KoF98 ~ The King of Speed Vol. 1 by Remxi

Ready for a completely different approach to King of Fighters ’98 combos? This video revolves around a particular “speedbug” which somehow bypasses impact freeze and opens up a whole new world of combo possibilities. The glitch is explained in detail below, along with the full transcript.

highlights:
KoF98 Kyo stylish finisher at 0:20, ’95 Kyo RDP+B juggles at 1:43, Mature’s crossup rejump loops at 5:19, and Ralf comboing into Galatica Phantom at 7:55

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combos and editing by Remxi

transcript:

This is a combovid showcasing what is possible using an exploit coined “speedbug” by those who discovered it. The setup involves stunning Yamazaki, calling his teammate during the last few frames of his stun animation and then connecting his hcbx2+P DM after he recovers. The teammate will knock the player character out of Yamazaki’s DM but he will attempt to complete the rest of animation. Most of the variations of his DM will proceed as normal, and will interact with the first player if they do not move out of the way.

Charging it to the third level (repeated headbutt variation) however will cause Yamazaki to whiff the initial pickup and leave him in a bugged state. During this state Yamazaki is affected by hitstop but the other character is not. This gives most attacks a huge amount of frame advantage, and also creates some strange properties that result from the lack of hitstop. It also affects Yamazaki’s hitbox, which now extends higher and further behind his pushbox making it possible to crossup with certain attacks that would not normally. The setup for the bug would typically leave Yamazaki at ~30-50% health (depending on how easily the player character can stun him) so these 100% variations are only possible in training mode.

Some universal changes I’ve noticed is that it is impossible to cancel air normals into specials/DMs, and it is also impossible to cancel command normals in situations where they would normally be cancellable. Damage and stun are affected by random factors, and changing the starting frame of a combo can alter it’s final damage by ~15% (certain moves are more sensitive than others). This made organising and rearranging these combos much more frustrating and time consuming. I do intend to create combos for the entire cast eventually, but I won’t set an ETA because I only work on this sporadically. I can say the next volume will include the Women’s Team though as I’ve already completed some combos for King.

All combos were scripted and captured using MAME-RR with Macrolua, edited with VirtualDub and encoded with MeGUI.

Kyo

1. qcf+D.D, whiff s.CD xx (qcf+A) x 9, *stun*, whiff dp+C, MAX, cl.B x 4 xx qcb,hcf+P SDM

During the last couple of qcf+A, the game experiences noticeable slowdown. Could this be a remnant of the KoF ’97 Task Over bug that occured due to layering of the fire effect? Unfortunately Yamazaki is stunned before it can reach that level. The charge up animation for the SDM at the end hits 5 times, under normal circumstances it will only hit 3 times.

2. qcf+D.D, whiff cr.D xx (qcf+A) x 8, qcf+B.B, vj.CD, *stun*, whiff rdp+D, cl.A, cl.B, cr.B, cr.C xx qcb+A

Hitting with the last active frame of qcf+A doesn’t generate the flame effect.

3. h.D, cr.C xx qcf+D.D, whiff qcf+A.qcf+A, (qcf+A.qcf+A) x 3, sj.D, *stun*, whiff hcb+B x 2, cl.C xx f+B, dp+A

There are three different effects of qcf+A.qcf+A depending on how it connects. There is the normal flame effect, the last frame version which is the same but has no flame effect. The final version is dependent on the height of the opponent and launches them high into the air but only leaves them juggleable for a short time. The dp+A at the end is a link, it is impossible to cancel out of command normals while the bug is activated.

4. hh.d+C x 3, run cr.B, cr.A xx qcf+D.D, qcf+A, qcf+C.hcb+C.f+C, *stun*, whiff qcfx2+P DM, qcf+C, cr.C xx qcf+C, cr.C xx qcf+D.D, whiff qcf+C.hcb+C, dp+A

Showing some midscreen rekka juggle stuff.

5. crossup sj.d+C, backdash d+C, hh.d+C x 3, *stun*, whiff hh.CD, meaty cl.C, hh.d+C x 2, run cr.C xx qcf+D.D, backdash, qcf+A x 2, qcf+A.hcb+A.A

j.d+C deals massive stun damage.

6. (crossup hh.d+C, cl.B) x 2, hh.d+C, cl.C xx f+B, df+D, *stun*, whiff rdp+B, crossup j.d+C, (cl.C, hh.d+C) x 2, dp+C

Rejump loops. Yamazaki’s stunned hitbox is incredibly hard to crossup with j.d+C, you can only do it from behind with a normal jump.

7. (cr.D xx qcb+A) x 2 -> meaty qcf+D.D, hyperhop, qcf+B.B, run cr.C -> meaty qcf+D.D, run st.CD xx qcf+A -> MAX, backwards qcb,hcf+P SDM -> whiff hcb+B, whiff rdp+D, qcf+D.D, qcfx2+P DM

Cancelling the first active frame of a normal into qcb+P causes strange effects. Hitting the SDM from behind can get up to 6 hits with perfect spacing. Juggling with the pillar from qcfx2+P DM is not normally possible.

EX Kyo

1. qcf+D.D, rdp+B x 4, cl.D xx f+B, *stun*, whiff st.CD xx hcb+B, whiff rdp+B, qcf+D.D, rdp+B x 2, qcf+B.B, rdp+B, qcb,hcf+A DM

2. (st.A, run) x 14, st.A xx qcf+D.D, run rdp+B, rdp+B, qcf+A

3. qcf+D.D, (rdp+B x 2, qcf+B.B) x 2, rdp+D, *stun*, whiff cr.D xx qcf+D.D, rdp+B x 2, hcb+B

The middle part of this combo is actually an infinite. The rdp+D is timed to whiff the first and third hits and stuns with the second.

Benimaru

1. crossup h.C, cr.B x 5, cl.D, cr.C xx hcb+D, *stun*, whiff s.CD xx qcf+B, crossup sj.D, cl.C, cr.C xx qcfx2+C DM

2. crossup vj.d+D, (cr.B, cl.B, cl.A, cr.A) x 3, cl.D, cr.D xx hcbx2+D DM, *stun*, whiff cr.D xx hcb+D, backwards h.A, cl.D, cr.C xx dp+D

3. MAX, meaty cl.D, cl.D xx qcfx2+P SDM -> st.CD xx hcb,f+C -> taunt, vj.d+D, sj.D

First example of comboing st.CD into a 1f grab which is now possible. It only works if you cancel the first active frame that connects with the opponent. Specific spacing can allow j.d+D to hit 5 times rather than the typical 4.

4. trade st.CD, h.d+D, run qcfx2+A DM

Yamazaki’s qcb+B is useful to trade with as it extends his vulnerable hitbox at the same time as the active, allowing it to trade with attacks from behind.

5. counterhit vj.CD, h.d+D x 2, hcb+D

Unfortunately the drill juggle lets them drop slightly and not quite an infinite.

Daimon

1. backwards cl.C, cl.C x 2, run st.B xx hcf+C -> qcb+B, cr.B x 3, cl.B xx hcf+A, *stun*, qcb+B x 2, taunt xx hcb,f+P, whiff cr.D xx hcfx2+B DM

hcb,f+P allows Daimon to move before the final damage is dealt (provided the opponent wasn’t K.O. by the first part of the grab). Executing a DM in a 2f window when the opponent is K.O. results in that effect.

2. MAX, trade st.CD, backwards df+C, backwards sj.C -> backwards h.C, cl.A x 2, cl.C xx f+A, *stun*, whiff dp+A, whiff hcbx2+A DM, cr.B, cl.D xx dp+K

MAX mode is required at the start to alter the trajectory of the opponent so they fly over the head of Daimon to get hit by the back of his df+C but it runs out because the increased pushback would ruin the later parts of the combo. Very difficult spacing/timing to connect the sj.C like that. The whiffed grab is just showcasing the “bug” that occurs when you reversal a 1f grab after switching sides with the opponent.

3. MAX, counterhit st.CD, whiff cr.D xx df+C, whiff cl.D xx df+C, whiff hcb,f+B x 2 -> st.CD xx hcbx2+P SDM

The first df+C hits as late as possible and the second hits on the last active frame as Yamazaki falls onto it. For whatever reason, Daimon’s OTG dp+A glitch does not work at all while the bug is active.

Iori

1. hh.C x 2, (cr.A, cl.A) x 2, cl.B, cr.C xx dp+B xx qcb+A.qcb+A, cr.D, *stun*, whiff st.CD xx qcb,hcf+C DM, vj.D, cr.C xx qcf,hcb+A DM, run cl.D, st.B, st.D

Cancelling out of dp+B on the first frame that it connects prevents the flame effect from being drawn.

2. backwards cl.D, cl.D, qcb+C.qcb+C.qcb+C -> whiff cr.C xx f+B, st.B, *stun*, whiff hcb+B, taunt, f+A.f+A x 2, qcb+A.qcb+A, qcf,hcb+C DM

The rekkas in this combo are delayed as much as possible compared to the ones in the previous which were cancelled as fast as possible. f+B actually has 3 hitboxes but only in odd setups will all three connect. f+A.f+A isn’t cancellable during the bugged state, the rekkas after it are linked.

3. sj.D, cr.B, cl.C xx hcb,f+C, (run cr.C xx hcb,f+C) x 3, st.CD xx hcb,f+C, *stun*, backdash b+B, MAX, whiff s.C xx qcf+A, qcf,hcb+P SDM

Being able to cancel a heavy normal into hcb,f+P before pushback allows it to combo. During the super freeze Yamazaki is still in the dizzy animation but already has the purple flame effect on his sprite.

4. MAX, (cl.A, hh.C, cl.A, hh.D) x 2, cl.A, hh.C, cl.A, st.CD xx hcb+B, *stun*, whiff hcb+B, qcb+A.qcb+A, hh.B

MAX doesn’t affect anything in this combo apart from the damage so that Yamazaki dies at a certain point.

5. qcb,hcf+A DM, whiff hcb+B x 6, qcb+A.qcb+A, qcf+C -> whiff dp+B, counterhit st.CD xx qcf+A, -> MAX, counterhit st.CD xx qcb,hcf+P SDM, whiff dp+B, whiff qcb+A.qcb+A x 4, qcb+A.qcb+A, hcb+B

Random leftovers. Cancelling a counterhit st.CD into qcf+P prevents Yamazaki from being knocked down. It’s not shown here but hitting Yamazaki with hcb+K while he is frozen at a specific height allows you to connect the first hit but whiff the followup grab.

Mature

1. crossup j.C, (st.A, hh.B) x 8, cl.B xx f+B, qcfx2+A DM

Two hit j.B leads to easy crossup rejump loops.

2. cl.D, hh.C, st.A, cl.D, hh.C, cr.A, st.D, cr.D xx qcb,hcf+B DM, *stun*, whiff qcf+A, h.C, cl.D, run cr.C xx hcf+B, whiff cr.D xx qcfx2+A DM

Another move that allows for superfreeze K.O.

3. trade st.CD, st.CD xx qcb,hcf+B DM -> cl.B x 2, cr.A xx dp+C -> counterhit backwards h.CD, h.CD -> whiff h.CD x 2, cl.D xx qcf,hcb+A, *stun*, qcf,hcb+A, taunt

Weird crossup with dp+C due to the lack of hitstop for Mature.

Vice

1. h.qcb+B, st.A x 3, cr.B xx qcb+A, h.qcb+B x 5, backdash qcb+B

Specific spacing/timing required to get 7 hits from the first qcb+B rather than the usual 6. Vice can actually do a similar infinite with h.qcb+B outside of the bug conditions although it is nowhere near as versatile.

2. cl.B, cl.D xx qcb+D, st.A xx qcb+A, h.qcb+B, qcb+B x 3, whiff cr.B xx f+A

f+A does a hard knockdown in the rare occasion that it hits an airborne opponent.

3. crossup hh.qcb+B, backdash qcb+B, st.A, cr.B, st.A, hh.CD

Very specific spacing required to get 5 hits out of the crossup qcb+B rather than just 4 (giving enough advantage to continue the combo). In normal conditions it wouldn’t even crossup.

4. dash qcb+B, st.A, st.A xx qcb+A, dash qcb+B x 3, qcb+B x 2, quickmax qcb+A, j.C

EXTRA Vice used to showcase the forward dash ability. MAX increases the juggle height for certain moves, in this case it allows Vice to connect a j.C afterwards.

5. MAX, run, crossup hh.D, (cr.B, st.B) x 5, cl.C xx qcb+A, sj.qcb+B, hcf+B, whiff cr.D xx qcf+P SDM

Doing the K.O. superfreeze setup with Vice actually allows her qcfx2+P (S)DM to connect OTG.

Leona

1. backwards cl.C, cl.D, st.A, hh.D, cr.A, cl.D, hh.C, cr.C xx f+B, *stun*, meaty st.C, st.A, hh.qcf,hcb+C DM

Cancelling a normal into f+B always results in the hard knockdown late cancel version, it is impossible to get the regular cancelled version of f+B.

2. hh.C x 2, cr.B, cl.A, crossup hh.D, cr.B, cr.C xx b~f+B, d~u+B, *stun*, MAX, cl.B, cl.D xx qcfx2+P SDM

Getting the final hit of the SDM to connect after K.O. requires the 4th hit to kill the opponent which was difficult to plan since it only does a pixel worth of damage.

Ralf

1. backwards cl.D, cr.C, hh.D, cl.A, cl.D, hh.C, cr.A, cr.B, cr.C xx d~u+C, *stun*, meaty cr.C, hh.qcf+A

2. crossup sj.C, cl.D, hh.C, cl.C, cr.C xx b~f+A, *stun*, taunt xx roll, cr.C xx qcf,hcb+C DM

It’s hard to see but the first hit of the DM actually whiffs before the rest connects. During normal conditions this would break the combo.

3. meaty cr.C, run cr.C x 3, run st.C

The first cr.C gives enough frame advantage to actually run back to point blank range before he hits the next one.

4. MAX, counterhit mash C, mash C

Yet another example of the flame effect being missing from the last active frame of an attack.

5. MAX, b~f+B, whiff cr.A, st.CD xx qcfx2+P SDM

Cancelling the first frame of st.CD that connects with the opponent into qcfx2+P (S)DM causes the massive damage to occur instantly before the animation of the DM even begins.

Clark

1. backwards cl.D, cr.C, hh.D, cl.B, cl.C xx mash C, cl.C

The lack of hitstop allows mash C to connect all it’s hits for huge damage.

2. backwards cl.C, cr.C, hh.D, cl.B, cr.C, hh.D, cl.B, cl.B xx mash A, dp+C, *stun*, whiff st.CD xx meaty mash A, cl.D

3. counterhit s.CD xx whiff hcf+B, st.D -> meaty st.CD xx dp+A

Cancelling the first hitting frame of st.CD into dp+P causes this strange effect. st.CD does no damage and it makes the grab sound effect of the dp+P even though it does not connect. For some reason hitting st.CD meaty causes the hitspark to appear much lower on Yamazaki’s body (compare the position of the first st.CD hitspark to the second one).

4. (cr.C, hh.D, cl.B) x 3, cr.B, cl.B xx hcf+C xx qcf+C, *stun*, MAX, st.CD xx hcbx2+P SDM

None of Clark’s ground based throws deal stun damage, but the followup elbow does. It’s not shown in these combos but it’s possible for him to combo into dp+K as well.

Huge thanks to Dammit for his work on Macrolua, Neo-Geo hitbox scripts, and various other technical goodies. Seriously, the contributions he has made are legendary. Thanks to everyone involved in the combo making community, whether you are a maker or just support by watching. Thanks to ComboVid.com and their staff and users for supporting the combo vid scene.

released today, September 20th, 2011

bonus materials:
King of Fighters ’98 Leona Speedbug by Remxi