Fightcade Lua Hotkey Top May 2026

Pros:

Cons:

You can bind any keyboard key to a function. Here’s a table of useful “top” actions:

| Hotkey | Action | |--------|--------| | F1 | Reset game | | F5 | Save state | | F7 | Load state | | F9 | Toggle FPS display | | F12 | Take screenshot | | P | Pause emulation | | R | Record input replay |

Example for Reset Game:

if input.read()["F1"] then
    emu.reset()
    console.write("Game reset")
    while input.read()["F1"] do emu.frameadvance() end
end

Here's a realistic example: you're running Third Strike. You bind F1 to toggle hitboxes, F2 to save state, F3 to load state, F4 to record a 10-second replay buffer. All without alt-tabbing, all while blocking mixups.

A minimal Lua script skeleton for Fightcade might look like: fightcade lua hotkey top

-- Fightcade Lua: Hotkey Top template
local overlay = gui.create_overlay("Hotkey Top", 10, 10, 200, 100)
overlay:set_alpha(0.8)
overlay:show()
function on_hotkey(key)
if key == "F1" then
memory.write_u8(0x2C4A, 1)  -- toggle hitbox flag (example)
overlay:set_text("Hitboxes ON")
elseif key == "F2" then
savestate.save(1)
overlay:set_text("State saved")
end
end
bind_hotkey("F1", on_hotkey)
bind_hotkey("F2", on_hotkey)

Fightcade’s Lua scripting allows you to bind keyboard keys to in-game actions, including arcade inputs, menu toggles, and even top-panel controls (like pausing, resetting, or quitting a match).
Here’s how to make a "top" hotkey script — typically meaning a script that triggers a top-level action (e.g., reset game, toggle FPS, or save/load state) with a single keypress.

This report explains how to create and use a Lua script for Fightcade that adds a top-position hotkey (e.g., for a toolbar/menu or overlay) or maps a function to a specific key when running Fightcade. It covers objectives, environment, implementation steps, example Lua script, installation, testing, and troubleshooting.

Save this as hotkey_top.lua in your Fightcade emulator folder (e.g., Fightcade/emulator/): Cons: You can bind any keyboard key to a function

-- Fightcade Lua Hotkey: Top Actions
-- Assign F5 to save state, F7 to load state
while true do
if input.read()["F5"] then
-- Save state (slot 0)
savestate.save(0)
console.write("State saved to slot 0")
while input.read()["F5"] do emu.frameadvance() end
end
if input.read()["F7"] then
    -- Load state
    savestate.load(0)
    console.write("State loaded from slot 0")
    while input.read()["F7"] do emu.frameadvance() end
end
emu.frameadvance()

end

Purpose: Analyze chaotic situations. See if a hit was high/low or if you could have teched a throw.

Hotkey: F2 to toggle 30% speed. F3 to advance one frame at a time.

-- Top Lua Hotkey: Frame-by-Frame Advance
local slow_mo_active = false
local frame_advance_key = 60 -- F3
local function on_frame()
if input.get_keys().keyboard[frame_advance_key] then
if not slow_mo_active then
emu.set_speed(10) -- 10% speed
slow_mo_active = true
else
emu.set_speed(100)
slow_mo_active = false
end
end
end
emu.add_frame_callback(on_frame)

Pro tip: Use this to check the "top" players' replays. See exactly why their mix-up worked.