Sly Cooper

All-star overview

Sly Cooper is a fast and crafty character; relying only on his wits, his signature cane, and an array of gadgets to get the job done. He can quickly move about the level, teleport at will, and counter Attacks with the press of a button. Using gear crafted by his friend and ally, Bentley, Sly can also inflict a variety of status effects on enemies. And he’s going to need all of these tools to survive: Sly is the only character that cannot block. Instead, holding turns him invisible; masking his movements and granting the ability to steal AP from adversaries. Grab as much as you can until you can trigger his Level 1 Super, Unstoppable Ally.

WHAT MAKES UNSTOPPABLE ALLY SO GOOD, ANYWAY?

• The start-up time is very short, while the actual attack happens very quickly.
• Earning 150AP is simple for Sly, as he can earn 45AP with a two-hit combo with ease.
• His Level 2 Super attack is slower and requires aiming, so it’s harder to get a kill with it than it is with Unstoppable Ally.

WHAT’S THE BEST WAY TO EARN 150AP?

• Turn invisible by holding , and sneak up on enemies for big AP Combos.
• Leave Cap Mines out for adversaries to stumble over, and follow up with brief air Combos.
• Use the Explosive Barrel attack to put foes between a rock and a hard place.
• Use Smoke Bomb to teleport behind nearby foes, and use Cane Swipe 2 while invisible for 45AP.

The trick to success with Sly is being creative. He has all the tools to dominate a match, and what you need to do is figure out how to put them together. You should frequently make use of his Attacks that cause status effects, whether that effect is Confusion or Lift. Switch from all-out offense to stealthy defense by using Sly’s invisibility skill. Focus on catching enemies by surprise, and you’ll earn 150AP in no time.

AT A GLANCE

Costumes

Rundown

SUPER ATTACKS

OVERVIEW

Unstoppable Ally: Sly Cooper steps aside, and Murray, his hippopotamus partner, comes sprinting in. Murray trips if he runs too far or strikes an enemy, and the impact of him tripping kills any adversary in the immediate vicinity. Though this move has a moment of wind-up, Murray runs very quickly and can often hit attackers before they get a chance to dodge out of the way. This is a safe and reliable Super attack to utilize.

Flying Racoon: Sly equips a jetpack and takes to the skies. Pressing any face button makes Sly drop bombs from his shoulder launchers, which travel in a slight arc as they streak toward the ground. Sly can fly up to the highest point on the stage if you so desire. On a stage like Dojo, gaining extreme height makes it somewhat easier to score multiple kills.

Recon Sly and His Targets: Sly equips his binoculars, and Bentley gives him his marching orders: focus on as many targets as possible! Use the left stick to aim the binoculars, and press any face button to focus on your target once the targeting reticle turns red. You can quickly rack up multiple kills with this Super attack, but it may not be the best choice for every battle because of the 675AP required to activate it.

THROWS

OVERVIEW

Name	Command	AP Penalty	Properties	Hit Effect	Notes
Up Throw	Right Stick	15%	Unblockable; 30AP of super armor	Full launch	—

Up Throw: Sly forces the enemy to their knees, tees up, and takes a swing with his cane. The resulting strike fully launches the opponent into the air, giving Sly a chance to follow up with a hard-hitting combo.

Name	Command	AP Penalty	Properties	Hit Effect	Notes
Forward Throw	Right Stick or	15%	Unblockable; 30AP of super armor	Eject tornado	—

Forward Throw: Sly grabs the enemy, plants his feet, and pushes off, sending the foe away in an eject tornado. If you feel the need to get some breathing room for Sly, this is a good go-to throw.

Name	Command	AP Penalty	Properties	Hit Effect	Notes
Down Throw	Right Stick	15%	Unblockable; 30AP of super armor	KD	—

Down Throw: Sly knocks the enemy into the air, hooks them with his cane, and then slams them over his head. This move results in a knockdown state, leaving Sly unable to immediately follow up with a combo. If you can avoid an adversary’s wake-up attack, however, Sly has a solid chance to retaliate with a solid attack.

: SQUARE ATTACKS

GROUND ATTACKS

#	Name	Command	AP Gain	Properties	Hit Effects	CI	Notes
1	Cane Swipe		5	Can remain invisible	—		—
-	Can Swipe 2	,	5	Can remain invisible; steals 20AP from foe if hit from behind or 40AP if invisible	Eject roll (from behind)	—	—
2	Knockout Dive		10	—	—	—	Sly passes through opponents at close range.
3	Cane Swoop		20	Forces Sly into air	Lift	air	—
4	Spinning Strike		20 (tap), 30 (charge)	Chargeable, charged version can guard break	Sweep (tap); Eject tornado or guard break (hold)		Jump cancel only OK during charge

Sly’s Knockout Dive ( ) is a useful move, even outside of its offensive applications. You may be tempted to take advantage of Sly’s quick movement speed to get him close to enemies, but give some thought to using Knockout Dive to attack from a slight distance before moving Sly into point-blank range. This dive comes out quickly, and the recovery period is not too bad if the move is blocked.

Once Sly gets within point-blank range, however, anything goes. Lift your enemies with Cane Swoop ( ) to set up your preferred Combos. Sly leaps into the air upon completion of Cane Swoop, making it much easier to connect this attack to another. Cane Swoop is a solid combo starter and a valuable part of Sly’s repertoire.

Spinning Strike ( ) is another good attack to use at the beginning of your Combos. Spinning Strike sweeps enemies if you tap and forces opponents into an eject tornado if you charge the attack. The sweep variation is immensely useful and can even be used in concert with Cane Swoop to sweep an adversary, force them into the air, and then follow up with an air combo.

Cane Swipe ( ) and Cane Swipe 2 ( , ) only earn a combined total of 10AP when striking an enemy from the front, and they leave the foe standing once the move is over. But (and here is where Sly gets tricky), if you were to perform Cane Swipe 2 on an enemy with their back turned, then Sly earns 25AP and makes the target eject roll away. Sly steals 15AP from his foe when performing a Cane Swipe from behind.

AIR ATTACKS

#	Name	Command	AP Gain	Properties	Hit Effects	CI	Notes
1	Air Cane Swipe	Air	20	—	KD	—	Range extends from Sly’s face to the bottom of his feet.
2	Air Dive Forward	Air	10	—	—	—	Long recovery
3	Air Cane Scoop	Air	20	—	Lift		—
4	Air Knockout Dive	Air	10, 20	Active until grounded	Eject roll (2nd hit)	—	Passes through airborne opponents.

Sly’s aerial Attacks are much more straightforward. Air Knockout Dive ( ) is a classic downward smash that can knock enemies out of the sky or hammer grounded foes. Adversaries that fall prey to the second hit of Knockout Dive eject roll away from Sly. This move has a couple of different applications. You can use it to stop an enemy from approaching Sly from below by passing through a thin platform while holding , or you can surprise a cluster of battling challengers by having Sly double jump into their vicinity and immediately dropout of the sky for a Air Knockout Dive.

Sly moves forward a short distance when performing Air Cane Swoop ( ). This gives Sly a chance to connect with an enemy that may be a little too far away for a Knockout Dive or other aerial attack. Surprise your foes with Air Cane Swoop, and begin your air Combos from a little bit farther away.

Air Dive Forward ( ) provides another solid way for Sly to get close to an enemy in mid-air. Sly follows a slight arc up and then down upon activation of Air Dive Forward. Try to clip opponents that might be just a little too high in the air for a standard attack. This move is also a good way to decrease the distance between Sly and his foes without having to spend time simply running around.

Press in mid-air to perform an Air Cane Swipe. This move smashes enemies to the ground in an knockdown state. It’s a great combo finisher, but it is also very effective at knocking challengers out of the air. A knocked-down foe cannot fight back or earn AP, so use this attack to keep your enemies in check.

: TRIANGLE ATTACKS

GROUND ATTACKS

#	Name	Command	AP Gain	Properties	Hit Effects	CI	Notes
1	Alarm Clock		10	2-second duration	Shock	—	Only one Alarm Clock in play at once
2	Electromagnetic Raccoon Roll		30	Dashes forward	Eject roll	—	Sly wall jumps on impact
3	Smoke Bomb		—	Teleport; use or to control direction	—	—	Thin purple line shows range; automatically teleports behind nearest opponent in range
4	Rage Bomb		10	—	Confusion	—	Only one Rage Bomb allowed at a time.

Consider Sly’s Attacks his dirty tricks division. If his Attacks are standard moves, Sly’s Attacks are the moves that trip enemies up and let Sly control the pace of the match. First on the list is Alarm Clock ( ). If any adversary touches the clock itself—not just the waves emanating off it—then they are immediately locked into a shocked state. Alarm Clock is active for two seconds, which is plenty of time for Sly to approach the foe with an attack. Only one Alarm Clock can be active at any one time.

Sly’s Electromagnetic Raccoon Roll ( ) is a fast forward dash that makes enemies eject roll on impact and earns Sly 30AP. It works best from medium-close range, and Sly’s backflip at the end of the move ensures that he’s left in safety as the opponent eject rolls away. Sly hesitates just slightly before performing the Electromagnetic Raccoon Roll. It isn’t enough of a delay to give an attacker time to dodge the move if you ambush them with it, however.

Use Smoke Bomb ( ) to teleport. Press or to select the direction you’re going to teleport toward, and use the thin purple line to judge the distance Sly is going to travel. Press without pressing or to teleport in place.

Only one Rage Bomb ( ) is allowed to be active at a time, and with good reason. Any target struck by the Rage Bomb is left confused and vulnerable. It only earns 10AP, but it’s a good way to force characters to back away or to totally disrupt someone else’s gameplan.

AIR ATTACKS

#	Name	Command	AP Gain	Properties	Hit Effects	CI	Notes
1	Cane Stun	Air	10	—	Shock	—	Long recovery
2	Charged Voltage Attack	Air	30	—	Eject tornado; eject roll (grounded foe)	—	—
3	Air Smoke Bomb	Air	—	Teleport; use or to control direction	—	—	Thin purple line shows range; automatically teleports behind closest enemy within range
4	Insanity Strike	Air	10	—	Confusion	—	Confusion effects do not stack

The dirty tricks continue with Sly’s aerial Attacks. Insanity Strike ( ) confuses whichever enemies it hits, but Sly must be at close range to successfully hit an adversary. Unlike Rage Bomb, Insanity Strike is a swing of Sly’s cane, so keep that in mind when attempting to build Combos or fend off foes with this move.

Sly can teleport in mid-air using Air Smoke Bomb ( ), too. This works just as it does on the ground, and it is extremely useful for escaping aerial Combos. Perform a neutral teleport—just , no or —to teleport Sly close to the nearest enemy. If that foe is in mid-air, then Sly teleports as close to them as he can get, putting him in the perfect position to follow the Air Smoke Bomb with an attack that travels, like Air Dive Forward ( ).

Another good traveling attack is Sly’s Charged Voltage Attack ( ). It doesn’t travel far, but it does travel just enough to surprise enemies that may not be paying close attention. Grounded adversaries eject roll after being hit, while airborne foes eject tornado away. The 30AP Sly earns for this move makes it a must-have, while the fast start-up and active period make it especially effective at countering air-based Attacks.

The last dirty trick in Sly’s Attacks is his Cane Stun ( ). Instead of a smash, Sly shocks the enemy in mid-air. It has an especially generous hit box, as well, so you can capture several opponents at once if you manage to find two airborne attackers that are close to each other.

: CIRCLE ATTACKS

GROUND ATTACKS

#	Name	Command	AP Gain	Properties	Hit Effects	CI	Notes
1	Decoy		10	Counter; active instantly	Shock	—	Sly teleports behind opponent on counter
2	Rail Slide Plus		10	Slides through opponents creating lighting trail	Short shock to lift	—	Lightning trail appears once Sly comes to a stop
3	Explosive Barrel		30	or : Move, press any button to explode; reflects projectiles	Eject tornado	—	Cannot go invisible while inside barrel; reflected projectiles retain their original properties
4	Cap Mine		20	Only 1 mine in play at a time	Lift	—	—

The dirty tricks continue in Sly’s Attacks. Press to perform Decoy. This automatic counter must be properly timed to succeed, but once you do succeed, Sly teleports behind the foe, shocking them in the process. Every time you successfully land a counter, you need to follow it with a combo. A good and reliable combo starter after a Decoy is Cane Swoop ( ), and you can even press again to tack on an extra hit after the Cane Swoop.

Rail Slide Plus ( ) looks like a basic dash, as it passes through the enemy if Sly is close enough, but the trick comes once the slide finishes. Rail Slide Plus looks like an escape maneuver, but it is actually a solid offensive maneuver. Sly shocks the opponent after successfully sliding past them, and that shock lifts them into the air, as well, leaving them open to Combos.

Cap Mine ( ) is a move that’s useful no matter what style of play you prefer for Sly. It’s a trap, and characters that are struck by it are lifted into the air, ripe for a combo. Drop mines just to keep the other characters busy, and after the mine goes off and you earn 20AP, drop another. These can be used tactically as the beginning of an attack rush, or you can simply drop them and hope for the best.

Explosive Barrel ( ) is Sly’s last grounded maneuver, and it’s an interesting one. Sly hops into a barrel full of dynamite and other explosives. Normally, this would be a terrible idea, but Sly can walk while in the barrel to maneuver closer to his foes while avoiding harm from projectiles. Pressing any face button detonates the barrel, sending the enemy flying away in an eject tornado. It’s not very sneaky, but it is disorienting and momentarily confusing for the target.

AIR ATTACKS

#	Name	Command	AP Gain	Properties	Hit Effects	CI	Notes
1	Air Decoy	Air	10	Counter; active instantly	Shock	—	Sly teleports behind foe on counter
2	Air Rail Slide Plus	Air	10	Travels down-forward	Shock	—	Long recovery
3	Air Explosive Barrel	Air	30	Cannot detonate until grounded	Eject tornado	—	—
4	Air Cap Mine	Air	20	Only 1 mine in play at a time	Lift	—	Halts forward momentum

Sly’s aerial Attacks line up with his grounded Attacks evenly, but the Attacks can be used in different ways now. Air Rail Slide Plus ( ) travels on a downward angle from high to low, and Sly still passes through the enemy. Thanks to its aerial nature, this move can be used to either strike a grounded adversary by surprise or to create a ceiling to prevent a jumping foe from making any headway.

Air Cap Mine ( ) is a safe way to plant mines, especially if Sly has the advantage of the high ground. Have Sly jump off a platform, throw a mine toward a group of enemies below, and then double jump back onto the platform to safety so you can watch the fireworks. If you’re having trouble successfully planting mines on the ground, use Air Cap Mine to even things up a little.

Performing Explosive Barrel ( ) in the air is a risky prospect. You can’t explode until Sly touches the ground, so you must have him jump into the barrel, fall, and then immediately trigger the attack if anyone is nearby. It’s risky, but if you’re fond of “death from above”-style Attacks, this is your best bet, outside of Sly’s Air Knockout Dive ( ).

Air Decoy ( ) is an air counter, and it’s invaluable when battling combo-heavy characters. Before you can use it properly, you need to figure out your enemy’s rhythm. Do they attack at the top of their jump? On the way down? On the way up? Once you have that sorted, you will know when to pull out the Air Decoy and can enjoy being able to perform a combo against your foe with no fear of reprisal.

COMBOS

MAIN COMBOS

Note: All combos assume your character is facing the right side of the screen.

I. Against grounded foe: ,

40AP

Don’t get too flashy. This combo is simple and reliable. Even if the first hit is blocked, the second hit requires the enemy to continue blocking. By the time this combo is fully blocked, Sly will have fully recovered and should be ready to press the attack once again. If the combo hits cleanly, however, Sly knocks the attacker up and then down and earns 40AP in the process. This is a good combo to use to surprise other combatants, particularly if they like jumping in before performing a combo.

II. Against grounded foe: (air), land, (charge)

60AP

This is another short and sweet combo. You can delay as long as you like between activating the Explosive Barrel with and triggering it with , but the Charged Voltage Attack ( ) must come out as soon as the barrel explodes. You’re trying to cancel out of the explosion and directly into the Charged Voltage Attack, so act quickly. Upon completion, the enemy is forced into an eject tornado, so turn your attentions to another closer target.

III. Against attacking foe: , ,

50AP

You can, and should, combo once you complete a counterattack. Time the Decoy ( ) so that the enemy hits it, giving Sly a chance to shock them and teleport to their back. Then, immediately input , to complete the combo by performing a Cane Swoop. This combo is a good way to get used to the rhythm of switching between a counterattack and combo very quickly.

COMBO APPENDIX

Combo	+AP	Notes
, ,	60	This variation on Combo I adds a sweep at the beginning for a nice boost to your total AP gain.
, ,	45	This combo begins with Sly turning invisible and ends with an eject roll and solid AP bonus.

ADVANCED STRATEGIES

Unseen, but felt: use Sly’s invisibility to set up punishing Attacks.

Explosive Barrel is an unorthodox move, but it’s an effective one when properly utilized.

Sly takes some getting used to. He’s a fast character, which suggests that he’s combo-friendly, but you’ll find that isn’t quite true after spending some time exploring his moveset. Sly is a trap-centric character, and he gets by thanks to his dirty tricks. You should play him accordingly. Use Cap Mines ( ) to trip your enemies up, and employ Air Slide Rail Plus ( in mid-air) to control where they’re allowed to jump and stand.

The first step to playing Sly well is figuring out the best ways to wreak havoc on everyone else in the match. Slide Rail Plus ( ) can shock and lift a few enemies at once, and Sly is under no obligation to follow up on that attack. This is actually a good opportunity for mind games. Opponents expect Combos, and leaving them alone after a perfect set-up may cause them to hesitate the next time they approach Sly. Of course, the best route is to perform the combo once Sly lifts an enemy, but keep in mind the effect that upsetting someone’s expectations can have. They won’t know what to make of you, which gives you a license to be unpredictable.

One of Sly’s greatest assets is his invisibility. Hold to turn invisible. After that, all you need to do to reap a nice harvest of AP is maneuver your way behind an enemy and perform a Cane Swipe 2 ( , ) to force them to eject roll away while you earn 45AP.

Turning invisible gives Sly a huge edge, so make sure you take advantage of it. Creep around the stage and move into position without anyone noticing. If you’re going to try to have Sly drop into the midst of a group of enemies and then perform Explosive Barrel ( ), then remain invisible until the very last moment. Sly isn’t 100% invisible and can be seen if you look closely, but if someone is in the middle of a heated battle, then their thoughts are focused on their immediate problem, not an invisible Sly. That leaves you an opening to backstab them for AP.

Between the traps and invisibility, Sly has the potential to be the most disruptive character in the game. While many characters can knock enemies out of Attacks, lay traps that inflict particular hit states, or counter incoming Attacks, no one else can disappear and attack at will. Sly can, and that’s one advantage that’s worth keeping in mind as you play.

Teleport away from, or toward, danger as you maneuver around the level.