Street Fighter EX [Arcade] - play as Akuma

This is a playthrough using Akuma in the Arcade version of Street Fighter EX 1. Read on below for more information...

Akuma is a hidden character in the game, and he can be selected via a hidden input code or becoming available through time-release.

===== HOW TO SELECT AKUMA =====

On the character select screen, input the following:

1) Highlight Ryu, and press the [START] button once.

2) Press Down x 3, Up x 4, and then either [MP] or [MK].

If you've done it right, Akuma will be selected. MP gives you his default colour and MK gives you his alternate colour.

===== ABOUT AKUMA =====

It should be noted that this is the player version Akuma, who is used specially for human players to control. He is NOT the CPU Akuma you fight against on Stage 10 (providing special conditions fulfilled) of single-player mode.

Player Akuma is weaker in some areas than CPU Akuma, as well as having some other differences. The comparison information is set out below:

---- There are no noticeable graphical differences between him and CPU Akuma.

---- His colour palette/costume data is linked to CPU Akuma's ones in the game's programming. For example if you choose player Akuma with his default colour (dark purple) and get to fight CPU Akuma on Stage 10, CPU Akuma will have the alternative red colour. And vise-versa. This is obviously required to distinguish him between Player and CPU during the match.

---- He inflicts generally lower damage than CPU Akuma.

---- When he does his normal Fireball, he recovers from them slower than CPU Akuma.

---- He has a slight recovery time when he lands from performing a Dragon Punch, unlike the CPU Akuma.

---- On the Euro/US versions of the game, on the character select screen, when you push a button to select him, the announcer correctly says "Akuma" instead of "Gouki".

---- In gameplay, he has a voice for when he gets hit by the opponent or loses. CPU Akuma does not have either of these.

===== ABOUT ARCADE SFEX1 =====

Back then, the idea of a 3D Street Fighter game certainly got everyone's interest... then Arika said yes and Street Fighter EX was born. The game was reportedly not well-received at first, but eventually the gameplay won the people over. The Specials into Supers and Supers into Supers cancelling was one of the best things about the gameplay and kind of set it as a trademark for SFEX.

This version of the game also sees the debuts of the "Arika characters", with Pullum, Cracker Jack, Hokuto, Doctrine Dark and Skullomania appearing initially on the character select screen, then later on Blair, Allen, Darun and Kairi being available through time release. Garuda serves as an unplayable hidden mid-boss character.

These Akira characters turned out to be pretty popular... so 22 years later, here they are again in Fighting EX Layer. Time flies by.