Parry

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A parry trades a held guard for timing: the input comes shortly before the hit, which is turned aside. In Street Fighter III: 3rd Strike a tap opens a window of 10 passes¹ of the input check¹, a guarding defender must tap within the first 2 or 3 passes^2,2, and a parry leaves the attacker stopped for 16 to 20³ counts³.

Games

Game	Year	How	Note
Street Fighter III: 3rd Strike	1999	Tap window	a fresh lever tap sets a counter of 11 (8 in the air, 6 against jumping attacks) that counts down each pass, and the parry works while it's nonzero
Street Fighter III: 3rd Strike	1999	From a guard	while already guarding, the tap must come within the window's first 3 passes against a normal move, 2 against others

Every claim about this mechanic, by game (3)

Street Fighter III: 3rd Strike 1999	In the PS2 port of Street Fighter III: 3rd Strike that crowded-street/3s-decomp rebuilds (the Street Fighter Anniversary Collection build), the parry is an input command that `check_10` in CMD_MAIN.c reads. Once the lever has been neutral, a fresh lever press equal to the command's lever value (4 for the high parry and the air parry, 2 for the low one; the whole lever is compared, so a diagonal doesn't match; the air parry only while the character is above the ground) sets the parry's counter in `waza_flag` to the command's `reset` value, and `command_ok_move` takes 1 off it on every pass, the tap's own included. When a press sets one parry counter, `check_10` zeroes each of the other parry counters (entries 3, 4, 5, 6, and 12) that is smaller than the new one, and an air parry press (entry 5) is zeroed at once while the entry-6 command's `free3` is above 0. The command tables every character shares give `reset` 11 for the high and low parries (entries 3 and 4), 8 for the air parry (entry 5), and 6 for entry 12, so the counter stays nonzero for 10, 7, and 5 passes (computed). `defense_ground` checks entry 12, not entry 3, against a jumping attack parried high (guard bit 2 with `jump_att_flag`); a jumping attack parried low still uses entry 4, and both of those branches are gated by bit 0x800. The System Direction setting adds −2, 0, 2, or 4 to each, and its defaults add 0. The window closes early if the held lever turns to another value or includes bit 8, if it's still held 6 passes after the press, or if any direction is pressed after it's let go. The command arms again only after a second counter, set to `reset` plus 10, has counted below zero. While the defender's `guard_chuu` isn't 1 to 4 (the test is `guard_chuu != 0 && guard_chuu < 5`), `defense_ground` and `defense_sky` turn a hit that the attack's guard bits let it parry into a parry when the matching counter is nonzero, unless the defender is stunned, its `guard_flag` has bit 2 set, or a System Direction setting has switched that parry off.	Code
	In the PS2 port of Street Fighter III: 3rd Strike that crowded-street/3s-decomp rebuilds, a defender who is already guarding (`guard_chuu` 1 to 4, which `Damage_04000` and `Damage_07000` set in damage routines 4 to 7) parries a hit only if the parry's counter is still at least the threshold `make_red_blocking_time` stores from that parry's `reset`: `reset` less 3 against moves `check_normal_attack` counts as normal, and less 2 against the rest, less a second System Direction offset of −1, 0, 1, or 2 (0 at its defaults). For the high and low parries (`reset` 11) that is 8 or 9, and for the air parry (`reset` 8) 5 or 6, so the press must come in the window's first 3 passes against a normal move or first 2 against others (computed). Otherwise the code goes on to the guard checks. A System Direction setting (bit 0x1000) turns this parry off.	Code
	In the PS2 port of Street Fighter III: 3rd Strike that crowded-street/3s-decomp rebuilds, when a parried attack has any hit stop, `set_paring_status` sets the parrying defender's `dm_stop` to −15 and the attacker's `hit_stop` to 16. When the attacker is on the ground and the parry is a ground one (routines 31 to 33), a move whose `kind_of_waza` is 0 to 7 gets 4, 3, 2, or 1 more, by `kind_of_waza / 2`. The defender's parry status makes its stop negative and moves it to `hit_stop`. `check_hit_stop` counts a negative stop up to 0 while still calling `char_move`, and a positive one down without calling it. The attacker's count is 1 to 5 longer than the defender's 15 (computed). The same routine sets the hit's stun (`dm_piyo`) and its gauge points (`dm_arts_point`) to 0.	Code

References

^ a b cIn the PS2 port of Street Fighter III: 3rd Strike that crowded-street/3s-decomp rebuilds (the Street Fighter Anniversary Collection build), the parry is an input command that check_10 in CMD_MAIN.c reads. Once the lever has been neutral, a fresh lever press equal to the command's lever value (4 for the high parry and the air parry, 2 for the low one; the whole lever is compared, so a diagonal doesn't match; the air parry only while the character is above the ground) sets the parry's counter in waza_flag to the command's reset value, and command_ok_move takes 1 off it on every pass, the tap's own included. When a press sets one parry counter, check_10 zeroes each of the other parry counters (entries 3, 4, 5, 6, and 12) that is smaller than the new one, and an air parry press (entry 5) is zeroed at once while the entry-6 command's free3 is above 0. The command tables every character shares give reset 11 for the high and low parries (entries 3 and 4), 8 for the air parry (entry 5), and 6 for entry 12, so the counter stays nonzero for 10, 7, and 5 passes (computed). defense_ground checks entry 12, not entry 3, against a jumping attack parried high (guard bit 2 with jump_att_flag); a jumping attack parried low still uses entry 4, and both of those branches are gated by bit 0x800. The System Direction setting adds −2, 0, 2, or 4 to each, and its defaults add 0. The window closes early if the held lever turns to another value or includes bit 8, if it's still held 6 passes after the press, or if any direction is pressed after it's let go. The command arms again only after a second counter, set to reset plus 10, has counted below zero. While the defender's guard_chuu isn't 1 to 4 (the test is guard_chuu != 0 && guard_chuu < 5), defense_ground and defense_sky turn a hit that the attack's guard bits let it parry into a parry when the matching counter is nonzero, unless the defender is stunned, its guard_flag has bit 2 set, or a System Direction setting has switched that parry off.Codecrowded-street/3s-decomprevised

How we know

610void check_10() {
611    switch (waza_ptr->shot_ok) {
612    case 0:
613        if (chk_pl->sw_lever == 0) {
614            waza_ptr->shot_ok++;
⋮
618    case 1:
619        if ((cmd_pl->wu.xyz[1].disp.pos > 0 || (waza_type[cmd_id] != 5 && waza_type[cmd_id] != 6)) &&
620            chk_pl->now_lvbt & 0xF) {
621            if (chk_pl->sw_lever == waza_ptr->w_lvr) {
622                waza_ptr->shot_ok++;
623                wcp[cmd_id].waza_flag[waza_type[cmd_id]] = wcp[cmd_id].reset[waza_type[cmd_id]];
624                waza_ptr->free3 = wcp[cmd_id].reset[waza_type[cmd_id]] + 10;
⋮

src/anniversary/sf33rd/Source/Game/CMD_MAIN.c lines 610–625 at be9b9bc · upstream ↗

627                switch (waza_type[cmd_id]) {
628                case 3:
629                    if (wcp[cmd_id].waza_flag[3] > wcp[cmd_id].waza_flag[4]) {
630                        wcp[cmd_id].waza_flag[4] = 0;
⋮
634                        wcp[cmd_id].waza_flag[5] = 0;
⋮
641                    if (wcp[cmd_id].waza_flag[3] > wcp[cmd_id].waza_flag[12]) {
642                        wcp[cmd_id].waza_flag[12] = 0;
⋮
649                        wcp[cmd_id].waza_flag[3] = 0;
⋮
653                        wcp[cmd_id].waza_flag[5] = 0;
⋮
661                        wcp[cmd_id].waza_flag[12] = 0;
⋮
666                case 5:
⋮
668                        wcp[cmd_id].waza_flag[3] = 0;
⋮

src/anniversary/sf33rd/Source/Game/CMD_MAIN.c lines 627–728 at be9b9bc · upstream ↗

739    case 2:
740        waza_ptr->w_int--;
741        waza_ptr->free3--;
⋮
743        if (waza_ptr->w_int > 0) {
744            if (chk_pl->sw_lever == 0) {
745                waza_ptr->shot_ok++;
746                break;
⋮
749            if (chk_pl->sw_lever & 8) {
750                wcp[cmd_id].waza_flag[waza_type[cmd_id]] = 0;
751                waza_ptr->shot_ok++;
752                break;
⋮
755            if (chk_pl->sw_lever != waza_ptr->w_lvr) {
⋮

src/anniversary/sf33rd/Source/Game/CMD_MAIN.c lines 739–785 at be9b9bc · upstream ↗

107    for (j = 0; j < 56; j++) {
108        if (wcp[cmd_id].waza_flag[j] != -1) {
⋮
111            waza_ptr = &waza_work[cmd_id][j];
112            chk_move_jp[waza_ptr->w_type]();
⋮
116    for (j = 0; j < 56; j++) {
117        if ((wcp[cmd_id].waza_flag[j] != -1) && (wcp[cmd_id].waza_flag[j] != 0)) {
118            waza_ptr = &waza_work[cmd_id][j];
119            command_ok_move(j);

src/anniversary/sf33rd/Source/Game/CMD_MAIN.c lines 107–121 at be9b9bc · upstream ↗

1530void command_ok_move(s16 waza_num) {
1531    if (dead_lvr_check()) {
⋮
1536    wcp[cmd_id].waza_flag[waza_num]--;

src/anniversary/sf33rd/Source/Game/CMD_MAIN.c lines 1530–1536 at be9b9bc · upstream ↗

9void (*chk_move_jp[28])() = { check_init, check_0,  check_1,  check_2,  check_3,  check_4,  check_5,
10                              check_6,    check_7,  check_7,  check_9,  check_10, check_11, check_12,

src/anniversary/sf33rd/Source/Game/CMD_MAIN.c lines 9–10 at be9b9bc · upstream ↗

124void check_init() {
125    cmd_tbl_ptr += 12;
126    waza_ptr->w_type = *cmd_tbl_ptr++;
127    waza_ptr->w_int = *cmd_tbl_ptr++;
128    waza_ptr->free1 = *cmd_tbl_ptr;
129    waza_ptr->free2 = *cmd_tbl_ptr++;
130    waza_ptr->w_lvr = *cmd_tbl_ptr++;

src/anniversary/sf33rd/Source/Game/CMD_MAIN.c lines 124–130 at be9b9bc · upstream ↗

37    wcp[cmd_id].reset[i] = *cmd_tbl_ptr++;

src/anniversary/sf33rd/Source/Game/CMD_MAIN.c line 37 at be9b9bc · upstream ↗

43const s16 pc_cmd_03[17] = { 11, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 128, 0, 0, 0, 0, 11, 0, 0, 4, 28 };
⋮
45const s16 pc_cmd_04[17] = { 11, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 128, 0, 0, 0, 0, 11, 0, 0, 2, 28 };
⋮
47const s16 pc_cmd_05[17] = { 8, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 128, 0, 0, 0, 0, 11, 0, 0, 4, 28 };

src/anniversary/sf33rd/Source/Game/cmd_data.c lines 43–49 at be9b9bc · upstream ↗

61const s16 pc_cmd_12[17] = { 6, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 128, 0, 0, 0, 0, 11, 0, 0, 4, 28 };

src/anniversary/sf33rd/Source/Game/cmd_data.c line 61 at be9b9bc · upstream ↗

781const_s16_arr p0_cmd[56] = { pc_cmd_00, pc_cmd_01, pc_cmd_02, pc_cmd_03, pc_cmd_04, pc_cmd_05, pc_cmd_06, pc_cmd_07,
782                             pc_cmd_08, pc_cmd_09, pc_cmd_10, pc_cmd_11, pc_cmd_12, pc_cmd_13, pc_cmd_14, pc_cmd_15,

src/anniversary/sf33rd/Source/Game/cmd_data.c lines 781–782 at be9b9bc · upstream ↗

55    switch (i) {
56    case 3:
57    case 4:
58    case 5:
59        wcp[cmd_id].reset[i] += blok_b_omake[omop_b_block_ix[cmd_id]];
60        make_red_blocking_time(cmd_id, i, wcp[cmd_id].reset[i]);
61        break;
⋮
63    case 6:
64    case 12:
65        wcp[cmd_id].reset[i] += blok_b_omake[omop_b_block_ix[cmd_id]];
66        break;

src/anniversary/sf33rd/Source/Game/CMD_MAIN.c lines 55–66 at be9b9bc · upstream ↗

45const s16 blok_b_omake[4] = { -2, 0, 2, 4 };

src/anniversary/sf33rd/Source/Game/SysDir.c line 45 at be9b9bc · upstream ↗

168void get_system_direction_parameter(DirData* sysdir_data) {
169    if (sysdir_data->contents[0][0] == 0) {
170        omop_spmv_ng_table[0] |= 0x300;
⋮
173    if (sysdir_data->contents[0][1] == 0) {
174        omop_spmv_ng_table[0] |= 0x800;
⋮
177    if (sysdir_data->contents[0][2] == 0) {
178        omop_spmv_ng_table[0] |= 0x400;
⋮
181    omop_b_block_ix[0] = sysdir_data->contents[0][3];

src/anniversary/sf33rd/Source/Game/SysDir.c lines 168–181 at be9b9bc · upstream ↗

9const DirData Dir_Default_Data = { .contents = { { 1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1 },

src/anniversary/sf33rd/Source/Game/DIR_DATA.c line 9 at be9b9bc · upstream ↗

102        system_dir[ix] = Dir_Default_Data;

src/anniversary/sf33rd/Source/Game/init3rd.c line 102 at be9b9bc · upstream ↗

1179    if (ds->py->flag == 0 && !(ds->guard_flag & 2) && as->wu.att.guard & 3) {
1180        if (as->wu.att.guard & 2) {

src/anniversary/sf33rd/Source/Game/HITCHECK.c lines 1179–1180 at be9b9bc · upstream ↗

1198            } else if (!(ds->spmv_ng_flag & 0x100)) {
1199                if (as->wu.jump_att_flag) {
1200                    if (!(ds->spmv_ng_flag & 0x800) && (ds->cp->waza_flag[12] != 0 || abs)) {
⋮
1216                } else if (ds->cp->waza_flag[3] != 0 || abs) {

src/anniversary/sf33rd/Source/Game/HITCHECK.c lines 1198–1216 at be9b9bc · upstream ↗

1248            } else if (!(ds->spmv_ng_flag & 0x200)) {
1249                if (as->wu.jump_att_flag) {
1250                    if (!(ds->spmv_ng_flag & 0x800) && (ds->cp->waza_flag[4] != 0 || abs)) {
⋮
1261                } else if (ds->cp->waza_flag[4] != 0 || abs) {

src/anniversary/sf33rd/Source/Game/HITCHECK.c lines 1248–1261 at be9b9bc · upstream ↗

1172    just_now = 0;
⋮
1174    if (ds->guard_chuu != 0 && ds->guard_chuu < 5) {
1175        just_now = 1;

src/anniversary/sf33rd/Source/Game/HITCHECK.c lines 1172–1175 at be9b9bc · upstream ↗

1080    if (ds->py->flag == 0 && !(ds->guard_flag & 2) && as->wu.att.guard & 4) {
⋮
1093        } else if (!(ds->spmv_ng_flag & 0x400) && ((ds->cp->waza_flag[5] != 0) || abs)) {

src/anniversary/sf33rd/Source/Game/HITCHECK.c lines 1080–1093 at be9b9bc · upstream ↗

Checked against the evidence by its author, an AI model, 2026-10-22.

Revised after a check by a second AI model, 2026-10-22.

In the claim ledger

^ a b cIn the PS2 port of Street Fighter III: 3rd Strike that crowded-street/3s-decomp rebuilds, a defender who is already guarding (guard_chuu 1 to 4, which Damage_04000 and Damage_07000 set in damage routines 4 to 7) parries a hit only if the parry's counter is still at least the threshold make_red_blocking_time stores from that parry's reset: reset less 3 against moves check_normal_attack counts as normal, and less 2 against the rest, less a second System Direction offset of −1, 0, 1, or 2 (0 at its defaults). For the high and low parries (reset 11) that is 8 or 9, and for the air parry (reset 8) 5 or 6, so the press must come in the window's first 3 passes against a normal move or first 2 against others (computed). Otherwise the code goes on to the guard checks. A System Direction setting (bit 0x1000) turns this parry off.Codecrowded-street/3s-decomp

How we know

36void make_red_blocking_time(s16 id, s16 ix, s16 num) {
37    switch (ix) {
38    case 3:
39        grdb[id][0][0] = num - (blok_r_omake[omop_r_block_ix[id]] + 2);
40        grdb[id][1][0] = num - (blok_r_omake[omop_r_block_ix[id]] + 3);
41        break;
⋮
43    case 4:
44        grdb[id][0][1] = num - (blok_r_omake[omop_r_block_ix[id]] + 2);
45        grdb[id][1][1] = num - (blok_r_omake[omop_r_block_ix[id]] + 3);
46        break;
⋮
48    case 5:
49        grdb2[id][0] = num - (blok_r_omake[omop_r_block_ix[id]] + 2);
⋮

src/anniversary/sf33rd/Source/Game/HITCHECK.c lines 36–52 at be9b9bc · upstream ↗

1172    just_now = 0;
⋮
1174    if (ds->guard_chuu != 0 && ds->guard_chuu < 5) {
1175        just_now = 1;
1176        attr_att = check_normal_attack(as->wu.kind_of_waza);
⋮
1179    if (ds->py->flag == 0 && !(ds->guard_flag & 2) && as->wu.att.guard & 3) {
1180        if (as->wu.att.guard & 2) {
1181            if (just_now) {
1182                if (!(ds->spmv_ng_flag & 0x1000) && ((ds->cp->waza_flag[3] >= grdb[ds->wu.id][attr_att][0]) || abs)) {

src/anniversary/sf33rd/Source/Game/HITCHECK.c lines 1172–1182 at be9b9bc · upstream ↗

1236            if (just_now) {
1237                if (!(ds->spmv_ng_flag & 0x1000) && (!(ds->cp->waza_flag[4] < grdb[ds->wu.id][attr_att][1]) || abs)) {

src/anniversary/sf33rd/Source/Game/HITCHECK.c lines 1236–1237 at be9b9bc · upstream ↗

1081        if (just_now) {
1082            if (!(ds->spmv_ng_flag & 0x1000) && (ds->cp->waza_flag[5] >= grdb2[ds->wu.id][attr_att] || abs)) {

src/anniversary/sf33rd/Source/Game/HITCHECK.c lines 1081–1082 at be9b9bc · upstream ↗

759s32 check_normal_attack(u8 waza) {
760    return sel_sp_ch_tbl[waza >> 3] == 0;

src/anniversary/sf33rd/Source/Game/HITCHECK.c lines 759–760 at be9b9bc · upstream ↗

147const u8 guard_kind[12] = { 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 0, 0, 0 };
⋮
150    Damage_00000, Damage_01000, Damage_01000, Damage_01000, Damage_04000, Damage_04000, Damage_04000, Damage_07000,
151    Damage_04000, Damage_04000, Damage_04000, Damage_07000, Damage_12000, Damage_12000, Damage_14000, Damage_14000,

src/anniversary/sf33rd/Source/Game/PLPDM.c lines 147–151 at be9b9bc · upstream ↗

304void Damage_04000(PLW* wk) {
⋮
310    wk->guard_chuu = guard_kind[wk->wu.routine_no[2] - 4];

src/anniversary/sf33rd/Source/Game/PLPDM.c lines 304–310 at be9b9bc · upstream ↗

353void Damage_07000(PLW* wk) {
⋮
359    wk->guard_chuu = guard_kind[wk->wu.routine_no[2] - 4];

src/anniversary/sf33rd/Source/Game/PLPDM.c lines 353–359 at be9b9bc · upstream ↗

47const s16 blok_r_omake[4] = { -1, 0, 1, 2 };

src/anniversary/sf33rd/Source/Game/SysDir.c line 47 at be9b9bc · upstream ↗

183    if (sysdir_data->contents[0][4] == 0) {
184        omop_spmv_ng_table[0] |= 0x1000;
⋮
187    omop_r_block_ix[0] = sysdir_data->contents[0][5];

src/anniversary/sf33rd/Source/Game/SysDir.c lines 183–187 at be9b9bc · upstream ↗

9const DirData Dir_Default_Data = { .contents = { { 1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1 },

src/anniversary/sf33rd/Source/Game/DIR_DATA.c line 9 at be9b9bc · upstream ↗

Checked against the evidence by its author, an AI model, 2026-10-22.

Checked by a second AI model, 2026-10-22.

In the claim ledger

^ a b cIn the PS2 port of Street Fighter III: 3rd Strike that crowded-street/3s-decomp rebuilds, when a parried attack has any hit stop, set_paring_status sets the parrying defender's dm_stop to −15 and the attacker's hit_stop to 16. When the attacker is on the ground and the parry is a ground one (routines 31 to 33), a move whose kind_of_waza is 0 to 7 gets 4, 3, 2, or 1 more, by kind_of_waza / 2. The defender's parry status makes its stop negative and moves it to hit_stop. check_hit_stop counts a negative stop up to 0 while still calling char_move, and a positive one down without calling it. The attacker's count is 1 to 5 longer than the defender's 15 (computed). The same routine sets the hit's stun (dm_piyo) and its gauge points (dm_arts_point) to 0.Codecrowded-street/3s-decomp

How we know

662const s16 sel_hs_add_tbl[6] = { 4, 3, 2, 1, 0, 0 };
⋮
664void set_paring_status(PLW* as, PLW* ds) {
⋮
667    if ((as->wu.att.hs_you == 0) && (as->wu.att.hs_me == 0)) {
668        ds->wu.routine_no[2] = ds->wu.old_rno[2];
669    } else {
670        hsadix = 4;
671        if ((as->wu.kind_of_waza & 0xF8) == 0) {
672            hsadix = (as->wu.kind_of_waza / 2) & 3;
⋮
677        dm_status_copy(&as->wu, &ds->wu);
678        ds->wu.dm_piyo = 0;
⋮
681        switch ((as->wu.xyz[1].disp.pos > 0) + (ds->wu.routine_no[2] - 31) * 2) {
682        case 0:
⋮

src/anniversary/sf33rd/Source/Game/HITCHECK.c lines 662–689 at be9b9bc · upstream ↗

690        case 1:
691        case 3:
692        case 5:
693            ds->wu.dm_stop = -15;
694            as->wu.hit_stop = 16;
695            as->wu.hit_quake = 16;
696            break;
⋮
699            ds->wu.dm_stop = -15;
700            as->wu.hit_stop = 16;
701            as->wu.hit_quake = 16;
702            break;
⋮
705            ds->wu.dm_stop = -15;
⋮

src/anniversary/sf33rd/Source/Game/HITCHECK.c lines 690–735 at be9b9bc · upstream ↗

586void Normal_31000(PLW* wk) {
⋮
604        if (wk->wu.dm_stop > 0) {
605            wk->wu.dm_stop = -wk->wu.dm_stop;
⋮
608        set_hit_stop_hit_quake(&wk->wu);

src/anniversary/sf33rd/Source/Game/PLPNM.c lines 586–608 at be9b9bc · upstream ↗

833void set_hit_stop_hit_quake(WORK* wk) {
834    if (wk->dm_stop) {
835        wk->hit_stop = wk->dm_stop;
836        wk->dm_stop = 0;

src/anniversary/sf33rd/Source/Game/PLS02.c lines 832–836 at be9b9bc · upstream ↗

329    if (wk->wu.hit_stop) {
330        num = 1;
⋮
332        if (wk->wu.hit_stop > 0) {
333            wk->wu.hit_stop--;
⋮
337                    wk->wu.hit_stop++;
⋮
345        } else {
346            wk->wu.hit_stop++;
347            char_move(&wk->wu);

src/anniversary/sf33rd/Source/Game/PLMAIN.c lines 329–348 at be9b9bc · upstream ↗

Checked against the evidence by its author, an AI model, 2026-10-22.

Checked by a second AI model, 2026-10-22.

In the claim ledger

Sources

Code

Crowded Street contributors. 2026. “3s-decomp: a decompilation of Street Fighter III: 3rd Strike for PlayStation 2 (crowded-street/3s-decomp).” Commit be9b9bc. crowded-street/3s-decomp @ be9b9bc · licence, all uses

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