SF2WW: Starting Opponents by Character Selection
Ryu fights Dhalsim or Blanka
E.Honda fights Chun Li or Ken
Blanka fights Dhalsim or Ryu
Guile fights Chun Li or Ken
Ken fights Dhalsim or Blanka
Chun Li fights Ryu or Ken
Zangief fights Dhalsim or Blanka
Dhalsim fights Chun Li or Ken
For each character, the default choice is listed first followed by the alternate case which occurs when the coin is inserted during the loading screen.
In CE and HF, starting opponents are chosen at random and all characters are eligible to face any of the non-boss characters.
Stage Select and Other Cosmetic Tricks
Re: Lists of Esoteric Minutiae
SSF2T: Starting Opponents by Character Selection
Ryu fights Guile, Ken, or Zangief
E.Honda fights Guile, Ken, Chun Li, or Dhalsim
Blanka fights Honda, Guile, or Zangief
Guile fights Chun Li, Zangief, or Dhalsim
Ken fights Ryu, Blanka, Guile, or Dhalsim
Chun Li fights Guile, Ken, or Dhalsim
Zangief fights Ryu, Blanka, Guile, or Chun Li
Dhalsim fights Ryu, Blanka, Ken, or Zangief
T.Hawk fights Honda, Blanka, Guile, or Zangief
Cammy fights Honda, Blanka, Guile, or Chun Li
Fei Long fights Ryu, Blanka, Guile, Chun Li, or Zangief
Dee Jay fights Blanka, Guile, Chun Li, or Zangief
Balrog fights Blanka or Ken
Vega fights Honda, Chun Li, or Zangief
Sagat fights Honda, Blanka, Guile, or Ken
M.Bison fights Ryu, Honda, Ken, or Zangief
Akuma fights Guile, Ken, or Zangief
Starting opponents are chosen at random from the list above. In addition, all four New Challengers are eligible to be anyone's first opponent as long as it doesn't create a mirror match. This list might be (and likely is) incomplete.
Ryu fights Guile, Ken, or Zangief
E.Honda fights Guile, Ken, Chun Li, or Dhalsim
Blanka fights Honda, Guile, or Zangief
Guile fights Chun Li, Zangief, or Dhalsim
Ken fights Ryu, Blanka, Guile, or Dhalsim
Chun Li fights Guile, Ken, or Dhalsim
Zangief fights Ryu, Blanka, Guile, or Chun Li
Dhalsim fights Ryu, Blanka, Ken, or Zangief
T.Hawk fights Honda, Blanka, Guile, or Zangief
Cammy fights Honda, Blanka, Guile, or Chun Li
Fei Long fights Ryu, Blanka, Guile, Chun Li, or Zangief
Dee Jay fights Blanka, Guile, Chun Li, or Zangief
Balrog fights Blanka or Ken
Vega fights Honda, Chun Li, or Zangief
Sagat fights Honda, Blanka, Guile, or Ken
M.Bison fights Ryu, Honda, Ken, or Zangief
Akuma fights Guile, Ken, or Zangief
Starting opponents are chosen at random from the list above. In addition, all four New Challengers are eligible to be anyone's first opponent as long as it doesn't create a mirror match. This list might be (and likely is) incomplete.
Re: Stage Select and Other Cosmetic Tricks
SFA3 battlegrounds are always chosen from the two opponents' stages. When starting a new game, it'll always be the 1P character's stage by default. To access the 2P character's stage instead, start a one-player game and select the 1P character/ism, then enter the game with 2P as a new challenger.
Gem Fighter background selection is based solely on the two characters chosen. In other words, 1P Ryu and 2P Ken will always fight in Demitri's castle. However, 2P Ryu and 1P Ken will always fight by Leo's fireplace. If you need to pick a specific pair of characters, unfortunately you must choose between two predetermined stages.
SvC Chaos has four boss stages which are inaccessible during versus matches. One of the six remaining stages is chosen at random: Crystal shrine, Factory abandoned, Green of forest, Nude place, Power generation room, and Station obsolete.
SF The Movie cycles through the following stages in order: Bison's Lair, Komande Centre, Tong Warehouse, Dhalsims Lab, Dungeon, Temple Ruins, and A.N. Headquarters. The fastest way to get from one stage to the next is picking two characters and letting time run out. SFTM will declare Game Over after the first round draw game and instantly rob both players of their quarters. To access Daytime A.N. Headquarters, mash on LP+LK to shoot down eight or more birds in the Temple Ruins stage, then proceed to win the match - it won't work if get a first round draw game. There might be some additional hidden stages but they are hidden so you can't have them. Finally, there's a secret empty debug level accessible by entering the following code at the character select screen: hold D, press Start, press LP+LK.
Gem Fighter background selection is based solely on the two characters chosen. In other words, 1P Ryu and 2P Ken will always fight in Demitri's castle. However, 2P Ryu and 1P Ken will always fight by Leo's fireplace. If you need to pick a specific pair of characters, unfortunately you must choose between two predetermined stages.
SvC Chaos has four boss stages which are inaccessible during versus matches. One of the six remaining stages is chosen at random: Crystal shrine, Factory abandoned, Green of forest, Nude place, Power generation room, and Station obsolete.
SF The Movie cycles through the following stages in order: Bison's Lair, Komande Centre, Tong Warehouse, Dhalsims Lab, Dungeon, Temple Ruins, and A.N. Headquarters. The fastest way to get from one stage to the next is picking two characters and letting time run out. SFTM will declare Game Over after the first round draw game and instantly rob both players of their quarters. To access Daytime A.N. Headquarters, mash on LP+LK to shoot down eight or more birds in the Temple Ruins stage, then proceed to win the match - it won't work if get a first round draw game. There might be some additional hidden stages but they are hidden so you can't have them. Finally, there's a secret empty debug level accessible by entering the following code at the character select screen: hold D, press Start, press LP+LK.
Re: Stage Select and Other Cosmetic Tricks
Gem Fighter allows you to switch item order by pressing Start, which also makes your character Taunt when you're on the ground. Wish i'd known this earlier; would have saved me a lot of trouble.
MSH allows Infinity Gems to be rotated in the same exact way, except there are no Taunts. It's common knowledge but whatever.
MSH allows Infinity Gems to be rotated in the same exact way, except there are no Taunts. It's common knowledge but whatever.
Re: Stage Select and Other Cosmetic Tricks
PSX SFEX+a stages are always chosen from the two opponents' stages. In fact it always seems to go to the 2P character's stage. To access the 1P character's stage, enter Versus Mode using the 2P controller at the main menu. It doesn't matter what order you choose the characters once you're at the character select screen.
PSX SFEX2+ stages are chosen at random in Versus Mode, since none of the eighteen backgrounds are character-specific. However once you do land on the desired stage, you can stay on it indefinitely by always selecting the "Continue" (aka rematch) option after the final round. In fact can you even get rid of the "# Win" text above the winner's lifebar by arranging a Draw either by Time Outs or Double KOs. Director Mode does have a stage select setting under "Camera Edit" but that's kind of a hassle to deal with, especially because of the "Replay?" prompt that pops up immediately after the round ends - whether by time or damage. Not to mention the 30-second time limit.
PS2 SFEX3 is essentially the same story as EX2+ except the tie game trick is actually much easier because battles only last one round and there are two separate lifebars per side. You can attempt your combo, then kill off one character on each team. When the timer reaches zero, you'll be left with one full lifebar on each side and you can continue from there.
PSX SFEX2+ stages are chosen at random in Versus Mode, since none of the eighteen backgrounds are character-specific. However once you do land on the desired stage, you can stay on it indefinitely by always selecting the "Continue" (aka rematch) option after the final round. In fact can you even get rid of the "# Win" text above the winner's lifebar by arranging a Draw either by Time Outs or Double KOs. Director Mode does have a stage select setting under "Camera Edit" but that's kind of a hassle to deal with, especially because of the "Replay?" prompt that pops up immediately after the round ends - whether by time or damage. Not to mention the 30-second time limit.
PS2 SFEX3 is essentially the same story as EX2+ except the tie game trick is actually much easier because battles only last one round and there are two separate lifebars per side. You can attempt your combo, then kill off one character on each team. When the timer reaches zero, you'll be left with one full lifebar on each side and you can continue from there.
Re: Stage Select and Other Cosmetic Tricks
SF2WW: How to Play (2P) Ryu vs (1P) CPU Ryu
1) Start a one-player game and choose your character.
2) Fight your way to Ryu and lose against him.
3) Enter the game with 2P and choose Ryu.
Your CPU opponent will be Ryu and both of you will be wearing the same colors. You can save time by starting with Chun Li, since her first CPU opponent is Ryu by default.
SF2WW: How to Play (1P) Ryu vs (2P) CPU Ryu
1) Start a one-player game and choose Chun Li.
2) Your first CPU opponent will be Ryu. Lose.
3) Enter the game with 2P and choose anyone.
4) Your CPU opponent will be 1P Ryu. Lose.
5) Enter the game with 1P and choose Ryu.
6) Your CPU opponent will be 2P Chun Li on Ryu's stage. Lose.
7) Enter the game with 2P and choose anyone.
8) Your CPU opponent will be 1P Ryu. Lose.
9) Enter the game with 1P and choose Ryu.
After following all of these steps, your CPU opponent will be 2P Ryu. If you choose anyone other than Ryu in step 5 and still choose Ryu in step 9, your CPU opponent will be whoever you chose in step 5, but the battle will still take place on Ryu's stage. (If you ever choose anyone other than Ryu, your immediate opponent will always be Ryu.)
1) Start a one-player game and choose your character.
2) Fight your way to Ryu and lose against him.
3) Enter the game with 2P and choose Ryu.
Your CPU opponent will be Ryu and both of you will be wearing the same colors. You can save time by starting with Chun Li, since her first CPU opponent is Ryu by default.
SF2WW: How to Play (1P) Ryu vs (2P) CPU Ryu
1) Start a one-player game and choose Chun Li.
2) Your first CPU opponent will be Ryu. Lose.
3) Enter the game with 2P and choose anyone.
4) Your CPU opponent will be 1P Ryu. Lose.
5) Enter the game with 1P and choose Ryu.
6) Your CPU opponent will be 2P Chun Li on Ryu's stage. Lose.
7) Enter the game with 2P and choose anyone.
8) Your CPU opponent will be 1P Ryu. Lose.
9) Enter the game with 1P and choose Ryu.
After following all of these steps, your CPU opponent will be 2P Ryu. If you choose anyone other than Ryu in step 5 and still choose Ryu in step 9, your CPU opponent will be whoever you chose in step 5, but the battle will still take place on Ryu's stage. (If you ever choose anyone other than Ryu, your immediate opponent will always be Ryu.)