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- "Pain is a cheap substitute for a vitality gauge!"
- —Remy, referencing the existence of a health meter.
The Health Meter as it appears in Street Fighter III: 3rd Strike.
The Health Meter shows how much health a player has remaining during a game, usually on the HUD at the top of the screen.
Game Mechanics[]
In fighting games, as a player gets hit by an opponent's attacks, that player loses health. The amount of health lost depends on a number of factors: strength of the attack, combo-based damage scaling, etc. Even if a player blocks, they can still suffer "chip damage" if hit by a special attack or super combo. Additionally, different characters start with different amounts of health.
In all cases, if a player's health meter is depleted, then that player is knocked out, and loses the round. If both players' health meters are depleted at the same time, however, then the round ends in a double K.O., and is declared a draw. Occasionally, if the timer runs out before either player's health meter reaches zero, the winner is determined by the amount of health remaining in both players' meters; if the amount of health is the same for both players, then the round is declared a draw.
Post Street Fighter II, characters are given their own total health values. This is not displayed in game usually but can be seen when a character takes a hit how much damage they take compared to another.
Street Fighter II Series[]
Example of Damage Resistance in action. See the damage both characters took to their health bar when they traded sweeps at the same time.
In the Street Fighter II series every character had equal health. Some characters had a mechanic known as "Damage Resistance" instead where they would take less damage from attacks than most of the other characters.
Stun existed but it was invisible to the player.
Street Fighter III series[]
The Health Meter in these games are accompanied by a smaller, separate Stun Meter right under it; this is the first series to show the amount of stun each player has.
Street Fighter IV series[]
A Health Meter for both Chun-Li and Ryu in Street Fighter IV.
The Health Meter appears by itself once more, and is yellow when full. Once damage has been taken, it changes to an orange-red gradient, with the red section closest to the round timer (essentially turning red as a character loses health).
If a player is hit while charging a Focus Attack or using a move with Super Armor, damage is not dealt normally. Instead, a provisional amount of damage is done. This "provisional damage" is represented by a faded gray segment of the health meter, which replaces some of the player's health, instead of losing it outright.
The health meter recovers gradually to what it was, with health slowly filling the gray segment, if the player is not hit again. If the player is hit again while recovering health, however, the amount of health represented by the gray segment which has not yet recovered is permanently lost, as well as whatever other damage the second attack inflicts.
Street Fighter V[]
The health meter in Street Fighter V. Despite the health bar looking the same for all characters, each character has a different total value. Ibuki for exemple takes more damage from certain attacks such as Zangief's Atomic Drop than Abigail.
When full the Health Meter is green in original Street Fighter V, and golden in Street Fighter V: Arcade Edition. Once damage has been taken, it changes to an green-yellow gradient, with the yellow section closest to the round timer.
The Stun Meter is once again visible, set right under the Health Meter and next to the timer. In addition, non-light normal and unique attacks deal provisional damage against a blocking character, and only a Critical Art can KO via chip damage.
Street Fighter 6[]
The Health Meter is colored red on the left side for Player 1 and blue on the right side for Player 2. Upon reaching 25% health, the Health Meter is yellow, and Level 3 Super Arts are upgraded to Critical Arts. Underneath the Health Meter is the Drive Gauge, which depletes on block and if hit by certain moves, and if the Drive Gauge depletes entirely, the character enters Burnout.
While in Burnout, any special move or Super Art deals chip damage, and either can KO.
Gallery[]
