Remember the time when I talked about fighting games, and how their simple mechanics makes the games what they are? Well I hope you studied up ‘cause today, we’re delving into the deep end of mind games, mechanics, and tomfoolery: SHENANIGANS!
Fighting games are so relatively free form compared to other games, that sooner or later, there comes a moment that causes you to experience elation, anger, depression, and/or sexual arousal. Using nothing but a crouching punch to win a match? Sure! Use nothing but an annoying move to counter your opponent’s every move? Okay! Throw someone out of a combo and almost winning the match if it wasn’t for the fact that you rolled right into another attack? Uh, what?
First, let’s misquote the dictionary to get on the same page.
Shenanigans, n: 1. An useful act that defies any and all common sense. 2. A hilarious act. 3. Freakin’ awesome game winning moves.
Let us start with a prime example of shenanigans. In Street Fighter 3, each character has a taunt that can hit his/her opponent, do damage, and give a damage boost to him/herself. In the video below, the Ken player thought to himself: “Why can’t I taunt, and skip the latter part that Ze Botte mentioned in the future?”
Yes, taunts kill.
Another good example is using a character’s move to confound your opponent. Hell, we have 2, courtesy of Capcom and SNK (not at the same time).
Rose’s crouching medium works cause it’s just that awesome.
Our final exemplary example comes not from hilarity, but straight up in your head playing. The Japanese are way ahead of everyone else in terms of technique and mind games. Courtesy of Japan’s premier fighting game tournament: Tougeki.
As you can see in the first match, the Japanese player (the one that won) didn’t even bother with much of anything flashy. Just shows why so many fighting game players hold the Japanese in high regard.
“But wait!” You exclaim, “Do people really win with hilarious antics?”
