BlazBlue is hard!

I have always enjoyed fighting games and, consequently, I have played a lot of fighting games. So I am reasonably good at them. I am good enough to beat the computer on at least the medium level (impressive, I know), and I can normally hold my own in online competition. I understand combos, I can perform all the moves, and I can even use concepts such and zoning and the wake-up game when I play. All of this means that when I play Street Fight IV online I win about 25% of the time. Not great, but pretty good.

However, when I play BlazBlue online I only win about 10% of the time. BlazBlue is a harder game to play than SFIV; it has a harder moveset, combo system, and wake-up game, but why should my win ratio be so different in the two games?

I have a couple of theories. SF IV is in many ways a classic Capcom fighter and is the same kind of game that I have been playing since SF II hit the arcades 1991. I understand what I have to do. I get what I need to do in BlazBlue as well, but probably need more practice on the intricacies of the game. I am better at SF IV than I am at BlazBlue, but not 2.5 times better.

Both online modes have a ranking system, so you can play people approximately your skill level; however, while SF IV forces you in G1, G2, or G3 categories, BlazBlue only allows you to search for opponents at your level. I am current at level 16 in BlazBlue and could not find anyone at my level using a search. In fact, I could not find anyone worse than level 26, and most where at level 45 and up.

I am not complaining that I get beaten by better players online; I do, however, think that Askys games should funnel players into mandatory skill levels.

My other theory is that because BlazBlue was generally purchased by hardcore fighting fans, most of these fans are very good at the game and now are at a higher level. There are fewer players, but more skilled overall than say the average SF players.

These are simply my ruminations on my defeat. The moral of the story is I need to spend more time in training mode.