It didn’t take long for Street Fighter 6 to establish itself as the premier modern fighting game. Building on the rock-solid foundation from the previous instalment, Street Fighter 6 elevates everything we loved about the series, introducing a new Drive System that makes fights more dynamic and strategic than ever.
Street Fighter 6 is forcing fighting game fans to approach fights in a whole new way. Pokes and meaties are riskier, combos are more devastating, and there’s always the chance a simple strike will transform into a Drive Rush launcher that will send you reeling.
Are you struggling to reach that next level of greatness? All the new features are enough to send even the most hardened Street Fighter veteran into a headspin. Fear not, we’ve put together this list of the 7 things you might be doing wrong in Street Fighter 6 to help you correct course.
Spamming Neutral Drive Impact
The new Drive System has completely transformed the way Street Fighter works, providing an ever-present counter against pokes and meaties. Considering the damage and reliability of the Drive Impact in neutral, it’s little wonder so many players have made it a core part of their fighting style. If that describes you, now’s the time to start adjusting your play style.
The problem with Drive Impact is that it’s easily countered by another Drive Impact. Shortly after release, there were enough new players that you could get away with spamming Drive Impact in neutral to deal massive damage to your opponent. But now we’re far enough after release that players are learning to use counter Drive Impacts to punish this style of play.
So instead, only launch offensive Drive Impacts when it’s relatively safe to use them, such as when it will guarantee a wall stun or a launch that you can transition into a combo. Otherwise, save them for countering the opponent’s Drive Impacts.
Mindless Poking
Another example of how the Drive System has changed the game is the effect it’s had on footsies. For the uninitiated, “footsies” is the back and forth that happens as both players try to position themselves to gain the upper hand in a fight. Poking means throwing out quick, low-risk strikes meant to keep the opponent at a distance, and in previous instalments, poking was relatively safe. The introduction of Drive Impact, Drive Rush, and Drive Parries means careless poking can put you in a position to be counter-attacked.
Poking is still a key part of positioning, but keep an eye on the enemy’s Drive Meter. If they’ve got charge in the tank, there’s always the possibility they’ll try to cut through your poke with a Drive move. Keep your own Drive Parry or Drive Impact in your pocket for when they do this for a quick and satisfying punch that you can turn into a damaging combo.
Focusing on Combos Over Fundamentals
In the high-octane world of Street Fighter 6, it’s easy to get caught up in flashy combos that dazzle the crowd and deal massive damage. But here’s a secret: mastering fighting game fundamentals is the key to true success.
Fundamentals like spacing, footsies, and understanding your opponent’s character are what separate the pros from the amateurs. They lay the foundation for solid gameplay and strategic decision-making. By focusing on these core skills, you’ll improve your overall game sense and go beyond relying on memorized combo strings. So, keep those fundamentals sharp, and you’ll be ready to outplay and outwit your opponents in Street Fighter 6.
Overusing Drive Rush to String Combos
We love the Drive Rush. Not only is it super flashy, but it also allows you to string moves together and essentially create your own killer combos. It’s tempting to use it at every opportunity to maximize your damage output, but that’s another major mistake we’ve seen in Ranked matches that you should definitely avoid.
Overusing Drive Rush is an easy way to accidentally put yourself in a Burnout state. A Drive Rush from a normal attack costs a whopping 3 Drive Stocks to perform, so consider the potential risks and rewards whenever you decide to pull one out. Will the Drive Rush combo induce a Burnout state? Are you willing to put yourself in that kind of danger?
Performing Early Wall Stuns Against Opponents in Burnout
Let’s say your opponent got greedy with their Drive Rushes and has put themselves into a Burnout state. What’s your first move? If you’re like most players, you press them into a wall and go for a launch that will wall-stun them.
Drive Impact into wall stun with a combo follow-up is great if you’re trying to close out a round. It’s guaranteed damage that, if used at the right time, can lead to an easy point. The issue is that when you wall stun and combo an opponent, it speeds up their recovery from Burnout.
Unless a wall stun will guarantee you a win, you should avoid it entirely. Instead, hold the opponent’s Burnout for as long as possible. They’re already in a weakened state where you can do extra damage while limiting their movement options. And in most cases, you’ll do more damage over the full duration of a Burnout than if you went for the easy wall stun combo.
Always Going for the Meaty Jump-in After Knockdown
The ground game is a small but important part of mastering Street Fighter. In previous games, knocking down an opponent essentially forced a coin flip on wakeup. Will you go for the low sweep or the mid/high blow? This was almost always an advantage to the attacker, as a properly timed meaty (an attack that hits at its last active frame) would put the defender in a frame disadvantage.
The new Drive Parry makes meaties and ground strikes a bit more dangerous for the attacker. Many players instinctively want to press their opponent on knockdown, but now the defender can use a wake-up Drive Parry to counter your strikes. If they time the Parry correctly, they could get a Perfect Drive Parry, which will lead to you taking a whole lot of damage.
Not Giving Modern Controls a Chance
Of all the new features introduced in Street Fighter 6, the Modern Controls scheme has to be the most controversial. Modern Controls remove a lot of the complexity from playing the game by reducing the number of inputs required to perform certain moves and Specials, but the simplified inputs aren’t the biggest advantage to Modern Controls.
Modern Controls allow for 1-frame execution of Specials, Supers, and Drive Parries, making anti-air easier and more reliable. They also have auto-hit confirmation, so your fighter will continue a combo only when a hit lands. Additionally, you can still use manual inputs if you want a bit more control, removing the damage reduction that comes with using Modern Controls.
Mastering Street Fighter 6 requires precision, practice, and a keen understanding of the game’s mechanics. By addressing these seven common mistakes, you can level up your gameplay and become a better fighter. Remember to focus on execution, learn the strengths and weaknesses of your fighter, and adapt your strategies to counter your opponents.
Don’t neglect the importance of spacing and footsies, as they can greatly influence the outcome of a match. And lastly, never forget the power of patience and perseverance – improving in Street Fighter 6 is a journey, but with dedication, you’ll see progress and success. Now if you are ever in need of more in-game currencies, be sure to top up with Xbox Live Gift Cards from OffGamers here.
I am a junior content outreach writer for OffGamers. I foster relationships between gaming enthusiasts and gaming developers to create relevant content for gamers worldwide. I also happen to be a passionate writer and a certified night owl.
