Street Fighter X Tekken features around 40 characters and introduces a number of new systems to the Street Fighter mold. Were here to breakdown every character, gem, and cross assault in the game so you can attain victory in the heat of battle.

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Combat System

　　In this section of the guide, we are going to outline the various "systems" that make Street Fighter X Tekken unique. Some of these will be familiar to Street Fighter fans, but there are a lot of new mechanics within the game that warrant a bit of analysis.

　　Unique moves are slight variations on standard attacks that can launch the enemy in the air, stagger them, or simply hit mid. Tekken characters possess unique attacks that should be familiar to fans of the series. The four button scheme used in Tekken games is mirrored in the LP, MP, LK, and MK buttons in Street Fighter X Tekken. The most common combos from Tekken have been recreated in the game and are input the same way they would be in a Tekken title.

　　Throws are a great way to take advantage of a a blocking opponent. To initiate a throw, press LP and LK at the same time. You can alter the throw by pressing back while inputting the throw command. If you (or your opponent) are quick enough, you can escape a throw by inputting the throw command (LP and LK) at the moment you are thrown.

　　With two characters at your disposal in combat, switching plays a large role in offensive and defensive strategies. To switch characters, press MP and MK simultaneously. You can switch while on the ground, while moving, but not when you are attacking or under attack. You cannot switch in mid-air. Combatants will be able to recover portions of health while on the side lines. Because of this, it's not a bad idea to switch out often to optimally manage your health. When your active character loses all of their health, the round is concluded, regardless of any remaining health your inactive team mate may possess.

　　Special moves are more complex than standard or unique attacks. They often require specific motions and button combinations, such as Ryu's Hadoken, performed by inputting: ↓↘→ + P. Special moves can be upgraded to an "EX" variant by, using the Hadoken as an example, pressing two P buttons rather than just one. Continue reading for more info on EX special moves.

　　Pressing HP and HK at the same time initiates a launcher, a move that sends your opponent into the air. Performing a launcher attack will also auto-tag your combatants, allowing your other team mate to finish the job. It's important to consider the down side of using launchers; if blocked, you'll be left open to attack.

　　The Cross Gauge is the three-part meter at the bottom of the screen during battle. It charges when you attack or block an attack. The gauge is used to perform EX Special Moves, Cross Arts, Super Arts, Charge Moves, Cross Cancels, and Cross Assaults. Managing the meter is just as important to victory as the moves you perform.

　　Juggling allows you to continually hit characters that are disabled in mid-air. This system allows you to perform some impressively long combos and can turn the tide of battle if used correctly.

　　Every character has one move that they can super charge. To do so, perform the move and hold down the command button after inputting the directional inputs. Your character will "charge" their attack as long as you hold the button. You can cancel out of this move by moving forward or backwards. After a few seconds, there will be a flash of lightning. If you release the held button after this, your character will perform an EX version of the special move they're charging. If you cancel the move by dashing forwards or backwards after the lightning strikes, you next hit will be a counter, which carries different properties for each specific move. Continue to hold the command button and you'll eventually go into your Super Art attack, at no cost to the cross gauge. The downside to Super Charges is that you are left open to attack during the roughly 5 second duration it takes to reach a full charge.

　　EX Special Moves, as mentioned before, are variations on special moves that are performed by pressing two command buttons rather than one. They tend to do more damage than standard special moves, but this is not always the case. Depending on the mood, EX moves can also carry additional properties. Your character glows yellow when performing an EX move. EX Specials require one block of the cross gauge to perform.

　　To perform a Cross Cancel, input → + HP + HK while blocking an enemy's attack. If done correctly, your character will interrupt the incoming attack and perform a Launcher. You will not tag with your team mate, but this is an effective way to momentarily turn the tide of battle. Cross cancels consume one section of the cross gauge.

　　You can switch combatants in the middle of a combo by pressin MK and MP the moment you land an attack. This allows you to perform a longer combo, or safely tag in without leaving yourself open to attack. Switch cancelling requires 1 block of the cross gauge.

　　Super Arts are the ultimate move(s) possessed by each character. They are flashy, and deal a lot of damage. Because of this, they cost two blocks of the cross cauge. They are often inputted by commanding a special move, and using three buttons ( P or K ) rather than one.

　　Cross Assaults require all three cross gauge bars. Performing a cross assault calls in your team mate from the sidelines to fight alongside you for a period of time. You gain control of the tagged-in character, and they will remain on the battlefield after the cross assault times out. Cross Assaults are activated by inputting ↓↙← + MK + MP when you have a full cross gauge.

　　Cross Arts also require a full gauge to perform. Begin a cross art by inputting ↓↘→ + MP + MK. The character in battle will begin a super art, and tag in the inactive team member to perform their super art. You'll gain control of the tagged in character after their super art. One advantage of Cross Arts, is that any damage done to your opponent cannot be recharged if they tag out.

　　Entering pandora mode requires the active character to have 25% or less health. By inputting ↓↓ + MP + MK, your active character will collapse and lose all their health. In exchange for their sacrifice, your other combatant will enter the arena with an extreme boost of power that lasts for ten seconds. When the ten seconds are up, your character will perish, and the victory will go to your opponent if you failed to defeat them while in pandora mode, making this a risky maneuver to perform. On the contrary, it can be an effective tool to gain victory when you have an ailing character and your opponent is close to running out of health.

Gem System

　　There are two categories of gems: Boost and Assist. Either type may be used to fill any of your character’s three gem slots. There are also five classes of gems: Attack, Defense, Speed, Vitality and Cross Gauge.

　　Assist gems are always active during battle. They enable certain shortcuts such as auto-block and simplified command inputs, but they always come with a penalty. That way, they won’t completely destroy game-balancing.

　　Boost gems can only be activated by achieving an associated goal. The effectiveness of the gem and difficulty of the goal is relative to the power level of the gem. Most often, it’s a 10% buff per level. Gems are actively stacked and can be used simultaneously to benefit one or more stats, depending on your strategy. Often times, there are multiple gems that share the same name and effect, but require different activation conditions.

　　In December 2011, capcom released the “final” list of gems that comes with each version of the release. You can also receive special gem packs based on the retailer you preordered the game from, if you chose to do so. In total, there are 55 games in the standard game, 9 per pre-order pack, and 9 exclusive to the special edition of the game. If you preordered the special edition from a select retailer (Amazon, Best Buy, or GameStop), you’ll receive a total of 27 bonus gems. Between the standard and pre-order packs, there are 100 gems in total.

　　There is a good chance Capcom will release more gems as DLC in the future, but there are no official details at the moment.

　　Special Edition Gems: “King of Iron Fist Pack”

　　Special Edition Pre-Order Gems: “Cross Arts Pack”

Complete Roster

Ryu

Ken

Chun Li

Cammy

Guile

Abel

Dhalsim

Sagat

Rolento

Ibuki

Poison

Hugo

Rufus

Zhangief

Vega

Balrog

M. Bison

Juri

Akuma

Kazuya

Nina

Asuka

Lili

Heihachi

Kuma

Paul

Law

King

Marduk

Hwoarang

Steve

Bob

Julia

Yoshimitsu

Raven

Jin

Xiaoyu

Ogre