

On the other hand, Ken can lead right into a Shoryuken following his Target Combo, and the infamous rising uppercut can be chained into his Super with ease. Ryu can combo a Heavy Punch into a Shoryuken and follow-up with his Super Combo, the Shinku Hadoken. Of course, that's just the tip of this combo-laden iceberg. Both fighters can chain a punch into a Hadoken for a very basic two-hit affair, as well as chain a crouching kick into a Tatsumaki Senpukyaku. Fortunately for these two students of Gouken, there are plenty of combos to go around. Ken, however, boasts two modifications of the Shoryuken, making his Super and Ultra more suited for close-range combat. Both of Ryu's powerful techniques are projectile based, as they are modifications of the Hadoken. When it comes to Super and Ultra Combos though, the two friends differ greatly. The basic "premise" of the techniques is the same but the finer details differ. For example, Ken's Heavy Shoryuken is fire-based while Ryu's is not. Of course, the way these moves work varies between Ryu and Ken. This three-move dynamic has always been a phenomenally balanced set of attacks and still feels great in Street Fighter IV. Otherwise, both fighters have the Hadoken fireball, the Shoryuken uppercut and both have a ground-based and aerial Tatsumaki Senpukyaku. Ryu has a few nice Unique Attacks which can be chained together with a number of his Special Moves, while Ken has a special Target Combo unique to him. Both fighters are formidable opponents and both have a number of strengths to consider. Although they share a number of normal attacks and Special Moves, the moves themselves vary depending on the technique while their Super and Ultra Combos are totally different. Although many gamers might initially assume that these two characters are identical in play style (to an extent, they are very similar), Ken and Ryu possess key distinctions which make them notably different fighters in the ring. Luckily, Ken always keeps him in good spirits and the two constantly push each other to new heights. Ryu is much quieter than his passionate counterpart, but Ryu also has to deal with the dark power of the Satsui no Hadou that lurks within him. Originally students under the skilled master Gouken, Ken and Ryu grew up training together and have been best friends ever since. As we approach the end of our character coverage for Street Fighter IV, we've finally come to the two fighters that are arguably the most recognizable competitors in the Street Fighter universe.
