========================================================================= THE REALLY COOL CODY FAQ! Version 1.0 ========================================================================= Author: Synn Syous E-Mail: synnsyous@hotmail.com Last Updated: 2/14/99 This document Copyright 1999 Synn Syous Still need to add specific Vs. stategies as well as some effective V-ISM Custom Combos. Any help is much appreciated. Please email me. ------------------------------------------------------------------------- CONTENTS ------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1. Introduction 2. Basic Commands / Notation 3. Attacks 3.1. Quick Move-List 3.2. Normal Attacks 3.3. Command Attacks 3.4. Throws 3.5. Alpha Counters 3.6. Super Attacks 4. Combos 5. Strategy 5.1. Choosing your ISM 5.2. General Strategies 5.3. Specific Vs. Strategies 6. Closing 6.1. Acknowledgments 6.2. Goodbye ------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1. Introduction ------------------------------------------------------------------------- Hey, yo! Wassup?! Welcome to... THE REALLY COOL CODY FAQ! It is with the purpose of turning anyone reading this into an awesome Cody player that I write this FAQ. It's my first attempt at writing a FAQ (which seems to be the general trend amongst new FAQs these days) so don't kill me if you don't like my style... blah blah blah... um... yeah... you spineless whelps! Why the @%$!# would you write an apology before you've even given them a chance to read the $%@# you call a FAQ!? Don't you have any self- confidence at ALL?! ANTA BAKA?! ... ahem. Cody seems to be an underrated character for some reason. A lot of the people here at my local arcade pass him off as a joke. (That is until I give them a major @$$ whuppin! He he he...) Don't let his appearance and style of fighting fool you. Sure, he does chuck rocks instead of fireballs and he likes throwing dirt in people's eyes cuz he's gots no honor, but he's very powerful in the hands of an experienced player. Anyway, it's *because* he's a criminal who keeps his hands cuffed for a challenge and uses weapons and other "cheap" tricks that makes Cody so unbelievably cool. And now.... without further ah-dew... on to THE REALLY COOL CODY FAQ! ------------------------------------------------------------------------- 2. Basic Commands / Notation ------------------------------------------------------------------------- (controller directions) ub u uf \ | / b -- n -- f / | \ db d df (button layout) Jab Strong Fierce Short Forward Roundhouse (FAQ abbreviations) qcf / qcb - Roll out d,df,f -or- d,db,b on the joystick. ZC / AC - Zero Counter (in SFZ) / Alpha Counter (in SFA) OC / CC - Original Combo (in SFZ) / Custom Combo (in SFA) > - Move Separator in the Combo Section. SC - Super Combo C. - Crouching S. - Standing XX - Cancel / - Means "or" [XAV] - Modes where the combo is possible. ------------------------------------------------------------------------- 3. Attacks ------------------------------------------------------------------------- Note: This move-list was plagiarized from Kao Megura's awsome Alpha 3 FAQ XAV Stomach Blow f + MP XAV Crack Kick f + HK V Sakeru Hold b / db when attacked XAV Bad Stone qcf + P (hold P to delay) AV Fake Throw qcf + Select (hold Select to delay) XAV Ruffian Kick qcf + K XAV Criminal Upper qcb + P XAV Bad Spray b,db,d + P when knocked down XAV Tokushu Koudou: Knife Hiroi d + PP when near a knife XAV Tokushu Koudou: Knife Kougeki When armed, press P (air) XAV Tokushu Koudou: Knife Nage When armed, qcf + P XA Final Destruction qcf,qcf + P A Dead End Irony qcf,qcf + K Alpha Counter (A-ISM): Shoulder Throw Alpha Counter (V-ISM): Crouching HK Ground Throws: b / f + PP / KK Air Throws: b / f + KK Interruptable Attacks: stand LP MP HP LK (with knife: LP MP LK) crouch LP MP HP LK (with knife: LP MP LK) - When Cody is armed with a knife: * Any Punch attack does more damage and even does block damage. * His Bad Stone attack is replaced by the Knife Nage, and the Fake Throw move is done using his knife (you can't delay this move when you have the knife). He's unable to use the Stomach Blow, either. * He will lose his knife if he is hit, if he taunts, performs a throw, or uses the Final Destruction. - Cody's V-ism move, the Sakeru, is a sort of "auto-dodge" technique. Instead of blocking, Cody shifts to the side and the attack passes harmlessly through him. This sort of defense doesn't work against all attacks, including jump-ins and certain special moves, and it can't be used in the air. - During the X-ism Final Destruction, you can move around freely and tap P or K when close for an auto-combo. In the air, pressing any button results in a jump kick. Crouching, Cody performs a single punch attack. Just like in the original Final Fight, you can throw someone while auto-comboing them: in this game, just press d + P / K after Cody does the 3rd hit of the auto-combo (the Stomach Blow). This SC ends after a certain amount of time, or if you are hit. 3.2. Normal Attacks ------------------- When describing Cody's moves I'll rate each one's usefulness on a scale of one to five "stars," a technique pioneered by Andrew Park and Greg Kasavin in their excellent KOF '97 Kim and Yashiro guides respectively. Jab --- Standing - Your standard high-hitting worthless jab. Usefulness: [*----] Crouching - A fast low punch. Can be linked into a low short for a nice little combo. Works well at stopping human projectile attacks. Usefulness: [***--] Jumping - This move blows chunks... hmm... yep, that's about it. Usefulness: [*----] Strong ------ Standing - An uppercut like upward hook. Works well as an anti-air, but it's next to useless on the ground. Usefulness: [**---] Crouching - Cody kneels down an punches his opponent in the liver. This move has great priority and snuffs a lot of attacks. Doesn't really have that much range though. Works well in combos. Usefulness: [***--] Jumping - Cody jumps and punches downward. Not bad as a jump-in, but he's got better. Usefulness: [**---] Fierce ------ Standing - A long reaching powerful punch. A pretty good anti-air that is great in juggles because it can be cancelled (see combos). Usefulness: [***--] Crouching - An upward swinging hammer punch with great horizontal range. Great in ground combos because of its reach. Can also be used as an anti-air. Usefulness: [***--] Jumping - Looks like a crouching fierce, but in the air. Has good air to air priority, but not that great as a jump-in attack. Usefulness: [**---] Short ----- Standing - A quick kick to the shins. Pretty slow for a short, but still works well as a pressure tool. Usefulness: [**---] Crouching - This move rocks. Surprising considering it's only a Short kick. Hits low, hits fast, hits long. This move can be canceled into a Jab Criminal Upper which is a very good thing. Usefulness: [*****] Jumping - WTF? Cody kicks straight up IN THE AIR... umm... yeah. But there is a use for this. If you jump in and stick this out while the opponent is holding back, he will be forced into a blocking stance. You can land and throw immediately afterwards because the short whiffs completely. That's about it though. Usefulness: [*----] Forward ------- Standing - Nice reach and snuffs some low attacks because of the way Cody sticks his leg out. A very important poke. Usefulness: [****-] Crouching - A sliding kick. Kinda slow, but has some good uses to it. Use it from just barely inside it's hit range or to get close. Works well in an OC. Usefulness: [***--] Jumping - Cody's best jump-in attack bar none. Good reach, hits deep, crosses up, nice priority, and it just looks plain cool. Usefulness: [*****] Roundhouse ---------- Standing - This move REEKS of anti-air priority. Someone just jumped at you? *Yawn* Just do this kick. Not many other uses, but it's still a great move. Usefulness: [****-] Crouching - This thing has pathetic range for a Roundhouse kick. Might as well stick with the low short into Jab Criminal Upper. Usefulness: [*----] Jumping - Your best jump-in attack in terms of damage. Use it when your guaranteed to hit with it. Usefulness: [**---] 3.3. Command Attacks -------------------- Stomach Blow ------------ This sucks. If you ask me, all characters should have an over- head and this could have been Cody's. What's the point? A little better than his standing Strong, but that's not saying much. Try sticking it in rushes after a crouching short just to add variety to your game. Usefulness: [**---] Crack Kick ---------- A short hopping kick. Pretty fast and good for gaining ground. Cody goes over many low attacks while doing this so it's great to use in the middle of rushes. Essential to playing a mean game with Cody. See strategy section for more on this move. Usefulness: [*****] Sakeru ------ Only available in V-ISM, Cody automatically evades single hitting attacks that can be blocked high. Really cool move. Usefulness: [*****] Bad Stone --------- Cody picks up a rock and chucks it at his opponent at an arcing angle. I like this move. It makes Cody look really desperate when he's throwing rocks at his opponent. "Stay back... BACK I say!" When used in conjunction with the Fake Throw, this becomes a great weapon used for faking out opponents. Can also be used to get in an extra air juggle hit if your opponent is too far away for anything else. Since Cody throws the rocks at an arcing angle, you can actually get the rocks to go over other projectiles and smack your opponent in their freeze animations. Usefulness: [****-] Ruffian Kick ------------ Each button pressed does a different kick. All versions have pretty bad recovery so don't do it up close. Short - a slide that must be blocked low. I guess you should treat this as if it was Cody's real low roundhouse. Usefulness: [**---] Forward - a nice big mid-kick and good as a combo finisher. Comes out pretty fast. Use it as a surprise move after one of your blocked attacks that has good recovery. Usefulness: [***--] Roundhouse - A very high kick that should only be used in juggles or as an anti-air. Usefulness: [**---] Criminal Upper -------------- Cody uppercuts creating a little tornado that launches your opponent into the air. Jab version is the best because it leaves Cody pretty safe if blocked and sets up for some big time juggling. Doesn't really work as an air defense, but that's not it's purpose. You want to connect with this move on the ground. Cody's strategy mainly revolves around getting the opponent to eat this attack. Usefulness: [*****] Bad Spray --------- LoL! I like this attack. It's a reversal only move. Performing this move will have Cody scooping up some dirt and throwing it at his opponents face. Not very damaging, but knocks your opponent across the entire screen if it connects. Good for it's psychological shock factor. Usefulness: [**---] Knife ----- All your punching attacks will turn into knife stabs once you pick up this thing. I think this is so cool. It's like Cody just happened to stumble across a knife in a street fight and just starts slashing at his opponent. Cooooool. Jab becomes a nice quick stab that can be done 3 times in a row. Strong is slow and just plain sucks. Fierce becomes a pretty good poke. All knife stabs do block damage and the Bad Stone move becomes the Knife Chuck. Usefulness: [***--] 3.4. Throws ----------- Shoulder Toss ------------- Cody's punch throw. Not as damaging as his kick throw, but he chucks is opponent across the entire screen practically. Good for throwing your opponent into the corner where Cody can rape anyone with his awesome corner traps and juggle combos. Usefulness: [****-] Body Crush ---------- Cody's kick throw. This does a ridiculous amount of damage for a regular throw. Use this throw all the time unless you are trying to get your opponent into the corner. Throwing is very strong. I recommend that you try to throw your opponent at least twice per round. Usefulness: [*****] 3.5. Alpha Counters ------------------- Cody's A-ISM AC is his Shoulder Toss animation while his V-ISM AC is a crouching roundhouse. Alpha counters suck @$$ in Alpha 3 and I would recommend that you stay away from them unless in a life and death situation. Usefulness: [*----] 3.6. Super Attacks ------------------ Final Destruction ----------------- Cody sticks out a jab with pathetic range and does a combo if it connects. The higher the level the more hits it does. Cody misses crouching opponents with this... which sort of SUCKS. In X-ISM, all the buttons serve as a general "Attack" button like in the Final Fight arcade game. Jump and Attack and he does a jump kick (animation same as F+HK). Duck and he does jabs. His auto combo goes jab, jab, gut punch, uppercut (Criminal Uppercut animation). Press down and Attack for the fourth hit and he'll do the punch throw. The opponent does not seem to be able to air recover if juggled with this. You can interrupt the auto combo with different moves and do a lot of damage until the time for the super runs out. Try: Attack > Attack > Down and Attack (repeat) -or- Down and Attack > Attack > Attack (repeat). You can try to be fancy and stick in some jump kicks in there, but I prefer to keep things simple. Usefulness: [**---] Dead End Irony -------------- Cool name for a super, but I fail to see any irony in this. Maybe it's because his hands are chained and that's why this super consists entirely of kicks? Oh well... The higher the level, the more damage and hits done. Good in combos and not bad as a stand alone move since it has pretty good priority. Usefulness: [***--] ------------------------------------------------------------------------- 4. Combos ------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1. [XAV] Jump in > C.Strong/C.Fierce XX Short/Forward Ruffian Kick 2. [XAV] Jump in > C.Jab > C.Short XX Short/Forward Ruffian Kick 3. [XAV] Jump in > C.Short XX Jab Criminal Upper > S.Fierce XX Roundhouse Ruffian Kick - Hit your opponent out of the air after the Criminal Upper with a Fierce and then cancel into the Roundhouse Ruffian Kick. Walk forward and time your Standing Fierce if they flip out after the Uppercut. 4. [XAV] Jump in > C.Short XX Jab Criminal Upper > Jab Criminal Upper > S.Fierce Walk forward to connect with the Standing Fierce at the end. 5. [XAV] Jump in > F+Roundhouse > S.Fierce XX Roundhouse Ruffian Kick - Again, time your Standing Fierce correctly if they flip out. 6. [XAV] (with knife) Jump in > C.Jab x 3 > Forward Ruffian Kick 7. [X] Jump in > C.Short > Jab Criminal Upper > Activate Super > Hit them a whole bunch of times > S.Fierce XX Roundhouse Ruffian Kick - During the Super press: Attack, Attack, Down and Attack, Attack, Attack, Down and Attack... etc. until the super runs out. Try to follow up with a Standing Fierce canceled into Roundhouse Ruffian Kick. 8. [A] Jump in > C.Jab > C.Short XX Final Destruction/Dead End Irony 9. [V] ... d'oh. Sorry, but I don't really have any good Cody CCs that do a lot of damage. I don't really use him in this mode. Help is appreciated. I'll update the FAQ if I find anything. ------------------------------------------------------------------------- 5. Strategy ------------------------------------------------------------------------- 5.1. Choosing your ISM ---------------------- Cody seems to be a well-balanced character in terms of the ISM you choose to play as. Each mode has its strengths and weaknesses. I generally stick with A-ISM, but it's up to you to find out what works best for your particular fighting style. In X-ISM, Cody's attacks do more damage, but he loses his Fake Throw and Dead End Irony Super. This should be the ISM you choose if you rely on brute force and want to get the most bang for your buck (attack wise). I believe that A-ISM is probably Cody's most versatile ISM. He doesn't do as much damage as in X-ISM and his Guard Meter isn't as long, but he has access to both his supers, his Fake Throw, air blocking, and Alpha Counters. I suck in V-ISM, but that doesn't mean that it has no potential. Many characters seem to be much stronger in this ISM, but I have trouble doing OC/CC with Cody. He has his really cool Evading move in this ISM (the only reason I use this mode in the first place), but has a really short Guard Meter and doesn't do as much damage as in the other ISMs. 5.2. General Strategies ----------------------- Earlier in the FAQ I mentioned that Cody's strategy mainly revolves around getting his opponent to eat that Criminal Upper. This is how Cody does big damage. A jump-in Criminal Upper juggle combo can take off a very large chunk of life. The best move to combo off the Criminal Upper after is his crouching Short. I always follow up my low shorts with the Jab Criminal Upper because your left pretty safe even if it's blocked. Poking with Cody's standing forward kick is a good idea. It can snuff out low attacks and has pretty good recovery. Following this up with a Forward Ruffian Kick is a little habit of mind. Once your opponent starts anticipating the Ruffian Kick, walk up and throw them. This holds the same for any other attack pattern. Once your opponent starts anticipating certain moves and automatically blocks, that will be you opportunity to land Cody's brutal Kick Throw. Another nice little rush that I do is: Jump-in > C.Jab > C.Short > C.Stong XX Forward Ruffian Kick. The Strong does not combo off, but if your opponent trys something after the Short, then he usually gets hit (unless he does a super or big special move). Once you've trained your opponent like a dog to block the Strong in fear, just walk up and throw. Simple, right? Always watch what your opponent does and keep in mind under what situations he likes to block. Even the best of players fall into a pattern. Make sure to capitalize on their bad habits. Cody's has a lot of attacks to choose from for knocking people out of the air. His best attacks are: S.Roundhouse, C.Fierce, S.Fierce, S.Strong, Roundhouse Ruffian Kick, and Jumping Fierce when Cody is in the air. You can lure your opponent into jumping in by continually pelting him with rocks. When you think your opponent has had enough and wants to jump at you REALLY bad, then just do the fake throw and pick your anti-air of choice. Sure enough they will usually jump right into your S.Roundhouse. Once your opponents starts blocking in fear no matter what, try jumping in after a fake throw. Your opponent won't be expecting it. Since they are probably scared stupid, you could probably jump in and throw. The Crack Kick (Forward and Roundhouse) is one of Cody's most powerful weapons. It's a hop kick that knocks down and misses crouching opponents. I know what you're thinking, "This move sounds like it sucks." Well it's actually VERY useful. First off... the fact that it hits so high means that it's a great way to jump over low attacks. After clearing a low attack with this move you can follow it up with a low Short into Jab Criminal Upper or just do a throw. It moves Cody forward pretty quickly so use it as a way to get closer to your opponent or in the middle of rushes. Someone just blocked your low Short? Do this move to get close and try it again or throw! A great move, but don't OVERuse it. You don't want to get predictable. Vary your rushes and try not to do the same thing over and over again. 5.3 Specific Vs. Strategies --------------------------- Nothing yet... I'll put some in during future updates. The strategies out-lined above work for pretty much every character. ------------------------------------------------------------------------- 6. Closing ------------------------------------------------------------------------- 6.1. Acknowledgments -------------------- Special thanks goes out to Kao Megura who was gracious enough to let me use the move-list from his awesome Alpha 3 FAQ. Definitely check it out. More thanks goes out to my arcade buddies: Michael Anthony Paine III, Jason Childes, Tommy Sutton, Felix Warsowski, and John Lee. Without the level of challenge they provided, I would have never been able to come up with the advanced strategies that I did. Thanks guys! 6.2. Goodbye ------------ Well, sad to say, but all good things must come to an end. Thanks for reading and if you have any suggestions as to how I could improve this FAQ, please feel free to email me.