246: Legend of the Drunken Mashter

[Brendan Main]

Legend of the Drunken Mashter

There are two types of players in fighting games: those who study each character?s special moves in order to most effectively defeat their opponents, and those who just mash buttons. Brendan Main tests whether mashing is a viable strategy in fighting games both old and new.

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[DeadAccountMoveAlong]

Thank you for using the only Blanka strategy I knew until I was fourteen. haha

 

[Eleima]

Or perhaps you're like me, and you hit buttons until someone is dead.

Yeahhh, I'm like you alright! I've never been a fan of fighting games, and churning out those combos just gave headaches and carpal tunnel syndrome. Glad to see I'm not the only one!

 

[Onyx Oblivion]

I don't TRY to button mash, but in the heat of an online match, my mind just goes blank. Rendering hours of practice with a character useless past arcade mode.

 

[mesoforte]

The last fighting game I played was SC:III on the Gamecube. I didn't button mash so much as I can't seem to block worth anything. I either hit the button too early, or the controller doesn't register that I hit the button. :\

So, I always use Nightmare offensively. It really devastates a lot of people that play. XD

 

[zamble]

Hmm wouldn't that strategy (actually, non-strategy) be esily beaten by projectiles? Or maybe the old hadoken+shouryuken combo? I can't believe nobody used it against you.

 

[Vert]

Great article, but I must I was surprised to learn that alcohol was not involved in the making of it. ^_^

But I'm also curious: apart from the final game, was there any other where your 'strategy' was proved to be, at least, viable?

 

[Shadeovblack]

No alcohol = That didn't count.



Do it again. This time be smashed.

 

[bjj hero]

Im guessing the guys he played against blew at fighting games. Without a guide I'd know what I was doing in Street fighter, King of fighters, Mortal kombat, Tekken, DoA, MvC2...

Generally you lose the odd one against mashing. The sun shines, even on a dogs arse, somedays. Best example is when I beat my brother blindfolded on Tekken 3 with Eddie Gourdo. I told him it was Zen Tekken. I picked Eddie as he plays more like a rhythm action game.

Finally none of the UFC games allow for button mashing, you just get tapped or ground and pounded.

 

[UnusualStranger]

This reminded me of a time in which I fought a masher. And I learned that skill did beat the random smashing if you know what to do.

It was Soul Cailibur II, and I had just given the controller to my teacher at the time. He was a smug guy, feeling that fighting games were nothing more than mashers. I was a little rusty, but I had experience.

Once I had shaken the rust off, I was a professional. His random swings and special moves i simply dodged, and then charged, beating the hell out of him, then stepping away. His flurry of random moves began again, and I easily dodged them, then kicked his character in the face.

Another round, another set of characters, same result. I'm not sure if it goes for all fighting games, but sometimes, Skill does win the day.

 

[Byrn Stuff]

Thank you for using the only Blanka strategy I knew until I was fourteen. haha

Also popular were the Chun-Li kicks and the E. Honda slaps.

 

[Et3rnalLegend64]

Yeah! Getting beaten up by a cactus in a sombrero! I wish I had Live again so I could go back on SF4 and beat all the Kens out there.

 

[TheMatt]

"I vetoed it"

Fucking epic. I had to stifle the giggling as too many people came to my cubicle to find out what was so funny.

Well done, sir.

 

[PlasticTree]

That was an awesome read. Best article of this week. Well done.

 

[raankh]

I laughed my way through that, genius!

 

[DaveMc]

Great article, and one I will remember the next time my nine-year-old daughter beats me up using Pai in Virtua Fighter. (I can usually stop her flurry of punches, eventually, but sometimes I, um, let her win. Yeah, that's it.)

 

[Grahav]

I believe mashing works better in 3d fighters which normally have simpler commands. All your luck is needed to pull off a Final Atomic Buster with mashing.

 

[Outright Villainy]

The last fighting game I played was SC:III on the Gamecube. I didn't button mash so much as I can't seem to block worth anything. I either hit the button too early, or the controller doesn't register that I hit the button. :\

So, I always use Nightmare offensively. It really devastates a lot of people that play. XD

For fun I see how long I can play against my friends with Nightmare without blocking. Usually at least 6 rounds, often more, and I'd often beat them with a huge health handicap by just rushing at them until they left the ring forcibly.
Pity I can't really use him in the new one.

 

[Foxbat Flyer]

Ha Ha Ha, thats awesome. Im a self confessed button masher, No matter how hard i try to not button mash, i always do. It never helps me, but by the looks of this, i will have to go and get some "Better" fighting games