The controls for several actions have been modified from previous Alpha games.
For example the level of a Super Combo move in A-ism is now determined by the strength of the attack button pressed (i.e. Medium Punch or Kick for a Lv. 2 Super Combo)
rather than the number of buttons pushed; and throwing is now done by pressing two punch or kick buttons simultaneously.

Alpha 3 Street discards the Manual and Auto modes from the previous Alpha games by offering the player three different playing styles known as "isms."

Additionally each of the three fighting styles profoundly affects the speed strength and damage-resistance of a player in different ways:
X-Ism provides the highest overall strength of the three styles dealing the most damage per blow of any kind
but it's negated by having the slowest speed and the worst defense (i.e. takes the most damage per hit);
V-Ism has the highest speed and defense but attacks deliver the least damage; and A-Ism ostensibly features the middle ground on all three factors (medium strength
speed and defense). Choosing to fight in Classic Mode bases a player's fighting abilities on X-Ism minus the Super Gauge.