Character overview.

Balrog is considered high to top tier. His good points:-

* Fast

* High Damage

* High stamina

* Excellent tick throw game

* Has a decent anti-air now (Buffalo headbutt.)

His downsides are:-

* Low and slow jump.

* Can be hard work to get in on some characters, particularly those with a good fireball.

When starting to play Balrog, familiarise yourself with his specials.

Buffalo Headbutt

This is Balrog's anti-air, to activate it charge down, then press up and punch. This move can be made even more useful by charging down and back, then pressing up and back with a punch to release - this will maintain a charge so as soon as you hit you can unleash one of the dash punches. This move isn't a huge move though, so if using it as an anti-air wait for them to get close. It does have high invincibility though so you can use it vs characters with good reach like Dhalsim and Vega to hit their limbs and get closer. Also because of the small size of the move recovery is fairly fast so it's reasonably safe to use. All punch strengths go through fireballs now - so piano reversals work now.

Dashing punch

This is charged back for two seconds, then forwards and punch. It can also be unleashed by pushing down and forwards and punch for a low version. It's fast but you can easily be poked out of it, the trick is timing with this move. Also mix up high and low ones, the low one can only be blocked with a crouching block so you will catch people out with it. If they are always crouching block be ready to jump in with a punch as soon as it hits. Also the low version will give you a charge for the headbutt so wait for the hit - then unleash the headbutt as they try tou counter attack.

Dashing uppercut

This is done in the same way as the dashing punch but with a kick button. You can also unleash it with down and forwards but visually the move is identical and it still hits standing and jumping characters. The advantage of course is it gives you a charge for the buffalo headbutt. This is useable as an anti-air at long range, but the headbutt is better for close up.

Turning punch

This is charged with either two punch or two kick buttons, the longer you charge it, the more powerful the attack. When you release Balrog will state how powerful a version you have charged up to. You can charge this for a long time for a very powerful move, and you can use the other set of buttons to pull off specials while doing so, meaning you can have this ready to unleash for massive damage if you can manage to hold two buttons while playing normally.

Super dash punch

It is possible to do uppercuts instead of straight punches with this move by pressing kick. It can go through fireballs, but the timing has to be right. It can also be tagged onto the end of a standard dash punch by using the first dash punch as the first part of the super motion. Getting the timing right is tricky but this will take people by surprise if you can do it.

General Tactics

Balrog really wants to get up close, his headbutt grab tick throw setup is very hard to escape if timed well. While he's holding them and headbutting them, charge down and back and be ready to throw in dashing punches or uppercuts or a buffalo headbutt if they try to jump clear. Get in close and lay on the pressure. If you can hold the buttons for a turning punch (kick buttons are probably best because this means you can still buffalo headutt and low dash punch while charging.) then as they think you've expended a move release and hit them for big damage. It's possible to charge three Turning punches now - by holding all buttons, this will surprise people. His throw range may have been reduced and his tick throw game is harder to use, but with the increased range on his headbutt Balrog should still be a strong contender.

Tougher matchup are Chun Li and Zangief, and to a lesser extend Dhalsim and Vega. The trick is getting in close, staying there and dishing out big damage. Zangief is a very technical matchup if he's good Chun Li will use her move priority and better air attacks.