When you’re learning about fundamentals in fighting games, whether it’s footsies, neutral, spacing or anything else, there is almost no better showcase than Ryu vs. Ryu in Street Fighter.
The character requires a solid understanding of fighting game fundamentals to make him work, and his design stacks up perfectly when he fights himself. As a result, Ryu mirror matches are a great way for players to test foundational skills against one another.
HiFight, a popular fighting game Twitter and YouTube highlights channel, posted a 1-minute clip showcasing an old Ryu mirror match between Tokido and Daigo. HiFight added text to showcase what options the players chose, as well as highlighting mixup choices.
The video, while only being one round long, helps give a glimpse at the decision making and thought process of high-level Ryu players. It shows what the potential options are in many given situations, and the video helps to demonstrate why the players chose the options that they did.
It’s worth noting that the clip featured is from 2016; Ryu has undergone some nerfs since Season 1 of Street Fighter V and the end result is that he won’t play exactly like he does in the clip. But the specifics aren’t as important as demonstrating just how complex these interactions are.
A great way to improve at any game is to watch videos of high-level players playing it; however, this is only effective if you know how to analyze what you are watching. The popup text in this clip gives good insight into what to look for when analyzing videos.
For a full demonstration of how amazing Ryu mirrors can look, check out this exhibition match!