Super Street Fighter 4 Teaches You About Turkish Oil Wrestling

It's not as goofy as it sounds; Turkish wrestlers bathe themselves in olive oil as a means of spiritual and religious significance. Capcom has adopted this tradition into Hakan's motif, and as a result created a powerful grappler who plays like a mix of the Russian wrestler Zangief, and the Japanese sumo wrestler E. Honda. Similar to other grapplers in the Street Fighter series, Hakan's a big threat in close-range -- but getting close to the opponent is challenge, simply because of his weak mobility.

Applying oil, though, compensates for Hakan's weaknesses. When applied, the oil boosts the range of Hakan's moves dramatically -- including his special and normal moves. But the oil does have a cost: Locked in the oiling animation, Hakan stands idle for a brief time, and is exposed to enemy attacks -- you can't block or run until he finishes oiling himself. The oil is risky, but has the potential for high yields.

This potential rests in Hakan's powerful throws. He's equipped with two command throws performed by a 360-degree spin of the joystick with either a punch or kick button. The punch version grabs the opponent on the ground, while the kick version grabs standing and jumping opponents. A simple yet effective strategy involves alternating between two command throws when the opponent is getting up from a knockdown. The command throw with punch can interrupt any moves made by the opponent, but is avoided if the opponent jumps immediately after waking up. To counter the opponent's evasion, the command throw with kick will catch jumpers as soon as they leave the ground. This strategy is even scarier when Hakan uses his oil, which extends both throws' range and adds a slight damage boost. The throw's long range is deceiving, and more importantly, can fool opponents to make a mistake.

Hakan, like most new characters, requires patience and time. His unorthodox style is unlike conventional Street Fighter characters, and his oiling mechanic tests the player's ability for sound judgment (i.e., when is it safe or unsafe to apply the oil?). Slow and possessing a very low jump arc, Hakan will have a hard time against opponent's who can zone the stage with fireballs, but once he gets in, the game changes in his favor.

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