike

1. Jamarrvelous (Split) (Chun-Li)
1. Datrick (Alex)
3. Jimmy
4. Sondogg
5. James
5. David
7. Danny
7. WeirdDudeWhiteKeith
9. Mike
9. Staphf
9. Synapsse
9. Armand
13. Grog
13. Miles
13. KDotLo

Super Turbo

1. Grog (Dhalsim, Honda)
2. Mike (Honda)
3. Jamarr (Honda, Ryu)
4. NGamer3k
5. Datrick
5. WeirdDudeWhiteKeith
7. Brandon
7. Kamig
9. Synapsse
9. Danny-San
9. KDotLo

Melee Singles

1. TVRI JBM
2. Cue
3. Tyser
4. Smeesh
5. Echo
5. Schizm
7. Majik
7. GQDang
9. Tacoom
9. Satisfyler
9. Mushroomring
9. bClymer
13. Ghoul
13. DDRSensation
13. Nick
13. Mike
17. Wesley

PM Singles

1. Cue (Falco)
2. Joker490Frozen (Link)
3. BlankM (Charizard)
4. Smeesh
5. Tyser
5. TVRI JBM
7. Echo
7. Majik
9. CBK
9. Schizm
9. Jester
9. Tacoom
13. Ghoul
13. GQDang
13. Satisflyer
13. Staphf
17. RBK
17. Wesley
17. Spencer
17. Nick
17. bClymer
17. Mike
17. NurseJoy
17. Mushroomring

Melee Doubles

1. Smeesh and Cue
2. TVRI JBM and Ghoul
3. Echo and Majik
4. CBK and Schizm
5. Wesley and Tyler
6. Nick and Brian

PM Doubles

1. Smeesh and Cue
2. Joker490Frozen and BlankM
3. Echo and Majik
4. CBK and Yosh
5. TVRI JBM and Ghoul
7. Spencer and Curtis
7. Nick and Brian

My Too Early Tier List for USF4

At the request of some players in the area, I made a tier list for USF4.

Check it out.

Results - Des Moines USF4 Ranbats 1

This past weekend was the inaugural tournament for the Des Moines USF4 Ranbat that was cooked up by long time community member Charlie "Grog." The purpose of these $1 ranbat tournaments is to build interest while providing the proper forum to level up as an entire community. Match videos can be found on the NEW Des Moines Fighting Games YouTube channel!

Format- RR 2/3 games, Winner of each match gets a point, points are totaled and placement is determined. All ties are settled with another 2/3 game set between the tied players.

First- 5 points
Second -3 points
Third - 2 points
Rest -1 point

Full Results (12 Entrants)

1. NGamer3k (Various)
2. Sondogg (T. Hawk, Boxer)
3. Bobby J (Ibuki)*
4. BlankM*
5. TopHat
5. Grog
7. Jubatuba
8. Kamig
8. Vamperial
10. KDotLo
10. D-Raw
12. SpectrumPig

*- Bobby and Blank tied in points and Bobby won their tie breaking match.

Ranbat Standings W1

1. NGamer3k - 5
2. Sondogg - 3
3. Bobby J- 2

USF4 - Sakura Changes Impressions and Her New Matchups

Sakura is still a strong character in Ultra. If that is what you came here to find out, then you may not read further. However, if you would like to know what I think of the changes in relation to her gameplay, read on.