Darkstalkers: The Night Warriors

Game Details:

This is Capcom's first original fighting game to run on the CP System II (CPS2) arcade board. It was not only visually stunning but also introduced several innovative mechanics to the genre: it was one of the first fighting games to feature an "air guard" and a "crouch walk." It also introduced the concept of Enhanced Special Moves, called "ES Specials" and "EX Specials," allowing players to spend their power gauge to transform regular special moves into more spectacular and powerful versions.

The game introduced a cast of highly recognizable all-star characters, such as Morrigan the succubus, Demitri the vampire, and Felicia the cat-woman. Not only were their designs unique, but their attack styles also completely broke away from the physical logic of traditional fighting games, filled with magical transformations and a sense of humor. They provided a wealth of inspiration for the later Darkstalkers and Marvel vs. Capcom series.

Strategy Guide:

• Mastering ES Specials: This is the key to victory. By pressing two attack buttons simultaneously when inputting a special move and consuming one level of your gauge, you can perform an ES Special. ES moves typically have better priority, more hits, or less recovery, making them the core of your combos and pressure.
• Utilize Air Guarding: This game supports air guarding, which means you no longer have to fear your opponent's anti-air starters. Maintaining a defensive stance while jumping in allows you to safely approach opponents who excel at long-range zoning.
• Character Strategy Tips: 
• Morrigan: A classic zoning and pressure character. Her air throw has excellent priority, and when combined with her low air dash, she can create very threatening high/low mix-ups.
• Jon Talbain: Possesses extremely fast ground movement speed. Use his unique diagonal ricochet special to bounce around the screen, making it difficult for your opponent to predict where you'll land.
• Demitri: A traditional "shoto" (fireball & uppercut) style character, but with a more powerful teleport. The core of his counter-attack strategy is to teleport through an attack and immediately follow up with a super.
• Chain Combos: Although this game's Chain system is less refined than in its sequels, linking basic light, medium, and heavy attacks is still a crucial tool in the neutral game. Learning to use light attacks to start and quickly confirm into a combo is a fundamental skill for advanced players.