Capcom seems to be making all the right moves for Street Fighter 6. On top of a solid one-on-one fighting game, Capcom has built a lightweight RPG, a deep set of training tools that cater to newcomers and veterans alike, and a proper arcade mode. It’s a far cry from the esports-focused breakout state of Capcom’s latest flagship fighting game effort, Street Fighter 5.
I recently got involved with Street Fighter 6Various modes, including a fun, open-world exploration such as the Yakuza of the World Tour, where players can take their custom character to the streets of Metro City and battle almost any inhabitant there. It is neither slick nor as pretty Street Fighter 6Other modes, but it’s the most convenient place for newcomers to start; The World Tour teaches players the fundamentals of core fighting games before sending them on a meet-and-greet adventure with the Street Fighter team. It’s also where players can create their own perfect fighter, or their weirdest one – Capcom takes massive anatomical liberties with character creation in SF6.
Marissa kneeled on Luke’s face
Image: Capcom
It was the situation I spent the most time in, and the one I can’t stop thinking about Street Fighter 6In Fighting Ground, you play against Polygon Executive Editor Chelsea Stark in casual 1v1 battles. We had the opportunity to experiment SF6 roster – 18 fighters at launch – and it seems almost impossible to pick a favourite.
Almost every letter in Street Fighter 6 The roster is tempting, whether it’s a classic character like Ryu or Chun-Li, who feels instantly familiar and newly enhanced, or new faces like Marisa (a hulking Italian boxer) and JP (a voluptuous dandy who might as well be charming). These latter characters ooze personality: Marissa rivals Zangief in size and pride, yet gently holds her defeated opponents towards the end of a match; JP brings a sense of style and apparent psychic strength abilities to combat, ruthlessly outrunning his opponents when he walks away victorious.
The style and personality of notebooks fights in Street Fighter 6. In addition to a post-fight flair, the game gives its fighters proper WWE-style entrances, and they can manipulate each other in pre-match encounters. Capcom offered this feature, called Game Face, some time ago, and after playing with it, it became quite amusing to see the world warriors in the game grimacing, growling, and sticking out their tongues at each other. Game Face is just one of the hundreds of subtle touches Capcom brings to it Street Fighter 6All in the name of making fighting games fun for the masses again.
The STree fighter 6 The roster is incredibly diverse, with seniors like Zangief and Marisa fighting alongside fast fighters like Cammy and newcomer Kimberly. Kimberly can teleport with her modernized version of ninja smoke bombs – spray paint cans – and feels like it would be a real weapon in the hands of fighting game pros. Her dashing abilities have allowed her to run into an opponent and act unpredictably, with follow-up moves like sliding kicks and leg jumps that will keep opponents guessing…and frustrated.
Capcom has even managed to breathe new life into veterans like Dhalsim, Honda and Blanka, who all feel completely authentic. Street Fighter 2 versions, but have been updated in ways that match their designs. Dhalsim is as terrifyingly rubbery as ever, Honda looks and moves like a real sumo fighter, and Blanca looks man and beast in equal measure. Capcom exaggerated the character designs and personality traits of Street Fighter veterans to their peak, but somehow managed to turn them into caricatures of themselves.
Cammy takes on Street Fighter 6 newcomer JP
Image: Capcom
No member of the cast has been overlooked – which also includes returning fighters Ryu, Ken, Guile, Juri, and Dee Jay. Both new looks set it apart from previous versions, such as Street Fighter 6Capcom seems to have taken the default “Hot Ryu” and “Hobo Ken” style, or newly polished movesets, not only to the game’s modes and features, but to the characters themselves.
Street Fighter 6 And the new installment of World Warriors is coming to PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Windows PC, and Xbox Series X on June 6. At least four other characters are set to join the game as DLC in the game’s first year, including Akuma (who debuted in Super Street Fighter 2 Turbo), Ed (playable for the first time in Street Fighter 5), Rashid (also from Street Fighter 5) and AKI (brand new fighter).
Read more