The Neutral Game

Neutral is the most nebulous aspect of any sport. It is simultaneously the most boring and most interesting part of the game depending on who you ask. Most new players would argue the neutral game is just playing footsies with the opponent until the combos start, and that down time isn't fun. Most experienced players would argue that exact reason is why it's so interesting.

In most of these games, the neutral game will look like long poking buttons, short, fast stubby buttons, or ranged projectiles in an attempt to zone.

Neutral isn't truly 50/50 between the opponents, however. Some characters have defensive advantage in neutral due to the range on their buttons. Axl Low from Guilty Gear and Dhalsim from Street Fighter come to mind.

What is Neutral in Fighting Games?

How can Neutral be Balanced?

If every character had the same poking buttons and projectiles, the games might lose their depth. But that doesn't mean it becomes eliminated entirely. In fact the mirror match between a character can be the greatest insight into how that character navigates neutral. If a character's option is unbeatable by every possible option by the opponent, there would be no neutral game. That move would dominate the game and there would be no mind games. Because everything in neutral can technically be beaten by the design philosophies of the games, there is endless expression behind the neutral game.