Cancel

Cancelling is a term used to describe particular gameplay mechanics in the Bloody Roar series, and common in fighting games.

Definition

A Cancel is the act of interrupting (or cancelling) the animation of an attack, in other words, by cancelling you interrupt the movement of a fighter. Cancels are mostly used to chain attack as quick as possible, giving to the opponents few opportunities to defend themselves. During combo, for example, you start with an attack and quickly chain with another attack without giving the time to the fighter to come back to a neutral stance.

In Bloody Roar, the Cancel Point and window at which a move can be cancelled varies depending on move, character and form but almost all can be canceled within the very beginning of an animation (during the first few frames, first frame included).

In more specific terms, A Cancel reduces or avoids a fighter's recovery time after a move. The Recovery is the length in animation frames it takes for the fighter to recovering from the move and returning to a neutral state, during a recovery the fighters become vulnerable as they can't attack or defend themselves.

Cancel Point

Certain attacks have a Cancel Point, a specific time when the player is able to cancel the end of the attack animation into a different move. This Cancel Points are usually in the middle of a long attack string.

Beast Form Cancel Advantages

When the fighters turn into their Beast Form they gain new Cancel abilities. First of all, new combos means new Cancel Point during an attack but the fighters also gain Air Cancel ability.

Air Cancel

Introduced in Bloody Roar 3, the Air Cancel Ability allows your fighters to interrupt their recovery time and to directly chain an attack on an airborne opponent. It can be executed by jumping toward the opponent when they are throwing into the air. This allows you to pursue your combo while in the air.

There is no limit on how many times you can Air Cancel as long as your oponent is still in the air. Though, it won't prevent the opponent from using Air Recovery, as long as the gap between your hits is a large enough and they are not put into a spirale state.

Uranus is the only fighter that has the ability to Air Cancel anytime in her Human Form. Also, in Bloody Roar: Extreme only, Shina can use the Air Cancel in her Human Form after her grab.

Types of Cancel

Cancelling, especially since Bloody Roar 3, can play a big part in the players' strategy as, beyond the combos, the players many types of movement from dashing to jumping.

Special Attack Cancel: By pressing the Guard input, you can cancel most of the special attack, attacks that require the input of more "complex" motion controls with directional commands and a button.

Run/Dash Cancel: Both dashing and running can be canceled with dash canceling.

Backdashing Cancel: You can cancel your backdashing momentum by pressing and holding Guard. It allows to execute a Double Backdash, if you let go of a quickly pressed Guard during a backdash.

Air Cancel: Only available in Beast Form. Allows your fighters to interrupt their recovery time by jumping, when their opponent is throwing into the air, and to directly chain an attack on the airborne opponent.

Jump Cancel: Or Un-Jumping. It's a method of staying grounded after you have launched your opponent in the air (Air Cancel). You can actually regain control of your character on the ground during the pre-jump animation by inputting another non-jumping directional input before your character leaves the ground. It can be used in conjunction with various forward or back attacks to extend combos that would not normally be possible to do in time.

Evade Recovery Cancel: After you succeed to Evade a hit, you are able to cancel the recovery period of an evade with a throw, attack or movement if done just after the point the evade succeeds.

Any Cancel Point Option

In Bloody Roar 2, the player can turn on the Any Cancel Point Option which means any attack can be cancelled giving opportunities for freestyle combos.

Ability Plus

Since Bloody Roar: Primal Fury, the Ability Plus gives to the fighters new Cancel Advantages once in their Hyper Beast Form

Any Cancel A: All Normal attacks can be cancelled.
Any Cancel B: All Normal and Special attacks can be cancelled.

Career Mode Abilities

In Bloody Roar 4, by playing the Career Mode with a fighter you can unlock new Abilties and some of them will give new Cancel Advantages.

Command Move Ability

Command Move Follows High Move work: Any high ranged attack can be cancelled into a command attack.
Command Move Follows Mid Move command work: Any mid ranged attack can be cancelled into a command attack.
Command Move Follows Low Move work: Any low ranged attack can be cancelled into a command attack
Command Move Follows Standard Move and can cancel: Any standard attack can be cancelled into a different command attack.
Command Move Follows Command Move and can cancel: Any command attack can be cancelled into a different command attack.
Command Move Follows Beast Drive and can cancel: Any Beast Drives can be cancelled into a different command attack.

Throw Build-Up Ability

Throw at Cancel Point: Can cancel any cancellable attack in to a throw

Beast Ability

Air Cancel: While in Beast Mode, any launch or juggle attack can be cancelled into a jump on connect

Credits

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