The developer’s blog is back, listing changes for version 2012 of Super Street Fighter 4 Arcade Edition. The characters covered in part one are Ryu, Ken, Chun Li, Honda, Blanka, Zangief, Guile, Dhalsim, Bison, Balrog, Sagat, Vega, and Viper.

Thanks to Azrael, Arc-rail, and Curbeh for the translation (more will appear as it becomes available).

Ryu

Increased the vertical hitbox on U2 for better anti-air/full animation.

Can combo full U2 after counter hit Shakunetsu Hadoken. So if c.mk gets absorbed by a FA, Ryu can do EX Fireball, FADC U2 for 500 damage. If Ryu is close range he can hit EX Fireball -> U2 without FADC.

The “brake” frame on air Tatsu decreased by 3 frames, if used on this frame the trajectory will change.

Solar plexus 40+60 for 100 total damage.

If he hits S.RH counter hit on a crouching opponent he can combo sweep after it.

Chun

Head stomps will come out on DF, not just D. They note that DB won’t work though.

Kintekishu (B+MK) +3 advantage on counter hit, easier to hit confirm into the second hit.

Sweep 150 stun.

Kikoken startup 9F, easier to use as AA/use in combos.

They are fixing the bug where characters fell out of the U1 juggle in AE.

Ken

Target combo hits easier on crouching opponents, can also delay the inputs.

EX Shoryuken damage 80+30+30+50, 190 total.

Honda

Jab headbutt gets its upper body invincibility back.

Strong headbutt loses it, so it works the same as Jab Headbutt did in AE.

Blanka

Each ball gets an extra 10 in damage, so Jab 110, Strong 120, Fierce 130, EX 120.

For Fierce and EX Ball, if it hits on the second frame (same frame where FA cancel is possible), it causes blow-back damage. Will be easier to follow-up EX Ball with additional hits if FADC’d.

Charged Rock Crusher gives Blanka a 5 frame advantage, so he can do Rock Crusher, C.MK, FP Ball as a combo.

Gief

Jab SPD 150 stun.

EX Backfist damage 90+50 for a total of 140. Stun 100+50 for a total of 150.

Adjusted the hitbox on c.jab, so that it hits more easily off a jump-in against characters it formerly didn’t. Hurtbox for c.roundhouse reduced in height, making it easier to pass under certain attacks.

Guile

Balance adjustments centered around the changes made to him from Super to AE.

The frames in which Guile could be counter-hit after Sonic Boom have been eliminated? (Not 100% sure)

Air throws 3F startup.

Spinning backfist 100 damage.

Can’t be thrown out of upside down kick from the 6th frame until the last active frame.

Dhalsim

Yoga Inferno damage 75 x 2, 60 x 3 for a total of 330 damage.

EX Yoga Blast damage 90 + 50. First hit gets 20 more damage, second hit 20 less, so if Sim only gets the first hit he gets the better damage.

S.jab active for 4F. But other frame info unaltered.

Hurtbox on Yoga Blast reduced.

Can follow up Yoga Blast with additional moves for combo.

Balrog

Headbutt damage fixed back to Super, strong 120, Fierce 140, EX 150.

U2 damage 399.

Hit properties on Dash Overhead changed so that it can combo into c.strong on all characters.

Close stand fierce hitbox extended downwards so that it hits crouching characters that it used to whiff on.

Sagat

Angry Scar Tiger Uppercut damage increased: LP, MP, and EX get +10

Viper

-MP Thunder Knuckle 120 -> 110 damage

-EX Thunder Knuckle startup reduced to 25f, but +2 recovery

-EX Seismo 120 -> 100 damage

-U1 -> 441 damage

-U1 hitbox improved so it’s easier to hit fully after air burnkick and HP Thunder Knuckle

-U2 damage increased to 410

Vega

-cr.HK damage increased to 110, same as Super.

-+1 more frame of hitstun on the opponent after cosmic heel, making it -3 at worst.

-Sky High Claw causes blowback when it hits a grounded opponent (same words as the blanka ball change)

-U1 hitbox after it hits on the way up increased drastically so that it doesn’t unexpectedly miss.

-U2 startup changed to 8f.

Bison

-Scissors stun changed to 100/50 (150 total) on all strengths

-First hit causes 1f extra hitstun, so if you FADC the first hit you can have +5 advantage at best.