An EX Special (エクス スペシャル, Ekusu Supesharu) is a powered-up version of a special attack. Usually signified by the character in question flashing yellow, the EX Special grants additional properties. These properties can include Super Armor, knockdown, altered movement (such as greater distance covered), greater damage, less start-up, projectile evasion and more.

VariationsEdit

EX Special attacks have appeared in the series since their introduction in the Street Fighter III series, with different mechanics in each appearence. However, the execution remains consistent throughout; EX Specials are performed by pressing two or more of the necessary buttons during a special move input (e.g. an EX Hadoken requires a quarter-circle forward motion and at least two punch buttons).

Similar mechanics exist in many other fighting games, both before and after the introduction of the EX Special in the Street Fighter series.

OriginEdit

In the PlayStation and Sega Saturn versions of Street Fighter: The Movie, the "Super Special", when the Super Gauge is at least half-full (noted by the gauge turning from yellow to blue), allowed enhanced special attacks to be performed.

Additionally, the Darkstalkers games introduced EX and ES moves (Extra Special and Enhanced Special, respectively. Both can be used with at least one level of the nine-level Super Gauge filled; EX moves are an analouge of sorts to Street Fighter's Super Combos, while ES moves function most similarly to Street Fighter's EX Specials, and were a likely precursor.

Street Fighter III series Edit

Introduced in Street Fighter III: 2nd Impact, the number of EX Specials a given character can store depends on the number of bars in the Super Gauge of that character's chosen Super Art, and the size of those bars. For example, if Alex chooses the Hyper Bomb Super Art, he will have one bar in the Super Gauge; if he chooses the Boomerang Raid Super Art, however, he will have two. These two bars will also be shorter.

The only exceptions to this are Gill and Akuma, who have no EX Specials in the series.

Street Fighter IV seriesEdit

In the Street Fighter IV series, an EX Special usually uses up one segment of the four-segment Super Gauge, with few exceptions.

Street Fighter X TekkenEdit

EX Specials take up one bar of the three-section Cross Gauge. Certain moves can also be Super Charged into their EX versions.

Converted MovesEdit

Notably, several attacks, Super Combos and even Super Arts from previous Street Fighter games act as EX Special versions of certain attacks. This trend began with the mechanic's introduction, but is particularly prevalent in Street Fighter X Tekken (with the appropriate moves marked accordingly). Each of them are listed below.

ExamplesEdit

• Ryu's Hadoken hits once, while his EX Hadoken is able to hit falling opponents and hits twice.
• M. Bison's Head Press does 120 damage. However, the EX Head Press does 200 damage, moves faster, and knocks the opponent down when it hits.^[1]
• Balrog's Dash Straight does 120 damage regardless of the buttons used, but the EX Dash Straight has Super Armor during the dash.^[2]
• Fei Long's standard Rekkukyaku cannot go through projectiles, whereas his EX Rekkukyaku can, as shown at the top.

ReferencesEdit

1. ↑ http://www.eventhubs.com/guides/2008/jul/07/m-bison-dictator-street-fighter-4-character-guide/
2. ↑ http://www.eventhubs.com/guides/2008/jul/07/balrog-boxer-street-fighter-4-character-guide/