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Parry

A Parry in Third Strike

The Parry is a gameplay mechanic used in the Street Fighter III series as well as in other fighting games such as Capcom vs. SNK 2 and Street Fighter V.

Appearance Character Input
Street Fighter III (High) Universal Arcade-Stick-Right
Street Fighter III (Low) Arcade-Stick-Down
Street Fighter III (Red) Arcade-Stick-Right or Arcade-Stick-Down during block-stun
SNK vs. Capcom: SVC Chaos (High) Hugo Arcade-Stick-Right+Arcade-Button-2xPunch
SNK vs. Capcom: SVC Chaos (Low) Hugo Arcade-Stick-Down+Arcade Button 2xKick
Ultra Street Fighter IV (OMEGA Mode) Ryu, Hugo and Zangief Arcade-Stick-Right+Arcade-Button-HPunch+Arcade-Button-HKick
Street Fighter V (V-Skill) Ryu, M. Bison, R. Mika, F.A.N.G, Akuma, Kolin, Abigail, and Gill Arcade-Button-MPunch+Arcade-Button-MKick
Street Fighter V (Sledgehammer) Alex (While in Rage Shift) Arcade-Button-HPunch+Arcade-Button-HKick
Street Fighter 6 Universal Arcade-Button-MPunch+Arcade-Button-MKick (Classic)
Modern dp (Modern)

Description[]

RyuVSkill

Ryu parries Sakura's attack using Mind's Eye.

Historical-wise, the 1994 SNK fighting game Samurai Shodown II is often credited with introducing the first Parry system. However, Parrying was popularized by its appearance in the Street Fighter III series.

When an attack is parried, no damage will occur whatsoever. In addition, the person who parried will recover more quickly than the attacker, and will have the opportunity to launch their own attack. Because of this, the Parry can often be single-handedly responsible for turning the tide of battle: a player who was on the offensive suddenly gets puts on the defensive, and vice-versa (one notable example is EVO moment #37).

There are, however, certain types of attacks which cannot be parried, including throws and command grabs.

Parries should not be confused with Super Armor (or the even more rare Hyper Armor) in which a character can absorb a hit (usually limited to one) while performing an action. These tend to differ in that the number of hits is usually limited to one before the hit character is put in normal hitstun and the hit absorbed does a degree of damage. Though there have been cases super armor have not had these limitations such as Jin Kazama's Mental Alertness in Street Fighter × Tekken where he could absorb as many hits as he took as long as he was in the animation and the final update made it so he doesn't take any damage from absorbing hits, this was still not a parry. In the same vein Focus Attacks and Red Focus Attacks are also not parries.

Parries are also different from game-specific on block actions such as Alpha Counters and it's inspired similar mechanics of Cross Cancels and V-Reversals. The biggest difference between such mechanics and parries is that parries depend on the user doing something before an attack connects while those mechanics require the player to perform an action while in the blockstun of the attack that just connected.

Parries also should not be confused with Counter Attacks, as the latter usually involves a built-in attack launched immediately after the initial hit. Many V-Skills, while referred to as parries, are in fact counter attacks.

Parries in Street Fighter games[]

Street Fighter III series[]

There are three types of Parry in the Street Fighter III series:

High Parry[]

The High Parry is executed by tapping forward at the exact moment of impact of a high attack or mid attack. If the attack is instead a low attack, the Parry will fail and the attack will hit. This can also be done in mid-air.

RyuParryHigh

Low Parry[]

The Low Parry is executed by tapping down at the exact moment of impact of a low attack. If the attack is instead a high attack or mid attack, the Parry will fail and the attack will hit.

RyuParryLow

Guard Parry[]

The Guard Parry, known informally as the Red Parry, is a gameplay mechanic used in Street Fighter III: 3rd Strike. The guard Parry is performed by inputting a Parry after blocking at least the first hit of a multi-hitting combo, and is indicated with the user turning red. If the player successfully times a Parry attempt right as the combo ends, the guard Parry will grant them a major frame advantage and allows them more time to punish the attacker with a reversal attack or a combo of their own.

Ultra Street Fighter IV[]

Ryu, Hugo, and Zangief receive a Parry move in OMEGA Mode, which is activated by pressing Forward+HP+HK. Ryu's version (Hanagashi) has two follow ups available. Throws, Command Grabs, and Armor Breaking attacks cannot be parried.

Street Fighter V[]

Ryu[]

The Mind's Eye (心眼 Shingan?, Heart's Eye) is Ryu's first V-Skill in Street Fighter V.

Executed by pressing both medium attack buttons at the exact moment of impact of an enemy's attack, Ryu will deflect the attack and recover faster than his adversary. Because of this, Ryu can Parry multiple attacks and still have time to initiate a combo. Unlike in Street Fighter III, this type of Parry will deflect high, medium and low attacks, but it can not be used in the air.

However in this game, due to its unique input, Ryu can miss a Parry; thus, he will be left open to another attack. For this reason, it is important for the Ryu player to use the V-Skill in moderation and not give an opportunity for an opponent to feint an attack and thus bait out a misuse.

Frame Data (1 frame = 1/60th sec)
Start-Up: 3 frames (1 on repeat from one another)
Active: 7 frames
Recovery: 29 frames

M. Bison[]

Main article: Psycho Reflect

This V-Skill, executed using the same input, allows Bison to Parry a single-hit attack and counter with a 2-hit projectile. Unlike Ryu's V-Skill, M. Bison's can only Parry one hit at a time and thus can be beaten outright by "meaty" or EX attacks.

Frame Data (1 frame = 1/60th sec)
Start-Up: 6 frames
Active: 7 frames
Recovery: 30 frames

R. Mika[]

Main article: Pumped Up

Another Parry-type V-Skill, R. Mika allows her to absorb a single attack. Upon a successful parry, the screen freezes while she delivers an elbow strike that knocks her opponent back

Akuma[]

Main article: Rakan

Another Parry-type V-Skill, Akuma's Parry allows him to Parry a single attack, then execute one of two followups, a long-range palm or a launching kick. The kick puts the enemy high into the air, making it an effective combo starter at close range.

Kolin[]

Main article: Inside Slash

Another Parry-type V-Skill, Kolin's Parry allows her to absorb a single attack. She then negates the attack and counters with a follow-up swipe with the other hand, sending her opponent tumbling backwards.

Abigail[]

Main article: Hungabee

Another Parry-type V-Skill, Abigail's Parry allows him to absorb a single attack. Perform the move while standing counters high and medium attacks, while the crouching version parries low attacks. A successful Parry puts his opponent in a spin state, allowing him to follow-up with a combo.

Alex[]

Main article: Rage Shift

While in Rage Shift, Alex gains access to the Sledgehammer move, a clothesline that can be charged. During the charging period, Alex will Parry an attack. If this occurs, he can charge again for another Parry, or release to retaliate.

Frame Data (1 frame = 1/60th sec)
Start-Up: 20-68 frames
Active: 2 frames
Recovery: 44-50 frames

Gill[]

Main article: Blocking

Gill's second V-Skill is another parry-type attack. It allows him to absorb a single attack. Perform the move while standing counters high and medium attacks, while the crouching version parries low attacks. While riskier, Gill has a quicker recovery and can immediately follow-up with another attack or throw.

Street Fighter 6[]

The Drive System reintroduces parries universally across the entire cast. Drive Parry is executed by pressing Medium Punch and Medium Kick in Classic controls or the dedicated button (Right Bumper/R1 by default). Drive Parries have instant start up and cost half of a Drive bar to perform, replenishing on a successful block. Functionally, the standard parry is similar to blocking, guarding against all attacks regardless of direction. Drive Parries can be held for as long as the defender has enough Drive Gauge, extending the active frames. Upon releasing the stance, the defender is forced into a 29 frame recovery period where they are unable to take any other actions excluding blocking, to which they are vulnerable to a Punish Counter throw.

If a Drive Parry blocks an attack within the first two frames, it becomes a Perfect Parry with a massive freeze frame. Perfect Parries recovery instantly and prevent the opponent from cancelling their attack, allowing for a guaranteed Punish Counter. However, the punish will be scaled at 50% damage. Projectiles can be Perfect Parried as well, leading to a fixed 11 frames of recovery with no screen freeze.

Parries in crossover games[]

Capcom vs. SNK 2[]

Parries are available in this game when players select the P-Groove. They function exactly the same as their Street Fighter III counterparts, and are open to all characters provided their player selects P-Groove for them.

If the player instead selects K-Groove, they will get a somewhat similar mechanic called Just Defense. Performing this (by executing the block command right before the attack would hit) will recover a small portion of health depending on the attack, but doesn't always provide the large window for counterattack that a Parry would. Just Defense can be performed on the ground or in the air.

SNK vs. Capcom: SVC Chaos[]

In this game, parries as they exist in Street Fighter are exclusive to Hugo and are executed by inputting forward and A + C (both punch buttons) for a high Parry, or downward and B + D (both kick buttons) for a low one. The window that Hugo gains for counterattack is slightly larger than in Street Fighter III, giving him more than enough time to punish with any move he wishes, even with his EXCEED, Gigas Breaker. Like in Street Fighter V, parries can miss in this game, so the technique must be used carefully.

Ryo also has access to parries, but they are inputted, and function, differently from Hugo's, instead using forward and light kick for a High Parry, or down-forward and Light Kick for a low one.

Tekken 7[]

While not entirely a crossover game, Shin Akuma appears as a guest fighter. He has access to parries as part of his upgraded move list. They function similar to the parries from Street Fighter III, and produce a similar visual effect.

Super Smash Bros. series[]

In the Super Smash Bros. series beginning with Super Smash Bros. Melee, perfectly timing a Shield results in a Perfect Shield. Perfect Shield mechanics vary slightly from game to game, but in all appearances, they reduce blockstun by approximately 25% and allow the defender to act immediately afterward, negating the window for dropping a shield. Two unique traits about Perfect Shields in Melee in particular are that they can reflect projectiles and will have maximum pushback against physical attacks, unlike most Parries.

In Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, Perfect Shielding now occurs when letting go of the shield button. The character will then flash and perform an animation, with a clash sound. Unlike Perfect Shielding in previous games, no pushback or reflections will happen, making it more similar to Parries. From here, the play can respond in any way.

Perfect Shields do not protect the user from attacks that would normally ignore other Shields, such as a Final Smash or Level 3 Focus Attack.

When Ryu or Ken performs a perfect shield it uses the SFIII era sound effect of a parry.

Gallery[]

Screenshots[]

Animated images[]

Videos[]

SF3.3_HUGO_RED_PARRY_TO_GIGA

SF3.3 HUGO RED PARRY TO GIGA

A Hugo player "red parries" a Necro player's Magnetic Storm and finishes them with a Gigas Breaker.

Sprites[]

Q parrying Hadoken.

Trivia[]

  • In Super Smash Bros. for 3DS and Wii U and Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, when Ryu Perfect Shields any attack, he will use the same pose and sound as a High Parry. Ryu and Ken were originally the only characters in the series to have this trait (a similar trait would be given to Minecraft's Steve upon his addition to the game), although it does not alter a Perfect Shield in any way but aesthetically.

References[]

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