Charge Characters in fighting games are unique fighters who have most of their moveset based on charging their attack by holding back (or down) for roughly three-quarters of a second and then quickly pressing forward (or up) plus an attack button to execute their Special Attacks.
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Charge Characters tend to be aggressive fighters who thrive on applying lots of pressure to their opponent and dealing lots of damage with their charged-up attacks. While their fighting nature may be similar, almost every Charge Character plays differently from one another, but all serve their role as dominant, in your face, and full of momentum.
Vatista – Under Night In-Birth
Vatista is one of the more unique Charge Characters in the genre and comes from Under Night In-Birth. She possesses a vast arsenal of Charge Attacks that are executable when she's moving forwards and in the air. Traditionally, Charge Characters' charges are limited to either a back or down charge and can only happen when the character is grounded.
Vatista launches all kinds of projectiles via her Charge Attacks and can deal an excessive amount of damage because of them. Her deadly barrage of laser strikes allows her to get in close and play from a distance, making her a threat pretty much anywhere on the stage.
Balrog – Street Fighter
While maybe not the most popular Charge Character in the Street Fighter series, Balrog may be the strongest as he can land a devastating strike on you from just about any angle or distance. Balrog may not possess any projectile Charge Attacks, but he simply doesn't need them and will punish you the moment you make a mistake.
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Balrog's charging strikes propel him forwards, allowing him to cover a great distance, making him close the gap on his opposition or landing a monstrous strike on them. Furthermore, he also can throw a charged strike vertically, making for an excellent anti-air option. Whatever the case may be, whiffing attacks against Balrog isn't advised.
Leo Whitefang – Guilty Gear
While a mix between a Rushdown Character and a Charge Character, Leo Whitefang from the Guilty Gear series makes the cut due to his few Charge Attacks, overly aggressive playstyle, and raw power. Leo obtains the critical traits of every good Charge Character and should get the recognition he deserves.
Leo's Charge Attacks are incredibly strong, allowing him to wake up into an invincible DP that deals lots of damage when connecting with an enemy or by sending out a projectile that is near indestructible. While his Charge Attacks are relatively tame by keeping him in one spot, it perfectly sets him up for his aggressive attacks.
Parasoul – Skullgirls
Skullgirls' own Parasoul is yet another unique but very deadly Charge Character that remains one of the best in the genre and will be for some time. What makes Parasoul unique is her two charge moves can work in tandem with one another, keeping her opponents on their toes with what could be next.
Parasoul can summon floating "Tears" out into the arena, which are mines that explode on contact if touched by her opponent. However, she can also send them forward toward the opposition or freeze them in place, making the arena a chore to navigate. Furthermore, to make matters worse, Parasoul also possesses a powerful anti-air Charge Attack – Napalm Pillar – that prematurely detonates her Tears when used in tandem with them, causing exciting setups and playstyles.
Sabrewulf – Killer Instinct
In the same boat as Leo Whitefang, Killer Instinct's Sabrewulf is technically a mix between a Rushdown Character and a Charge Character but more than meets the requirements to be in the conversation as one of the best in the class. Sabrewulf has fast, deadly attacks that only get amplified when utilizing his Charge Attacks.
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Sabrewulf can run through projectiles, unleash multiple violent slashes on his opponent, and cover great distance with his Charge Attacks. Due to his Rushdown nature, Sabrewulf's Charge Attacks allow him to keep incredible pressure on the enemy, allowing him to be ultra-aggressive throughout the entire fight.
Chun Li – Street Fighter
The first female fighting game character, Chun Li, is one of the most recognizable fighters in all gaming and easily the most popular Street Fighter character. Chun Li is also one of the best Charge Characters of all time, which is bizarre to think she wasn't one in some titles like Street Fighter III: Third Strike.
While Chun Li is a "by the books" Charge Fighter, she is still powerful and has a strong arsenal of attacks. Like most great Charge Characters, Chun Li has a charged projectile attack to keep her opponents at bay, allowing her to stall them just enough to get in close. Furthermore, she also has a devastating Spinning Bird Kick that deals tons of damage to the opponent and hits them multiple times for a deadly finish on most combos.
Mitsuru Kirijo – Persona 4 Arena
Originally from Persona 3, Mitsuru Kirijo made her fighting game debut in the Persona fighting game Persona 4 Arena and was a deadly Charge Character with a great set of abilities and tools at her disposal. While she has a great move list, she only has two Charge Attacks, but that's not stopping her from making the cut by a long shot.
Mitsuru's deadliest Charge Attack is her Coup Droit, which has three different versions depending on the button hit after the charge has been implemented, allowing her to follow up with a deadly combo afterward the majority of the time. Her other Charge Attack can either be offensive or defensive, allowing her to shield herself from overhead attacks or send out projectiles.
Charlotta – Granblue Fantasy: Versus
Charlotta of Granblue Fantasy: Versus fame is yet another Rushdown Charge hybrid with an amazing list of attacks. While she may be small, do not underestimate Charlotta's power, or you will regret ever stepping into the arena against her.
Charlotta posses tons of mixup potential and can close the gap between her and the opponent rather quickly, allowing her to be incredibly aggressive without taking serious risks. Furthermore, Charlotta has an invincible anti-air Charge Attack and another one that will enable her to unleash a devastating series of attacks on the opponent in the blink of an eye, which is also hard to counter or punish.
Guile – Street Fighter
If there is a Charge Character more popular than Chun Li, in or outside of Street Fighter, it will undoubtedly be Guile as he is the most synonymous name with the fighting archetype. He's also so loved that he made it into Fortnite. Guile is such a special Charge Character primarily due to his excellent normal attacks paired with the only two Special Attacks in his arsenal, the Sonic Boom and Flash Kick.
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Guile's two Special Attacks are the sole definition of a Charge Character, but it doesn't matter as he executes them perfectly and effortlessly. His Sonic Boom has him throw out a fast projectile that covers the distance of the arena, allowing Guile to plan his next attack and close the gap. In contrast, the Flash kick is an invincible anti-air that punishes the enemy's jump-in attacks and enables Guille to control the game's pace easily. There's a reason Guile has rarely seen any change in the many, many games he made an appearance in.
May – Guilty Gear
May is adrenaline personified into a Japanese girl who is incredibly aggressive, super kind, and very strong and deadly. She's adorable but also kind of scary and frustrating to deal with, making her a formidable foe you must take seriously throughout the entire matchup.
Thanks to the lore of the Guilty Gear universe, May's Japanese heritage gives her superhuman strength and magical powers that enable her to summon aquatic animals to unleash pure chaos on her opposition. May's Charge Attacks allow her to call in her sea friend "Mr. Dolphin," to then ride on its back and charge full speed into the enemy's face either horizontally or vertically. Mr. Dolphin allows May to be absurdly aggressive and unpredictable. She can also use the vertical attack to hit enemies out of mid-air, making for an incredible anti-air option.