We Can't Let That Rock
This is a list of fighting game glitches that are or were banned in a competitive setting, i.e. standard tournament rules forbid purposefully performing these. If you're aware of any sikk illegal glitch not included on the list, please tell a judge in the comments.
18 Games
Patched out, but Blanka had a glitch where he could cancel the startup of his Dynamic Rolling super with his command hop and lock the opponent in place for the duration of the super freeze. And he wouldn't lose the meter, so could just keep doing it indefinitely!
Eventually patched out, but for a while the game would freeze if any knife projectile (e.g. Rolento, Cody, Ibuki) collided with a fireball.
DHCing in a specific way during Nova's Human Rocket hyper can cause him to disappear and no teammate replaces him, softlocking the match until timeout (it can also break the game's camera).
It's possible to snapback a dead character and cause the two remaining characters to come in at the same time.
It's possible to snapback a dead character and cause the two remaining characters to come in at the same time.
Dante had the "Quicksilver" THC glitch that needs to be seen to be believed: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YzQGvXv2ql0
It's possible to get the opponent stuck in the floor until you hit them out using a combination of Deadpool Cuttin' Time hyper and Trish Peekaboo assist.
It's possible to get the opponent stuck in the floor until you hit them out using a combination of Deadpool Cuttin' Time hyper and Trish Peekaboo assist.
Arcade version only - it was possible to make Hwa Jai float off-screen.
Arcade version only - it was possible for Vice to cause certain characters to become frozen after connecting with her Overkill super and a throw.
Arcade version only - it was possible for Vice to cause certain characters to become frozen after connecting with her Overkill super and a throw.
Patched out, but Raiden had a handcuff glitch on Elizabeth.
Metaknight's Infinite Dimensional Cape glitch involves specific repeated inputs rendering him invincible for as long as the player can keep it up.
- Contributed by DeltaWDunn
- Contributed by DeltaWDunn
Arcade only: performing the jump install glitch during Rei's DP would cause him to keep going upwards forever, and would eventually cause the machine to lock up once the timer ran out.
Arcade only: with Shin, performing the jump install glitch and then doing his kick DP just before landing will interrupt the startup of the move and keep him invincible until he throws, is thrown, is hit with a counter move, or does something else with invincibility.
The opponent can be frozen in midair if the player deep breath hits them with a banishing strike, then boosts past, boost attacks again to hit them from behind and switch back to the front, and then does a super. Can sometimes cause the machine to lock up.
Arcade only: with Shin, performing the jump install glitch and then doing his kick DP just before landing will interrupt the startup of the move and keep him invincible until he throws, is thrown, is hit with a counter move, or does something else with invincibility.
The opponent can be frozen in midair if the player deep breath hits them with a banishing strike, then boosts past, boost attacks again to hit them from behind and switch back to the front, and then does a super. Can sometimes cause the machine to lock up.
Arcade version only - it was possible to make Sho Hayate disappear off-screen for the entirety of the match by throwing his boomerang and Quick Shifting to a teammate and then back to Sho.
The PS2 version had a glitch called Variable Cancel that meant the player could cancel attack animations/recovery in certain situations. Opponent successfully Guard Impacted you? Variable Cancel and punish them for it!
The Ice Climbers "Freeze Glitch" renders the opponent unable to move at all.
- Contributed by DeemonAndGames
- Contributed by DeemonAndGames
It's essential tech now, but roll cancelling was initially banned in the US.
- Contributed by Vee
- Contributed by Vee
Holding/mashing taunt during Ruby Heart's Cheval Seller special move can send her flying off-screen or freeze the game outright.
Hitting Felicia's Please Help Me hyper and doing it repeatedly with specific timing causes the opponent to become frozen for the rest of the match.
Doing an Assist 2 snapback and then Cajun Strike with Gambit will send him flying off-screen.
It's possible to do an infinite combo on a dead character - this one is allowed for corner carrying, but continuing to combo past that point is considered timer scamming and isn't legal.
Hitting Felicia's Please Help Me hyper and doing it repeatedly with specific timing causes the opponent to become frozen for the rest of the match.
Doing an Assist 2 snapback and then Cajun Strike with Gambit will send him flying off-screen.
It's possible to do an infinite combo on a dead character - this one is allowed for corner carrying, but continuing to combo past that point is considered timer scamming and isn't legal.
Avdol "ghosting" is a glitch involving his Red Heat Ankh super that allows him to remain invincible for pretty much as long as he wants.
Lee and Zantetsu have a bug where the player can cancel any air button into j.A by pressing A+C, including itself, leading to an infinite on hit or block.
Floating off-screen is here again.
It's possible to get characters to float off-screen.
It's possible to get Jedah to float off-screen. There's also some glitches that give characters temporary invulnerability.
9 Comments
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@FallenGrace Thanks! I've been playing them competitively with varying degrees of seriousness for about 13 years and still find it super cool to learn about glitches or unintended consequence of mechanics that have actual practical applications (and to do them to unsuspecting innocents)
iirc RC in CvS2 was originally banned in American tournaments, then it got unbanned after we got trounced at EVO or something equivalent. At least that's what I hear from my time online on GameFAQs forums and mugen fighter guild.
It's insanely hard to find documentation for older FG competitive history, so I always appreciate stuff like this. All I know is that Cyrax damage resets in MK9 were almost banned like three different times over on Test Your Might forums, lol.
It's insanely hard to find documentation for older FG competitive history, so I always appreciate stuff like this. All I know is that Cyrax damage resets in MK9 were almost banned like three different times over on Test Your Might forums, lol.
Whilst looking for further CvS2 info I dug up a quote from James Chen saying "when roll cancel was discovered, there was simply no way to ban it", so I 100% believe it was banned in the US initially
The main thought making this list has reinforced in me is that the loss of older FG forums is an absolute tragedy
The main thought making this list has reinforced in me is that the loss of older FG forums is an absolute tragedy
I love this list, it's a super specific yet interesting and curious side of the competitive fighting game world and it's super complete, great work!
For me, the first to come to mind that isn't on here is the Freeze Glitch the Ice Climbers can perform in Super Smash Bros Melee; it's forbidden to even attempt it and performing it will grant immediate disqualification, as it makes your opponent completely unable to move.
For me, the first to come to mind that isn't on here is the Freeze Glitch the Ice Climbers can perform in Super Smash Bros Melee; it's forbidden to even attempt it and performing it will grant immediate disqualification, as it makes your opponent completely unable to move.
If you're allowing Smash Bros, there's the Freeze Glitch in Melee and the Infinite Dimensional Cape from Brawl.
(You could also put in Wobbling from Melee but that's more of an exploit than a glitch.)
(You could also put in Wobbling from Melee but that's more of an exploit than a glitch.)
@DeemonAndGames Thanks! Smash is a complete blind spot for me. I'm sure there's a lot more games I'm missing - throwing the HnK glitches on made me immediately think of Sengoku Basara X, for instance - I'm sure that game probably has a bunch, I just haven't found the info yet...
@DeltaWDunn Thank you, added!
FallenGrace
4 months ago