KILLERS — SlamTown Birdie, Street Fighter Alpha 2

Birdie is widely considered the worst character in Street Fighter Alpha 2. Slow grounded buttons and an awful normal throw get him trampled by the game’s entire roster. He has few answers for pressure, and his Level Three Super Combo is punishable on hit. Birdie has pitiful meterless damage, geriatric movement, and is objectively worse than Alpha 2’s other bigbodies- Zangief and Sodom.

SlamTown just doesn’t care! A Birdie Character Specialist, he’s committed himself to showing everyone what this bottom tier maniac can really do, and he only needs one clean hit to do it.

Alpha 2 Birdie has two saving graces, the first of which are his aerial normals. SlamTown jumps a ton. This sort of rapid repositioning is almost unheard of in Alpha 2, where the rest of the roster is strongest on the ground. Even Rolento, who has the best mobility in the game, is comfortably played at a midrange with Stinger (623K) and his great pokes.

Even in tournament, SlamTown’s Birdie spends more time in the air than on the ground- And no amount of anti-airing will keep him out. SlamTown likes his meter, and he won’t go a moment without finding safe ways to build it. Matches intensify rapidly as he racks up bars of Super. When he finally decides to go in, you’re dead meat.

Birdie is a Frag Grenade.

Street Fighter Alpha 2 is famous for introducing Custom Combos to the series. By pressing multiple attack buttons simultaneously, you’re granted invulnerability for a short period and break the game’s rigid cancel rules. Every character nets big damage from a successful “CC,” but Birdie’s reward is incredible. An optimized Birdie Custom Combo will deal 90%, and SlamTown doesn’t drop them. Using meter as a deadly augment to his offense, SlamTown can swing matches to his favor in an instant.

If you dare even think about stealing a turn, Birdie will gut you. Give him the slightest opening, or fail to meet his overwhelming offense with steel nerves, and SlamTown will capitalize immediately. His expertise and sheer bravado truly shine through when life, time, and tier all stand in his way.

SlamTown Birdie, the Patron Saint of Abare. He‘ll get in your head before he takes it.