Virtua Fighter is an intense game with no long-range attacks, so you'll always be fighting up close and personal against your opponent. Striking, throwing, and guarding form the core of combat. Striking is strong against opponents trying to throw, guarding nullifies strikes, and throwing disrupts a guard. Strikes will not deal damage to a guarding player, but you can open them up with throws. The key to fights is always anticipating your opponent's next move. In Virtua Fighter, the true thrill lies in reading your opponent, shifting between offense and defense, and using the three pillars of combat to outmaneuver them.

Each character performs just as well in combat, so select the one you like most. There are, however, three characters that are especially beginner-friendly.
1. Jacky
He has a simple moveset with a good mix of strikes and throws, making him an easy character to learn the fundamentals.
2. Pai
She struggles with dealing large amounts of damage. However, in addition to her core attacks, her multiple stances and reversals will give you a range of options in battle.
3. Jean
Although he has a steeper learning curve compared to the other two, his basic techniques and charge attacks allow you to build a unique fighting style.

Check out our official playlist of trailers to learn more about the other members of the roster.

First, play Tutorial Mode to learn the controls of the game. You do not need to focus on defensive and offensive moves or Advanced tutorials yet. Start by mastering movement, guarding, and the other fundamentals.

Put what you learn to practice in Arcade Mode. Since you'll face off against a slew of characters, you'll not only get used to playing your fighter, you'll also begin to memorize the movements and techniques of other characters on the roster. Once you've built enough confidence, join online matches to face off against challengers from around the world!

A key part of Virtua Fighter is adapting to the situation by quickly shifting between offense and defense. You want to put yourself in an advantageous position where you can move before your opponent. This typically happens when a hit lands or you successfully guard against an attack. Learning to strike in these moments will help you land more hits. Conversely, when your opponent blocks your attack and lands a hit on you, you'll be at a disadvantage. Don't forget to stay on guard.

If you land an attack, keep striking! Seize that chance to follow up with a mid-air combo. These combos involve launching your opponent into the air and then inputting a series of commands to perform follow-up attacks. For example, Jacky can start one with K and then lead into P+KPK. Longer combos, while challenging, can boost your damage output by a large margin once you master them.
Example: K 　→　 P 　→　 KG 　→　 P+KP+K+GPP

Start by learning each character's recommended combos.


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The instructions are written with Player 1's perspective in mind, with the character facing right. Player 2 will need to reverse the inputs. If Player 1 sees an arrow pointing right, they can input it as written. Player 2, however, must reverse the input. In general, you'll be able to perform a move by quickly entering its command input in order from left to right. PK indicates that you must Punch and then Kick. P+K means you'll need to push the Punch and Kick buttons at the same time. When inputting a PK command, you can continue to hold the P button when you switch to K. Combo starters require you to perform the first two hits quickly, but you have some leeway to input any moves that follow. Try out the Combos section in the Tutorial to refine your skills.

When you want to block attacks, you can simply hold down the Guard button. However, you won't be able to attack using the P or K buttons while guarding.

There are two types of Guards: Standing Guard and Crouching Guard. Standing Guard blocks high and mid attacks, but still leaves you vulnerable to low attacks and throws. Crouching Guard lets you block low attacks, as well as evade high attacks and throws. However, you'll be open to mid attacks. If you don't pick the correct guard, your opponent's attacks can still slip through.

When you're first starting out, it's better to focus on using Standing Guard, as it can be tough to tell whether an opponent's attack is mid or low. Standing Guard doesn't block low attacks, but they deal relatively little damage compared to mid attacks, which tend to be more powerful. Perfecting your Standing Guard can help you mitigate the impact of mid attacks.

The best time to launch an attack is after successfully guarding. In Virtua Fighter, the blocking party gets to move first, so try to get into the habit of immediately striking after you block. For example, with Jacky, I suggest following up with mid attacks such as P or K. If the hit lands, you can stay on the offensive. Videos highlighting the recommended moves of each character are available, so be sure to use them when you practice.


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If you continuously guard, your opponents will typically aim for a throw. Remember that guarding makes you vulnerable to throws. Execute a strike to avoid being thrown. As soon as you expect your opponent to go for a throw, try striking them.

Trying to escape a throw is also an effective strategy. To execute this technique, press the direction corresponding to the last direction of the opponent's throw along with P+G. You can also perform them by pressing P while guarding.

Cornering your opponent has a lot of advantages. You can win by knocking your opponent out of the ring on some stages, and when there are walls at the edges, you can unleash high-damaging combos. Jacky, for example, has a combo that can be executed near a wall:
K+G 　→　 K 　→　 K+G 　→　 PPP+K 　→　 K

Pushing your opponent to the edge of the stage also restricts their movement and attacks.


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When you're just starting out, guarding is typically going to be enough, so try learning how to guard effectively. Having said that, evading can put you in many advantageous situations, such as giving you a bigger window to counterattack. Once you're used to the game, you can give them a try. Evasion is best used when your attacks are blocked or when your opponent seems poised to strike. However, failing a dodge will leave you vulnerable. Be sure to practice the necessary inputs and timing in Tutorial Mode. Bear in mind, certain throws and circular attacks can't be evaded.

Yes. Fall Recovery allows you to avoid taking any extra damage, making it a worthwhile skill to master. Press P+K+G simultaneously as soon as your character hits the ground. You can practice this technique in Tutorial Mode.

Down attacks are strikes that target opponents who are on the ground. Every character is capable of using them. For example, Jacky can perform one as a follow-up attack with K. Take a look at the Down Attacks section of each character's move list to learn your options. Remember that these attacks can only hit opponents on the ground.


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A defensive move lets you evade an opponent's attack if you execute it at the right timing. To use them, rapidly move the control stick in the ↑ or ↓ direction during a specific frame of an opponent's attack. If you're successful, you can counterattack quicker than you would've if you had just blocked the attack. Remember that you're unable to evade certain throws and circular attacks.

An offensive move is an action that lets you use your frame advantage to flank your opponent. You can execute this technique by pressing P+K+G after using a defensive move. The attack that follows an offensive move will be performed from an advantageous position. Jacky, for instance, has his PP combo starter that is effective in this situation. However, try not to worry about offensive moves too much when you're just getting used to the game.


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