SPECIAL MOVES
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There's been big changes to special moves in Gem Fighter.

First is that with only one punch button and only one kick button, you 
can't modify your special moves like you can in other Capcom games.  
Gone are low-rising dragon punches, and mixing up fast fireballs with 
slow fireballs to confuse and zone your opponent.  (You can tell I'm a 
Shotokan character player.  ^_^)

The other major change to special moves is that each character has three 
special moves that can be powered up.  When you start a match, at the 
bottom of the screen are three guages, coloured red, yellow and blue, 
which all start at level 1.  On each guage is a picture and a motion 
indicating one of your special moves - this is the guage for that 
special move.

To power up these guages and improve your special moves, you collect the 
gems that litter the play area.

(How to get gems is described under the 'Gems and Special Objects' 
section.)

When you collect enough gems or a power gem (the really large ones) of a 
colour, this ups the level of the corresponding special move guage.  The 
special move is now boosted in power.  You can do this twice - a special 
move can go up to level 3.

Sound confusing?  I'll illustrate with an example:

   Ryu starts the match with all of his guages at level 1 and completely
   empty.  When he uses his Hadouken, the fireball is small and does
   only one hit.

   At the start of the match he smashes open the chest and out pops a 
   red power gem.  Beating his opponent to it, he grabs the red power
   gem and the red power guage at the bottom of the screen is boosted
   one level and is now at level 2 (and still empty.)  His corresponding
   special move, the Hadouken, is now powered up a level.  When he does
   it now, it's larger and does two hits.  However, his other two
   special move guages are still at level 1 - the dragon punch and
   cyclone kicks still only go a short distance and do only one hit.

   The fight continues and he eventually picks up enough small red gems 
   to power his Hadouken up to level 3.  Now when he does it it's very 
   large and does three hits.  However, he's only picked up enough 
   yellow gems to boost his dragon punch to level 2, which now does two 
   hits, goes further, and is electrified.  He's picked up very few blue 
   gems and his cyclone kick is still only at level 1.

   Now, it doesn't matter how many red gems he picks up - his red power 
   guage and his Hadouken will stay on level 3.

Some characters have more than three special moves.  These 'other' 
special moves can't be powered up, but they are still useful.  Examples 
of these moves are Akuma's red fireball (QCB+P),  Dan's special throw 
(QCF+P+K);  and Felicia's jumping scratch (QCF+P and press P repeatedly 
when you connect).