i know kung fu (fighting games, hard work, and yomi)

I began fighting games the wrong way. The Mortal Kombat way. You know what was particularly wrong with me though? I didn't ever block. I always felt like it was a waste. Why spend your time holding a button, taking chip damage, and allowing yourself to get mixed up when you could just evade attacks and strike back at them? Combos? It was all about super spamming. The only relevant moves were jumping kick and uppercut. That was how I always thought and it reflected as my ass got beat all the time. 

As time moved forward, certain games began to receive more technical attention while others began to fall behind. If you look closely at Street Fighter, the game has many, many technicalities that will show obvious skill gaps when it comes to understanding hitboxes and frame data. Mortal Kombat, however, failed because its technicalities resulted in infinites - ending games in under 15 seconds was hardly the correct sample size to measure skill. 

KUNG FU

Everyone knows kung fu. A butcher, who practices cleanly slicing the meat from the bone from day to day, knows kung fu. A ballet dancer, who practices her balance and forms constantly, knows kung fu. A computer programmer, who writes codes incessantly, knows kung fu. The actual pair of words "kung fu" doesn't mean a Bruce Lee martial art, it means mastery through dedication. Mastery of fighting games is no exception, and is a hobby that cannot be cheated. What non-fighting game players fail to realize is the level of depth and comprehension required to maximize one's potential in a Street Fighter esque game. You literally have to know your character from head to toe, your opponent's character from head to toe, how they interact, and how to deal with it. Ontop of knowing the game fundamentally, you'll need to get into your opponent's head and understand what his goals are and turn those into your advantage by utilizing tricks and baits. 

YOMI

Is the Japanese term for "mind" or "mind games". Once a player has optimized his execution and understanding of the mechanics of the game, he must learn to get into his opponent's head. This allows you to answer things before they happen, or use unexpected techniques to mix up your opponent. 

Why am I writing this article? Cause I believe that the fighting game genre doesn't receive enough attention nor respect. It's something that I've learned to appreciate, watching myself grow into a stronger player slowly but surely. The progress I've made is astounding, looking back at how I played a year ago from now. 

BIG NEWS!!! NEXT ARTICLE - THE STORY OF EHD, THE CONSTANTLY COINCIDENTIALLY LUCKY MAN. LOOK FORWARD TO IT!