Half-circle (SOCD method) on a leverless controller
Press all three for a moment in the middle. Back + Down + Forward reads as Down, so the Down input cannot be skipped.
Half-circle (SOCD method) on a leverless controller
Press all three for a moment in the middle. Back + Down + Forward reads as Down, so the Down input cannot be skipped.
- Press Back.
- Press Back + Down.
- Press Back + Down + Forward. The game reads Down.
- Press Down + Forward.
- Press Forward.
Watch it slowed down, then press Try it and do it yourself with a controller or your keyboard (A, S, D and Space, or the arrow keys). Timing is not frame-accurate. The animation shows the order of presses; check exact timing in your game's training mode. The animation assumes the Capcom/Neutral SOCD mode (Left + Right = Neutral, Up + Down = Neutral), which is how the MICRO and SWORL ship. Game and character names belong to their owners.
Pro notes: Half-circle (SOCD method)
Notation 4, 1, 4+2+6, 3, 6. Directions are written for a character facing right.
Keys you press vs what the game reads
Top row: the buttons you hold. Bottom row: the direction the game receives in Capcom/Neutral mode. Highlighted steps are where opposing directions cancel to neutral.
SOCD modes
| Up priority (Classic)L + R = Neutral, U + D = Up | Capcom/NeutralL + R = Neutral, U + D = Neutral. Shipping mode. | Last priority (2iP)Newest direction wins | NoneBoth sent; the game decides |
|---|---|---|---|
| Works | Works | Different result | Different result |
Set the mode by holding a direction while you plug in: Up = Capcom/Neutral, Left = Up priority, Down = Last priority, Right = None. Check yours in the controller tester.
Frame and timing notes
- Keys you press: 4, 4+2, 4+2+6, 2+6, 6. What the game reads: 4, 1, 2, 3, 6. The three-key moment is what guarantees the 2.
- Needs Back + Forward = neutral (Capcom/Neutral or Up priority mode). Whether a game accepts the half-circle with its diagonals read this way varies; check the input display.
Leverless tips for the Half-circle (SOCD method)
The finger map used here: ring finger on Back, middle finger on Down, index finger on Forward, right thumb on Up.
- Press all three left-hand buttons for a moment in the middle. Back and Forward cancel, so the game reads Down.
- This guarantees the Down in the middle of the half-circle, which is the step most often skipped.
Related moves
More techniques
-
Crouching dragon punchIntermediate
Hold Down the whole time and tap Forward twice. An anti-air straight from a crouch.
-
Double-tap dashBeginner
Two fingers on one button: slide the middle finger through Forward, then the index finger.
-
Down, downBeginner
Two fingers on the Down button, one after the other, with the attack on the second. Orie's Sealing Hoplon (22A/B/C) is the example.
-
Dragon punch (no diagonals)Beginner
Forward, Down, Forward, punch. Street Fighter 6 accepts it with no diagonal at all.
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