3rd Strike is Broken

Play 3rd Strike. It's a good game.

Portuguese subtitles by @/crocodillax
Japanese subtitles by @/satsuma_nao

Thank you to @JiBbo , @Bafael , & @KyokujiFGC for helping with the idea and writing process behind the topics. These dudes are 3S scientists, and this wouldn't have been possible without them!

Also shout outs to Ch0sen, Jwin. D3NJ1N, Gibkram, and SaigaDOS for being video consultants and talking about games with me.

Credit goes to thelegendofhik1 for finding the Yun Recovery Cancel glitch.
Credit goes to Matt_au for the Akuma SGGK setups I totally ripped.
Credit foes to TheSaiyan for the Ryu post stun combo I also totally ripped.

Footage for the Outro background was taken from various Fightcade matches:
Nika KO vs Exodus3S
TenRUN vs Tommy2Step
BigNasty_360 vs Cruise

Inspired by the Smash is broken series by Heeew

[avensCL]

For context, Third Strike is an official Evo game in 2024. And its tournament has more players than the latest Mortal Kombat and KOF games

[MadameTengu]

I remember at Combo Breaker I was sitting in front of a dad and his son and the dad had to explain why Genei Jin lasts Forever Actually when the kid asked why the meter was going down so fast.

[theycallmejojo]

My brain immediately goes “eey” every time I see a Yun juggle.

[lvlVaporeon]

Press F for Sean.

The most broken character in 3rd strike. Throw a basketball in his honor...

[ExceedRed]

10:50 “Chun’s Super II isn’t easy to parry”

The Ken mains fighting Justin Wong on Fightcade in question:

[tsuneomccormick]

Love how Makoto's most devastating move is where she command grabs an opponent. Which makes it more funny/badass when she's like one of the youngest playable characters in the SF series deadlifting giants like Hugo/Q up by their necks and presumably crushes their windpipes.

[quantumpotato]

watching this is funny how manythings I think of as "yeah that's just normal" and it's a weird mechanic.

[argentsoultheautist]

I Makoto forward-dashed to get here because I know this is going to be a modern classic.

[tslon]

When I saw Yang pull out Seiei Enbu, I immediately went, “Aw fuck it’s Zero’s Sougenmu from MvC3”. I don’t play either of these games, but the two moves do pretty much the same thing. Both of them even give their users unblockables. Guess Capcom really loves shadow clone shenanigans.

[meganinten]

It is funny how Yun's moveset was "inspired" by Lee from the Fighter's History series.

Speaking of Fighter's History.
Makoto is like a fusion between Ryoko Kano and Makoto Mizoguchi
"CHESTO! CHESTO! CHESTO!!"
Meanwhile, Dudley throws a rose as a projectile which might be a reference by Jean Pierre.

I think Capcom got revenge on Data East for losing to them in court years ago.

[EclipseKirby]

I'm surprised the Yang section only went into Seiei Enbu and didn't talk about EX Mantis Slashes, cause that's a funny situation. It's the best EX move in the game, and so good that Yang player's don't even view the super choice for the supers. They see it only in terms of which one gives them more EX Mantis. Yang is the only character that has the choice between a dogwater super and an excellent super (Seiei Enbu) and regularly chooses the dogwater one.

[jwonggg]

What a great video!! Buff Chun Li thanks =p

[ecbrd]

Never forget by the way, we could've gotten a final balance patch for this game with the online edition but the fans told them not to, so here sean is.

[somesandman]

I love the level and quality in the editing for these “X is broken” videos that everyone just seems to understand

[riiyaFGC]

Good video! A few notes:
4:12 - Ryu's denjin gains hits not only by rotating the stick, but also by pressing the other face buttons. So the best way to increase hits fast is to rotate the stick (hit diagonals) and mash the buttons you didn't use to activate SA3 (you have to hold that button as you charge the attack, so you can't mash that one as letting go of it sends the denjin flying).
6:12 - The juggle limit isn't 'extended' per se, but attacks that would usually reset the opponent just juggle them instead. If you, for instance, reach the juggle limit as you stun the opponent, you can't suddenly tack on more juggle hits, so the juggle limit itself stays the same. The Ryu combo shown works because his SA1 actually (always) resets the juggle value to 0, so the only thing that wouldn't have worked without the stun is the clLP, clLP to stHK at the end, as the clLP usually makes the opponent flip out and land on the ground. Instead, if the opponent isn't stunned you'd just finish the combo with a heavy DP instead.
6:40 - Just as a quick note, this is not a "true combo"; if Dudley quick stands the throw, the super will whiff. Of course, if the throw stuns, he can't quick stand, so the combo is guaranteed.

[machinegun]

What's funny is this video could be like three times longer. A bunch of characters have matchup specific bugged throws, twelve is useless, sean is useless on purpose, and while it was kind of alluded to in the video, some characters' supers are so good that it makes other supers literally obsolete and strictly detrimental to pick. Poor Remy with his blue nocturne. It's more of a personal gripe, but I hate Elena's stage, it hurts my fucking eyes!

[littlestar]

Just adding 2 things that were not metioned in this video
Gill's Resurrection: If you defeat Gill while he have full meter, he will activate this super, wich regenerates his entire health bar. However, Gill can no longer gain meter AND is VULNERABLE to any move (including grabs, if i'm not mistaken) you throw at him during the animation.
Remy's taunt: The only taunt in the game that does nothing to you, except increase the amout of stun gauge Remy can recive. Truly, the taunt of all time.

[crystalqueen]

I just love how when discussing how good Chun Li is, she was beating up Ken in reference to moment 37, using the same colors to talk about how hard to parry her super is

[eViLPaCcc]

5:28 Gotta agree with the announcer guy here.

That IS cool

[spectrumbots]

I never realized just how fast 3rd Strike is! Although not MVC2 or Darkstalkers 3 levels of fast, seeing this game in action is always cool!